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# Orgmode - your life in plain text
Rainer König
[[!template id=vid src="https://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/emacsconf/2020/emacsconf-2020--09-orgmode-your-life-in-plain-text--rainer-koenig.webm"]]
[Download .webm video, 720p, 46M](https://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/emacsconf/2020/emacsconf-2020--09-orgmode-your-life-in-plain-text--rainer-koenig.webm)
In this talk I'll give you a quick overview of my Orgmode GTD
system. We start with capturing a small project, scheduling
the tasks, doing all and then archiving the finished tasks.
To stay on focus, every morning I build a plan for the day
with the 3 most important tasks first and then some other
stuff that should be done. In this way I avoid getting
pulled down by an endless agenda view that I can't finish on
that day anyway.
Background info: I'm using Orgmode for many years now, and I'm not
exaggerating if I tell you that it saved me from a nervous breakdown
when my wife got diagonosed with severe illness and I was suddenly in
charge of everything. Orgmode was there and reminded me of the
important things so nothing was forgotten and I could focus on what
really matters.
In 2016 I recorded a <a
href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVtKhBrRV_ZkPnBtt_TD1Cs9PJlU0IIdE">
set of tutorial videos </a> which are available
on my YouTube channel which gained more than 3600 subcribers because
of those tutorials.
In Summer 2020 I recorded the tutorials again for
a <a
href="https://www.udemy.com/course/getting-yourself-organized-with-org-mode/?referralCode=D0CB0D077ED5EC0788F7">
course at Udemy </a> which went online in October 2020 and is
supplemented by a 100+ pages course book.
For the Emacs Conference 2020 I created a coupon code EMACSCONF which is valid until December 2, 2020 11:58 AM PST, so you can get the course for the price of €9.99. You can use this code with <a href="https://www.udemy.com/course/getting-yourself-organized-with-org-mode/?couponCode=EMACSCONF">this link</a>. <!-- from the pad --->
- (End 2020-11-28T13.16.44)
# Questions: - Put your questions below, most recent on top:
## What's the advantage of copying tasks from the agenda to a separate daily plan, rather than just managing them directly within the agenda?
### Karl Voit here: I asked Rainer the very same question and his answer was that his agenda is full with tasks. Copying them (via keyboard shortcuts) to a manually curated daily list provides a condensed daily agenda showing only the tasks he is going to do (when the day goes as planned).
### I feel it can reduce some mental stress
### Yes, this is it, I want to decide in the morning (I can never do all what is in the agenda) and then I'm no longer overwhelmed by that long agenda.
- This may also be relevant: <https://github.com/alphapapa/org-now>
### OK thanks - but then why not just create custom agenda views for a) building the daily list and then b) just viewing the daily list without distractions? e.g. via org-super-agenda or org-ql?
- sometimes I also want to review my previous tasks I've done
- There is build-in org-agenda-log-mode (v l) to do this. One just need to make sure that the task state changes are actually logged (see \`(apropos "org-log-\*)\`).
- I suspect that could also be achieved via org-ql or similar but admit it's probably a more complex solution. Just naturally averse to anything which duplicates data and could lead to inconsistencies :)
- Exactly. It is just very easy to do it in such a format, but it can definitely be achieved by super-agenda/org-ql
## How long does it usually take you to manage/maintain your agenda on a daily basis?+2
### Five minutes a day.
### Extensively uses org-capture to get thoughts down and schedule things for later — gets things out of head and saves the task for later
### Weekly review to go through checklists — usually takes about half an hour
## What version of Emacs and of Org do you currently use?
### Emacs: 25.3.1
### Orgmode version: 9.1.5
## Do you keep Emacs open with you all day, or just when you need to add tasks or reference todos?
### It's open all the day. Two monitor setup, Emacs is always opened on one (usually the non-main one, apparently, but moved back to the main one if necessary).
## Where do your notes/tasks end up after you complete them (lurst asked that first on IRC)?
### In Archives (missed some details here, sorry)
## Do you use orgmode on a mobile device as well? If so how do you do it?
### On the road I have a real old fashioned paper notebook with a ballpoint pen ;-)
## How did you add the super fast typing?
### A) I learned touch typing at school around 45 years ago,
### B) kdenlive can accelerate video material. You need to mark it (cut it left and right) and then press SHIFT-CTRL and the Mouse to drag it, that adds the time lapse effect.
## Do you export your Org files or Agenda files for others?
### I once tried it at work, but it didn't work out. For me Org is a **personal** prodcutivity system and not a sort of groupware. Nevertheless, I have a ToDo keyword "DELEGATED" to monitor e.g. errands that I give to my kids.
## Do you use emacs for everything or just a few things like time management, programming, etc.?
### Emacs is my primary editor for shell scripts, LaTeX files, even Lilypond (remember that talk in the morning). I wrote all the LaTeX files for the book I prepared for my course in Emacs.
## Do you keep your project notes and backup information with the To Do items in your agenda or in separate files?
### The notes are all in the :LOGBOOK: drawer of each task. So I have a sort of "micro blog" there that clearly shows what happened with that task so far. I even see all the "RESCHEDULED on…" timestamps which helps me to identify the tasks I procrastinate. ;-)
### Not a question but thank you so much for your videos Rainer +1+1+1
- You're welcome. What started as a "I need to show Org to a few people" turned out helpful to a lot more than I ever expected. ;-)
- These videos helped me so much! Thank you!
# Notes
## Showcases org-capture, org-agenda, rescheduling from the agenda
## The idea of "The 3 most important tasks" is important to make a clear target on day to day basis
## Just in case Rainer is not checking the IRC: lots of compliments! Also for your courses (on youtube)!!
## How Org Mode Saved My Life - Programmer Interview With Rainer König On Emacs Org Mode
### <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_DYO0_eJ6A>
### <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPKhS-QDn7c&t=1332s>
## UDEMY Course URL: <https://www.udemy.com/course/getting-yourself-organized-with-org-mode/?referralCode=D0CB0D077ED5EC0788F7>
## Very interesting thing to know: Rainer is not using a substantial customized setup. It's rather out-of-the-box only.
## Org-mode tutorial YouTube playlist: <https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVtKhBrRV_ZkPnBtt_TD1Cs9PJlU0IIdE>
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