Looking for a minimalistic way to keep track of what you need to get done? Wunderlist is a great application for the job.  I have tried many of the to-do list mangers out there and Wunderlist is by far the best looking, and possibly one of the most functional I have used.

Once installed, the first thing you will notice is that this is a great looking program.  It is very stylish and sleek. 

On the right side menu, you can add categories of to-do lists you need to create.  For example, you could have one named personal (for your personal to-do list items) and the other named work (for your work related projects). Then all you need to do to add things to your to-do lists is type out a short message in the box labeled, "Add your task here" and then hit the Enter key on the keyboard.  Add stars to give certain to-do list items more importance and clear things off by clicking on the check mark box to the far left. 

Now, that is not to say Wunderlist is without its flaws.  One thing that bugged me was there was no real documentation on how you use the program.  You just pretty much have to figure it out. Right now, there is no way to sync your usage either to a mobile device (however, that should be coming soon). Wunderlist also needs to be able to minimize too.  I’d rather it live by my clock rather than take up space as another item in the task bar.

Pick up the task management application Wunderlist (available for both Mac and Windows) and let me know what you think.

I am a junky when it comes to notes.  I love taking notes, I love having notes, and really notes are how I am able to get as much as I do done on a day to day basis.  With that said, I thought I would give Notes on Top a shot.  This freeware program for Windows gives you a simple way to create a checklist and always keep it on top of your other windows.

This application is a smart and easy to use notes program. With it by your side, you always have access to your notes, while you are working away at your desk PC.  The notes can also be divided into several user-defined categories too.  So, if you have a hard time keeping track of what you need to do or have done before, this lightweight program would be your perfect companion. 

There are no bells, no whistles – just a simple program that does its job and does it well.  The requirements are pretty simple to give Notes on Top a shot.  You just need to make sure you have Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 and the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or higher installed.

 Download Notes on Top and let me know what you think.

Being a ‘bit of an organizational nut myself, I really like any service that can give me a unique way of getting my links, text, videos and more organized.  Spaaze is a new online service that acts as an infinite corkboard to use in any number of different ways.

Rather than making you stick to the more conventional lists, Spaaze really gives you a canvas to use for just about any project out there.  It could be used for:

• Keeping a To List Handy
• Saving Videos to Watch Later
• Organize a Series of Links for a Project

The possibilities really could go on and on.  I like that.

Why was Spaaze created? Here is what the authors of the online application have to say:

We wanted to solve one of our problems: organize pieces of information in a visual way. We were not happy with having all our things scattered around the web, some to-do lists here, some bookmarks there, favorite videos somewhere else and so on.

Here is a good demonstration video of the Spaaze service in action:

I like anything that helps you stay organized, so Spaaze is a winner in that regard. 

Not sure if I like the fact they are pitching it as “free during the beta stage” as I didn’t really see any features that were worth paying too much for – but who knows.  They have impressed me thus far, and I hope they keep impressing me here on out.

You can check out the infinite virtual corkboard for yourself at Spaaze.com.

Get More Done!

You have a daily to-do list to create after signing up.  As you type in things you need to do, they are added to the list.  Anything you haven’t gotten done for one day is automatically moved to the next day. You can also re-arrange tasks like this by taking advantage of the “shift” command.  This will let you put something off till the next day.

Here is a screen shot of Patio in action:

The best thing about using Patio, or any other online to-do list manager is that you don’t have to remember to jot it down somewhere, or hurry up and find a pen and paper to write yourself a note.  You have it all online, which makes it even easier to access and organize your daily tasks.

I always love to try out new to-do list applications and web sites, because I am a ‘bit of an organizational nut.  With that in mind, I recently started checking out ForcedDo and I am pretty happy with the results.

ForceDo is much more than just your common to-do list.  The thing that is special here is that you set mini deadlines in minutes for yourself.  Once you hit the “play” button for a to do list item, your clock starts and you see how much time you have left right there on the screen.  You can kind of think of it as forcing yourself to become more productive.

Here is a little more information about how to get started from the ForceDo web site:

The key is to split a BIG task into smaller tasks + set priorities + set the (estimated) duration of a task. Lets say, you have a task "Write a blog article". You may have all the plan and ideas in your head about the article, you simply start writing. Thats OK, but if you are a perfectionist you may write the article for 5 hours or never get ready.

Need to organize your time better?  Check out ForceDo.com and get yourself motivated to get some things done.

With Scrumy, all you do is point your browser towards scrumy.com/ and then after the / type in any name you want.  For each job you might need to get done, add a new story.  Then you can add the tasks for that job under the “To Do” list.  In addition to the “To Do” list you also have sections for work in progress, that are verified, and that are done.  As the work progresses, you can drag and drop to do list items to other boxes.  The process is simple, yet very effective for organizing your team’s ideas and tracking the progress.

The service is totally free, but if you want a few more features – I suggest you shell out for Scrumy Pro.  With Scrumy Pro, you can password protect your project. You get the Dashboard to help you manage multiple sprints. You get Burndown Charts to help you schedule. You can rename your project at any time. Your project will never be deleted for inactivity. Ever.

If you need help organizing your next big project, give Scrumy a shot.