Text messaging serves as an effective tool for communication. However, when it comes to capturing tasks and ensuring follow-up, text messaging can become problematic as it is easy to forget commitments made via text message. These messages often arrive while we are working on something else, and we may forget to respond. If we do decide to respond in the moment, then we risk losing focus on our current tasks and projects. Unlike email, text messages do not remain in an inbox for later review.
To address this, I use the Drafts app on my iPhone to manage messages I intend to reply to, as well as commitments I’ve made via text. Drafts is designed for quick text capture, opening a new blank document each time the app is launched. To track text messages and associated tasks, I either copy the entire message or just the relevant portion into Drafts.
When clearing my inboxes, I process the notes and messages accumulated in Drafts, including those from text messages and brief notes to myself. This process often involves responding to messages I wasn’t ready to address earlier or converting them into tasks in my task manager.
For messages requiring prompt replies when I’m unable to respond immediately, I quickly note the task “Respond to (person’s name)” in the Due app. This app helps manage time-sensitive tasks throughout the day. Once I finish the task I am focused on, I can return to the Due app and ensure that I respond to any time-sensitive messages.
Regardless of whether you use this particular method, it is worthwhile to develop a strategy for responding and following up on text messages as part of your productivity strategy, especially if text messages are a regular part of communication at work.
Scott Reindl 