Chris Hannah
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My Task Manager of Choice

Something that has slowly evolved for me is how I use task managers. I've used apps like 2Do, Todoist, Things, and a few more in the past. But they never stuck with me for various reasons. The most annoying part of this was that I'd have to keep migrating the data into new apps.

One of those times, I decided to go all-in on the stock Reminders app. Because then I know that my data is available on all of my devices, my tasks slightly would be slightly more accessible than they would be from a third-party app, and it's a pretty simple system.

Being simple attracted me since I always felt like every task manager I used tried to do too much. At least for my uses. I don't do anything fancy with my tasks. I have an inbox where I put rough ideas and tasks that need either more information or to be planned. And I have a few essential lists which I sort tasks into, of which I'd say 99% of the tasks fall within four lists: Blog, Newsletter, House, Text Case.

I didn't settle on Reminders as my task manager "app" of choice, though. For that, I've been using GoodTask. For the simple reason of it being based upon the built-in Reminders system. So while I can access my data via the Reminders app on any platform, GoodTask is essentially my "frontend".

The main thing that I like about GoodTask is the user interface, how flexible it is with the various view options, and the theming (although themes are more limited on macOS). Add in the Smart Lists feature, where you create dynamic lists based on various criteria, and you can create a pretty complex system, all still based on the same Reminders data.

I've also started to use Quick Actions a bit more recently. My usage is relatively simple with some date options, but I imagine these may grow as I play around even more.

It's certainly a good feeling having stuck with a solution for a relatively long period. I used to be someone who would try out any new and trendy task manager, but I really see the value of just making a decision and sticking with it. I definitely think it's something I should take into other aspects of my workflow. The trend I'm noticing in my app choices seems that they're relatively simple, not packed full of wow factors, but do one job and do it well. To be honest, the first two describe me as a person.