Tags and Contexts

Tags help you organize tasks by context, making it easy to find the right task for your current situation.

What are Tags?

Tags are labels that describe the context in which a task can be done:

• Where you need to be (Office, Home, Anywhere)
• What energy level you need (High, Medium, Low)
• Who you need (Independent, Teamwork, Communication)
• What tools you need (Computer, Phone, Errands)

Why Use Tags?

Tags answer the question: "What can I do right now?"

Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: You have 30 minutes at the office with high energy

• Filter by: Office + High Energy + < 30 minutes
• See only tasks you can actually do now

Scenario 2: You're at home, tired, with just your phone

• Filter by: Home + Low Energy + Phone
• Find easy tasks that don't require much effort

Creating Tags

Basic Tag Creation

1. Go to Tags tab
2. Tap + button
3. Set tag properties:
   • Title: Clear, descriptive name
   • Icon: Visual symbol
   • Color: Color coding

Tag Properties

Property	Description
Title	Tag name (bilingual supported)
Icon	SF Symbol icon
Color	Color for visual identification
Parent Tag	Optional parent for hierarchy

Naming Convention

Use bilingual names for better accessibility: "High Energy/高精力"

Tag Categories

1. Energy Level Tags

Match tasks to your current energy:

Tag	When to Use	Example Tasks
🔴 High Energy	Alert and focused	Strategic planning, creative work, complex problem-solving
🟠 Medium Energy	Normal state	Email responses, routine work, meetings
🔵 Low Energy	Tired or distracted	Filing, simple data entry, reading

2. Location Tags

Where can you do the task:

Tag	Description	Example Tasks
🏢 Office	Requires office resources	Print documents, attend meetings, use office equipment
🏠 Home	Can be done at home	Household chores, personal projects, family tasks
📍 Anywhere	Location independent	Phone calls, reading, planning
🏪 Errands	Out and about	Shopping, post office, bank

3. Collaboration Tags

Who do you need:

Tag	Description	Example Tasks
👤 Independent	Solo work	Writing, coding, research
👥 Teamwork	Requires team	Brainstorming, group projects, collaboration
📞 Communication	Need to contact someone	Calls, emails, meetings
⏳ Waiting For	Blocked by others	Pending approvals, waiting for information

4. Tool Tags

What do you need:

Tag	Description	Example Tasks
💻 Computer	Requires computer	Programming, document editing, design work
📱 Phone	Just need phone	Quick calls, mobile tasks, messaging
🖨️ Office Equipment	Special equipment	Printing, scanning, faxing

Tag Hierarchies

Create parent-child tag relationships:

Example: Work-Related Tags

💼 Work Related
├── 📊 Project Management
├── 👥 Team Meetings
└── 📚 Training & Development

🎯 Personal Development
├── 📖 Reading
├── 🎓 Online Courses
└── ✍️ Writing

Creating Hierarchies

1. Create parent tag first
2. When creating child tag, select Parent Tag
3. Child tags inherit parent's context

When to Use Hierarchies

Use hierarchies when you want to filter by broad category but also have specific subcategories.

Tag Groups

Group related tags for better organization:

What are Tag Groups?

Tag groups organize tags into logical categories with selection rules:

• Single Selection: Choose only one tag (e.g., energy level)
• Multiple Selection: Choose multiple tags (e.g., locations, tools)

Creating Tag Groups

1. Go to Settings → Tag Groups
2. Tap + to create group
3. Set:
   • Title: Group name (e.g., "Energy Level")
   • Tags: Add tags to group
   • Selection Mode: Single or Multiple

Example Tag Groups

Energy Level (Single Selection)

⚡ Energy Level
├── 🔴 High Energy
├── 🟠 Medium Energy
└── 🔵 Low Energy

Users can only select ONE energy level per task.

Location (Multiple Selection)

📍 Location
├── 🏢 Office
├── 🏠 Home
├── 📍 Anywhere
└── 🏪 Errands

Users can select MULTIPLE locations if task can be done in various places.

Using Tags Effectively

1. Tag Strategically

Don't over-tag - about 30% of tasks should have tags:

• ✅ Tag tasks that benefit from context
• ✅ Tag tasks you'll filter frequently
• ❌ Don't tag every single task
• ❌ Don't create too many tags

2. Consistent Tagging

Be consistent in how you tag:

• Use the same tags for similar tasks
• Follow your tagging conventions
• Review and consolidate tags periodically

3. Action-Oriented Tags

Tags should help you take action:

• ✅ "Quick Wins" (< 15 minutes)
• ✅ "Waiting For Response"
• ✅ "High Priority"
• ❌ "Miscellaneous"
• ❌ "Stuff"

Filtering by Tags

Simple Filtering

1. Go to Tags tab
2. Tap on a tag
3. See all tasks with that tag

Advanced Filtering

Use Perspectives for complex tag filters:

1. Create a new Perspective
2. Add tag rules:
   • Include tasks with specific tags
   • Exclude tasks with certain tags
   • Combine multiple tag conditions

Example: "Quick Office Tasks"

• Tags include: Office AND High Energy
• Duration: ≤ 30 minutes
• Status: Active

Tag Best Practices

1. Start Simple

Begin with essential tags:

• 3 energy levels
• 3-5 locations
• 2-3 collaboration types

Add more as needed.

2. Review Regularly

Monthly tag review:

• [ ] Are all tags being used?
• [ ] Can any tags be merged?
• [ ] Do you need new tags?
• [ ] Are tag names clear?

3. No Emoji in Tags

Unlike projects, keep tags emoji-free:

• ✅ Better for filtering
• ✅ Cleaner interface
• ✅ More professional

Use icons and colors instead.

4. Bilingual Support

For international users:

• Use format: "English/中文"
• Helps with search
• Improves accessibility

5. Context Over Category

Tags are about context, not category:

• ✅ "Needs focused time"
• ✅ "Can do while commuting"
• ❌ "Important" (use flagging instead)
• ❌ "Work" (use projects instead)

Common Tag Systems

The Classic GTD System

📍 Contexts
├── @Office
├── @Home
├── @Computer
├── @Phone
├── @Errands
├── @Waiting
└── @Someday/Maybe

Energy-Based System

⚡ Energy
├── High Energy
├── Medium Energy
└── Low Energy

⏱️ Time Available
├── < 15 minutes
├── 15-30 minutes
├── 30-60 minutes
└── > 1 hour

Hybrid System

🎯 Context
├── Energy Level (group)
│   ├── High
│   ├── Medium
│   └── Low
├── Location (group)
│   ├── Office
│   ├── Home
│   └── Anywhere
└── Collaboration (group)
    ├── Independent
    ├── Teamwork
    └── Waiting For

Tag Shortcuts

Action	Gesture
Quick tag	Swipe left on task
View tagged tasks	Tap tag in Tags view
Edit tag	Long press tag
Delete tag	Swipe left on tag

Next Steps

• Learn about Custom Perspectives
• Explore Calendar Integration
• Read the FAQ for more tips