How to Unify Tasks from Multiple Apps in One List: Step-by-Step Guide with Foco Plus

Managing tasks across Notion, Linear, and Asana is a common challenge for freelancers and small teams. Checking each tool separately wastes time, increases the risk of missing deadlines, and fragments your overall workflow. The solution isn’t to abandon these platforms—each has its strengths—but to unify tasks from multiple apps in one list that integrates them without losing context. In this guide, we’ll show you how to do this step by step with Foco Plus, using its native integrations and AI features to centralize everything in a single, organized, and actionable dashboard.

Why Unify Tasks from Notion, Linear, and Asana in One Place

Imagine this scenario: a freelance developer uses Linear for client issues, Notion for project documentation, and Asana for administrative tasks. Every morning, they open three tabs, check notifications separately, and manually copy deadlines to their calendar. The problem isn’t the number of tools but the lack of a system that unifies them without duplicating effort. This is where Foco Plus comes in: it doesn’t replace these apps but automatically brings in what’s assigned or mentioned to you, showing only what’s relevant in a single dashboard.

Advantages of Centralizing vs. Traditional Alternatives

The typical alternative—using a spreadsheet or a generic note-taking app—fails in three key ways:

• Loss of context: Manually copying tasks removes links to original issues, comments, or attached files.
• No automatic updates: If a client changes a deadline in Linear, you must update it manually in your list.
• No calendar integration: Deadlines or due dates remain isolated, without syncing to your agenda.

Foco Plus solves this with direct connections to Notion, Linear, and Asana (and other tools like GitHub or Jira). Every imported task includes a link to the original item, updates in real time, and preserves key fields like priority, due date, or assignees. Plus, when you mark a task as done in Foco, you can automatically close the issue in Linear or the page in Notion, avoiding redundant work.

Step-by-Step: How to Unify Tasks from Notion, Linear, and Asana in Foco Plus

1. Set Up Connections in Foco Plus

Before importing tasks, you need to link your accounts. In Foco Plus, go to Settings > Connections and select the tools you use. For each one, follow these steps:

• Notion: Authorize access to your workspaces and choose which databases or pages to monitor (only tasks where you’re mentioned or assigned will be imported).
• Linear: Connect your team, and Foco will automatically bring in issues assigned to you, with their status, priority, and due date.
• Asana: Select the projects or teams whose tasks you want to centralize. Foco will import only tasks where you appear as the assignee.

For each connection, choose a destination workspace in Foco. You can assign a fixed workspace (e.g., "Clients - Development") or let the AI decide automatically based on the task content. For example, a Linear issue tagged "frontend" might go to the workspace "Project X - Frontend."

2. Define Which Tasks Are Imported and How They’re Organized

Foco Plus doesn’t import everything from your tools—only what’s relevant to you. By default, it brings in:

• Tasks where you’re assigned as the responsible person.
• Items where you’re mentioned (e.g., a comment in Notion with "@yourusername").
• Issues or tasks with upcoming due dates (configurable).

In Settings > Connections, you can customize filters for each tool. For example, in Linear, exclude issues tagged "backlog," or in Asana, only import tasks with "high" priority. This prevents cluttering your dashboard with tasks that don’t require immediate action.

3. Review and Adjust Imported Tasks

Once the connections are set up, Foco Plus will import tasks in real time. Each one will appear in Panorama mode with the color of its assigned workspace (e.g., blue for Linear, green for Notion). Click on a task to see its details:

• Title and description: Copied from the original item, with a direct link to the source tool.
• Dates: Foco automatically detects the due date and, if available, the scheduled date. You can edit them or add a time and duration to block time in your calendar.
• Priority: Inherited from the original tool (e.g., "urgent" in Linear) and displayed with a visual indicator in Foco.
• Assignees: If the task has other collaborators, they’ll appear here. You can only assign tasks to people you’ve previously invited to that workspace in Foco.

A concrete example: a Linear issue titled "Login bug - High priority" with a due date of Friday will appear in Foco with the same name, urgent priority, and a direct link to the issue in Linear. If you enabled the "complete also in the source" option, marking it as done in Foco will automatically close the issue in Linear.

4. Use Focus Mode to Concentrate on One Workspace

Panorama mode shows all your tasks in one place, but when you need to dive deep into a project, use Focus mode. Click on the name of a workspace (e.g., "Client Y - Development"), and Foco will filter the dashboard to show only its tasks. This is useful for:

• Client follow-up meetings: review only their tasks without distractions.
• Deep work blocks: focus on one project without seeing the rest.
• Weekly planning: group tasks by scheduled or due date using the List or Calendar view.

In the Calendar view, you’ll see tasks from Notion, Linear, and Asana alongside your Google Calendar or Outlook events. For example, an Asana task scheduled for Tuesday at 10:00 AM will appear as a time block in your agenda, next to a Zoom meeting imported from Google Calendar.

5. Automate Recurring Tasks and Voice Capture

Foco Plus includes AI features to reduce manual work. Two practical examples:

• Ráfaga (Burst): Dictate multiple tasks in a row, and Foco will separate them automatically. For example: "Review Juan’s pull request in GitHub for Friday, update documentation in Notion for Thursday, and send an invoice in Asana for tomorrow." Foco will create three separate tasks, detecting dates, priorities, and source tools.
• Email capture: Each user has a unique address (e.g., u-1234@in.heyfoco.com). Forward an email with instructions (e.g., "Task: Review client X’s contract. Due date: 05/15"), and Foco will extract the task, attaching the email as a note.

These features are especially useful for freelancers managing multiple clients. For example, a designer can dictate tasks while checking emails or use email capture to turn client requests into tasks without leaving their inbox.

Real-World Example: A Day in the Life of a Freelancer Using Foco Plus

María is a freelance developer who uses Linear for client issues, Notion for documentation, and Asana for administrative tasks. Here’s how she organizes her day with Foco Plus:

• Morning: She checks Panorama mode and sees 3 tasks: a Linear issue (urgent), a Notion page to update (important), and an Asana task (normal). Using the Calendar view, she notices the Linear issue overlaps with a follow-up meeting at 11:00 AM.
• Midday: In the Focus mode for the workspace "Client Z," she reviews only their tasks. She marks a Notion page as done, and Foco automatically closes the page in Notion (thanks to the "complete also in the source" option).
• Afternoon: She dictates a Ráfaga: "Create a pull request for issue #45 in GitHub, update the changelog in Notion, and send an invoice in Asana." Foco creates the three tasks, detecting dates and priorities. She forwards an email with the invoice to her u-1234@in.heyfoco.com address, and Foco attaches the email to the Asana task.

Centralizing tasks isn’t about eliminating tools but eliminating friction between them: fewer open tabs, less copying and pasting, and more time for what matters.

Conclusion: A Unified System Without Losing Flexibility

Unifying tasks from Notion, Linear, and Asana in Foco Plus doesn’t require migrating data or abandoning tools that already work. The key is to bring in only what’s relevant, maintain the original context, and automate repetitive tasks. For freelancers and small teams, this means:

• A global view of all projects in one dashboard, without switching between apps.
• Tasks updated in real time, with direct links to the original items.
• The ability to work in deep focus by filtering by project or date, without distractions.

If you manage multiple jobs or clients, try setting up the connections in Foco Plus and experiment with Panorama and Focus modes. The difference between checking three tools separately and having everything in one place—with AI helping you prioritize—is like navigating with a fragmented map versus using a real-time GPS.