The best to-do list method will always be whatever works for you the best. The reason pen-and-paper based to-do lists have endured in popularity over many years is that they can map perfectly to your individual needs.
Using software and apps for your to-do lists, on the other hand, imposes its viewpoint on you. It asks you to bend your way of working to the only one it knows – and that can be a bit suffocating.
However, if properly used, a personal productivity app should feel like a superpower in your pocket. You should be able to get more things done more easily than you would without it!
So, once you're ready to be more productive using software methods, one app stands above the rest – Todoist.
The Todoist app is clean, fast and easy to use – and available on virtually any platform you can think of. The app's natural language processing makes entering new tasks lightning-fast. Users who enjoy an organized way of living will enjoy advanced features that include custom labels and filters, location-based reminders, and templates for recurring projects.
You can also use the app to collaborate with co-workers.
The app organizes tasks into three useful tabs: Inbox (for stuff you haven't processed yet); Today (for tasks due today); and Next 7 Days (for the week ahead).
Organizing your life using this app takes all of one second, and the reminders are way more effective than relying on pen and paper.
To-do list apps can be problematic in that they can be places to dream big. However, Todoist gets rid of this problem with its simple yet effective project view, for organizing anything that involves multiple tasks. It is also a great place to add comments or file attachments to individual tasks or to set up custom reminders for each step.
Other recent features have also added a wide appeal. For example, if you have an Echo device at home, you can now add tasks with your voice via Alexa, or you can add tasks from Slack.
This year, Todoist also introduced a powerful integration with Google Calendar which allows you to sync tasks to your calendar back in real time. Also, if you get overwhelmed, a feature named "Smart Schedule" will offer to find time on your calendar for you to complete overdue tasks.
In terms of pricing, Todoist's basic plan is free: offering you access to apps for every major platform where you can add up to 80 active projects. But an annual fee of $29 gets you a lot more: up to 200 active projects, task comments, reminders and project templates – to name a few.
However, the free tier is good enough for most of us!
