Are you the type of person that loves their to-do lists? I have a love/hate thing going with them — sometimes they help me to be more productive and other times, they're a burden that I am all too happy to lose along with the list itself! However, as more and more of the tasks on the list involve the internet in some way, I was happy to discover a new way to get more things done.
What's the new thing I'm doing that only takes a few seconds and has helped me be more productive? I'm using tabs in my browser as a to-do list!
Tabs are my new best friend. First thing in the morning, I open up a new browser window and start creating tabs for each item that needs to get done. Since almost all of my tasks involve the internet in some way, this is a great fit for me. Once the item is completed, the tab is closed. Of course I dislike very much the look of multiple tabs crowding my browser, so I have even more of an incentive to complete tasks.
As I have gotten in the tab-productivity habit and seen it help me get more things done, I've decided to take things further for days when there are so many things to do. On those very very busy days, I create browser windows for each topic and then create the corresponding tabs. An example is my little sister's upcoming wedding... I have a window for the wedding and inside of it are the tabs for the tasks that need to get done that day that relate to the event. When I'm feeling extra organized, I line the tabs up (just click and drag them) in the order that I need to accomplish them, but honestly most of the time I leave them in the order they were created, which is as I thought of them.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that using tabs as markers for things that need to get done has helped me tremendously. I think it's the combination of a visual reminder of the things that need doing coupled with the tools to do them that makes it so powerful. Unlike an online to-do list where I would need to list the items that have to get done and link to the sites I need to use to do them (or a paper one where I'd have to write the urls I need to visit next to the to-do items), I have everything I need to accomplish the tasks in one place, and it's very satisfying to see the tabs disappear throughout the day.
Most browsers have tabs enabled by default, but if your browser does not, go into your browser preferences to turn them on. Once they're enabled, save yourself some time and learn the keyboard shortcuts for starting a new tab, closing a tab, and switching a tab, knowing these shortcuts will save you quite a bit of time.
Of course, like all productivity tips, your mileage will vary. If you have an older computer, or one that's not well endowed with memory, leaving a bunch of tabs open in your browser is not going to be a party &mdah; if you notice your computer crawling at a snail's pace with only a few tabs open, this is not the tip for you.
What are some ways you use technology to be more productive?
MORE PRODUCTIVITY TIPS FROM APARTMENT THERAPY:
• 5 Productivity Apps and Utilities We Use, Love, and Recommend
• Manage Productivity in 10-Minute Increments to GTD
• Getting On The Same Page: Online Shared Calendars
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i must be missing something. i don't get this at all.
I find more than three or four tabs open a distraction. I just keep my list in an Archie Grand notebook and use my Lamy Safari pen to keep track of my items. They're both sunny yellow, which I believe is 90% of the reason I get anything done.
They'd get lost in my tabs. I start the day with several dozen tabs open, and wade through them as I have time.
@ Denacho I typically have about 10 - 20 items that need to be done each day and since they almost all revolve around the internet or use the internet in some way, I create a tab for each item that needs to be done first thing in the morning.
Today for example, I have a tab with a piece I need to finish writing, a resource I need to read for the piece, the hotel site where I need to book a reservation, the site where I need to book airfare, an eBay conversation I need to follow up on, and a Krrb transaction I need to reply to, just to name a few. As I accomplish each task (using the site in the tab), I close the tab.
It might sound weird, but it's been very helpful to me as I don't have to bounce from list to then searching for each site I need to use to accomplish the items on the list. I just go across (I usually drag the tabs in order), from left to right and accomplish each task inside the tab and call it a day.
@JOELLEMARIE okay, i think i understand. i was just picturing a tab that had a checklist on it like some Chrome extensions i'm familiar with do. but after re-reading several times, i didn't think that was what you were doing. it sounds like a tab for each item, but then i got lost as to what was on the "white space" of that tab. since you mentioned the site relevant to that tab, it makes more sense now. not sure if your screen shot is literal as it looks like it's taken from a Mac, but i know Firefox & Chrome have Extensions that are actual check list & can go wherever you do as long as you have access to Firefox/Chrome. i find those very helpful! thanks for the clarification!
so help me cuz i still don't get it...use tabs constantly but can't make the connection to a 'to do' list....what am i missin?
Does anyone know of a system where I can set up tasks, and list tabs to open to complete that task, but not leave them open on the machine. i guess kind of like a task list where each task can also include a browser with a set of tabs to complete the task, and a note. so I can set up the task, and add tabs to it as I work on other things and gather my resources, then when I'm ready to do that task, all my resources can be popped open, or closed down and saved for later if I haven't gotten to it.
I just like that you have Ravelry and XKCD on your "to do" list!
Unfortunately, I don't think this would work so well for me because I'm pretty good at getting computer tasks done when they need to get done. The hard part is making myself turn off the computer and get off my butt to clean/organize/run errands!
I do something similar, every morning I go through my Google Reader (getting my apartment therapy fix right away!) and if I see an article that I want to take the time to either read, or add to pinterest, or save in some way, I just open it as a new tab. I go through a certain amount of my reader, just adding tabs, and then I go through and "do" those tabs. It helps me from having my google reader out of control and I find that if I feel like I have to read the article NOW I'm more likely to just skip it.
All the links below the article seem to direct simply to the Tech homepage. I was interested in looking at some of those articles.
But what if your to-do list involves things that aren't on the internet? I can't get the internet to wash my dishes. Most of the things I really need to get done do not involve a computer, and in fact, the computer is just going to help me procrastinate further.