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Help designing my RTM system

tim.roy says:
I am a GTD user and am considering a switch from OmniFocus to RTM. I have a Blackberry and am interested in the sync potential.

In designing my system, it seems I can either use projects as lists and contexts as tags OR use contexts as lists and projects as tags. Using the latter would provide a better experience on the blackberry, provided the task was clear about the project (since tags do not seem to come over in the sync). The former approach makes more sense from a desktop usage model, but I lose the contexts when viewing on my BB.

I would like to hear ideas about what other people are doing and their rationale.

Thanks.
Posted at 1:30am on August 8, 2008
apgordon says:
Hmm. I don't have a blackberry or use RTM with any kind of mobile device, but I think the best way to organize is just by picking a tagging scheme and sticking with it.

I use the traditional @ for context (ex. @work, @home, @email), I use periods to define projects or... areas (ex. .research, .press, .website), and plus signs for people the task is for or in regards to (ex, +bob, +jennifer). An example of tagging for a task might be:

@work, .website, +jennifer, +anne

Then set up smart lists. For example, you can have a list for everything @work, or everything @work and .website. Or everything +bob but not +jennifer. The possibilities and your flexibility are endless. Once you get in the habit of tagging things with whatever scheme you choose, your lists are up to you - AND most importantly can be restructured and reworked however you choose. Deleting a smart list doesn't delete the tasks, which means you can add and delete smart lists quickly and easily.

http://www.rememberthemilk.com/help/answers/search/advanced.rtm
http://www.rememberthemilk.com/help/answers/smartlists/createlist.rtm
Posted 15 years ago
raymond.bergmark Power Poster says:
In my opinion a system that involves either creating new lists all the time or making it necessary to move tasks between lists regularly could be improved by using RTM functionality already present.

I have but a few lists:
Inbox, Later, Waiting for, Projects (for project titles only) and ¤ for system information (meta data).

I use locations for context (@work, @home, @town, @phone etc).

I use tags a lot, and try to separate between work related tasks and personal tasks using "+" and "-".

Typical work task:
Write report, location:@work, tags:++process_improvment, +peter
"++" is the project, "+" the person(s) involved.

For personal stuff, I use "--" for projects and "-" for persons.

In order to work with the tasks, I use smart lists a lot but they are basically context related: @work, @home etc. I have a few smart lists for checking that all tasks have enough meta data.

By using two Greasemonkey scripts (RTM Enhanced and RTM Tag Cloud Colorizer) I hide personal tasks and tags at work - works really well!
Posted 15 years ago
glenn.davy says:
apgordan... love it.
Posted 15 years ago
This topic has now been closed automatically due to a lack of responses in the past 90 days.