Let’s face it. The brains of most academics are not able to keep track of all the things that need to be done. The result of this cerebral limitation is usually some combination of a chronic feeling of having forgotten something, last-minute rushes to finish things that were indeed forgotten, and a forest’s worth of to-do lists scribbled on crumpled bits of paper. Often tasks are simply transcribed from old lists to new ones as things don’t get checked off. Once again, technology can be your friend if you make use of the right program to help you stay organized.
It is possible to create task lists in Outlook and other email programs, but for more sophisticated task management, it can be much more productive to use a free program designed specifically for this application. There are many options available, both online and on the desktop. The basic premise of all of them is very similar — you create, categorize, and check off tasks, and you can be reminded of what is due and when. Beyond that, it’s mostly a matter of preference for online vs. desktop, the interface, and other particular features. Here is a list of some free options to get you started (if you know of others that you prefer, please let us know in a comment). Click on the image for a screenshot to see what the program looks like.
Desktop options:
| Jello Dashboard. An add-in for Outlook that provides a feature-rich task management system integrated within your email and calendar program. A bit tricky to set up, but worth the effort. | |
|
|
TimeGT. Requires a free online account but runs on the desktop. Available in both free standard version (“Rabbit”) and a paid pro version (“Hedgehog”), the latter of which includes automatic synchronization through their online server. |
|
|
Task Coach. A simple open source task manager that allows tasks and subtasks as well as categories, reminders, and deadlines. |
| UK’s Kalendar. A simple open source task manager that allows tasks and subtasks as well as categories, reminders, and deadlines. | |
|
|
ToDoList. Another relatively straightforward task manager that allows tasks to be broken down into component tasks. It also allows plugins including a GANTT chart viewer, calendar, and task reminders. |
 |
DoIt.im. A combination online/offline task manager based on the “Getting Things Done” (GTD) method. Also available, a Firefox add-in. |
|
|
Thinking Rock. A task management program specifically designed for implementing the “Getting Things Done” (GTD) approach to organization. Version 2.2 is free, version 3 is not. |
|
|
Swift To-Do List Lite. A free task manager from Dextronet, also available as a paid pro version. Click here to see a video demo. |
| PhiTodo. A simple combination online/desktop task management application. | |
|
|
Cool Moon To Do List. A very simple to do list application. |
Or, if you prefer to create your task lists online, you can sign up for a free account at one of these sites:
|
|
Swift To-Do List Lite. A free task manager from Dextronet, also available as a paid pro version. Click here to see a video demo. |
