To-do’s

I’m a list junkie.  I’ve been known to write a list of lists that I needed to write.  I don’t blame myself for this nasty habit though.  It’s all my son’s fault.  Ever since he has been in my life my brain functionality has decreased dramatically.  If it’s not written down, it may not get done.

I’ve listed on everything from the back of an envelope, to post it notes, to fridge magnets (probably all in one day!)  That is until my husband started to get on me about all of my notes.  He wasn’t really complaining about my notes as much as he was complaining about the fact that I could never find them.  When asked what I was looking for, I would say “it’s a note about XYZ.  It’s on the back of a blue piece of paper with a coffee stain on the lower right corner” or something to that affect.  So I started carrying a notebook.  My lifeline of all things that need to get done.

But what about other people’s to-do lists.  Like my husband’s.  How can I add to it, manage it and keep him on task when I’m away?

Today, I might have found the solution… which everyone has probably known about for years.  There are actually web applications that are To-Do Lists! 

I tried out the TaDa List today for my husband’s to-do’s.  Since I’m in Chicago for a few more days and he’s handling the workshop and sending out orders I needed to make sure he could/would remember to do some of the extras that needed to be done.  I loved it from the moment I started!  Very, very easy to use and simple.  Nothing fancy, just a list that I can add to, arrange, edit, delete, and cross items off when they’re completed.  I just “shared” the list with him and he was able to do all of the above with it as well.

I also looked at Remember the Milk.  The name caught my attention – I of course love it.  I also like the tie-in’s the Pro version of the application has with smart phones.  It’s a little more in-depth.  You can prioritize, set due dates, assign tasks to different categories (personal, work…)  I’m giving this one a whirl too, but had to invite my husband to join in order to give him tasks.  Not as “hit the ground running” as the other, but has some cool features.  The one draw back, once you complete something from your list, it disappears.  No line drawn through it so you can see how much you’ve accomplished.  Just Poof, and it’s gone.

And last but not least, I was told about Teux Deux.  Again, very simple usability in a day of the week kind of format.  I’m not a day of the week kind of girl, so this one didn’t do it for me.  But I do like the look and ease of use of the program.

We’ll see how they all pan out and how long my dear husband will allow me to just add whatever on to his list.