How I use Outlook Tasks – Keeping it simple

As noted in one of Kelly Forrister’s recent posts, she talked about over-engineering your GTD system. I’ve been there. I have been the victim of my own over-engineering. I found myself spending more time managing my lists than actioning my lists.

I eventually learned to simplify. Here is the simple method I use to manage my tasks in Microsoft Outlook.

1. I keep it current. I review my tasks at least once a day. I clear out the completed items. I add any new items.
   
   
2. I use as few categories as possible. I have just a handful of categories:
   1. @ACTION – Things I need to do (General typically work related things)
   2. @AGENDAS – Topics or meetings I need to prepare for. For example: I have an @Agenda task for “Meetings with my Boss”. When I think of new things I need to review with my boss, I update that task item.
   3. @HOME – Personal things I need to do for my personal life, non-work related.
   4. @SOMEDAY – Stuff I want to do someday
   5. BLOG – Ideas for blog entries. This could easily be an @Agenda task, but I prefer to have them more visible by creating a separate category.
      

3. Lastly, I use a task view that show’s me all of my Outlook tasks by category. In the Task view, click “Customize Current View” and select the following options:
   
   That’s about it. No grand scheme to categorize every nit and nat. After many months of trial and error, it turns out that a few simple categories works best for me.