ForumsQuestionsQuestions re repeating tasks


Questions re repeating tasks
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megsaint

Posted: Sep 16, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
I make extensive use of repeating tasks, both to remind myself of things I need to do and to keep track of what I did do. I'm still trying to grasp just how Toodledo handles repeating items.

When I used RTM, if I was reviewing overdue items and chose to delete a repeating item because I didn't actually complete it, I would get a box asking me if I wanted to keep repeating the item. I would select yes. The day I didn't do the task would show no record of it but the task would keep repeating. Toodledo doesn't seem to work this way. If my observations are accurate, if I delete a single iteration of a repeating task, the whole thing is deleted. Is the only option to use the "?"? Will that still leave the undone instances of the task(s)in overdue so that I can review them?

Also, if I postpone a repeating task, one that is say, done once a week, with the repeat from the due date, it appears to change when the repeat happens. For example, Labor Day week, I postponed when I had to take out the trash as it was delayed because of the holiday. This appears to have changed future instances of the repeat. Again, this behavior seems different from RTM's "postpone". Is there a way around this?

Thanks!
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Sep 16, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
I will admit that RTM handles postponed tasks better than we do. You are correct that deleting or rescheduling a repeating task will affect all future versions of that task as well. If you want to skip an occurrence of a repeating task, you can edit the due-date and move if forward to the new date. If you want to temporarily reschedule one version of a task and then resume the normal schedule, you will need to edit the task once to reschedule and then edit it again to resume the normal schedule. Sorry.
megsaint

Posted: Sep 16, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
As long as I understand how it all works, I can adapt. Thanks for the help!
Salgud

Posted: Sep 17, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by Toodledo:
I will admit that RTM handles postponed tasks better than we do. You are correct that deleting or rescheduling a repeating task will affect all future versions of that task as well. If you want to skip an occurrence of a repeating task, you can edit the due-date and move if forward to the new date. If you want to temporarily reschedule one version of a task and then resume the normal schedule, you will need to edit the task once to reschedule and then edit it again to resume the normal schedule. Sorry.


Thanks for your refreshing candor!

Now get to work fixing this. :)
Folke X

Posted: Sep 17, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
Just out of curiosity:

I often read things in the forum about postponement and checking things off or deleting , and I always wonder why so many are so fussy about this. For example:

- Why postpone? Why not simply leave as overdue? In that way you can see better how long is has really taken.

- Why delete it just because you didn't do it? Just check it off. It will then auto-repeat just the way it should.

If somebody was paying your salary based on how many deletions or completions or omissions you have made, then maybe I could understand that some proper accounting would be called for. But this is just a memory aid.
megsaint

Posted: Sep 17, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
I really liked the way RTM handled postponing. It marked how often something had been postponed. I found that useful as it showed up in my today list but gave me an indicator that, for some reason, I was consistently not doing it. Useful starting point for thinking about whiter the task is really important.

I have a lot of tasks that involve entering data for a specific day and I do them every day. It is useful for me to see in today's list that I have three separate instances undone. That way, I know which data still hasn't been entered. I don't want to have to look back to previous days and prefer looking at my list by due date. Mostly, I am in the Today view.

I realize that my aversion to checking off things I haven't actually done is something of a personal quirk. If I haven't done it and am never going to do it, it needs to be deleted, not checked off. It works for me.

So much of time management, things to do list and the like is about finding what works with one's personality. For example, most of GTD frustrates and annoys me. I've developed habits and systems that mostly work for me. I'm not completely averse to change. The forced change from RTM to Toodledo is causing me to reevaluate things.
Folke X

Posted: Sep 17, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
Oh, I see. Well, as you say, we all have to find what suits us personally. I was just wondering about this, because I have seen this so often without really understanding or bothering to ask, but now I have at least a good clue :)
megsaint

Posted: Sep 17, 2011
Score: 0 Reference
Yeah, just personal. I don't plan on being one of those people who goes on and on that Toodledo is "useless" unless it includes Feature X or Y or complains that it's "appalling" or "shocking" that said feature doesn't already exist.
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