Sometimes, you just need to go scorched Earth
Posted by Michael | Filed under Site
On occasion, I’ll go scorched Earth on my apps, my blogs, email, social networks, my stuff at at home, even my computer (particularly when I was running Windows Vista).
Why?
Sometimes it’s just easier to wipe the slate and start over, rather than try to organize the amorphous pile of stuff. I play with a lot of apps, subscribe (temporarily, see the strategy here) to just about every blog I find interesting, and tend to collect things in piles at home (no matter how organized I think I am, these piles just appear. Really.). I’ve developed a set-point at which I am comfortable saying, “That’s it. Time to reformat.” My Partner doesn’t like this approach, but I get rather single-minded on this, so she just shrugs her shoulders and keeps her distance, especially when I decide that the furniture needs rearranged about every several months.
Seriously, you should try it, so long as you are able to keep calm and think through before you begin; “Measure twice, cut once,” as my Father would say. This includes backing up key files on your computer (trust me on this one…). Once you get underway, you’ll probably realize, like me, that suddenly you have control again, and can choose to systematically reintroduce the things that truly help your productivity, or simply make your life a bit more enjoyable.
By the way, if you aren’t familiar, the image below is from the game Scorched Earth. It’s a fantastic game. Tragic Hero’s Blog has a good write-up. Perhaps play a few rounds to get into the spirit. I recommend going heavy on the megaton nukes.
links for 2008-04-22
Posted by Jered | Filed under Asides
Radio Silence, Email downtime & Reply All
Posted by Jered | Filed under Choice
Email Downtime
Starting a few weeks ago, I implemented a few of the 4 Hour Work Week principles, namely a reduction in the number of times I check my email and feeds. For my email I have added a “vacation response” that reads:
Dear Colleague,
Due to high workload, I check email twice daily at 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM EST. I respond to urgent email at those times and endeavor to respond to all other email once a week, on Fridays at 9:00 AM EST.
If you require urgent assistance (please ensure that it is urgent) that cannot wait until either 9:00 AM or 4:00 PM, please contact me via phone at XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Thank you for understanding this move to more efficiency and effectiveness. It helps me accomplish more to serve you better.
Sincerely,
Jered
And while I have received some flack from coworkers, the response has been favorable overall. A few of my co-workers have found my response an intriguing and are considering using similar rules for themselves.
Radio Silence
I have also found it incredibly useful to turn off distractions, namely IM, web browsers and feed readers. Going “radio silent” is something that I have been practicing for my entire working career. Changing up routines, shutting down everything that can be a vector of distraction are easy ways to increase focus, especially on a grey Monday.
Reply All
It is my opinion that two of the largest programming “bugs” are as follows:
- One hour default meeting times in Outlook
- The inclusion of a “reply all” feature in any email program
I hate digging through my email, particularly when it is filled with back and forth conversation that I either should have never been involved in, or a coworker uses the “reply all” feature. I found a fabulous website: ThanksNo.com. It has a gentle reminder about how you include people in bulk emails and CC’s.
In a similar overture, I have created PleaseDontReplyAll.com. While the site was patterned after ThanksNo.com, it is targeted at a very specific behavior that is particularly bad in my work environment.
Tags: email, radio silence, reply all
TaskPaper = OmniFocus Light
Posted by Michael | Filed under GTD, Recommended
For the most part, the applications that are specifically designed for project organizing are way too complex, with too much horsepower to really be functional for 98 percent of what most people need to manage. — David Allen
Jered and I often mention the Mac OS X application OmniFocus. It’s a terrific application to bring the concepts of GTD to your computer in an elegant, yet effective way. If you haven’t tried OmniFocus, but are looking for a rock-solid project task manager, definitely head over to The Omni Group site and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.
My first impression when Jered introduced me to OmniFocus was one of amazement. It does everything I’ve ever wanted in a task manager, so I gave it a trial for a few weeks. Unfortunately, OmniFocus was still a bit too much for me. I’m easily distracted by bright and shiny things (taking me shopping is a dangerous proposition), so I found myself managing (okay, playing with…) the application more than tracking and completing tasks. Not that I didn’t like OmniFocus; quite the opposite. I simply didn’t need all the features. On the other hand, Jered swears by OmniFocus, and given what I understand of his workflow, it definitely fits well. Sometimes we don’t need all the features applications such as Omnifocus have to offer.
As my workflow is a bit more straightforward than Jered’s, (at least for now) I decided that I needed something simpler… an “OmniFocus Light” if you will. Enter Hog Bay Software’s TaskPaper. The comany’s odd name aside, the application’s promise is simple: ”For Mac users who want a simpler way to stay organized and get things done. TaskPaper is a simple to-do list that’s surprisingly adept. Unlike the competition, TaskPaper’s text based interface is focused on paper-like simplicity.”
At first glance, TaskPaper doesn’t seem to be much more than the built-in Mac applications Stickies and TextEdit, which I often use for note taking and braindumps. The simplicity of TaskPaper is that it isn’t much more than these, but that seems to be the point. Just the basics, plus a bit more (e.g., the tagging feature is cool).
In addition to TaskPaper, HogBay Software is well-known for their other application, WriteRoom, the back-to-basics writing program that gives you a “full-screen writing experience” and nothing else. I’m giving both TaskPaper and WriteRoom the 3-Week Tech Trial (well, 15 days as that’s how long the trial version allows).
Tags: GTD
The Simplicity Habit Podcast Special Edition: GTD vs. 4HWW
Posted by Jered | Filed under 4HWW, Featured, GTD, Podcast
Jered and Michael discuss an integration of David Allen’s Getting Things Done and Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Work Week. How can two systems that seem to be so different be used together to make your life better?
Read more at: http://simplicityhabit.com/featured/gtd-4hww-productivity-perfection
