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My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

jeffhuang.com

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Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#121

Post by lytefm »

themodelplumber wrote: post #84
AreYouElite wrote: post #73

ORG-MODE ORG-MODE ORG-MODE Jeff, everything you do could be done with org-mode by using a key combination. it would also add a calender with an agenda and schedule and and and and the main thing: it's a text file just like what you are using. this is a nice how to (no relation to me) https://youtu.be/SzA2YODtgK4

Isn't org mode less portable though? My understanding was that you need an editor plus appropriate tooling for it to really shine, which to me is similar to saying "productivity software" and less like text editing.

I wouldn't say that it's less portable than using your custom txt file file format.

But sure, in order to really make it shine and you'll want to use Emacs and something like orgzly on the phone.

Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#122

Post by pmontra »

I have a txt file open in emacs since 2012 formatted like

  YYYY-MM-DD

  Project 1. Daily notes.
  N.M hours
  TODO Project 2. Notes
I use it to track what I'll have to invoice at the end of the month and why (some customers just pay others want to know what they are paying for) and to plan for the future.

Plus a number of discarded A4 papers with a clean rear side filled with short term todo lists. Occasionally they become not so short term v_v

I'm using Emacs so I should learn Org mode but that simple file bought me so far so I'm unsure what Org mode will actually gain to me.

Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#123

Post by 7thaccount »

This made me laugh, as I've done the same thing for years. I just keep a "to do" text file open and put new things into it and move things into the completed section when done. I don't have time for the JIRA method as it is overly complicated and I work on a lot of solo projects these days, so the additional features aren't useful. My boss just wants a weekly status update (email with a few bullet points), so nobody would care anyway. I'd say it is super effective for me.

Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#124

Post by tarkin2 »

Psychologically, the most important part of txt files, and lists in particular, is writing `* DONE Whatever the task was` when it's finished. Even if you end up deleting the line later on, it still feels great and helps you continue with more items.

Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#126

Post by egypturnash »

I am glad for this post because it spurred me to open up the paper journal I do my own work planning/tracking in for the first time in a month. I've been getting stuff done in that time but it's been unplanned and meandering and hasn't even felt like a vacation or anything. I took a moment to survey the precise remaining scope of a big project I'm nearing the end of and that felt really, really good to do.

So thanks for posting this, Simone.

Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#127

Post by mbg721 »

tarkin2 wrote: post #124

Psychologically, the most important part of txt files, and lists in particular, is writing `* DONE Whatever the task was` when it's finished. Even if you end up deleting the line later on, it still feels great and helps you continue with more items.

I do a paper version of this; there's a particular type of box I draw to highlight a task among all the other notes and doodles, and when it's done, I color it in.

Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#128

Post by lelanthran »

rappatic wrote: post #2

The author makes some points about the benefits of doing this, but I really think he's making things more difficult for himself. Even a basic note-taking app would provide a much larger number of features and be equally easy to use. It's quirky idea but it's really not that practical.

> The author makes some points about the benefits of doing this, but I really think he's making things more difficult for himself. Even a basic note-taking app would provide a much larger number of features and be equally easy to use.

Yeah, and probably online-only. Or, if offline-use is allowed, probably use as much memory as his system has free...

And, of course, every 2 years it would stop being supported, be sold to another company, turned into online-only and contain non-stop ads, and he'd maybe switch to a new app.

And relearn how to take notes again.

> It's quirky idea but it's really not that practical.

Seems pretty practical to me:

1. Easy and flexible searching.

2. Very quick to add notes to (Double-clicking on a .txt file takes maybe 250ms to open in Vim).

3. Versioning, if you want it (add it to your repo).

4. Online-editing if he wants that (host it on a WebDAV server).

5. Viewable (and likely editable) on every single device he owns, even his TV if its hosted somewhere.

Downsides:

1. No Ads.

2. Not forced into learning a new workflow every few years.

3. Doesn't cost anything.

(Admittedly, the downside is only a downside for those in the business of trrr to replace the text file)..

Re: My productivity app for the past 12 years has been a single .txt file (2020)

#129

Post by nonethewiser »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #7

The key to this solution isn’t really the .txt file or the formatting. It’s the ritual. Any productivity system can be made to work once it becomes a habit and therefore your default action. I think .txt files or Org mode are attractive to devs because they feel like something we’d be doing anyway during our day. the same system will work with a paper journal or even a fresh piece of paper every morning if, and only…

.txt is a factor. It makes input much faster than note taking apps and is much easier to search.
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