ForumsQuestionsStand alone reminders
Stand alone reminders
| Author | Message |
|---|---|
|
Proximo |
I know this must have been talked about in one form or the other.
Reminders Some of my task require me to wait for someone to do something in order for the task to be completed. example: Write a Requisition for some new software. I need to wait for MIS to create the P.O. in order to send it to the software company for processing. These task I mark with a status of "Waiting". I want to be reminded to check back with MIS to make sure they don't forget. I can't add a simple reminder without having to use a Due Date. This works, but it's confusing. I don't want to see a Due Date on that task because it truly does not have one. Due Dates (Calendar Entries) are sacred and I am careful to only put Due Dates on task that actually have to be done by a given date. (Per GTD). So when I see these task with a status of "Waiting". I must assign them a Due Date in order to have Toodledo remind me to check back with them. That is not true, because the task is not due on that day or any day in particular. Question Why can't we just have a Stand Alone Reminder function. All I want to see is a little bell next to task with Reminders. I don't want them to have Due Dates, especially when I look at the Date Due view and see them there. Can we please get Stand Alone Reminders. |
|
Vin Thomas |
As much as I hate doing it, I find myself using calendar dates just for the reminders. During my weekly review I will either remove the due-date or push it back to be reminded again. Not very intuitive, but it works for the meantime. I would love to see toodledo incorporate this feature!
|
|
replytoken |
Proximo,
Forgive the questions, but I am trying to refine my own work flow, and better understanding what users are looking for in the situation you presented helps my thinking about my own set-up. Can you separate the two items into two separate tasks? I suspect that at some point you would assign a due date to receiving a PO if you are working on a time schedule. And, are you looking for an audible reminder? The more that I move away from my Palm to using "cloud" software like TD and devices like the iPod Touch, the less I find audible alarms useful. I have now taken to starring TD items that I want to watch with extra attention when I am in TD. And, I have also started to send reminders to my e-mail account(s) where I spend a great deal of time during the day. My reminders are automatically color-coded when they land in my Inbox so I can pick them out quite easily. I am also using GoPingMe along with TD for reminders. So far, I am finding this arrangement better for me than my old one. --Ken |
|
Jake Toodledo Founder |
Thanks for the suggestions about having a standalone reminder.
|
|
roddyt |
Ken somewhat touched on what I would recommend: create a second task which is to remind you to follow-up on the primary task. This would have a due date, which in this case makes sense as it would be the date that you reasonably feel you've been forgotten. Then your primary task does not need a due date.
If you get a response before your reminder task comes due, you can simply delete (or whatever way you want to dismiss it) that task during a review. This may feel like a workaround unless you think of it like this: the fact that you might need to send a reminder is a separate action not directly related to the task itself. So it's not a stretch to consider a separate task for it. Until we see standalone reminders, I think this is a reasonable method. Roddy |
|
Anders |
I agree with Roddy. It seems like checking on Waiting tasks, or keeping track of Someday tasks should be a separate task. What makes the most sense to me is to use those designations to keep the tasks hidden, and then set up tasks to remind you to check up on your deferred tasks every so often.
|
|
Proximo |
Thanks for all the input. I understand your points.
The simpler solution is to simply add reminders to Toodledo. Due dates are different than reminders. Reminders are like ticklers. This particular task required some input from someone, so I took it as far as I could and need to wait for someone to create my P.O. It's still the same task. "Order X Software". I started the process and got the requisition made. Now I am simply "Waiting for" someone to do something. This is why you can change the Status of a task. The problem is simple. Toodledo does not allow for Reminders/Ticklers. Having to choose a date and time that falls under the Due Date/ Time column is not really a reminder. It's a deadline. The reminder I need has no deadline. It's just something I want to be Tickled about in a week or so. Nothing terrible will happen if it's not done in a particular time. I rather not break down a simple Task such as "Order Software" just because Toodledo does not allow me to add a simple reminder. Of course we all work around things to keep moving forward, but I just wanted to make the suggestion. If I have to break down simple task like these, they could be made as Projects to begin with, but they in reality, it's not a multi step process. I completed the task. I did what I had to do. Created a requisition and submitted it. Technically my task is done. I just want a reminder to make sure MIS completes their task of creating a P.O. and place the order. I don't want to create a task to track the task MIS should be doing. I just want a reminder. GRRR.... This message was edited Aug 06, 2009. |
|
Vin Thomas |
Posted by Proximo:
The simpler solution is to simply add reminders to Toodledo. Due dates are different than reminders. Reminders are like ticklers. I agree. I cringe every time I add a due date to something that doesn't really have one. But I feel like I need to in order to get the reminder. This seems like a function that many of us could use. Put me down as a supporter of this feature. |
|
Anders |
Maybe the solution would be allowing reminders for Start Dates?
|
|
Jake Toodledo Founder |
They way I set a tickler is to tag it with "tickle" and then during my weekly review I read through this list. But thats just me. I understand that people may want to receive email or popup alerts for tickler items without setting a due-date. I'll try to think of some way to accommodate this.
|
|
Linden |
The tickler a la GTD actually is associated with a date and separated from action items. The idea is that some things don't need to be reviewed for a few weeks or months (varying by action), but doesn't necessarily have a hard due date.
In this sense, the "tickle" tag is still a bit of a workaround, requiring you to actively review the task during each weekly review even if it won't be relevant for a longer time. I do like Proximo's suggestion here of setting a standalone reminder for this purpose. Everyone's suggestions and general comments about various GTD concepts lately have been very helpful in getting my system a bit more in line, and I think these ticklers would take it to the next level. Best of luck in brainstorming a way to integrate the feature with everything else! |
|
Proximo |
Sometimes I feel bad about making too many request because I don't want Jake's head to explode.
:-) |
|
Linden |
I know where you're coming from, Proximo. I love Toodledo, and appreciate that Jake is working on dozens (likely hundreds) of feature requests -- some large, some small. I'm not sure if he's solo or has a couple of helpers, but either way it's a lot of work. We get updates of some sort every day, so it feels a bit selfish to add new ones to the list at an ever-growing pace.
That said, I've found an interesting workaround to the tickler for now: Start Dates I sat down this evening to get tough on due dates. I've gotten into a lazy habit of entering "would like" due dates and it's definitely removing clarity from my life and replacing it with stress. More and more of the GTDers have been writing in the forums about keeping due dates sacred, and that's motivated me to revisit my approach. While I trudged through my master-list of tasks, removing due dates, I discovered that date-less items waiting for a response or further action could be tickled with a start-date. I won't get an e-mail for them (can the lead-up reminders be associated to a start date -- I'm not sure?), but they will appear in my waiting list once the start date arrives without masquerading as a hard deadline. It's not perfect and won't work for everyone, but it seems to be a good starting point. |
|
Proximo |
@Linden
Good idea. I just completely changed my Toodledo over to my new GTD template if you will and I LOVE IT. I will create a short video soon to share. I have a Tickler folder and I can use start dates there while waiting to see if stand alone reminders can be figured out. |
You cannot reply yet
U Back to topic home
R Post a reply
To participate in these forums, you must be signed in.