Todoist is a flexible task manager that stays simple when you need it to, and scales when your workload grows. These tips will help you set it up fast, keep it tidy, and actually finish more.

Quick start in 5 minutes

1. Create one project for each area of life: Work, Personal, Home, Health, Errands.
2. Add tasks with Quick Add: press Q and type natural language like “Send proposal tomorrow 3pm p2 #Work @email”.
3. Star priorities: p1 for urgent, p2 for important, p3 for nice to do.
4. Add recurring tasks with natural language: “Review metrics every Monday 9am”.
5. Open Today and sort by priority, then time. Do the top three first.

Naming tasks that get done

• Start with a verb: “Draft Q3 outline” not “Q3 outline”.
• Include the outcome: “Email signed contract to Alex”.
• Add a tiny context hint: “Call dentist – ask for early morning slots”.

Projects, sections, and templates

• Projects hold the work. Use sections to show stages like Ideas, Doing, Waiting, Done.
• For repeatable work, save a project as a template and import it next time.
• Keep the list shallow. If you nest more than two levels of projects, you will hide tasks from yourself.

Labels that matter

Use labels for contexts that cut across projects:

• @deep for high-focus work
• @shallow for small chores
• @phone for calls and texts
• @errand for out-of-house items
• @10min for quick wins

Tip: limit yourself to 8 to 10 labels total so they stay meaningful.

Priority that actually guides your day

• p1: must be done today
• p2: important this week
• p3: optional or nice to have
• p4: default

Sort Today by priority, then tackle one p1 at a time.

Filters that give you superpowers

Filters let you create smart views. Try these:

• Overdue and today: overdue | today
• Important this week: 7 days & p1 | 7 days & p2
• Focus only: today & @deep
• No date tasks: no date
• Work sprint: today & #Work & !assigned to others
• Review queue: p2 & no time & 7 days

Pin your favorite filters to the sidebar for one click access.

Using Quick Add like a pro

Type one line and Todoist parses it:

• Dates and times: “fri 2pm”, “in 3 days”, “every last weekday”
• Project: #Work
• Section: >Doing
• Priority: p1
• Labels: @deep
• Assignee in shared projects: +Alex

Example: Draft launch email fri 10am p1 #Marketing >Writing @deep +Jamie.

Subtasks, checklists, and comments

• Use 3 to 7 subtasks to mark key steps, not every micro action.
• For lightweight checklists, put a list in the task description.
• Add files, links, or decisions in comments so the task is the single source of truth.

Scheduling that respects real life

• Use the Upcoming view weekly to place tasks on specific days.
• If a task is not truly day-specific, remove the due date and rely on filters or labels.
• For “start dates,” add a label like @waiting and a reminder for the day you want to begin, then remove @waiting when you start.

Calendar and time blocking

• Connect Todoist to Google Calendar or Outlook for two-way sync.
• Put p1 tasks into calendar blocks so your day has realistic capacity.
• Add alarms only for time-sensitive items to avoid alert fatigue.

Collaboration without chaos

• Share a project with your team, then assign tasks to owners.
• Use comments to ask questions and settle details so decisions live with the task.
• Create a “Team Inbox” project where anyone can dump requests, then triage weekly.

Keyboard shortcuts you will actually use

• Q: Quick Add
• A: New task in current view
• Ctrl or Cmd K: Quick Find
• Ctrl or Cmd 1..5: switch core views
• Ctrl or Cmd Shift A: assign task
• Ctrl or Cmd Shift P: set priority

Learn three this week, three next week.

Weekly review in 12 minutes

1. Inbox zero: file each item into a project or delete it.
2. Sweep overdue items: do, reschedule, or delete.
3. Check each project: is there a clear next action?
4. Look at labels: too many? prune a few.
5. Choose three p1 tasks for the next week that truly move the needle.

Example setups

GTD style

• Projects for outcomes, labels for contexts (@deep, @phone, @errand), Today shows only p1 and p2.

Eisenhower style

• Use priorities to map the matrix: p1 urgent important, p2 important not urgent, p3 urgent not important, p4 everything else. Review p2 daily.

PARA style

• Projects for active outcomes, Areas like Work or Health as parent folders, Resources as read-only lists, Archive for completed.

Routines that run themselves

Create recurring tasks for stability:

• Plan week every Sunday 5pm
• Review finances first business day monthly
• Back up laptop first Friday monthly
• Strength train Mon Wed Fri 6pm
• Call parents Saturday morning

Keep the cadence visible so important but non-urgent work happens.

Triage method for busy days

• Open Today
• Defer or delete anything that does not belong
• Star the top three p1 tasks
• Do one p1 to completion before touching anything else
• Batch 3 to 5 @shallow tasks in one sitting

Common pitfalls and easy fixes

• Too many projects: merge or archive. Aim for 6 to 10 active.
• Every task has a date: remove dates from non-essentials to reduce noise.
• Labels explosion: consolidate synonyms.
• Never-ending recurring tasks: add a clear definition of done in the task name.
• Forgetting attachments or decisions: put them in comments right away.

One week activation plan

• Day 1: Create core projects and add 20 tasks from your head.
• Day 2: Apply labels and priorities.
• Day 3: Build two filters you will use daily.
• Day 4: Connect your calendar and block two p1 tasks.
• Day 5: Share one project and assign two tasks.
• Day 6: Save a template for a repeatable workflow.
• Day 7: Do the weekly review and capture lessons.

Bottom line

Todoist shines when you keep it simple and let smart views do the heavy lifting. Name clear tasks, use a few powerful labels and filters, schedule only what must happen on a day, and review weekly. The result is a calm list, a realistic plan, and more work finished with less friction.