Need some help getting started with RTM and GTD
symowallo says:
Please don't tell me to RTFM though...
I've read a lot about all the different tools available for managing tasks, lists and so on. And RTM cops a lot for not doing subtasks. And I'm wondering "Why wouldn't they put this feature in? There must be a good reason for it" and maybe others have found ways to work without actually *needing* subtasks in the first place.
I'm trying to pick a tool, and it's between this and ToodleDo, to help bring my life under control. I have several projects for clients at the same time (IT Consulting) and several internal and personal projects at once, along with wanting to know what I have to do every day and what to do when I have a spare few minutes here and there.
So how would RTM suit my work? I can't see how I could use it without Subtasks, but there's a lot of smart people here who must be able to do it without it feeling like a workaround.
I know the GTD methodology doesn't spell out what you actually need in a task management tool, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree. But my own way of doing projects is to break them into subtasks because that's the traditional way of doing it. If I RTM my life, is it all workarounds or is it a better way of doing it compared to say ToodleDo's methods?
Thanks in advance.
I've read a lot about all the different tools available for managing tasks, lists and so on. And RTM cops a lot for not doing subtasks. And I'm wondering "Why wouldn't they put this feature in? There must be a good reason for it" and maybe others have found ways to work without actually *needing* subtasks in the first place.
I'm trying to pick a tool, and it's between this and ToodleDo, to help bring my life under control. I have several projects for clients at the same time (IT Consulting) and several internal and personal projects at once, along with wanting to know what I have to do every day and what to do when I have a spare few minutes here and there.
So how would RTM suit my work? I can't see how I could use it without Subtasks, but there's a lot of smart people here who must be able to do it without it feeling like a workaround.
I know the GTD methodology doesn't spell out what you actually need in a task management tool, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree. But my own way of doing projects is to break them into subtasks because that's the traditional way of doing it. If I RTM my life, is it all workarounds or is it a better way of doing it compared to say ToodleDo's methods?
Thanks in advance.
ilyse.kazar says:
i am doing fine, also managing tasks across various consulting clients, my own business matters, personal matters, AND f/t college coursework. Can you provide a real-world example of a parent task and subtasks that you would want to enter? I have not found myself wanting subtasks. I use 13 task lists (in addition to Inbox and Sent) and a few smartlists. Make heavy use of tagging. Within my "School" task list, for example, I have tasks going for several courses and just use a distinct tag for each so that if I wish to isolate the tasks relevant to one course at school I just search for or click on the tag.
Would that work for you? If not, again, give a real example, it would help anyone reading this to respond. If your task list does need to be organized into tasks/subtasks you might indeed need ToodleDo (if you can tolerate the UI) or something closer to a real project management tool like TeamworkPM ... *but* you will lose the conveniences that are programmed into RTM (most notably Smart-Add, which I could not live w/o)
Would that work for you? If not, again, give a real example, it would help anyone reading this to respond. If your task list does need to be organized into tasks/subtasks you might indeed need ToodleDo (if you can tolerate the UI) or something closer to a real project management tool like TeamworkPM ... *but* you will lose the conveniences that are programmed into RTM (most notably Smart-Add, which I could not live w/o)
miamerkur says:
Hello symowallo,
work with priorities and smart lists.
Example for SAP:
1) custom => list ... Smith_BI
2) dead lines for presentation/signing ... concept, blueprint, data import, customizing, programming, testing, go live -> Priority 1
3) Major blocks ... like customizing parts or testing parts -> Priority 2
4) Weekly or Daily Goals -> Priority 3
5) w/o prio = little works
6) use a lot of tags
like collegue abc, toread, towrite, togo, tolearn, to...
also for RTM-items with (just) URL oder notice, tags like info, howto, help, tip ...
7) use smart lists SL_xy like today, this week, this month, ...
not determined in time-list
-> status: uncomplete AND due: never NOT(tag:info, tag:tip; ...)...
not determined in time-list for internet-stuff for work ...
-> status: uncomplete AND place:internet AND tag:work
....
(You are IT, look for tips in help and forum plus your knowhow will produce great SLs ;) )
And ilyse.kazar is right with -->> Smart-Add, just the line:
RTM-item ^when !prio-nr *repeat =time @place #list #tags1 #tag2 #tag3 URL
Example above:
test-inv-mail ^tom 11:15 !3 @big-office #Smith_BI #towrite #Bi-team_small
work with priorities and smart lists.
Example for SAP:
1) custom => list ... Smith_BI
2) dead lines for presentation/signing ... concept, blueprint, data import, customizing, programming, testing, go live -> Priority 1
3) Major blocks ... like customizing parts or testing parts -> Priority 2
4) Weekly or Daily Goals -> Priority 3
5) w/o prio = little works
6) use a lot of tags
like collegue abc, toread, towrite, togo, tolearn, to...
also for RTM-items with (just) URL oder notice, tags like info, howto, help, tip ...
7) use smart lists SL_xy like today, this week, this month, ...
not determined in time-list
-> status: uncomplete AND due: never NOT(tag:info, tag:tip; ...)...
not determined in time-list for internet-stuff for work ...
-> status: uncomplete AND place:internet AND tag:work
....
(You are IT, look for tips in help and forum plus your knowhow will produce great SLs ;) )
And ilyse.kazar is right with -->> Smart-Add, just the line:
RTM-item ^when !prio-nr *repeat =time @place #list #tags1 #tag2 #tag3 URL
Example above:
test-inv-mail ^tom 11:15 !3 @big-office #Smith_BI #towrite #Bi-team_small
(closed account) says:
Go to the Tips & Tricks section and query on GTD - there are several different recommendations on how to implement it with RTM, so you can choose which works best for your situation.
I'm in the midst of doing that myself (I've had a PRO account for a couple years).
I created a list called PROJECTS.
I create a 'task' on that list for every project
I give each project it's own tag (PaintHouse or FixWaterDamage or ...).
I create all the sub-tasks for the project,
I add the correct project tag to each sub-task
I put the sub-task in it's appropriate context list (Calls, Online...).
I also have "Next" and "Someday" tags that I can also add to each sub-task.
Then I can query for Next across all projects, query by project tag, or query by context - or any combination those.
Many of the GTD implementation recommendations include using the RTM Location feature, but I don't - it's more complicated than I need. I don't use priorities either; I agree with the GTD author; what's most important this moment will change in the next moment because new incoming tasks are received and everything re-prioritized. Maintenance of that constant changing is counter productive when most often you can look at your list and you know what's most important.
Good luck!
You'll read a lot about SmartLists and the 'programming language' to create them. I was intimidated for a long time - and I got along fine without learning that stuff. RTM has an advanced search feature where you can plug what you want in a more user friendly manner until you feel like venturing into coding!
I'm in the midst of doing that myself (I've had a PRO account for a couple years).
I created a list called PROJECTS.
I create a 'task' on that list for every project
I give each project it's own tag (PaintHouse or FixWaterDamage or ...).
I create all the sub-tasks for the project,
I add the correct project tag to each sub-task
I put the sub-task in it's appropriate context list (Calls, Online...).
I also have "Next" and "Someday" tags that I can also add to each sub-task.
Then I can query for Next across all projects, query by project tag, or query by context - or any combination those.
Many of the GTD implementation recommendations include using the RTM Location feature, but I don't - it's more complicated than I need. I don't use priorities either; I agree with the GTD author; what's most important this moment will change in the next moment because new incoming tasks are received and everything re-prioritized. Maintenance of that constant changing is counter productive when most often you can look at your list and you know what's most important.
Good luck!
You'll read a lot about SmartLists and the 'programming language' to create them. I was intimidated for a long time - and I got along fine without learning that stuff. RTM has an advanced search feature where you can plug what you want in a more user friendly manner until you feel like venturing into coding!