ForumsTips & TricksUsing folders for roles and clients


Using folders for roles and clients
Author Message
and78386

Posted: Jan 26, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
Very interesting threads with many useful tips on how to setup Toodledo here. :)

Still working out my perfect TD setup, which should reflect a mixture of focusing on my life roles (Stephen Covey) and GTD (David Allen).

Would you suggest using folders for every role (i.e. husband, father, finance, health, consultant) and every client?
PeterW 

Posted: Jan 26, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
You will probably have to try it out and see if it works for you. Many take this approach.

I tried it but found that this created artificial barriers that weren't helpful, e.g. a bunch of tasks could easily belong in more than one of the folders, and I can jump quickly between tasks anyway so don't necessarily "work in" one folder at a time.

I ended up using the GTD approach which categorises tasks along the lines of status (e.g. what can be done next, what is waiting for someone/something else, someday/maybe, etc) and using context to help refine what's possible at any given time or with a specific resource. I use tags to distinguish between business and personal.


This message was edited Jan 26, 2012.
westofmoon

Posted: Jan 27, 2012
Score: -1 Reference
I use folders for life roles (Covey). One of my folders is "Big Rocks" in which I put all actions related to my annual goals, regardless of the role to which they belong. That helps me in my weekly and daily reviews to see how well I'm attending to my goals.

Other than that, I rarely refer to my folders. Like PeterW, I don't "work in" my folders, so they're really only useful as reference. And like PeterW, I use tags for "business" and "personal," and I that's how I search/sort for pipeline planning and weekly reviews.
Inner Prop

Posted: Mar 09, 2012
Score: -1 Reference
I've tried folders for roles, but that doesn't allow synergy between roles. I'm going to try tags for roles. I will probably use something like an * before the name to show that they are roles and not just tags (like *Father).
davenissen

Posted: Mar 10, 2012
Score: -1 Reference
As a special Ed teacher, I use a folder for each of my students. This allows me to track assignments and housekeeping tasks such as data collection and daily routines. I print each students folder as a checklist for my resource period both to keep the students focused on their goals, but also to keep me on track and ensure that I don't forget key activities as new crisis come along. For students with homework completion issues, I share the child's folder with parents, tutors and the student so everyone is on the same page.
cstrosetta

Posted: Apr 29, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
Reading the above replies have been interesting.

I just spent the day organising TD to try to fit into Franklin Covey method. Been using the paper based FC system on & off for almost a decade now. As for my roles, I only really have 5 separate ones, so usually the tasks tend not to overlap.

What I'm after (I guess) is to make sure I have some balance within my roles & values, I tend to get really focused in just one area within certain time frames.

FOLDERS:
*Roles (each role has its own folder)
*Sharpen the Saw (just all in one folder)
*Goals (each goal has its own folder)
Within the folders I put in the tasks and I have associated notes, like I typed in the description/definition of each role/goal in the notes section. The Goal task will always be used even if the task overlaps a role, but the tags will always bind them together on that level.

NOTEBOOK:
Definition of
*Values
*Roles
*Goals
Again all put into the respective folders.

TAGS:
*Roles
*Goals
*Values
*Sharpen the Saw
Since each task can be linked to a role, goal,etc, I thought this would be the best way to keep them organised. I do not plan on creating any more tags than this for simplicity. I'm hoping the tags will always be spread-out amongst my weekly tasks so that I know I'm balanced.

I'm using GTDTD on my Android, I just have not figured out how to display tasks in the order that I want on a daily basis. I'm trying to keep this system for my big rocks, those just seem to be the hardest to keep my eye on.

Basically I am just trying to get this system to map out important tasks that I want to associate with goals, roles, etc. To make it a bit more complicated, I also have Outlook w/ BCM at work, plus our PM system we share as a team and a paper. I also have Evernote, but find that if I have a task associated with anything in Evernote, I just copy the Evernote link within the notes section.

Oof typing it all out sounds so complicated though, but I guess I'll see how I get on.


This message was edited Apr 29, 2012.
cstrosetta

Posted: Apr 30, 2012
Score: -1 Reference
Pah, I actually just saw that the Goals section has room for typing in the description of the goal, which is why I didn't put my goals in there, instead opted for the folder & notes option. Will have to re-think a few things.

NEVERMIND, went to update my goal, then all associated tasks to that goal were taken off. Oh well I'll stick with my original plan, folders for goals.


This message was edited Apr 30, 2012.
You cannot reply yet

U Back to topic home

R Post a reply

To participate in these forums, you must be signed in.