If you have a recurring list, sorting by due date makes the new instance of the newly completed task re-appear at the bottom of the list - I find this a bit useful...
Julie - I just finished watching the TH-cam video you published on Sep 6, 2024 titled: “How A GTD® Coach Manages Repeating Tasks; You asked for some feedback. Here is some. You talked about 3 approaches for managing recurring tasks: 1. Use calendar. Either “All Day” or set a day/time for the tasks. 2. Use a list manager. 3. Use a separate app. I never do number 1 to avoid cluttering up my calendar. Every day, I like to see how much unscheduled time I have so I can determine what tasks I could undertake for the day. I didn’t pick up how you see number 2 as different than number 3. Number 3 is “hands-down” the way to go, for a variety of reasons. First, my task manager (Apple Reminders), and I presume about every other task manager out there, allows the user to assign a day/time to a task without having to put it on the Calendar. Second, that approach avoids the need to look a list of recurring tasks every day. In addition, on a list, recurring tasks can be sorted by title or date. If they are categorized (placed on a special list), they can be sorted by that, too. If recurring tasks are categorized, the list of all can be filtered down to a subset. I use the term “categorize” generically. Other terms that are equivalent are “tag” and “label”. Example “categories” are: * People - Who is the task associated with” * Location - Does the task have to be done at a particular place. * Topic - What is the task about? (For example: I have these categories: Investing, medical, outdoor work, books, and cars.) * Role - Which of my roles is the task associated with? (I have these roles: Husband, father, worker, volunteer, and job seeker consultant.) Another big benefit of using a separate app is virtually all of them offer a “Kanban-like” function. That is, in addition to presenting tasks in a vertical list, it can present them in a horizontal list. This makes it easy to move tasks from on stage, status, category, etc. to another. Finally, using a task managing app will allow a user to associate a set of tasks to a project. The project becomes is treated as a task and the detailed tasks become “sub-tasks”. Also, I do one other little thing with tasks. I mark their title to reveal frequency. The titles look like this: “D - TaskDescription”, “W - TaskDescription”, , “M - TaskDescriptio”, etc. This may not be for every,one but I find it helps me when encountering recurring tasks. In your example of a task that needs to be done on the 29th of each month, you indicated that after doing it on August 29th, it will pop-up again on Sep 29. I didn’t understand what the problem was with that happening. Also, for people who use Apple devices with MacOS, iOS, & iPadOS, the new versions scheduled for release in mid-September will more closely integrate the Calendar and Reminders apps - - - getting the best of both worlds. On a personal note: You commented that you haven’t been able to figure out how to automate your order for your medicine each week. - - - Find a pharmacy that will set up “Autofill” for you. I hope you find some of my comments to be helpful. Jim Grant Twinsburg, Ohio
Thank you Jim for the thoughtful and thorough response. I appreciate the time that you've put into your GTD practice and tools, such that they are working so seamlessly for you, and your willingness to share your tips will the GTD community.
If you have a recurring list, sorting by due date makes the new instance of the newly completed task re-appear at the bottom of the list - I find this a bit useful...
So helpful to hear...thank you for letting us know.
Julie - I just finished watching the TH-cam video you published on Sep 6, 2024 titled: “How A GTD® Coach Manages Repeating Tasks;
You asked for some feedback. Here is some.
You talked about 3 approaches for managing recurring tasks:
1. Use calendar. Either “All Day” or set a day/time for the tasks.
2. Use a list manager.
3. Use a separate app.
I never do number 1 to avoid cluttering up my calendar. Every day, I like to see how much unscheduled time I have so I can determine what tasks I could undertake for the day.
I didn’t pick up how you see number 2 as different than number 3.
Number 3 is “hands-down” the way to go, for a variety of reasons.
First, my task manager (Apple Reminders), and I presume about every other task manager out there, allows the user to assign a day/time to a task without having to put it on the Calendar.
Second, that approach avoids the need to look a list of recurring tasks every day.
In addition, on a list, recurring tasks can be sorted by title or date. If they are categorized (placed on a special list), they can be sorted by that, too.
If recurring tasks are categorized, the list of all can be filtered down to a subset. I use the term “categorize” generically. Other terms that are equivalent are “tag” and “label”.
Example “categories” are:
* People - Who is the task associated with”
* Location - Does the task have to be done at a particular place.
* Topic - What is the task about? (For example: I have these categories: Investing, medical, outdoor work, books, and cars.)
* Role - Which of my roles is the task associated with? (I have these roles: Husband, father, worker, volunteer, and job seeker consultant.)
Another big benefit of using a separate app is virtually all of them offer a “Kanban-like” function. That is, in addition to presenting tasks in a vertical list, it can present them in a horizontal list. This makes it easy to move tasks from on stage, status, category, etc. to another.
Finally, using a task managing app will allow a user to associate a set of tasks to a project. The project becomes is treated as a task and the detailed tasks become “sub-tasks”.
Also, I do one other little thing with tasks. I mark their title to reveal frequency. The titles look like this: “D - TaskDescription”, “W - TaskDescription”, , “M - TaskDescriptio”, etc. This may not be for every,one but I find it helps me when encountering recurring tasks.
In your example of a task that needs to be done on the 29th of each month, you indicated that after doing it on August 29th, it will pop-up again on Sep 29. I didn’t understand what the problem was with that happening.
Also, for people who use Apple devices with MacOS, iOS, & iPadOS, the new versions scheduled for release in mid-September will more closely integrate the Calendar and Reminders apps - - - getting the best of both worlds.
On a personal note: You commented that you haven’t been able to figure out how to automate your order for your medicine each week. - - - Find a pharmacy that will set up “Autofill” for you.
I hope you find some of my comments to be helpful.
Jim Grant
Twinsburg, Ohio
Thank you Jim for the thoughtful and thorough response. I appreciate the time that you've put into your GTD practice and tools, such that they are working so seamlessly for you, and your willingness to share your tips will the GTD community.