Get Everything Done

I just answered a question about taglocity and it got me thinking that it might be good to share our favorite "tools". By "tool" I mean anything that helps in any way for anything ;-) I see them falling into categories such as hardware (including notebooks and pens), software, procedures, even wearing apparel (such as cargo pants with lots of large pockets. So, in that spirit let me provide some of mine.

HARDWARE:

- Cell Phone. I use a Motorola Q9h smart phone and am moderately happy with it. I wish there were better software products to make it more useful but having included GPS so I can find out where I am when I feel lost ;-) and a servicable camera as well as voice memo make it useful beyond just a phone, text messenger and almost useful web interface ;-)

- I loved my Palm PDA but since the battery went it has been gathering dust. It seems as though Palm is headed for the history books soon, in any case. My smart phone SHOULD act as a PDA but other than contacts and rudimentary calendar function it is not super duper.

- Scanner. I scan in all paper these days, convert it to PDF and can search for it on the computer. If I can, I get my bills and statements delivered in PDF format in the first place to save me the trouble. Cuts down on the file storage space. That's one procedure, actually, and another is to have most bills paid automatically after I get an email notice that it is due and I review them. Again, major time savings and not eviction for missing mortgage payment when on vacation ;-)

- Alarm wrist watch. I don't know how I lived before I got my Timex Ironman. It has 10 alarms and five timers that do all kinds of tricks (such as repeat a number of times or kick off a different timer). When I'm in task crunch having that watch nag me about the passing of time really helps. Before Windows XP it used to sync with Windows but now that function no longer works ... more help from Bill Gates ;-(

- Small 3x3 vertical format spiral notebook (about $0.50 each). I use one for my AF list.

- Small 4x6 vertical format spiral notebook (about $0.75) for free form notes such as journaling and recording conversations and meetings.

- Small two piece ball point pen that fits into my AF list wire spiral.

- "Composition" type sewn notebooks for projects. I use one to keep track of computer repairs and updates, for example. It stays with the computer and the pages don't fall out. It lies flat and is easy to use.

- Cargo Pants ... pants with large square pockets on the legs ... great for carrying those note pads ... they don't get as bent up as with normal pockets. I have a pair with zip off bottoms so they turn into shorts in the summer time. Great for packing light on vacations as well.

- Photographer's Vest. You've seen those vest that photojournalists used to wear when they had to keep all kinds of film canisters and doo-dads. Still good when traveling to carry lots of junk. I use it mostly when traveling.

*** I know it sounds like I'm off on safari, but not so much. LOL ;-) I don't deck out most of the time. Mostly when traveling. ***


SOFTWARE:

- OneNote for Windows is excellent for organizing research and project planning.

- Evernote is similar but links to the web so that your info is availalbe when you are on the road. It also stores photos and does a picture to text operation so you can search WITHIN the photo. Neat.

- Taglocity works with Outlook to help manage email by tagging and searching.

- FireFox is a better browser than IE, IMO, and it has all kinds of add-ins to play with. I have the weather right on my screen so I know what is going on without looking out the window ... how decadent. ;-)


PROCEDURES:

- AF. 'nuff said ;-)

- My project books usually have pages numbered in the upper right corner of the right hand page (odd numbers only). I reserve the first five pages (unnumbered) for a table of contents so I can get to the right place for important info. I tape various lists on the inside covers, depending on the purpose. I also use a symbol to link entries in the margin (such as -->30 for continued on page 30, or 10<-- continued from page 10). I also freely tape stuff on the pages where it is uesful.


That's it for now. Any other interesting ideas supporting productivity lifestyle in any way?

Great list of tools, Mike. I love those photographer's vests and cargo pants as well.

Here's my list.

Preface: ADD and INFP with a side order of number dyslexia and left-right reversal.

iPhone. Life changing. Just having my calendar synced would be enough, but being able to do email, web research, take notes, do voice recordings, keep my shopping lists, play music (not just my iTunes but (free!) Pandora radio, look up words while I'm reading in the Oxford English Dictionary, and on and on.

ScanSnap by Fujitsu. Also life changing. I have the portable model, the S300. Comes in Mac or PC and scans both sides, with a sheet feeder, all sizes of paper. It's unbelievably small and unbelievably fast. I now pdf everything and use Yep (like iPhoto for pdfs) to organize. (The ScanSnap can scan directly to Yep but also can do jpgs and you can have custom settings specifying quality, destination folder, etc). I have one at home and one at my studio and don't have to hunt for "that receipt" or "that manual".

Together. I replaced years of paper journals with digital archives (see the ScanSnap, above) and now throw all my research--articles, images, web pages, notes into Together. It has robust tagging and smart folders so filing and retreiving is a breeze.

Circa notebooks. I deal with paper. Lots of paper, in spite of digital archives, that I must carry around and refer to daily. With the Circa ring system, I have lightweight custom notebooks into which I can place any paper and which I can add to and reconfigure instantly. When the project's complete, I just archive the contents and use the plastic rings and cover again for the next project.

Scrivenir. It's a writing tool but also an organizer. I can gather everything related to a writing project and cut and paste and edit in split screen mode. I have a Scrivenir project called Workflow where I collect instructions and progress reports for all kinds of repeating tasks: updating my website, maintaining the hot tub, what batteries and ink cartridges I use, the locations where infrequently used items are stored, etc.

TypeIt4Me. I've used this since it first appeared in the 90's to avoid typing frequently used abbreviations or phrases. I have to write and type a lot and this is a lifesaver.

Brother Label Makers. One at my studio, one at home. My ADD-ness makes orderly surroundings a must for me. I was very skilled at printing Avery labels, but this is so much quicker. I label everything: the contents of bins, my files, all those cords.

Kitchen timers. One in my computer bag, one in my studio, one at my desk at home and oh, yes, one in my kitchen. Use to force myself to work AND to force myself to stop.

Hello,

Thanks a lot for many useful/interesting tips.

If possible: it would be great if you also could provide web links along with a recommendation. (Some of the things are quite difficult to google for; f ex googling for "together" gives a lot of irrelevant hits as you can imagine... )

But again, thanks for sharing your recommendations!

Anyone using paper clips to mark their position should check out Book Darts (http://www.bookdarts.com/ ). They don't mark the paper, they're very easy to slide up and down the page, and seeing the dart shape pointing at my next item has a great "do this next" effect :-). Definitely a step up from a regular paper clip.

I ordered from their main website (see comments at http://www.scottberkun.com/blog/2006/tricks-for-writing-book-darts/ for direct-to-checkout link), but they also have resellers like Levenger.com.

I second the book darts recommendation. They're very neat and even ship to Germany. :-)

Hello Tigerigis:

Thanks for the reminder about links! Here they are:

Togther: http://www.reinventedsoftware.com/together/

Scrivenir (an unbelievable bargain at $40): http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html

Circa and other wonderful office things are at http://www.levenger.com/. Their stuff is pricy, but--if it's something you're going to use and enjoy--well worth the money.

TypeIt4Me: http://ettoresoftware.com/EttoreSoftware/About_TypeIt4Me.html

The ScanSnap 300M (the Mac version) or the S300 Ithe PC version) are usually heavily discounted at http://www.amazon.com/. There's a larger, more expensive version, the S510M or S510, but I don't think it's worth the extra $150 unless you need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Professional (free with the Mac version) or you're a large business or you need OCR (optical character recognition) of your pdfs.

I have the Brother PT-1880 label maker, also heavily discounted at amazon.com

Liz,

Your suggestions are enough to make me switch to a Mac. Together and Scrivener look fantastic.

Here's another vote for the ScanSnap 300. Small, robust, scans two sided, never misses. It just works.

Alec

I also have and love the ScanSnap. I do have one word of caution, however ... they are usually sold with a $50 rebate. You can kiss that good bye right out of the gate. The company does not mail the rebates nor will it respond to emails or phone calls. I got mine through Amazon and thought they might help me but they said it was not their problem. Yet another victory for customer satisfaction ;-(

So if you don't mind eating the extra $50, fine, but realize that the price is what it is ... sans rebate.

Someone I was talking with mentioned this tool and I thought it will probably appeal to folks in here.

https://excalidraw.com/