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Part V Offline vs. Online: Where Should You Create Your To-Do Lists?

It’s the debate that never seems to end.

Should you use digital tools to create and organize your to-do lists or plain ‘ole pen and paper?

The truth is, there’s no universally-correct answer. There are pros and cons to both methods. This section will present the cases for both sides, so you can choose the option that’s right for you. The Case For Pen And Paper

It’s not sexy. But millions of people swear by its effectiveness. The truth is, there’s a lot to like about creating your to-do lists on paper.

First, there’s something about writing down a task that cements it in our minds. We’re more likely to remember it. We’re also more inclined to act on it. Typing the words on your laptop or phone has a lesser effect. This is one of the reasons I recommended writing down your goals (in the section How To Maintain A Well-Oiled To-Do List System).

Second, a notepad will adapt seamlessly to your preferred method of jotting down notes. It’s perfect for linear organization, the format used for a typical to-do list. It can also handle mind-mapping and other note-taking styles.

Third, you can avoid worrying about yet another piece of software. Chances are, you already use a number of applications, from word processors to spreadsheets, throughout your day. Any of them could potentially fail, interrupting your workflow and destroying your momentum.

That’s the downside of relying on software.

It’s worth noting that using cloud-based apps doesn’t guarantee round-the-clock access. What happens if the servers go down, are hacked, or you don’t have access to your laptop or phone?

These problems are irrelevant - at least in terms of task management - when you use pen and paper to maintain your to-do lists.

Fourth, a notepad is easy to carry. You can keep it with you at all times, jotting to-do items down as you think of them. Using a digital tool is higher maintenance. For example, consider the challenge of keeping track of tasks on a laptop. Whenever you think of a new item, you have to retrieve and fire up your laptop, navigate to your task management software (or website, if the software is in the cloud), and type things out. Using your phone isn’t much easier.

Fifth, there’s nothing like the tactile experience of using a pen to cross off a completed to-do item. Clicking a button on your computer screen or phone won’t give you the same feeling. It’s not nearly as gratifying.

Let’s now shift our focus and explore the reasons to use digital tools to create and maintain your to-do lists. The Case For Keeping Your To-Do Lists Online

Digital solutions abound for those who want to maintain their task management systems online. From Todoist and Evernote to Trello and Asana, there’s no shortage of apps with which to create and organize your to-do lists. And more apps are introduced each year.

In the previous section, I highlighted five reasons to use paper-based to-do lists. Here, I’ll give you five reasons to use digital tools. Remember, the right approach is the one that works best for you.

The first reason to go digital is that today’s apps make it very easy to organize your task lists by context. You’ll recall from the section How To Create The Perfect To-Do List that you should maintain multiple lists organized by project, type of activity, and location. You might also have additional context-based lists. Organizing and maintaining them is simpler with tools like Todoist than doing so on paper.

Second, you can easily move to-do items from list to list. This is useful if you need to re-categorize tasks or make changes to the contextual details attached to them.

Third, many online apps like Todoist allow you to set alarms and reminders based on date and time. Imagine having a master task list with 200 items, each of which you’ve given a deadline. Now imagine the online app alerting you of impending deadlines so you can prioritize your daily to-do lists accordingly. You can’t do that with paper-based lists.

Fourth, you can organize projects and tasks in a nested structure. This improves visualization of your workload. You can get a bird’s-eye view of the tasks that make up larger projects and monitor your progress toward completing those projects.

Fifth, tools like Todoist allow you to integrate your to-do lists with your calendar. This is an important feature since your calendar defines your availability. Once you create your lists in Todoist, you can sync them to your calendar tool of choice (for example, Google Calendar). It’s worth noting that integration with some calendars is dependent on third-party tools, such as Zapier and IFTTT (If This, Then That). Don’t worry. These tools are designed to be easy and simple to use.

So, should you use paper-based to-do lists or create and maintain your lists online? The answer depends on how you work. Some people thrive with paper. Personally, I prefer to use Todoist. It’s easy to use, free (a premium account costs less than $30 per year), and platform-independent. You can use it on your laptop, iPhone, or Android device.

If you suspect a paper-based system won’t suit your needs, I highly recommend Todoist. It’s perfect for personal use.

If you manage projects and teams, try Trello. Like Todoist, it’s free with a lot of useful features. You can upgrade to a premium account if the need arises.