Module 4: Effective Use of Tasks

Overview

How to Use Tasks

Walkthrough: Creating a Custom View

Exercise: Creating and Applying Categories

Dated vs. Undated Tasks

Walkthrough: Creating Tasks

Discussion: The Role of Tasks

How to Use Tasks

Understand the difference between:

Project: a series of actions that lead to a goal Next Action: the very next thing you need to do

Avoid these common mistakes when creating and managing tasks:

Assigning a due date to every task Creating tasks that do not support next actions Not customizing Outlook’s Task views Not reviewing your task lists consistently

Walkthrough 1: Creating a Custom View

Your instructor will guide you through the creation of two custom views of your tasks:

The Dated Tasks view displays all tasks that have a due date assigned.

The Undated Tasks view displays all tasks yet to be assigned a due date

Exercise: Creating and Applying Categories

Categories sort and organize tasks

Categories can be based on context

Categories can be based on projects

Dated vs. Undated Tasks

Dated Tasks: tasks that must be completed or actions you have committed to completing by a certain date

Undated Tasks: next actions you have identified but not yet scheduled

Daily review: Review your Calendar and Dated Tasks list. Scan your Undated Tasks list to see if anything else can or should be done that day

Weekly review: Use a weekly review to examine the week just past or the week ahead, assess progress on next actions, and make sure your task lists are complete

Walkthrough 2: Creating Tasks

1. Subject line

2. Due date and Start date and Reminder settings

3. Contacts

4. Free text area

5. Categories

11

33

44

55

22

Discussion: The Role of Tasks

How Do Dated Tasks and Undated Tasks help make good decisions about next actions?

Will categorizing tasks by context or project work better for you?

Have you tried working from a Task List in the past? Has it been effective?

How comfortable are you with the idea of assigning a due date only to tasks that you are ready to commit to a deadline?