5 Best Online To-Do Lists

By Linsey Knerl (from Wise Bread) on November 8, 2010

While I still have those days where I write all of my important tasks on the back of an envelope or on my refrigerator white board, my most solid planning is done with a more technological flavor. Whether I'm at my desk, checking up on things with my iPhone, or utilizing cloud applications from a friend's PC, the options for managing a busy to-do list and getting things done are almost endless. Here are my preferred methods to the madness:

remember the milk.png Remember the Milk
One of the most popular (and simple) task-management resources is the cleverly-named Remember the Milk site and mobile application. In addition to giving users a simple way to list tasks and prioritize those that needed done yesterday, there are several options for reminding yourself of their deadlines, including the choice to send yourself a text message or email so that they don't slip your memory. Not online at the moment? The super-intuitive offline technology lets you sync up to your Google calendar when you have wifi, but won't penalize you when you're in a spotty service area.

Price: Free for most functions, $25 a year for pro features

Ta-Da List
Sometimes, it's necessary to skip the bells and whistles, and just start doing! The genius behind Ta-Da List is in its simplicity. Finish a task, and check it off (now doesn't that feel good?) Share your list with friends and family, so your spouse will believe you when you tell him or her that you "don't have the time" for that extra project. Since the features are all free, you can find the service to be rather addicting (creating lists for vacation hot spots, what MP3 albums you want to download, and the different kinds of drinks for your next party menu, for example.) Even more habit-forming is reading other's lists, which can be made public and shared via the public page.

Price: Free

Todoist
With a plain-jane interface and the ability to work in teams (see the plural version, Wedoist), this application is perfect for those wanting a bit more assurance that their lists are indeed private. While I'm not sure how super-secret your lists of tasks can get (Valentine's Day gift suggestions, maybe?), SSL encryption and daily backups come standard with Todoist's free service. While it boasts many of the same integration tools that the others offer (Google syncing, for example), it's the hierarchy options that are most appealing. Assigning levels of priority to all your to-do's are not only highly effective, they just make you feel more in control!

Price: Free

TeuxDeux
Another simple-is-better style of application, TeuxDeux has won the praises of such sites as Unclutter.com for its elegant visual effects and dummy-proof practicality. With a calendar view that features Monday-Sunday's tasks at a glance, it's easy to help prioritize and conceptualize how each chore will affect your week. Perhaps the best feature is the hopeful-thinking "someday bucket," which cleverly stores all those tasks you want to get around to, but don't need cluttering up the "have to" list. This service is poetry for the multitasked!

Price: Free

Excel, OpenOffice, or Google Docs Spreadsheet
It doesn't have the flash and flavor of more specialized applications, but Excel (or your typical free version of spreadsheet) is in it for its ability to be whatever type of checklist you need it to be! With the ability to sort your lists by deadline, level of difficulty, or any other data field you assign to each task, it's truly an option that crosses all skill and design preferences and gets down to business. While you probably won't find too many die-hard spreadsheet fans Tweeting its list-making praises, they are out there (and they love what the average data field has done for their very busy lives!)

Price: Free

Whether you need a reliable solution to tracking duties at work, need to remember that bread is on sale, or just like to make lists for your comedy DVD collection, it's more about consistency than the actual tool of your choosing. Be realistic about what you can get done in a day, and leave some time for yourself. You deserve it!

[Top image credit: iStockphoto]