Okay, okay already. So either you’re looking to justify the purchase of a shiny new iPad, or you’ve already got one and are looking to turn it into more than just a fantastic Netflix player. What better way to do that, than with a perfect time management app?
The problem you’re probably running into is not a dearth of applications to help you with your lists. As you’ve probably seen, there are tons. The challenge is finding one that does all the things you’re looking for – without spending next month’s mortgage testing them all out. Fortunately for you, I’ve already done that. So let’s jump into it.
First, some context. My situation is different than most of the hipster GTD bloggers you’re going to find out there in a few key ways:
Given those nuances, it’s highly likely that my conditions are different than yours. Then again, I’m constantly surprised by how many people have the same problem(s) I do…which means that our list of qualifications for a digital system look like this:
In the interest of saving you time, take my advice: go get the Nozbe app, then head over to Nozbe.com and get an account. The iPad app will run you $14.99, and the iPhone app will set you back another $4.99…but it’s your only real choice. Hold on, though, cuz you’re going to want to sign up for a Nozbe paid subscription ($9.99/mo.), as well. That’s $20 for apps, and $120/year. And it’s necessary.
Nozbe remains the only of the web apps that meets all of my compatibility criteria, and truly applies the GTD methodology. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only one that’s close.
I’m dying to see the comment thread fill up with protesters who are loyal to Toodledo, RTM, Things, OmniFocus and Nirvana – because they’ll all be dead wrong. I’m committed to writing a post outlining the reasons that these others tools don’t work for GTD (even where they meet my compatibility criteria), but that’ll come later.
For now, know that Nozbe is the only service that allows:
It occurs to me that we’re scratching the surface here on the real dialogue (i.e. “what’s really important for a digital system, and why do most of them suck?”), but we’ll come back to that. I promise.
For now, if you’re serious about trying to maximize your system’s accessibility in any context – and you’re committed to putting your technology to work – Nozbe is the only real option.
If you’re a GTD buff, chances are good that you are using categories in Outlook to simulate the effect of “tags” or “labels” (as popularized in Gmail) on individual messages. This makes sense, of course, as it limits the amount of thought required when archiving messages. You no longer need to decide which single folder the message belongs in; the message just carries as many categories with it as you’d like.
Eh, sorry. That is, you were using categories…prior to upgrading to Office 2007. In the new Outlook, categories are no longer text fields that you can fill up with a variety of tags. Categories are now cute little chicklets that you can make different colors. Quite pleasant to look at, but totally useless. Here’s a way to take the power back.
Because Outlook allows you to define custom fields in the Outlook database, we’re going to create a new field called “Tags,” and let it assume the duty of our lost categories. Note: you must repeat this process within each folder that you want to display tags; while the tag data will be persistent, you won’t be able to see the tags unless you modify the view for each folder. Also note that you’re going to begin tagging your messages with a new attribute – one that won’t exist in your older messages. Functionally, it’s not an issue – but you’ll be searching “categories” in old messages, and “tags” in new messages. For this reason, I recommend creating a new PST for stuff moving forward.
Right click the headers in your inbox. Select “Field Chooser.” Press “New” at the bottom, and create a new field called “Tags.” You can call it whatever you want, but it’s what I’ve called mine (note: “categories” is unavailable, as it’s already taken). The type is “Keywords” the format is “Text.” Drag that field to where your Categories field used to be, and hide that useless field. You can now add comma-separated tags to each of the messages that you receive in Outlook (e.g. coffee, starbucks, friends, scams, ideas).
The data in this field is persistent, but Outlook doesn’t display it by default. Again: you’ll have to repeat this process for any folder in which you’d like to use the “Tags” field – but only once.
I recommend that you group your view by “Tags” in archive folders, as it makes for pretty quick location of past stuff.
If you have any suggestions on how to streamline this, I’m all ears. For now, this is the most elegant solution I’ve found.
Update: you need to enable “Allow in-cell editing” in the Custom View / Other Settings dialogue in order to quickly type in your tags. Thanks for pointing out this nuance, Peter.
The Someday/Maybe List
There is way too much drama surrounding the someday/maybe list these days. Think I’m kidding? Check this out.
I’ve actually encountered resistance to the someday/maybe list quite a bit in the last few years, and it’s not coming from me. Rather, people (I’m talking to you!) seem to consider the someday/maybe to be another one of their @action lists: in need of serious attention.
Hey, Mr. WrongGuy, you’re wrong! Leave that list alone!
The someday/maybe list is your permanent, ongoing, leave-your-number-on-the-nightstand, get out of jail free card. It’s a holding pen for all the things that just might carve out a piece of your life…maybe, someday.
The DA talks about the someday/maybe list fairly extensively, and rightfully so. You’ve probably heard his garage metaphor. If not, let me paraphrase.
If you want to clean your garage but keep putting it off, every time you walk by that garage it yells at you: “Hey, you’re supposed to be cleaning me!”
This is a problem, because your garage owns a piece of your melon. You’re not committed to cleaning your garage, but it’d be awfully nice to find a 4mm socket when you need one. Of course, that could be months from now…so the garage can hang tight for a while.
That is, of course, so long as you tell your brain that the garage effort can wait! Your head understands that you might want to clean out that garage, and is tracking that potential action item. That’s not good. Putting a “cleaned the garage” item on your someday/maybe list tells your brain: “Relax. It’s on a list, and if I find myself with extra time (and have already stuck needles in my eyes), I’ll clean the garage.”
You review the someday/maybe list during your weekly review, conclude that cleaning the garage is not mission-critical this week, and pass it right up. It’s still in your system, and it’s right where it belongs: at the bottom, with its priority.
Folks, don’t get obsessed with clearing that someday/maybe list. It exists as a way for you to capture those things that have even the slightest bit of interest for you. In fact, that’s a key point: only when something has lost appeal should it drop off your someday/maybe list (unless, of course, you just did it).
This list is your freebie. Let it collect dust. Drop in and say hello once a week, then mosey on past it. You’ve got better things to do than worry about things at the bottom of your priority list.
