In this article, I explore the concept of projects and open loops in personal management. I discuss how we often accumulate tasks unconsciously and show you how to do regular RAM dumps to identify and manage these commitments effectively.
Productivity
I share strategies to regain control of time, from saying no to unnecessary commitments to planning ahead. By managing energy, using timers, and regularly reassessing priorities, I optimize my day for productivity and fulfillment.
I’ve shared my solution for retrieving files via email using a specially designed script for Outlook 365.
As a long-time user, aBreevy8 is an indispensable part of my daily routine, thanks to its robust features and ability to emulate any keyboard action.
In this article I vent about people who make excuses for their lack of productivity rather than seeking solutions.
I discuss my strategies for capturing those random thoughts that pop up throughout the day. I find that if I don’t record these thoughts, they tend to distract me at the most inconvenient times. By recording these thoughts, I can process them later and keep my mental space organized and free of clutter.
My primary takeaway from this article is the concept of “touching it once” to enhance productivity. This refers to handling tasks, such as reading emails or paying bills, in one go rather than repeatedly coming back to them. By adopting this approach, I can avoid wasting time and energy. However, implementing this strategy will require practice and conscious effort.
In this document, I discuss my fondness for spreadsheets, particularly Excel, and how I use it not for number crunching, but for text manipulation. I share how Excel can be a powerful tool for consolidating or splitting up text. I provide a detailed walkthrough on how to put text together using the ampersand (&) as a concatenation tool. Then, I demonstrate how to pull text apart using the Text To Columns tool. This tool is especially useful when you need to extract specific information from a chunk of text. I conclude by emphasizing that Excel is not just for numbers and can save you from having to manually retype text.
In this post, I’ve explored the concept of “yak shaving”, a term in programming that refers to the seemingly endless chain of small tasks that need to be completed before getting to the main task at hand. I’ve shared examples from internet research to household chores, and even my own recent work experiences, to illustrate how easy it is to get caught up in yak shaving. I’ve also discussed how the so-called “2 minute rule” can sometimes lead to this phenomenon. Ultimately, the goal is to stay focused on what truly matters and avoid unnecessary distractions.
In this post, I’ve shared my strategies for dealing with an overwhelming task list. I’ve discussed the importance of questioning each task’s necessity and the role of task delegation. I’ve also shared my unique method of sorting tasks into different ‘parking lots’ based on their urgency and importance, which helps me prioritize tasks effectively and stay productive.