Learning OmniFocus [updated]

February 1, 2011 · 17 comments

A few weeks ago, I decided it was time. Time to move into OmniFocus. I’m not taking this lightly, and I’m going to be writing more about why I’m making this move and where I’m coming from because, well, that’s just kinda what I do on this site.

But in the mean time, I thought it made sense to post what I’ve been reading from others so you can stand on their shoulders too.

I’m going to update this post as I trip across more useful OmniFocus nuggets. If you know of other articles not mentioned here, let me know in the comments or by email. I’ll add them, too.

Each item below is listed in no particular order. They’re all posted here for one simple reason: they’re really useful.

“Official” guides

OmniFocus 1.5 manual [PDF]
OmniFocus, GTD, and You [PDF] – a white paper by David Allen & Co.

Blog posts and articles

A Sledgehammer Called OmniFocus by Shawn Blanc
OmniFocus Tips – The Omniscient Start Date by David Sparks
OmniFocus Quick Tip: Using Start Dates by Ben Brooks
iPad OmniFocus Review by David Sparks
The OmniFocus “Switch” Button by David Sparks
OmniFocus: Why You Don’t Need All 3 Versions by Ben Brooks
4 Quick OmniFocus Tips by Ben Brooks
Added 2/9/2011: How to Use OmniFocus – Integrating Email by Kourosh Dini. Specifically, the part on linking tasks to Gmail messages using the message URL is simple and brilliant.
Added 2/21/2011: The Psychology of OmniFocus: How to Wrap your Head Around the Finest (and Most Perplexing) GTD App on the Market by Ryan Norbauer
Added 3/14/2011: Cleaning Out Gmail with Simplenote, Hazel, and Omnifocus by Darrel Girardier

Screencasts, podcasts, and eye/ear things

Omni Group’s OmniFocus tutorial videos
OmniFocus Basics by Don McAllister
Advanced OmniFocus & iPhone Client by Don McAllister
Task Management Smackdown – David Sparks and Katie Floyd discuss OmniFocus vs Things
Added 2/11/2011: Tricking-out Your OmniFocus Perspectives at Macworld 2011 with Merlin Mann
Added 2/12/2011: OmniFocus Ninja Tricks at Macworld 2011 with David Sparks
Added 2/21/2011: Staying organised with OmniFocus by Paul Boag
Added 4/10/2011: OmniFocus Ninja Tricks: Capture (part 1 of 3) with David Sparks
Added 4/22/2011: OmniFocus Ninja Tricks: Processing (part 2 of 3) with David Sparks
Added 5/24/2011: OmniFocus Ninja Tricks: The Rest (part 3 of 3) with David Sparks

OmniFocus extras

Added 4/25/2011: OmniFocus Themes
Added 4/25/2011: Solarized Theme for OmniFocus by Ben Brooks

Update: several folks wrote to recommend the book Creating Flow with OmniFocus and the gobs of links at UsingOmniFocus.com. If those don’t keep your Instapaper Read Later folder full for a while, I don’t know what will.

2/24/2011 Update: My review of Creating Flow with OmniFocus

Tagged as: gtd, ios, mac, omnifocus, productivity

{ 11 comments }

Steve February 1, 2011 at 1:31 pm

http://gtd-vsg.blogspot.com/2010/09/omnifocus-primer-presented-by-augusto.html

Sarn February 1, 2011 at 3:05 pm

I suggest that you have a look to “Creating Flow with Omnifocus”, an extensive if pricey e-book reviewed here : http://www.macstories.net/?p=12968.
This book goes far beyond a mere tutorial and explores all OF aspects.
Definitely worth the purchase. I will follow your own experimentations with great interest.
Cheers.

Lee February 1, 2011 at 7:00 pm

I second Sarn on Creating Flow. I just finished the ebook over the weekend. Though I’ve been using OF for about 3 years now, Koroush’s ebook gave me some valuable insights into my workflow (or lack thereof, ha!). I was able to implement 3 substantial ideas into my system that have helped me greatly over the past two months since I purchased it.

Yes, I hesitated on the purchase price too. However, after having gone through it now… well worth the price; and a good reference tool too.

Eddie February 1, 2011 at 8:32 pm

Steve and Sarn, thanks for those links.

David Sweeney February 5, 2011 at 9:51 am

Linda Sharps over on The Omni Group Blog has some easy to read intro posts.

Getting active with OmniFocus: first days
http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/Getting_active_with_OmniFocus_first_days

Getting active with OmniFocus: repeating tasks, due dates, start dates
http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/Getting_active_with_OmniFocus_repeating_tasks_due_dates_start_dates

Getting active with OmniFocus: perspectives and wrapup
http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/Getting_active_with_OmniFocus_perspectives_and_wrapup/

Getting active with OmniFocus: reviewing
http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/Getting_active_with_OmniFocus_reviewing

Eddie February 5, 2011 at 5:20 pm: Thanks, David. I’m creating an OmniFocus folder in Instapaper. I’m gonna need it.

Steve February 5, 2011 at 11:15 am

Is there anyway to share a “project” with an import/export function.

This way if someone has a good and working, Daily or Weekly review project setup with working, re-start project every friday 9am, then we can share?

David Sweeney February 5, 2011 at 10:23 pm

Another thing that seems easy to miss is the free, easy to use Omni Sync Service.
https://www.omnigroup.com/sync/
That keeps all my Macs and my ipod touch in sync.

AE Thanh April 18, 2011 at 1:12 pm

This page is a great resource. Great idea for setting it up Eddie.

My roommate Aaron just made a bunch of screencasts on advanced features of Omnifocus. You can find them here:

http://www.asianefficiency.com/task-management/advanced-omnifocus-functionality/

Hope this helps!

Andrew August 11, 2011 at 9:17 pm

The Gmail integration suggested by Dini left something to be desired. I found this bookmarklet solution to be far more elegant; no coding experience required, no extra apps, nothing.

http://people.omnigroup.com/kc/OmniFocus/SendToOmniFocusBookmarklet.html

I thought it didn’t work in Firefox, but it does! Both Chrome and Firefox handle the bookmarklet perfectly.

leslie August 18, 2011 at 7:23 pm