Q: You use planning software for work-related tasks.    Which software and/or apps do you use and what do you use them for?

DM: For high-level planning and outlining, I rely on Workflowy. For discrete To-Dos, I turn to Todoist. When it comes to notetaking, I use Microsoft OneNote.

Q: In what ways do these apps and software help you organize your workday, workspace, etc?

DM: When I’m taking freeform notes, everything goes into OneNote. In particular, with my Surface and Surface Pen, handwritten notes are a breeze. This allows me to avoid the use of paper wherever possible. It’s also great for one-off notes, which cuts down on the use of post it notes.

When I’m trying to come up with lists, high-level checklists, and performing weekly reviews, Workflowy is critical. This allows me to make sure I don’t miss anything. With Workflowy’s nested lists, I can zoom in to focus solely on what I need to focus on at the present moment.

As a firm believer in the Getting Things Done (GTD) method, keeping a complete list of Next Actions is critical to surviving the day. Todoist allows me to organize my discrete next steps by “context” (calls, emails, etc), due dates, and projects. Todoist has great mobile apps to go along with an easy-to-use web app.

Q: When did you start using these software and application products?

DM: I’ve been using OneNote for the last five years. Workflowy and Todoist have been added to my tool set over the last two years.

Q: Why did you start using them?

DM: I got tired of things being strewn across notebooks, browser bookmarks, word documents, etc. At first, I split time between Evernote and OneNote. While Evernote is a fantastic product, OneNote kept improving its product. With the evolution of Office 365 and OneNote moving to the cloud, the organizational benefits of OneNote made it the winner.

Workflowy is a super-simple outliner online. I love love love the simplicity of the product. I’ve tried other products, but they always introduce features that distract me.

For Todoist, it’s mainly because their app for Android is, in my opinion, the best out there. While I don’t think Todoist has the best or most powerful to-do features, the ease with which tasks can be entered makes it a winner.

Q: How can other small business owners benefit from planning and organizational software and applications, such as the ones you highlighted?

DM: Honestly, worrying about the tools without having a method to use them would be like a carpenter grabbing his toolbox without first drawing a plan for cabinets. In other words, the tools don’t matter without a plan.

I think OneNote, Workflowy and Todoist are great tools, but they must have their use cases. I’m a big GTD fan, so I use OneNote for Ubiquitous Capture, Workflowy for Project Planning and Weekly Reviews, and Todoist for Next Action Management. But, for me, an avid GTD kind-of-person, these tools make sense. If I were just “winging i” these tools might just function as “busy work” (and trust me, I have wasted days in the past trying out the shiny new penny without a reason behind it).

Q:  What is the most useful software planning programs you use?

DM: Since each one fulfills a different critical function, this is actually a difficult question to answer. However, if I had to choose one I couldn’t live without, it’s Workflowy. The utter simplicity of it makes it just too darn easy to get addicted to using it.

Q: Is there anything you can add that might be useful for other small business owners?                      

DM: Seriously, the tools are cool. But first understand what productivity system you are trying to “build” before you reach for the hammers, drills, and saws.

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Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio attorney and writer who tweets as @girlwithapen.