Category Archives: General Items

Just a category to put things which are not specific to a topic.

5 Vacation Productivity Tips

Vacation Productivity
I am going away tomorrow to Centerparcs with my family. I am looking forward to a nice week in the forest spending quality time with my family.

Like many people, I work hard and taking time out is quite hard due to the pressures of running your own business. However, bonding and spending quality time with your family is also very important and getting that work life balance is always key. I have four children so spending time with them is one of my main priorities but luckily I am home a lot so get a lot of time to spend with them.

Luckily, I have always been able to utilize my vacations as great “think tanks”. I always seem to come out of a vacation more energized than when I went in. Some of my greatest ideas have come out of being away on vacation.

I think it is the fact that I remove myself from my daily routine, so my brain is able to focus its thought patterns on other, more creative tasks.

I thought I would take the time to share what I consider to be five great tips for getting the most out of a vacation from a productivity point of view:

1 – Ensure You Leave With No Open Loops

Before you go on vacation, I feel that it is imperative that your Open Loops are closed.

What I mean here for those of you new to the term Open Loops is that you have to ensure your mind is free of niggling tasks that must be done before you leave. In the few days leading up to your vacation, it is very important to hone your productivity skills in order to complete the tasks that must be complete.

I like to prioritize the tasks that must be done before I go away and things that can wait. I do a pre-vacation review and get my task system in place with a clear defined list of actions that I must do in order to go away with a clear mind.

2 – Let People Know You Are Away

I always let people who may be needing me in the week I am away know that I am going to be away. This sets their expectations and removes the worry that you will get something to deal with that is urgent whilst you are away.

A very important thing to do is to set your Out Of Office Assistant letting people clearly know that you are away, when you will be back, who they can contact whilst you are away, and what they can do if they need to contact you.

Using a system like AwayFind is a fantastic resource for covering when you are on vacation. I have just changed my regular Out Of Office message to state that I am away on vacation with limited access to email, but they can still send me an urgent message through AwayFind if needed.

3 – Pack a Good Book

I love to read when I am away. I love biographies and anything which will improve my mind and motivate me. I have just finished reading Tycoon by Peter Jones and I am taking with me this time The Real Deal by James Caan. Book reviews will follow for both these books pretty soon.

Books ignite the spark in my brain and help me with my thinking. I normally pick up some little nuggets of inspiration from these books and it is always nice to see how other people made it. I like to read about success, motivation, and also people who are self made entrepreneur millionaires.

4 – Take a Notebook to help you Collect Your Thoughts

As I have wrote about before, when I am on vacation with an empty mind, I get my most creative thoughts. Because of this, and also the fact that I am not in front of my Mac all day it is very important to take a good notebook and pen with you.

I normally pack a couple of Moleskine’s and a few pens to ensure everything is collected. I always have my iPhone but seem to prefer paper based collection when I am away.

It is so important to collect and record these thoughts as soon as they enter your head. Once I return home, I enjoy recording all these into my GTD system to ensure that they are allocated and scheduled for completion when they need to get done.

5 – Enjoy Yourself!

Last but not least, Enjoy yourself!

You work hard, and you deserve a break! Too many times we are at work dreaming about being at home, and then when we are at home we are dreaming about being at work. It is important to utilize the time on vacation to recharge your batteries so you can return to the office energized!

Well, I will enjoy myself and I know I will have some great productive ideas that will be put to good use on my return.

Do you have any little tips and tricks for getting the most out of your vacations? I would love to hear!

Thanks, and have a productive week!

Productivity, Motivation, and Personal Development Links – 23rd November 2008

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This week I am linking to five blogs that I have never linked to before. Some of these are established and some are total newbies to Productivity Blogging. Great to see new blogs appearing all the time.

If you have a new blog and have some great posts, be sure to let me know and I will gladly link to your great content in my weekly link roundup.

Here are my collection of links for this week.

My first link for this week is a link to a UK based site dedicated to managing your time. This is a great little site with some great resources. Pretty basic information and the site is Adsense heavy but sill a nice little site. It does appear to be a “Made for Adsense” type of site at first glance but the content does check out to be unique.
My second link is a link to the GTD tag from the Blue Knight Blog. The main reason for the inclusion of this blog is the information to be found on Pocket Informant. I used to use Pocket Informant on my Windows PDA and loved it. Nice to see it is still going and people are using it in their GTD and Productivity methodologies.
My third link is a link to a Scotch Box Hipster PDA (hPDA). A bit of fun and some good information from this new GTD Blogger.
My fourth link is a link to the first Google Android GTD Application Review from the Getting Things Done Blogspot Blog. Now, I have never seen an Android phone but looking at the user interface, I do not think the iPhone has much to worry about!
My fifth and last link for this week is a link to a neat little post about taking notes and using MarkUp. Another new blogger that I have never linked to and a blog which does seem to have good resoruces on it.

I am going away tomorrow for a midweek break to Centerparcs in Nottingham. Looking forward to a nice break with the family before the chaos of Christmas sets in.

May not be many posts this week, 3G coverage dependent.

Productive Magazine Launches Online

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Productivity Magazine Just had to write a little post about the new Productive Magazine.

I had not heard about this magazine until fellow blogger John Kendrick commented about it on one of my posts.

The Magazine is brought together by Michael Sliwinski, the guy behind Nozbe, and it is a collection of 17 articles from top productivity bloggers in the format of an online magazine.

The first edition also features an interview with David Allen, the author and founder of the Getting Things Done methodology.

The first edition of the magazine can be read online by following this link.

The content of the Magazine looks great. Cannot believe I missed this but this just shows how much is going on in the Productivity space right now.

I have set a goal to try and get an article into the next edition of Productive Magazine so I will have to pull all the stops out and write a killer article that will get accepted by the magazine.

I hope you all take a look at the magazine and download it. Looks a great read and thanks go to Michael for putting it all together!

Top 10 Paid iPhone Productivity Apps

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iPhone GTD I blogged earlier today about the new Using your iPhone to Get Things Done micro site that Apple had just released.

One of the items on the micro site is a list of the Top 10 Paid iPhone Productivity Applications.

I am presuming this is based upon data from Apple and download information over a time period. However it is worked out, this is great data from Apple as you can see what other people are downloading in order to use their iPhone and iPod Touch as a productivity device.

So, below is the list from Apple along with links to Productivity Apps in the iTunes store.

The big shock for me is that my favorite GTD app on the iPhone, Omnifocus, is not on the list!. Maybe the cost of OmniFocus puts people off, and also the fact that you do really need the Mac App as well in order for it to work to the full effect.

The only real GTD or Task based item on the list is Things, which comes in at number 8!. Maybe

The category within iTunes for Productivity is quite big and covers a lot of areas. It is however interesting to see which applications are selling the best from Apples point of view.

What do you think? Are you surprised by this list of the top 10 Productivity Apps?

BlackBerry Storm Released in UK

Getting Things Done with Springpad

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I have just come across Springpad via a Google Alert and thought I would share it all with you.

Springpad is a web-based life organizer that is based on free online notebooks, called Springpads. There are Springpads for most items from a Moving Checklist right through to a Daily Diary. There is even a GTD Notebook Springpad which allows you to organize your tasks in a system based on the Getting Things Done methodology from David Allen.

Check out the welcome video below from Springpad.

This does seems like a different approach from the normal web based organizers and one that I feel needs a more in-depth look before I make my mind up as to the value of the application.

I have registered for an account and I have added it to my review list so expect to see an in-depth review coming soon.

have you tried Springpad? I would love to know what you thought about it.

Mind Map Application MindManager Updates to v8

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Mind Manager 8
Mind Manager, what I consider to be the best Mind Mapping application has just upgraded to version 8.

At this point this upgrade is only for Windows users so if you are a Mac user like me, you have to stick with the version 7 for Mac until version 8 comes out. The Windows version of Mind Manager has always been a lot more feature rich than the Mac version and I have found myself using the Windows version in VMware when I have needed to use some of the more advanced export features of the Windows Mind Manager application.

So, what is new in Mind Manager 8?

Mindjet Player
Communicate your vision and ideas with the world by transforming your map into a fully interactive Adobe PDF file. Or publish it as an interactive Adobe Flash file to a Web page or blog. Recipients do not need to download and install any software – most desktops are already equipped for consuming these standard file formats.
Automated Task Management
Get a quick overview plus ongoing progress on all project tasks—automatically. Visual cues and status indicators allow you to quickly determine the status of critical activities. View the ripple effect of any changes to a map and even run “what if” scenarios to see the resulting outcomes.
Integrated Microsoft Office File Editing
View and edit attached Microsoft Word, Excel, Project and PowerPoint files within MindManager. No need to disrupt your focus by constantly switching between applications – it can all happen from your map. Please see MindManager 8 system requirements for details.
Integrated Web Content
Content Fully leverage the incredible information resources of the Internet by initiating Web searches right from a map. Real-time search results will appear whenever you view your map. Build your own Web service to add information from your company’s information systems.
Embedded Web Browser
View Web pages and Adobe PDF documents without leaving your map. You’ll retain your train of thought by staying focused on work at hand.
Database Linker
Display real-time information in your map from databases, Excel spreadsheets, CRM systems and other company resources. Just imagine how much more productive and focused you’ll be with your most critical business data right at your fingertips.
Powerful Search
MindManager now lets you search through your maps and all attached documents with ease. Or use one of today’s popular desktop search applications. Rest easy, knowing any bit of information you may need is just a quick search away.
Mindjet Connect Ribbon Tab
Enjoy fast access to all Mindjet Connect features and management utilities.

Quite a few cool features in there. What interests me the most and will be the reason I upgrade is the addition of the MindJet player. I can now create Mind Maps and embed them into a website. This is going to be awesome from a usability point of view, especially for my Mind Mapping Certification site at www.mindcert.com.

Mind Manager 8

You can see an example of the MindJet player by following this link to the MindJet website. The sample map shows you some of the features of Mind Manager 8.

Dixau Text Scanner – Time Saving Scanner

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Just been looking at the Dixau Text Scanner; a gadget which is able to scan pages and pick out relevant information and I thought I would write a little review of it, as it is classed as a Productivity Gadget.

Although the biggest market for such a device is probably with students the Text Scanner is definitely exciting for anyone who must tediously deal with large volumes of writing on a daily basis.

Tasks such as rewriting quotes or passages from any textual documents (including magazines, research materials, books, business reports, etc.) can be cleanly recognized and clipped by the Dixau Text Scanner and then copied into a text editor.

It saves an incredible amount of time usually spent typing or writing out words from a physical source, acting as something like a highly-evolved scanner. Also interesting is the Text Scanner’s ability to reference secondary sources by picking out keywords. Dixau consults Wikipedia, Google and e-dictionaries to supplement whatever material you may be working with.

The gadget is extremely exciting as a time-saving expansion on reading and editing. The implications of its system on both learning and more efficient work make it an extremely worthwhile piece of technology.

Whether used as a short-cut toward quicker reference or as a means of copying out text, the Dixau Text Scanner is one of the most innovative productivity gadgets ever created.

I have managed to find a video showing the scanner in action. It is a Japanese, or at least it looks Japanese video although the audio is in English.

Hope you found this little Productivity Gadget review useful. Looks a neat little tool. They are priced around $90 but I have not yet found a link to buy them, when I do I will post it here.

Productivity, Motivation, and Personal Development Links – 16th November 2008

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Another productive week draws to an end. I submitted a major piece of work that I had been creating over the past couple of weeks. You cannot beat the feeling when you hit the submit button and the work is complete. Kind of like checking off those tasks on your task list.

Here are my collection of links for this week.

My first link for this week is a link to the new Paper Based Coordinators from the David Allen Company. These are paper based planners for Getting Things Done. I use electronic systems to Get Things Done although I do rely on my Moleskine for note taking when out of the office. I first heard about these from the GTD-Times post.
My second link is a link to the GTD Dictionary from Organize IT. I have been following this dictionary for a few weeks and they are good little definitions of frequently used GTD words. This link points to the tag for the dictionary so contains all the posts.
My third link is a link to a blog post from the Flipping Heck Blog about why the Four Hour Work Week does not work in the real world. I love the 4HWW but also agree that a lot of it is pretty much unusable for most in the real world. I am sure it helps to sell books, and I did enjoy the book and must review it soon.
My fourth link is a link to a post from John Gruber of Daring Fireball about how he implements his email system to get things done. Good read from a fantastic blog.
My fifth and last link for this week is a link to the Getting Started in Productivity, Abbreviations post from the Simple Productivity Blog. Just stumbled across this colorful new blog. Check it out and see what you think.

I am looking forward to some more GTD Application Reviews that I have already done and I am getting ready to post this week. They include apps such as Zenbe and GTD-Free.

Hope you are all still enjoying the blog!

Getting Things Done GTD with Remember The Milk

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Remember the Milk is a task management application which enjoys some of the widest support options of any similar program. It fits in nicely with the Getting Things Done methodology as it combines many of David Allen’s key concepts into one tidy, convenient app which can greatly encourage better productivity and lower stress for its users.

From the Remember the Milk Website:

Take your tasks anywhere with this feature-packed application. See tasks located nearby, add and complete tasks on the go, organize upcoming tasks, and sync it all seamlessly with Remember The Milk.

The program hosts excellent visuals and functionality. Everything looks superb and the layout of every tool has been properly developed to encourage ease of use and a genuine desire to come back to the system daily.

Every version of Remember the Milk has been given due attention too which means that whether you’re accessing it via a computer, Blackberry or iPhone, the same convenient navigation and solid layout will be represented across the board.

Remember the Milk uses the same design ethic embraced by so many other GTD developers by keeping everything as simple as possible.

All of the most common features necessary for proper implementation of the GTD system are represented here. Perhaps one of the most interesting (and innovative) features is the “Locate Your Tasks” option which places your various tasks on a Google map for easy access and grouping.

Little touches such as this go a long way toward extending the functionality of Remember the Milk as well as helping in setting it apart from the competition.

The program allows for other important features too. Tasks can be designated for reminders (issued by various SMS platforms) or easily synced and shared with as many collaborators as are desired.

“Quick Add” makes the addition of new information incredibly simple and convenient and the ability to customize your priorities goes a long way toward helping to make the whole package come together.

Remember the Milk allows users to group their various tasks into any number of categories such as headings like “personal”, “work”, “call” and more.

The ability to customize your lists into as many or as little grouping as desired is something that will no doubt be very welcome to those using the application and it really helps to expand the user-base from people who only want to use the program minimally to those who require the presence of very in-depth choices.

If there is a major drawback it is really only in the download for iPhone users which requires a small payment to take advantage of. This shouldn’t prove much of a problem considering the incredibly diverse number of options which can be taken advantage of however.

Remember the Milk is accessible through offline Google pages, Google Calendar, Gmail Gadget, Twitter and Blackberry phones. The latter is perhaps the best salve for users who don’t have an iPhone but still wish to make use of the program while on the go.

The blog and help sections of the main page go a long way toward providing a solid support basis for the application as well. While a forum would be a welcome addition, Remember the Milk has such a robust blog archive that almost every question and scrap of news regarding the system can be quickly and easily accessed.

Overall Remember the Milk is certainly one of the best task management applications currently available for users to get onto no matter which version of the service used. The aesthetics, functionality, loads of essential features and great range of support all add up to make Remember the Milk stand out from the crowd of similar applications.

As part of writing this review I signed up for an account with Remember the Milk and I am trialling it aside my usual application, OmniFocus.

It will be interesting to see how I get one with Remember the Milk and I will report back with my findings.

What do you think, got any comments about Remember the Milk or cool tips for using it for Getting Things Done? I would love to hear from you so please comment below.