While recording the podcast, I mentioned that I had been using Pzizz to fall asleep quicker. Pzizz is a program available from pzizz.com, which uses Neuro Linguistic Programming to help you fall asleep faster and wake feeling more energized. Pzizz creates custom soundtracks to help ease the transition to sleep, by use of two modules, one for sleep and one for naps, both of which I have bought but I have only been using the sleep module. I have had a hard time integrating the nap module into my routine due to my working in a cubicle. I think my coworkers would find it odd to find my napping (Plus, I worry about the middle school pranks).

While the idea of napping / sleeping to productivity may sound odd, there are a good number of people who tinker with their sleep patterns who see an improvement in their productivity. Merlin Mann has written extensively on napping and sleeping at his blog 43folders.com. Tim Ferriss, author of the 4 Hour Work Week, has also done experiments with getting the most out of his sleeping. I also remember Steve Pavlina, doing a stint of Polyphasic Sleep. Just a quick break down on Polyphasic Sleep: Sleeping for 40 minutes at a time, 6 times during the day, essentially forcing your body to go into deep restorative sleep from the second you put your head down.

Now, does using Pzizz or taking naps make it easier to get things done? No. Does it take items off of your task list? Definitely not. I can say from personal experience that I (and my wife) have been falling asleep quicker, sleeping better (even through pregnancy) and waking up with a little more energy, all of which can be attributed to Pzizz.

Download a trial nap and sleep from pzizz.com/download, put them on the mp3 player of your choice and I’ll see you in the morning.

Example: iwantsandy.com

From the Web site: Hi! I’m Sandy, your new assistant. I’ll remember the details so you can focus on what’s important. Sandy applies some pretty complex AI which reads your messages to the service and then can send you reminders or keep information for you. 

When Sandy was in Beta, I signed up and tried to integrate it into my system. At the time I didn’t have a cellphone that had text messages, which is where I probably missed the boat with Sandy. She is able to send reminders by email and text, keeping you updated of your calendar and tasks.

I gave Sandy a couple of weeks, but found that I was not putting much into her system to make her work with me. Sandy is essentially an all or nothing system. Abandon your current setup and convert completely to Sandy.

Sandy did not make it through the 3-week tech trial. 

Example: NetNewsWire / NewsGator

As a user of the Google Reader, it was hard to me to switch away from an online feed reader. My switch to Google Reader was quick, but the change away was painful. I have read from bloggers more prolific and brighter than I, that a stand alone feed reader is the way to go.

When NetNewsWire went free, I downloaded it and put my feeds in the reader. Skeptical, I figured out the killer feature quickly. Syncing. The app syncs between work and home and my iPhone. I know Google Reader works on all of those platforms, but there is something to be said about having a application, which retains your focus, unlike the web browser. The other thing that is nice about the NetNewsWire/NewsGator combo is that I can still access those feeds on the web, the web app is great.

NetNewsWire passed the 3-week tech trial.

Example: Evernote (beta)

Evernote used to be a Windows only, ticker-tape style note application. With the 2.0 release, Evernote has become a web service, with a Mac and Windows client. Notes sync back and forth between the clients and the web service, where images are run through text recognition, making images searchable.

I am finding this service very useful, keeping notes across my systems, at my hands when I need them.

Evernote is currently in Week 2 of the 3-week tech trial, more to come on Evernote.