331: How to Manage Your Task List, with Tim Stringer

Tim Stringer: Learn OmniFocus

Tim Stringer of Technically Simple is one of the world’s leading experts on using task management systems and is the founder of Learn OmniFocus*, the premier site for teaching OmniFocus users how to be as productive as possible.

Key Points

• In general, keep the planning and working tasks separate.
• By planning first, it’s much easier to be productive when you go into worker mode.
• Your task management system should collect your whens, your whats, and your ideas.
• Make your task management system a sacred space.
• Use due dates only when there is a consequence for not finishing something by that date.
• Focus on only doing a few important tasks first, then move on to the rest of the tasks.
• A morning and evening review will help you stay on top of your system.
• Common mistakes: Putting too much into your task management system, overusing due dates, and tasks that aren’t immediately actionable.

Resources Mentioned

• Getting Things Done* by David Allen
• ToDoist
• OmniFocus
• Learn OmniFocus*
• Evernote
• Bullet Journal
• MindNode

Related Episodes

• How To Be More Productive, with Tim Stringer (episode 151)
• Do This for a Productive Week (episode 180)
• Getting Things Done, with David Allen (episode 184)
• The Way to Stop Spinning Your Wheels on Planning (episode 319)

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