| Welcome! | English (US)  |
| Welcome! | English (US) |
says:I'm starting to use RTM for my to-do list and I've got things set up GTD-style (@work, @home, @errands, etc). So far this seems to be working OK. But, I haven't quite figured out a strategy for shopping lists.
I remember David Allen mentioned something about how he loves creating lists, lists of just anything, from shopping lists, to planning a trip, to organizing a banquet for 100, and keeping them handy even if they are not connected to any action. I think this would fit in with my RTM plan, but it would take some doing... I'm building a lot of intelligence and automation based on the assumption that everything on any list is either actionable, or waiting, or needs review.
I just thought of an idea, though... what about a list containing nothing but "completed" items? Like, my entire shopping list of everything I ever buy or might buy could be entered with @safeway tag, and then marked completed? Then when I figure something I need, I can find the item and hit "Uncomplete" to make it pending again, in the right context. Would this actually work, or do "completed" items get flushed after some period of time? (Arvid answered me: No RTM, never archives completed items. Completed tasks are kept forever)
I had also thought of using an "archived" list but a few tests suggest that my smart lists avoid everything on the archived list... This is probably good for "template lists" like vacation planning. This has the added bonus of not showing the archived list among my tabs... some of these will be things that I don't even want to see or think about for months until the right occasion, and then *boom* it's important and actionable. Maybe keeping the "template list" archived and then when I actually do throw that banquet, I either unarchive it, or just copy it to a new list.
Thoughts?
Posted at 3:02pm on August 10, 2008
Cool idea
Posted at 8:35pm on August 10, 2008
says:For the grocery list, I'm interested in feedback too because for now I just create a new list and add what I need, but it would be more useful if there were a list that had all and you could pick from it.
Just today I was thinking about this concerning packing lists - sort of your template list idea. I figured the best way would be to keep it on email and import it all in as a new list using the import command of one list with all the items.
Posted at 9:01pm on August 10, 2008
I'm not sure if this is exactly what you need (it seems to be too simple) but here is my idea:
You add new items with tag lets say @grocerylist, when you buy sth from @grocerylist list you mark it as completed
Now, to find every thing you ever buy or might buy you should create SmartList like: tag:@grocerylist AND completedAfter:31/12/2006
just make sure the date is earlier than any task from the list
Posted at 10:12am on August 14, 2008
is there any way to use ListPro (which I have one my windows mobile and which houses my grocery list) and RTM? I guess it's a common problem for me, I like aspects of more than one program and want to use them together.
Posted at 6:05pm on August 23, 2008
I guess what we need is what other apps call a re-usable list. That would be nice.
Posted at 7:41pm on August 28, 2008
Yeah, I wish there was a HandyShopper type function. I have some checklists in there including packing lists for when we go camping, etc. Some of the things I used HandyShopper for are easy to implement in RTM -- gift lists are pretty easy for example (although I had an I got it but didn't give it yet notation that I have to figure out in RTM).
Posted at 3:41pm on August 29, 2008
says:A re-usable list might be good, but maybe that can just be a txt. file.
Posted at 2:25pm on August 31, 2008
says:@jmkizer:
You said the magic word. I'm *dying* for HandyShopper functionality on my iPhone, specifically the ability to have reusable lists for shopping and packing (my most used list by far). I haven't figured out a way to do this in RtM nor in the other apps I have on my iPhone yet.
Posted at 10:49pm on September 1, 2008
The system I use, which works well for me, is this:
I have all items I have bought in the past, and will need again in the future, tagged as +groceries (I use +tagname to denote reusable list items). When I am about to go shopping, I pull up the smart list which queries tag:+groceries, and I check off all the items I want to buy. I select "duplicate task" from the pulldown, which thankfully keeps only one copy of the duplicated tasks checked. I then hit "m" to go into multi-edit mode, and change all the +groceries tags to just plain "groceries" for all the items I need to buy (remember, only the duplicated items are checked). The original reusable items stay tagged +groceries, and the one-time copies are tagged "groceries" and show up in my groceries smartlist (tag:groceries). Then I just complete the items from "groceries" as I buy them.
I call this the +bessler method of reusable listing.
Posted at 7:27am on December 3, 2008
wow, thanks davidbessler, great workaround!
RTM does allow for a great variety if you know how to use every resource!
Posted at 10:25pm on December 3, 2008
says:Smart method David, really clever!
Posted at 9:01am on December 4, 2008
What list do you create the items in originally. I don't want them in my inbox and I don't want them to clutter up other lists. Otherwise, it sounds like a great system.
Posted at 11:00pm on December 8, 2008
says:You could always create a list ¤ or | and hide that in other smart list searches. Using GreaseMonkey in Firefox you could even hide that list from appearing in the tabs.
Posted at 10:14am on December 9, 2008
Ahhh alkesq good question. I kind of ignore the inbox. I have a smartlist called "unprocessed" which searches for:
(list:Inbox OR due:never OR (isTagged:false) OR (isLocated:false) OR (NOT timeEstimate:">0 min")) AND (NOT tag:storage)
So, if I tag something with "storage", it keeps it out of my "unprocessed" box without requiring me to enter in any other info such as due date or time estimate, or location. I have ideas, philosophical ponderings, reusable lists etc ... tagged as storage, because they have no due dates, time estimates, or locations. It's kind of like the GTD "reference" tag or a "someday maybe" type thing.
Also, I use a real list called "." (takes up less tab space) where EVERYTHING goes after it's processed.
Posted at 2:48pm on December 9, 2008
Yes, two lists seems the way to go. Groceries and @Groceries, where @ is what I use to designate smart lists. This is a great solution for recurring lists. like Travel. For example, I'll have passport as a task, but will only select it for international travel. I use +check for the tag, regardless of list, so it's easy to remember how to set up. This idea made my day--thanks, Rajjan.
Posted at 3:08pm on December 9, 2008
says:I think davidbessler is the one to thank here ;-)
Posted at 9:13pm on December 9, 2008
Oops, correct. Thanks, David.
Posted at 6:52pm on December 10, 2008
says:The bessler method is great. My tweak is based on the fact that I try to minimize tags and use lists for projects. My tag for next action is na (reasonably intuitive for me). Rather than add two new tags: groceries and +groceries I create a smartlist with list:groceries AND tag:na. I create the na tags just like bessler does (which is a great hack to know about) and then complete items from the smartlist groceries. Thanks for the ideas.
Posted at 9:03pm on December 19, 2008
I use a Master Shopping List, which is a list of all items I have bought or am likely to buy in the future, created in my Inbox with a 'shopping' tag(this won't appeal to GTD advocates(I'm one myself!), but what the heck!). I also have a Shopping List tab where I create the actual shopping list I take to the store.
To create a specific shopping list, I browse the master list(click on @Shopping in the cloud) and select all items I think I need and move them to the Shopping List tab. Then I print it out and go shopping. Later, I may move the items back to the master list or, more likely than not, leave them there in readiness for the next shopping trip, when it saves me some time(just add/remove a few items).
Posted at 7:24pm on December 30, 2008
says:Fantastic method David!
Posted at 4:33pm on January 23, 2009
