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Productivity Ninjas at work – Think Productive Ninja, Sharon Dale

Sharon Dale

We’re big fans of Lifehacker here at Think Productive, especially their “How I Work” series

So, we thought we’d do our own version – and introduce you to Ninja, Sharon Dale.

Sharon will be be running our How to Get Things Done workshop in Halifax at the end of this month – details here.

Follow Sharon on Twitter

What would your answers be to these questions? No idea? Need some help?

WHAT HARDWARE DO YOU USE?

A 13″ MacBookPro which will need to be replaced this year after four years of good service. I use this at home with two Samsung screens with a Goldtouch keyboard and a Magic Trackpad.

I have an iPad (3rd generation) which is my constant companion for email, tasks and notes plus entertainment. I use an Apple Bluetooth keyboard with this.

My phone is an iPhone 5 which I also use for ubiquitous capture (see below).

WHAT SOFTWARE DO YOU USE?

I use Evernote to keep electronic reference information in a searchable format which is also accessible from iPad, iPhone, and the web.

I use Parallels in order to run a a couple of PC based software products but much prefer the Mac operating system. I have used and supported PCs since the mid 1990s and so I am very familiar with PC software.

As a team we use Sugar Sync for file sharing

WHAT MOBILE APPS AND TO-DO APPS DO YOU LOVE?

I mentioned ubiquitous capture using my iPhone 5 above.

I use a great little app called Captio which is a very quick way to capture thoughts which then are very quickly transmitted to the email account set up in the options. I also use the camera to remind me of things. It makes my photo stream a bit strange from time to time.

I use Omnifocus for task management, mainly using the iPad version. I also like Readability which I use to save items for later reading.

Away from work I love Spotify so that I can listen to a range of music and Soundhound to identify music that I hear out and about.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTIVITY BOOK?

“Making it all Work“ by David Allen which I find a more complete read than “Getting Things Done“, and of course “How to be a Productivity Ninja“.

HOW DO YOU ARRANGE YOUR DESK?

I have a home office which is a narrow room with a great IKEA desk and freedom chair which is really comfortable. I use two screens which make it very easy to work using multiple windows for research.

I have three lovely wooden in-trays, one for home, one for work and one for study.

I use a tickler file which I find invaluable for keeping paperwork safe until I need it.

DO YOU USE ANY PRODUCTIVITY OR TIME-SAVING TRICKS IN YOUR HOME LIFE?

All of our towels and bedding items are the same colour which means that it is much easier when washing them.

I always have an ongoing shopping list on the fridge door which I grab when I leave the house.

All of my socks are the same which means I do not have to pair them.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTIVITY TRICK OR TECHNIQUE?

Pomodoros really help focus the mind on whatever you need to get done and get started on those big rocks.

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST PRODUCTIVITY STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS?

Strength? I am open to new ideas and incorporate anything useful that I learn into my systems but I don’t change things for the sake of it, only when it is useful; Continual improvement is the key.

Weakness? I am easily distracted but I have learned and developed methods to help me to focus. I think focus is the most important productivity skill.

AWAY FROM WORK, WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST?

I am pretty much a home bird but I do love getting out and seeing places and also taking photos. I don’t do either enough though so one of the changes I am making this year is taking the time when I travel for work to get out there.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTIVITY QUOTE?

I like lots of quotes, one of my favourites is:

“We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit” Aristotle

And less seriously:

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by” Douglas Adams

Sharon will be leading our How to Get Things Done public workshop in Halifax on Jan 31st – details/book here

Lifehacker – How I Work Series

Tags: Halifax, how I work, iphone capture
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Productivity Ninjas at work – Think Productive founder, Graham Allcott

Graham Allcott

We’re big fans of Lifehacker here at Think Productive, especially their “How I Work” series

So, we thought we’d do our own version – starting with Think Productive founder (and productivity experimenter), Graham Allcott

What would your answers be? No idea? Need some help?

WHAT HARDWARE DO YOU USE?

I have 3 main machines:

A 15″ HP laptop that is my main machine. It’s super-quick.

I travel a lot, so I have a tiny Samsung netbook. It’s about 3 years old and is only really used for emails, word docs and projecting Powerpoint slides when I’m delivering workshops and talks.

Then, I have an iPad which I use primarily for quick-email use, web surfing and reading.

My phone is an iPhone 4S, with a Mophie Juice Pack to make the battery life bearable.

WHAT SOFTWARE DO YOU USE?

I’m a big fan of Outlook and the Microsoft Office suite. I know that’s uncool these days, but they just work better than the Google equivalents in my view. And because the vast majority of our clients are PC users, moving completely to the Apple world isn’t an easy option, really.

Other stuff I use:

> iPadio for recording phone audio

> Audacity for editing audio

> Evernote for my ‘digital filing cabinet’,

> Dropbox and SugarSync for file-sharing.

WHAT MOBILE APPS AND TO-DO APPS DO YOU LOVE?

Toodledo is my to-do app. I use that mainly on the iPad.

On my iPhone, I love TuneIn Radio (especially for when I’m out running!) and Headspace, a meditation app is another favourite.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTIVITY BOOK?

Well, apart from “How to be a Productivity Ninja” (!), I’d probably say Seth Godin’s “Linchpin” (Amazon) just beats David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” (Amazon).

HOW DO YOU ARRANGE YOUR DESK?

At home, I have 2 screens, so that’s where I tend to do stuff like writing, video-editing, and other ‘creating’.

I use an in-tray and my bottom drawer is where I keep my “current” reference materials (the paperwork for projects I’m still working on).

I have 3 clear plastic files in my bag so that my bag is both the ‘go-between’ between my two offices as well as being as close to a virtual office wherever I am. These are called “To Office” “To Home” and “Office On The Move” – the final one contains stamps, envelopes, thank you cards, a smaller plastic file to chuck receipts into, Think Productive’s marketing materials and so on.

Under both my desks is an external hard drive, USB Hub, laptop chargers and phone chargers, so that I don’t have to constantly think about things like cables, back-ups and remembering the right kit.

DO YOU USE ANY PRODUCTIVITY OR TIME-SAVING TRICKS IN YOUR HOME LIFE?

To eliminate time wasted thinking about such things, I have only black socks and I buy 3 pairs of the same trousers online when I need new ones.

I also ‘outsource‘ cleaning and ironing, which I never grow tired of appreciating.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTIVITY TRICK OR TECHNIQUE?

Managing attention, not time.

I have 3 main office categories on my Master Actions List: Home-Office (proactive attention), Office (active attention), Office (inactive attention). This allows me to categorise everything I do by difficulty and energy-level, which has been really powerful.

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST PRODUCTIVITY STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS?

Strength? I think my curiosity is what keeps me constantly evolving the way I work and coming up with new ideas.

Weakness? Being my own boss, I often give myself permission to avoid or leave until last the things that involve a lot of detail. I hate detail. On the positive side, I’m also good at hiring people who love detail!

AWAY FROM WORK, WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST?

It used to be watching Aston Villa. But that’s not much fun for anyone at the moment. Generally, I’m pretty all-or-nothing: you’ll either find me tearing around on trains and planes for either business or pleasure, or I’m curled up on the sofa with my iPad. I’m either on a mission or I’m a hermit – there’s little in between!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTIVITY QUOTE?

The one that constantly motivates me is from an interview with the artists, Gilbert and George. Gilbert said “Any picture we don’t make will not be made by somebody else“. I think we waste so much time in states of distraction, when we all have so much more inside us to give.

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Lifehacker – How I Work Series

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Tags: apps, how I work, technology
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