how does cal newport use trello

Cal Newport uses Trello as part of his productivity system, specifically during the "configure" stage of his "capture, configure, control" philosophy. He organizes his professional obligations into different Trello boards based on his roles such as writer, professor (for classes and administrative work), and researcher. Within these boards, he has columns like "To Process" for ambiguous tasks that require further clarification, "Back Burner" for tasks that aren't urgent, and specific columns for ongoing projects or initiatives. He also uses Trello to categorize tasks that he's waiting to hear back on, or those he intends to address in upcoming meetings.

For organizational efficiency, Newport emphasizes the importance of getting tasks out of the brain and into a trusted system like Trello, creating context with different boards for different roles, and avoiding context switching. He appreciates Trello's ability to attach a lot of information to cards, such as detailed notes or email threads relevant to tasks, which helps centralize all necessary information.

Cal also mentions the use of Google Docs for keeping track of plans, while Trello houses all his tasks. He uses a text file on his desktop as a temporary capture tool, which he later processes into Trello or Google Docs during a daily shutdown routine. This strategy enables him to maintain an efficient task and plan management system 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.