Yes, I am one of these people.

Over the last few months, ever since I invested in an iPhone truthfully, I have found myself getting behind on some of the smaller daily to-dos I set for myself as a result of searching for better ways to document and keep record of my to-do items.  I like being productive, and more than liking the feeling of getting something done, I like finding new productivity tools to help manage workflow and increase organization.  For example, I have google shortcut key stickers on my macbook keyboard to heighten the speed at which I can respond to e-mail in gmail.

All you have to do is write in with a self-addressed envelope and provide postage to cover the cost of sending the pack back to you.

Send me some Gmail stickers already

P.O. Box 391420

Mountain View, CA 94039-1420

Virtually anything can make it to a to-do list, and there are a host of methods used to track these items.  Perhaps it’s the ability to cross something out that makes people feel so accomplished.  It can’t just be about not forgetting.  I know I’m not the only one guilty of jotting down to-do’s that I’m obviously not going to forget (1. take shower, 2. eat, etc.).  When researching for this post, I happened upon my favorite to-do list compiled by a Mom.  When I saw this, it reminded me of something my own Mom would do.  Compared to Gmail Tasks (my current to-do method), both probably work just fine, because it all depends on who is making the list.  These things are all personal preference.  What do you look for in a to-do list?

vs.

The Gmail Blog discusses the pros and cons for paper vs. iphone, coming to these conclusions:

• Paper has a number of popular features:
• Easy editing. Cross out with pen and write something new.
• Works offline. You can read paper even when your PC is not connected to the internet.
• Mobile. Fold paper and stick in pocket.
• Instant boot up. Just pull paper out of pocket — don’t have to wait for it to load.

However, paper does have some limitations:

• Limited availability. You don’t always have a pad of paper with you to write new things.
• Not ubiquitous. If you leave a piece of paper in one pair of jeans, you can’t access it from the other jeans you’re currently wearing.

Difficult to organize. Eventually turns into a giant mess on your desk.

I have been through Remember The Milk, Evernote, Jott, and wide variety of other productivity applications intended to stream line every list or to-do you could ever want to have.  While those are great applications and I highly recommend test-driving them, Google’s release of Google Tasks in gmail and on the iPhone seems to be the most simple and easy-to-manage way to track your to-dos.

I kept getting pre-occupied with syncing my list between desktop and phone in Jott, or organizing subcategories in Remember The Milk and Evernote… Instead of getting tangled in fancy bells and whistles, gTasks is basic and the closest you’ll get to paper.  Without voice notes, it is lagging behind its other competitors, but knowing Google, it won’t be long.

What to-do methods work best for you?  Feel free to share in the comments.