Why This Is Your First Step

As a startup founder, your most valuable resource is your time.
Your top priority should be to save time—that means knowing when to build your own tools and when to use existing ones, even if they cost a little.

Keep your tools simple and easy to use.
Founders usually juggle a lot. The simpler your daily workflow, the easier it is to switch between tasks and stay focused.

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Note-taking should be a habit

You never know when inspiration strikes—could be while you're on a bus, in a train, or doing something unrelated. That’s why it’s important to always have a note-taking tool handy.

Task Tracker that worked for me:

I’ve been using a simple Google Sheet for over a year, and it’s worked really well.

Here's how I do it:

  1. One Google Sheet per year

  2. One tab per month, named like August 2025

  3. Use basic headers: S.No, Date, Task, Details

  4. Set font to Arial, size 9, and apply a background color (e.g. on cells A1:D999) using conditional formatting — makes the sheet more pleasant to use

  5. For each entry, just fill in the serial number, current date, task, and details

  6. Never edit past data — always append. If the same task appears again, it's a new version or an update

  7. Try to add all details in a single cell under "Details". It helps reduce clutter — too many rows make things hard to manage

  8. The "Date" is the entry date, not the due date. Deadlines and extra info go in the "Details"

  9. Avoid adding an "Assignee" column — you may end up switching it often. Just mention names as needed in the "Details" section

  10. Add useful links or bullet points inside the "Details"

  11. Use consistent task types like:

    • To Do

    • Interesting Reads

    • New Ideas

    • Tutorial

    • Meeting Minutes with <person name>
      Write down what you saw or the idea you got. Later, when you revisit it, you might find something useful that solves the problem you’re working on.

Why this setup helps:

  • Google Sheets is free
  • It’s text-based, so easy to search
  • Builds a timeline of your tasks and thoughts as you go

What not to do:

  1. If you're just starting out, don’t jump into Jira, Redmine, Monday.com, etc.
    You'll waste time learning the tool instead of actually tracking your work.
  2. Avoid complex color-coding with meanings — it’s hard to maintain and doesn’t scale well for personal use.

This approach kept me productive without overwhelming me. Try it and tweak it to fit your workflow.

If you find it useful, share it with your friends.

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