Section 1.1: Use Case: Managing a Cub Scout Pack

As the leader of a Cub Scout pack, I have numerous recurring tasks related to inviting and onboarding new members. To streamline this process, I developed a Template that includes all necessary tasks, each assigned a tag for easier Smart List creation later.

Subsection 1.1.1: How to Create a Template

Creating a template is simple. Just start by forming a New List that contains all your relevant tasks. Once your list is ready, choose ‘Save as Template’ from the File menu. I recommend including "TEMPLATE" in the list name for future reference.

When you wish to reuse the template, select ‘Add List’, then go to ‘Templates’ to choose the one you created.

This action generates a new list populated with all the associated tasks.

Section 1.2: Utilizing Your Template

Once your new list is created, the first step is to rename it to avoid confusion with the original template. Then, update the specific details for each task, such as the onboarding dates for new Cubs.

It’s as easy as that! No additional steps are necessary, and the tasks will appear on the scheduled dates for action. To keep things organized, I created a folder for all the Cubs currently being onboarded, which helps me track the remaining tasks for each one.

However, since each Cub shares the same list of tasks, some of them may fall on the same day, while others are scheduled for future dates.

Section 2.1: Harnessing Smart Lists

I am particularly fond of the Smart List feature in Reminders. While I won’t delve into the specifics of creating them here (you can find that information in another resource), I appreciate how they help me filter tasks based on assigned tags. For my Cubs, I apply the relevant tag and adjust the date range to ‘In the next 1 week’.

I then group these Smart Lists into a folder, enabling me to see how many tasks are due in the upcoming week.

To simplify the process even more, I created an additional Smart List that encompasses all relevant tags and pinned it at the top of my Reminders app for easy access.

You might argue that one Smart List could suffice, and while that’s true, it's beneficial to have a granular approach occasionally.

Section 2.2: Additional Smart Lists

I maintain a few other Smart Lists, one of which tracks items tagged with #order for purchases I intend to make. Another list includes tags for #birthday or #anniversary events occurring in the next month, ensuring I don’t forget to buy cards!

I genuinely appreciate the template feature in Reminders due to its ease of use, and I foresee creating more templates in the future. A personal favorite example is for holiday packing, but I can envision applying it to other repetitive tasks like onboarding new team members or event planning.