[kabdib]

I usually keep a local "todo" list in each project I'm on. It helps me focus, and if I'm away from a project for a while it helps me figure out what I've done (I seldom remove old entries, as it gives me a sense of history).

Like most processes, it's better to keep something like this lightweight. "Nested todos" are about as fancy as things get.

I also check the todo lists into the project. Sure, it makes things a little dirty. On the other hand, it saved another person's bacon last year when I was forced to flip ownership of a project over to that person without much warning. (He discovered the todo list, and emailed me a huge thanks).

Todo lists in a wiki can work well to keep a loose team on the same track, too. Again I think the secret is to keep this lightweight.

If you're installing "Whizzy Enterprise TODO" servers or having meetings about how to manage todo items or trying to extract metrics from todo lists, my guess is that you've put too much drama into the process and should take a walk to cool off. :-)

[kabdib]

I should add that one drawback of keeping your TODO list checked in is that people will hijack it and try to use it for scheduling purposes.

The times that I've shared my TODO list with a project manager, I've regretted it. This /could/ simply be that the kind of PM who makes a schedule based on snapshot of an engineer's loosey-goosey list is a clueless git who is not to be trusted. Even when I've directly shared the list and TOLD the PM "Look, don't make a schedule off of this, it's just a basis for discussion" the next thing I know the list has been enshrined in a PowerPoint deck and has become Gospel all the way up. Whereupon the following conversation happens with my mangler [sic]:

"Figby the PM is a clueless git."

"Don't worry. The PM management chain is trying to fire him."

"Couldn't happen soon enough. But what do we do about his PowerPoint deck?"

"I think we're screwed."

"Next time I'm going to line up the items so the first letter of each line reads 'FIGBY IS A CLUELESS GIT'" and then point that out in the scheduling meeting."

"(sighs heavily)"

My mom thinks I'm in high tech.

[xerophtye]

exactly! todo lists help ALOT. I usually use trello for this. It really helps me remember on monday what i was doing on friday and what needs to get done. None of the complains in the article make sense to me. When i make a todo list, i usually have a sense of direction so I dont get stuck in the "choices choices" problem. Besides, didn't anyone teach you how to prioritize stuff? "Urgent, Important; Important, not urgent; Urgent, not important; not important not urgent;"

Oh and trello really helps me enter a TON of information into a task so i dont face the "they all look the same on paper" issue. heck i even use the comments feature as status updates to keep logging whatever i am doing on the task. Todo lists are great! (or atleast they are for me. especially trello)

[read]

What do you do when you don't have a sense of direction?

I wish a todo list would make me do things I wouldn't dare do. Like things you don't usually write in a todo list.

[kabdib]

I have a higher-level "ideas.txt" file. It looks a lot like my TODO list:

Things to learn

Things to read

Stuff I'd like to do

I visit it every few weeks. There are entries from 25 years ago that I haven't touched, and probably never will. This year I checked off [x] Learn Python for Real, and a few other things I won't share. (Haskell is probably one of those things that will remain unchecked, until I find a project for it).

[xerophtye]

To me, working on something daring is all about the excitement. The problem usually is that i get excited at the wrong times. Having amazing ideas when you have your hands full isn't exactly useful or productive. heck it turns out to be counter productive at times! And when i do have my hands free, the ideas dont come. so The best way for me is to jot down those ideas on a trello board with as much detail as i dare, so that i can visit it later and feel that excitement all over again and actualyl DO those things. works for me :)

[pseut]

Try adding a "wishlist" or "if I finish everything else early" section. You'd be surprised at how quickly some of those items get done when, um, procrastinating on the other tasks.

[pyoung]

I am a fan of this setup. I call them project logs. As you mentioned they are great for when you are away from the project for a while and need to get up to speed.