I have spent some time this last week thinking and playing with to-do list management methods and software (and, perhaps more importantly, thinking about how to manage different tasks across different projects).

I have for some time been using OmniFocus. The application builds on the (famous) “getting things done (GTD)” method of having contexts for work and projects. I’m experimenting with the method in a slightly unusual way, having created a number of contexts that relate to my mode or mindset for work (such as administration, teaching and research) or personal activities (such as shopping (for grocery and household goods).

These contexts contain activities that i can do in clusters reasonable efficiently (e.g., admin typically contains tasks that I can do at home or office, on the computer with each requiring relatively little concentration). Teaching tasks are much the same, but require a different mindset (focused on pedagogy, use files in a different part of my computer, etc). Some projects require tasks to be undertaken sequentially others in parallel and this can me noted.

For each context, I am developing a view (or perspective) so that they are grouped and sorted in logical bundles (with admin sorted by due date, research by project, shopping by category of goods, etc).

I am also trying the iPod Touch / iPhone version of the software, which syncs with the copy on my Mac so that I have my to-do list with me to add tasks and mark them as complete as necessary.

I have yet to fully explore the follow-up capabilities. This is important when we either depend on others’ actions before we can continue, or where we need regular contact with people (who are likely to be as busy as we are). I have marked some activities as periodic, so I’ll see how that works.