Why Mouse-Driven Task Creation Slows You Down
Every time you have to grab the mouse, click a date field, open a dropdown, choose a priority, and click Save, you introduce micro-friction. Over a dozen tasks a day, this friction discourages fast capture and leads to forgotten action items. Priority is a dropdown.
PlanMyCal features an ultra-fast, inline Smart Add parser. You type your task title and append shortcut tokens, and PlanMyCal instantly extracts priority, dates, chunk sizes, recurrence rules, and timemaps in real time.
The Smart Add Shortcut Cheat Sheet
Keep this reference guide handy to master keyboard-first task capture:
| Token | Shortcut Example | What It Sets | Supported Values |
|---|---|---|---|
| ! Priority | !p0, !p1, !p2, !p3, !p4, !p5 | Task priority level | P0 Urgent, P1 High, P2 Medium, P3 Normal, P4 Low, P5 None |
| ~ Start Date | ~tomorrow, ~next monday, ~10am | Earliest schedule start | Relative dates (today, tomorrow), weekdays, ISO dates, specific times |
| ^ Due Date | ^friday, ^2nd Oct 5pm | Strict completion deadline | Calendar dates, weekdays, end-of-day times |
| = Duration & Chunks | =45m, =2h, =90m/30m | Estimated time & max chunk size | Minutes (=45m), hours (=1.5h), chunk splits (=2h/30m) |
| * Recurrence | *daily, *weekdays, *weekly, *every 2 weeks, *mon,wed,fri | Repeating schedule cadence | *daily, *weekdays, *weekly, *every 2 weeks, *mon,wed,fri. *mon alone and *every monday do not parse. |
| @ Timemap | @Work, @"Deep Work" | Preferred scheduling window | Exact timemap name, case-insensitive. @DeepWork does not match Deep Work. Quote a name that contains spaces. |
| # List | #work, #personal | Task list grouping | Existing list names only. # does not create a list. |
Real-World Examples: From Thought to Scheduled Block
These lines use tokens the parser accepts. Lines that start with # in the sample are notes, not list tokens. #work is omitted because # matches an existing list name and does not create one. *every monday and *mon alone do not parse.
# 1. Urgent bug fix needed today:
Fix payment webhook 500 error !p0 =45m ~today
# 2. Long strategic proposal split into 45-minute focus blocks:
Write enterprise sales proposal =3h/45m ^Friday 5pm @"Deep Work"
# 3. Weekly recurring review:
Team backlog grooming =1h *weekly ~9am
# 4. Quick personal reminder for tomorrow afternoon:
Call dentist to reschedule checkup ~tomorrow 2pmPower User Tips for Maximum Flow
To optimize your daily workflow, adopt these three habits:
- Quick add is Ctrl+Alt+N on Windows and Linux, and ⌘⌥N on Mac. The bare N key adds a task only on the calendar page.
- Always specify duration: Un-estimated tasks default to 30 minutes, but providing accurate estimates allows the scheduling algorithm to pack your schedule efficiently. A single duration such as =45m works on Free. Chunk splits (=3h/45m), timemap tokens (@"Deep Work"), and recurrence (*weekly) are Pro.
- Time tracking is Pro: the stopwatch on a task row is not included on Free.
- ✓Smart Add lets you define priority, dates, duration, chunking, and timemaps in a single line.
- ✓The "=duration/chunk" syntax ensures long projects get scheduled without waiting for huge blocks.
- ✓Keyboard shortcuts eliminate form-filling friction, making daily planning effortless.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to memorize all shortcuts to create a task?
No. You can click the task row to open the edit dialog. It uses date fields, dropdowns, and text inputs. There are no sliders, and priority is a dropdown. Smart Add is optional.
Can I combine multiple shortcuts in any order?
Yes. You can write "Fix server bug !p0 =30m ^today" or "Fix server bug ^today =30m !p0". The parser accurately detects tokens regardless of order.