Putting on some headphones is a pretty universal sign to others that you’re working, or at least that you don’t want to be disturbed. But what do you play in said headphones when you’re trying to focus?
If I am doing chores around the house or running errands, I am probably listening to a podcast. If I am working out, probably some combination of 80’s power ballads and shitty pop music. But if I am working, recently I have been listening to noise, not music.
Read more
I have become obsessed with checklists since reading The Checklist Manifesto. Automating checklists is even better!
Here is a video explaining how I use Drafts to write, store, and revise my checklists (e.g., project templates) to use in Things.
Read more
I do some of my best thinking on walks while listening to some combination of silly pop music and songs from my son’s favorite movies and tv shows. Something about that scenario gives me the mental space to think clearly and deeply about creative projects.
Sometimes on these walks, I can write a whole script for a video in my head; other times, I generate a few unstructured fragments that need to be worked into something better. My favorite tool for building out those fragments is a mind map.
Read more
As I have explained before, I try to deal with stressful situations by planning ahead, most often through checklists or automations.
Deciding to keep my sick kid home from school and communicating with his teacher(s) and the staff quickly is just such a situation. I have created two Drafts accounts to help me in those times.
Read more
While this is probably the most niche recommendation I have in the podcast world, it might be the show which has had the biggest impact on my life.
The Automators is where I was first exposed to things like Keyboard Maestro, Hazel, Drafts, and OmniFocus. Each one has had a dramatic influence on my life. I think you should give it a chance.
Read more