## Philosophy Most productivity tools force you to answer a question before you've even started: *"Is this a project or a task?"* Then they treat these as fundamentally different things - different screens, different fields, different mental overhead. You end up managing your tool instead of managing your work. **MakeTimeFlow takes a different approach: everything is a task.** A project is simply a task that lives at the top level and has subtasks. The distinction emerges from your work, not from upfront categorization. --- ## Why This Matters **Less friction, more flow.** You don't have to decide if something is "big enough" to be a project. Just capture it. If it grows complex, add subtasks. If it turns out to be simple, leave it as is. Your tool adapts to your reality instead of forcing your reality into boxes. **Fluid structure.** That "quick task" that turned into a three-week initiative? Just add subtasks and it becomes a project - no migration, no data loss, no ceremony. That ambitious project that turned out to be one phone call? Delete the subtasks and move on. **One mental model.** Learn how tasks work, and you understand the whole system. No context-switching between "project view" and "task view". No wondering which screen to look at. --- ## How It Works ### Hierarchy Is Primary The parent-child relationship between tasks is your main organizational structure: ``` Launch Product V2 <- "project" (top-level task) ├── Finalize designs │ ├── Mobile mockups │ └── Desktop mockups ├── Backend API │ ├── Auth endpoints │ └── Data endpoints └── Launch prep ├── Write announcement └── Prepare demo ``` - **Top-level tasks** are your projects - the commitments you're actively managing - **Nested tasks** are implementation details and subtasks - **Depth is unlimited** - break things down as much as you need To make something a project: move it to the top level. To demote a project: drag it under something else. ### Tags Are Cross-Cutting Tags let you slice across your hierarchy: | Tag type | Examples | Purpose | | -------- | ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------- | | Domains | `#work` `#personal` `#health` | Life areas (replaces rigid "areas") | | People | `@sarah` `@john` | Who's involved | | Timing | `@today` `@next` `@later` `@someday` | When you'll do it | A task can have multiple tags but only one parent. **Why this matters:** Your work doesn't fit into neat boxes. A task can be `#work` AND `#personal`. Learning Spanish might be career development AND a life goal. Tags let you see your work through multiple lenses without duplicating it. ### Quick Add Syntax Fast capture with optional structure: | What you type | What happens | |---------------|--------------| | `Buy milk` | Creates task | | `Buy milk /Grocery Run` | Creates under "Grocery Run" parent | | `Buy milk #errands` | Adds #errands tag | | `Buy milk @today` | Sets to Today bucket | | `Buy milk @sarah` | Mentions @sarah | | `Review PR @today @john #work` | All combined | The `/Parent` syntax lets you quickly file something in the right place without breaking your flow. --- ## Features That Work With This Model ### Time Budgets (coming soon) Set time budgets on any task - top-level or nested. "I want to spend 2 hours on Spanish this week" works regardless of where it sits in your hierarchy. ### Eisenhower Matrix Shows your top-level tasks for prioritization. These are your commitments - the outcomes you're managing. Subtasks are implementation details; you prioritize outcomes, not steps. ### Outliner View One consistent interface for all your work. Expand, collapse, drag, drop, indent, outdent. The same interactions work whether you're organizing a project or a shopping list. ### Filtering Filter by tag to see work across your hierarchy. Filter by `#work` and see everything work-related, whether it's a top-level project or a deeply nested subtask. --- ## Comparison: Traditional Tools vs MakeTimeFlow | Traditional approach | MakeTimeFlow | | --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | | "Create a project" then "add tasks" | Just add tasks; nest them when needed | | Projects and tasks are different things | Everything is a task; depth creates structure | | Decide upfront: project or task? | Structure emerges from your work | | Rigid areas/folders | Flexible tags that can overlap | | Multiple mental models | One consistent model | | Complex data relationships | Simple parent-child hierarchy | --- ## The User Win **For the busy professional:** Capture fast, organize later. Your system grows with your work instead of requiring upfront architecture. **For the ambitious planner:** Full hierarchical depth when you need it, without the overhead when you don't. **For the overwhelmed:** One simple model to learn. Tasks can have subtasks. That's it. **For everyone:** Your tool gets out of your way. Less time managing your productivity system, more time being productive. --- ## Summary **The MakeTimeFlow way:** Simple primitives, powerful composition, minimal cognitive overhead. Your structure emerges from your work.