Dec 3, 2024 3 min read AI

Streamline Your Thoughts into Tasks: A GPT for Omnifocus users

TL;DR

I built a custom GPT that takes my unorganized, dictated brain dumps and converts them into clean, TaskPaper-formatted text ready for OmniFocus. It identifies projects, tasks, deadlines, notes, and tags automatically. This approach leverages voice-to-text dictation to quickly offload everything swirling in my head, making it easy to organize later in OmniFocus.

Check it out here: Custom OmniFocus GPT.

The Challenge: Offloading Chaos

OmniFocus is a powerful task management tool, but entering tasks one by one can sometimes feel like a chore—especially if you’re dealing with a flood of disorganized thoughts. I often find myself needing to quickly dump all the to-dos, projects, and ideas swirling in my mind before I forget them. The problem? These raw dictations are messy and unstructured, requiring time and effort to manually format them for OmniFocus.

My Solution: A Custom GPT

To solve this, I created a custom GPT designed to parse my chaotic brain dumps into a structured TaskPaper format that OmniFocus can seamlessly integrate. It’s not about speeding up task entry—it’s about leveraging freeform voice-to-text dictation to clear my mind and offload everything, even if it’s unorganized.

If you’re familiar with Harry Potter, imagine Dumbledore using his Pensieve to pluck thoughts out of his mind and store them for later. This GPT serves a similar purpose: capturing the chaos and turning it into something manageable.

How It Works

The custom GPT uses predefined rules and intelligent parsing to transform raw, unstructured text into OmniFocus-compatible TaskPaper format. Here’s a breakdown of what it does:

Identifies Projects:
The GPT recognizes overarching themes and organizes tasks under appropriate project headings.
Creates Tasks:
Every actionable item in the dictation is identified and formatted as a TaskPaper-compatible task.
Assigns Due Dates:
If a due date is mentioned, the GPT converts it into OmniFocus's TaskPaper format (e.g., @due(2024-12-03 15:00)). If no due date is provided, it defaults to today at 5 PM.
Adds Tags:
It detects contexts and categories (like @work, @home, or @fitness) and applies relevant tags to each task.
Captures Notes:
Any explanatory text is included as a note beneath the task for additional context.
Standalone Tasks:
Tasks not associated with a specific project are placed as standalone entries for quick organization later.

Example

Here’s an example of how the GPT processes a raw dictation and outputs it in TaskPaper format:

Raw Dictation

"Here’s what I need to do today. For work, finish the slides and send them to the team by 3 PM. Set up a meeting with marketing, maybe later this week. At home, buy groceries—eggs, milk, bread. Call the plumber tomorrow about the leaky faucet. Fitness goal: go for a jog this evening at 6 PM. Also, buy a birthday gift for Sarah—something personal like a book. And don’t forget to check the passport expiration date for the trip next week."

Converted TaskPaper Format

Work:  
    - Finish the slides and send to the team @due(2024-12-03 15:00) @tags(work, priority-high)  
    - Set up a meeting with marketing @tags(work, collaboration) @due(2024-12-03 17:00)  

Home:  
    - Buy groceries @tags(home, errands) @due(2024-12-03 17:00)  
        Eggs, milk, bread.  
    - Call the plumber @due(2024-12-04 09:00) @tags(home, urgent)  
        Ask about the leaky faucet.  

Fitness:  
    - Go for a jog @due(2024-12-03 18:00) @tags(fitness, cardio)  

- Buy a birthday gift for Sarah @tags(personal) @due(2024-12-03 17:00)  
    Something personal like a book.  
- Check passport expiration date @tags(travel, planning) @due(2024-12-03 17:00)

Once the GPT generates the TaskPaper results, you simply copy the output and paste it directly into OmniFocus. Whether you’re in your Inbox or adding tasks to a specific project, it integrates perfectly.

Why This Works

By leveraging the flexibility of freeform dictation, I can quickly offload my thoughts without worrying about structure or organization. The GPT then applies consistent rules to turn chaos into clarity, letting me focus on execution instead of task entry.

The TaskPaper format is natively supported by OmniFocus, making the transition from dictation to task manager seamless.

Quick Tip: Using Dictation

On macOS, you can activate voice dictation by pressing the F5 key (or Fn key twice, depending on your setup). Simply speak your thoughts, and macOS will transcribe them for you. On iOS, tap the microphone button on the keyboard to start dictating. Once you’ve dictated your tasks, paste them into the custom GPT for seamless conversion into TaskPaper format.