Michal Ždanský Choosing the right tool and method is the key to successfully mastering time management. It's strange, but you won't find so many taskmasters (and Twitter clients) on any other desktop platform, so choosing the right tool is much easier than on Windows, for example. My method is basic GTD, and there are several apps in the Mac App Store that go hand in hand with this method. One such application is 2Do.
2Do for Mac first appeared a year ago, after all, we devoted a lot to this application detailed review. A lot has changed since its release. Apple backed away from skeuomorphism and released OS X Mavericks. These changes were also reflected in the new version of 2Do with the designation 1.5. In fact, so much has changed in the app that it could easily be released as a completely new venture. If the changes were to be printed on paper, it would take up 10 pages of A4, as the developers write. Still, this is a free update that's definitely worth noting.
New look and list bar
The first thing one notices is the completely new look. Gone are the themes that used to change the application bar into cloth materials. On the contrary, the bar is solidly classically graphite and everything is flatter, not in the style of iOS 7, but like a real application for Mavericks. This is most noticeable in the left panel, where you switch between individual lists. The bar now has a dark shade, and instead of colored list icons, a colored band can be seen next to each list. This brought the Mac version closer to its iOS heritage, which are colored bookmarks representing individual lists.
It is not only the appearance of the left panel, but also its function. Lists can finally be grouped into groups to create thematic lists and customize your workflow even better. For example, you can have a group only for Inbox at the very top, then Focus (it cannot be edited), Projects separately, lists like Areas of Responsibility and smart lists like Views. If you need large projects with a three-level hierarchy, you use a list directly as the project itself, and then group these lists into a project group. In addition, lists can be archived, which makes it even more helpful to use them in this way.
Creating tasks
In 2Do, several options have been added, from where a task can be created and how to further work with it. Newly, tasks can be created directly in the left panel, where a [+] button appears next to the name of the list, which opens a window for quick entry. That's what has changed, it now takes up less space in width, as the individual fields have been spread over three lines instead of two. When creating tasks, a project or inventory can also be selected in addition to the list to which the task is to be assigned, which eliminates possible moving.
However, if moving is involved, 2Do has great new options for mouse-dragging. When you grab a task with the cursor, four new icons will appear on the bar, on which you can drag the task to change its date, duplicate it, share it by e-mail, or delete it. It can also be dragged to the bottom where the calendar is hidden. If you have it hidden, dragging a task into this area will make it appear and you can move it to a specific day in a similar way to dragging tasks between lists or to the Today menu to reschedule the task for today.
Better task management
The possibilities of how to continue working with tasks have improved significantly. At the forefront is the project overview, i.e. a new display mode that only shows the given project or list and its sub-tasks. This can either be activated by clicking on the project from the drop-down list in the left panel or from the menu or a keyboard shortcut. Seeing only the project you're working on improves focus and doesn't distract you from surrounding tasks in the list. In addition, you can set your own sorting for each project or list, so you can sort the subtasks manually or according to priority, it's up to you. You can also set your own filter for each project, which will only display tasks matching the set criteria. However, this also applies to lists, in the previous version of 2Do the Focus filter was global.
Work with scheduled tasks has changed, i.e. tasks that appear in the list only on a certain date, so that they do not get mixed up with other active tasks if they have a deadline for a longer time. Scheduled tasks can be displayed in the list with other tasks by switching the button, and they can also be included in the search or omitted from the search. Since new smart lists can be created from search parameters, the new feature to toggle the view of scheduled tasks will come in handy.
Another new feature is the option to collapse part of the list within the separator. For example, you can hide low-priority tasks or tasks without a deadline to shrink the list.
Further improvements and Czech language
A number of minor improvements can then be observed across the application. For example, it is possible to press the global shortcut again in the quick entry window to call it up and thus add a task and start writing a new one at the same time. Pressing the Alt key anywhere will again reveal the name of each task's list, if the ribbon on the side of the list isn't enough for you. Furthermore, there is a significant acceleration of synchronization via Dropbox, better navigation using the keyboard, where in many places there is no need to use the mouse at all, complete support for OS X Mavericks including App Nap, new options in settings and so on.
2Do 1.5 also brought new languages in addition to the default English. A total of 11 have been added, and Czech is among them. In fact, our editors participated in the Czech translation, so you can enjoy the application in your native language.
Back in its first release, 2Do was one of the best and best-looking taskbooks/GTD tools for the Mac. The new update took it even further. The application looks really cool and modern and will satisfy even the most demanding users who are looking for something less than Omnifocus. Customization has always been 2Do's domain, and in version 1.5 there are even more of those options. As for the iOS 7 version, the developers are preparing a major update (not a new app) that could hopefully appear within a few months. If they manage to get the iPhone and iPad version to the level of 2Do for Mac, we definitely have something to look forward to.
[app url=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/2do/id477670270?mt=12″]
Good evening, I have a question. When I enter a date as a start, for example, from 1.11. I will enter the project and the end of the project, e.g. 30.11. the application will alert me to start working on the project. That means 1.11. and not until 30.11. ? and the second question - if I have labels and I click on this, will everything listed under this label be displayed? thank you Milan
The beginning term works a little differently. On that date, the task will appear in the list, otherwise it is hidden until then and only appears in the Scheduled folder. However, you can set multiple notifications for a task, so you can set one alarm for the date you want to start and another for the deadline.
2) exactly like that, it is used for filtration. Multiple labels can be marked at the same time for an even narrower selection. The label panel can also display either all labels or only those used in a given list.
Hello, Michael. The Projects list group, which can be seen on your screenshots, shows you all the projects from the other lists when unzipped. If so, how to make it work? In the first version of 2Do (I started using it based on your review to my maximum satisfaction) I had Projects as Smart List. Now I'd like to use Smart Lists more like GTD contexts, so I'd like the option of Projects as a special group of lists. Is it possible? Thank you, greetings. John
The way I do it is that the smart sheet with projects is in a separate group that I have packed and I only unpack it when I want to see all the projects, I more or less carried over the habit from Things. In my opinion, there is no need to use smart lists in only one way, contexts are labels for me. which can be sorted from the right panel, so I use smart lists as views, for example Focus, which shows me tasks by deadline, today, tomorrow and with a star. Then I have, for example, a smart list with tasks for the current week, i.e. until Sunday, and finally a list with tasks where I am waiting for someone (Waiting for).
Hello, Michael. How to create a Smart List that filters out tasks and projects that have a due date of 3 days or less?
This smart list over there is already defaulted, right? Just search for "*", save the list and apply Focus Filter with "Next 3 days" or "Overdue" checked.
Tasks that end in 14 days remain there. I'm talking about a list where there will only be tasks that end in 3 days or less.
You probably have it set up incorrectly or have the filter turned off.