Skip to main content

Task System

Status: ✅ Complete
Last Updated: 2026-01-21

Overview​

Complete task management system with timeboxing, deferral, categories, and time tracking.

User Guide​

What are Tasks?​

Tasks are work items with timeboxes (maximum duration limits) that help you:

  • Plan realistically
  • Prevent overcommitment
  • Create urgency and focus
  • Track actual vs. planned time

Creating Tasks​

  1. From Today page - Click "Add Task" button
  2. Fill in details:
    • Title - What needs to be done
    • Timebox - Maximum duration in minutes (hard limit)
    • Category - Organize by domain (Work, Personal, Home, etc.)
    • Optional: Description, due date, assign to specific day

Timeboxing​

What is a timebox? A hard limit on how long a task should take.

Why timebox?

  • Prevents Parkinson's Law (work expands to fill time)
  • Forces realistic planning
  • Creates urgency and focus
  • Helps identify tasks that need breaking down

What happens if you exceed the timebox?

  • You must either:
    1. Defer the task (with required "next step" note)
    2. Break it into smaller tasks
    3. Accept it won't be completed today

Task Status Workflow​

Tasks move through three states:

  • Todo - Not started
  • Doing - In progress (time tracking active)
  • Done - Completed

Time Tracking​

How to track time:

  1. Start a task (click "Start" button)
  2. Work on the task
  3. Stop tracking when done (click "Stop" button)
  4. System calculates actual time vs. timebox

Benefits:

  • See how long tasks actually take
  • Identify tasks that consistently exceed timeboxes
  • Improve future planning accuracy

Task Deferral​

When to defer: When a task can't be completed today (exceeded timebox, not a priority, etc.)

Requirements:

  • Must provide a "next step" note - This prevents indefinite deferral
  • Forces clarity on what needs to happen next

How to defer:

  1. Click "Defer" on a task
  2. Enter the required "next step" note
  3. Task is moved to a future date or back to your task list

Task Categories​

Purpose: Organize tasks by domain (Work, Personal, Home, etc.)

How to use:

  • Create categories in Settings
  • Assign colors for visual distinction
  • Filter tasks by category
  • View analytics by category

Reusable Tasks (Perimeter Tasks)​

What are they? Tasks you create once and can select on any day.

How to use:

  • Create reusable tasks in your task list
  • Each morning, select 3-5 perimeter tasks for the day
  • These define your daily focus
  • Act as guardrails against scope creep

Rules:

  • Normal mode: 3-5 perimeter tasks required
  • Minimum mode: 2-3 perimeter tasks required

Implementation Details​

Core Features​

  • ✅ Task management UI (list view, create form, status workflow, deferral, categories, search/filter)
  • ✅ Timeboxing (TaskTimer component, time tracking, warnings/notifications, deferred task analytics)

Task Features​

  • ✅ Reusable tasks (create once, select on any day)
  • ✅ Timebox enforcement (maximum duration in minutes)
  • ✅ Task deferral with required "next step" note
  • ✅ Task categories (user-created categories with colors)
  • ✅ Time tracking (start/stop tracking, actual time calculation)
  • ✅ Task status workflow (todo → doing → done)

API Endpoints​

  • /api/tasks - Task CRUD
  • /api/tasks/analytics/completion - Task completion analytics
  • /api/tasks/analytics/productivity - Productivity analytics

Frontend Pages​

  • Task management integrated into Today page
  • Task Completion Analytics (/analytics/tasks/completion)
  • Productivity Analytics (/analytics/tasks/productivity)