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Analog: A simple productivity system

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Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#91

Post by rozhok »

mcguire wrote: post #33

The best system I came up with: 1. Get a small spiral-bound notebook, say 3x5 or whatever is sitting in the supply cabinet. 2. Write today's date on the top of the first page. Write each task on one line on the page. (You only need enough detail to remember what the task is.) 3. As you complete tasks, draw a line through them. It's more satisfying that check marks or whatever. 4. As you add tasks, just write them on…

I've used exactly same system for more than a year, and now still using it combined with digital app.

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#92

Post by tpoacher »

I have a pretty similar system, except instead of pen and paper and 'symbols', it's "folder with files with custom icons" (a process made extremely easy with Total Commander on Android).

It works like a charm, and can be synced with Dropbox for access from all relevant devices. In theory you can go nuts with it and even create scripts when things change in dropbox, but I haven't seen the need for that.

It is true, however, that there is something about having a piece of paper in front of you that still beats having to physically grab your phone to check stuff (and obviously I don't have devices to spare in order to waste one of them as a glorified picture-frame so that it's in front of me all the time). Which means I've often found myself jotting down notes on paper anyway. So Analog does seem interesting in that regard ...

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#93

Post by mrlemke »

mcguire wrote: post #33

The best system I came up with: 1. Get a small spiral-bound notebook, say 3x5 or whatever is sitting in the supply cabinet. 2. Write today's date on the top of the first page. Write each task on one line on the page. (You only need enough detail to remember what the task is.) 3. As you complete tasks, draw a line through them. It's more satisfying that check marks or whatever. 4. As you add tasks, just write them on…

I've done exactly this and it works well. However, I've tweaked a couple things over time.

1. Tasks not completed may carry over to the next day, or a backlog if the next day already had something planned in my calendar.

2. Minimal markup to backlog tasks, such as a hard due date (i.e. other people expect it done by this date) and/or an urgency marking.

3. Keep the list on my phone so it is always with me. Having it digital reduces busy work (such as moving tasks between today and the backlog). I don't like using my phone so I don't tend to get sidetracked, thus YMMV with this.

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#94

Post by euroderf »

The tangibility is a plus. Index cards have presence (if not gravitas). But at this point can't we take a photo of the "Today" card at the end of the day, after it has been annotated with checked boxes and with other marks including proofreaders' marks, and get these notations handled automagically, including the "Today" card for tomorrow ?

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#96

Post by moioci »

protomyth wrote: post #60

On a tangent, does anyone know where you order custom cards from? I have always wanted 3x5 cards with a little bit of white space on top (for a title) and then isometric graph paper for the rest.

a little pricy at 14 cents each, but it's stout cardstock: https://www.levenger.com/stationery-notebooks-322/note-cards...

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#97

Post by SamBam »

fmajid wrote: post #73
thenerdhead wrote: post #44

I've used this system for years, but never considered buying this overpriced product. I am quite sad to see this be so marked up as a designer / minimalist type of product to make productivity seem more sexy than it really is. I know people buy it, but it feels wasteful. I buy dotted grid index cards and use an old smartphone stand to keep it upright. Total cost is maybe $20 total for a couple years of supply. I use…

Productivity system yak-shaving like the elaborate semi-circles in this product is just another form of procrastination.

I tried to get into bullet journaling, which is generally a fine system (although I could never get beyond just using it as a to-do list), but dear lord never try to get ideas for how to use the bullet journal from the internet. It's just millions of pages of instagram-worthy journals, decked out in 15 colors of ink, fancy Japanese washi tape, all the ridiculous stuff. It's clearly procrastination in the name of getting things done.
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