Analog task card

 

FromNYT... review of Ugmonk.  I'm afraid that my to-dos go beyond just the 10 things off the top of my head.  I have 10 things to do in the very near future that are just involved with planning for next week's literature class.  So, the system seems "quaint" to me.  The image above isn't thee pretty walnut holder; but I love the little colored habit tracker in the middle.  I like the idea that it's right in front of you at your desk....  also know that there's a pocket notebook system, where you can take the card with you.  In some ways it just seems like this is just re-inventing index cards or pocket notebooks. It also is absurdly $100 for the set below.  I MOSTLY feel that.  But, if you were going to reproduce it yourself, you might copy a copy couple of the key features:  there are only 10 slots, it comes with a stand that is displayed right in front of you at your desk.  

Each Analog task card is about the size of a small index card and has 10 lines inviting me to write down my most important tasks for the day. The kit includes three kinds of task cards: Today, Next, and Someday.

As the name suggests, the Today cards are for tasks you need to do immediately, and I tend to use these to chart out the week ahead — to work on an upcoming draft, say, or to order medicine refills for my Chihuahua or schedule lunch with a friend. The Next cards are for tasks that need to be completed in the near future but not right away, such as upcoming appointments or, in my case, prep work for an upcoming D&D game. The Someday cards are for big-picture projects or vague ideas that you want to flesh out later on; for me, that could be a reminder to do research for a photography project I’m planning.

To the left of each line is a circle. Filling the circle indicates that the task is done, filling half the circle means it’s in progress, and drawing an arrow signals you’ve delegated that task. Entering a cross means it’s an appointment. The back of the cards is simply designed, with dotted lines for notes, sketches, or whatever else you might need some blank space for.

The task cards sit in a solid walnut card holder. Measuring just 6.2 by 3.5 by 1.15 inches, it takes up almost no space on my 47-inch desk. The holder has a slot in the front where the Today card stands right in front of me, so I can review the list at a moment’s notice. Behind the Today card, the holder has a small shelf for storing used and unused cards.

In the upper-right corner of each card are three little circles, which Ugmonk calls Card Signals. You can use these to rate yourself on your productivity for the day or as a way to organize related cards. I use them to signal if there are any tasks remaining on the card, by filling in the topmost dot; it’s an easy, visual way to make sure I finish everything I set out to do.

 In case you mostly have just a thing or two to do each day, here's a handsome week display: