What I hope to do with this article is give anyone who has a need similar to mine just enough information that they can go from “zero” to “off and running” without having to figure out every last feature of these tools. One of the biggest traps you can fall into (and trust me, I fall into this trap all the time myself) is to fiddle with tools and technology rather than just use them to be more efficient (play vs work). There are other tools I use as well like Drafts, Reminders (a built-in iOS app), and Ulysses,and when used with an automation tool like Shortcuts they can really go from being a nice little utility to being a superpower.
My task management automation tools of choice are OmniFocus and the iOS automation app Shortcuts.
This article is not so much about tools, but instead about really pushing any tool or system you choose to work hard for you and not against you. So I thought I would share with our readers a peek under my task management hood and show you a bit of behind-the-scenes work that goes into writing for a blog like GeekDad. I’m guilty of taking on more projects than I should be able to handle, which is why I have to rely on a strong task management strategy to keep me afloat.
The app as a whole is quite minimalist, but there are many features which offer a great deal of flexibility if you take the time to learn how to do it properly, and/or scour the libraries online for inspiration and the tools you need.Reading Time: 11 minutes Images from the OmniGroup, GeekDad, and Apple
The free application sits in either your dock, menubar, or both when in use, and consists of a simple few panes to help you tailor the tools to your tastes. This makes it great for certain things, such as basic graphics and feeds, but unfortunately unlike Rainmeter, it doesn’t allow for objects such as icons to be implemented. It allows you to add certain objects to a static ‘wallpaper’ environment which can be viewed, but not interacted with.
What is GeekTool In case you haven’t picked it up already, GeekTool is essentially a desktop customisation tool for Mac OS X. GeekTool, while the name suggests it’s specifically aimed at the stereotypically acne-ridden, large-spectacled nerd community, can actually be a useful for tool for anyone using a Mac, and offers a great many features to help you get things done and make things pretty. Unfortunately, Rainmeter doesn’t exist for Mac OS X, but there is an application built on a similar, if not identical, concept that’s extremely popular in the Mac community. You may have caught our last week, and gazed in amazement as you witnessed some of the biggest and most useful desktop transformations you can make to a desktop on Windows.
Learn from the most basic to the most advanced concepts. Creating Flow with OmniFocus guides you from the basics to the most advanced uses one step at a time. Creating Flow with OmniFocus helps you to easily guide your work, play, and productivity throughout the days, weeks, and years using the strength of the task and project manager, OmniFocus. I use Geektool to display my todos on the desktop so I see them whenever I'm closing windows:). Omnifocus or Things? I have been using Omnifocus for like 2 years now and absolutely love it.