Three Considerations for your Digital Task List
Ask these questions as you pick out your next todo list.
About a decade ago, there was an explosion of productivity apps on the iOS and Android App stores. It was like the Wild West with a new option seemingly arriving weekly. I just had to try each one of them out! Can you relate?
Now, years later, things have settled. Some companies have discontinued support (Toodledo) or just feel like an old car, waiting to break down (Remember the Milk). Others have found new iterations (Superlist). Still others have kept charging ahead and get better and better over time.
Here are three questions that have helped me sort through the many, many options available:
Do you need a Windows & Mac option? For those who are 100% Mac, OmniFocus and Things are super options. On the other hand, if you work in a PC environment or just prefer a PC, neither of those will likely satisfy your needs. Consider the different contexts in which you work. Consider the different places where you work.
To what degree do you value notes within a todo? TickTick is the best when it comes to its treatment of notes. Todoist and Things give you places to jot what I would consider descriptions. OmniFocus gives a slight nod of the cap with a “tiny” box for notes. Nozbe allows you to write a whole bunch within its note space. How often do you need to write a note in connection to a todo item?
Do you value a consistent UI? In an age of information overload, many of us want a simplified technological life. Your todo list is part of this. When you open your app across different platforms, how does it feel? Cluttered? Crowded? Inconsistent? Take a moment to answer this important, almost spiritual, question.
Let’s be more intentional about the apps we use on a daily basis. After all, they are an expression of our desire to be productive and to do all we can to integrate our faith with our work.