The key to getting organized is to keep to-do lists of all the things you need to get done. The key to getting things done is to always have your to-do lists with you, wherever you are, so you can act on them whenever you have time. Getting everything out of your head and on to lists frees your mind from having to remember what it is you need to do and allows you to focus on the task at hand.

These simple facts are the basic tenets of David Allen’s program ‘Getting Things Done’ or GTD, as it’s better known. I’ll write more about GTD in a future post. In this post, I’m dealing with gathering and maintaining the massive list of to-dos in your life and having them available to you at all times.

The tool I’ve just recently started using to do this is a free web application called Toodledo. Toodledo is great because, since it’s a web app, you can access it from any computer, whether Mac or PC. You can also access it from the Toodledo iPhone app, which costs $3.99.

Toodledo allows you to have all your to-do items in one place. It also lets you view your lists in various forms, including by due-date, topic, priority, or context. Context means where you can accomplish your tasks, for example: work, home, store, phone, anywhere, etc.

Here are some screenshots of the Toodledo iPhone App. The web app looks very similar.

Here’s a list of all tasks:

all-tasks

Here’s the details of a single task:

task-details

Here’s a list of the available fields you can use:

fields-used

You can also tag your tasks, group your tasks by project, and keep a folder of tasks others are performing that you are waiting for. Toodledo is a very useful tool.

The GTD methodology is a very useful organizing method. It really does relieve stress to know that you have everything you need to do on a list, freeing your mind from having to constant keep tabs on your responsibilities. But it does take self-discipline, but it does pay off in the long-run.

I’ve used the GTD method in the past, and I’m currently trying to reincorporate it into my life. I just need to free up some time to really put together complete lists.

Tomorrow I’ll explain in greater detail the GTD method and the process for putting together and maintaining your lists. If you don’t want to wait, you can visit David Allen’s website,  read his book (it’s also available for the Kindle), or read about GTD on Wikipedia.

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