How to Organize Your To-Do's with Apple Reminders
Are you looking for a way to organize your to-do's using Apple's Reminders app? Look no further! In this article, we'll go over step-by-step instructions on how to set up your Reminders app for maximum productivity. Whether you're using a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, these tips will help you stay on top of your tasks and get things done.
Splitting Out Actionable To-Do's from Non-Actionable Lists
The first step in organizing your to-do's is to split out actionable to-do's from non-actionable lists or collections. For example, if you have a list of books to read and a shopping list, those are not really to-do's that you might want to consider when you sit down in the morning and think about what you're going to do that day. To split those out from the actual to-do's, create or grab one list and drag it on top of another to create a group. Then, drag the non-actionable lists into that group.
Creating Lists for Each Area of Your Life
Next, create a list for each area of your life. This could include admin and finances, health, home, fun and trips, relationships, and work. You might find that you want a slightly different organization, which is fine, but this is a good place to start. Drag the lists into groups based on their domain, and then drag the groups into a "To-Do's" group.
Representing Projects as Tasks with Subtasks
Projects become tasks with subtasks. A project is a group of to-do's that together contribute to a joint outcome. For example, if you're producing a video, you might create a task called "Create Reminders To-Do App Organization Video" and then create subtasks for each component of the project, such as "Write Up Outline of Video," "Edit Video," "Upload Video to YouTube," "Publish Video," and "Share Video on Social Media." By representing projects as tasks with subtasks, you can collapse or expand the subtasks as needed and check off individual to-do's or the complete project.
Using the Date Property to Denote Deadlines
Apple Reminders has a date property that you can use to denote deadlines. For example, if you need to buy a present for Martha's birthday, you can assign it a due date of November 11th. This is the last possible day by which you need to do this, or else there are some negative consequences that are meaningful. You can also assign a date to denote when you plan to work on a task.
Using Flags to Denote Tasks You Plan to Work on Today
Flags are a great way to denote tasks you plan to work on today. For example, if you want to buy a present for Martha's birthday before November 11th, you can flag that task. You can then set up a smart list to show all of your reminders that are flagged or that have a due date of today. This way, you can see all of the tasks you plan to work on today in one place.
Setting Up Tags to Organize Within an Area
Tags are optional but can be helpful to organize within an area. For example, if you have a podcast and a YouTube channel for work, you can use tags to see all of your podcast tasks or all of your YouTube tasks at the same time. To create a tag, click the button or start typing the tag name. You can then see all of your tasks with that tag by clicking on the tag name.
Setting Up Templates
Templates are a great way to save time when you have a task or project that you do repeatedly. Unfortunately, you can only make lists into templates, not tasks with subtasks. To create a template, create a list with the steps you need to complete the task or project. Then, go to File and click Save as Template. The next time you need to complete that task or project, you can create a new list from the template.
Setting Up a Weekly Review Project
Weekly reviews are important to stay on top of your tasks and projects. Create a task called "Weekly Review" and assign it a due date of Sunday. Then, click on the I icon and set it to repeat weekly on Sunday. You can then set up a smart list to show all of your reminders that are due today or that are flagged. This way, you can see all of the tasks you need to complete for your weekly review in one place.
Hiding Lists You Won't Be Using
Finally, hide lists you won't be using to keep your Reminders app organized. For example, you can hide the Flagged and Assigned smart lists. You can also set up widgets on your iPhone or iPad to see your reminders at a glance.
By following these steps, you can organize your to-do's using Apple's Reminders app and stay on top of your tasks and projects. Happy organizing!
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Apple Reminders is a free app that comes pre-installed on all Apple devices.
- It's easy to use and has a simple interface.
- You can set due dates, reminders, and flags to stay on top of your tasks.
- You can create templates to save time on repetitive tasks.
- You can use tags to organize your tasks within an area.
Cons:
- You can only make lists into templates, not tasks with subtasks.
- The app can be a bit finicky on the Mac compared to iPhone and iPad.
- There are limitations to how you can organize your tasks and projects.
Highlights
- Split out actionable to-do's from non-actionable lists.
- Create a list for each area of your life.
- Represent projects as tasks with subtasks.
- Use the date property to denote deadlines.
- Use flags to denote tasks you plan to work on today.
- Set up tags to organize within an area.
- Set up templates to save time on repetitive tasks.
- Set up a weekly review project to stay on top of your tasks and projects.
- Hide lists you won't be using.
- Set up widgets on your iPhone or iPad to see your reminders at a glance.
FAQ
Q: Can I assign tasks to someone else using Apple Reminders?
A: Yes, you can assign tasks to someone else who is also an Apple device user.
Q: Can I create tasks with subtasks in Apple Reminders?
A: Yes, you can create tasks with subtasks, but you can only make lists into templates.
Q: Can I use Apple Reminders on my Mac, iPhone, and iPad?
A: Yes, Apple Reminders is available on all Apple devices.
Q: Can I use tags to organize my tasks within an area?
A: Yes, you can use tags to see all of your tasks with a specific tag at the same time.
Q: Can I set up widgets on my iPhone or iPad to see my reminders at a glance?
A: Yes, you can set up widgets to see your reminders on your home screen.
