Lesson 3 of 3

Set reminders you will actually get

For the things that need to reach you at a moment, not sit on a list.

A task is something to do. A reminder is something to be told. Use a reminder when the timing is the whole point — a call to return, a form that closes on Friday, a person to follow up with after the weekend.

Creating one

  1. Open Reminders and press New Reminder.
  2. Use a preset if one fits — In 1 hour, Tomorrow morning, Next week and several others are one tap.
  3. Otherwise set your own time, and add a description if the title will not be enough to know what you meant.

Keeping the list honest

The page groups reminders into Overdue, Today, Upcoming and Completed, with a count on each.

Watch the Overdue group. A handful is normal; a permanently long list means reminders are being set for things that were really tasks. Reminders work when they are rare enough that one arriving still means something.

Anything with a date also appears in your calendar — use View in Calendar to see reminders alongside everything else competing for that day.

Worth remembering

  • Reminders are for timing; tasks are for work.
  • The presets cover most cases faster than picking a date.
  • A permanently long Overdue list means you are using reminders for tasks.

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