We’re big fans of Lifehacker here at Think Productive UK, 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.
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
Hi Sharon, thanks for blogging, I found it really interesting. If you need inspiration for taking photos a little more, try a 365 photo challenge!
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment Rosie. That sounds like just the type of thing that would get me out there taking photos. Have you done one and is there anything online? I have been helping one of the other Ninjas to take more time for himself over the last couple of weeks and I think that it is useful sometimes to impose a little bit of structure to things we want to do outside of work otherwise we tend to get tied up just tring to be more productive with work and not other areas of our lives.