Tested and Approved To Do List Apps #3: Wunderlist
At 247meeting, we are always looking for new ways of improving our processes to spend less time on menial chores and more time on what’s worth actually it. We also need to keep track of all those ideas that cross our busy minds.
I don’t think we are the only ones in this situation, that’s why we decided to share our tests of To Do List Apps with you. I hope it will help you find the tool that best answers your needs.
Today, Alexandra Guimaraes, our Marketing Manager, shares Wunderlist, her favourite To Do List that she keeps pronouncing Vunderlist because she once took German classes.
Can you tell us a little bit about your workflow and the kinds of tasks that you need to track?
I am a Marketing Manager, so my job implies a creative side as well as some project management. For the creative part, I need to keep track of content ideas, images, visuals, but also industry articles, new marketing insights, white papers…
For the project management part, I need to follow strictly every step of our projects with different team members; I need to share quickly the Google documents I am working on and must ensure that every task is delivered on the due date while keeping my primary goal in mind.
What were your first impressions of this app?
My first impression was “What’s the fuss all about?! It’s a simple To Do list.”
Did those first impressions change as you used the app?
Yes and no. It IS a simple To Do list app, but that’s what makes it brilliant. It is simple and straightforward; I list whatever crosses my mind, whenever it comes and set as many due dates and reminders as I like to make sure I’ll stick to it.
What were the app’s strengths?
It integrates with your Calendar Feed (iCal, GCal or Outlook) which helps me visualise what I have to do per day or week.
Did you ever get into that situation where you need to deliver something for the next day, and you discover at the last minute that you have so many meetings you will never be able to finish on time? It won’t happen anymore. With every task, meeting or conference combined in a single place, I have a better idea of my workload.
The app also allows you to forward emails to a specific email address, and add them automatically to your to-do list.
The desktop web app enables you to organise your tasks, move them from a list to another, share a task with someone, etc. I would also recommend the Chrome Extension for your desktop browser. When I check our Social Media feeds, I can’t help but notice interesting articles. I used to open them in new tabs to read them later in the day, but of course, I never got a chance to read all those I wanted. So now, I click on Wunderlist Extension button on my browser and the article is saved on my “To read” list for my commuting time.
What were the app’s weaknesses?
For professional use, the mobile app won’t be enough. You’ll need to pair it with the Desktop app. There are no due dates for subtasks, only for the primary task which is a shame when you’re working on a project. Everyone knows that the base of productivity is cutting your big tasks into smaller chunks.
Is the app similar or dissimilar to other To Do List apps you have tried (if any) for the same purpose? Is there anything that makes it stand out?
It is similar to Google Tasks in its simplicity, but only better as Google Tasks doesn’t work with Google Calendar app (which is a shame in my humble opinion) and I need everything to be compatible with my Gcal. I am obsessed with my Google Calendar.
I use Evernote a lot (and love it!) to write on deeper ideas, impressions or to keep notes on books and conferences. Evernote has a checklist option where you can list every thought you have in mind, but it is not as straightforward as Wunderlist in that aspect.
Would you recommend this app to a colleague?
Yes, but it wouldn’t be my first choice for professional use. For personal use though, it is ab-so-lu-te-ly brilliant. During the test period, I was moving into a new apartment; I had a wedding to attend and some special things to do as a close friend of the bride. Wunderlist helped me a lot in not forgetting any of my tasks while getting things done on time. It has now been a year since I started using it, and I still use it for my grocery shopping, administrative chores, reading list, watching list…
Will you be using the app going forward?
A big Yes, but not for work.
Rating out of 5:
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