Review: (10+2)*5 Timer – Instant Boss

Review: (10+2)*5 Timer – Instant Boss

June 13, 2022
When I really need to blast through a lot of work, but really don't want to, I use the (10+2) * 5 method invented by Merlin Mann.

It's a modified Pomodoro method, but instead of 20 minute work sessions followed by a 5 minute break, it shortens both work and break times. I prefer (10+2)*5 to Pomodoro because the 10 minute start seems do-able, whereas the 20 minute block often seems insurmountable.
Organize Project Notes

How I Organize Project Notes

June 6, 2022
One of the most useful things I have learned to do over the course of my professional career is to organize project notes. Not only does this allow me to tell you where the status of any piece of my work is at a given point, but it also allows me to revisit the items when questions arise after the work is completed.

These days I use a Bullet Journal. I also have used OneNote, Evernote, and a personal wiki to do the same thing. I believe that this general system can be used no matter how you track it.
dormant

When To Let A Project Go Dormant

May 12, 2022
I'm going through a rough patch in my life right now, and I know that I can't keep up with everything. Unlike the past when this has happened, I am asking for help, offloading what I can, and letting some projects go dormant.

So how do you know what to let go of, even temporarily?
Open Loops as Clutter

Open Loops as Clutter

April 25, 2022
Our brains, the Ziegarnik effect reminds us, focus on the open loops that have yet to be completed. Physical clutter can often hide open loops. Today we look at how to figure out if your clutter is hiding open loops and what to do about it.
Minimum Viable Result

What is Your Minimum Viable Result?

April 18, 2022
Have you ever finished a project and realized that much of what you did didn’t need to be done? You can avoid this situation by learning to find your minimum viable result. Today we will look at this software development concept and how it can save you time and energy on all of your projects.
plus address

The Power Of Plus: Microsoft Gets On Board

April 11, 2022
One of the most powerful things about Gmail is that you can add a “+tag” to your email address, turning your single email address into an infinite amount of addresses. These modified plus addresses can then be used to filter email with great precision.

Microsoft finally is getting on board with this, setting the Plus addressing as a default as of April 22, 2022. It can still be overridden by system administrators, but hopefully most people will take the default.
Reviewing Your Someday List

Reviewing Your Someday List: 5 Essential Questions

April 4, 2022
When you have too many things in a backlog and keep adding to it, something will eventually give. We don’t have infinite time and attention, and we can’t keep expecting that we can add to a backlog infinitely. Today we look at 5 essential questions for reviewing your someday list.
productive while laid off

How To Be Productive While Laid Off

March 24, 2022
Back in 2008 I was suddenly laid off from my job. My client canceled all contracts in the space of an afternoon, and my own company, which I had been with for 12 years, laid me off via email the next morning.

After years of being in an office, I was suddenly at loose ends. My daughter was in first grade, and I wasn't sure what I would do next. I wanted to take my time to find the right job, but otherwise I didn't know.
worthwhile project

What Makes A Worthwhile Project?

March 24, 2022
Not all projects are created equal. Yet many of us routinely pile things onto our already over-full plates without stopping to consider if the project needs to be done at all, or if you are the best person to do it.

And just because we are all individuals, each person must have individual standards about if a project is worth doing. Here are two ways that I look at projects: