Improving Your Productivity With Todoist
Disclaimer: I am not a productivity-bro.
Even though I get my work done (no, really I do), I've always wanted to have my things-to-do lists more organized. In the past, I've done it all from creating notepad lists to dabbling with a plethora of "productivity" tools but I've somehow not been able to stick to one tool until I started using Todoist. I know what you're thinking - "How much is he getting paid for writing this post?" Well, how dare you question my integrity? *cough* Let's scurry along shall we? I have used Evernote, Wunderlist, Quip, Indite and a few apps similar to notepad in varying degrees of involvement. Granted, some of these do much more than organize lists but for my specific needs, Todoist fits perfectly.
I'll let Todoist describe themselves (taken from their website) and then delve further into why it is my preferred app for productivity and managing lists.
“Manage tasks and projects anywhere with Todoist. At home. At school. At work. Online. Offline. And across 15+ platforms.”
Left: Chrome app/extension on Gmail
Right: Android app
Simplicity: The seamless interface makes it a joy to use Todoist. It's easy to add tasks and maintain lists. If you enter a date or a time for a task, it gets automatically saved in your calendar to serve you as a reminder. Apart from that, what I really love about Todoist is that they haven't tried to bloat the app with too many features. Thereby, scoring really high on UI and UX.
Gamification: "Ugh, another buzzword"? Well, this is a common ploy to keep users engaged. Todoist lets you rake up karma points every time you complete a task. As you can see in the screenshot above, I have 2488 points amassed so far. This karma system helps in motivating you to add and complete more tasks. Onwards and upwards, I say!
Android-Chrome sync: Todoist have their application on over fifteen platforms. While that's commendable, I only use two of those platforms - Chrome extension for Gmail and the Android app. Like many of you, I have my Gmail perpetually open when I have my laptop open. In that sense, I have my Todoist tasks uncomfortably stare at me like a creepy man in a social gathering. I need to get rid of them as soon as possible. Todoist syncs with the app on my phone and it helps me when I'm on the move doing grocery shopping or running errands.
Creating Multiple Lists/Projects: I like to keep my lists minimal and I use Todoist primarily for work and personal tasks. However, you can create multiple projects/lists. Furthermore, you also have the option to create filters and labels (available only on the premium version) to help organize your different projects.
Sharing projects: Todoist's USP isn't sharing projects but it's a feature which is present. You can invite people to a project who then can add, edit, delete and complete tasks. Think of a husband-wife pair shopping at Walmart. Pretty convenient, non?
It shouldn't come as a surprise that Todoist is featured in the Google Editor's Choice list of android apps. I'm not a power user by any means but if you are (or aspire to become one), you could consider Todoist Premium. Personally, Todoist's few essential features coupled with its beautiful design serve me very well and I intend to use it for a very long time.
Edit: Heavens to Murgatroyd! I'm a Todoist Karma Intermediate now.