How Google Tasks could win the Todo List market

Throughout my 20s, I got really into productivity.

I read anything I could find on the topic (e.g. Getting Things Done by David Allen), tried every “Todo” app I could download (R.I.P. Tadalist), and experimented with non-digital formats (Bullet Journal).

I tried scheduling every minute of my day using Google Calendar. I even tried throwing out productivity altogether with a “Year of No Goals” (that lasted about 12 days).

Throughout this decade of experimentation, I kept revisiting one tool, expecting it would become a core tool in my productivity toolbox: Google Tasks.

Google Tasks — it’s looked like this for a long time.

It just seemed sensible that Google would make Tasks a first-class citizen in their ecosystem. Gmail, Calendar, Docs are integrated— why not have a place to record tasks and todos?

So I kept waiting. And waiting. Nothing happened. I sketched ideas for my own todo list tools, but never built them — I figured a revised Google Tasks would launch soon, rendering my tools obsolete.

But years have past, and Google hasn’t launched a new Tasks. So I decided I’d put my thoughts together.

Step 1: Update the look & feel

Here’s what Google Tasks currently looks like. The core features are all built, but it’s style is Original Google.

What the Google Tasks app currently looks like. It makes me feel claustrophobic.

With some CSS updates according to Material Guidelines, Tasks could look fresh and inviting.

Screenshot from “Better Google Tasks” Chrome Extension. Sadly, this extension doesn’t seem to work anymore.

Step 2: Integrate Google Tasks into the Google Ecosystem

You may already know that Google Tasks is accessible from within Gmail. However, I wouldn’t call it “integrated” — it’s really just an add-on.

Google Tasks integrated into Gmail. Kind of.

But with a few changes, Tasks could get a promotion…

A quick mockup of what it could be…

How to fully integrate Google Tasks within Gmail:

1. Make Google Tasks easier to find: A pull-tab on the right side of the page would be great.
2. Make Tasks a full right-side panel: Give Tasks 20–30% width of the screen — and provide a slider to expand the Tasks panel up to 50%.
3. Let users drag emails into Tasks: When I drag an email into the Tasks panel, a task item should be created on the list.
4. Inversely, let users drag Tasks into emails: When I drag a task into an email, a public link should be generated for that task — and that link should be pasted into the email (maybe as a nice HTML widget).

Step 3: Integrate/polish within the other apps (Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Home, Assistant, Play)

Google Tasks is integrated into Calendar (if you can find it). But, why can’t I drag and drop tasks onto my calendar?

Google Calendar: Google Tasks is already integrated into Calendar (if you can find it). When I drag a task onto the Calendar, the app should create an event for that task. Additionally, I should be able to create tasks related to calendar appointment (the task should have a quick link to that calendar appointment).

Sheets: Suppose I need to review the values entered in a few cell entries; I should be able to create Tasks connected/related to cells in a Google Sheet.

Docs: Similarly to Sheets, I should be able to create a task related to a specific paragraph or comment.

Home: I should be able to create Tasks just by asking Google Home.

Assistant: Similarly to Home, I should be able to talk into my phone to create Tasks.

Google Play: In the entertainment realm, why not let me add movies to my “Watch” list?

Step 4: Browser Extension and Possible API

We don’t have to stop at Google’s apps. Third party websites/apps should work with Google Tasks. A Tasks browser extension (or a deep integration in Google Chrome) could let users open the Tasks pane anywhere. For example:

• Github: Let me drag a Github PR link into Tasks.
• Medium: Let me drag a Medium story into my “To Read” Tasks list.
• Twitter: Let me drag a Tweet into my “Moonshot Ideas” Tasks list.

Step 5: Mobile Apps (including additions to Mobile Gmail, Mobile Calendar, etc).

After users get a taste for this new task manager, there’s no doubt they will want to take their tasks mobile— so they can cross them off their lists and feel good about themselves.

Besides a dedicated Tasks app (allowing a user to see his/her tasks), it seems ideal to let other mobile apps create tasks. For example:

• Mobile Gmail: Let the user one-tap to create a task from an email.
• Other apps: Let me “Export” something as a task.

Beyond: Back to the basics with SMS. Back to the future with a dedicated device.

One thing I discovered while building a side project (10ideas.top) is that SMS is a useful tool for quick thoughts/ideas when you’re on the go. Why not incorporate SMS as a way to record Tasks on the go?

And lastly: At home, my wife and I use a combination of a chalkboard, a whiteboard, and post-it notes to record family tasks. Many times, I’d like to add tasks while I’m away from the house. Suppose Google created electronic versions of these boards (and then connected them to Google Tasks)?

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That’s it for now. I know this is a sizable amount of work, but I think there’s benefit to Google here — at least enough benefit to explore a little further.