On Sunday morning, February 23, we performed scheduled maintenance on our servers. Some of you may have noticed a slight slowdown in synchronization for a few minutes during this time.

As a result of this maintenance, we have increased server bandwidth and enhanced our backup system. These improvements are part of our ongoing efforts to optimize cloud performance and prepare for the upcoming web version of MyLifeOrganized.

Thank you for your patience and support as we continue to enhance our services.

The MLO Team

You've been asking us for a web app and API for integration for many years, and we’re finally ready to share some good news — we’re working on a web version of MyLifeOrganized!

We understand how important it is for you to have the ability to work with MyLifeOrganized anywhere and from any device, and we’re committed to providing you with this tool. Creating a web version is a significant step forward in the development of our app, and now, thanks to modern technologies, we can move in this direction more effectively.

What’s been already done

After thorough research and testing of different approaches and technologies, we’ve been actively working on this project for several months now. As a first step, we migrated to a more modern platform for cloud synchronization. You may have already noticed that cloud sync has become faster and more stable. This improvement is the result of extensive ‘under the hood’ preparation necessary for launching the future web version.

What we aim to create

Our goal is not just to develop a web app that depends on an internet connection but to deliver a fully-fledged modern tool that allows you to work with MyLifeOrganized anytime and anywhere. We’ll share more details about this as the development progresses.

 

Challenges we’re tackling

Developing the web version comes with a set of significant challenges:

• Balancing customization and performance. We know our apps are renowned for their speed, flexibility, and customization. However, web technologies come with certain limitations, and we’re working to find the best balance.
• Task tree control. This is a core component of MyLifeOrganized that allows you to manage thousands of tasks quickly and efficiently. Achieving the same performance and capability in a web application is a complex task.
• Data privacy. We understand that many users are cautious about storing personal information in the cloud. We're committed to ensuring the highest levels of privacy and security.

We’re not ready to announce exact release dates for the first version yet, as the development process involves tackling many nuanced challenges. However, we are making progress and wanted to share this exciting news with you now.

Join our Beta Testing Team

We plan to conduct a closed beta testing for the web version. If you’d like to participate and help us make the app even better, please fill in the form:

Join MLO Beta

And of course, we'll continue to improve our native apps so you can choose the interface that works best for you when using MyLifeOrganized.

Thank you for your continued support! Your encouragement inspires us to keep going. We'll make sure to keep you updated with all the latest news.

The MyLifeOrganized team

Try some handy updates in our latest minor release for the MLO task management app for Android. These improvements are based on your feedback — thank you for sharing your thoughts! Here's what's new:

Edit Contexts directly with a long press

Editing context details while assigning it to a task got easier. Previously, updating a context required navigating to the "Contexts & Locations" screen after assigning it, which meant several extra steps. Now, simply long-press on the context in the list, and the edit screen will open. This lets you rename, adjust location details, or make other changes right on the spot.

 

Note: Deleting contexts remains available only from the main 'Contexts & Locations' screen (Main Menu > Contexts & Locations > 3-dot button > Select > choose contexts to delete).

Multiselect Toolbar now includes Contexts action

If contexts play a key role in your workflow and you often edit them in bulk for multiple tasks, see how you can configure your multiselect toolbar to show the “Contexts” option:

As you can see, it makes your path much shorter: 3-dot button > Multiselect > Select tasks > Contexts icon.

Note: The video above shows how you can open Multiselect Toolbar configuration with a long-tap. Alternatively, you can go to settings to configure Multiselect Toolbar. Go to Settings > General Settings > Toolbar menu configuration. 

 

Enhanced Multi Edit Contexts

Editing contexts for multiple tasks simultaneously now offers more flexibility, including the ability to clear all contexts from selected tasks.

 

In the Multi Edit Contexts screen, you’ll notice the options All / None allow you to easily clear or set all contexts.

Also, you'll see that a checkbox now has three states:

• Empty checkbox: None of the selected tasks have a context.
• Green checkmark: All selected tasks share the context.
• Grey dash: The selected tasks have different contexts.

 

Additional Benefit: When selecting multiple tasks with different contexts, you can check a new context, and it will be applied to all selected tasks in addition to their existing contexts—without replacing them.

Widget Improvement: Remembering the Last Parent Task

When adding a task via the MLO widget, it now remembers the last parent task you used. This way, if you frequently add new tasks to a specific folder (rather than Inbox), you no longer have to reselect it each time.

 

Note: You can also create multiple widgets: in one widget add tasks to one folder, in another widget add tasks to another folder. Each widget will remember the corresponding specific folder you used.

 

Voice Parsing Enhancement: Added importance, urgency, and effort

You can now include importance, urgency, and effort levels in tasks via voice commands. For example, you can say:

 

“Follow up with Tom on the new price list, importance 5, urgency 4, effort 1.”

 

MLO will automatically parse the input into task properties:

Note: You can use the voice input parsing functionality in Google Assistant widget, MLO widget/shortcut, or Actions in notifications. Here you can learn more about all possible ways of adding tasks by text or voice.

 

Search Panel Toggle

You can now add a toggle to always display the search panel in the main menu, making navigation faster. You can turn it ON in the main menu > Settings > General settings > Main menu settings > Always show search panel.

And more

• Added font underline color. You can find this option if you open the task properties > Formatting. 
• Bug Fix: Context groups are now sorted alphabetically, ignoring case.
• Bug Fix: Resolved issues with multiselect functionality on tablets.

We hope these updates make your workflow more efficient and enjoyable. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us enhance your favorite to-do app, so don’t hesitate to share your thoughts! You can reach out to us via email or leave a review on the Google Play Store. As a token of our appreciation, we’re offering a 1-mo free Cloud for your first review.

Have you ever noticed an asterisk (*) before the name of a view in the desktop version of MylifeOrganized? This small symbol serves as a helpful indicator that your current view has been modified but not yet saved.

When the asterisk appears

For example, you might open the built-in "Starred" view, and customize it to fit your needs: hide completed tasks, apply sorting or set other filters. These adjustments change the view from its original state, and the asterisk signals that you're now looking at a modified version of the base view.

Retained in the workspace, but not saved in the view

It’s worth noting that unsaved changes are retained within the workspace (tab) where you're working. "Retained" in this case means that even if you close MyLifeOrganized or your computer, the changes will still be there when you reopen the app. This feature is especially useful for experimenting with different view configurations without committing to permanent changes.

However, the changes are still not saved for the view, and if you close the current workspace, the customization will be lost. In other words, if you're satisfied with the changes you've made, you can save it as a new view under a unique name. And if you want multiple versions you should save them all, with slightly different but meaningful names.

Note. If you are in a workspace that contains retained unsaved changes and you hit the [+] tab to create a new workspace, the new workspace will inherit the retained unsaved changes from the workspace you came from.

Saving your view

To save your custom view, click "Save View As..." at the bottom of the "Filter" panel. You can then give the view a unique name for easy identification. After saving, the asterisk will disappear.

 

Once the view is saved, it will be added to the list of views and you will be able to open it in your tabs.

Note. MLO has several built-in views that cannot be saved under the same name after modification. You must enter another unique name for the new view.

Discarding Changes

On the other hand, there may be times when you don’t want to keep the changes.

 

A common scenario: you notice that your view isn’t displaying tasks as expected. This could be because you accidentally applied filters or made other modifications and forgot about them. The asterisk in this case is a useful indicator, showing that the view you're seeing has been altered.

 

If you've made changes that you don't want to keep, you can easily discard them. Simply click the "Discard Changes" link at the bottom of the "Filter" panel. This will revert the view to its last saved state.

 

Tip. Here you can learn more about the difference between view and tab in MLO.

Discover (or re-discover again?) the power of the classic, time-tested Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology with MyLifeOrganized. As one of our users, Mihail, recently shared:

 

To help you integrate GTD principles with MLO’s powerful features, we’ve created an easy-to-follow guide outlining the 5-stage process. To make it even easier, we've included a ready-to-use template that helps you set up a trusted system quickly. Just open the template, customize it to fit your unique needs, and create a reliable framework for managing your tasks — so you can focus on what truly matters.

Open the guide

Tip: Looking to connect with other MLO-GTD enthusiasts? Check out the discussion on our forum for valuable insights and sharing experiences.

 

If your workflow requires managing identical actions across multiple projects, you've likely pondered the optimal way to organize them within the MyLifeOrganized to-do app. In this article, we've gathered key approaches to task organization based on insights from forums and your valuable feedback.

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, you can choose the method that best aligns with your accustomed workflow.

Scenario

Example: Onboarding New Employees.

Imagine an HR professional onboarding 10 new employees. While specific roles might have variations, most onboarding tasks are similar. Here's a sample project structure:

Project: Onboarding <Name>
Subtasks:

• Send a welcome email
• Schedule orientation session
• Prepare onboarding documents
• Assign a mentor
• Set up a new employee's computer
• Provide onboarding training
• Conduct a follow-up meeting
• ... and so on

Solutions

Option 1. Create 10 projects and duplicate subtasks in each of them.

Tip: Instead of regular duplication, use the "Create from template." feature. It adjusts task dates dynamically, maintaining scheduled intervals.

Pros: 

• Manage each project separately.
• Simple workflow without additional complexity.
• Track progress per person (enable 'Project completion' column).
  

 

Tip: Sequential task execution? Enable 'Subtasks in order' to keep your To-Do list concise.

Cons:

• If the overall work structure changes, the updates should be made in all 10 projects.
• Some tasks are performed in a bunch for several projects at once, and it is necessary to mark tasks completed in 10 different projects.

Tip: To see the task for all projects at once, use the text filter. As a result, all projects that have this task will be displayed (because the task names are the same for all projects).

 

• The views don't exactly display tasks nicely ('Send a welcome email' - who does it belong to?).

Tip:This can be solved by enabling project display in the settings:
On desktop: Tools > options > To-Do List format > Encode project name.
On mobile: Settings >Appearance >Props line > Date+Project.

Option 2: Create a list of actions with each person's name as subtasks.

Pros:

• Efficient batch processing. You can complete a task for all employees simultaneously if your workflow allows it.

Cons:

• Managing a large volume of tasks may lead to clutter within the list.
• There are still issues like displaying tasks in views without a parent.

Tip: Consider turning tasks into projects. This will let you see which task a person belongs to (as mentioned above).

• You can't see the progress of an individual employee.

 

 

Option 3. Create task list with contexts as employee names

How it works: 

When a task for a person is completed, remove their corresponding context.

Tip: Use the keyboard shortcut "Alt + L" to quickly check or uncheck multiple contexts (employees) at once.

Complete tasks when they no longer have any assigned contexts.

Pros:

• Flexible task structure adaptable to changing needs.
• Allows easy filtering of tasks by person using contexts.
• Batch actions for multiple employees.
• The “Active by Context” view provides a clear overview of remaining tasks for each person.

Cons:

• Removing contexts may be less intuitive compared to ticking checkboxes in standard checklists, requiring frequent context and filter adjustments.
• May not visually represent the onboarding process flow.

Option 4. Use contexts as an action.

How it Works:

• Create separate projects for each person being onboarded.
• Define contexts as the different stages of the onboarding process
• Assign relevant contexts to each onboarding task.
  
  

Contexts in this setup represent the current action required for the person. In the "Active by Context" view, you can drag and drop tasks between different actions.

Tip: Put a number before each context (e.g., '1. Send a welcome email', '2. Schedule orientation session') to have them sorted as expected.


Alternative Option: Contexts as a Checklist

You may also like to use contexts like a checklist:

1. Assign all onboarding task-related contexts to each employee project.
2. Use the keyboard shortcut "Alt + L" to quickly check or uncheck multiple contexts (task stages) for an employee.
3. Unchecked contexts represent completed tasks, while checked contexts indicate what's left to do.
4. When a new onboarding task arises, create a new context and assign it to all relevant employee projects.

Tip: Assign the same hotkey to all onboarding-related contexts to create a compact mini-list of contexts to choose from (see the screenshot below).

 

In the task note, you can add registration data, and other relevant information, keeping everything at hand.

Pros:

• Batch actions for multiple employees.
• Easy to filter tasks. The "Active by Context" view shows which tasks remain for each person.
• Flexible Workflow: Easily add, update, or remove contexts (stages) as your onboarding process evolves.
• Contexts allow you to add notes, set open/closed hours, and include them in groups.

Tip: Here you can learn more about contexts.

Cons:

• It may be unusual and uncomfortable to work with contexts and filters instead of ticking task checkboxes.
• Not suitable for managing dependencies between tasks.

Summary

We've explored four methods for organizing projects with similar tasks in MLO. Probably, most of our users prefer the first solution due to its simplicity and clear separation, allowing for straightforward progress tracking per project. However, it does require more maintenance when structural changes occur. On the other hand, the fourth solution is good for advanced users who are comfortable with contexts and filters. This method offers flexibility and efficiency by enabling batch actions and easy adaptation to evolving workflows.

We hope these methods help you find the best way to organize your tasks in MLO. Share your experiences and let us know what works best for you!