Colibri

 Computers, GTD, Work  No Responses »
Aug 042009
 

I have been using Colibri for a while to make it easier to open new programmes. Insead of using my mouse to hunt around the start menu, or having 1001 shortcuts on my desktop, I can now hit CTRL+Space and then start typing the name of the program i want to launch.

Today, after a brief look at the Tips&Tricks for Colibri and afetr downloading SQLLite Browser I have added a new shortcuts folder, and now can make links to frequently visited places on the companies different file shares.

Makes my life easier.

 Posted by Eddie at 8:39 am  Tagged with: , ,

Making Choices

 GTD  No Responses »
Jul 292009
 

A post by Mark Forster on using his AutoFocus system to make menu choices is interesting to me. Basically because…

  1. He came up with Autofocus, and now thinks it can be used for picking what to eat.
  2. I tend to pick my meals this way, and toy with doing something like autofocus to guide my work…

(although currently I am tending towards GTD to manage most of the things in my life, and then use closed ToDo lists and much of what i think of as the “softer” methods of Mark’s books to manage incoming bits and pieces to do.)

 Posted by Eddie at 8:59 pm  Tagged with: ,

Mind Mapping Apps

 Computers, GTD, Technology  No Responses »
Apr 262009
 

I found a link to a review of 5 Mind Mapping Applications I have been giving Free Mind a run for now. Just to save another source of paper, now i can make notes, and use mind mapping as an early stage in writing new documents.

Incase you are wondering, Freemind is getting test driven first.

 Posted by Eddie at 5:16 pm

Auto It

 Computers, GTD, Technology  No Responses »
Mar 052009
 

I have been playing with USB keys on and off for the last week now. In part this is to run my GTD tools on a pen drive so i always have them with me (i plan to set up sync with the web….) and then i realised that I would like my data encrypted.

I’m now using Truecrypt to encrypt my data and MoWeS to run the web server. Both can be configured so that when you put the USB stick into the PC they autorun (so much as is allowed by windows) but how about auto running Truecrypt to access the data, and then running MoWeS once my encrypted drive is mounted?

I have now discovered AutoIt in which I have written a script to do the work for me. I now get prompted for a password, then the data is mounted, and MoWeS started. when i stop MoWeS the drive automatically dismounts. The next step would be to get the USB key to eject itself too, but this is enough for me for now…

 Posted by Eddie at 7:50 am  Tagged with: , , ,

Driving Memory

 GTD, Technology  No Responses »
Feb 142009
 

I often think of things I should do as I am driving along. These thoughts pop into my head for a bit – and so bug me – and then are forgotten – and so cause an issue when i eventually remember what i should have done when i got back to the office.

Obviously, I cannot make notes in a “Watch Leader Note Book” as I am driving along. So what can i do? Well, my mobile phone has a voice recorder function, so as I am driving along with my bluetooth headset I can record notes as I go.

I then use the file browser functionality of PC sync to copy the .amr files to my “@INBOX” directory and then can later use Mobile Media Converter to convert to mp3 for playing via winamp. (just because i find it easier that way)

When i write it down, it seems a lot of bother – but when i was doing it yesterday it was a good feeling knowing that these were things I now had not forgotten.

 Posted by Eddie at 9:44 am

Getting Things Done – An Introduction

 GTD  No Responses »
Feb 012009
 

I have mentioned Getting Things Done before, but not explained what it is. Getting Things Done: How to Achieve Stress-free Productivity
is a book by David Allen, but also a philosophy (some would say religion) for organisation – a tool that lets you answer the question “It’s 9.15 on a Tuesday morning. I have an hour before a meeting. I am sat at my desk. What should I be doing?”

Its currently something I am endeavouring to add to my life, just an acceptance that I am not always the best organised person. What I really mean here is not that I am disorganised and do not get things done – though there may be the odd thing that slips through – but that the effort in tracking everything (mostly in my head, or on various scraps of paper) is inefficient.

The principle behind GTD is to have a system that I can rely on. I don;t have to remember to do things, I don’t have to think about remembering to do things. Basically, something pops into my head, then I will write it down, and add it to the GTD system. Then I no longer have to think about it – other than when I am reviewing, or doing it.

 Posted by Eddie at 9:02 am

The Two Minute Rule

 GTD  No Responses »
Jan 312009
 

I was reminded whilst going for a walk and listening to David Allen, that I really need to apply the 2 minute rule more rigorously. Having a reliable organisation system means that i can safely note something, and then come back to it – once I have got what I am doing completed if necessary. Its the flip-flopping from task to taks that breaks my concentration.

I should probably block of a day (or half day) a week to work from home on “thinking” type stuff.

The principle of the 2 minute rule – that if a task will only take 2 minutes, then if you are going to do it, do it now as otherwise it takes up more time in tracking and managing it than doing it is – is effective. Like everything relating to GTD, I just need practice – I can already when I apply it see the benefits.

 Posted by Eddie at 2:44 pm

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