The iPad has been out for just over four months. As others have shown, the more meaningful reviews of a new device can only come after having some time to really use it and understand it. After a comment from Paul I realize that it is a good time to revisit the idea of the iPad as a personal dashboard.
Here is what Paul said: (more…)
I had a theory about how the iPad might increase my productivity. It was probably less of a theory and more of a thinly veiled justification. Either way I thought that after 4 weeks of use I should report my findings thus far.
The original theory went something like this:
The iPad will provide such a compelling reading / video experience that I will no longer browse the web while I am working. Instead I will use the iPad at dedicated times for my r&r&r time (rest & relaxation & research). Since the iPad is not optimized for use at a desk, my desk time will be more productive.
When I was in school I ran cross country and track (hrm, that’s kind of a nerdy admission). The interesting thing about the track team was that there were the “field” sports that someone had to cover. I opted to compete in the high jump, which is, I think, where the phrase “raise the bar” comes from.
For those that don’t know, a high jump competition involves all the competitors jumping over a bar. Those that make it over are then allowed to continue as the bar is raised to the next height. On game day I had no say on the level of the bar; it kept rising and I was either in or out based on my performance.
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First off, what is the Apple Trinity, and why do we want to manage email on it. A trinity is “A group of closely related members”. I am currently using three closely related Apple products: a MacBook Pro, an iPhone, and an iPad. Since adding the iPad I seem to have stumbled on the right email management system for me and I thought I would share.
The way I manage email is highly influenced by Nicholas Holland’s Super Nick Email System. Last year I got to a point where I was totally buried in email. I had thousands of messages in my inbox and two week old replies that I was eventually going to get to. Nick was kind enough to share his system with me (well, he was also more than a little frustrated since as partners in gpsAssassin he was the recipient of many of those replies I was going to get to eventually).
Yesterday I posted about how I hope the iPad (and the many other devices like it that will follow from other manufactures) could be a great personal dashboard. The personal dashboard is something I would want at home in the mornings and evenings (and maybe midday at lunch). As I am sitting here in my office I am realizing how I would want to use the iPad at my desk.
Almost 4 years ago Cory posted about wanting an auxiliary display for his desk. He wanted to use it for monitoring, and since then there have been several similar products released. My desire for an auxiliary display is for reference. I could see myself referencing a jQuery documentation browser, a Wikipedia article or spreadsheet that I am using while working on another doc, of even something sent from my clipboard on my laptop (like the nasty multipart error message I just got from Python while testing some code).
A few months ago Brad Feld posted about his Quest For A Personal Dashboard. It was a post that stuck with me for several reasons. With a background in Business Intelligence and analytics I love this kind of stuff. The main reason the post stuck with me is because I really want the same thing.
On some levels, my needs are not very different from Brad’s. I have been working on refining my daily routine that involves checking a variety of numbers (watched numbers grow), checking to make sure some processes are running properly, checking my todo list and appointments, etc. I also have social needs that are part of my daily process which mostly consists of checking the social media of people I am in close relationships with.
A few weeks ago this post about the Panic Status Board made the rounds (followed by this similar and less expensive example). It is a beautiful example of a dashboard, for a company. I want a dashboard for me (which includes companies, but isn’t all company focused). I want a truly personal dashboard.
If I am going to be successful it is going to come down to execution. For me, procrastination and/or letting tasks fall through the cracks is my #1 threat. I know how to write code that works and scales. I know how to build databases for storing and reporting on large amounts of data quickly. I know how to architect applications that people want to use. I know how to evangelize and promote the projects I am working on. I just need to do it.
So there are three things I am working on:
I have struggled with creating an effective workflow off and on for years. When I have a clear vision and a singular purpose I can knock shit out quick and effective. Once I start getting pulled in too many directions it doesn’t scale. It is not because there are not enough hours to get everything done (I don’t over-commit myself). Rather it is just that I start to get a little scattered.
The main problem is that I keep too much in my head. I don’t forget things, I just run out of RAM and my swap memory takes longer to access. (Note: yes, I am a cyborg)
So I have been working on the process. I have tried various methods of GTD and the problem has been getting it to integrate well in my workflow. Moleskins are great, but I have so many projects and tasks that I end up creating volumes of notes that are hard to reference. It is really easy for me to let something fall through the cracks when I start carrying more than a page worth of todo items (I am sure there is a way to do projects with a Moleskin, but I couldn’t figure it out).
I bought a license to OmniFocus a while back. Over the weekend I wiped my iPhone. In the process of setting it back up I made some changes to try and make email easier for me to manage. Then I had an epiphany. If I could figure out how to get email directly into OmniFocus as I was scanning my inbox and archiving messages, then I would get stuff out of my head and keep my inbox closer to that magical number of zero.
It took me several hours last night, but right now my primary email is now at Inbox Zero. I think I have found a system that can work for me. I know there are lots of productivity gurus out there so I am interested in tips that will help me improve my system. Here is what I am doing:
As I read email I do one of four things. If it is a really simple question then I reply right then and file it away in the proper archive folder (I have archive folders for major projects like Statzen, Plato’s Closet and reference like travel, account information, etc). If it is something that I need to write a longer reply to or need to reply to after I do something, I hit CTRL+OPTION+C and send it to OmniFocus (with project, context, and deadline information if necessary), then I move the messages to an @replies folder. The @replies folder is not to manage the list of messages that I need to reply to (that is in OmniFocus), it just makes it easier to find the message when it is time to reply. Once I reply that message is moved to the appropriate archive folder.
If the message requires action but not a reply, I do the same thing as before except that the message gets filed in the appropriate archive folder. Lastly, if the message is just noise (email lists, info messages, sales messages, etc) then I either delete it or file it if there could be some long term value.
What this method does is it removes my email from my task management process. Everything that I need to do is in OmniFocus. I have OmniFocus on my laptop and on my iPhone and they sync over the air with MobileMe. This eliminates the need to carry around a notebook (and I was carrying around three). It also lets me get everything out of my head into a consolidated place that is easy to work from and always with me. It is actually making me love my iPhone more. I wish there was a way to send items from email / NetNewsWire to OmniFocus on my phone though (now I end up skimming messages on my phone and processing them on my computer later).
I am hoping this system will allow me to hyper-perform. It is all about the execution so I am trying to improve my execution. I “know” enough to get the job(s) done; I just need to “do” more.
Part of me really admires people who can sit at a computer and type solid for hours on end working on a project (particularly coding). Most times, if you hear me typing solidly for more than 30 minutes at a time it is because I am chatting on multiple IM sessions. It is just a rare day that I am able to work non-stop.
There is another part of me that sees this as a good thing. If I am able to type and thing non-stop then chances are I am not working smart. When writing software, if I don’t have to stop and think about what I am coding, then I am probably repeating myself. I like to stop and think while I work. Sure sometimes this gets me distracted, but that is a different problem.
So, there lies an internal conflict I have. Am I more productive when I take lots of breaks and work in bursts? Or am I more productive when I sit down, shut up, and get work done?
