Mike Vardy's Blog, page 113

Writing to Forget

I haven't been writing much as of late -- at least not publicly. I have been spending most of my writing time capturing ideas for future posts (or ideas for other writing projects). Right now I'm facing a ton of low energy due to travel and workshops I'm facilitating, so when something I want to write comes to me I am capturing it in Drafts or on paper, and then will deal with it accordingly when the time comes.

I'm also journaling a bit more as of late, just to keep my head in a better state of mindfulness during my travels. After all, I'm spending more time away from home than usual so I need to have some sort of touchstone to my most comfortable place to be: home.

The great thing about building and maintaining the habit of capturing is that it really does get you into a state that allows for better focus. Most people think that capturing things is a means of writing to remember. But I'm not so sure it's that cut and dried.

In fact, I think of it more as a means of writing to forget because I can trust that I've gotten it down and can forget it, allowing me to work on what needs doing now. Capturing is key because it not only allows you to write to forget, but it fills up the well of what needs reviewing later. You can't have a trustworthy review process until you have a trustworthy capture process.

So while I'm not writing a lot right now, I'm glad that I've built up that habit so whatever I do write can be forgotten until I need to call upon it.

Photo credit: juliaf via SXC.HU 2.0)

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Gap Days

With all of the traveling back and forth lately, I've noticed a downturn in my productivity. That's to be expected, I suppose, but it doesn't mean I'm happy with it. The most noticeable slide has been with my writing, as I've been struggling to come with words as often as usual. Part of that stems from so much going on, but I also am shifting the time I do have from more writing to more family time (considering I'm still going to be traveling in and out of town several times over the next couple of weeks -- with a two-week stint on the road in early July scheduled as well).

What I've been doing as of this recent trip is scheduling what I call "gap days". These are days that I place on either side of my travels that -- regardless of whether they are usually heavy-lifting days or not -- become light-lifting days. The reason behind this is so that I can prepare and return properly from travel.

It's not unusual for people to book a day off of work when they return from a business trip or vacation (or schedule their travel so that they get back a day prior to the start of their workweek), but it isn't very often that people will book a day off before they travel so that they can get all of their ducks in a row before leaving. Sure, you can do that at work on your last day at the office, but what about the stuff that needs tending to at home? We tend to rush to get all of those tasks taken care of before we head off the next day (or even later that day) rather than take the time to really prepare accordingly and leave home with less stress on our minds. Those who are freelancers or entrepreneurs rarely take a gap day on either side of the travel plans because they want to dive right back into things -- or they feel that they have to dive right back into things.

There are a few ways I've taken gap days that also allow for concurrent travel, and I'm employing that this time around for my trip in early July. I'm taking the bus down to Portland this time around (I've taken the train the past two years) and arriving late afternoon the day prior to the start of the World Domination Summit. That trip down will give me some time to myself where I can reflect and refine my plans for September onward. I'll be working up until that day now because my gap day will be a travel day thanks to the mode of transportation I've chosen.

At the tail end of my trip, I'm flying home from London, Ontario on an evening flight. I'll spend that day winding down from VoxPopCon and mapping out the rest of my week so I can hit the ground running the next day. The timing of my travel -- including gaining back some time through three time zones -- affords me another gap day while in transit.

Keep in mind that I have been able to make these kind of gap days happen because of the foundation that my task management apps provide. Over the past few weeks and in the weeks to come, I've gotten into the habit of ensuring I give those who expect things from me plenty of notice as to when I'll need things from them so I can complete them while I'm keeping this highly unusual event schedule. By keeping ahead of the curve, I'm able to keep moving forward at a solid speed.

If you don't take gap days before and after travel, I strongly encourage that you find a way to do so. They help you catch your breath on both sides of your schedule and allow you to be more mindful about your work and your play -- which will lead to better outcomes for both.

Photo credit: Plusverde via SXC.HU

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How to Decide When to Say No

Do you say "yes" far too often for your own good? Want to know how to decide when to say "no" instead? The next time someone asks you to do something, take a look at your obligations first. Do so in the following order:

Calendar
Task Manager

Why in that order? It's because the calendar can be glanced at quickly and if you have enough empty space, then you've got a better chance of saying "yes" instead of "no" to that project or task.

Your task manager is next because you can look at what you've got on your plate and make an assessment based on facts as opposed to feeling. You only have so much time to get what you need to get done, and if your task manager is teeming with stuff then it's best to close some of those things off first before adding more things.

What happens when we're asked to do stuff is that we want to please. We want to do as much as we can so that we can achieve as much as we can. But the truth is that while it may not be better (or possible) to say "no" more often than "yes" to things, it is better (and possible) to assess where you're at before you commit to more things. After all, David Allen is spot on when he says that while we "can do anything, but we can't do everything."

If someone asks you to do something and you need that time, simply reply with:

"I just need to take a moment to see what else I've got on the go. I'll get back to you by [insert timeframe here] to let you know where I'm at. Thanks."

No matter whether you're really in tune with your task manager or not, take the time to assess where you're at by physically looking at your calendar and your task manager of choice. Only then can you make an informed decision -- which is the ideal type of decision you should be making for as many things as possible anyway.

Photo credit: el_valdez via SXC.HU

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Choosing What to Chase

In a few hours, Apple's Tim Cook will hit the stage in San Francisco to deliver this year's WWDC keynote. I know a slew of people that will be in San Francisco -- several of them are past and current colleagues and friends -- while this keynote takes place. As I sit here on Sunday night writing this and listening to the penultiamte episode of The 512 Podcast (since rechristened as The Prompt over at the mighty 5by5 network), I realize that while I do care about what goes on during WWDC, I'm done chasing what happens there.

That's my no means a discredit to those that care more than I do -- and will spend their time keeping as up-to-date as possible with the goings on during WWDC. Far from it -- I've been there myself. But I'm not going to be able to keep up with Apple news and keep up with the niche realm I write about -- productivity and workflow -- and do either very well. So I'm choosing to chase productivity and workflow "news" rather than the news that comes out of -- and is impaced by -- Cupertino. I'm going to let those that want to do that -- and those that do it well like Viticci, Hackett, et al -- keep me informed with breaking news on that front.

Sure, I'll dive into the apps and devices that are related to what I'm focussing on...but beyond that I'm sticking with what I know best. That way I can get even better at writing about it.

While my choice (in this case) was between focusing on writing about Apple and focusing on writing about productivity, yours will be different. You can't chase more than one thing well because that won't just split your focus -- it will split your effort.

After all, you'll need both of those things if you want to go from chasing to the one that is being chased.

Photo credit: maxpate (CC BY 2.0)

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Thursday Triage

I rarely try to encompass a whole bunch of goings-on in one post, but a lot happened during my travels so I'm going to make this post an exception to the rule.

Sketchnote Typeface

I've talked about my love and appreciation for "sketchnotes" before, and last week Mike Rohde (author of The Sketchnote Handbook) released The Sketchnote Typeface. It's pretty awesome in that it is both playful and functional -- something I look for in choosing my fonts. Mike's written up how he and Delve Withrington of Delve Fonts made this font happen.

App Camp for Girls

Jean MacDonald told me about this initiative of hers at last year's World Domination Summit, and as the father of a tech-savvy 8-year old, I love the idea. There's an Indiegogo campaign going that will help fund App Camp for Girls, and you can give to that campaign by going here. so go and do that, okay?

Evernote Every Day

There's a lot of Evernote books out there, and I've read my fair share of them. Jeremy Roberts has added another one to the mix, and it's a great read (especially for those who are looking for a simple way to get started). You can grab it here.

Dispatch: My New iOS Email Client

Much like there are tons of books on Evernote, there are lots of apps that are trying to reinvent the email management experience. Mailbox is the most popular of these apps (and I wrote a bit about the evolution of email over at Workflowing), but there's a new kid on the block and it is the iOS email app that is now in my dock. It's called Dispatch -- and it allows you to actually deliver your email messages to a place where they can become actions (OmniFocus, Things, Evernote, Asana, Drafts, etc.) rather than simply "snooze" them. Sure, you can forward emails to the addresses provided by some of these apps, but Dispatch makes it a more frictionless process. Grab it here -- I think it's the best $2.99 you can spend on an iPhone app.

(Federico Viticci over at MacStories has an excellent write-up on Dispatch here.)

The Productive Macs Bundle is Back

Productive Macs is back with another killer bundle -- 9 premium productivity applications, available just for $29.99 - at an 88% discount from their original price. Featuring apps like Paperless, Gemini, Crossover, and more, you'll find a lot of value in this package and it won't put a huge dent in your wallet. Get it here.

The Productivityist Workbook on Accel.io

Finally, my eWorkbook has just been released on the Accel.io platform, which enhances the overall experience of going through it because the platform really makes it more of a how-to guide than ever before. It's still only $5 and is available on a few marketplaces that use Accel.io, including an online portal I've written for on several occasions, The Next Web. It's also available as part of a subscription over at Startup Plays.

I'll be back in a couple of days with my usual writing, but in the meantime go and check out any (or all) of these worthwhile items.

Photo credit: cribbe (CC BY 2.0)

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Take Time to Make Time

A crazy week of travel, meetings, and more travel led me to a quiet start to this week. That's not to say that I didn't do much to start off the week (I did), but I did a whole lot of light-lifting and low energy tasks to start the week rather than dive right into the heavier tasks on my docket.

Sure, I work for myself and that may mean that I don't have superior breathing down my neck when I return to work. But I do have assignments that need doing and expectations from others -- and myself -- that need doing either before I travel or upon my return that I can't simply hold off on until I feel rejuvenated enough to work on them. The key is -- whether you work in a traditional office environment or from home as I do -- is to take time to make time. Do the work that needs doing in advance so that you can recharge accordingly when you return from an extended period of time away from the day-to-day.

For example, I knew I'd be leaving town as of Wednesday and wouldn't be back until Sunday. In fact, I knew that months ago. So I gave those who I work with plenty of notice, telling them that I needed to have all assignments to me two days' prior to me leaving and I wouldn't be back until the day after I actually returned (which was Monday). That gave me time to deal with all they had to have done and gave me a day to recuperate before getting back to the grind. I spent time preparing for my travel (I took the time) so that all parties had enough time to make sure all the work was done well and without fail (I made the time we had work for us).

I can't stress enough how important it is to have a structure in place so that you can have as stress-free a schedule as possible. That means putting some form of system in place -- whether digital or analog -- that allows you to make time work for you. Again, that means taking the time needed now to set up something that allows you to make time for your work later, which seems like a lot of effort at first for very little short-term payoff. But it's so worth it when situations like this arise. And they will arise.

Take time now to make time for later. After all, there's a lot more to do later than there is to do right now -- and that's not just the stuff you need to do ... but also what you want to do.

Photo credit: roijaune (CC BY 2.0)

             

I'll Never Be Done

As I prepared the last bit of work I needed to do before I head off to New York City for Book Expo America, I peered into my kids's bedroom to check in on them. I won't have that opportunity until Sunday now, so I wanted to get that done before I went to bed myself. I do it almost every night, in fact. It's become a ritual – and it's a ritual I'll miss out on for the next few days.

When I checked in tonight, I realized something: I'll never be done.

I'll never be done checking in on them, although how I do so will change over time. I'll never be done teaching them, because they'll learn from me every day – even after I'm no longer around to do so in person. Whether they read my work online, my book, or the journals I'm leaving behind when I shuffle off this mortal coil, they will always be getting something from me.

Then they will pass morsels of what I've sent their way to others, whether it will be my grandchildren, their partners, or those they meet along the way. Maybe they'll have my passion for productivity and share that. Maybe they'll haves desire to perform, as I have. Maybe they'll want to teach, whether in a similar way that I have tried to teach or in some other capacity. No matter what, aspects of me will keep getting passed on.

So I'll never be done.

When I think about it that way, I really want to make sure that I check off the right boxes rather than every box.

Why?

Well, since I'll never be done I want to make sure I enjoy the ride along the way.

Photo credit: Glen26 (CC BY 2.0)

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Shooting for Productivity

The Mophie Juice Pack is a piece of technology I've had my eyes on for a long time. II knew that for a relatively low cost it could keep my iPhone going for a long time. Yet I didn't pick up the Juice Pack until shortly after trying one out at Social Media Camp (thanks to my friend C.C. Chapman). Once I used it under circumstances where my iPhone battery was being stretched to its limit, I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger and get one.

I wasn't fully aware of what this little contraption could do for me until I actually put it to use. The fact that someone I trust and admire had one and shared it with me in a time of need was a bonus. All of these factors made it easier to add the juice pack to my "want" list, as I realized it would also fill a need.

Apps and systems can be like that too. Systems like GTD, The Action Method, or Patrick Rhone's Dash Plus may be something that you want to try, but until you see where it can fill a need, you'll hesitate. When you attempt to get better while doing, you're more apt to try things -- in some cases, you'll just try to do what you've always been doing a bit better and assess the impact of your change. That also means you may do a whole lot of aiming until you finally take a shot. The thing is that the target might be long gone by the time you fire if you just keep trying to aim better.

I've said that what I do is help people stop "doing productive" and start "being productive." In this case, the "doing productive" is the aiming without much firing (or firing at the wrong targets). The "being productive" is getting comfortable enough to fire every time you aim at a target.

I think you have to try to do things. But you don't want to "try to do" stuff more often than you actually "do" stuff. The goal is to use preparation to get better results from the action.

Remember: They don't call it an aiming gallery, they call it a shooting gallery. Get comfortable with the tools and habits you've put in place so you can hit the target instead of just aiming at it until it is no longer in range.

Photo credit: digitalemu (CC BY 2.0)

             

Killing Ideas

I have a knack of coming up with tons of ideas. I know I'm not alone in this.

The great thing when you focus on managing tasks over time is that you can make progress on those tasks with less concern over the time they take. Make no mistake -- those who focus on task over time are still aware of time. It's just they simply don't feel the same constraints that those who focus on time over task do.

But ... tasks can get out of control. Your list can grow beyond the scope of what you can possibly accomplish within a reasonable amount of time. If you stare at hundreds of tasks (whether organized in some fashion or not), they can be just as overwhelming as a ticking clock.

So if you're an idea machine like I am, you'll need to get comfortable with killing ideas. That's a very hard thing to be comfortable with but it's essential if you want any of your ideas to become something exceptional.

The concept of an "Idea Calendar" can help you curate your ideas. Spending some time managing your ideas (I introduce the process of idea management in The Productivityist Workbook) will help you gain the comfort and confidence to let go of those just don't fit the bill...no matter the reason why. By putting some sort of structure in place (as you should with tasks) you can make many ideas flourish...and kick perhaps even more to the curb.

Ideas come and go; it's what you do with them as they come and go that can have a lasting impact. The sooner you accept the notion that killing some of your ideas is a necessity, the more likely it will be that the ones you move forward with will live up to your expectations.

Photo credit: MaraB. (CC BY 2.0)

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Eventfulness

First off, I'd like to thank everyone who turned up or messaged me during my book event at Chapters Victoria last week. It was really cool to be in a massive brick and mortar bookstore with several copies of The Front Nine to sign for those wanting to pick it up.

Secondly, thanks to all who have bought The Productivityist Workbook so far. I'm closing in on 800 sold in a little over two weeks of pre-sales/sales(!) -- and I'm floored with the response I've been getting. Cody Keisler is putting the finishing touches on the Amazon and iBooks version. I'll let you know when those versions launch. (Anyone who buys the eWorkbook in its PDF format prior to these other versions being ready will automatically receive them for free when they go live.)

Finally, I've got events lined up every week between now and mid-July, so the writing here will be no more than twice per week during that timeframe. I've got several ProTECHtivity workshops with Steve Dotto (and friends) that I'll be part of, and I'm speaking at Northern Voice in Vancouver and the all-new VoxPopCon event in Hamilton, Ontario to wrap up my six weeks of busy-ness. You can check out all of my event appearances on the Events page -- and sign up for several of them through the links provided for each.

One more thing: Happy Victoria Day to my fellow Canucks -- I hope you enjoyed your long weekend. Now go forward and have a productive week!

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