I’ve historically flitted between different ways of tracking deadlines and tasks. And as my time became more precious, there was more pressure to find a perfect solution. I’d dabble with various Getting Things Done apps. But there was always something that wasn’t quite right, be that too much complexity or platform lock-in.
I took to using Apple’s Calendar at one point, dragging out time blocks to estimate tasks and get a visual representation of my free time. But scanning the weeks ahead became a logistical nightmare. So I switched to Notes, creating a weeks-ahead table. But that was a chore to update, and it didn’t even integrate with Calendar.
Just when I was ready to dive back into yet another third-party app, a reminder popped up (thanks, Joan Westenberg) about Reminders. I’d never got on with that app, but last year Apple added a column view – and it’s a game changer.
Column view in Reminders on iPad.
On switching to column view, you end up with something akin to a Kanban board. That system has its origins in the manufacturing sector, and has you use cards to track the status of tasks, moving them between columns that represent the stages of a process. The magic is in the system’s flexibility. You can label columns however you like – for example, things you need to do, tasks in progress, and whatever is ready to ship.
In my case, I started experimenting with a work planner. Each column is for a week of the year. Tasks are placed within them, and given deadlines and a tag that denotes a publication I write for. On larger displays, it’s a cinch to manage my schedule by dragging cards between columns, updating deadlines as I go. But even on smaller displays, it (to coin a phrase) just works. I can switch to a list view when necessary, or view tasks in different contexts by using tags or pinned smart folders based on specific criteria, such as #family, #taxes, Today and Scheduled. Naturally, iCloud syncs every detail between devices.
Pinned smart folders and tags provide fast access to task groups.
Even better, integration is no longer a problem. As of Apple’s most recent operating system updates, Reminders fully integrates with Calendar. Each task appears within the latter app – and can even be checked off there. Which isn’t to say I haven’t found shortcomings when using Reminders. Weekly recurring tasks need to be manually moved between columns when completed. And there’s no ‘rest of the week’ Smart Folder option to detail what needs dealing with before the weekend. Still, that’s not too bad.
Moreover, my search is now over for something to keep me organized and I now have more time for what matters. And who knows? Maybe this time, it will stick!