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Analog: A simple productivity system

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Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#81

Post by 1123581321 »

spicybright wrote: post #24
egypturnash wrote: post #15

I am honestly surprised to find that the cards used in this incredibly overproduced riff on Getting Things Done's method are the same size as commonly-available index cards, so you can use the cute tray without spending $10 for a pack of 50 cards. Or maybe not - the tray has rounded corners designed to fit snugly with the branded cards, while a $5 pack of 300 blank white index cards from Office Depot has sharp corner…

I'm going to sound like a party pooper, but the core market for these kinds of products are people that want to get organized so they buy these things to feel like they're doing it, only to put it at the back of their desk drawer after a week of use.

That's easy to say, but I don't see a lot of evidence for the statement, in general. Minimal, designer-y products like this I tend to see used by productive creative directors and the like. More complicated tools like planners or OmniFocus seem to be preferred by people advancing or tracking many small projects. What made you say that other than disdain for the product?

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#82

Post by 1123581321 »

smoldesu wrote: post #68
rileytg wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

for me the $35 stand is well worth it. i’ve been following something like this pattern for 15y, and the stand just makes it a little easier and more pleasant. I couldn’t make this kinda thing for less, i don’t have a wood shop.

What's stopping you from buying a pack of miniature notebooks from Amazon/Staples/Office Depot/Alibaba for a fraction of the price? What are you getting with this system that cannot be replaced by a cheaper, more versatile solution? Sorry if this sounds antagonistic, but I'm trying my hardest to wrap my head around a $30/month paper-as-a-service solution.

I don't have this thing, but didn't he tell you the answer to your question? It's nicer looking and more pleasant to use than cheap cards and stands. It's a frustrating answer, because how can you rebut except say, "I don't value that," but it's at least straight-forward...

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#83

Post by pmarreck »

This is quaint, but https://www.anylist.com/ exists, so does https://www.omnigroup.com/omnifocus/, and other tools, and best of all they are always with me. I must be in the minority of people who can manage not to play an iOS game while reviewing their to-dos. But honestly, I'm biased because I just wish paper would die already

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#85

Post by makeworld »

smoldesu wrote: post #79
jspann wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I initially balked at the high price of things but WOW I've never been so productive using it. And like the analog site says - it feels so good to cross something off. I also use a similar process and its easy to backlog things that you know you just won't get to today. I recommend this app to all of my friends and +1 for the commenter above.

There's also Planner[0] if you're on Linux, a FOSS Things clone that actually gets a lot of stuff right for being free software. Just be sure to compile it yourself if you intend on using it, the current distribution method has been... rather disastrous[1]. [0] https://github.com/alainm23/planner [1] https://twitter.com/planner_todo/status/1492084099875586049

Flatpak will work, but you have to install from an older commit, not the one that installs the beta v3.

https://github.com/alainm23/planner/issues/852

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#86

Post by smoldesu »

makeworld wrote: post #85
smoldesu wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also Planner[0] if you're on Linux, a FOSS Things clone that actually gets a lot of stuff right for being free software. Just be sure to compile it yourself if you intend on using it, the current distribution method has been... rather disastrous[1]. [0] https://github.com/alainm23/planner [1] https://twitter.com/planner_todo/status/1492084099875586049

Flatpak will work, but you have to install from an older commit, not the one that installs the beta v3. https://github.com/alainm23/planner/issues/852

I'd really only opt for Flatpaks if it was more stable than system packages. As we've seen with Planner, that's not necessarily the case...

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#87

Post by jouleshey »

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…

I think the main appeal for buying something like this is the beautifully designed desk piece, and the productivity comes secondary. That's not a problem, people buy figurines and the like for their desks all the time, but it definitely seems like the focus of this product is making something that looks beautiful form over function.

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#88

Post by jcun4128 »

garyrob wrote: post #4

I'm using this in combination with a Python script I wrote that sends me SMS messages for tasks as hard deadlines approach. So, if I get too distracted for some days, because of a technical issue or whatever, to pay much attention to the paper task process, I still get the SMS messages. Since I always check any SMS messages that come in, this prevents me from missing a deadline. And the physical setup of the Analog s…

Haha I too have hacked my own desire to check sms. I made a remind me Twilio thing long time ago. I use it almost everyday. I text my Twilio number to send me a string I type in # of hours/mins from now comes back later.

I use it to water my plants every 3 days and leave myself future notes like months from now ha.

My phone is on silent too, I use the Android web messages chrome tab so I get pinged on my desktop.

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#89

Post by leohonexus »

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…

No post body was provided.

Re: Analog: A simple productivity system

#90

Post by going_ham »

dmje wrote: post #61

Hilarious. $65 for a pack of index cards and a block of wood. Good on em if they can make this work. It's genius. For all the wrong reasons. I started worrying about "my method" when I was 14 and back then my revision time largely involved colouring in new and increasingly complicated revision timetables. 35 years later and I've finally nailed it: stop fannying about with endless "techniques". Stop procrastinating wi…

You hit the nail with this one. All these productivity hacks or tools misses the crucial point. _Human psychology_. Sure, it is fun to have these, but at the end of the day the users require discipline to execute them. Nothing beats getting things done.

Of all the getting things done advice, I like breathing the most.

Simple, cost effective, instantly brings you to focus if done correctly, elevates mood, rationalizes behavior. Nothing beats it.

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