/how-i-work

How I get s**t done

How I work

Work

How I work: 2018-08-28

  • Google Calendar - Duh! and the extension
  • Trello, esp PeterB 18F with Trellis to hide columns I don't need
  • Toggl - what I'm doing now 'Updating how I work (20m)'
    • I rely on this a lot to see how mch I'm actually working
  • RescueTime - to dbl check on Toggl.

I'm using paper and whiteboards less than I expected. Mostly for cost and portability.

Goals:

  • More deep work periods
  • More work brought to completion
  • More concrete work I can share with future employers -- that establishes me as a leader
  • More empathy and kindness.

How I intended to work: 2017-06-02

The quote below describes how I was intending to work as of 2017-06-02. I never did work this way, much as I may have been inspired to by the Deep Work, by Cal Newport.

Starting the Day

Ideally, I have 2 hours free at the start of the day to Just Work, then I orient myself to the rest of the day:

  • Centering/mindfulness exercise
  • Calendar in Leuchtturm
  • Update from Google Cal
  • Check Toggl for status/corrections
  • Jot into Leuchtturm:
  • Mantras & Habits
  • 18F block
  • Professional block
  • Me & Family block
  • Jot code:
    • __1__ ToDo, with priority
    • [_1_] In progress
    • [_X_] Done

Habits

Habit intentions of 2018-08-28

  • Review this weekly
  • Stop listening to most podcasts. Instead, listen to music and literature.
    • Why? Because the news and yammering is making me cross and anxious. And such news can be better absorbed by reading.
    • Listening to music is the only way to engage with it
    • Listening to literature improves how I speak

Habits of 2017-06-02

Current Habits to build (WIP: 2)

  1. #placematdiet
  2. YNABing

Tooling habits:

  • Use Toggl to know what I'm doing
  • Use Pomodoro so I will periodically review what I'm doing
  • Use Alfred timers for tasks that could turn into yak-shaves
  • If it's not on your list, don't do it ... more to come

Mindful practice habits:

  • breathe
  • listen (music, murmur)
  • relax and/or move
  • mantra

Work

  1. Mark item as "in progress" (on board, or in notebook)
  2. Start toggl with "Item (time estimate)"
  3. Jot someplace (tktk) what the definition of done is.
  4. Work.
  5. Mark as done
  6. Celebrate

Ending the day

I'm bad at this. I often just push to InboxZeor and SlackZero and walk away.

Possible changes

  • Tee up one deep work item the previous day to work on first
  • Work with SLH to get alternate morning head start days
  • Track time again with RescueTime
  • Schedule time for email catch up.
  • How to use my Mantras & Habits block?

Professional

Personal

Tools

I have too many tools that I might use on a daily basis:

  • Leuchtterm1917
  • Evernote
  • Toggl
  • Trello
  • Kanban boards
  • Gmail
  • Google Calendar
  • Physical Calendar
  • Github repos (like this one)
  • Twitter
  • Diigo
  • 1Password
  • Dashlane
  • Facebook
  • Google Contacts
  • Slack (work + Lisa, DCTech)
  • RescueTime
  • iPhone Reminders

Kids/Family

  • Myschoolapp.com
  • Paper calendar

Financial

  • Mint
  • USAA
  • Google Sheets