Featured Posts in Tasks

TaskBadges Adds the Number of Uncompleted Tasks to the Icon of Any Text-Based To-Do List for Easy Reference

In Mac Downloads, Productivity, To Do, Tasks, Task Management, Downloads, Os X, Mac, Mac Os X, / 16 May 2012 / 0 comments

OS X: TaskBadges is a simple app that monitors any text-based to-do lists you choose and figures out how many uncompleted tasks you have left. It then puts a badge on the text file so you can always see how many things you have left to finish. Additionally, all your monitored text files are available in the menubar so you can quickly open them or just see what you've got left to finish. If you manage your tasks in a text file, TaskBadges is an excellent (and free) add-on.

TaskBadges supports three styles of to-do lists: square brackets, todo.txt, and TaskPaper. If you already use one of these styles you don't have to do anything—TaskBadges will automatically recognize completed and uncompleted tasks and assign a badge number accordingly. If you don't use one of these styles, you'll need to adapt or TaskBadges will just assume you have no tasks in the file at all. While these are all reasonable styles, I really wish TaskBadges handled simple lists, in which each item has a - for incomplete or an x for complete and didn't require square brackets. That's a little nitpick-y, but that's the simplest list format there is and it would be nice to be able to use it, too. That said, TaskBadges is still pretty versatile, useful, and free. Go check it out on the Mac App Store.

TaskBadges (Free) | Mac App Store
CodeTwo Sync For iCloud Syncs iCloud Data with Outlook

In Outlook, Icloud, Sync, Codetwo, Data, Calendars, Contacts, Tasks, Mac Os X, / 12 May 2012 / 0 comments

Windows: If you manage your personal contacts, calendars, and to-do items with Apple's iCloud service, CodeTwo Sync for iCloud helps you seamlessly integrate that data with Microsoft Outlook.

Apple's own iCloud utility for Windows will add iCloud data to Outlook, but only as a secondary folder tree. CodeTwo cleans up the integration and brings all of your data together. The syncing works both ways (if you want it to), meaning that a new calendar appointment created within Outlook will automatically be pushed to your iOS devices without any extra hassle.

CodeTwo Sync for iCloud has a free 30 day trial, after which it will only sync calendars. The full version costs $10 and can be purchased from the developer's website.

CodeTwo Sync for iCloud | Via NirmalTV
KanbanFlow Is a Fast, Free To-Do Manager with a Built-In Pomodoro Timer

In Webapps, Productivity, To-dos, Pomodoro, Personal Kanban, Pomodoro Technique, Kanban, Free, Tasks, Subtasks, Organization, To-do Managers, / 26 April 2012 / 0 comments

If you're a fan of the Personal Kanban productivity method, you're probably familiar with how helpful it can be to keep your focus strictly on the to-dos you have right in front of you, without the distractions of long-term projects or less important items on your list. KanbanFlow is a free webapp that, as the name implies, fits right in, and even includes a built-in Pomodoro timer to help you stay on task.

KanbanFlow is completely free to use, and once you've signed up the tutorial will walk you through the process of creating tasks, moving them across your boards, flagging your to-dos with colors, adding and managing subtasks, and even setting up the built-in Pomodoro timer to work with the to-dos you've added. Adding items and managing them is super-easy, and you can set a timer for any to-do on your boards, including subtasks. If you don't want to cram all of your to-dos onto the same board, you can create as many boards as you want to organize all of your activities.

Finally, if you work with other people, you can invite them to the service to work with you, and you'll be notified when they update your boards. KanbanFlow is currently in beta, but it's pretty polished and remarkably fast. Even if you're not specifically searching for a Personal Kanban-style to-do manager, KanbanFlow is worth a look.

Thanks to reader Bill for sending in the tip!

KanbanFlow
Ditch Your To-Do List and Seize The Day Instead by Scheduling Your Tasks

In To-do Lists, Tasks, Task Management, Productivity, Followup, Reminders, Psychology, Brain Hacks, Stress, Subtasks, Organization, To-do Managers, / 22 March 2012 / 0 comments

Are you spending too much time prioritizing your to-do list only to still have unfinished tasks nagging at the back of your mind (the dreadful Zeigarnik Effect)? One solution may be to ditch the to-do list altogether and instead use task scheduling.

Ari Meisel on his Art of Less Doing blog argues that for happiness and to avoid the damage of the Zeigarnik Effect, you should only deal with things that are timely and in the now. "No matter how you look at it," he says, "tasks involve timing" so instead of making lists with dozens of items on them that are going to stress you out while they're not being worked on, use a tool like FollowUp.cc, which we've highlighted before, to schedule your tasks. FollowUp.cc sends email reminders to yourself and others at exact times that you need them. This keeps you from constantly looking at undone tasks, yet ensures you get things done.

Here's how his system of "stop trying to prioritize and work on your timing" works:

Take a good look at your list, whether it's your to do list, bucket list, leap list, whatever form its in, and really think about WHEN these things need to get done or take place. You want to attack these items in such a way that things can get accomplished as soon as reasonably possible, because there will always be more stuff. The good thing about this system is that once you use it, any new task that comes up simply needs to be "timed" and then put out of your mind.

My scheduled tasks do tend to get done more often than the ones without timing associated to them, but I'm not sure if I can totally give up tasks lists. Still, anything would be worth getting rid of that nagging Zeigarnik Effect. What do you think?

Don't Try To Prioritize, Work On Your Timing | Ari Meisel - The Art of Less Doing

Photo by john.schulz

TaskBadges Adds the Number of Uncompleted Tasks to the Icon of Any Text-Based To-Do List for Easy Reference

CodeTwo Sync For iCloud Syncs iCloud Data with Outlook

KanbanFlow Is a Fast, Free To-Do Manager with a Built-In Pomodoro Timer

Ditch Your To-Do List and Seize The Day Instead by Scheduling Your Tasks

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