David Allen claims that the key to a stress-less life is to move tasks out of your mind by recording them somewhere. That way, the mind is freed from the job of remembering everything that needs to be done, and can concentrate on actually performing those tasks.

Some carry a notebook or a hipster PDA to keep track of everything that pops to mind. This way, they can look at their notes and create actions around them.

I prefer a different technique, which combines the power of GTD, ICal, Inbox and my windows mobile.
This is because I always carry my mobile phone, and it can story many todo’s. I just write scraps on my mobile and redefine the item later on my laptop, when I got the time to do it.

How to set it up:

I use Midnight Inbox as my GTD tool, and set it up with the following todo settings:

Optional: And I prepare my OUTGOING todo’s in a context called “errands” (because my mobile is on me when I go shopping)

Then I setup my Ical-MS phone like this with the syncing program called missing link.

Say that I am talking to a friend of mine, and he advises me to read a certain book. Or when I have a idea in the middle of the night, and want to get it off my mind. Normally I would have to get a piece of paper and write it down, but that is just to much work to be efficient.

I just grab my phone en enter it directly from the homescreen.

Missing sync for MAC OSX or Active sync can automatically sync your phone on USB connection, after which everything is copied to your calendar application.

I process all my actions once a day, all the E-mails, calender notes, and the todo’s from my mobile.

Inbox will show the item, and now I have time to clarify my commitment to it, and I can decide what I want to do with it.

In this case action: “buy book” , context -> “errands”. Because the book has to be bought outside the house while I am shopping, it will be synced to my shopping list.

UPDATE: the skin can be found here. You can download the todo plugin from this website

I hope you like that post!