Chapter 6: TODO Items and Workflow - Getting Things Done (Your Way)

Add TODO before any heading text:

#+begin_example

#+end_example

That’s it. The heading is now a task.

Press C-c C-t (Control-c Control-t) on a TODO item to cycle its state:

TODO → DONE → (no keyword)

Press it again:

(no keyword) → TODO → DONE → (no keyword)

Marking something DONE feels unreasonably satisfying. Try it.

Binary TODO/DONE is limiting. Real workflows have intermediate states. Configure custom keywords:

(setq org-todo-keywords
      '((sequence "TODO(t)" "IN-PROGRESS(i)" "WAITING(w)" "|" "DONE(d)" "CANCELLED(c)")))

The | separates “not done” from “done” states. Now your workflow becomes:

#+begin_example

#+end_example

C-c C-t cycles through all states. The letter in parentheses (like (t)) is a quick-access key: C-c C-t t jumps directly to TODO.

Remember checkboxes from Chapter 3?

#+begin_example

• [ ] Book venue
• [ ] Send invitations
• [ ] Order cake
• [ ] Buy decorations

#+end_example

When to use checkboxes:

• Sub-tasks that aren’t important enough for individual TODO items
• Steps that won’t appear in agenda views
• Quick lists within a larger task

When to use TODO items:

• Tasks you want in your agenda
• Items you’ll track separately
• Tasks with their own deadlines or schedules

Checkboxes are lightweight. TODO items are full-featured. Choose appropriately.

Not all TODOs are equal. Add priorities:

#+begin_example

#+end_example

Set priority with C-c , (Control-c comma):

• Type a for priority A (highest)
• Type b for priority B
• Type c for priority C (lowest)
• SPC to remove priority

Priorities affect agenda view sorting (Chapter 8). Your critical items rise to the top.

Want to know when something changed state? Add this to your config:

(setq org-log-done 'time)  ; Log timestamp when marking DONE

Now when you mark something DONE:

#+begin_example

#+end_example

For more detail:

(setq org-log-done 'note)  ; Prompt for a note when marking DONE

You’ll get:

#+begin_example

• Note taken on [2025-01-15 Wed 14:32]
  Fixed by updating token validation logic

#+end_example

Track your progress. Future you will wonder “when did I complete this?” Now you’ll know.

#+end_example

This is project management gold.

Tasks need timeframes:

#+begin_example

#+end_example

Add deadlines with C-c C-d, schedules with C-c C-s. Both pop up a calendar interface.

DEADLINE - When something must be done. Org starts warning you in advance (default: 14 days).

SCHEDULED - When you plan to work on something. It appears in your agenda on that date.

DEADLINE: <2025-01-15 Wed> #+end_example

Translation: “I plan to start working on this Wednesday, but it must be done by Monday.”

In your agenda, this appears on the 10th (to remind you to start) and gets increasingly insistent as the 15th approaches.

#+end_example

Repeating intervals:

• +1w - Every week (if you mark it done late, next date calculates from original date)
• .+1w - Every week from completion date (if done late, next date is 1 week from whenever you complete it)
• ++1w - Every week, but never shows past dates (won’t accumulate missed instances)

Mark a repeating task DONE, and Org automatically creates the next instance. Your recurring tasks manage themselves.

How long will a task take?

#+begin_example

#+end_example

That’s 2 hours, 30 minutes. Use C-c C-x e to set effort.

Configure standard effort values:

(setq org-global-properties
      '(("Effort_ALL" . "0:15 0:30 1:00 2:00 4:00 8:00")))

Now C-c C-x e offers completion from predefined values.

Why track effort? Because agenda views can show your task load, help plan your day, and warn when you’re overcommitted (Chapter 8).

Some tasks can’t start until others finish. The built-in approach uses the :ORDERED: property on a parent heading:

#+begin_example

Tasks can contain subtasks:

#+begin_example

Massive tasks paralyze. Break them down:

#+begin_example

As tasks evolve, they need to move. Press C-c C-w to refile a heading:

1. C-c C-w prompts for target location
2. Type to search for headings (with completion)
3. Select destination
4. Task moves, preserving metadata and subtasks

Configure refile targets:

(setq org-refile-targets
      '((org-agenda-files :maxlevel . 3)
        (nil :maxlevel . 3)))

This allows refiling to any heading (up to level 3) in your agenda files or current file.

Refiling keeps your system organized without manual cut-paste operations.

Properties can inherit from parent headings:

#+begin_example

Finished tasks clutter your files. Archive them:

#+begin_example

#+end_example

Press C-c C-x C-a to archive. The task moves to an archive file (default: filename_archive.org), leaving your main file clean.

Configure archive location:

(setq org-archive-location "~/org/archive.org::* From %s")

The %s expands to the source filename. Your archive maintains context.

For one-off archive locations:

#+begin_example

#+end_example

Archiving isn’t deletion—it’s organized storage of historical data.

1. Create a TODO list with at least 10 tasks
2. Set different priorities on tasks
3. Add deadlines to at least 3 tasks
4. Add scheduled dates to at least 2 tasks
5. Create a task hierarchy with parent/child TODOs
6. Try different TODO states (configure custom keywords if you’re feeling brave)
7. Create at least one repeating task
8. Practice refiling tasks between headings

Most task management apps force you into their workflow. Org-Mode provides primitives—TODO states, timestamps, properties—and lets you compose your own system.

Want GTD? Build it. Prefer Kanban? Configure it. Invented your own methodology? Implement it.

The best TODO system is the one you’ll actually use. Org-Mode gets out of your way and lets you work.

TODO items tell you what to do. Tags and properties tell you how to categorize, search, and filter. They’re the metadata layer that transforms task lists into a queryable knowledge base. Let’s dive in.