Should I wait for OF3 to process 950 Inbox items? (Update: I don't want to hit 1k)

#1

Is there an Estimated Time in 2018? Or at least a quarter? I have 800 Inbox tasks. I want to wait until OF3 Comes out before processing them, because of the multiple tags function.

OmniFocus 3 - Top feature requests
#2

The roadmap says Omni is “getting ready to start a TestFlight of OmniFocus 3 for iOS”. If you’re willing to be part of it, head to the post and check for instructions ;-)

#3

I’d rather start processing that inbox now. Starting with OF3 with that huge backlog will probably not make his OF3 experience pleasant.

At the very least, place the tasks into projects and folders. But if a task needs only one tag, why not just go ahead and assign them?

It must be nice to be able to get 800 tasks and just sit on them. My wife would kill me if I told her I’m waiting on a software TestFlight before I can work on her honey do list. My boss would definitely fire me if I gave her that line too.

#4

There is a reason to wait: If someone hasn’t developed their tagsonomy it might be better to practice on OF3 and then devise a tagging scheme.

#5

And what about the tasks themselves? Not acting on 1 would not make me wait. Now, 800? :-/

#6

I don’t disagree. I should’ve said “There might be a reason to wait:”

#7

i assume they’re not that urgent then ;) - but seriously, whenever you do start using OF Ver. 3 - there’s bound to be a slowing down at first because of the new features - you’ll need to get used to it and there’ll be a learning curve. you may not even like the new version; ask anyone who moved from version 1 to version 2. it wasn’t universally loved by any means. I would keep your contexts as simple as possible for now, and start assigning your 800 or so inbox items to folders and projects as soon as possible. i think the longer you wait, the more snowed under you’re going to feel.

#8

Regardless of when OmniFocus 3 is coming I don’t think you should wait.

#9

This was my intention at the beginning.
For everybody to calm down:

I have set up my Projekt and folders for my most important tasks and jobs, so I keep an eye on the important stuff. These 800 inbox items are unidentified things, which are not critical. When I got into OF2 1 year ago I took time and watched several videos, read the forum and experimented with it a lot before dumping any of my to-dos in there to get out the most of the app. Once I have a system, its very hard for me to implement “system changes” or “big improvements” into my ecosystem. Therefore I decided to wait, even though I use the search function to search for Ideas I had before in my Inbox list and I do process them then. So lets call it “half processing.” Anyhow, I will wait. I know whats good for me B-)

#10

This is the most classic procrastination excuse! Can only get things done with the proper app!!

#11

PS: I do that all the time too.

#12

One thing I have found helpful when I have a backlog of anything unprocessed (email, messages, tasks) is to simply delete anything older than some sort of arbitrary timeline (six months feels safe). The underlying thinking I have is that if it’s that old and I haven’t acted on it (by either defining t, planning it, or doing it), I probably never will.

This is a little off-topic, but it might help with bringing the 800 to a more manageable number in whatever time and tool it gets worked.

Cheers,

ScottyJ

#14

Hi! I Never do that in my life. I decide to keep them somewhere and (hope) to process them. Sometimes I really do and then it is so refereshing, to get new ideas etc. just like out of nowhere. It feels like developing myself in the past in a time machine. It gives me an awesome feeling to edit those notes in EN or pics from my camera roll or tasks from my OF from 3-12 months ago!

#16

It’s great to have all these someday/maybe ideas. But it’s also important to curate those lists. What sounded like a great idea can be further explored and you might find out that the effort/expense to commit to a someday/maybe is just too high. That’s the time to delete it. If the idea comes back in another year, then you can probably explore it again. Otherwise, collecting 800 ideas sounds dreamy but unwieldy over time.

I have an Office Actions Single Actions List (SAL). a House Actions SAL, and Personal Actions (SAL). The status is set to Active. Then I have a corresponding someday/maybe SAL: Office Someday/Maybe. House Someday/Maybe, Personal Someday/Maybe. These lists have their status set to On Hold.

I’d dump all 800 tasks into the appropriate SAL. At least it’s halfway processed. You can always go back later to add the tags.

A key point to remember is that OF3 will be in Public TestFlight. This means that many of the major bug crashes will have been fixed during the Private TestFlight. I’m assuming the Private TestFlight will be available only to the OmniProgrammers at this moment. When it is deemed stable enough, it will go to the Public TestFlight where people will start seeing all the goodies. But the TestFlight will usually have hidden bugs that will need to be hunted down and squashed.

Do you really want to use a beta/TestFlight that might infuriate you and make you double guess your decision? I’d say start processing those 800 tasks. Start deleting as @heyscottyj suggests.

Life is too short to be waiting. If you have time now, go ahead and start processing.

#17

I fell off the wagon nearly 2 years ago now because of the lack of Energy tags, ability to easily sort by priority and a couple other features that look like they’re part of OF3. I also have an inbox of hundreds of items and a database of thousands of items I DESPERATELY want to process - and have been wanting to process for ages now. I too feel stuck in limbo until OF3 drops. Really it can’t come soon enough and sincerely hope OG is making it’s release a huge priority - and might consider opening it’s testflights up to me and perhaps other eager - no ANXIOUS users who are desperate to finally implement a full water tight GTD system with it.

#18

btw I started processing some projects with keeping “features” OF3 in mind, to adapt these workflows later. (multiple tags; manual sorting etc.)

It has been 900 Tasks now. Does something magical happen, when I hit up 1000?

#19

Update:

What I learned so far: Set a goal.

Why: My Inbox has 950 items now.

Aim: I dont want it to hit the 1k.

What I am doing: Processing, because I don’t want my Inbox to hit 1000. Now its going well, because I found out that some ideas/tasks occur 1-3 times, because I excessively tracked my ideas in OF.

How it feels: A bit stressy, but also great. Feeling like washing my body and making it clean.

#20

Update and lessons Learned:

  1. I archived more then 1000 inbox tasks in an “InboxArchive” Project.
  2. My real inbox is free now and is being processed regularly. If I cannot organize it regularly I archive these items as well.
  3. When Organizing a project I am searching for key words of it in my inbox and reorder/edit/delete tasks which are in the inbox archive. So in this way my inbox is sitll there and I can process them over the time while working on a project. (this archive became kind of something like an inspiration box, very interesting idea!
  4. i made a routine to inbox 2-3 items from that arhive. so one day there is no inboxarhcive anymore.
#21

Good idea I may try that. Currently feeling OGs lack of OSX TestFlight invitations in my and all applicants inboxes is downright cruel given how long overdue this update is. 🤬

#22

You could always export all inbox tasks to drafts as taskpaper, add the tags you want and re-import then to OF. this way you can process the inbox and have the multiple tags. (and importing them via worflow and drafts on ios will immediately have you put them to use)

The OF2 db is prepped for the multiple tags so this would not hinder your of2 workflow on the mac.