My Favorite Things: Google Tasks

I've been a keeper of lists since I was in college (and that was, as my friend and mentor Maddie D. likes to say, "before electricity").

Over the decades, I have often found myself with too many lists - the general to-do list, the 5-years-down-the-road list, the if-I-ruled-the-world list. Which meant I would end up managing my lists and never get to do anything on the list. That didn't work out well.

Currently, I use one main list for all of my tasks (personal, business, household). One list allows me to see everything at one glance. I gave up on the if-I-ruled-the-world list years ago. It was exhausting.

My current favorite list app is Google Tasks. I like Google products (which was a hassle when I was in China last year, but apparently has improved this year), and while Tasks isn't Google's greatest product, it works for me.

Here's a screenshot of my list from 2 weeks ago. I know it is small, but I hope you can zoom in, since you're probably on your phone. 

Notice how:

- I remind myself of small tasks, like getting in touch with someone. Otherwise, that info floats around my brain, gets lost, reappears in the middle of the night and generally distracts me and makes me even crazier than I usually am.

- the Guiding Star Goals are scattered throughout. THAT'S part of my success at making those happen.

- there are simple tasks that rove. As an example, take a look at "PDF last month's calendar" on July 1. It sits on the first of the month. Once I've completed the task, I simply move it to the first of the next month.

Google Tasks sits nicely next to and inside of my Google Calendar when I'm on my computer.

I know that looks like way too many tasks for any given day. I don't really do all of those tasks on one day. I throw them in my calendar as I remember them. Then, early in the week, I'll review all the tasks for the coming week and determine which ones must be done and which ones can be moved. FYI, if I move a task two or three times without taking action, I stop and live with it. I ask myself why I'm not taking action. We can talk about that strategy later. Back to Google Tasks.

On my phone I use the Tasks Free app, but it appears to be dead, so on my tablet I have this GTasks app.

However! While researching for this post, I found that Google released a Tasks app in April. Yup, just installed it on my phone. It looks like this:

I'll let you know how this one works.

Finally, a photo that has nothing to do with lists or tasks or accomplishments. Because...

It was hot, and the Phillies lost, 17-7.
Still, the sunset was magnificent.