How I work

"An hour of effective, precise, hard, disciplined, and integrated thinking can be worth a month of hard work. Thinking is the very essence of, and the most difficult thing to do in, business and life. Empire builders spend hour after hour on mental work...while others party. If you're not consciously aware of putting forth the effort to exert self-guided integrated thinking, if you don't act beyond your feelings and you take the path of least resistance, then you're giving in to laziness and no longer control your life" - David Kekich (quoted in Ready for Anything)

Note that this article has become my lead-off to my "How I work"] series of articles that are popular right now. See also older article [Main/GettingThingsDoneAndOrganization Getting things done and organizational skills and process improvement].

My notes on time management, productivity, using wikis like a Personal Information Manager (PIM) and other organization life tips. Note I am also working on a book and teaching series called Make Your Life Plan.

The name "How I work" was inspired by Lifehacker's series of the same name.

I don't see a copyright on the term "How I work" nor do I intend to make one or infringe on any unknown copyrights of the term "How I work". If one appears suddenly I will simply change it to "How Kevin Inscoe Works". Fair enough?

Capturing thoughts, ideas and tasks:

Getting Things Done (GTD) David Allen stresses capturing things that come arcross your mind. Another trend I have seen for years that keeps evolving technology is what I call "Inbox As Your Workflow". new products like Gmail's Actions in the Inbox and the new Gmail "Inbox" are tools that keep evolving with this trend. Personally I am not a "zero-inboxer" nor do I like to use email as my task planner.

I use the following tools depending on where I am and what my physical abilities are at the time:

Driving - voice recorder - Olympus WS-300M or use your smart phone voice recording app. Next time I am my desk I can include this in next steps.

Out and about - Smart phone's note taking app. Email, note to myself for next steps.

Desktop - depends on next steps. This is usually where I make final storage of captured thought.

Next steps:

Event:

Google Calendar.

To Do or shopping list:

Work - Google Keep

Home - Google Tasks

Apps for Google task:

Desktop - Web

iOS - GoTask

Notes or public diary (or what blogging used to be) - wiki

Journaling:

See My thoughts on Journaling.

Storing and organizing what I captured

I use Wikis to store and present notes and thoughts with family members, colleagues and at times the public-at-large. See my article about how I use wikis.

Planning

I use tools like Mind Maps and decision making tools like my own modified Kevins Values System Decision Matrix.