Say Goodbye to the To-Do List (Your Calendar is Better!)
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- Опубликовано: 9 авг 2024
- Finding the right app to manage tasks and to-do's can be frustrating. So many tools and techniques to choose from! But what if you could manage your to-do list within an app you already use? In this video, Scott Friesen shows you how to create the ultimate task manager using any calendar (including Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook).
0:00 Problem with to-do list apps
1:17 Adding tasks to any calendar
3:22 Relationship between tasks and events
5:18 Prioritizing tasks within your calendar
6:31 Deeper engagement with your to-do list
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Scott Friesen is a productivity specialist and founder of Simpletivity Training Inc.. He is also a prolific public speaker, workshop leader, and time management coach. Scott helps people to focus more time on what they want to get done and to experience less stress by simplifying their technology.
Simpletivity shares productivity tips, technology apps, time management ideas, and more to help you get more done and enjoy less stress at the same time. If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or professional who wants to get more out of your day, make sure to subscribe for helpful training videos ( / @simpletivity .
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Scott you are just amazing. I always enjoy your tips but this one today was really spot-on. I was in the midst of trying a third to-do app when your video came along. I LOVE this! You are right I am always engaged with my calendar so its the perfect place to put the to-do list. Thanks for improving my life!
I'm so glad that you enjoyed this one, Margaret. And wishing you all the best as you setup your ideal to-do list!
Simple + Efficient. = LOVE.
I use a lot of these strategies, and they really do work! However, some may miss the satisfaction of checking things off their To-Do Lists or seeing visually that everything is done. So, I started adding the check emoji to the beginning of each task once it was done. It's a simple way to note that a task is done and ensure you didn't forget anything, and you get the satisfaction of checking it off--like on paper. Use whatever emoji you want, but you get the point. This system is very useful and worth trying! It's so much easier to have things all in one place!
I drag the task to the time I finish it, and it appears dimmed so I know I have completed it. Similar to your method haha
I have a friend at Google and her calendar events are red and she changes the color to green to denote that it's complete.
make sure add a gap every task
I just started using my calendar as my to-do list a month ago, and it WAS A GAME CHANGER! It wanted everything in one place since I wanted to organize my time better and know exactly what to do. I didn't want to pay extra for an app to sync with my calendar, it seemed like a waste of money. Whenever I finish something, I edit my event and type an x and that's it! Super useful :)
i do this but instead of scheduling as an event, i do reminder, .that way i just "mark as done"when its done and it crosses it off!
Love it!! Thanks so much for sharing your journey, Denisse.
@@Hotnik0813 I tried that! But, I didn't like having to use the task feature... 😅
I change the color of my completed tasks. I do this by having a calendar named "completed" and set to the color red. When my task is done I change the calendar.
i remeber this is not his first time praising calendar, and thanks , after trying so many app and i eventually go back to calendar . with a simple excel and calendar, that would be my best tools now for my team management. thanks scott
From one to Scott to another, just want to say thanks for this. I have looked at this approach before but somehow didn't work as I wanted. But the way you present this made it look so easy. And doing it for the last couple of days, this is the way for me! Could be a life changer...
I'm so glad to hear that, Scott. Just like many things in life, sometimes trying it on for the second time can make all the difference!
Great tip Scott, as usual.
If you type the hour in the title, the event will become automatically a task.
For example: "Dr. Paul - 8:40" will be moved to the schedule line. I had to put "Dr. Paul - 8.40" instead, using a dot.
Thanks Scott!
This is one of your bestest ever tips!
Watching your doing while explaining is how I best learn, and the animated big points accentuate the positive!
Great to hear! Thanks for watching.
Feedback - I like how you mentions issues first, this really helps clarify things and motivates to learn more
Great insights here, Scott. Every time I watch one of your videos I learn something. (The period at the beginning of the sentence, in today's example). Thx!
Glad to help! Thanks for watching, Stephen.
Thank you, Scott.
I suggest, in addition to what you said, to make tasks a scheduled activity in your calendar. That way you don't have to hope or wish to accomplish that task; it simply becomes a part of your day.
Yes, for some specific tasks, it can be great to give them a scheduled time.
Scott, this is incredibly helpful. Thank you for sharing.
You are very welcome, Steph. I hope this helps you in many ways!
Great tips, Scott! This is perfect for daily to-do lists. Can I ask how do you make your weekly goals in the outlook calendar, and how do you align them with daily tasks?
Exactly what i was looking for, amazing 🙌🙏 ! Before downloading or subscribing to a bunch of apps.... Thank you for the concrete examples of the video 👍
Also keep old stuff in your calendar like the last time you drove so your battery doesn't die. The last time your gardener showed up since mine is unreliable, etc. The notes below are important for something like when you need to drive you can list things to bring like your coupons or sunglasses, places to go while you are out that you might not remember like recycle something, maybe the hours they are open and address. There are things like emptying Ice cubes or changing the furnace filter that must be in your calendar or they get away from you. I have a bad tendency to use it for notes since it is always open and then have to transfer them to my regular note app and a lot of those notes include a link to a web page. Alexa has a to do list I use to remember what I am thinking about. It isn't really my task list. It is still better to say Alexa instead of trying to scribble something down when I am busy doing something and then I wonder what I wrote. I have tons of thoughts while doing things that I know I would never remember later. Before that I basically had to keep a notepad everywhere I went. I had to buy a mesh system because my signal was terrible in this house and then put alexa upstairs and down. I am now hooked because the power went out and I was lost. The calendar doesn't give you a check list where you can see you accomplished something but I am too busy to care about that. Alexa does give you a checklist if you need that sort of reinforcement.
Thanks...another world class video!
Thanks, Marc. Another world class comment!
You are so right - I have a to-do-list app (Todoist), and I rarely look at it. However, your video has reminded me that I can use my Google calendar to populate Todoist, and the items will be at the top of the calendar as all-day events.
Yes, great point Mike. Todoist is one of the few task apps that integrates well with Google Calendar.
Thanks for sharing such a practical and easy-to-implement strategy! I never realized how effective my calendar could be for task management. I'm motivated to rearrange my schedule and tasks accordingly.
You are very welcome, Robert. Wishing you all the best as you make this productive change!
Excellent tip!!! Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Very good video, thank you!
You are welcome!
Scott, I always enjoy listening to you. You have a calming voice and explain things very well.
Regarding the topic of today, if I click the all-day event area in my Google calendar I have the extra option of a reminder. I wondered why I did not see that with you in the video at around 1 minute 30 seconds. I think those do move automatically to the next day if they are not marked as done.
That's correct, Ben. Reminders will automatically move to the next day if left incomplete. However, you can not add any additional details within Reminders.
As another commenter mentioned...google tasks can be added to your calendar and are listed in the "All Day" section of google calendar. In gmail, I use the save to tasks option frequently and having it show on my calendar as well is helpful! Thx for a great video!
That's right, Christine. Google Tasks integrates with Calendar much better than it did a few years ago.
fantastic. thank you
You are very welcome!
This is an excellent approach to managing tasks. How would you adapt it to handle larger projects that contain multiple tasks?
I put the subtask list in the notes section. I actually have a long list for shower task like water plants, clean toilet, etc. because they are all in the same room.
This is good! FEWER apps is good.
Great point in this video. But we can do the same with Google Task, and get a list of tasks if we need, and make different lists. It is important to know in Google Tasks you can't attach a file, as we can do in an all day event.
Yes, this lack of attachments and adding further details (like switching colors) can be one of the reasons some prefer the calendar method.
I engage with my calendar daily, because they are analog. So I do all this daily. If I use a computer, as someone with ADHD it gets forgotten about as soon as I enter it. If I use a book, the act of writing helps me remember it. I do not have to switch back to a view of my calendar when I have the planner open on my desk.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Fabulous! I've been trying to use my calendar lately for everything; dates, to do, reminders, just like I used to with a paper calendar. I keep getting sidetracked by a new productivity apps. I learn about them, set it up, and then it eludes me, so I search for more. I also know that I need to keep it all in one place AND to keep it simple, I get confused A LOT. Thank you for doing this video. It is exactly what I needed to learn a more effective way of using my calendar. Now I feel I can stick to it because you talked about it (I'm weird like that) and it is going to be so much easier. (Now I just need to stop being influenced by new and amazing productivity apps!)
P.S. I use PROTON CALENDAR and EMAIL. Can you do a video on that? It's not as advanced as google.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Janet. Yes, sometimes we all need a remember that less is more and simple is usually better! And thanks for the suggestion for a future video.
I really like this. One thing however, what do you do with tasks that are things you want to do but aren't necessarily important right now and/or you don't have time for, so things you'll do 'someday' that don't have a time yet?
Thank you for this info. i teach this to students and sometimes there is little buy in. But creating the tasks right on the calendar is important. I have them create a task list and drag over, maybe that was't available when this was made? As well, it is really thought to drag the items sometimes! i am assuming , all the tasks here go into the task list as well. So if they don't move it, check it off, it still exists! Thank you!
Thanks, Scott
Greetings from India. I always use your tips. Please make a video on Google Tasks + Google Calendar + Gmail combined
Thanks for the idea, Akash!
@@Simpletivity you are always welcome.
I love this! Do you use the "tasks" though, too?
I use a combination of both. Calendar events still have a few more options (such as changing colors and adding attachments) which I find helpful.
Great video as always...doesn't Google Tasks already work within the calendar? Would you still utilize this feature?
I always love your videos. Thank you. Have you ever used the "tasks" in Google calendar? I really am not a favor of them. I just could not integrate them. I love your method creating events. Which is what I do. I actually add a time for everything. So it is all linear and I can see what I need to be doing right now.
Thanks very much for your comments, Michael. Google Tasks work great for some people and then not so much for others.
Wow I agree. I just deleted Tasks right before I watched this video because I couldn't delete the notifications that were annoying. I was already using my calendar to remember tasks, but Scots prioritizing tips take it to a new level.
@@lyndayoung8761 So glad you found this video at the right time, Lynda. Wishing you all the best with your new setup!
Scott, I love the work you do and the tips you provide. However, with this one, I'm not so sure. I use Google Calendar, Google Tasks and Keep Notes. The way Tasks integrates with Calendar and Gmail is hard to beat now. What you're suggesting seems to take more steps for me so I'm sticking with Tasks. Keep up the good work!
love keep notes amd you can st a reminder to look at any note and it will tag it on your calendar!
No worries, George. I'm so happy to hear that this setup is working for you!
George
You couldnt search Tasks in broswer. as of now google provided in Android/iPhone versions only.
if you add more subtasks to Tasks. then if we complete any subtask. you will lose your track.
Based on my experience after tried of GTD, BuJo thru google calendar, tasks and kep better to follow as Scott mentionrd.
Really appreciate Scott.
Genius.
I use Outlook, all outlook or todo tasks show at the bottom of the calendar on the due date, and if you don’t complete them they move to the next day, unlike putting them as an event. Flagged emails also show there. You can also list them on the right whether in mail or calendar view. Easily drag them from the task list to the calendar to create an appointment for when you want to ring-fence some time to complete the priority stuff. And if you can’t fit in, then you need to review.
Thanks for sharing, Dorothy.
this might actually be transformative for my work (Outlook) as I use MS To Do, or Stickies, or Lists...I like how Google calendar integrates tasks, so I use that function even though I'd like something more aesthetically pleasing :)
Wishing you all the best as you try a new method!
Today with Microsoft outlook their to do app os built into outlook. This allows me to stay focused on my to do list without going anywhere else.
Thanks for sharing, Dan.
And the beauty of Google Calendar is in schedule view on your phone or tablet.
I use just my calender on my phone..Its works perfectly fine.
So what do you use for backlogs?
I prefer to use outlook calendar togehter with outlook task. There is a view where I see may task below the calendar, In outlook I can easily turn a mail to a task. Besides this I can mark task as done and keep an overview, Another advantage I can delegate a task.
Thanks for sharing your system.
Thank you, Scott! Do you have any recommendations on how to handle tasks that you have completed? The only answer that I have been able to come up with is to change the task color to graphite. Do you know of any way to do a strikethrough on the task name?
Right
🔥🔥🔥
Do you not use the Tasks and Reminder features in Google? Would they not accomplish the same purpose? Except the color-coding part, that is.
Great idea, Scott. QQ. If I am using a work calendar would my co-workers be able to see my all-day events? Or, would they just see my calendar events?
If your work calendar is shared with other people, they will see your all-day events.
In Outlook, you can change the Busy time to free time if you don't want it to block the whole day.
Not sure if Google Calendar has that feature.
Matt, you can always set these all-day events to private and then nothing would be shared with your co-workers.
io utilizzo emotji per diversificare le attività che devo fare (💻,☎, ⌛) e indico subito dopo un tempo per seguirle (💻 - 15' - budget)
. questo mi permette di importarle sul calendario. Ho creato anche un calendario tipo della settimana di colore grigio in cui sposto le attività previste nella giornata così da sapere quanto tempo occupano in totale.
Thank you for the method. I am going to try this after my Ticktick membership expires.
All the best with the transition, Leon.
What I like about Outlook is the ability to turn an email into a task. This allows me to process my inbox quickly. I can also convert emails into a calendar entry, but then my calendar becomes very confusing.
Yes, this can be a great way to save time and streamline your workflow.
Scott, how to you check off a task. I like to review what I have completed over the week to,see if I may need to follow up on them.
With this setup, you can always move completed tasks to a different calendar or add a special character in front. Either way would let you review these tasks again in the future.
Fantastical (MacOS) allows you to put actual tasks in your calendar with check boxes.
Thanks for sharing!
question, where do you store your thoughts and tasks prior to scheduling them on your calendar
That's a great question. I will use Google Keep to jot down and brainstorm my thoughts.
Hey question will those to do be available for other people to see on your calendar
That is the nice thing about doing event is you can add a shared calendar
@@MichaelDaniels but when other people try to view your calendar to make appointments with you can they see the checklist for things to do list that you have in your calendar or is it only visible by you the offer of the calendar happy holidays to you as well
Your suggestions are excellent. However, and there's always a "however", some people like me are email centric despite having to use our calendar for work to keep track of meetings. Since I'm email focused, I have to keep reminding myself to check my Calendar so I'm somewhat doubtful of this approach.
Always appreciate the feedback. And it's true, we all have different preferences. One nice advantage of using your calendar is to take a break from the noise of the inbox and decide what to work on next.
have done this technique before during my later college life....super useful and manageable...
now i separate my calendar and to-do's...just a new preference, I guess...love using Microsoft To-Do 😅
Thanks for sharing
How do you marry this with your 2-Do list method where you separate out things that are due within 2 weeks. Do you park those in Google Tasks?
Great question, Anne. If the tasks are a part of a bigger project, I will often keep those in tools such as Trello, Drive, or Tasks. But even if these tasks appear on my calendar, I am only focusing on the next few days at a time, so they don't distract or keep a long list in front of me.
I'm following the video but can't save to the 'all-day events' section. It moves to the area underneath every time. I'm on a Mac.
Is there a way to check off that the task is done without deleting it? Or by leaving it at the day it was done the better way?
Hi Mary, you can always create another calendar called 'done' or 'completed' and then move the task to that calendar when finished.
This also has the advantage that you can turn off the view of the "Done" or "Completed" calendar if you don't want to look at completed tasks.@@Simpletivity
It works only for day by day tasks. What about future tasks or multiple lists?
You can put a time on the task, and if you do it after the task is completed, you now turned your calendar into a memory keeper as well. Multiple calendars = multiple lists: Both Microsoft Outlook, Apple Calendar, and Google Calendar allows having multiple calendars integrated.
At Google, a better integration between Calendar, Tasks and Mail (mail to task feature) is long overdue
How would you mark something as completed?
Great question. Some popular options would be to change the event color (or move to a separate calendar). Another would be to add a special character at the front of the task.
I simple delete the completed items. It helps to clean up the overview of the calendar and gives a very positive feeling in the same moment: "Yesssssss, done!!!" :)
@@zsoltnagy4186 Because of my work I rely on seeing the information still but as completed. So deleting wouldn't work in my specific case. Thank you for answering though!
@@zsoltnagy4186 Thanks for sharing. Yes, it's both a great feeling and removes unwanted clutter!
Dear Scott, It's a good idea to use the calendar as a todo app. But what happens when you have 10 to 15 tasks a day? Then it quickly becomes confusing.
That's a good point. You can always use multiple calendars within Google Calendar if you want to filter or hide certain types of tasks.
How to mark complete like to do list??
One simple method is to move it to a separate (different) calendar.
A very nice way, but I have a or some questions. Right now I am busy with the development of an app. There are several tasks or ideas that I need to work out or have a second look at. I don't have a deadline or date that I need to do or finish some things. I am free to do when I want it. Right now I am using Notion to keep track of ideas and suggestions, or things I need to check out further. If I could place it in one place, that would be nice. But it looks like that with Calendar, you NEED to have a day set for it. Sometimes I need to have a date for a task, but other times, it can be done when every I have time or if I am in the mood. Any suggestions? Looking forward to your next video. :-)
Great question. For projects, you might still need a tool like Notion, Trello, etc. to manage sub-tasks and dependences. However, you can add the 'next step' or next task on your calendar so you don't ignore or forget about it.
I heard from a project manager that they kept a "Monday list", where all the tasks for an two week iteration would be kept. It could as well be a "Wednesday list" or any other kind of list. The point is that you distribute the list over the next few days in the iteration when it becomes relevant to do so. Here again, the advantage is to keep it all in the calendar.
Bold of you to assume that I look at my calendar 😅
I don't get why you don't just use the integrated Google Tasks or Reminders... 🤔
How do you signify a task is complete?
i change to color black and put a “x” in the head of that task
In the video , he has put the "tasks" in the cal as an event. If you change the type of entry to an actual task it has a built in complete button... If you put in a true task, it still stays on the top of each day. You can assign all tasks a different colour than your calendar events to help keep them seperate. When a task is completed it crosses it out. @Alan Ward
I simple delete the completed items. It helps to clean up the overview of the calendar and gives a very positive feeling in the same moment: "Yesssssss, done!!!" :)
I don't use google calendar because it won't let go of anything. I have an old bill reminder that's obsolete. Can't get rid of it.
Make sure to select "this and following events" if you are wanting to delete something going forward.
If you use any sort of automated scheduler (like calendly) creating a bunch of “all-day” events will make you appear unavailable that day.
So make a new calendar for this and exclude it from calendly. It should help, I think.
This is nice until you need structure to differentiate the types of todos you’re adding
Remember, you can always change the colors of each event, this can be great way to group or hide/show different types of tasks.
Is there a simple solution to make a simple checkbox for your events? The Google To-Do-List is trash because you cant use a period.
This won't work with anyone with ADHD. We're way too good bypassing vaguely stated "all-day" to-do's, totally underestimating how much they might take unless we have taken a hard look and put them in the calendar with some slack, and can tick them off later. Then there is a sense of concrete urgency, and the rewarding dopamine hit at the end helps a lot. The vague vacuum as a "today's to-do" makes us just push it into the evening, and then there's the friction of postponing it into the next day.
AuDHDer here... Sometimes physically scheduling them with an actual time on the calendar helps :)
ᵖʳᵒᵐᵒˢᵐ 👌
If it's not on my calendar, it doesn't get done.
You said it! Thanks for watching!
he might be saying "task" alot , but they are "events" you can't change task colors "on the fly"
Yes, and that's why this method may be more helpful to many users.
TODOIST is the best of both worlds because it integrates with your calendar. Google Tasks is also really great and doesn’t get enough attention. I’m struggling to decide which one to use. I keep far too many things on my project and task list to keep them all in a calendar app.
Thanks for sharing, Mike! Yes, both Todoist and Google Tasks can integrate very well with Calendar.
TickTick is the ideal app!
I'm currently using todoist to manage my tasks as it has quick access via my phone but you're making such a good point that if combined with one's calendar that you already view multiple times a day it could well be more productive to have it there. @jeffsu would love to hear your thoughts on this 😁
Thanks so much for providing your insight!