ForumsTips & TricksPriorities vs Statuses


Priorities vs Statuses
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Steve

Posted: Nov 23, 2010
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Do most people here use *either* priorities *or* statuses, but not both? I'm curious. Or do you use the priorities to work out which one of a number of possible "active" tasks you make your "next action" task?
PeterW 

Posted: Nov 23, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
There are probably endless different ways that Toodledo users approach task management so I don't think you'll get a clear-cut answer on this.

I follow GTD principles where priorities such as high-medium-low do not apply. I don't use the status field at all but rather use folders to denote status. So for me neither field is used to work out or denote a next action.

(Small admission: I actually do have the priority field turned on but only so that I can occasionally use it as a color highlighter on a task).

There's no right nor wrong here - you have to find the workflow that suits you best. My best suggestion is to keep it simple (use as few fields as possible) and avoid having to update tasks constantly (e.g. changing status, priority and due date) as this wastes time.
Salgud

Posted: Nov 23, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
I use both. Priority for how important/urgent it is, Status for, well, status. I usually have a few "waiting" tasks, waiting for a response from someone else, like when I turn in a trouble ticket to IT. Someday is someday. Most are pretty obvious. To me, it's just another way to slice and dice my task list and have the tasks I want end up on my "Starred" list, the ones I need to be working on today. Most of my tasks are "Active", which is my default/normal status. I occasionally use "Next Action" when I want to be able to separate some tasks from the rest of the "Active" tasks for multi-edit, and I know I'll be doing it in advance. I've made the relevant filters accept both "Active" and "Next Action" so they all show up when I want them to, but I can filter just that set for other purposes.

Like any other feature of TD, it's up to you. Use them if you need them, ignore them if you don't.
kathy

Posted: Nov 23, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
I don't use priority. I've found that it just doesn't work for me. I use status. (I use a sort of modified GTD.)

Currently, I use status, due date, context, folder, and goal. I also use tags for other types of categories.
alexandremrj_2

Posted: Nov 25, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
I don't use priority.

I use status, folder, context and added date.
Steve

Posted: Dec 02, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Thanks all. Obviously people use the features differently - it's good to see what works and what doesn't.
masurridge

Posted: Jan 04, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
Just started having a look at toodledo.
I find the "priority" field is the weak point in all task and todo lists. I enter all tasks I can think of so the problem is not being "Reminded" to do something it is "Prioritising".

The combination of "Urgency" (ASAP, Soon, Sooner or later, later, never) and "Necessity" (Essential, Important, not so important, minor) gives a "Rating" on which I sort the lists. I haven't yet found an application (toodledo included) which does this ssatisfactorily so have to resort to using Excel to manage tasks (not ideal).

Am I alone?
alexborne

Posted: Jan 04, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
No you are not ! being able to prioritise by urgency without using due dates (I use this field for hard due dates only) would help a lot. "priority" field is not enough, as you say.
Salgud

Posted: Jan 04, 2011
Score: 1 Reference
Have any of you who don't like just priority looked at "Importance"? It uses a formula based on priority and due date (I know, not ok for GTDrs). The description is here:

http://www.toodledo.com/info/help.php?search=importance

I don't use it, Priority works fine for me, but if you want urgency figured in, this is one way to do so.
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