Things 3 for Mac v3.17.7 Task Manager Chinese Activation Version Download

Things 3 is a elegant and efficient task management application designed specifically for macOS and the Apple ecosystem. It is renowned for its intuitive interface, powerful organizational capabilities, and seamless iCloud synchronization, helping users organize their ideas, projects, and to-do lists in an orderly manner. This article aims to provide a detailed guide from beginner to expert.

One, Core Interface and Work Area Details

The interface design of Things 3 follows the design philosophy of macOS, being clear, simple, and clearly divided into functional areas. Upon initial use, you will feel the refreshing sensation it brings. The left sidebar, central main content area, and the bottom toolbar form the golden triangle for managing everything.

1.1 Sidebar (Navigation Area)

• Inbox: A temporary storage area for all new tasks added. It is the starting point for handling tasks. You can quickly capture ideas and later organize them.
• Today: Displays all tasks planned to be completed today. This is the core battlefield for your daily work, and it is recommended to prioritize checking it in the morning.
• Plan: Shows all tasks with future start or due dates. It helps you overview your work schedule for the upcoming week or month.
• Available: Stores all tasks without specific dates but ready to start at any time. These tasks do not have time pressure but need your proactive advancement.
• Someday: Stores all ideas or tasks that you want to handle at some point in the future. It is your creative reservoir.
• Log: Archives all completed tasks, allowing you to review and reflect on your past productivity. You can see your productivity trajectory here.
• Project: Lists all the projects you have created. Clicking on a project will take you to its dedicated view for in-depth management.
• Tags: Displays all the tags you have created. Clicking on a tag will filter out all tasks associated with that tag. Tags are the利器for multi-dimensional classification.

1.2 Main Content Area

• List View: Displays all tasks or sub-tasks under the selected category in the sidebar. The list is clear and supports drag-and-drop sorting, making it very user-friendly.
• Task Detail Panel: When a task is selected, a detail panel slides out to the right, allowing you to edit the task title, add notes, set dates, assign tags, and create checklists. All details operations are completed here.

1.3 Bottom Toolbar

• Quick Find: The search box located at the bottom right corner, supporting quick search for tasks, projects, or tags. It is your weapon for locating tasks in large datasets.
• New Button (+): Clicking this button allows you to create a new task or project quickly in the current view. This is your shortcut for capturing inspiration.

Two, Complete Work Flow: From Creation to Completion

A typical closed-loop workflow from zero to managing a task is provided below. Mastering it, you can truly make Things 3 work for you.

2.1 First Step: Capture Tasks to Inbox

Method One: Global Quick Entry

1. Use the shortcut ⌃ + Space (Control + Space) to bring up the “Quick Create” window at any time.
2. Input the task title and save it to the “Inbox” by pressing Return. This is the fastest way to capture inspiration.

Method Two: Create Within the Application

1. Click the “Inbox” in the sidebar.
2. Click the “+” button at the bottom toolbar or use the shortcut ⌘ + N to create a new task.
3. Input the task title and confirm by pressing Return. This is suitable for batch entry within the application.

2.2 Second Step: Handle and Organize Tasks

Enter the “Inbox” to refine and organize tasks. This step is crucial for converting disorganized ideas into actionable plans.

1. Open Task Details: Double-click the task or select it and press ⌘ + E to open the detail panel on the right.
2. Add Notes: Add detailed descriptions or links to the “Notes” area in the detail panel. You can place related files or web links here.
3. Set Dates:
   • Click the “Date” button to set “Today”, “Tomorrow”, “Someday”, or a custom date.
   • You can set both “Start Date” (when to start handling) and “Due Date” (when to complete).
   • To set recurring tasks, click the “Repeat” icon next to the date and choose the repetition cycle (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly).
4. Assign Tags: Click the “Tags” button to assign existing tags or create new ones (e.g., “#Work”, “#Family”, “#High Priority”). Tags help you filter tasks from different dimensions.
5. Associate with Projects: Click the “Move to…” button to associate a task with an existing project or create a new one for it. Projects are the best way to manage complex tasks.

2.3 Third Step: Execute and Complete Tasks

1. Start your work from the “Today” list, which gathers all tasks planned to be completed today. This is the starting point for your daily plan.
2. To execute a task, you can:
   • Mark as completed: Click the circle before the task or select it and press ⌘ + K.
   • Delay the task: Right-click the task and choose “Delay to…” or adjust the date using shortcuts.
3. Completed tasks will automatically move to the “Log”. You can review your daily work results in the log.

2.4 Step 4: Review and Planning

• Use the “Plan” view to see the task schedule for the upcoming week or longer. This helps you allocate resources in advance.
• Regularly clean up the “Any Day” list, assigning feasible ideas to specific dates or projects. Don’t let good ideas sleep in the “Any Day”.
• Review completed work in the “Log”, conducting a retrospective. Dedicate 10 minutes each week to this, significantly improving your efficiency.

Three, Advanced Techniques for Common Features

3.1 Efficient Creation and Editing

• Natural Language Date Input: When creating a task, simply input phrases like “tomorrow afternoon 3 PM” or “next Monday” after the title. Things automatically recognizes and sets the date. This is much faster than manually selecting a date.
• Bulk Operations: Hold down the ⌘ key to select multiple tasks, then perform bulk moves, add tags, or mark them as completed. This is a must-have skill for organizing your inbox.
• Quick Creation of Subtasks: In the checklist panel of a task, press Return to create a new item, which becomes a subtask. This is useful for breaking down a large task into smaller steps.

3.2 Project Management

• Project Structure: Projects can contain title tasks, regular tasks, and subtasks (checklist items), forming a clear hierarchy. You can think of a project as a folder containing all related tasks.
• Project Status: Projects can be marked as “active,” “paused,” or “completed,” making it easier to manage them. Paused projects won’t appear in your daily view.
• Project Notes and Titles: Adding titles and notes to a project helps define its goals and scope. This keeps the project direction clear.

3.3 Smart Use of Tags and Search

• Combination Filtering: Click and hold the ⌥ (Option) key to select multiple tags, then filter tasks that have all these tags. This allows for very fine-grained filtering.
• Create Smart Filters: In the search box, input complex conditions like “today & #work” or “due date: next week,” to achieve advanced filtering. You can use it as a temporary smart list.

Four, Common Issues and Solutions

Five, Mac Version of Things 3 Shortcut Summary

Six、Practical Case: Managing a Writing Project with Things 3

Assume you are a content creator needing to complete an e-book within a month. We can utilize Things 3 to plan this project. This case will help you understand the application scenarios of Things 3 more intuitively.

6.1 Creating Project Structure

First, create a project named “Writing an Ebook” in Things 3. In the project details, add title tasks such as “Chapter One”, “Chapter Two”, “Chapter Three”. Add specific sub-tasks under each title task, such as “Research Collection”, “Draft Writing”, “Proofreading and Revision”. Thus, the structure of the entire project becomes clear.

6.2 Setting Milestones and Deadlines

Set deadlines for each chapter. For example, set the deadline for Chapter One to the 7th day, and Chapter Two to the 14th day. Also, set a hard deadline for the task “Final Submission”. In the “Plan” view, you can see the progress bar of the entire project, ensuring that the project does not deviate from the track.

6.3 Utilizing Tags for Priority Management

Tag some key tasks with “#High Priority”. Every day, you can filter the “Today” view under the “#High Priority” tasks to prioritize the core work. For instance, mark the task “Determine the Outline” as high priority to ensure the project direction is correct.

6.4 Daily Execution and Review

Every morning, check the “Today” view to see which writing tasks need to be completed. After completing a task, check it off, and it will automatically move to the “Log”. On Sunday evenings, review the “Log” to see how much work has been completed this week, and adjust the plan for next week. This process makes your writing project very controllable.

Seven、Installation Tutorial and Notes

7.1 Download and Installation

Click on the download link on the download page to obtain the installation package for Things 3 for Mac. After the download is completed, double-click on the .dmg file to open the installation window. Drag the Things 3 icon from the left to the Applications folder on the right to complete the installation.

7.2 First Launch and Activation

When launching for the first time, the system may prompt “Unable to Verify Developer”. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General, and click “Open”. Then, input the activation code provided, completing the activation. Please note that the activation code should be properly kept.

7.3 Common Installation Issues

If you encounter the prompt “Installation Package is Damaged”, check if your system has enabled “Gatekeeper” restrictions. You can try entering sudo spctl --master-disable in the terminal to temporarily disable it, and then re-enable it after installation. This operation is only applicable to trusted sources of software.

By mastering the interfaces, procedures, techniques, and shortcuts, you can fully leverage the powerful productivity potential of Things 3 on macOS to build a clear and stress-free personal task management system. I hope this guide helps you to free yourself from the clutter of affairs and focus on the truly important things.