Years in the Making: The Last To-Do List Template I’ll Ever Need

The holy grail of plain text task management is finally within reach

Walking away from productivity civilization to my house in the plain text jungle. Image used under licence from jumpstory.

Plain text task management? Are you serious?? Dedicated task managers exist for a reason, you know. Sheesh.

—Oh, I know. Believe me, I know! But hear me out.

I’ve been managing my projects and tasks in plain text, with varying success, for more than four years. Since restructuring my to-do list, the holy grail of effective plain text task management is suddenly within reach.

Data completely yours? One billion percent. Beef it up with coding? Be my guest.

Enter: The List

The answer? A list. That’s it!

When something needs doing, write it down. I suggest a plain text app like Obsidian, Notenik, Drafts, or iA Writer, but you can use whatever notes app works for you.

List too long? Of course, it is! That’s what you’ve been waiting for. A list that feels too long, has a voice; it’s telling you what to do next. Listen to the itch, feel the friction. Then fix it.

• But I want to be able to separate business from personal! 
  → Make two lists.

• But I need to know which things should be done first! 
  → Move those things to the top.

• But some items repeat, and I need to be reminded about them! 
  → Move those to your calendar and set an alarm.

• But I can’t move on this thing because person x hasn’t done task y! 
  → Divide your list to include a Waiting section.

• But I need to know what I should be doing today! 
  → Read your list/s. Look at your calendar. Use your brain.

Listory Never Repeats, I tell myself before I… start a new one

There’s no such thing as too many lists if all are needed. There is such a thing as too many lists if you make them before they’re needed. Before they complain that their previous room was small or too crowded or needed a new light.

A list that feels too long has a voice; it’s telling you what to do next.