Kaitlin Salzke returns to share how her system evolved over 2 years, integrating OmniFocus with a physical task management system. She discusses limitations of human productivity and leveraging OmniFocus for work-life balance. Caitlin also explores adapting to challenges, prioritizing tasks, and the role of automation in their workflow.
Using physical task management system alongside OmniFocus can help manage overwhelming responsibilities and visually represent tasks in different stages of completion.
Accepting the limitations of human capacity and prioritizing important tasks are crucial for work-life balance and avoiding overwhelm.
Deep dives
Adapting OmniFocus for Different Work Environments
Caitlin discusses how her use of OmniFocus has evolved as she transitioned to a new role in local government. In her previous job, she used OmniFocus more for personal tasks, but now she deals with a wide range of responsibilities within a small local government. She found that trying to track everything in OmniFocus became overwhelming, so she has migrated to a physical system with a wall covered in post-it notes. She uses this wall to visually represent her tasks and projects, with sections for different stages of completion. She limits OmniFocus usage to actively working tasks and miscellaneous items, making sure to filter out tasks that she's waiting on someone else for or just overseeing.
Embracing the Limitations of Human Capacity
Caitlin highlights the importance of accepting the limitations of human capacity and the need to make conscious decisions about what tasks can and cannot be done. She mentions an impactful book she read, 'Four Thousand Weeks' by Oliver Burkeman, which emphasizes the impossibility of doing everything. This realization led her to defer pursuing a degree in computer science and focus on prioritizing tasks and projects that truly matter to her. She encourages others to acknowledge and be at peace with the fact that some tasks will not be done or not be done immediately.
Automation and Customization in OmniFocus
Caitlin shares her experiences with automation in OmniFocus, mentioning specific plugin developments she has been working on. She has created a plugin that tags projects as parallel, sequential, or single-action lists, which allows for customized filtering in perspectives. Additionally, she has set up automations to manage different folders and tags for work and personal tasks, eliminating the need for separate custom perspectives. Caitlin also discusses the benefits of the reordering feature in OmniFocus, which has greatly improved her ability to plan her days effectively. Lastly, she explores the use of the Forecast view and the development of automation shortcuts to integrate OmniFocus with her calendars.
Today, community member Kaitlin Salzke returns to the Omni Show to share how her system evolved over the last 2 years.
We learn how Kaitlin has integrated OmniFocus with a physical task management system. She shares insights on the limitations of human productivity and the innovative ways she leverages OmniFocus for work-life balance. Kaitlin's story is a testament to adaptability and clarity in the midst of life's constant changes.
Some other people, places, and things mentioned in this episode: