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Beginner Help
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chase2marc

Posted: Sep 25, 2009
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Hi, I recently left the blackberry platform. I have been an iphone owner for one week and still learning all the functionality. I used Rexwireless Todo Matrix and IdeaMatrix. I seem to be real overwhelmed with all the possible configurations. I was wondering if anyone has some recommendations on where and how to get started. Thanks in advance.
Anders

Posted: Sep 25, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
It is difficult to try to provide advice without knowing what kind of a system you want to use. Unfortunately I have never had a BB, and know little about those apps you previously used. If you could give some sort of idea of how you like to organize and view your tasks, I would be happy to try to help you figure out how to do it with Toodledo, and I'm sure a few other seasoned Toodledoers would as well. For one thing, are you primarily concerned with setting up the iPhone app, or do you plan to use the website extensively as well? For using the website, there are a couple of good user screencasts posted in the forums that you might want to check out.:
http://www.toodledo.com/forums/3/1989/-9284/read.html
http://www.toodledo.com/forums/5/2660/-14076/read.html
(The posts with the video links are highlighted)


This message was edited Sep 25, 2009.
chase2marc

Posted: Sep 26, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
Thanks for the prompt reply. I figured I would ask a broad question first. I have been using a modified GTD process but frequently fall off the wagon. I am open to learning another way. I currently have many projects concurrently with a fair amount of delegated projects that need updates. Any further suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

M
Anders

Posted: Sep 26, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
It might be best to try starting off with the basics, and then adding additional fields/functions as you see the need for them. For a GTD-style setup, the key elements are probably Status, and Context. Status is very useful because in addition to allowing you to designate Next Actions, it also allows you to mark tasks as delegated, hold, etc. so you can keep them in your list, but filter them out when you only need to see active tasks. It does the same for the GTD waiting and someday lists. I would go into more detail on what I like about the status field, but how it is used depends to a degree on how you implement projects.

I actually use Tags rather than Context because they offer more flexibility and tasks can have multiple Tags, but Context is easier to use (Toodledo's Tag implementation has not been perfected yet IMO), and you have a Context filter that can be used in all views, which you don't get for Tags.

The big question for someone with a Pro account is whether to implement projects using Toodledo Folders or parent tasks with subtasks. I prefer to use Folders for larger organizational areas, and parent tasks as projects, but there are good arguments for using either method. If you have not tried out parent tasks as projects, those videos I mentioned in my last post would give you a good idea of how it works.

Once you have the core of your system down, you can determine what other things might make it more effective. The Star is a very useful feature for creating a custom watch list of sorts. Due Dates are obviously handy if you have hard and fast deadlines, and Due Times are also nice, especially if you want to get reminders at specific times. I am also a fan of Start Dates because I can process something for down the road out of my inbox, and get it into my task list without having to look at it until the Start Date has been reached. Priorities can be somewhat ambiguous in a GTD system, but if they are something you like to use to further break down your Context lists, etc. then throw them in the mix too.

Once you have a complete system you are happy with, you can consider adding things like Goals which I find very useful for motivation, and for looking at the big picture. Just don't feel like you have to use any of these fields simply because they are there. Keep you system as simple as possible, but as complex as you need it to be. If you are looking for how to implement a fairly robust, detailed GTD-style setup on Toodledo, Proximo's video (the second link I posted) is very good, and it seems like he has been inspiring a lot of GTD Toodledoers with it.
nostink

Posted: Sep 26, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
I am completely new to a system such as this and seem to be having problems figuring out how to use the program.

I am using Google Calendar along with Pocket Informant. I have tried to use Google Cal's repeating entries but deleted entries for days that have passed keep popping up on my Calendar. So I thought I would give this a shot.


This is what I need to do:

I would like to have a recurring entry that repeats on Wednesday through Sunday every two weeks.

Would someone tell me exactly how to do that?
Anders

Posted: Sep 26, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
That sort of repeat pattern is not handled easily by Toodledo, but you can set it up fairly easily in PI.

To set it up in PI (EDIT: I just discovered that this will not work. After syncing with Toodledo, the repeat in PI reverts to every 1 week on those days. I don't know if they are aware of this, but I am going to report it to their support):
-Set the first Due Date
-Go to "Repeat"->"Custom..."
-Select "Weekly" at the bottom of the screen
-On the wheel, select "2 weeks"
-Select all of the days you want it to repeat on (Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun) in the area below the wheel
-Save the repeat, and the task

To set this up on Toodledo:
-Create a task with the original Wednesday Due Date (I would also add a Start Date for that day too to avoid seeing more than one copy at a time)
-Set it to repeat every 2 weeks
-Clone the task 4 times
-Set the Due Date for one of the clones to each of the other for days (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun)


This message was edited Sep 26, 2009.
chase2marc

Posted: Sep 26, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
I was wondering the differences between Pocket Informant and the Toodledo app. Aside from the general PIM functionality of PI. WHich one is better at handling tasks in the iphone.

Thanks

M
Anders

Posted: Sep 27, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by chase2marc:
I was wondering the differences between Pocket Informant and the Toodledo app. Aside from the general PIM functionality of PI. WHich one is better at handling tasks in the iphone.

In my opinion, there is no comparison currently. The Toodledo app is just better than PI if you are considering the task portion only. PI's calendar is unbeatable, and I am actually hoping that the To Do component will get to the point where I can switch to using it because I love the integration. Anyway, PI's tasks are not bad at all, but they just can't do a number of things I need yet. There is no filtering of future or deferred tasks, no subtasks, and limited sorting options. The only things PI has for tasks that Toodledo does not are color coding, and integration with the calendar.
Alan

Posted: Sep 27, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
I have tried Pocket Informant several times, but find it overly bloated and not easy to work with. I erased it off of my iPhone after giving it a week. It's slow and overrated in my opinion.
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