ForumsTime ManagementHow do Toodledo developers use Toodledo?


How do Toodledo developers use Toodledo?
Author Message
Claudio

Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: 3 Reference
There's a lot of talk about how Toodledo is flexible and how you can use in whatever you want and adapt it to whatever system you use. That's fine.

But ... it's clear that there are some basic principles to follow, and, it seems to me that the developers of an online Todo list should have a good idea of how to implement those principles.

I think that it would be useful for me (and for other Toodledo users) if Jake provided us with an overview of how he uses Toodledo.

Specifically:
1. Do you use Toodledo for tracking non-business activities?
2. How many Contexts do you have?
3. How many Folders you have?
4. Do you divide your tasks based on "Areas of responsibility"?
4. How do you use Goals, Status, Priority, Notebook, Statistics, and Sharing?
5. Do you use the GTD methodology, and, if yes, how do you use "Next Action"? How do you do your weekly review?
6. Which methods (besides the website) do you use for interacting with Toodledo? iPhone, Google Calendar, email, etc.
7. What would you most like to see in Toodledo that would improve your ability to get things done?
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
Sure, why not.

1) I use Toodledo for everything in my life.
2) I don't use contexts
3) 12
4) Yes, for me folders are areas of responsibilities. For example, Toodledo is one (big) folder. I use subtasks to organize projects within Toodledo. For example, "Notebook" is a task with about a hundred subtasks under it. I keep all the subtasks hidden and only toggle them to reveal when I want to work on that project.
4b) I don't use goals, status, notebook or statistics. I use priority for the obvious purpose. Sharing is used to give tasks to the other developers that we work with.
5) The only part of GTD that I use are the weekly review and the "get everything out of your head" philosophy. For me, this is enough. I'm not the type of person who spends loads of time reorganizing my list or entering every little detail. I know this sounds strange coming from someone who is building an online to-do list, but it true. I type out a task once, quickly and don't even bother to fix spelling mistakes. If I can read it, its enough to remind me what to do.
6) iPhone. Thats it. I always have my to-do list in front of me in the web browser when I am working, and it's on my iPhone when I am out of the office.
7) The biggest thing right now that is preventing me from getting things done is the volume of email/support tickets/forums posts that need my attention. So, I would say that I would most like to see A) Improved self-help topics B) Better ability to crowd-source answers to questions C) The resources to hire and train a customer support person. Also, if there could be more hours in the day, that would be great too.
Anders

Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Toodledo, thanks for sharing your own way of using yourself. It gives some very interesting insights, and some great ideas as well. I hate to call you on this, but I just have to ask. Did you recently change your system? Recently I read a post where you said
For me, projects are folders.
recent post link
But it seems like you are saying here that you use the system most Pro subscribers seem to use (at least those who post in the forum), with Parent Tasks as Projects.
Posted by Toodledo:

3) 12
4) Yes, for me folders are areas of responsibilities. For example, Toodledo is one (big) folder. I use subtasks to organize projects within Toodledo. For example, "Notebook" is a task with about a hundred subtasks under it. I keep all the subtasks hidden and only toggle them to reveal when I want to work on that project.

Have you ever considered creating a way for parent tasks to define a new category called Projects, or adding Projects in some way, or is it being left ambiguous so users don't feel forced to use them a certain way?

7) The biggest thing right now that is preventing me from getting things done is the volume of email/support tickets/forums posts that need my attention.

Sorry to add to that

Also, if there could be more hours in the day, that would be great too.

Thanks for the suggestion!


This message was edited Jun 01, 2009.
thpope

Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: -1 Reference
Best post ever. Thanks Claudio for asking this. Very revealing.

Re: 7) - I would suggest you consider adding forum moderators and avoid the forums and use support tickets almost exclusively for support. I understand that it's probably important to you to have a presence here.

These forums have picked up a lot of traffic. Many times, questions are being addressed by other users (OK, mostly Anders, but I see quite a few others).

Occasionally, drop by to let people know you are still there.

Also, make it a higher priority to hire support people.

That's just my suggestion.
Claudio

Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Thanks Jake for your candor.

This message was edited Jun 01, 2009.
Claudio

Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Anders:
But it seems like you are saying here that you use the system most Pro subscribers seem to use (at least those who post in the forum), with Parent Tasks as Projects.
Also, a while ago there was this quote by Toodledo:
It was our intention for Folders to be the same thing as Projects. We just picked the word "Folders" because it was a little more generic.

http://www.toodledo.com/forums/2/1589/0/more-silly-questions.html
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
Anders: Both of my statements are accurate, I just don't have a consistent way of naming my buckets. In my brain "Toodledo" is a project, a folder, and an area of responsibility. It's all the same to me. Within this I have tasks, and some of those tasks are mini-projects (like "Notebook") that have subtasks. So, I have projects within projects. I guess that is sloppy organization, but it works for me. And regarding your "Sorry to add to that" comment, you are extremely helpful in these forums. Didn't you get my "Thank you" email I sent over the weekend?

Thpope: Thanks for the suggestion. Yes, we do need moderators, but I also feel like it is extremely important for the developers to be in contact with the customers.
Anders

Posted: Jun 01, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Toodledo:
Anders: Both of my statements are accurate, I just don't have a consistent way of naming my buckets. In my brain "Toodledo" is a project, a folder, and an area of responsibility. It's all the same to me.

I see. After making my post, I realized that I don't exactly use only tasks as projects. A few of my Folders could probably be considered Projects as well, and it really comes down to semantics.

And regarding your "Sorry to add to that" comment, you are extremely helpful in these forums. Didn't you get my "Thank you" email I sent over the weekend?

Thanks for saying so, and no I didn't. My login email is one that I use only for signing up for websites anymore because it is overrun with spam. I should easily be able to dig it out though, and you can always reach me at the same email address at hotmail instead of yahoo.

~Anders


This message was edited Jun 01, 2009.
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Jun 02, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Another reason why these forums need private message capabilities.
thpope

Posted: Jun 02, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Toodledo:
Another reason why these forums need private message capabilities.

Yes. Get a room. ;)
saskia.x

Posted: Jun 03, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Anders:
Posted by Toodledo:
Anders: Both of my statements are accurate, I just don't have a consistent way of naming my buckets. In my brain "Toodledo" is a project, a folder, and an area of responsibility. It's all the same to me.

I see. After making my post, I realized that I don't exactly use only tasks as projects. A few of my Folders could probably be considered Projects as well, and it really comes down to semantics.


I think the term "Areas of Focus" probably covers this better than "Areas of Responsibility"; the folders represent the big, overarching focal points of my life at the time, many of which never change (e.g. family, home, etc), whilst some are more temporary "uberprojects" (e.g. moving house) which require an entire folder to themselves. It takes a lot for a project to become an "uberproject", though, and the distinction is not always totally clear-cut (although it always seems very clear-cut in my head!); they are generally the kinds of things that will take up a sizable chunk of my life, will generate many sub-projects, and will be ongoing over an extended period of time, especially if they seem to cut across several areas of responsibility.
Alan

Posted: Sep 12, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Anders:
My login email is one that I use only for signing up for websites anymore because it is overrun with spam.
Why aren't you using Gmail, Anders? I use my main Gmail address to sign up for almost everything, and I continue to be blow-away at how accurate Gmail is at sending spam to the spam folder...
Proximo

Posted: Sep 14, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Toodledo:
Another reason why these forums need private message capabilities.


LOL.....
alexborne

Posted: Sep 15, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
I'd be interested in a more specific descritpion of how you use priorities. DO you use them to bring up the list mini-projects (ex : "notebook") ? Or do you scan you projects and then prioritize up some subtasks ?
Anders

Posted: Sep 15, 2009
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Alan:
Posted by Anders:
My login email is one that I use only for signing up for websites anymore because it is overrun with spam.
Why aren't you using Gmail, Anders? I use my main Gmail address to sign up for almost everything, and I continue to be blow-away at how accurate Gmail is at sending spam to the spam folder...

I had actually just started out with Gmail when I joined Toodledo, and I did not yet realize that it is relatively safe to give out that address. I keep planning to change my account login to my gmail address, but that would mean changing it in apps I sync with Toodledo, and retraining the various installations of FF is use, but maybe I'll do it eventually.
Qrystal

Posted: Sep 17, 2009
Score: -1 Reference
Posted by Anders:
I keep planning to change my account login to my gmail address... maybe I'll do it eventually.


Better put it on your To Do list! I know this really great online one called Toodledo.... ;)
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