Productivity
In my podcast, Stationery Adjacent, I often talk with my cohost, Stuart Lennon about our technical setups. We both work from home and are always looking for the most productive arrangements. We are both, admittedly, Apple Fan Bois, and we do enjoy working with cutting-edge (and often bleeding-edge) technology.
Read MoreDo you ever find you justify your decision to do something you know you shouldn’t with a qualified answer, rather than a straight yes or no?
The next time you find yourself using a qualified answer to an internal decision - or any answer that is not binary - ask a habit-based question and then ask the question again. I’ll bet the answer is clear and that it is likely the opposite of the qualified answer that your mind was giving you.
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If you talk about productivity, you are often speaking to a group of people who are already well versed in the nuances of the productivity space and discussing the nuances of any particular system can feel like cult-like. It can be intimidating for people interested in beginning their journey towards adopting a more productivity-focused mindset and toolbox to discover why or where to begin. The first question I recommend anyone ask is: why should I be interested in productivity systems at all? I answer this in my first of a series of articles written to give an introduction to productivity systems and help anyone develop a system that meets their own needs.
Read MoreIf you follow technology news on Twitter, you have probably heard about Hey.com. If you haven't, it is a new subscription product based on a different way of looking at email. Hey has a great heritage, as it is made by the team that developed Basecamp. Hey is not just a new email client; you can't use an existing email address with the product. Instead, for good or bad, you have to embrace the Hey way of processing and reviewing email. While I disliked it at first, the Hey email way has grown on me. And it's not bad. In fact, it is terrific.
Read MoreWe all know the evils of social media - at least as far as easily encroaching into your productive time. The bunny trails of infinity pools of content that draw you down into distraction. But as career-minded business people, we are unlikely to be surfing Facebook at work. In business, the biggest distraction trap we have is email. Email is truly evil!
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After a 30 day digital declutter, I found I didn’t want to put all of the distractions back at my finger tips. I am, over 3 months later, still living the digital minimalist life. And it’s glorious.
Read MoreBased on teachings from Cal Newport’s new book, Digital Minimalism, I started a 30 day digital declutter - eliminating most of the distractions from my mobile devices. I detail my process, choices and goals in this article.
Read Morerecommended four books, in a particular order that I feel builds on the habits of productivity systems and would allow a new productivity enthusiast to make progress on their big rock goals. I also recommended a few online resources and podcasts for further listening after completing the books. I hope it will be helpful to these professional acquaintances and also hope that they will be useful to you.
Read MoreSometimes, we feel that we need to complete something because we started it. Even when the purpose and assumptions we considered when starting the project no longer are valid. Moby Dick, a book I chose to abandon, taught me that it is ok to quite something that doesn’t provide value.
Read MoreAre you really busy and productive at work, jumping from one emergency to the next, but find you still don’t make any progress the projects that will make you successful? Fixing problems can be an adrenaline rush which gives a feeling of accomplishment because of how much /work/ you have done in a day. However, we often sacrifice our precious time to other peoples’ emergencies instead of making progress on the essential things that will help us succeed but are less urgent. A weekly review will help to keep you on track.
Read MoreCursive writing is going out of style. It is not even taught in schools anymore. In this article, I look at some of the advantages in improved focus and less distraction that cursive writing brings and challenge that this beautiful form of communication.
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