One consistent bit of feedback that I’ve received on my earlier writing about email workflow is that I didn’t include a concrete enough set of instructions for getting started with task-management workflow, particularly with low-friction options that are available for people who don’t necessarily have $100 per year to drop on the cadillac of task-management applications.
Given that the piece seems to be enjoying a small resurgence of attention, I’ve significantly expanded the “Make A Place For Tasks” section of that article, with:
- more no-cost, low-friction options for getting started (if you’re stuck on this step “if you use Gmail, just start using Google Tasks” is the main takeaway)
- a guide for how to evaluate a task-management application for yourself, if you are trying to pick something that fits your work style better
- several links to the specific “create a task from an email” tools and workflows for each app
It was nice to be doing this update now, because in the years since that piece was published, almost every major email application has added task-management features, or upgraded them into practical usability; gone are the times when properly filing your emails into clearly-described tasks was an esoteric feature that you needed expensive custom software for.