Do you want to get more done with your time?
Do you want to improve the quality of your academic work?
Try a task management app!
Planning your work during an academic program of any kind, whether a semester full of classes with assignments or a thesis/dissertation, can mean the difference in failure and success. Any assignment consists of many smaller tasks that must be done to successfully complete the assignment. While there is not enough space in this post to discuss goals and objectives, the previous post gives the basics of preparing for each week of work. The question is, "how can you take the next step in organizing your work?" A task management app.
What is task management software?
Task management software programs provide a reliable means of tracking everything from small, daily to dos to a longer term, multiple task project. There are many task management programs available for both computers and mobile devices. However, finding the most effective one can often be a trial-and-error process. Sometimes, having too many "bells and whistles" can be as bad as not having enough so careful selection of the right application can save headaches later on.
Track all your to dos
First and foremost, a task management program should be able to track all kinds of to dos, from grocery shopping to the steps needed to complete a course or group project. These can be kept on separate lists as well. Using a computer to track these events means that each to do can be scheduled, have text, email, and local reminders, have notes with details about the to do, and can be edited as needed.
Why use a task management app?
Because you are able to track to do items, your mind is now free to think about your dissertation or your thesis instead of trying to remember all the little things that must be done in everyday life plus all the things that must be done related to your graduate degree. Sometimes, the stress of having to remember so much presents itself in other ways. You may be easily distracted, unable to focus on a task, or having restless nights rather than sleeping soundly. All of these can be signs that your mind is overwhelmed trying to process the little (but important) things and each of those things demands a piece of your time, time that could be spent writing, research and reading, or resting. When you use a program that keeps track of those things that need to be done, you're able to categorize those things, tag those things as discussed in the tagging section, set due dates, associate individuals related to a particular task, and in many cases produce a visual representation of the things that must be done over a given period of time (day, week, month, quarter, year). The main thing is that you can attend to more urgent matters without having to worry about remembering the other, less pressing matters.
What makes a good task management app?
A good task management app should be one that can be synchronized across devices so that you can see current tasks on your smart phone, your tablet, and any computer that you use to access your files. Todoist is a good example. Additionally, you should be able to add tasks from any of those devices rather than try to remember them until you are home or sitting with your notebook computer open.
Some task management programs allow you to export lists to other programs or email daily task lists so that they are readily available and you are reminded in more than one way.
A more advanced task management program such as Omnifocus will allow you to assign tasks to group projects and then further assign individual tasks to members of the group. In many cases, they are able to access the overall project and see their roles in that project. They may even be able to interact with the project itself to provide additional input as things change over the course of time.
One useful characteristic of task management software is that your contacts can be added to a task, making it easier to manage group activities of any kind, from class discussion groups to club and committee responsibilities. Being able to easily access those involved with the project saves time when organizing a call or group meeting. Task management software can also keep notes from each meeting or phone call together for ready access.
Manage group activities
One useful characteristic of task management software is that your contacts can be added to a task, making it easier to manage group activities of any kind, from class discussion groups to club and committee responsibilities. Being able to easily access those involved with the project saves time when organizing a call or group meeting. Task management software can also keep notes from each meeting or phone call together for ready access.
For most people, a project is a group of related tasks that must be completed in order to complete the project. Identifying the steps needed to complete a project, assigning a timeframe for each, and in many cases, assigning individual tasks to a team member can all be done with many task management software packages.
Emailing or Exporting Task Lists
Having a task management program that synchronizes task due dates and associated phone calls or meetings makes keeping track of all aspects of your life, especially the activities associated with graduate study. By having some kind of organization for all the things that you must do, it is easier to rearrange your schedule to find priority time to focus on your studies. Good task management programs allow you to subdivide the grand goal into all the steps necessary to reach that goal. For example, instead of having a due date for a class paper on your calendar, you can easily make it a project with goals for all the smaller tasks. Instead of "Class Paper 1 due" on the calendar, there are daily or weekly tasks on which to focus, reducing the stress in the process.
Emailing or Exporting Task Lists
Having a task management program that synchronizes task due dates and associated phone calls or meetings makes keeping track of all aspects of your life, especially the activities associated with graduate study. By having some kind of organization for all the things that you must do, it is easier to rearrange your schedule to find priority time to focus on your studies. Good task management programs allow you to subdivide the grand goal into all the steps necessary to reach that goal. For example, instead of having a due date for a class paper on your calendar, you can easily make it a project with goals for all the smaller tasks. Instead of "Class Paper 1 due" on the calendar, there are daily or weekly tasks on which to focus, reducing the stress in the process.
This article discusses the two apps mentioned in this post.
