Todoist or OF3 and Evernote or Notion?

[tammie1983]

Hi everyone,

I've come back to GTD after "falling off the wagon" about a year ago.

I was using OF3 but even though I found it to be very useful especially for repeating tasks, I still had bits of paper everywhere and screenshots on my iPad.

I ended up trying Todoist out which looks very similar to OF3 but even now, I've still got bits of paper and screenshots going un-dealt with.

After doing a little research I found quite a few people are using two apps, one for notes and one for projects/tasks. I think that's where I've gone wrong.

So, do I stick with Todoist and reorganise it or go back to OF3?

And, for the notes app, do I use Evernote or Notion. I haven't tried either, but from taking a look at their sites, I prefer the look of Notion. I don't like the idea of notebooks and don't like the look of Evernote, so maybe I have my answer, lol.

I know there are guides for Todoist and Evernote in the GTD Shop. Does the OF3 guide seem to be for web-only? I use it on iOS. And I don't think there's a guide for Notion.

Apologies if my query is a little mixed up. I almost gave myself a panic attack when I started researching all of this, it's rather overwhelming.

 

[mcogilvie]

Both OF3 and Todoist are reasonable choices. The OF guide was written with A Mac in mind, but OF is similar on iOS. I don’t think many Todoist GTD’ers follow the guide, preferring to use the app as it was designed.

You can have many apps for different kinds of notes and project support material. It helps if the differences are clear. I use one app for permanent reference, another for project support, and others for the accretion of web stuff, e.g., guitar-related info. I found Notion to be too database-y for me. Evernote is not bad, but is not so good about sharing with other apps.

In general, you should try apps and see what works for you. It’s the GTD way. But no app can substitute for the basic habits of collecting, et cetera.

 

[tammie1983]

Both OF3 and Todoist are reasonable choices. The OF guide was written with A Mac in mind, but OF is similar on iOS. I don’t think many Todoist GTD’ers follow the guide, preferring to use the app as it was designed.

You can have many apps for different kinds of notes and project support material. It helps if the differences are clear. I use one app for permanent reference, another for project support, and others for the accretion of web stuff, e.g., guitar-related info. I found Notion to be too database-y for me. Evernote is not bad, but is not so good about sharing with other apps.

In general, you should try apps and see what works for you. It’s the GTD way. But no app can substitute for the basic habits of collecting, et cetera.

Thanks, I've just signed up for GTD Connect so have downloaded the OF3 and Todoist guides.

I honestly haven't really found a note-taking app aside from Evernote that'll let me add pictures ie screenshots, photos. I just took another look at Notion and it's more like Todoist and OF3, as you said like a database. I'll have a search through the forums to see what others are using.

That was the problem with OF3, I could attach screenshots/photos to tasks and projects but couldn't "see" them, everything was just a list and that's how I got lost. Things just got buried because I couldn't visually see them. That's what's happening now with Todoist. And, if I upload to Todoist, I have to keep the original picture in my Photos on iOS as if I delete it, it deletes it from Todoist and doesn't upload it to the app itself.

 

[Oogiem]

I honestly haven't really found a note-taking app aside from Evernote that'll let me add pictures ie screenshots, photos.

DEVONThink handles pretty much any file type. I routinely put in screenshots, pictures and scanned sketches into it.

 

[Oogiem]

I could attach screenshots/photos to tasks and projects but couldn't "see" them, everything was just a list and that's how I got lost.

I thought you could add the link in the notes and expand notes and it shows up but not sure. I don't normally attach support material to my Omnifocus items.

 

[Tem]

Hi everyone,

I've come back to GTD after "falling off the wagon" about a year ago.

I was using OF3 but even though I found it to be very useful especially for repeating tasks, I still had bits of paper everywhere and screenshots on my iPad.

I ended up trying Todoist out which looks very similar to OF3 but even now, I've still got bits of paper and screenshots going un-dealt with.

After doing a little research I found quite a few people are using two apps, one for notes and one for projects/tasks. I think that's where I've gone wrong.

So, do I stick with Todoist and reorganize it or go back to OF3?

And, for the notes app, do I use Evernote or Notion. I haven't tried either, but from taking a look at their sites, I prefer the look of Notion. I don't like the idea of notebooks and don't like the look of Evernote, so maybe I have my answer, lol.

I know there are guides for Todoist and Evernote in the GTD Shop. Does the OF3 guide seem to be for web-only? I use it on iOS. And I don't think there's a guide for Notion.

Apologies if my query is a little mixed up. I almost gave myself a panic attack when I started researching all of this, it's rather overwhelming.

I look forward to knowing what you will end up in your search process to learn from your perspective. thank you for sharing your thoughts.

have you checked an app called Pocket informant? it integrates the notes as well and links to other note-taking apps like ever note.

For the note-taking apps, have you had the chance to have a look at Onenote? they have integrated photos and voice recordings on it too.

BTW: I am a Mac user too, and was thinking of using the Outlook email from Microsoft together with its calendar. Have you tried them? or you are using the IOS email and calendar?

 

[tammie1983]

DEVONThink handles pretty much any file type. I routinely put in screenshots, pictures and scanned sketches into it.

That's exactly what I need!

I thought you could add the link in the notes and expand notes and it shows up but not sure. I don't normally attach support material to my Omnifocus items.

It's fiddly and I need the visual. But yes, I think you can add a link and the task itself shows a 1 with a box if you have something attached, which I easily miss.

I look forward to knowing what you will end up in your search process to learn from your perspective. thank you for sharing your thoughts.

have you checked an app called Pocket informant? it integrates the notes as well and links to other note-taking apps like ever note.

For the note-taking apps, have you had the chance to have a look at Onenote? they have integrated photos and voice recordings on it too.

BTW: I am a Mac user too, and was thinking of using the Outlook email from Microsoft together with its calendar. Have you tried them? or you are using the IOS email and calendar?

No, I haven't head of Pocket Informant, I'll search that one out, thank you. I did come across Onenote, I wasn't too keen on how it looked, but it would do the job. I think most of the note apps did the job but a couple were more visually appealing to me, like DEVONthink.

I'm afraid I don't use a Mac, just Windows, iPhone and iPad. I'd like a Macbook but it's rather out of my price range.

I use Spark email on iOS with Google calendar. On Windows I use Mailbird.

 

[Tem]

I see, I ll have a look at DEVONthink too tanks very much

 

[Ger80C]

Hey @tammie1983 , have you thought about setting things up in a paper system first and deciding about the software product later, once you know how you like your system set up ? Sometimes if you can't decide between two software products the reason is that it is the wrong medium...

Cheers
Sebastian

 

[tammie1983]

Hey @tammie1983 , have you thought about setting things up in a paper system first and deciding about the software product later, once you know how you like your system set up ? Sometimes if you can't decide between two software products the reason is that it is the wrong medium...

Cheers
Sebastian

I never thought of that! I do use a paper planner already and have a pretty good system of adding important dates/appointments/birthdays/anniversaries etc. I've even got some reoccurring tasks in there which I set up every December. It's all the "other" stuff I need to get down, so yes, paper could work if I could organise it properly. I wouldn't want a huge long list and things getting lost.

 

[Ger80C]

I never thought of that! I do use a paper planner already and have a pretty good system of adding important dates/appointments/birthdays/anniversaries etc. I've even got some reoccurring tasks in there which I set up every December. It's all the "other" stuff I need to get down, so yes, paper could work if I could organise it properly. I wouldn't want a huge long list and things getting lost.

Maybe just give it a try. Use several sheets for each of the contexts and your project list. Maybe mix with electronic notes where appropriate, e.g. put the groceries context list in your phone's reminder app.

Have a look at this three-part post where Alan Nelson got into some details as to how he uses a paper system.

You may end up in an electronic system again (maybe even very soon) but I think using paper gives a bit of clarity on how you use the system, which context categories work, how quickly your lists are outdated/get messy, etc. - all of this can get lost easily in an electronic system...

 

[JenniferOrigami]

If I have too many apps I get distracted, so I use Evernote for everything except e-mail, which is sorted into it's own lists/folders. Evernote also has a way for you to email things to an Evernote folder if you prefer it to be all in one place.

It sounds like Evernote's aesthetics are not your favourite, and this method may not work for your style of organisation / app preferences, but I'm still putting it out there because I am a bits of this and bits of that person too and using Evernote for everything means I can use one "note" per Next Action line item, with the title of the "note" as the next action statement and the body of the "note" for the "bitsa" stuff that go along with that statement. The next actions as "notes" appear as a list when put into a "notebook", and then you just click on the one you want to do next to see all the bits.

You mentioned that you tend to take a lot iPad screenshots as reminders. I do too, and it fits beautifully into this system, there is no need to change the habit. To put them into my GTD system in Evernote, all I have to do is take the screenshot, then pop it into a "note" in my Evernote Inbox notebook, and then process them by titling the note and sorting it into the appropriate notebook...that way my natural habits work beautifully with the system, rather than forcing myself to do something completely different than what I naturally tend to do. Same thing with post-its..if I've written something on a post-it, I'll take a photo with my iPhone or iPad, pop it into my Evernote inbox notebook as it's own untitled note and then label and sort when I'm ready to clarify.

 

[tammie1983]

If I have too many apps I get distracted, so I use Evernote for everything except e-mail, which is sorted into it's own lists/folders. Evernote also has a way for you to email things to an Evernote folder if you prefer it to be all in one place.

It sounds like Evernote's aesthetics are not your favourite, and this method may not work for your style of organisation / app preferences, but I'm still putting it out there because I am a bits of this and bits of that person too and using Evernote for everything means I can use one "note" per Next Action line item, with the title of the "note" as the next action statement and the body of the "note" for the "bitsa" stuff that go along with that statement. The next actions as "notes" appear as a list when put into a "notebook", and then you just click on the one you want to do next to see all the bits.

You mentioned that you tend to take a lot iPad screenshots as reminders. I do too, and it fits beautifully into this system, there is no need to change the habit. To put them into my GTD system in Evernote, all I have to do is take the screenshot, then pop it into a "note" in my Evernote Inbox notebook, and then process them by titling the note and sorting it into the appropriate notebook...that way my natural habits work beautifully with the system, rather than forcing myself to do something completely different than what I naturally tend to do. Same thing with post-its..if I've written something on a post-it, I'll take a photo with my iPhone or iPad, pop it into my Evernote inbox notebook as it's own untitled note and then label and sort when I'm ready to clarify.

Evernote would do exactly what I need, as you've found but yes I'm afraid you're right it's the aesthetics! I don't have an issue with notebooks per say it's just how they appear in Evernote. I'm just awkward, lol!

 

[tammie1983]

Maybe just give it a try. Use several sheets for each of the contexts and your project list. Maybe mix with electronic notes where appropriate, e.g. put the groceries context list in your phone's reminder app.

Have a look at this three-part post where Alan Nelson got into some details as to how he uses a paper system.

You may end up in an electronic system again (maybe even very soon) but I think using paper gives a bit of clarity on how you use the system, which context categories work, how quickly your lists are outdated/get messy, etc. - all of this can get lost easily in an electronic system...

Thank you for the link to the article from Alan Nelson, that was a very interesting read!

Paper may well be better for me with projects. I have set up a few in OF3 and I'm already feeling like I'm losing some of them. I've got reoccurring tasks set up, which is doing its job and reminding me to do set things at set times on set days it's just those other projects that don't necessarily have a due date. They're not someday/maybe, they're things I need to do but under the Not Important/Not Urgent with no particular order, just working towards whatever I can each day.

 

[Hasan Bjaili]

Hi everyone,

I've come back to GTD after "falling off the wagon" about a year ago.

I was using OF3 but even though I found it to be very useful especially for repeating tasks, I still had bits of paper everywhere and screenshots on my iPad.

I ended up trying Todoist out which looks very similar to OF3 but even now, I've still got bits of paper and screenshots going un-dealt with.

After doing a little research I found quite a few people are using two apps, one for notes and one for projects/tasks. I think that's where I've gone wrong.

So, do I stick with Todoist and reorganise it or go back to OF3?

And, for the notes app, do I use Evernote or Notion. I haven't tried either, but from taking a look at their sites, I prefer the look of Notion. I don't like the idea of notebooks and don't like the look of Evernote, so maybe I have my answer, lol.

I know there are guides for Todoist and Evernote in the GTD Shop. Does the OF3 guide seem to be for web-only? I use it on iOS. And I don't think there's a guide for Notion.

Apologies if my query is a little mixed up. I almost gave myself a panic attack when I started researching all of this, it's rather overwhelming.

When it comes to note taking, please think deeply. Once you put your notes in an app, it is kinda hard to migrate to another app. Notes are like a rolling snow ball. They get bigger as they roll. In my opinion Evernote is the de facto of note taking. However, I don't like Evernote slow development and upgrades.

As far as GTD app, it is fine to try as many until you find the one that suites you. I use ClickUp. You can try OF3, Things, Nirvana, Todoist, ClickUp, Facilethings, etc.

 

[Gardener]

I find that I'm annoyed by notetaking apps that accept more than text and tags. It's illogical in most cases, because it's not as if I can't just ignore the features I have no use for, but it annoys me all the same. I very rarely want images or tables or other non-text features--so rarely that I'd rather just store those things elsewhere.

(I say "in most cases" because OneNote, IMO, gives up too much in terms of convenient text handling, in its pursuit of the "page" format.)

So I use Scrivener as a kinda-notetaking app, but there's still some friction there that I can't quite figure out. Part of it is that I can't instantly put something in there--there's no equivalent of "Siri, put lemon juice in the grocery list", no menu item that allows a click-paste-Return. That might be all of it.

 

[JenniferOrigami]

Evernote would do exactly what I need, as you've found but yes I'm afraid you're right it's the aesthetics! I don't have an issue with notebooks per say it's just how they appear in Evernote. I'm just awkward, lol!

Not awkward at all! I totally understand, I'm not a fan of it's aesthetics either. They are working on some changes, and I just signed up for the beta testing, I can let you know if they improve it with the update if you're interested?

 

[Hasan Bjaili]

I find that I'm annoyed by notetaking apps that accept more than text and tags. It's illogical in most cases, because it's not as if I can't just ignore the features I have no use for, but it annoys me all the same. I very rarely want images or tables or other non-text features--so rarely that I'd rather just store those things elsewhere.

(I say "in most cases" because OneNote, IMO, gives up too much in terms of convenient text handling, in its pursuit of the "page" format.)

So I use Scrivener as a kinda-notetaking app, but there's still some friction there that I can't quite figure out. Part of it is that I can't instantly put something in there--there's no equivalent of "Siri, put lemon juice in the grocery list", no menu item that allows a click-paste-Return. That might be all of it.

I use Scrivener for writing books. The MAC version is advanced but the Windows one is really outdated. I don't think that Scrivener has a backend servers to keep things and sync with your PC or phones.

 

[Hasan Bjaili]

Not awkward at all! I totally understand, I'm not a fan of it's aesthetics either. They are working on some changes, and I just signed up for the beta testing, I can let you know if they improve it with the update if you're interested?

Sure I am. I am using their paid service and I would to see the new updates. Can you post a link to the beta version?

 

[JenniferOrigami]

Sure I am. I am using their paid service and I would to see the new updates. Can you post a link to the beta version?

I use their paid service too. I'm not sure where I would find a link? I think I may have been randomly selected to test it? They sent me an email, I had to fill out a survey, etc. I will see if I can find a link, and if there is one available, I will post it for you.