Since is the first post of its type, I feel no shame in conducting some original research. I don't have a formal job right now- all my current freelance work is strictly short term- so I don't have a very set work schedule. So my productivity notes will be strictly Writing, Speech, and Schoolwork based
- Writing- With my writing, a big portion of "productivity" is sticking to a schedule. Even though I don't write professionally, I still like to keep up the quality of my work. So I have time blocked off every day to write; for this I use Google Calendar. In my personal calendar, I have my most creative time- between one and three, jacked up on caffeine- blocked off for serious writing every day. That means prose, letters, speeches, or essays. To keep my writing backed up, I use Dropbox. This is also handy because if I ever need to get reviews or feedback, I can get an easily share-able link. Highly recommend. To make sure that I'm actually on track, I use the Pomodoro Technique: which is essentially sprint working.You intensely for a short period of time, and then take a break. Very effective. To implement this, I use a Chrome extension: Strict Pomodoro. It blocks distracting sites while I work, and times me. To actually write, I use Focus Writer, a freeware tool from a great developer.
- Speech- Speech sometimes gets enveloped in writing, as I do indeed have to write speeches. However, there is a more fine grain approach to it. Starting with speech ideas, I use Evernote to keep track of any idea I have, tagged with which type of speech it is, and what season I'm hoping to use it for. Once the ideas are compiled, I forget them. Then, when I need a speech, there they are. After that, I use Google for research, and compile the research in Evernote, again. Tagged and in a separate notebook. Then I use my writing techniques to outline, write, draft, re-draft, and re-draft my speech. Pomodoro practice tops it off. Tournament schedules get plugged into Google Calendar, and since I need to pack the same things several times, I keep them separate and in a plastic storage bin.
- One of my events is called Extemporaneous Speech, and for that I need to have articles from well respected publications available as sources. Since I only have 1/2 an hour to prepare, and no internet access, they have to be available on my computer in as organized a way as possible. Once again, Evernote. This system is complex, ordered list time!
- Find source
- Find RSS feed
- Plug RSS feed into Full Feed Extractor (because some of them suck and only give previews)
- Take new feed and plug it into If This, Then That. If This, Then That is a tool that automates web applications based on triggers. For example, if someone tags you in a photo on Facebook, it downloads the image to Dropbox. Highly recommend. In this case, I have a "New Feed Item" trigger, then it puts the feed item into Evernote
- Make sure feed shows up in Evernote.
- That's it
- Schoolwork- I do actually do my schoolwork! Those that know me will find this remarkable. Notes are all either typed directly into Evernote- every class has its own notebook- or transcribed out of a notebook. Evernote makes compiling exam reviews a breeze. Whenever I get an assignment, the due date is instantly put into Google Calendar, and I get reminders with a week left, a day left, twelve hours left, an hour left, and fifteen minutes left. It borders on paranoia/OCD, but it works. For physical handouts, printed material, and paper copies of notes, every class has a folder. They cost me $.50 from a dollar store.
That's it, that's how I manage being a college student.
