View Single Post
Hi - I started using OF Mac in late 2008, then OF iPHone and abandoned both in mid-2009 because it just wasn't working for me then.

My life is now more complicated and with more powerful syncing and the beautiful iPad app, I've decided to dive back in.

One of the things that hindered my use and therefore productivity with OF in the past, was assigning due dates that, in the end, really didn't matter (had a sidebar littered with read circles with large numbers in there).

So after spending time reading and watching Sparky's video series and more, I realize that due dates, in my new workflow, will be used sparingly.

Keep in mind I'm not a GTD follower nor disciple of David Allen, I haven't read the book and won't read the book —*being honest here. Rather than look GTD and use OF to manage GTD concepts, I look at OF and how it — the tool — can help me manage those aspects in life that need a bit more organization —*or, as we say, get things out of my head so I can't think more clearly.

Sorry for the long intro.

So I capture and set actions and apply only start dates (unless there is a hard due date).

What's important to me in my daily work flow is to review those items that start today or before today and that are note yet completed or even started. These could be single task items without dependencies or sequence but are part of a single or ongoing project.

I can't figure out how to create a perspective that I can look at each day that shows me only those things that start today or earlier. I don't want to see things that start next week, next month or next year. I'd like to look at things I need to start today, and if necessary push those things I won't start to a new start date or otherwise.

And as an old user now coming back, I have to relearn things — especially terminology. So the notion of Status or Availability Filter is something I still don't "GET". Who or what is available? When? next action? What about the previous action? Flagged? Not sure why I would other than seems to be an arbitrary field for sorting only. Due soon? Due? Well, we all know that due dates are, in most cases in this workflow, not recommended unless there's a real hard due date.

So why wouldn't there be a start date under these filters?

Thanks again for listening (reading) and I appreciate anyone who can tell me how to get a view of those things that start today so I can get started and working!