Gmail is the place where a lot of us get things done. We’ve actually talking about this before. It’s usually where many of us start our day. The most important tasks and information that you need to take care of starts in your inbox. That being the case, Gmail finally added a task list. It works right there in your email, at your fingertips whenever you need it.

This is part of Gmail Labs, so you’ll need to have that activated first. Then, go to Settings, Labs (or just click here if you’re signed in) and enable Tasks.

Now comes the easy part, actually using it to be productive.

Creating Tasks

Let’s say you are looking at an email that you definitely need to take action on. Simply hit Shift+T and it will be converted into a task. You could also use the Add To Task item in More Options. Once you have done whatever you were supposed to do, you can check it off.

You can also create a task by clicking anywhere in the Task window and hitting ENTER.

Managing Lists

You have the option to create multiple lists. This comes in handy if you have a project that needs to be broken up into smaller pieces, you want to separate work and home tasks, or you just like having multiple lists of things to do. To manage your lists, just hit the Lists button in the bottom right corner of the Tasks window.

Task Details

You’ll never get things done if you don’t set due dates. Each task has an optional Due Date and Notes field. To modify these, click the arrow that appears to the right of the task when you hover over it. You can also hit Shift+Enter when you have the task selected.

What’s The Point?

When I first heard Gmail had added this feature, I really didn’t see the point. There are many other more full-featured task lists that you could choose from. Why would Gmail re-invent the wheel?

Some people just need the basics, and Gmail provides just that. No fancy bells and whistles, just your basic list for getting things done. So, if you haven’t settled on another option for keeping track of things you need to get done, Gmail’s Tasks may be the perfect solution.