Focustivity

Tagged “Productivity”

  1. How writing can help you solve problems

    Have you ever started an email to someone that explains a problem to them, one that you don’t know the solution to, then by the time you finish the email, you’ve realized you have come up with a solution?

    Simply writing out a problem where the explanation is as simple as possible (so someone else can understand it), we are clarifying in our mind precisely what the problem is. You likely don’t understand if you can’t explain the situation to someone else.

    Understanding the problem is only the first part. Now we try to come up with a solution. Often there are multiple solutions. So, we start listing some potential solutions and thinking through the pros and cons of each solution.

    As we write out the potential options to solve the problem, we often eliminate specific options based on what we know about the situation. Perhaps it is a budget issue or an infrastructure limitation. The more we can get down on paper (digital or analog) more likely we are to come up with the best options.

    As a Software Architect, this happens to me all the time. So much that I’ve incorporated this into my workflow. When I need to deal with a problem, even if I think I understand the problem, I write it out in the most straightforward explanation possible. Then each option will have pros and cons, and I’ll usually have a recommendation of which option I think would work best or is most reasonable within the current circumstances.

    After going through this process, I’ve often solved the problem and realized the best solution we can implement immediately. Clients love being told there was a problem and that you already took care of it. There is also the added benefit of having everything documented.

    I’ll write on paper when I’m struggling with something I can’t wrap my head around. This slows me down, so I can spend time thinking as I go. When writing on a computer, it’s easy to spit out words that don’t have as much meaning. On the flip side, a computer makes it easier to delete and reorganize ideas.

    Writing out our problems is not only for technical issues; it can work for anything. This is why Journaling is so beneficial.

    Writing is thinking.

  2. Use your domain for your email address

    Your email address is an essential part of your identity. Your email address is used to log into your accounts, change your passwords, and more. Your email is also where you may have personal communication with others.

    I trust Google, Microsoft, and Apple enough to take your email security seriously. They’re incredibly secure. But there is a difference between security and privacy. These companies can not only see your email but track how you use your email and share information about you with 3rd parties.

    We share your personal data with your consent or to complete any transaction or provide any product you have requested or authorized. We also share data with Microsoft-controlled affiliates and subsidiaries; with vendors working on our behalf; when required by law or to respond to legal process; to protect our customers; to protect lives; to maintain the security of our products; and to protect the rights and property of Microsoft and its customers. - Microsoft Privacy Statement

    When you use your domain for your email address, you can use a dedicated email client or a service that specializes in email and is determined to take your privacy seriously. Fastmail, Protonmail, and Hey for Domains are a few I’ve tried.

    Another advantage to using your domain for your email is you can easily change services or email clients without changing your email address. For example, I recently wanted to try Hey for Domains. I was using iCloud Domains. I went through the instructions to change my DNS settings for my domain, and a few minutes later, I was using Hey. A week later, I decided Hey may not be for me, and I switched to Protonmail.

    The downside to switching is that you may have to leave your email history behind. Check if your email service allows you to do a full email export so you can take your email with you!

    My main point to all of this is that a custom domain is a step in the right direction to take control of your email privacy.

    If you have any additional email services or privacy tips, please share!

  3. Losing the ability to read and think deeply

    I'm losing my ability to read deeply and understand what I'm reading, and I'm not alone.

    I used to be able to sit with a book for hours at a time, fully immersed. I'd put the book down and still think about what I read, processing it and making connections. This led to a deeper understanding of the material and a longer-term recollection.

    Today, we're so consumed by digital email, chats, TikTok, social media, short blog posts, video clips, and other forms of consumption that are meant to be short and quick - in and out. The content is designed to keep us engaged.

    There must be a connection between today's method of consumption and the ability to read and think deeply.

    I struggle to read a book with information I want to understand. My mind is jumping around to other things. I can't focus enough to comprehend what I read. I even read the prior text and don't recall it. I have to read a paragraph over and over to understand it.

    The book is too difficult to read because it requires more direct attention, the opposite of other material I consume. My mind is no longer wired in a way that provides me with the focus I need.

    This is concerning.

    Oddly enough, it doesn't apply to everything. I often become fully engaged when writing code and building software solutions. It may take a few minutes to get going, but once I do, I can be so completely engrossed in my work that it requires someone shaking my shoulder to get my attention.

    Do the books need to be more attractive to grab my attention in the same way as writing code? Is it because I'm creating and not consuming?

    Today's books are written differently. Old books are more dense, with complicated words, paragraphs, and less fluff. Today's books are more straightforward, full of short stories, and tend only to skim the material's surface. All of this is to keep the reader engaged. [@wolfReaderComeHome2018]

    Fortunately, if I had the abilities in the past and slowly lost them over time, it could be reversed. Right?

    My next steps sound simple enough but will be challenging to execute. Reduce the short, mind-numbing consumption and replace it with more time spent with evergreen material that forces me to slow down and think. This should help rebuild the muscle of deep reading and thinking.

    What does this problem mean for my children? How will they solve the world's problems if they can't sit with something for over 20 minutes?

  4. Use an index card to manage your daily tasks and notes

    Using an index card is a simple technique to help you focus during the day. This is not a replacement for your task application or calendar but an addition. The point is to help you be less distracted and keep your planned tasks front and center while you work.

    Review your task application and calendar every morning (or the night before) and determine what needs to be done that day. Write the main things you want to accomplish on your index card.

    As you work during the day, use your index card. As things come up, jot them down. You can even take brief notes from meetings or log things that happened.

    When you shut down for the day, open your task application and check off any completed tasks at the end of your day. Add any new tasks. Open your notes application and add any notes from your index card. This is an opportunity to clarify those notes and make them meaningful. Skip anything that does not provide future value.

    You can use some standard 3x5 index cards. Or find some vertical To-Do index cards that work great for this.

    You can also find yourself a nice business card holder that can be used to hold your cards.

    A search on Amazon returns all kinds of options, from cheap solutions to more fancy, custom solutions.

    If you want to go all out, Analog by Ugmonk has a high-quality card system that you can purchase. The Analog kit includes a walnut or maple card box with a magnetic lid to secure your other cards, and it also comes with Task cards for Today, Next, and Someday.

  5. Document your work

    Please document your work! I’m speaking from the context of a software developer/architect, but this also applies elsewhere.

    At the moment, it may feel like a waste of time. You may think, “I’ll remember this.” or “I’ll never do this again.” I’ve been there (and still think this). However, documenting has so many advantages. I’m pushing myself to do better at it constantly. More documentation with less effort.

    Creating documentation is a great way to go through whatever it is in greater detail and ensure you don’t miss anything. I can’t count how many times I thought I was finished with a task, but then found something I missed while writing out what I did.

    Writing, in general, helps to ensure you understand a topic. If you can’t write about it, perhaps you don’t understand it as thoroughly as you thought you did.

    Referring to a document to complete a task can dramatically speed up the execution time and improve quality. You spend a little more time upfront to save time in the future.

    One of my favorite reasons to document my work is so that I can give it to others to do next time. I can send them the documentation and allow them to complete the task independently. Better still, when your team has access to all your documentation, they’ll learn they don’t need to come to you in the first place!

    It’s a wonderful feeling when someone asks you a question, and rather than taking time to answer it now, you can send them a link to the documentation. It may be an official Word Document, a OneNote page, or even a blog post. If you don’t have the answer documented by someone, add the answer to the documentation now! I don’t know how many times I’ve answered the same question multiple times when I could have documented it. (I’m trying to be better about this.)

    My “work” documentation is either in OneNote or other Office documents. I’m doing this because these destinations are shared with my team and easily discovered in the Microsoft 365 universe. My personal documentation resides in markdown files tucked neatly inside my favorite note's app; some are published as blog posts.

    Where do you keep your documentation, and how detailed do you get with it?

  6. Adding color to your tools can help you be more productive

    Use colors as a way to categorize things.

    We can use Colors in our Productivity System to help us quickly identify things. I find it especially useful to identify each area of my life with a specific color.

    Here are some of the colors I use to identify areas of my life.

    • Purple = Family
    • Red = Health
    • Brown = Home
    • Orange = Creative work
    • Green = Client work
    • Blue = Personal
    • Use colors in a variety of tools.
    • If you are an analog type, you can use different colored pens and highlighters.

    Many digital applications allow the use of colors in some form.

    • Calendar applications allow you to set the default color of each calendar. You can even change the color of specific events on your calendar. It is helpful to quickly scan your calendar to see if a client meeting is coming up versus a personal appointment.
    • Create colored labels in your email application.
    • Create colored labels in your task application.
    • Use colors to differentiate different types of notes.
    • Use different colored themes in each of your browser profiles.
      Be Consistent

    Try to be consistent with the colors you use everywhere. Once a color has a specific meaning to you, it makes sense to apply that meaning across your entire system.

  7. Mac Productivity Tips

    I recently switched my setup to a Mac. As a long-time Windows user, this is quite a jarring transition. There were some things I immediately missed from Windows and some things that I had to spend some time figuring out because they make no sense on a Mac.

    • Poor window management.
    • Closing an app doesn’t quit it.
    • Every app seems to have a menu icon that clutters the top menu.
    • Lacking alt-tab to switch windows.

    I will share some critical apps and tips I learned while setting up my Mac mini to be a lean, productive machine.

    Keyboard Shortcuts

    Since I’m already moving to a Mac, I may as well get better at using keyboard shortcuts and use the mouse less.

    Learning keyboard shortcuts is one of the best things you can do for productivity. It takes so much time to reach for the mouse and move it to click on something.

    Keyboard shortcuts allow you quickly search and execute tasks without removing your fingers from the keyboard.

    Learning these keyboard shortcuts can be daunting, and I still struggle with them, especially with various applications using different shortcuts for different purposes.

    Some critical keyboard shortcuts on Mac

    • CTRL-CMD-Q: Lock the desktop.
    • SHIFT-CMD-Q: Log out.
    • CMD-SPACE: To search for anything.
    • CMD-X: Cut the selected item to the clipboard.
    • CMD-C: Copy the selected item to the clipboard.
    • CMD-V: Paste the selected item from the clipboard.
    • CMD-W: Close the current window
    • CMD-Q: Quit the existing app

    Essential Utilities

    Several utilities help make the Mac faster and easier to get things done. Here are a few that I’ve discovered so far.

    SetApp

    Setapp is a service that consolidates hundreds of Mac and iOS apps into one subscription. Setapp can save you a ton of money, depending on your apps, and it’s worth checking SetApp before purchasing any apps on the Mac. Like I did, you may find it cheaper to get a SetApp subscription that includes the apps you want and hundreds of other apps and utilities.

    Raycast

    Mac OS has a built-in Spotlight search that triggers when you click CMD-Space. If you find Spotlight lacking, check out Raycast.

    Raycast is a fast and extendable application launcher that does so much more. You can search anything, open anything, manage windows, and perform various other tasks that I have yet to explore.

    Be sure to take the time to go through the provided walk-through. Once you realize the power of Raycast, the sky is the limit.

    Alternatives include Alfred.

    1Password

    When setting up any OS, I first install 1Password, where all my passwords and other information are securely stored.

    You could get by with Apple’s Keychain if you only use the Apple ecosystem. Other alternatives include LastPass and Dashlane.

    Bartender

    Nearly every app you install on your Mac creates a menu icon in the top-right that gives you quick access to some of the functionality. Eventually, you’ll end up with a menu bar that spans the width of your monitor, which is distracting.

    Bartender allows you to configure this menu, only showing the icons you want to see and hiding the rest under a menu.

    CleanMyMac X

    I’m constantly installing and uninstalling applications, testing to see what they do and if they help me. Unfortunately, this leaves clutter on the MAC, including files and folders and other settings that get left behind even when you uninstall.

    CleanMyMac helps remove all of this unnecessary clutter from your Mac.

    BetterSnapTool

    I have a widescreen monitor, and the biggest thing I missed from Windows is the ability to snap my windows to various positions on the screen.

    BetterSnapTool does this on the Mac. You can easily position your apps and create custom areas for them to snap. Very handy!

    Some alternatives are Mosaic and Magnet. I’ve begun using Raycast to manage my windows using keyboard shortcuts, which I’m enjoying.

    CleanShot X

    CleanShot X provides some excellent screen-capture capabilities. Quickly take screenshots, annotate them, then share them.

    Great apps, exclusive to the Apple Ecosystem

    One of the biggest reasons I switched to a Mac for my setup is the great apps. It feels like apps on Windows are an afterthought and are usually only ported web applications anyway.

    Things 3

    Things 3 is probably one of the most elegant task management applications.

    Bear

    My favorite writing and note-taking application, Bear, is a straightforward markdown-based app that lets you focus on writing. You can organize your notes using tags.

    Craft

    Craft may arguably be the best all-purpose note-taking and documentation creation app. It is simple to use and has a beautiful design, and I use it to organize my life.

    Fantastical

    Fantastical is an excellent calendar app that goes beyond the out-of-the-box Apple calendar. Its most prominent feature may be the autocomplete functionality, and you can type an event or task in natural language, which will set all the details for you!

    I’ve only been using the Mac for a few weeks. I hope what I shared is useful. What are your favorite apps and tricks for the Mac? I’d love to learn more.

  8. Take care of your eyes with the 20-20-20 Rule

    As we all know, staring at a screen causes eye strain. When you do this too long and too often, your eyes may not recover. This eye strain is typically called computer vision syndrome (CVS) and can cause headaches, fatigue, dry eyes, and long-term damage.

    Every 20 minutes you spend using a screen, look away at something 20 feet (ca. 6 m) away for 20 seconds. 20 feet (ca. 6 m) for 20 seconds is the optimal distance and time to allow your eyes to relax.

    • Set a timer for 20 minutes.
    • When the timer goes off, look away from your screen and at something for 20 seconds.
    • Repeat.

    20 seconds is not very long. But there are some healthy things we can do during this time.

  9. Using a working memory file to stay productive during the day

    I created a Working Memory file that I’ll use throughout the day. I learned this from Cal Newport, although I’m sure he didn’t invent the idea.

    The idea is to have a single text file open all day that you use to write all of your notes, today’s tasks, etc. Similar to a Daily Note available in some applications, like Roam Research, Logseq, or Obsidian, except this file persists from day to day.

    I clean up the file daily, move tasks to my task system, and save important notes into my note application. My Working Memory file also has a list of active projects with the current status that I keep up to date, as well as a short list of things I want to remember.

    The purpose is not to jump in and out of applications all day, which is one of my struggles.

    I’m on Windows (for work), and Notepad was too basic; I tried iAWriter, but while I like writing with Markdown, I don’t want to see the Markdown. Now, I’m trying Typora, which uses Markdown, but with a live preview.

    So far, I love this approach. It keeps everything within easy reach and forces me to review every day.

  10. The Pomodoro Technique

    The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity hack where you set a timer for 25 minutes and then start a task and only work on that single task for 25 minutes. After the 25 minutes are up, you stop what you’re doing, take a 5-minute break, then start another 25-minute session. After 4 sessions, you take a longer break.

    Telling yourself you only need to work on a task for 25 minutes is a great way to get started. We often overcomplicate things in our mind and delay getting started.

    There are some downsides to the Pomodoro Technique. One is that you’re interrupted every 25 minutes. It may take you 20 minutes to get focused on the task, and then you’re interrupted by your timer. Should you take the break regardless? You could, but your break should be to step away, stretch, look out a window, grab some water, all the while you’re still thinking about your task. When you’re back to the task, you should (hopefully) be able to jump right back into it.

    You can create your own variations of the Pomodoro Technique. Try 55 minutes of work, 10-minute break. See what works for you.

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