Todo lists

[jack]

I realised my todo lists were unsatisfying, apart from anything else, because they were text files where done things got deleted, so you don't get the satisfaction of crossing things off and seeing a vast piece of paper with everything on it done -- you just see that you always have about the same number of things left to do, and feel depressingly like you're getting nowhere.

On the other hand, this month I've been doing pretty well. I got a filing device and stored all my various documents in it (they were previously sorted, and centralised, though there were some outliers, but not terribly easy to just flick through). I eradicated a pile of washing up and have kept my sink empty and shiny. I sorted all of my clothes, found my disappearing socks. I investigated buying a house (not going ahead right now fwiw, but I'm still looking). And started to write a point-and-click adventure game.

Comments

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

I use a card index box as a 43 Folders system, and have just realised I can cut an index card in half as a daily to do list, which will fit in my wallet. It's good for days like today when I have multitudinous errands, and you can't fit too much on to it :-)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Lots of people recommended that. Last time I reorganised stuff I adopted a chunk of advice from it, though I seem to have drifted away.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

I keep my work todo list on a wiki page and when I complete something cross it out and move it to a done section. I GC the done section from time to time but usually leave it around for a while looking full of completed tasks.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

That makes sense, I've vaguely been thinking of using wiki for a while, to have a good history too.

I even installed one, but it was sluggish and I didn't follow it up.

[oedipamaas49.livejournal.com]

*nods*

I do much the same, with text files. TODO at the top, DONE at the bottom, sometimes also a section for stuff I've delegated to somebody else, but still need to keep an eye on.

Big advantage, aside from feeling smug at how much I've got done, is being able to periodically tidy up the 'done' section and email it to the boss.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

LOL. Yes, I should do that. I sort of do that at work, but not with my household-type stuff. Yes, that would help a lot.

[d37373.livejournal.com]

Each of my projects has "waiting for", "todo" and done" sections, each split into nested bullet-point lists. I cross of the todo's, and when I get up to the top level of bullet points it does into the "done". "waiting for" is just a short list of what is currently happening.

I guess that's a bit over the top for household chores though. And I still haven't worked out a satisfactory way to deal with repeating tasks.

When I was looking for a technological solution a while back, the best I found was bug-tracking systems. You get nice lists of stuff to do, sorted by severity and immediacy :)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

LOL. Bug trackers make sense, especially if you're already using them.

I guess what I want with repeating is a regular addition to the list, but have a "sleep" button if I don't have time now, to say, come back in a week, don't backlog for that time.

[mair_in_grenderich]

= 1 October 2007 =
! Reminder: check system for security updates
[ ] Done!
[x] Postpone?
- [ ] 1 day
- [ ] 1 week
[ ] Ignore this month

* Hypothetical interface.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly.

Maybe with an option

[ ] Tickybox

which doesn't do anything, but makes me feel better :) (The last bookmark on my menu is a javascript msgbox saying "Hello, Jack". It adds just a little friendliness to things :))

[mair_in_grenderich]

I used to cross things off xlxixkxextxhxixs