Time Saving Tip: Things + Gmail

We have to evolve and change to grow and embracing that, I’ve found a couple of great new things this week that help me save time.

I’ve mentioned before that I love Gmail. With the keyboard shortcuts, colored labels and Inbox Zero I am super organized. Everything is there at the touch of the keys. Another beautiful thing is that Gmail permalinks to specific messages now.

A couple of days ago I started using Things. Things is task management software that is easy to learn, easy to use and works at the touch of keyboard shortcuts that you choose. You add details and it all goes to the inbox for you to sort later (trust me, sort it, makes it easier).

A lot of my to dos have a tonne of information that comes to me in email, since I work remotely, most clients email me tasks and then I need a way to keep my inbox clear but still have easy access to it. I’d had been searching for the emails when I need them but when I started using Things I found a better way.

Here’s the way to use Things + Gmail to save YOU time:

1. You get an email with a task (let’s say, get three quotes for x client for landscaping) needs to be completed by Friday. All the details are in the email.
2. You hit your keyboard shortcuts to bring up Things (mine is option + g).
3. Task: “find three landscaping quotes”.
4. Tag it. I’d type “clientnametag”.
5. Now, here’s where gmail comes in handy. I copy the link to that email and paste it into the notes section. This gives me instant access to the exact notes when I’m ready for them. Instead of copying and pasting and choosing which are important.
6. Archive the email.

Make sure the task gets entered before you archive the email or you risk forgetting that your client needs this done asap with all the other things you have going on. (And yes, we ALL have other things going on. )

Tell me if this would work for you. Yes? No? Did you find this helpful? Improvements?

4 Responses to “Time Saving Tip: Things + Gmail”

1. johnerik says:

   January 10, 2009 at 4:14 am

   hmmm. having to copy and paste a link… dont like at part.

   like you, however, getting tasks out of gmail is going to be important if im going to use Things.
2. chelpixie says:

   January 10, 2009 at 10:25 am

   John, if you have issues with transferring things into Gmail. There’s also a lightweight to do list in Gmail now. Just go to settings -> labs and activate the to do list.
3. Pat says:

   January 29, 2009 at 3:44 pm

   If you have your gmail message open, click and drag the favicon (little gmail logo beside the address of the message) and drop it in your things dialogue box. Way easier than copy and paste
4. More Gmail Features to Love: Send and Archive | says:

   February 9, 2009 at 3:34 pm

   [...] readers know that I’m a huge Gmail fan.  I’ve written about the way I used Things + Gmail to make life a little easier (the comments have some great tips too!), but a while back I requested [...]