Templates are a game-changer. Here’s why.
Who doesn’t love a good checklist? If you want to get something done quickly and efficiently, you need a checklist. The author, Brian Tracy, said, “The checklist is one of the most high-powered productivity tools ever discovered.” And it’s hard to disagree with him.
Whether you are doing your weekly grocery trip, organizing a wedding, or flying a plane, a checklist is integral to success. You can create checklists of your own in Apple Reminders. Here’s how.
https://jonathanwylie.com/the-surprising-power-of-checklists-c991eb9fe159
Step 1: Create a List
To make a checklist that you can use again and again, you first have to create a list. This list will become a reusable template later, but for now, it just has to be the list of items you want on a checklist.
On an iPhone or iPad, that’s as simple as tapping the “Add List” button in the bottom-right corner. On a Mac, you tap the plus button on the lower left. Then, name your list, choose a color and an icon, and start adding the items that you need.
If you already have a list you want to use as a checklist, then you can skip these steps because you are already a step in the right direction!
Step 2: Save the List as a Template
Now that you have your checklist, it’s time to turn it into a template. On an iPhone or iPad, you tap the three dots at the top of the list and choose, “Save as Template.” You can do the same on a Mac with File > Save as.
Once your template is saved, you can do what you want with the original list. For neatness, I usually just delete it, but the choice is yours.
Just know that if you add anything to that list, it won’t update your template. You have to edit the template separately. We will look at how to do that below.
Step 3: Create a Checklist from a Template
When you are ready to use the checklist you created, all you have to do is create a new list using your template.
On iOS, you tap the three dots at the top of the List screen and choose Templates. You can then select the template you would like to use as a checklist. On a Mac, you go to File > View Templates and select your list from there.
Once you have the list created, you can rename it or change the colors as needed. For instance, you could call it “Packing List for Cancun”, instead of just “Packing List”.
Tip: Editing Templates in Apple Reminders
If you forgot to add something important to your template, you can go back and edit it so that all future versions you use will have that item.
On an iPhone or iPad, you tap the three dots at the top of the List screen and pick, Templates. Then, tap the “i” next to the template you want to edit and tap, Edit Template. You can add items, remove items, rename the list, and change the color and icon for this template. When you are finished, click Done.
On a Mac, you go back to File > View Templates, and move your cursor over the template you want to edit. Click the three dot menu and choose from the available options to modify, delete, or change the appearance of the template you selected.
Tip: Sharing a Template from Apple Reminders
If you created a carefully constructed checklist that you would like to share with someone else, Reminders has options for that too. You can generate a link to a Template so that anyone on a device using iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, or later can add it to their Template collection.
On iOS, you tap the three dots at the top of the List screen and select, Templates. Then, tap the “i” next to the template you want to share and select, Share Template. This opens the share sheet, so you can find an app to share your link.
On a Mac, you go to File > View Templates, and move your cursor over the template you would like to share. Click the three dot menu and click, Share Template to generate your link.
https://jonathanwylie.com/the-surprising-power-of-checklists-c991eb9fe159
Still here? Great! I’m glad you made it to the end. If you enjoyed this article, here are some ways to show your appreciation:
- 👏 Click the hands to clap for this story!
- 📫 Subscribe to get all my latest posts
- 👋 Follow me on Medium
- Not a Medium member? Sign up with my exclusive referral link and get full access to everything on Medium for $5 per month or $50 annually.
