A Tale of Two Inboxes

July 6, 2011

One of the core concepts Davind Allen teaches in GTD is that you should have only one inbox. And you should deal with tasks and papers directly from there – the intention being that you only have touch things once. If you were to have a separate box to file things then you have to [...]

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Read the Manual

July 4, 2011

I used to pride myself on not reading manuals. Give me a toaster, car, or software program and I can figure out how to use it. Easy. It was a badge of honour. How a scoffed at my aged reletives as the first thing they reach for is the manual. However, I’m finding myself more [...]

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Coping with Being Tired

May 24, 2011

A few months ago I wrote a post on how I deal with my perpetual insomnia – how to occupy yourself whilst lying awake at night. I though I would follow that up with a companion piece – how to remain productive through a day when a long night has left you feeling like you’ve [...]

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Why I Love E-mail

May 20, 2011

It is pretty fashionable these days to hate e-mail. To write about the dangers it offers to our productivity. To scorn at the way it soaks up vast quantities of our day. I however, am coming out. I like e-mail. And I even think it makes me more productive. You see, hating e-mail for ruining [...]

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The Third Strand of Productivity

May 12, 2011

Traditionally productivity tools and skills aim to do one of two things. Either you are aiming to do things more efficiently and thus have more time. Or you are trying to be more effective and use the time you have in the best way possible. Both very admirable goals. But it strikes me that there [...]

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Sharing to Get Better

May 3, 2011

So you have spent years worrying out the best way to be productive. To get the last bit of output out of yourself. You have lean and mean systems, and have extracted the best knowledge from the best books and websites out there. You have invested an awful lot of time, and risk, at getting [...]

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Knowing When to Leave your Job

April 20, 2011

Most people leave their job when they can take the long commute, annoying colleagues, or frustrating boss no longer. It is not until they are at the end of their tether when they decide to look elsewhere. Why would you look to move any sooner? If you are happy doing what you are doing, what [...]

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Productivity is an Interest as well as a Tool

April 8, 2011

Just a quick thought on a quick distinction. That is the distinction between being ‘interested’ in productivity techniques and trying to ‘apply’ productivity techniques. Contrary to more than a few people’s opinion, these are very different things. Some people are fasiniated by learning German. Others by researching the Civil War. Plenty by Star Wars or [...]

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Management Styles Spotted Today

April 5, 2011

The Old Timer Characteristics – Gentile in nature, but firm in opinion. Has seen it all, probably twice. Just pretends no one else is speaking, rambling on in sort sort of monologue, but confident that what they thin is the correct solution to any eventuality. Effectiveness – 6/10 Effect on own ego – 8/10 Effect [...]

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Stabilise Before you Jump

March 31, 2011

The grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes it just sounds great to be somewhere that has grass at all. There is nothing wrong with wanting be in a different situation/job/location – it is all part of that growth and development malarkey that keeps us going. But do you really think it is [...]

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