Things due date/deadline feature is one of my favorites. I tend to work in the opposite direction though, setting the "start on" date first, then the deadline. Works like a charm. I also love the ability to set a recurrence based on the completion of the most recent instance of a task.
Great little collection of tips Marc, great job! The benefits of the rather complex reminder system is that you can delete any tasks that gets into your task view without worrying about deleting the repetition part. My biggest feature of Things though is the "Someday" category. Since it is available on every planning level (project, area, dedicated filter), this adds *depth* to each project, enabling the user to add as many projects or tasks as wanted without blowing up the list of actionable tasks. This way, Things gains some unprecedented planning depth.
Awesome video, Matt! Would love to hear how you manage two of my biggest struggles managing tasks… 1) My ‘Today’ list often ends up very bloated with tasks I haven’t completed that then carry over into the next day, and so on. The list pretty soon gets out of control. 2) How do you manage tasks which may not have a specific due date, but need to be on your radar to be done at some stage in the future but can’t be forgotten about.
1: do a daily review and use the anytime area for stuff without a deadline 2: Set a start date (maybe even a repeat after completion if the project is ongoing)
Great video as always - the deadline tip is really good for what is one of the few frustrating features on an amazing app. And well done for shouting out a good cause!
I'm new to Things 3 in my long search for THE productivity app. So far this one seems very promising. Thank you for the tips and and an insight to your setup!
This is a fantastic video that I didn't know I needed. I am a long time things user, never thought to use time blocking between things > fantastical! Thank you so much.
Definitely not buying this until they sort out that recurring event issue. That’s madness. They’re competing with something that’s free with macOS and flawlessly handles recurring events or tasks. Hope they get their act together because I really love the look and feel
On my Mac it did not work. Is there any settings that need to be enabled? When I try to drag the task from to Things to Apple calendar it just show gray circle not the green plus sign.
A "morning" time option would be so helpful!. Also, I think the "this evening" has so much potential but is very limited, you cannot mark something to do in the evening in advance.
"They said the weren't really interested in it". This is why I have never paid for Things - they seem to dislike their customers. I remember early days when they refused to allow us to attach deadlines to projects.
I’m new to things 3 so trying to acclimate. At 4:08 you pulled up what looked like a menu to get into your calendar view. How can I do this on my respective devices? I have things on all three of my devices btw. Thanks.
Thank you for these tips! Very useful! You mentioned that you spoke to the company who made the up? Do you have any guesses on when we could expect Things 4?
Really want user-defined time-blocks. For example, some of my own best research and creative work has been at 3am, in a 2-hour gap between two sleep periods. I understand that this way of sleeping and working (double-cycle) is not that uncommon (for those that are free to do so). Then there's the Siesta (brief sleep after mid-day meal) in some countries, or at least a 40 minute sleep catch-up (but on-call for anything urgent), so the time block needs to start after that. Also, early-evening can be a work period, e.g. when most noisy people have gone home from an office, and at last, perhaps for the first time in the day, one can finally think properly.
Personally, I put stuff like rent in my calendar not my todo app, but that's just me. Things hasn't added any new features (that weren't Apple's) in years. Don't know why they're so stingey. I could use at least pdf and photo attachments. Your video inspired me though to use a Morning tag to create that focus, considering Things only gives you "Evening."
I like your videos. I’d ask that you slow down a little and actually go through each step and explain in a little more detail showing how it is done. You go through the drop and drag with the calendar app so fast I need to backup the video and listen several times to be sure I can duplicate your task and understand why it works as you explain.
I dropped $20 on Things for iPad after watching you drag and drop tasks from Things 3 to the Apple Calendar, specifically for that time-blocking ability, but it does not work on iPad. I know you are on MacOS in the video but it didn't occur to me that they wouldn't offer that feature across devices -- especially with their iPad app being newish. 😕 People in tech threads online are saying that even in MacOS it's an accident that it works and wasn't intentionally added by the devs, so drag-and-drop on Mac could go away at any time.
It's a tricky one. Since Things works on start dates while due dates are optional, they are hard to display in a definite time landscape like the Calendar. Basically all started tasks would go into infinity without deadline.
Dude you just blew my face off with that first tip! I said "WHAT!" 😂 Also, amazing St. Jude call out. 💛
Same same
Very informative! If someone is wondering like I was regarding the emojis shortcut, press Control + Command + Spacebar.
Things due date/deadline feature is one of my favorites. I tend to work in the opposite direction though, setting the "start on" date first, then the deadline. Works like a charm. I also love the ability to set a recurrence based on the completion of the most recent instance of a task.
Great little collection of tips Marc, great job! The benefits of the rather complex reminder system is that you can delete any tasks that gets into your task view without worrying about deleting the repetition part.
My biggest feature of Things though is the "Someday" category. Since it is available on every planning level (project, area, dedicated filter), this adds *depth* to each project, enabling the user to add as many projects or tasks as wanted without blowing up the list of actionable tasks. This way, Things gains some unprecedented planning depth.
Awesome video, Matt! Would love to hear how you manage two of my biggest struggles managing tasks…
1) My ‘Today’ list often ends up very bloated with tasks I haven’t completed that then carry over into the next day, and so on. The list pretty soon gets out of control.
2) How do you manage tasks which may not have a specific due date, but need to be on your radar to be done at some stage in the future but can’t be forgotten about.
1: do a daily review and use the anytime area for stuff without a deadline
2: Set a start date (maybe even a repeat after completion if the project is ongoing)
Great video as always - the deadline tip is really good for what is one of the few frustrating features on an amazing app. And well done for shouting out a good cause!
I'm new to Things 3 in my long search for THE productivity app. So far this one seems very promising. Thank you for the tips and and an insight to your setup!
Thanks for the advanced tips and trick. I like the last tip where I could check the box earlier than what I made it to be. Awesome!
This is a fantastic video that I didn't know I needed. I am a long time things user, never thought to use time blocking between things > fantastical! Thank you so much.
Mind freaking blown! First time I’ve watched a video about things and actually got new and useful tips. This is amazing!
Great tip on checking the recurring task early. Hopefully, Cultured Code fixes that in the next release-whenever that comes!
Definitely not buying this until they sort out that recurring event issue. That’s madness. They’re competing with something that’s free with macOS and flawlessly handles recurring events or tasks. Hope they get their act together because I really love the look and feel
My jaw dropped at the time blocking tip! Thank you!
Yes that was amazing. I had no idea you could do that.
Same here!
On my Mac it did not work. Is there any settings that need to be enabled? When I try to drag the task from to Things to Apple calendar it just show gray circle not the green plus sign.
be aware that the drag-and-drop does not work on iPad or iPhone and is reportedly an "accident" that could go away at any time on MacOS
13:13 "Command + K" - the "K" stands for "Komplete", chosen to avoid conflicting with "Command + C," which of course stands for Copy.
A "morning" time option would be so helpful!. Also, I think the "this evening" has so much potential but is very limited, you cannot mark something to do in the evening in advance.
Command + S is for “Schedule” I believe.
👍Great sharing. Thanks!
Great, informative video for a new user of Things 3. Thanks so much!!
Thank you! this was reaaaaally usefull and easy to understand! awesome! :D
Excellent explainer video just at the right pace, good job, now I'm back on Things again after a long lay off 😎
Blocking time is a sick feature, thanks a lot
Thanks alot i also wanted something like morning time added the area and it serves the purpose.
11:30 "Command + S" - the "S" stands for Schedule. It totally makes sense.
I wish the time blocking thing worked on the iPad but other than that, super video, super app.
Very informative ! Merci !
"They said the weren't really interested in it". This is why I have never paid for Things - they seem to dislike their customers. I remember early days when they refused to allow us to attach deadlines to projects.
The time block things is really useful
I’m new to things 3 so trying to acclimate. At 4:08 you pulled up what looked like a menu to get into your calendar view. How can I do this on my respective devices? I have things on all three of my devices btw. Thanks.
Hmmm, I can’t seem to drag tasks to my calendar app on my iPad. 🤷🏻♀️
Awesome info! Thanks -
Thank you for these tips! Very useful! You mentioned that you spoke to the company who made the up? Do you have any guesses on when we could expect Things 4?
Really want user-defined time-blocks. For example, some of my own best research and creative work has been at 3am, in a 2-hour gap between two sleep periods. I understand that this way of sleeping and working (double-cycle) is not that uncommon (for those that are free to do so). Then there's the Siesta (brief sleep after mid-day meal) in some countries, or at least a 40 minute sleep catch-up (but on-call for anything urgent), so the time block needs to start after that. Also, early-evening can be a work period, e.g. when most noisy people have gone home from an office, and at last, perhaps for the first time in the day, one can finally think properly.
What screen recording software do you use?
Well, I just bought the iPhone version last week. Wanted to get a feel for it before buying the Mac version. It's now time.
Thank you!!!
Personally, I put stuff like rent in my calendar not my todo app, but that's just me. Things hasn't added any new features (that weren't Apple's) in years. Don't know why they're so stingey. I could use at least pdf and photo attachments. Your video inspired me though to use a Morning tag to create that focus, considering Things only gives you "Evening."
great video! Thanks! made me buy it
Drag and Drop to calendar apps doesn’t work on iPad
I want this morning as well !
I can't move entries from Today to calendar but can't find out why it doesn't work. Please help
Thanks for the video, can completed tasks be accessed?
Can Things do Kanban boards?
Wish the settings on the iPad and iPhone app gave you as many choices as the iMac version. Ie where you put new items
Do you know if things app can connect to Alexa?
My SWAGuess CMS+S (schedule) 😎
I like your videos. I’d ask that you slow down a little and actually go through each step and explain in a little more detail showing how it is done. You go through the drop and drag with the calendar app so fast I need to backup the video and listen several times to be sure I can duplicate your task and understand why it works as you explain.
Yes, I would agree. It's way too fast.
I assume you are not on an ipad then?
Season 2 off to a great start. Do you think we'll see Things 4 and what could they change?
It's in beta but CC is famous for taking their time
Great to hear this, I’m happy to hear something is coming eventually. Thanks.
I dropped $20 on Things for iPad after watching you drag and drop tasks from Things 3 to the Apple Calendar, specifically for that time-blocking ability, but it does not work on iPad. I know you are on MacOS in the video but it didn't occur to me that they wouldn't offer that feature across devices -- especially with their iPad app being newish. 😕 People in tech threads online are saying that even in MacOS it's an accident that it works and wasn't intentionally added by the devs, so drag-and-drop on Mac could go away at any time.
Time Blocking with Things and Apple Calender or Cron does not work for me, any ideas why? 🙂
With no reason, it works now! 🙂
Same problem for me. How did you fix it? =)
i switched to my iMac, there it works@@k0kk01
Command + S probably that stands for Start... (starts with an S)
so you can only time block with mac not window or iphone ?
I wish the Apple Calendar would show items from Reminders/Things like Fantastical does.
It's a tricky one. Since Things works on start dates while due dates are optional, they are hard to display in a definite time landscape like the Calendar. Basically all started tasks would go into infinity without deadline.