ForumsTips & TricksOrdering tasks? (not subtopics)


Ordering tasks? (not subtopics)
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DSull

Posted: Dec 14, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
This is admittedly a duplicate of
http://www.toodledo.com/forums/3/4125/0/coming-back-to-td.html,
but I realized the other post didn't have a descriptive title.

How can I order my tasks?

I want to make TD work for me, but I don't see how I can put the thing I'm going to need to work on first at the top. Is this matter of committing to the priority function, or are there other ways. I'm looking for tips please! I've been in and out of TD and still have no solid system.

Thanks
Linden

Posted: Dec 14, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
There are a few ways you can try to pull out the stuff that you want to work on first.

Here are some ideas:
* set an item's status to "next action" and then work off the status list
* sort by start date or due date to bring more urgent tasks to the top
* use the star to mark tasks you want to work on today (regardless of priority or due date)

I try to follow a GTD framework, so I don't actually try to make an ordered list of what I'm going to work on at a particular time. Instead, I review my active next-steps and assess whatever makes the most sense for me to tackle in my current setting and timeframe. That way I can adjust quickly if priorities shift or new urgent work comes along.

Maybe some other folks who make daily plans might have other ideas that I missed!
alexborne

Posted: Dec 15, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
I would say that "Priority" is supposed to be the field used to select what should be worked on first.

Beyond Linden's proposals, there are at least 2 other ways :
- use the tags field, with an "ordering", or "priority" code, of your own :
1
2
3
or
A1 A2
B1 B2 B3...
- put a letter, or a "A1" style code at the beginning of the task description field, and sort alphabetically

Rgds

Alex
jml789uk

Posted: Dec 15, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
If you want to plan out your day, try using Due Time as well as Due Date. It doesn't have to be too precise - just grouping tasks, by the hour, is enough to let you see the order of the day.

This is not in keeping with GTD, but sometimes it's more useful just to schedule work than to keep reviewing lists. Maybe it depends how fast moving your life is! There are pros and cons each way.

jml
DSull

Posted: Dec 23, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
Hmmm... All good tips.

I think I'll try using tags as fake sequence or maybe the next action approach, but I often wish to begin a thread of tasks based on how far I can get into the thread, not the singular task itself. No feature request for this, I know it's hard to qualify.

Also, the problem with priority is that it's different than sequence. I simply wish to capture sequence within a project; if I enter a list of sequential tasks and then only track Next Action, I'm constantly looking for the next thing and wasting the front end work of putting them in order. For me, the front end sequencing is a big part of the GTD value.

I suppose I could force groups of tasks and use subtasks to order. Thanks for the tips; I'm try these. IF they don't work I may be back to paper.
tek

Posted: Mar 10, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
I just ran into this same problem uploading a checklist I use when traveling. The items must be done in a particular sequence every time the list is executed, and not alphabetically. I guess I could leave it as a text document, but I would like to have all of my checklists in ToodleDo. Putting numbers in tags or the name makes it really hard to insert items later in their proper sequence even if I use multiples of 10 on the initial input. I'll make this a formal request for enhancement: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) or task sequence an enhancement request, with the ability to move items around onscreen and have the sequences be updated - like the folder order capability, import/export capable field.

This message was edited Mar 10, 2010.
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