Do you prefer to manage your tasks digital (on phone/laptop) or physical (on paper/notebook)? Why?

Neither. I just forget things, like a cool person
- I keep an extensive, unorganised mass of random notes and thoughts in Obsidian, and also a separate extensive unorganised pile of notes and thoughts in a paper notebook, thus ensuring I don't know where anything is and rendering the whole process futile.
- If you forget, it's not important anyway.

Physically writing things helps encode it in my brain, but in all other ways digital records are superior.
Kinda want one of those smart pens.
- Oh man I want a Remarkable so bad, too bad they're insanely expensive.
- Sadly, Apple is far and away the best for that. Plus notability allows for digital recording too. Helped me a ton through school.
  
  I think he means an actual one that makes a digital copy of what you write on paper.
- Yeah, you can have benefits of both by having them. Though they're so expensive.

I’m all digital. Don’t have to worry about where my notebook is, my tasks and calendar are available through my phone, tablet, computer. And I get reminded on time sensitive things. I can make templates for repeating tasks like my vacation checklist. I’m reminded on birthdays that are coming up so I have time for presents. I never feel like I’m forgetting anything. It’s perfect for how my brain works.
- This has been my experience as well. I went through a few years of taking and enjoying paper notes, but at a certain point I realized that without the ability to search my notes, I'm not getting as much value as I could otherwise. That with the addition of digital being more conveniently always with me has led me there.
  That being said, there are so many options with apps and systems for digital management that the simplicity of just grabbing a piece of paper and writing still sounds enticing sometimes, haha.

I've finally moved from using paper to using multiple files and services in different places to help me not get anything done.
- this is the way

Tasks are one of the few things i still do on paper, to me it's like reading a book; ya just cant beat the feeling of paper; also you can't just close the app; it will remain hanged on the wall, judging you from afar

I'd prefer a somewhat "smart" app that could highlight the next most important task from a list.
But what actually works best for me is a bullet journal.

Writing. It slows you down so you have to think about the task. Plus it's so much more satisfying to cross something out than mashing delete. Plus checking your paper lists won't tempt you with distractions.

Todo.txt is the way.

Both.
Checklists are on my phone, as it automatically hides checked items, making the remaining items easier to see.
Procedural lists, such as a task list with items that have to be done in order often go on paper, such as when I'm traveling: each line has flight number, time, from-to, and booking references.
Calendars go on both, as loads of household planning has to take my work schedule into account. The consolidated one that contains everything that has been finalized so far hangs in the kitchen, while the things that are subject to change as on phones/laptops

I generally put short term things on index cards and long term things on digital. Or I just note something down with whatever's most accessible at the time.
So, for work, I have a long list of tasks in Microsoft Planner I should get done in the mid-term and long-term. If someone asks me to get something done asap, I put that on paper. I'm really bad at getting things done on the digital list but I'm trying to get better at it.
Chores and groceries go on the white board on my fridge. Then I transcribe them to index cards if I need to remember them out of the house.
I try to keep a pad with me when I'm out of the house to note things down. I use a tiny little Fisher Space Pen which easily fits in my pocket.
My problem with digital is that it's too easy to forget about. When I mark things down on paper, specifically index cards, they start to stack up and I feel motivated to reduce the clutter they create. Throwing out ten index cards because I got shit done feels good.
- My problem with digital is that it's too easy to forget about. When I mark things down on paper, specifically index cards, they start to stack up and I feel motivated to reduce the clutter they create. Throwing out ten index cards because I got shit done feels good.
  This is exactly how I feel.

Paper, simply because out of sight out of mind.
I do a grid, Top left due today
top right running list of additional things
bottom left shit thats due but not urgent
bottom right long term projects, stuff in progress that takes time
Brain is dumb so as i write out the list i cross stuff off, even if I just did it (train your brain to get that delicious sense of accomplishment)
If I have, say, a binder with cover that doesn't work...needs to be visible. Brain is dumb.

Both, depending on the task.
For instance, I have trouble taking notes while working on my car. Fingers dirty, device runs out of battery and needs power cord, no good program for combining pics and text and so on. It's just easier to write on scratch paper.
But if I order something online, I just screen shot the receipt.

If it's a bigger scale task that I'm gonna need a long time to accomplish, I do it on my computer. For daily stuff, I have a bullet journal and fountain pens that I really like

I use "second brain" system with obsidian for most notes. I use Microsoft to-do for quick to-do's, but want to find a non-Microsoft replacement.
- Hey, I'm also in the process of finding an alternative for Microsoft to-do. I did some quick research for some replacement and tasks.org looks really promising if not for the lack of desktop version.
  
  Selfhost Vikunja as a sync server (CalDAV) for tasks.org. Vikunja also has desktop apps or you can just use the web interface.

Writing things down makes me anxious because I've been abused for it..
- I'm so sorry to hear that. This is a fear of mine and the reason I always stop myself from writing any personal notes on paper. If not abuse, someobody is ought to tease me for it.

Oh man, I would happily pay someone lots of money to sort out my digital mess.
Like, I run a business where I do different types of work for multiple properties, some of which is one side of the business, some the other. Some is indoor work at one rate, some is outdoor at another. Some of it is purchases, some is hours etc etc
Fuck me I'd love to find an app that could keep track of all this shit and put it all in one place, from Android where I note it down, to Windows where I do my invoices
It just doesn't exist :(
- I don't know exactly what your use case is, but AirTable is very powerful and flexible.
  
  I tried to weave my way through their overdesigned website and nearly vomited at the sheer volume of business-speak 🤢
  Fuckin hell it's like AI scraped LinkedIn for taglines

I want to be a digital organizer, but I'm also a folder nesting whore and things get out of sight out of mind to easily. I find my daily tasks and todos are much more effective if I write them down in a small notebook that I always keep in my bag.

Tasks digitally, thought processes on paper.

Digital by far.
I can copy/paste, edit easily, share entire tasks/lists with someone, selectively share something with someone, all from multiple devices, at least one of which I'll likely have at all times.

I prefer digital, but everything's a mess. Within digital, compared to notes/calendars/reminders, sending emails to myself is the most effective for me since I end up cleaning my inbox quite regularly and to clean I delete useless stuff, archive dealt with stuff, and pending stuff remains in my inbox. Rent payments for example will be an alarm, calendar with reminder, and email to all my accounts and my wife's. Whenever I do write, it's for a specific task and much better implemented.

Digital when I'm not at home and need to remember some stuff for later. If I'm at home I use a notebook so I have an excuse to use my fancy fountain pens.

I write down some stuff on a scratch pad like tasks and little things i need to pick up. There's something satisfying about crossing them off my list. Also when I plan a longer vacation where I stay in multiple places I need to write it out like a calendar with details for each day.
I use text files on my phone for longer term stuff. A Christmas gift list for ideas that pop up during the year, checklists for outdoor trips I plan regularly that i can send to others, a shopping list of fly tying materials (some are hard to find, I stop at various stores when convenient). Also I keep a list of cheap cabins to stay in with links to their websites.

Small note pad for work today todos. Anylist for groceries, shared lists for my family. Monday board for specific work shared by other teams.
My favorite is pen and paper. Throwing away a full sheet is so satisfying and helps me feel accomplished. I came from big retail and I miss the satisfaction of tangible proof of what the team accomplished. This helps me stay grounded in my new industry.
The problem I have with digital is notification overload and that’s with notification restrictions on many teams and slack groups. I also don’t like how lists don’t stick out. A piece of paper can be moved to a spot on my desk I’ve deemed as priority. I’m a very visual and physical space person so that sticks in my mind better than a task on a screen, even if I can take it with me. To me the task that is synced between my laptop and phone may as well be different. I know they aren’t but somewhere subconsciously they are and that makes them less useful.
I will say that my role isn’t all office. It’s a mix of office and field which makes having all digital tasks less useful. I could see programmers or remote jobs as digital working since you may have a job that is stationary.

Physical helps me remember better when I write it down, and I love sketching tasks, but it makes no difference when crossing them off.