Sometimes I need to create repeating tasks without Defer or Due or any specific time, which means the task would just work as a counter.
For example I’d like to read an article for 20 times anytime available, so this task shouldn’t be assigned any specific date and it is considered completed only when it is checked as done for 20 times.
It seems currently we can only make it defer again and due again, the “repeat every” option would also give the task a due and defer.
If I’m not missing anything, then please consider this as a feature suggestion.
Maybe you can create a project and have 20 next actions titled “Read article”. In the Inspector panel, you can turn on the checkbox to Complete project for “Complete when completing last action.”
I like to label the tasks as
Read article [1]
Read article [2]
Read article [3]
…
Read article [19]
Read article [20] Finished!
But the thing is, if the repeating time is very large, creating so many tasks wouldn’t be easy. Say if I plan to exercise 100 times this year. Constantly duplicating what’s created could be the fastest way to do it but still seems inefficient. Besides, with this much tasks listed, it could be very annoying in context view.
You would make the project a sequential project. When you go into a context perspective that shows “available actions”, you will only see one available task. You won’t see the other 99 actions.
When you complete task #1, the next task (#2) becomes available. You wouldn’t be seeing more than one available action if the perspective view is set to “Show Available”.
You will see all of the tasks if you set the perspective to show “remaining actions.”
If you’re doing something repetitive, OmniFocus may not be the best app for this. This sounds like you are trying to develop a habit. There are several habit apps on the Mac App Store and the iOS store. Type habit into the search field and find one that suits you.
One simple way to create a bunch of tasks is to use a spreadsheet and use the Fill command to fill down 100 rows with the text “exercise today.” You can probably copy and paste it into OmniFocus. Then select all the text and use the Inspector panel to change the Context to “gym”.
If I’m trying to build a habit and need to keep a “diary”, I usually use a spreadsheet like Excel or Numbers with various columns with checkboxes and a column to enter date completed
[x] Task #1 Finished July 1, 2014
[ ] Task #2
Numbers is included in all new Macs. Or if you have Excel, you can use that. Another option would be to use OmniOutliner.
I try to keep OmniFocus lean and not clutter it up with a habit-building project like the one you depicted.
