Understanding Free, Busy, and Fixed Tasks and Events

🆓 Free Tasks

Imagine Emily has a report due on Friday. It's Monday, and he has a task scheduled to start working on this report. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, he isn't able to begin on it. Since Emily's task to start the report has enough time slots before its Friday deadline, it's classified as a free task. Consequently, Motion automatically reschedules this task to a later time, say Tuesday, providing Emily with flexibility while still ensuring the deadline is met.

⚠️Busy Tasks

Now, let's suppose Emily has a project proposal due on Thursday. It's Wednesday, and she still hasn't started. Since the available time slots before the task's deadline are limited, Motion designates it as a "busy” task. This means Emily needs to attend to this task immediately, as postponing it could result in missing the deadline. Busy tasks in Motion serve as critical alerts that help Emily maintain effective time management and productivity.

🔐Fixed Task

If Emily wants to ensure that a task remains fixed in her schedule, meaning she intends to work on it at a specific time, she can convert the auto-scheduled task into a “fixed” task, indicated by a lock icon. This feature gives Emily greater autonomy over her tasks, enabling her to determine precisely when she intends to work on them.

You can delve deeper into tasks by exploring further information available in: Task Types Explained.

Walkthrough

Free vs Busy Events

Motion's classification of free and busy also extends to events. Let's explore this with a couple of scenarios in Emily's schedule.

Emily has scheduled an optional team brainstorming session on Wednesday afternoon. This session doesn't require her undivided attention and can be moved if necessary. In Motion, this is considered a "free" event. Emily can reschedule this event or plan tasks during this time, offering her greater flexibility in her schedule.

On the contrary, Emily has a critical client meeting on Tuesday morning. This meeting requires her full attention and cannot be moved. Motion classifies this as a "busy" event. During busy events, Motion prevents the auto-scheduling of tasks, ensuring Emily can focus solely on her client meeting.

For instance, if Emily had set a full-day busy event, Motion's AI would respect this and refrain from scheduling any tasks for that day. This consideration ensures that Emily's significant events take precedence in her schedule, allowing her to focus without interruptions.

Walkthrough

By understanding the differences between free and busy tasks and events, Emily can leverage Motion's features for optimal time management and productivity. This understanding will help her manage his deadlines effectively and plan her schedule with precision, enhancing her overall productivity.