Continuing this week's How I Work series, productivity blogger, developer, and good-linking Pocket PC addict Brad Isaac lets us know how he gets things done (list form followed by detailed explanations).
LH: What desktop software do you use every day?
Brad: I am on an XP machine so I use windows software:
Outlook
Firefox with Performancing installed
Terminal server (remote access to manage my servers)
Visual Studio
LH: What web sites do you use every day?
Brad:
Lifehacker (of course)
Micro persuasion
Google/Google newsgroups
Technorati
LH: What PDA/personal organizer/system do you use to keep organized?
Brad: As the founder and former lead editor of Pocket PC Addict, I've been into Pocket PCs since 2001.
I use Pocket Informant to do my scheduling, tasks
Use Achieve-IT! for a daily goal review
Use Speed Reader Plus to read web articles and books fast.
LH: Can you explain how your whole system pulls together?
Brad: Let me start with the Pocket PC, since that's the first base I touch every day. Early every morning, I pull out my Pocket PC and work on my first task of the day which is "Planning and solitude". This is 'Me time' where I do a careful review of todays tasks, goals and calendar. I use Pocket Informant for task/calendar management and use Achieve-IT! Software to review my goals and steps. If I am to a new step toward my goal, I export it to Pocket Informant. All of this gets exported to desktop Outlook with several alarms set to keep me on track and snap me out of distractions.
I use the old-fashioned A, B, C - 1, 2, 3 priority method to keep my highest priorities on top. "A" tasks get done every day no matter what. Then I start on B's...C tasks typically don't get done until I'm in the mood or just have a quick opportunity to do one.
Speed Reader Plus is an excellent application for the Pocket PC where I doubled my reading speed the first week I used it. After about 4 years, I still use it just about every day to pack as much into my reading and learning time as possible.
On the desktop, I use Outlook for email and scheduling/tasks..but I still prefer to manage my schedule on PPC - it's easier to me. I've turned off email notifications and pop-ups to prevent being distracted by incoming emails. I probably check email 3 times a day.
I use Firefox with the Performancing plug-in for my blog posts and to visit my favorite sites every day - I don't visit many - but here's the ones I do every day:
Lifehacker
Micro Persuasion
Google/Google newsgroups (Google groups is a great resource for quick answers to tough questions. Often times I am not the only one with the problem. For instance, every now and again, I'll be trying to do some SQL flourish where I've failed repeatedly. I do a quick search in the groups and fine 6 others have tried the same thing and gotten answers to how to do it.)
Technorati
I manage 8 servers so I use Terminal server to access them and make configurations without having to visit each one (i.e. "sneakernet").
Finally, I do almost all of my development work for Achieve-IT! Software and Taskblaze in Visual Studio.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot...after we get the kids in bed, it's entertainment time, so I will typically launch Snapstream (on my new DVR box I built) and play a round or two of Day of Defeat on the Steam network.