Get Everything Done

Well, after half a day I'm back to TaskPaper. I think the BlancList is great, but I've become already dependent on using the @context tags in TaskPaper to filter out tasks I can't do. I keep one big list with everything, because I often work from home, and do personal tasks at the office, but don't want to see "cut grass" when I'm at the office, or "process office in-tray" at home. I've also decided I don't like the method of moving unactionable tasks to the bottom of the list - knowing myself, I will game the system to avoid doing those things that have bubbled up to the top. TaskPaper lets me hide the tasks I legitimately cannot do, without having them lose the pressure of being at the top when I get back to the place where I can do them.

So for me, TaskPaper is perfect, except for the awesome little "re-add" button in BlancList.

@ Christopher: If you are using TP Mac, a possible alleviation might be the following AppleScript:

http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/wiki/TogglePreselectedTasksAndMoveToEndOfProject

Enjoy the Final Version on TaskPaper :)

hey stefano,

I feel stupid but where do I put the apple scripts?

thanks,

brett

@ Brett: Nothing to worry about.

I use Red Sweater Software's FastScripts - very nice application.

According to the TaskPaper User's Guide ( see the Help Menu ):

Running Scripts
=============
Your TaskPaper scripts can be accessed from a global OS X menu or with a keyboard
shortcut:

• To activate the global AppleScript menu, open AppleScript Editor.app, open
Preferences and select the ‘General’ tab. Check the option ‘Show script menu in
menu bar’ and look for a new script icon on the right-hand side of your menu
bar.

• To add a script to the OS X script menu choose Script Menu > Open Scripts
Folder and place your script there. You can also place scripts in a subfolder if
you wish.
• Use System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts to assign a
keyboard shortcut to your script (you may need to add it as a Service first) .

Cheers.

@ Brett : Great! How is it working for you?

Same comment as in the http://www.markforster.net/fv-forum/post/1765213 thread.

@ Mark Forster: I couldn't agree more! Evernote ( EN ) is a ( nearly ) perfect working environment for … projects. And that's the reason why it is my first choice in that respect.

However, as some others have already pointed out, EN Desktop and EN Mobile do differ in a few aspects, amongst others:

-- different way of handling the view of tags : doesn't reflect the desktop structure on the mobile side, just one long list to scroll through.

-- to the mobile environment adapted handling of notes, which is more than acceptable, if you are on the run and complements the working with the desktop version.

What I'm seeking is a magical balance between a simple, but powerful way of tackling non-project related tasks and your Final Version Time Management System. By the way, I am applying FV within EN for projects ;)

The ( system ) setup should reflect the beauty of paper and pen as well as the power of electronic data manipulation, if the need arises. Furthermore, to pick up the hat analogy, I do like to work focused in a "simple task" mode and in a "complex project" mode. Both ways are fun - and that is important, but do have different ways of being handled efficiently and effectively. At least that is my understanding:

-- simple task mode : most of the cases one doesn't have to keep in mind complex relationships between different tasks or conditions to be applied. The job is usually straight forward. - Here EN does not excel. *astrongandcontroversialstatementupfordiscussion*

-- complex project mode : the starting point is literally the opposite to the "simple task mode". Relationships between, dependencies of other and preconditions for tasks - just to name a few variables to take notice of - do mandate a different setup, to be in the position to fully grasp the big picture as well as to handle the tiniest detail. - Here EN excels!

I think that in my opinion I currently have found the best choice for myself for the "simple task" mode with TaskPaper. However, I don't want to argue that there are possibly very good alternatives to it. Of the top of my head Notational Velocity does spring into my mind … it really boils down to one's each personal preferences and the own working style.

Conclusion: Every approach is good as long as one does believe in it and feels comfortable with it. No doubts about that!

P.S.: It's nice to exchange views :)

I find Handbase by ddhsoftware perfect for FV. It costs money but there is a desktop, iphone and Android version, and lists synchronise at item level.

There's a wee bit of setup "overhead" but you can have a checkbox to mark selected tasks and set up a separate view that filters out non-selected tasks so you can focus on those, and which sorts them into reverse order at the same time; and you can set it up so they disappear from that view as you complete them, but not from the main view.

It is also helpful for the little and often approach as you can easily copy a task and have it automatically reappear at the end of the list, then check off the original.

If I am starting to sound like a rep for the company, I will say it is not without its bugs( I lost a file yesterday but that was my shopping list!), and synchronisation is not always seamless, but it is easily the best I have tried for FV, as well as other things.

Bob Pankratz did have the following comments regarding my setup / a script of mine for the use of FV with TaskPaper:

" Nice work on the documentation and those scripts for the Final Version -

I like the idea of notes for none preselected tasks. I usually need to leave the checked off version in the list until I archive even if it's a repeating task or a partially completed task. So I took your idea and extended it. Here is a CompleteAndRepeat script. It will check off the any selects items of type task as done, date when you did that, remove a @Today tag if it's present; and then renter it at the bottom of the list as note. Those people that want to use ALL Tasks and Preselect with CMD-Y and the @today tag, can also use the script just comment out the "Set entry type to note type" line. " - https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!topic/taskpaper/TxHiFMI2ZwU

Find the script at http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/wiki/CompleteAndRepeat, if you would like to try it out.

Apologies, there is a comma too much in the link posted above, should read: http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/wiki/CompleteAndRepeat ;)

I've just started trying the system.

After reading the instructions, I created a text file with notepad almost without thinking.

This system feels good using a simple text file. It's almost like paper based, only that you can cut/paste, reorder...

I just place a * next to each task I want to do.

When I finish a task, I move it to the "Done" section, a few lines after the last task, and place it at the beginning of that list. (so It's cronologically inverted)

When I finish a thread of tasks, I insert an empty line at the beginning of the "Done" section, so I can track the completed groups (though why would I want to do that...)

Nothing to install..
You can put the file in dropbox and use it on your computer, smartphone, ipad, whatever.

You can't filter, add deadlines, etc, but I personally feel that it keeps the light nature of the system.
If more functionality is needed, it's possible to use scripting languages, autohotkey or things like that.

It's working fine for me.
I don't have a huge amount of tasks, though (and I hope I can to keep it that way).

Walter