I log into Gmail every morning to see what new requests I have received overnight from my clients. But how to turn these email messages into Gmail tasks? How to assign these Gmail tasks to my designers, virtual assistants, programmers and others?

Here are a couple of methods you can use to create Gmail tasks right from within your Gmail inbox. For this example, I am using an email notice from my local library of a book ready to pickup, but it could just have easily been a coaching request or a web site change or any of the other hundreds of emails I might get in a week.

Option 1: Gmail Tasks –> Google Calendar/Tasks #

If you use Tasks on Google Calendar, Gmail already has the capability to create a task built in. Just click on the [More] button at the top right of the email and then choose [Add to tasks] from the pull down menu.

Once the task is added you will see a small box on the lower right and it will show in your Google Calendar like this:

While I use Google Calendar for my scheduled appointments, coaching and webinars, I find the Google Calendar tasks to be to basic for my purposes because they don’t allow for priority levels or for me to assign to other people. So, my favourite way to save Gmail tasks is Option 2 below.

Option 2: Gmail Tasks –>Teamwork Projects #

This is my preferred way to save Gmail tasks. I use Teamwork Projects for my task management system. Teamwork Projects has a great Chrome add-on that lets me add tasks from Gmail or from any web site. After installing the Chrome extension, to create a Gmail task and send it to Teamwork Projects, I simply click on the [Teamwork] button in Gmail and choose [Add Task].

Once this is done, a task window comes up.

From this task window you can:

• choose what project and task list to add the task to
• link to the original email
• write a description or additional instructions
• assign the tasks to a team member or contractor
• set a due date and priority level

Since Teamwork Projects added this feature for Chrome, it has become amazingly simple for me to turn emails into tasks within my task management system. And the original email is only a click away with the link to current page option ticked. Here is what the Gmail task looks like in the task list I chose on Teamwork.

I offer Teamwork Project Training, so if you use this system or are thinking of using it, let me know and we can discuss how I can help.

Option 3: Gmail Tasks –> Insight.ly #

Another popular tool for task and contact management is Insight.ly. Insight.ly also has a Gmail app that lets you access common Insight.ly functions from within Gmail.

When you click on the Insight.ly icon on the right and a sidebar opens up. The sidebar lets you add a contact from the email, link the email to a contact or to view or create tasks.

Here is what the task looks like when it is saved in Insight.ly.

I hope you have found this article useful. Contact me if you have questions about how to make your email and task management system work together more closely.

– Garland Coulson, “Captain Time”