Archive for December, 2004
In need of a last-minute gift? Need something to do between turkey dinners? Or how about a massive attempt at self-organisation for the New Year?
Just in time for the holidays, I’m pleased to announce version 1.0 of my Do-It-Yourself Planner system. Almost every template has been revised somewhat from the beta versions, a new graphical look and feel is taking shape, there’s a new “To Buy” form, the instructions are now fleshed out, and there’s plenty of room for customising the package to your individual tastes and circumstances. So much so, that I’m officially removing the “GTD” from its name. While the emphasis remains on David Allen’s Getting Things Done methodologies, I’m trying not to limit users in any way.
Version 1.0 of the DIY Planner package includes a dozen pages of information (in HTML) on how to buy a 5.5″x8.5″ planner, save a bundle on templates/forms, find accessories, set up your organiser GTD-style, and more. The included 28-page PDF file contains a number of double-sided templates including:
- GTD Diagrams (resized and rotated from originals found at www.davidco.com — see the HTML file for exact links)
- Next Actions
- Waiting For
- Agendas
- Project Outline (new layout)
- Objectives
- Contact Log
- Someday/Maybe
- To Do List
- Notes
- Covey Quadrant
- Brainstorm
- Story Idea
- To Buy (new)
Be sure to read the instructions, as they give plenty of information on how to print, cut, punch and use the templates. A minimum of office supplies are needed (primarily a 3-hole punch and a guillotine), but you can purchase them at most department stores for about $25 USD if you don’t already have them.
Both the templates and the instruction file are licensed under Creative Commons, and are therefore free for personal and non-commercial use. The latest version of the package can always be found here.
(For those people who asked about non-letter-size versions of the templates, I’ll see what I can do in the New Year, unless some brave Illustrator-slinging volunteer wants to step forward.)
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, complaints or ideas for new templates, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or send me an email (my address can be found in this page’s menu at bottom right).
Hope this is a nice little holiday DIY project for some of you organisational junkies. But I take no responsibility if you cut or hole-punch yourself….
Update: For those people mentioning that the templates don’t line up right, just make sure the Page Scaling in your Adobe Acrobat print dialog is not set to “Fit to paper” (which is the default, I think). They should print fine on most printers anyway, and setting any scale besides “None” will result in templates printing several millimeters off.
Update 2: Version 2.0 of the D*I*Y Planner has been released.
December 22nd, 2004
You’ve heard the pop-psychology buzzwords and sayings a hundred times. “Enable your inner spirit.” “Be yourself, and your efforts will follow naturally.” “Release the productive you.” “Dream your goals, and they will happen.” “You should live your time, not time your life.” (gag, cough…). I have a feeling that the only people finding these Polonius-style platitudes to be of any great benefit are the writers of self-help books that often wind up on talk shows amidst depressive housewives, teens gone wild and married first-cousins.
In my mind, no one can follow such warm-and-fuzzy objectives and hope to make them work. Motivation is something that works best coming from an baser or more immediate level, despite our hankerings to fuel our souls or enable our inner truth. After all, how does one enable inner truth, sort of spending a few years in a monastery? On the other hand, a dog –a creature of limited intelligence and short attention span– can be made to perform tricks with the promise of a bone or treat. Maybe there’s the hint of inspiration in that.
Everyone may be different, but I think we all have a few things in common. The need to find motivation, especially in the most stressful of times, is paramount to getting things done. In recent years, I’ve been guilty of stretching myself way too thin, and working so many hours that the threat of mental and physical breakdown was a concern (80-100 hours a week not being unusual). Every now and then someone asks me, how do I keep going? What they really mean, is how do I keep motivated? So I decided to jot down a few things that work for me, and share them here. There’s nothing earth-shattering or particularly incisive in this list; in fact, almost everything is common sense. But sometimes the little rational voice inside our heads wanders off for a nap somewhere, and we need to be reminded of certain things. Hence, my “Top Ten.”
- Organise your efforts: there is probably no one thing as debilitating as constantly realising all the things you were supposed to do, but didn’t, especially when it’s too late. By jotting down every little thing to do, and when you need to do it, you can relieve a lot of stress. It’s like the “trusted system” that Getting Things Done emphasizes, including the notion of “next actions” (basically, to-do lists) and “hard landscapes” (your calendar). Part of keeping up your levels of motivation means wiping out all those things that de-motivate you. If you know everything that needs to be done, and when it has to be done, you can be far more efficient in how you spend your time, and less likely to fall prone to the debilitating stress of “non-productiveness.”
- Organise your workspace: This not only includes getting rid of the clutter that accumulates on your desk, but also your “virtual workspace”, your computer. All those little bits and pieces of information, do you know where they are? Can you find them at a moment’s notice? Where will they be next year at this time? It’s easier to be motivated when you’re not confused, or feeling guilty about losing things. Set aside one day per week to “gut” your workspace and organise all those little scraps. Put them all in their correct places, and you will suddenly feel empowered the next time someone asks you a question you can actually answer.
- Remember: goals, objectives and strategies: Everything we do has a purpose behind it, whether we’re slugging through paperwork, standing in line at the DMV, or playing a game. The trick is to recognise the purpose, and figure out if it’s something we actually want to do. Start with your goals. This the “big picture”. Fill in the blank: five years from now, I will be ___________. Be specific: this is an exercise in visualisation.
What’s going to take you there? Those are your objectives. Start backwards, if you wish. Figure out where you need to be, and what you need to be doing, five years from now. Then two years. Now try six months. You should come up with a number of milestones you have to reach to get you there, such as projects that need to be done, people you have to meet, or further training or schooling to enhance your knowledge. These milestones should translate into the major objectives in the pursuit of your goals.
Finally, the strategies are those action lists which we create and implement to take us there. I will accomplish this, by doing that. It’s how you approach the problem, and the end result should be the achieving of an objective. Write down, in vague terms (don’t fence yourself in!) how you intend to reach each of your major objectives.
Why is this so important to motivation? Well, think about it: you’re lost at sea in a rowboat, you have a pair of oars, but you have no knowledge of the direction in which lies land. Either your rowing is half-hearted, or you’re not going to bother to row at all. Now, if you knew land was fifteen miles to the east, how hard would you row? In life, we don’t attempt difficult tasks unless we know our direction. And these, not luck, get us where we need to be. Motivation is the desire that makes us do such things, that propels us forward. Know your direction.
- Reward yourself: you’re a dog, and this is your treat. Sit, roll over, speak, fetch. Here you go, Fido. Same concept, same application. We need reasons to do things, and sometimes knowing that we’re moving towards a five-year goal doesn’t do much to make us feel good now. I feel far more motivated to do things if: a) I know this is something immediate, but which takes me closer to where I want to be; and b) I get some sort of reward for doing this. The reward can be many things: a nice cool beer after raking the leaves; an hour of your favourite computer game after finishing the office work; a trip to the mountains after you lose 20 pounds; or a new digital camera after you finish the next contract. Any time you have something difficult to do, set yourself a reward at the end. The type of reward should match the size of the task. A cold beer at the end of a grueling three-month contract is hardly sufficient, while a new laptop for raking your lawn is overkill: keep things in their proper perspective.
- Take pride: Obviously, this won’t be applicable for everything, no matter how much you try to rationalise things. But think of the old adage, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” Don’t just do it and get it out of the way: do it, and do a damn good job. You doing up a report? Make Hemingway jealous. Doing some landscaping? Palais de Versailles, anyone? Cooking a meal for the relatives? Check out all the gourmet recipes available on the Net. Bring it over the top. Then boast a little; you earned it. The next time, top yourself. Nothing gets your blood pumping quite like raising the mundane into an art form.
- Think of the children!: This only works if you actually have ‘em. It’s somehow easier to draw inspiration and motivation from thoughts of the child(ren) you have to support and nourish. If you forget what they look like, then put a picture of them on your desk. Maybe one with a recorded audio clip of them giggling or saying, “I love you.” If they won’t say it, threaten to take away their allowance. (Of course I’m kidding: taking away music download privileges is much more effective.)
- Carry your organiser: No matter if you’re toting a paper planner or a PDA, keep it with you at all times. There’s something very empowering about having that intimate and immediate connection with your productive side. Plus, people look at you and think, “My, what a well-organised and highly movitivated individual.” Or maybe they don’t, but you can pretend they do.
- Use your organiser: This should go without saying. That isn’t a paperweight you’re slinging around just to impress people. Keep track not only of your calendar, contacts and to-do lists, but also your objectives, your brainstorms, your “someday-maybe” items, your reference materials, your wish lists, and anything else that makes you feel productive, imaginative and well-organised. Fostering faith in yourself through this method is sometimes that easy. Why do you think there are so many organisation junkies out there? (On a related note, feel free to check out my free do-it-yourself planner files.)
- Relax: In this day and age, there’s enough to burn you out 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Consciously set aside a “date” with yourself, say at 9:30 every second night, where you give yourself permission to toss off the shoes, lean back, and watch mindless television, play a DVD, or throw yourself into a computer game. You’ll be much more relaxed, and much more motivated to take on further tasks.
- Affirmations: I can’t think of that word without thinking of Saturday Night Live and the infamous Stuart Smalley skits. No, I’m not talking about sitting yourself in front of a mirror, ready to burst into tears, and trying to convince yourself that the world actually cares about you. (Assume it doesn’t, and move ahead from there.) What I’m suggesting is to write a one-sentence affirmation of the person you want to be. Sum up the “perfect you” in 50 words or less. Write it on the back of a business card or in the front of your organiser, and carry it around with you. Memorise it. Revise it occasionally. When you have a major life decision in front of you, or if you’re in danger of pursuing unproductive work or play, read the card again. Make sure it syncs. It’s like a compass that tells you what direction to row.
Any other ideas for self-motivation?
December 20th, 2004
I love the following bit from the NYT article Digital Domain: The Fox Is in Microsoft’s Henhouse (and Salivating):
Mr. Schare of Microsoft does have one suggestion for those who cannot use the latest patches in Service Pack 2: buy a new personal computer. By the same reasoning, the security problems created by a car’s broken door lock could be solved by buying an entirely new automobile. The analogy comes straight from Mr. Schare. “It’s like buying a car,” he said. “If you want to get the latest safety features, you have to buy the latest model.”
In this case, the very latest model is not a 2001 Internet Explorer, but a 2004 Firefox.
One of the seminars I give on behalf on my organisation is on virus, spyware and security issues. I’ve taken to giving out TheOpenCD (which just hit version 2.0 a week or so ago), including Firefox, Thunderbird and OpenOffice.org, because of the concern over security issues inherent in IE, Outlook & cousins, and MS Office. (Nope, I don’t generally give away Linux, because I also do tech support and am not that much of a masochist.)
By the way, if you’re not aware of it, and use (or know someone that uses) Windows, it’s worthwhile checking TheOpenCD out. Tonnes of Open Source software –all the latest versions, too– with a nice little user-friendly interface that shows descriptions, screenshots, tutorials, demo movies, and even has a one-click button allowing simple installation. Great Christmas gift, too, or at least a stocking stuffer.
December 19th, 2004
I’ll be back in a few days. In the meantime, anyone following along the DIY Planner material can always find the latest (minute-by-minute) version of the accompanying instruction file here, complete with typos, mistakes, open HTML tags and whatever boo-boos I feel like committing the moment I hit Ctrl-X Ctrl-S.
There’s a fair amount of formatting fixes and new writing there, including a bunch of Frequently Asked Questions, “Essential Links” and pointers to other templates. If you know of any I’m missing that you’d like to recommend, shoot ‘em my way and I’ll try to include them in the v 1.0 file. (I’m douglasjohnston [at] gmail [dot] c-o-m.)
December 15th, 2004
In response to a high volume of email (well, 2 of them, anyway) questioning the commerciality of the templates, specifically the “am I going to eventually charge you or sue you” potentialities, I’ve decided to announce that the DIY Planner is now going to be offered under the terms of a Creative Commons license. Basically, what it means that you are free to use and distribute the templates however you wish, as long as it is not for commercial gain. For the latter, you must have my permission. See the link for details. I would ask, however, that if you wish to pass this package on to someone else, you give them a link to my site so that they may download the latest version.
While I’m at it, I’ve decided that the Creative Commons license will apply to the rest of the material on this weblog as well (at least the material that I’ve produced). I’ve always advocated the license, and now it’s time to practice what I preach.
Update: This CC license for the weblog is only intended to cover material written by me for the weblog, and does not include anything outside of the weblog, such as the Gallery, or the words of others. Just wanted to make that clear.
December 13th, 2004
I’m pleased to announce version 0.9 of my Do-It-Yourself GTD Planner system. New this time around are much-improved instructions, numerous graphical and layout tweaks, and three new templates.
This package includes many pages of information (in HTML) on how to buy a planner, save a bundle on templates/forms, set up your organiser GTD-style, and more. The included 26-page PDF file contains a number of double-sided templates including:
- GTD Diagrams (resized and rotated from originals found at www.davidco.com)
- Project Outline
- Objectives
- Contact Log
- Next Actions
- Waiting For
- Agendas
- Someday/Maybe
- Notes
- Covey Quadrant (new)
- Brainstorm (new)
- Story Idea (new)
Suggestions for modifications and new templates are very welcome. I’ll probably release v. 1.0 in another week or so, depending on how my timetable shapes up.
As usual, I’m releasing these files free for personal use. You can always get the latest version by clicking here.
Update: A new version is now available. Go there.
December 12th, 2004
Well, I didn’t forsee that… I made an announcement yesterday about a pre-release of my Do-It-Yourself GTD Planner package, mentioned it only on the uber-cool 43folders Google Group, and….
Over 8,000 unique visitors and nearly 6,500 downloads?!? How did that happen in less than twelve hours? I’m astonished…
Well, the instruction file for the DIY Planner is coming along fine, and I’ve added a few more bits and bobs from my notes. I’m editing it on my remote webserver using Emacs from multiple locations in my spare time (i.e., while cooking/eating), and the package should be final in a few days. Consider it an early Christmas gift. 
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions for templates to toss into the mix, or if you know of any neat hacks for creating parts of a DIY Planner, please feel free to email them to me. If I use them, I’ll certainly give you credit in the text file –which should no doubt bring you fame, fortune, bevies of beauties/ hordes of hunks, and the gratitude of nations. I guarantee it, or your money back.
December 10th, 2004
I’ve decided to release a new version of my organiser templates that’s a little bit more user-friendly, and that also contains basic instructions for setting up a paper-based GTD-style planner. This is version 0.8, which indicates that it’s not quite finished yet (especially the accompanying instruction file), but very little remains except for some tweaking. I’m releasing this now so I can get some feedback for improving the existing templates and information, and possibly solicit some ideas for new ones.
This version includes a few pages of information (in HTML) on how to buy a planner, save a bundle on templates/forms, set up your organiser GTD-style, and more. The included 20-page PDF file contains a number of double-sided templates including:
- GTD Diagrams (not mine, alas)
- Project Outline
- Objectives
- Contact Log
- Next Actions
- Waiting For
- Agendas
- Someday/Maybe
- Notes
The templates were designed to work well with standard DayRunner forms and layout, but they and the do-it-yourself instructions could apply equally well to a no-name department store special. With a printer, some basic supplies, and a bit of patience, you can set up a GTD planner and save yourself quite a lot of money in the meantime. (DayRunner + DayRunner templates = @$200+. $20 generic planner + my templates = well, $20. You might need to raid a few items from the office cabinets, though.)
As usual, I’m releasing these files free for personal use. You can always get the latest version by clicking here.
Update: New version detailed here.
December 9th, 2004
Well, if this isn’t every Linux geek’s mobile fantasy: NewsForge | PalmSource announces Linux support
We look forward to contributing code to the Linux platform under its existing licenses. We believe that PalmSource’s expertise in building great mobile solutions can help make Linux even more compelling than it is now. The Palm OS layer written for use on Linux will be designed to be portable to any suitable mobile Linux distribution, and we’ll expose Linux APIs under the Palm OS layer. We look forward to partnering and cooperating with Linux companies and developers to contribute to the on-going development and adoption of mobile Linux.
It sounds like they will be building the new PalmOS to work as a layer atop Linux, the same way that the Mac OS X “Aqua” layer is built atop BSD-flavoured UNIX. With Wi-Fi built into the device, you’ll be able to wardrive with a Linux server in your pocket. Slot in Apache, Perl/Python/PHP, MySQL, wikis, Emacs, FTP… ah, the geek in me is just drooling….
More info at The Reg.
(No, I don’t have a Zaurus or a Yopy, but I really wish I did….)
December 8th, 2004
A new article at Newsforge that mirrors a lot of my experiences with Impress as compared to Powerpoint: NewsForge: Microsoft PowerPoint versus OpenOffice.org Impress. It’s a good intro for those people wondering if Impress can fulfill their needs.
My experiences, in brief: I love the drawing tools; I really like the navigation system (more or less common with all OOo apps); the style handling is great; the transitional tools are a little different from PP (but easily learned); and the dual-monitor setup is a little fiddly, but doable (either through enabling “mirror” mode, or switching primary/secondary monitors via your laptop). The Powerpoint import/export seems to work very well, but I must admit that I haven’t tried more than about a half-dozen. The export to Flash and PDF works really well in the presentations I’ve tried, and has proven to be of great benefit when I have to send the slides to someone. Lastly, I must admit that I quite enjoy using Impress to make presentations, much more than Powerpoint. I’m not sure if it’s because of the look and feel, or because of the better graphical abilities. Or maybe I’m just so very tired of Powerpoint. (I actually teach workshops on it…. *sigh*)
December 8th, 2004
Big day! The Mozilla email client Thunderbird just hit version 1.0. Read the press release Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0 Email Client Has Landed, or grab it from the Mozilla Thunderbird page.
I’ve been using this for a while on multiple platforms, and quite dig it. Love the virtual folders, saved searches and the extra little bits of power I get over other email clients. This is not to mention that it’s almost impossible to contract email viruses using it (unless you are decidedly dense, I guess). Although I’m not too worried about viruses while using Linux and Mac OS X, the 10% of the time I’m using Windows does tend to make me a little paranoid….
December 7th, 2004
Being an only-slightly-reformed Python addict, I can only dream of getting to see this, a musical written by Eric Idle based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail: USATODAY.com - ‘Spamalot’ heads to Broadway:
Spamalot, directed by Mike Nichols, stars David Hyde Pierce, Tim Curry and Hank Azaria.
Idle has said the musical will be “as good as or quite likely better than any other show with killer rabbits and a legless knight opening on Broadway or in Chicago this season.”
December 6th, 2004
Don’t know if there’s a catch, as their “Terms of Service” page is currently exactly the same as their home page. Still, it might be worth a shot: Blogsome: Get your FREE blog now.
People say you get what you pay for, but sometimes you get a little more. I managed to get a free year of website hosting at 1&1 by responding quickly to a free offer. Been extremely pleased with them ever since.
All the same, I think I’d wait a little while before entrusting any material with them. So many questions…. How do you back up your data? Do they have a scary terms of agreement like MSN Spaces, where they get the rights to your words? Do they charge extra for certain features and storage? What’s the projected uptime? What’s the situation with plug-ins? How do you know you’re in good hands? What’s the privacy policy? etc., etc., etc. …
Update: Just saw a reference on PhotoMatt to two more free WordPress blog hosting sites: BlogThing and WordpressBlogs.
December 5th, 2004
I am addicted to del.icio.us, I truly am. It’s now even my home page, and I can’t wait to start up a browser and see all the cool links that people are finding (outside of work hours, of course… it’s both a boost and a drain on my productivity). A lot of newbies have a quick look at the main page, decide it’s useless or too complicated, and move on. Or they don’t understand the concept behind it at all. Thankfully, there’s now a user-friendly introduction to del.icio.us, courtesy of beelerspace: Us.ef.ul:
Delicious is easy to use, but it lacks any kind of serious documentation. Its interface is simple, which I find attractive, but it has that ubergeek slashdot unfriendly look to it. So, here’s the way to do it nice and easy.
I’ve been using it for a while, and even learned a few neat things out of this article.
(By the way, the link was found using del.icio.us….)
December 3rd, 2004
I took these pictures today near Twillingate, Newfoundland, en route to a training session. The only thing more beautiful than the place is the people.
December 1st, 2004