Reading Time: 4 minutesThe Overload Syndrome: Drowning in Saved Information It’s a mistake almost everyone makes when they get their first linking notes app, such as Obsidian, Craft, or NotePlan. When people are first exposed to PKM, or personal knowledge management, they tend to go overboard. They save almost everything they encounter, thinking it might be useful sometime …
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Promise of Task Managers Task managers can be beneficial tools. I used Things for several years. Now, I use Apple Reminders because it integrates with NotePlan, which is my notes app and my daily planning app. Generally, it’s a great practice to get tasks out of your mind and write them down in a …
Reading Time: 3 minutesChecklists: A Buffer Against Human Error As a part-time National Park Service ranger at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, I lead public tours of a decommissioned Launch Control Facility. Two missile officers sat in a hardened capsule 31 feet under the ground and controlled 10 Minuteman missiles. As you can imagine, these were highly …
Reading Time: 3 minutesDon’t Get Stuck in Over-Preparation, and Never Taking Action For creatives, there’s always the danger of getting stuck in over-preparation and never taking action. In a recent newsletter article titled “Beyond Over-Preparation: How to Start Before You Feel Ready,” Anne-Laure Le Cuff writes about researching rare Asian teas to prepare for launching a new business. …
Reading Time: 4 minutesSwitching from 1Password: What Made Me Take the Leap The Apple ecosystem is becoming a surprisingly strong contender in a world full of password manager options. This summer, after Apple released a stand-alone application for Apple Passwords. I experimented with switching from using 1Password (which I’d subscribed to for several years) to using Apple Passwords …
Reading Time: 2 minutesI’m constantly searching for insightful reading material that offers practical wisdom for personal growth, exposes me to new concepts, or gives me new skills. Recently, I stumbled upon Unique Ability 2.0: Discovery, Define Your Best Self by Catherine Nomura, Julia Walle, and Shannon Waller. This book is designed to take you through a process to …
Reading Time: 2 minutesRethinking Kindness: Actions vs. Thoughts We often emphasize kindness in our interactions with others, but how often do we extend that same grace to ourselves? The truth is, many of us are far kinder to others than we are to ourselves. Several days ago, I read a quote by well-known author James Clear, which caught …
Reading Time: 3 minutesAs part of David Spark’s Productivity System, as described in his Productivity Field Guide, I do quarterly reviews. In these reviews, I examine my life roles, look at what I did the past quarter, and plan my work for the next quarter. Using a template, I ask a series of questions about each of my …
Reading Time: 4 minutesWhy Proactivity Matters: Shaping Your Day Instead of Reacting to It I’ve had a morning routine for several years. I read from several sources, think about what I’ve read, and journal. A recent quote completely reframed how I think about my morning routine. Tsh Oxenreider, in her book One Bite at a Time, wrote: “Instead …
Reading Time: 5 minutesIntroduction: Exploring Two Proven Planning Techniques Have you ever felt your rigid planning system traps you, but total flexibility leaves you unfocused? I’ve been there too. After much experimentation, I’ve found a way to get the best of both worlds. On some days, rigid time blocking my day worked, while on others, the flexibility of …