Workflow & Conventions

Tasks Eye provides one low-friction point of contact for task work. When you do not know what to do next, run Tasks Eye: Show Focus or Tasks Eye: Show Open.

Obsidian Tasks provides excellent task primitives, but Tasks Eye provides a streamlined workflow for managing the notes that contain those tasks. The goal is to minimize friction between asking “what should I do next?” and reaching the relevant task and its surrounding note context.

The Note-Centered Model

In many task systems, the task is the atomic unit. In Tasks Eye, the note is the atomic unit of work.

Any note containing tasks may participate in the workflow—you do not need to prescribe notes as formal “projects” or “outcomes.” A board row simply represents a note and surfaces its earliest unchecked dated task as the visible next action.

The Meaning of a Due Date

Treat a scheduled or due date as the next due date—the date on which an action should surface again for your attention—not necessarily as a hard external deadline. If today is not the right moment for a task, rescheduling it to tomorrow is a valid decision, not a failure.

Note Statuses

Tasks Eye respects the lifecycle of your notes using two explicit statuses (defined in your YAML frontmatter or properties):

• open: For notes you are actively working on. They must be actionable (i.e., have an unchecked dated task). The system forces this actionability so nothing slips through the cracks.
• closed: For notes that are no longer active tasks. If a note is purely informational, completed, or abandoned, it should be closed. Closed notes with unchecked tasks will trigger an Inbox validation.

Note: Missing or blank note statuses are treated as open.

An open note that does not need attention yet remains open with its next unchecked task dated for the day it should surface. Done is strictly for reviewing history, with no required cadence.

Anti-Patterns

To keep your system fast and trustworthy, avoid these common pitfalls:

• Treating the Inbox as a To-Do List: Inbox is for fixing broken note metadata, not for executing work. Clear the metadata errors, then execute the work from Focus or Open.
• Using Notes as Undated Checklists: The workflow requires due dates. An open note must have at least one dated task to tell the system when it matters.
• Hiding deferred work in another state: Keep the note open and move its due date forward so it returns when you need to decide again.
• Stressing over External Deadlines: Tasks Eye does not attempt to track ultimate hard deadlines or Gantt charts. The system is explicitly designed for managing your current workload and due dates.

A Day in the Life

A typical day using Tasks Eye looks like this:

1. Morning: You run Tasks Eye: Show Focus. You see 4 notes demanding attention today.

Complete or reschedule the task right from the board, or open the note for full context.

2. Execution: You complete the task in the first note. For the second, you realize you need input from a colleague, so you add a new task “Wait for reply” and date it for tomorrow.
3. Capture: A random idea strikes. You create a quick note and jot down a task. It lands in the root folder.
4. Afternoon Repair: You run Tasks Eye: Show Inbox. You see your quick note flagged because it’s not in a context folder. You move it to your Work/Ideas folder and date the task for next week.
5. Closing out: You finish the remaining items in Focus. Both Focus and Inbox are now empty. You trust the system is ready for tomorrow.