Task States & Task Types | Help Center
Summary
Tasks in Motion appear differently on the calendar based on their state and type. This visual distinction helps users quickly understand task progress, urgency, and scheduling constraints at a glance.
This guide will explain the meaning behind each task state and type, provide real-world examples, and highlight how recognizing these visual cues can enhance productivity and scheduling accuracy. Let’s dive in!
Task State
Task states represent the current condition or status of a task in Motion. They visually communicate where a task stands in its lifecycle, from on-time to overdue or unscheduled.
#1: On Time (The Task is Running Smoothly)
The task is scheduled according to the set deadline, with no issues.
- Definition: Scheduled tasks that are progressing ahead of their scheduled deadline.
- Visual Cue: Grey with a solid border and status ring.
- Benefits: Instantly reassures users that tasks are moving forward without delays. Promotes peace of mind and allows prioritization of more pressing issues.
- Example: A content writer sees "Draft Blog Post", indicating it's scheduled and on track for completion by Friday.
#2: Actively Working (The Task is On its Way to Completion)
- Definition: This state indicates that a task has been started or has seen some activity, and is moving toward completion. Essentially, if work has begun or there's been any movement on the task, it is considered “In Progress.”
- Visual Cue: The task overlaps with the black timeline bar on the calendar if you are currently working on it.
- Benefits: Helps track tasks progressing to completion, allowing for better prioritization and reduces the risk of them being forgotten or delayed.
- Example: You begin working on an auto-scheduled task called "Create New Logo" and mark it as "In Progress."
#3: Past Due
- Definition: The "Past Due" state refers to tasks that are either scheduled for a time slot beyond their original deadline in the future or have a deadline that has already passed.
- Visual Cue: A red exclamation mark ❗ is displayed to highlight its 'Past Due' status.
- Benefits: Provides an immediate visual alert when a task is at risk of being past-due.
- Example: A task that was due last Friday wasn’t completed and has now rolled over to Monday.
#4: Can’t Fit (Task Won’t Fit in the Available Time)
- Definition: 'Can’t Fit’ means that Motion’s AI could not find a feasible time slot to schedule this task into your calendar for the next 31 days.
- Visual Cue: Pinned at the top of the calendar and shows a red exclamation mark❗.
- Benefits: It prevents tasks from slipping through the cracks and informs you of scheduling conflicts early.
- Example: A long report-writing task is due by Friday, but your fully booked calendar prevents it from being scheduled within the auto-scheduling window.
#5: Ghost (Placeholder Task - Tentative Until Scheduled)
- Definition: Tasks that are part of a project workflow but tentatively haven't been scheduled yet because the stage they belong to has not been activated.
- Visual Cue: These tasks have a 🕓 icon, dotted border, and appear lighter than scheduled tasks.
- Benefits: Ghost tasks ensure that non-urgent tasks remain visible but do not clutter your calendar.
- Example: Tasks in inactive stages like "final review" may appear on the calendar as ghost tasks.
(TS) #6: Locked (Task is Fixed in Place)
- Definition: Fixed tasks have manually set or locked schedules, ensuring they stay at the designated time.
- Visual Cue: A lock icon 🔒 signifies that a task is in a fixed state.
- Benefits: Locked tasks provide control over task placement, ensuring they aren’t rescheduled unless not completed within the timeframe.
- Example: You manually moved your "Lead Generation" task to 1 PM, locking it into that slot.
Task Types
Task types describe how a task was created or structured, providing insights into its origin and unique properties.
1. Created from Siri/Email (AI-Generated Tasks)
- Definition: Tasks can be created using voice commands via Siri or through Motion’s email-to-task integration.
- Visual Cue: These tasks are marked with a ✨ icon for easy distinguishing.
- Benefits: Saves time in the task creation process and keeps your schedule updated.
- Example: You can tell Siri to add action items from a meeting to your schedule.
2. Recurring (Tasks that Repeat)
- Definition: Recurring tasks repeat on a regular basis, automating the scheduling of tasks that need to be done consistently.
- Visual Cue: Marked with a 🔄 icon.
- Benefits: Automates daily workflows, helping users manage routines effortlessly.
- Example: A daily task for "Check emails" appears at 10 AM every weekday.
3. Chunked (Breaking Big Tasks into Small Pieces)
- Definition: Tasks divided into smaller pieces as part of a larger task block.
- Visual Cue: Displays a fraction symbol, such as ½.
- Benefits: Encourages steady progress and aligns with time management principles.
- Example: A 5-hour project may be broken into 1-hour segments labeled accordingly.
4. Regular/One-Off (Single, Non-Recurring Tasks)
- Definition: A standard task without recurring behavior but can have other symbols.
- Visual Cue: Grey with a status ring.
- Benefits: One-off tasks ensure unique actions don’t get lost in cycles.
- Example: You create a task for "Submit Quarterly Report" scheduled for Wednesday.
5. Reminder (Prompts for Important Actions)
- Definition: Reminders are tasks with a duration of 4 minutes or less, serving as timely prompts.
- Visual Cue: Pinned at the top of the calendar with a status ring.
- Benefits: Keep important short tasks visible without cluttering your calendar.
- Example: You set a reminder for "Call Doctor" at 4 PM next Thursday.