The Two Productivity Tools That Quietly Run My Entire Life

Day 5 of 30 – How Todoist, Fantastical, and a Touch of AI Help Me Think, Plan, and Focus

Author

Selim Uysal
June 05, 2025

Hi friend,

Today, I want to shift from mindset to something more practical.

Let me show you two tools I rely on every day to stay organized and reduce mental clutter. They’re not new, but the way I use them, especially with natural language and AI makes a huge difference.

🛠️ My Task + Calendar System: Todoist + Fantastical

For tasks, I use Todoist.

I’ve been using it for years, and it continues to surprise me with its simplicity and power.

I use it to manage everything from business tasks to family errands.

I even share specific projects with clients and collaborators when needed.

What makes it powerful is its natural language input.

If I type “send invoice tomorrow at 2pm,” it knows what I mean.

No dropdowns. No friction.

For scheduling, I rely on Fantastical.

It lets me sync multiple calendars, view everything in one place, and timeblock my day in seconds.

And yes, Fantastical also supports natural language.

“Lunch with Sarah on Friday at 1pm” just works.

It’s fast. It’s visual. And it gives me a sense of control over my time.

🧠 What GTD Got Right (and Where These Tools Help)

David Allen’s Getting Things Done is still one of the best books on productivity.

One of its core ideas is simple: your brain is for having ideas, not holding them.

Todoist and Fantastical help me live that principle.

They give ideas and commitments a trusted home, so I don’t have to carry them in my head.

That alone frees up mental energy for deep work, writing, and problem-solving.

🤖 Bonus: AI Can Make These Even More Useful

If you’re not sure how to structure your projects, routines, or weekly reviews, try this AI prompt:

“I want to organize my life using Todoist and a digital calendar. Can you help me design a GTD-style system for capturing tasks, planning the week, and blocking time?”

Or make it more specific:

“Here’s how I currently manage my tasks in Todoist. What would you improve or automate?”

Sometimes, you don’t need a new tool.

You just need a better way to think with the tools you already have.

📬 Want more prompts and tools like this?

→ Subscribe to the full series here: productiveknowledgeworker.com (You’ll also receive the list of my top productivity tools!)

🤝 If you’re a coach, content creator or founder, DM me “ladder”; I’ll help you clarify your next steps.

Let’s keep building a calm, clear system for doing great work.

Selim

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