Chores in your calendar
An app that schedules your tasks for you
An auto-scheduling app reads when you are busy in your calendar and places your tasks in the free time, in order of priority. You give each task an estimated duration and, if you like, a day. When an appointment moves or a task overruns, the app plans the rest again, so your list fits the day you actually have.
From to-do list to planned day
A to-do list tells you what to do, not when. That gap is where most tasks get stuck: twelve things for today, a full calendar, and no idea what fits. Time blocking solves it by hand, by giving each task a slot in your calendar. Auto-scheduling does the same automatically, and keeps doing it as your day changes.
How it works
- The app reads your calendarIt sees when you are busy, usually through Outlook, Google Calendar or an iCal link. It does not need the details of your appointments, only the times.
- You add tasks with a few detailsA duration ("half an hour"), a priority and, if it matters, a day or a deadline.
- It fills your free timeThe most important tasks go first, in blocks that fit between your appointments and within the hours you set.
- It replans when things changeAn appointment moves, a task takes longer, something urgent comes in: the rest of the day is planned again from now.
- What does not fit moves onInstead of turning red, it goes to the next free moment, or comes back to you as a question.
What it needs from you
| Input | Why | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Working hours or free hours | So it does not plan the gutter at 6am | Set evenings and weekends separately |
| A duration per task | It needs to know what fits | Guess in 15-minute steps; it will be good enough |
| A priority | To decide what goes first | Use few levels; most tasks are "normal" |
| A day for fixed things | Bins on Wednesday cannot move to Friday | Only fix the day when it truly matters |
| Buffer time | Days never go exactly to plan | Leave a quarter of your free time unplanned |
Where it works well, and where it does not
Most auto-scheduling tools were built for work calendars and meetings. For home and personal life, the needs are a little different:
- It works well for chores, paperwork and errands that need a block of time but not a fixed moment: "compare energy deals, 30 minutes", "clear the shed, an hour".
- It works less well for tasks that depend on other people being home, or on energy rather than time. Give those a day and let the app find the hour.
- It cannot decide what matters to you. A short weekly look at priorities is still yours to do.
Auto-scheduling versus time blocking by hand
| By hand | Automatic | |
|---|---|---|
| Set-up | Nothing to set up | Connect your calendar, set your free hours |
| Each week | Drag every task into a slot | Add tasks; the app places them |
| When the day changes | Move the blocks yourself | Replanned from now |
| Control | Complete | Through days, priorities and hours |
| Best for | A few fixed blocks | Many small tasks around a busy calendar |
More on doing it by hand in time blocking at home, and in your own calendar in Outlook or Google Calendar.
Privacy: what the app sees
An auto-scheduler needs to know when you are busy. Check whether it reads only busy times or the full content of your appointments, where your data is stored, and whether you can disconnect the calendar at any time.
How SortYourMind does it
Auto-scheduling for home, paperwork and people
SortYourMind reads when you are busy in Outlook or, through the secret iCal address, Google Calendar and other calendars. In your free time it places SyMslots: blocks that fit your tasks, priority 1 first and always on the day you chose. When your day changes, the app replans by itself from now and moves on what no longer fits.
- Outlook directly, with SyMslots placed as busy if you want
- Google Calendar and others read-only via iCal
- Only busy times are used for planning
- Say it to SyMon: "insurance on Wednesday, half an hour"
Everything included, no card needed. Then you decide. Works in the browser on any device.
Questions
Is there an app that schedules my to-do list automatically?
Yes. Auto-scheduling apps read your calendar and place your tasks in the free time, by priority. Some are built for work and teams; SortYourMind is built for chores, paperwork and plans with people.
Does auto-scheduling work with Google Calendar?
Most auto-scheduling apps connect with Google Calendar, some only read it. In SortYourMind, Google Calendar connects through its secret iCal address, read only; Outlook connects directly.
What happens to tasks that do not get done?
In a good auto-scheduler they move to the next free moment instead of piling up as overdue. In SortYourMind, tasks from earlier come back as one calm proposal: today, next week or let it go.