About Bill: Bill Polm was a career probation officer in Southern California, near Disneyland. Throughout his career he wrote and painted watercolors to keep his creativity alive. He now lives in Oregon, USA, where he finds lots of lovely scenes for painting, and he is working on a novel. He is a grandfather of 6, and thanks God for all of them and good health at 70!

A while back it has been now, I read a post by Jiri on how to format Swift To-Do List to work with Michael Linenberger’s clever strategy for getting control of my workday. Simply put, with Lieneberger’s system (somewhat like David Allen’s Getting Things Done), you list to-dos under 3 categories: (1) Critical Now, for things that must be done today, (2) Opportunity Now, for things that can wait a bit but that I want to get done eventually for sure, and (3) Over the Horizon, also for things I want to do but I’m putting off for longer than those in the Opportunity Now category.

These 3 categories are really priorities. Daily, I do the Critical Now tasks first, then read over my Opportunity Now tasks, if and when there’s time, to decide if and which to tackle.

These lists don’t have to be rigid. They can be flexible, but for me to get the most and the most important tasks done on a continuing basis, it works best for me to do the tasks pretty-much in their prioritized order. I added one priority, since I do a lot of reading in the evening and a few tasks to remember: “Evening”. Here is a screen shot of my Manage Priorities window:

The bottom “Priority” is really only a list of my ongoing projects.

Also, I find it helpful to take frequent small breaks, especially if the tasks involve a lot of sitting and reading or writing and computer tasks.

Now if I want to arrange the tasks within a category, most often I use numbers at the head of the Task Name, like “1 Work on novel planning” then “2 Read a fiction writing tech book,” and so on. At any point, when doing this, I can click on “Task Name” at the top of a category to sort these tasks handily. So if I start with my number 1 in the Critical Now priority-category, I am assured i’m working on the most important task for that day. Notice the numbers heading the first three tasks in the screen shot below…

Since I usually have a lot of projects in the works at any given time, I like the “Reminder” function to remind me that I need to schedule and work on a particular task. I like to work on most my current projects some each day. So Swift To-Do List helps me keep that organized so I know what I’m doing and what I need to do next.

Also, I use the “Recurrence” function to have my tasks repeat. This is particularly helpful to me since I have a lot of ongoing tasks that repeat a lot. And, for example, within the Opportunity Now category, I usually use the “Recur after task is completed.” This creates another of the same task for me, for the next day, once I put a checkmark in the little square box at the left of the task, marking it done.

But I also use the Reminder function to pop-up reminders on particularly important tasks within the Critical Now category. My day is usually filled with a number of different things I want to get done, so it’s easy to forget something. The Reminder function prevents my forgetting–unless I choose to!

I set a reminder in this window, chosen from within the Edit Task option:

I can choose any time to the minute, any date.

Then the reminder pops up on my monitor screen (assuming I have Swift To-Do List running in the background and click on its button in the tray when it flashes. As long as I have my speakers on, it get a pleasant little “doorbell” ring to alert me).

At this point I can click the little down arrow at the right of “Snooze (3 hours) at the bottom, and get this…

There’s something really nice about a “Snooze” button for an occasional procrastination!

I’ve started, recently, using the for lists of things and potential projects.

I created a new To-Do List in the Tree called “MEMOS” and then fit each memo under it with a descriptive title, like “Potential Projects” or “Novel Planning Ideas,” etc.

Having these memos at the left in the Tree means I can click and read them quickly when I want to refer to them.

Also, I use the multi-level numbered lists/outlines in notes to expand my ideas in an organized fashion–very handy, and makes a quick scan of any given list quicker.

Summary: Swift To-Do List has a nearly limitless capacity for storing and organizing your to-dos. The Ultimate edition has even more handy features.

If you take the brief time necessary to familiarize yourself with the features, you’ll be able to fit your style of getting things done. I am constantly tweaking my setup a bit here and there. It’s easy, and heck, most of the time it’s fun!

- Bill Polm

Related Posts:

• Swift Mind Freedom released!
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chuck Gallozzi
• Swift To-Do List Review by Darryl Benjamin
• 30-second check: Do you get the maximum from Swift To-Do List?
• Swift To-Do List Review by Elius Levin
• How to murder your productivity

“How I use Swift To-Do List Ultimate” by Bill Polm is a post from: Swift To-Do List Blog

What Have You Got to Do Today?

- By Chuck Gallozzi

We can hold only 7 or 8 ideas in our mind at a time. Yet, throughout the day countless new ideas occur to us. Each time this happens, we have to discard old ideas to make room for new ones. No wonder we often forget or lose track of some of our best thoughts.

To prevent this from happening, we have to stop trying to commit everything to memory and start writing down our ideas while they are still fresh in our mind. But there is a second problem. As our list of ideas or things to do grows, a brilliant idea or important task can get lost in the clutter.

So, besides recording our ideas, we need to organize them for easy and rapid retrieval. It’s hardly surprising, then, that software developers responded to this need by offering task managers to help us remain in control and not be swept away by the tsunami of things to do.

Seven years ago, software evaluators praised a new entry into the field of task managers, Swift To-Do List. Ever since its introduction, it has led the way for others to follow. And each year, while maintaining its ease of use, it has grown more powerful, helping its users to more easily organize and manage their hectic lives.

The purpose of this article isn’t to delve into Swift To-Do List software at great length. Rather, it is to introduce you to it and whet your appetite to learn more about it. The premise of Swift To-Do List is simple enough. Rather than making a long, unmanageable list, gather related tasks and place them in separate folders.

Take a look at the partial screen shot which appears at the top of page one as an example. Although I have 78 tasks to perform, they are neatly arranged in folders. The folders appear in the narrow window at the left of the screen, and it operates in the same way as Windows Explorer. Returning to the example, the folder labeled TODAY has been selected. The number “8” appearing next to the folder means that it contains 8 tasks, or things to do.

By clicking on the TODAY folder, its contents appear in the large, upper window to the right of the list of folders, which are also called the To-Do List Tree. So, rather than seeing a long, hard to manage list, I just see what needs to be done today, making it easy to focus on what’s important.

Among the 8 tasks I have to do today is one labeled CALL GRANDKIDS. When I click on it, it becomes highlighted and notes about this task appear in the window below the task list. (The notes remind me of some of the subjects I may want to cover when I call them.)

When it comes to creating folders in your To-Do List Tree, you can use any system you are comfortable with. My example is a form of the GTD system, but you may want to use folders labeled NOW, TODAY, THIS WEEK, THIS MONTH, THIS YEAR, SOMEDAY. Or you could just use these four folders: Urgent and Important, Urgent but Unimportant, Not Urgent but Important, Not Urgent and Not Important. You get the idea. With Swift To-Do List, creating your own system is a cinch because of its great flexibility.

When it comes to Swift To-Do List, I haven’t even begun to scratch its surface, for its list of features is staggering. Staggering, yes, but not overwhelming. For after downloading the software, all you need to do is read the Quick Start Guide, and you’ll be up and running in 10 or 15 minutes. After that, you can use the built-in Help Manual to learn one new feature a day. As you do so, you will grow amazed at the power Swift To-Do List puts at your disposal.

For a detailed overview of the software, a list of its many features, screen shots, and a comparison of its different editions, see the Swift To-Do List page. Does the screenshot in my article appear quite a bit different from those at the Swift To-Do List website? That simply attests to the flexibility and many options offered by the program. You will be free to use the default settings or to adjust its settings to your liking. (Remember, I said its list of features is staggering.)

Do you work with a high resolution monitor and hate the tiny fonts that often appear in software packages? With Swift To-Do List that’s not a problem because you will have full control of the font selection and size.

What I love about the software is its clean, uncluttered look. And unlike many other task managers, there is plenty of space to write a long description of the task. And if you were to run out of space, you could add reams more of information in the notes.

Also very attractive is its lightweight design. That is, it doesn’t consume a lot of resources. After working with the program, hit the Escape key and Swift To-Do List, living up to its name, swiftly zips out of the way, hiding in the taskbar. When you need it again, simply hit the keyboard hot key, and it immediately pops into view, awaiting your command.

Finally, you will find Swift To-Do List to be robust and reliable, a friend you can depend on.

Related Posts:

• Swift To-Do List Review by Darryl Benjamin
• Swift To-Do List Review by Elius Levin
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chris
• Swift To-Do List case study by Bob McClellan, IT manager
• “How I use Swift To-Do List Ultimate” by Bill Polm
• Swift To-Do List Review and case study by Sherri Willson

Swift To-Do List Review by Chuck Gallozzi is a post from: Swift To-Do List Blog

Introduction

I remember making my first list when I was about eight years old. The list was in my head, and I constructed it with large roman numerals. The road into adulthood and career led to a constant search for the best technique. Making the jump from typewriter to computer was helpful, but stray items written on odd-shaped scraps of paper continued to multiply like rabbits. Over a number of years I tried over a dozen software packages from Outlook to DynoDex, from DayRunner to Day Timer. They all seemed to do one thing very well, but none of them could do everything.

The following is a quick review of how I was won over by Swift To Do [and how I use it].
-Darryl Benjamin

Searching for the Perfect Task Organizer

PART 1 OF 2: THE BIG PICTURE

There is, of course, no single way to set up an effective task-organization system. Much of your setup is based on personal preference. The following recommendations are driven by a need to get the stuff out of my head into a coherent, flexible form, quickly accessible, and task-oriented. Good software makes our lives are easier to manage.

I discovered Dextronet’s Swift To Do while researching yet-more task-oriented organizational software. There were two words that drew my interest: tree structure.

Tree structure is the convenience of clicking on the arrow to unfold sub-choices. Tasks and Projects alike can be endlessly nested, creating layers of importance and establishing relationships.

Root Level 1

The bottom-most level, or the foundation level, is called the “root level.” Names were chosen by the broadest grouping possible:

You can think of this as the ‘root’ level, since we’re using the tree metaphor. Note that the icon I chose was the number 1, which is large and blue. I liked that it stood out. Swift To Do supplies numbers 0-9. I find the numbers more useful than the picture icons. Nine levels should be enough for most lists.

Next, I created every possible distinctive list I could think of for Level 2:

I found it easy to move tasks around, re-name existing ones, adding and deleting. Delightfully simple and lightning fast and stable.

Note that with each successive level the task-levels grew more specific:

And so on:

To collapse all levels back to the root level:

Hit the “Collapse all tree items” button.

To expand all levels (i.e., to reveal all levels at once):

Hit the “Expand all tree items” button.

This simple system of collapsible and expandable branches allows you to see what you want to see when you need to see it. This helps reduce the overwhelm (read: procrastination) factor. By seeing the big picture it gave me a better idea which task needed my attention next. It’s a more organic approach because it allows you to see a fuller, more holistic picture. In effect, you’ve moved beyond putting out fires.

What about the scraps of paper?

Since I have a number of interests, including travel, reading and movies, I am always getting tips from friends, colleagues and students. A Book of Lists helps me keep track of stuff from the sublime of “Places to Visit” to the everyday of grocery lists:

PART 2 OF 2: A CLOSER LOOK

I wanted to see if the program was friendly to imports from the Web. I visited the NY Time’s list of best books of 2011, figuring, of course, I’ll have time to pick and choose and then maybe even read one or two (it will happen!). At the Times website I clicked on the “print” button of the article, which created a wall-to-wall text image. Then copied all the text and pasted it directly into the “Notes” area in Swift To Do. Then I added color to the word FICTION and highlighted important information:

The Notes feature is indispensible – it quickly enabled me to store relevant information. The proximity to the tree structure and quickness of the refresh made me feel in control, the way a conductor is in control of an orchestra. The conductor can call on any particular instrument or group of instruments to mix and match at will.

I’ve been using Swift To Do for two years now. In that time it’s ushered me painlessly through complex tasks, kept track of vital information, and allowed me to expand my interests. My To Do Lists are exactly where I want them and available instantly when I want them.

This tool is a keeper. It’s the closest I’ve come to a spiritual experience while on the computer.

-Darryl Benjamin

Related Posts:

• Swift To-Do List Review by Elius Levin
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chuck Gallozzi
• Swift To-Do List case study by Bob McClellan, IT manager
• Swift To-Do List Review and case study by Sherri Willson
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chris
• “How I use Swift To-Do List Ultimate” by Bill Polm

Swift To-Do List Review by Darryl Benjamin is a post from: Swift To-Do List Blog

Update on 2/5/2012: Another of our customers, Darryl Benjamin, has sent us his detailed review of Swift To-Do List.

I’ve been using Swift To-Do List now for about a month. Here are my reactions:

First, and most important, there is no replacement for using a desktop app. I have used so many web-based solutions that I think I can say this with some expertise. Web-based apps have one major advantage and that is the ability to access from anywhere there is internet access. That is an advantage. There is no question about that, but the advantages end there. A desktop app is so much snappier to use than a web-based app. Swift To-Do List sits right in my system tray. When I need it, I hit Ctrl-S and it snaps open instantly. When I used a web-based app for task management, I had to keep a browser always open. Even then, the web-based app was never as snappy as a desktop client. There simply is no alternative to using a desktop app if speed and efficiency are important.

Second, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that I am much more efficient when I use my keyboard than when I use my mouse. The beauty of Swift To-Do List is that I can control it almost entirely with my keyboard. It may sound trifling but lifting my hands from the keyboard to the mouse and back again is a time waster. With Swift To-Do List, I can hit Ctrl-A, the software opens instantly with the “add task” window open. I add my task(s), hit the escape key (which minimizes Swift To-Do List to the system tray), and I am back to work. The longer I use this, the more efficient and quick I become.

Third, I’ve noticed that many web-based solutions have tons of different ways of adding a task. This used to impress me. I would set up the chrome extension, the Firefox extension, adding tasks by IM, by mobile phone, etc. etc. Then one day it occurred to me….I have never used those input methods. So…..if I haven’t used them, what good are they? It’s so much easier to snap open Swift To-Do List with a keystroke, enter my task, and hit escape. Done. Like lightning.

Fourth, most task managers today come with some kind of reminder tool. The problem is that web-based reminders only work when you have a browser window open to your task program. Even Google calendar only sends you reminders if it is open. I have missed important reminders because I didn’t have the browser window open. Swift To-Do List, on the contrary, starts when my computer starts up. So it is always there in my system tray. It’s out of the way but never idle. Every reminder comes through exactly the way I set it up.

Fifth, there is simply no web app that has the number of features that Swift To-Do List does. Furthermore, even if there was a web app that had all these features, it certainly doesn’t give you the ability to customize like Swift To-Do List does. Frankly, I don’t need many of these features. Fine. I just disable them, and I never see them. If you need them, fine. Activate them. They are there if you need them. Hidden if you don’t. This makes for a lean, mean to-do list that does exactly what you need it to and no more.

Finally, the most obvious thing, that I never understood until I started using Swift To-Do List, is the necessity in any effective task manager of having the ability to type memos or notes. With other apps, I got frustrated the longer I used it because my list of todo items got longer and longer. Out of a list of ten items, only one or two would be things that I actually had to do. The problem was that I was calling everything a to-do when it was really just a memo to myself. With Swift To-Do List, I am asked with every task…..is this a memo or a task? A task is an action item that has a set due date. A memo is just a piece of information that you want to keep track of or a task that you intend to do “someday”. I feel like an idiot….but I never understood this until I started using Swift To-Do List. Now when I open my to-do list in the morning, I see the things I actually need to DO and not all the things I am trying to REMEMBER. There is a big difference.

At any rate, I look forward to using Swift To-Do List in the future and seeing what new features the developers have in store for us.

- Chris Engelsma, Director

Related Posts:

• Swift To-Do List Review by Chuck Gallozzi
• Swift To-Do List Review by Darryl Benjamin
• Swift To-Do List case study by Bob McClellan, IT manager
• Swift To-Do List Review by Elius Levin
• “How I use Swift To-Do List Ultimate” by Bill Polm
• Swift To-Do List Review and case study by Sherri Willson

Swift To-Do List Review by Chris is a post from: Swift To-Do List Blog