Maximizing Productivity: Integrating Drafts with Todoist
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Chapter 1: Understanding the Power of Drafts and Todoist
For users of Drafts and Todoist, the integration of these two applications can revolutionize your workflow.
As I continue to explore Drafts, I want to clarify that I’m not a programmer. My coding skills are virtually nonexistent, which leads me to seek out alternative methods for streamlining my processes.
One effective way to do this is through the use of Actions in Drafts. According to the Drafts website, Actions are commands that allow you to interact with other applications, manipulate text within drafts, and perform a variety of tasks. These Actions can range from simple text insertions to complex integrations with web services.
Most of the Actions I utilize are either pre-installed or sourced from the Drafts Directory— a resource where more tech-savvy individuals have created Actions tailored for specific needs. Although I’m not a coder, I can adapt existing Actions to suit my requirements, a privilege available to Drafts Pro users who have the ability to edit Actions.
Here are a few examples of Actions I frequently use:
- Submitting entries to my Day One journal
- Saving a Draft as a Google Doc
- Sending a tweet or Twitter thread
- Messaging through WhatsApp
One Action that I particularly desired was the capability to add tasks within a Draft and subsequently transfer them to Todoist.
Evernote previously allowed me to manage tasks within notes, where tasks could be added directly alongside relevant information. However, I discontinued my use of Evernote due to its increasing complexity and unwieldiness.
The Solution I Found
After some searching, I discovered an Action that fit my needs perfectly. Created by @joshbduncan, this Action is called "Send Markdown To-dos to Todoist" and can be found in the Drafts Directory.
How It Works:
- Add a checkbox. In Drafts, being a markdown editor, it appears as -[ ].
- Enter the task name, which is all that is necessary. When you run the Action, the task is sent straight to your Todoist Inbox.
To enhance the task with attributes, use two forward slashes (//) followed by any of the following: #project name, priority, due date, and @tags. You can even input dates in natural language, which Todoist interprets as if entered directly.
Repeat the process for each task as needed. The Action will process all entries.
After running the Action, the Draft will receive the Todoist tag, and vice versa, the "@" draft label will be applied in Todoist. You can choose to archive or delete the draft afterward, depending on whether you wish to retain the note.
This approach is especially useful during meetings, as it allows tasks to remain linked to the original Draft, preserving context for future reference.
In Todoist, each task appears as a link to the original Draft. While this link is ineffective if the draft is deleted, it otherwise provides a quick reference to the related context.
Furthermore, I mark tasks as complete within the Draft to prevent duplicates when running the Action again later. An example of a task entry would be:
- [ ] This is a new task //#project @label p3 tomorrow at 10am
The flexibility of adding tasks throughout a document means they don’t need to be grouped or positioned in a specific order.
Now, I can generate tasks in Todoist—where I manage my life—while retaining the complete context of the original note.
Enhancing Productivity
I continuously seek new ways to boost my productivity and efficiency, and this integration is yet another method to keep my day flowing smoothly.
Chapter 2: The Role of Drafts in Personal Organization
The first video titled "Ep 161 | Todoist & Drafts. A Match Made In Heaven!" explores the benefits of combining these two powerful tools to enhance productivity.
The second video, "Drafts 5: Tasks in Todoist Demo," provides a practical demonstration of how to effectively manage tasks using Drafts and Todoist together.
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