organizing =intra-day tasks= with a countdown timer

organizing =intra-day tasks= with a countdown timer

[Samuel Wales]

I wrote this a while back, and now I see that the manual
describes a countdown timer.  So now might be a good
time.

===

We've discussed something like this before, but it seems
there have been changes, so I am starting from scratch.

Wondering how much of the functionality exists in Emacs or
Org.

I describe it in detail below.

===
Overview:
===

I'd like to keep =countdown timers= and get reminded at
blastoff.

This is a completely separate concept from clocking, effort
estimates, and that org timer that inserts mm:ss, by the
way.

Here is a single example -- all 3 timers will run at the
same time:

  1) You just put the laundry in.  You want a reminder to
     switch it in 30m.
  2) You are also making tea right now.  You want a reminder
     in 5m to drink it.
  3) You are interviewing somebody at 6PM today.  You want a
     reminder 15m before and at 6PM.

Note that 1 and 2 are specified with a number of minutes,
while 3 is specified with a time.

Note that there is more than one timer at the same time.

===
Entry:
===

The interface should be simple, perhaps via capture, and
definitely in the minibuffer.  It's OK if it creates tasks.
This would allow persistence and keep track of your
activities.

Appt-add can mostly do 3, but without keeping an Org task
and without specifying duration (only target).  Thus, you
have to manually calculate the duration, which is a
cognitive burden.

For 3 you can add an Org task, set a time, and tell appt to
show it.  However, I don't know if there is a capture
interface for all of that.

I know of no mechanism for 1 and 2.

===
Output:
===

Ideally, you would be able to show a buffer that shows
remaining duration, target time, and name of thing:

  |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|
  | status   |  target | remaining | task      |
  |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|
  | reminded |   17:17 | -13m      | tea       |
  | -        | /17:30/ | -         | /now/     |
  | wait     |   17:44 | 14m       | laundry   |
  | wait     |   18:00 | 30m       | interview |
  |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|

I don't know if it makes sense to use agenda.

And a timer in the modeline that can be switched between the
currently clocked task display (whatever you are clocking in
org, i.e. the usual count-up display) and the next item (in
this case laundry in 14m).

===

OK, so how much of all this is possible these days?

Thanks.


Samuel

Re: organizing =intra-day tasks= with a countdown timer

[Samuel Wales]

I should point out that this is more a matter of getting the ideas
posted than a feature request.

On 2010-10-28, Samuel Wales <samologist@gmail.com> wrote:
> I wrote this a while back, and now I see that the manual
> describes a countdown timer.  So now might be a good
> time.
>
> ===
>
> We've discussed something like this before, but it seems
> there have been changes, so I am starting from scratch.
>
> Wondering how much of the functionality exists in Emacs or
> Org.
>
> I describe it in detail below.
>
> ===
> Overview:
> ===
>
> I'd like to keep =countdown timers= and get reminded at
> blastoff.
>
> This is a completely separate concept from clocking, effort
> estimates, and that org timer that inserts mm:ss, by the
> way.
>
> Here is a single example -- all 3 timers will run at the
> same time:
>
>   1) You just put the laundry in.  You want a reminder to
>      switch it in 30m.
>   2) You are also making tea right now.  You want a reminder
>      in 5m to drink it.
>   3) You are interviewing somebody at 6PM today.  You want a
>      reminder 15m before and at 6PM.
>
> Note that 1 and 2 are specified with a number of minutes,
> while 3 is specified with a time.
>
> Note that there is more than one timer at the same time.
>
> ===
> Entry:
> ===
>
> The interface should be simple, perhaps via capture, and
> definitely in the minibuffer.  It's OK if it creates tasks.
> This would allow persistence and keep track of your
> activities.
>
> Appt-add can mostly do 3, but without keeping an Org task
> and without specifying duration (only target).  Thus, you
> have to manually calculate the duration, which is a
> cognitive burden.
>
> For 3 you can add an Org task, set a time, and tell appt to
> show it.  However, I don't know if there is a capture
> interface for all of that.
>
> I know of no mechanism for 1 and 2.
>
> ===
> Output:
> ===
>
> Ideally, you would be able to show a buffer that shows
> remaining duration, target time, and name of thing:
>
>   |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|
>   | status   |  target | remaining | task      |
>   |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|
>   | reminded |   17:17 | -13m      | tea       |
>   | -        | /17:30/ | -         | /now/     |
>   | wait     |   17:44 | 14m       | laundry   |
>   | wait     |   18:00 | 30m       | interview |
>   |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|
>
> I don't know if it makes sense to use agenda.
>
> And a timer in the modeline that can be switched between the
> currently clocked task display (whatever you are clocking in
> org, i.e. the usual count-up display) and the next item (in
> this case laundry in 14m).
>
> ===
>
> OK, so how much of all this is possible these days?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> Samuel
>


-- 
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A: "You only think it's dark." [CDC has denied a deadly serious
disease for 25 years]
==========
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===
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Re: organizing =intra-day tasks= with a countdown timer

[Łukasz Stelmach]

Samuel Wales <samologist@gmail.com> writes:

>   2) You are also making tea right now.  You want a reminder
>      in 5m to drink it.

So true ;-) ICRBIDWT[*]

-- 
Miłego dnia,
Łukasz Stelmach

[*] I could refrain but I didn't want to ;-)