Getting stuff done — that is, getting ALL your stuff done, and on time — is something we all struggle with, even with the bevy of productivity tools available to us on web and mobile platforms. And sometimes, having a long list of things to do seems more like a hurdle than a solution — which is perhaps why Brussels-based designer-developer Vincenzo Ruggiero decided to build an app that focuses on helping you clear your task list rather than fill it up, and it’s called Postpone.
Postpone is a new to-do list app that lets you schedule tasks for when you actually need to do them, instead of creating long lists that become impossible to tackle. Sporting a clean interface, a simple workflow and some neat collaboration features, Postpone is suitable for users who are new to productivity tools as well as those looking for a new way to wrangle their to-dos – but just how helpful is this app when it comes to actually getting things done? Let’s take a closer look and find out.
Overview
Postpone is a web-based to-do app that eschews the usual boatload of features to make room for a simple interface that lets you focus on only the imporant tasks that you need to tackle immediately. Users can sign up for free and get access to all its features and up to six workspaces (or projects). Postpone’s mobile app is still in the works, which means it’s currently web-only.
Postpone features a simple, clean and easy to use interface
Getting started
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be taken through a quick tour of what Postpone has to offer: there are three ‘boxes’ for your tasks. The Task Box is where you enter your to-do items, and it’s where tasks that need attention will show up. If you’ve got a task that you can deal with later, you can postpone it; doing so will push the task into the Snooze Box. Finally, completed tasks go into the Done Box. By keeping only time-critical tasks in view, Postpone lets you focus on what you need to do now, and get through them without worrying about your other tasks that you can tackle in the future.
Postpone’s Task Box lists to-do items that need your immediate attention
The interface
Postpone has a clutter-free interface with minimal buttons and thingamajigs, which is in keeping with the approach the app wants users to take. When you first login to the app, you’ll be shown your Unified Task Box, which shows you all your to-dos in a single list. You can create ‘workspaces’ which are essentially separate lists that you can name and invite collaborators to share with. Postpone lets you create up to three workspaces for free, and three more if you connect your Facebook and Twitter acccounts, and tweet about the app.
You can add to-do items by simply entering them in your workspaces, and you can either mark them as done by clicking the check mark button or schedule it for later by clicking the hourglass button — doing so brings up a window where you can choose from preset options like ‘In 2 Hours’, ‘This Evening’ and ‘Next Week’, or enter a day and time, natural language style (2pm tomorrow, for example). You can also add tasks by sending an email to a special address tied to your account. Scheduling not only displays your tasks at the appropriate time but also has Postpone email you with notifications.
Schedule tasks for later using preset options or natural language
Collaborating with Postpone
If you’re working on a project in a team or just want a friend to help you with a few tasks, you can share a workspace with others by sending them an email invite from within the app. Once they’re logged in, your collaborators can add/edit and schedule tasks, and your workspaces will be synced together. While this works well enough, it would have been nice to have seen a couple more features for communication with others, so that team members knew who was working on a particular task or how far along they were — without these, users will have to rely on additional apps to fully stay on top of things.
Invite collaborators to share a workspace with you via email
Using Postpone
I took Postpone for a spin by adding a couple of projects that I’ve been meaning to work on for a while. Postpone’s approach certainly makes sense, and seeing an empty task list is very satisfying! However, this is something one can implement with most other to-do apps in the market — my current favorite Wunderlist has a smart list labeled Today that shows you only the tasks whose due dates fall on the current day. I also didn’t care much for the one-trick-pony collaboration feature because I had no visibility of how far along my friend was on a task we were working on together.
The Snooze Box shows your scheduled tasks and when they’re due
Postpone vs. the competition
Postpone is great for those who want an app that tells them how to go about their tasks, and the app does a great job of keeping things simple. However, it’s not for everyone — I personally prefer to have a to-do app that’s more powerful and flexible. Plus, you’re presently limited to six workspaces in the free version, with unlimited workspaces (and premium support) costing $9/month — way more than top productivity apps like Wunderlist Pro ($4.99/month), Remember The Milk and Todoist ($25/year and $29/year; ~ $2/month) which include many more features (and already have mobile and desktop apps).
Should you use Postpone?
You should definitely give it a try — Postpone is built on a simple idea that works, and the free version is great for users who are just getting started with managing their personal productivity. However, the app doesn’t yet justify the price of the paid plan. If you’re looking for a replacement for an existing app whose interface you’ve tired of, Postpone may not be right for you because it’s more about the approach than the feature set. Still, it’s free, so you’ve got nothing to lose if you want to check it out.