Core Concepts

What is a Trail Map?

A Trail Map is a project or significant objective. Think of it as a map to your desired destination. Each Trail Map contains steps that guide you from start to finish.

Tasks vs Steps

Step - Part of a Trail Map; a specific action within a project
Task - A standalone to-do not attached to a project; perfect for quick actions

Contexts

Contexts are organizational folders for different areas of your life. They can be nested (e.g., “Work → Client A”).

Collections

Simple lists for items that aren’t necessarily sequential - perfect for reading lists, gift ideas, or bug reports.

Routines vs Habits vs Templates

These three features all deal with recurring work, but they serve very different purposes:

Routines are recurring tasks that happen on a schedule. The emphasis is on getting it done when it’s due. A routine creates a task instance at the right time, you complete it (or skip it), and the next instance is scheduled automatically.

Habits are a special type of routine that you want to build into your daily life. The emphasis shifts from “did I complete the task?” to “am I consistently showing up?” Habits get their own dedicated Habit Tracker with visual daily logging, target counts, grouping, and the ability to edit past days.

Templates are reusable multi-step project structures. While routines and habits create single tasks, templates create entire Trail Maps with multiple steps.

The key question: Should this be a Routine or a Habit?

Ask yourself: “Do I want to track daily consistency and build this into my identity?”

If yes → make it a Habit. You’ll see it in the Habit Tracker every day, log completions, and track your consistency over time.
If no → make it a Routine. It will create a task when it’s due, and you’ll complete it and move on.

Examples to clarify the distinction:

Item	Type	Why
Change A/C filters every 90 days	Routine	It’s a maintenance task on a schedule. You don’t need to track daily consistency.
Take out the trash every Sunday	Routine	A weekly chore. You just need a reminder when it’s due.
Pay rent on the 1st of each month	Routine	A scheduled obligation, not a behavior you’re building.
Drink 8 glasses of water	Habit	A daily behavior you want to track and reinforce. Target: 8/day.
Meditate for 10 minutes	Habit	A daily practice you’re building into your identity. Target: 1/day.
Read for 30 minutes	Habit	A daily behavior you want consistency on. Target: 1/day.
Take vitamins	Habit	A simple daily action you want to never forget. Target: 1/day.
Exercise	Could be either	If you exercise daily and want to track streaks → Habit. If you exercise Mon/Wed/Fri on a set schedule → Routine.
Walk the dog	Could be either	If it’s a daily commitment you want to track → Habit. If it’s just a recurring reminder → Routine.
Write in journal	Habit	A daily reflective practice you’re building. Target: 1/day.
Send weekly client report	Routine	A scheduled work task, not a personal behavior to track.
Monthly budget review	Routine	A periodic task, not a daily behavior.

Rule of thumb: If it’s something you do (or aspire to do) every day and you want to see your consistency at a glance, make it a Habit. If it’s something that happens on a specific schedule and you just need a reminder, make it a Routine. And if it’s a multi-step process that repeats, make it a Template.