#singleaction @shopping is what I use. That way all my miscellaneous "buy milk" needs are under the Context @shopping when I'm out and about.
Todoist question
- Thread starter kelstarrising
- Start date
Earl Richardson
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Kelly, I'd love to see your Setup Guide when you complete it. I love Todoist and I love GTD, I've used Todoist for about a year now, but I have no brilliant ways of using either projects or next actions.
My projects are ...well, projects (..!) and I simply have a Todoist label for Next Actions. I can give any task that label, even a task that isn't currently part of a project. I can check my current list of Next Actions at any time by clicking on that label. But to me, that is far from ideal.
And the only thing I don't like about Todoist, is no automatic identifying of next actions, such as how GTDNext does it. In GTDNext, the first item in any project is automatically idenfitied as your Next Action, so that your 'Next Action' display is uncluttered - it has one and only one task. To me, it meets David Allen's criteria of being able to focus on your Next Action. And if you click 'Complete' on that task, the next task in the project list automatically pops up - again, just one task, in an uncluttered display. A very good system. I've even asked the Todoist support team if they have any future plans for automating a Next Action similar to GTDNext's method, but they don't seem to have any plans for that. Following the way GTDNext does it would seem to me to be the ideal way to do it.
Absent any automatic process like GTDNext, it seems to me anything Todoist tries to do with Next Actions will be clunky and clumsy.
The auto identify NA's feature that GTDNext has is a feature I do miss in Todoist. But otherwise, I find TD's interface cleaner and smoother operating than GTDNext which, I tried, and occasionally check back in on. As always, so much of software interface and operation is personal preference. Earl is spot on that it would be great feature to have. However, the work around I use is when a task is completed I take the manual step of going to the project and giving the NA in line a tickler date or reminder. You would have to do the same in a paper based system so I find it to be no big deal. This NA in line would also be easily caught, if you didn't do it at the time of the previous NA completion, during your Weekly Review.
Here are 3 screen shots of my TD Lists.
This auto-NA feature seems great, but doesn't it assume you know the sequence of NAs prior to them being completed? How does this approach factor in unforeseen changes to the sequence? I'm curious about how this works in practice.
Very true RS356. Even if TD had the auto-NA feature it is based soley on your initial input and outline of NA's into the Project. Unforeseen changes in sequence are caught either at the Weekly Review or as a newly added NA to the Project when it crops up. The auto-NA that GTDNext software provides is, best case scenario, the NA pre-loaded for you based on your previous Project input. If the auto-NA task is not the correct NA it would be, at worst case, a tickler to remind you to update the Project NA list. I prefer the interface of TD versus that of GTDNext which seems a bit buggy still. It's all personal preference though. Find one you enjoy to use and that helps Projects move forward. Everything else is fluff and icing on the cake LOL
Much thanks, @RickKRoadTrip. I remember a similar feature on a GTD program I used nearly 12(?) years ago - GTDTiddlyWiki. Despite its odd name, it did a great job for me at the time! Lately, I've been doing best between Todoist and paper.
On a side note, I've just realized that I've been GTDing for almost 15 years...time flies when you're having fun!
John di Stefano
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I have been working with GTD for about a year and I am still learning more. One thing I learned from one of Davids talks is to keep things simple. ToDoIst is easy to use, but does nothing to support you when it comes to indexing or tagging. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with suggestions. Well it doesn't and you have to do it yourself. As David says, a project can only exist if there is more than one action required to complete a task. If we stick with this, the only option is to leave everything else in the Inbox (your extended brain) and allow filters and tags to do the rest. A sequential Project/Task list is not supported in ToDoIst, which is a bit of a shame. I solve this by assigning a date and/or time to the next required task on completion of the previous task. I do order my task accordingly to make this easier. This works well if you work in Today or if you keep your normal projects in your inbox as well. It is much easier to work only in my inbox. I only scan my inbox (based on filters, including "Not In Filters" filter) and either assign a date, move it into the someday project (which shouldn't really exist in my mind), or delete it. Anything else I can't decide on stays in the Inbox. By adding a note to a task, it adds a date and time stamp I can search for. This allows me to filter for tasks that been in my inbox for a specific timeframe. I think the inbox is all you really need. Applying the right filters and tags is the solution for me and it works well. I only use ToDoIst project for reoccurring tasks. These are things like paying a bill every month. In a way I only use them to assign actions to my calendar which are outside of my control.
What I struggle with is the integration with my email, calendar, snail mail and voice. Can anyone please come up with something that puts it all together?
What I struggle with is the integration with my email, calendar, snail mail and voice. Can anyone please come up with something that puts it all together?
kelstarrising
Kelly | GTD expert
The forthcoming GTD & Todoist Guide will cover this integration. It will be available for GTD Connect members for free or on available for purchase in the DAC store, sometime this fall.
Josh Mitchell
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Kelly, I'm looking forward to this guide. I'm struggling using Todoist right now since everything "must" have a project in order for it to leave the inbox. Interested in what you recommend.
kelstarrising
Kelly | GTD expert
I can tell you the primary way we recommend using Todoist is to use the Projects section for ALL lists, ignoring that it says "Projects". That gets around that forcing associated projects feature.
I'm working on final edits to the guide now, then it's off to the Art dept.
This Is the best way I have seen too.... plus you dont need tags then, which can really mess up a system for me. All that said, Ive got a major mental block in calling Projects...Lists in todoist. LOL Somehow I cant look past that! So, with Wunderlist going bye bye, my psychological issues with todoist, Im thinking about either using outlook, or going back to evernote.
Me too.
kelstarrising
Kelly | GTD expert
I am am still on Wunderlist, but will move to Todoist when Wunderlist makes me moves to the Microsoft app replacement. I've grown to really like Todoist from writing the Guide.
PeterBulthuis
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When will this Todoist guide be available?
kelstarrising
Kelly | GTD expert
Good question. Art still has it. I keep asking, but no update lately.
PeterBulthuis
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I think, they've put it on the someday/maybe list. ;-)
kelstarrising
Kelly | GTD expert
That may be! I will follow up again and see.