[Pops]

To all Bonsai users

I'm trying to ascertain what have been some of the most "popular" uses of Bonsai. I've downloaded the trial version (non-beta), and will gradually be getting more familiar with it. But it would help to learn how other Natara users have actually found it to be most useful in their own situations; that might "trigger" something for this user, who is somewhat of a "slower novice" when it comes to learning new stuff!

[slwenglish]

Here's my penny's worth:

1) Task management

Try reading Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity by David Allen, for his suggestions on grouping actions by your "context" (@home, @computer, @errands, @online, !calls, ?waiting_for etc), and The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, for his comments on keeping your actions grouped by Roles and Goals.

I tend to structure the hierarchy of my main list so that level 1 is areas of context (Personal, Home, Work, Community), level 2 is Roles (simple items), level 3 Goals and Projects (tasks), level 4 onwards are sub-projects (tasks) and next actions (todos). A large project will branch off into it's own outline. I then use categories to group my actions by context (@computer, etc).

Any actions I take to complete a todo, I write a date-stamped note in the notes field (eg "03/10/2005 : tel Joe - he'll discuss w Jim") so I can look back at where I've got to on that action.

Slightly more advanced use: I use keywords to give further contextual information for each action, which child items inherit from their parents - so if I'm at a design review meeting, I have an item for that meeting with a keyword called >design and any new actions are entered as children and so inherit the >design keyword. I then move the new actions into a more appropriate branch, but when the next design review meeting comes around I can filter for that keyword and at a glance see all the items I need to review at the meeting.

2) Reference information
I keep notes in a reference outline, with the hierarchy organised by subject matter.

3) Organograms
I keep organisation organograms so, for example, I can use the hierarchy to look up the company expert in a particular field at a later date. Where those people's addresses are in my address book, I link to the contact from my organogram.

4) Check-lists
eg shopping checklist, Christmas present checklist, holiday packing checklist....

Hope that's of some help,
Stéph

[Pops]

Wow! Thanks so much, Steph (and I haven't even gotten all the way through yeti/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif) I'm sure that many other users (or prospective ones) will also very much appreciate your taking the time to share really thoughtful comments that are also very well expressed.

[Steven]

Here's another one. Storing, categorizing, and documenting URL's. You can put the URL in the Text area so it can be quickly launched and the description in the Note field.

For example, travel related web sites organized by area or type of travel.

To quickly import this info, I've found using Anagram to be very useful. Create a ToDo with the URL and put the description in the note area. After Hotsyncing you can import it.

Steve

[Steven]

Another use I discovered today:

http://www.brainstormsw.com

They mention the use of Bonsai a couple of times.