Junecloud

Things for Mac is an app I’ve had my eye on for a while. It’s a “Getting Things Done” or “GTD” app which is a concept I’ve not been too fond of. Every time I’ve tried to make sense of this organizational system, it just seems fussy and overcomplicated with too many rules. I just want to lowercase get things done, in my own way. Things intrigued me though, with an interface that’s simple, attractive, and kind of fun, honestly. The big blue inbox with the giant check mark really does it for me.

I never really used the Mac app though, aside from tinkering with it. But when I downloaded Things for iPhone I put it to use. For the first day or so I didn’t quite get how to use it, and didn’t bother to read up on it. But the next day it just clicked, it made perfect sense, and I realized it was exactly what I’ve been looking for.

You make a new to do item and file it wherever you like… Put it in the inbox to deal with it later, mark it with a star if it’s something you want to do today, put it under “Someday”, or give it a future date. You can also create projects, with multiple to do items filed under them. Then on any given day you can just tap “Today” and see what needs to be done. If you still have time to spare you can look at what’s next, or what you’ve filed away for someday. I really like this because it lets me focus on the things I need to do now, instead of just having a huge list that includes everything I’ll ever need to do, ever. It makes my life less stressful and more organized.

The biggest problem is the lack of syncing with the Mac app. The developers have made it clear this is a top priority so hopefully it will be here soon. But for anyone already relying on the Mac app this will likely be a major drawback right now. I also find the main screen a little odd… The Logbook doesn’t quite fit on the screen, but with a little tightening up it could fit with no scrolling. I’ve also had some graphical glitches (like misplaced text) come up, but nothing significant.

If you’re trying to be more organized, get some things done, or you’re just looking for a better system than what you have now, I think this one is definitely worth a look. (They have a nice deal for their Mac app by the way—just sign up for their newsletter now and you’ll get 20% off when it’s released.)

Check out Things for iPhone in the iTunes Store