Tag: productivity

TaskPaper: Next Actions search query

Last week, Matt Gemmell included six searches when he shared his OmniFocus-inspired TaskPaper theme. I noticed that the “Next Actions” search includes the first line of the project, even if it’s a note.

Next Actions @search(project *//((not @done\) and (not @search\)\)[0])

I usually have a line or two of notes in my projects in Things, so this wouldn’t work if I need to display the single next task for each project.1

The following change adds the desired item type, which means the next task (not note) will be displayed for all of your projects:

Next Actions (improved) @search(project *//((not @done\) and (not @search\) and (@type = task\)\)[0])

You can see more details on Formatting Queries in the TaskPaper User’s Guide.

  1. I’m migrating from Things to TaskPaper 3. More to come about that process in the next post. ↩

Portable inbox acquired

I finally have a set of Lightahead® LA-7550 clear document snap button color document folders, which I’ll use for my inbox in a few places:

  • Backpack: Coworking or traveling.
  • Suitcase: Traveling, papers to shred.
  • Car

Following GTD methodology, these folders will keep loose papers in one place when I’m away from my home office. When I return, I dump them all into the inbox on my desk.

When I’m on a trip, I scan receipts with my iPhone 6 into Scanner Pro, and those receipts can be shred safely. To keep the edges clear, I’ll label one of the folders accordingly.

Remember: If you don’t have an inbox, everything is your inbox!

Daily Blogging for 104 Days

While doing my weekly review this evening, I was reminded that I set a personal goal to publish a total of 144 posts this year, through a manageable average of 12 posts per month. That average shrinks today:

  • Posts published in 2015: 40
  • Posts to publish between now and December 31: 104
  • Days left in 2015: 104

I’m glad I checked!

I’ve added a bunch of post ideas (to-dos) in Things, in the Area aptly named Blog. While the exact number isn’t displayed, I doubt it’s close to 100. I’ll be fine.

As White Goodman asked in Dodgeball, “Are you ready for the — woo! — hurricane?” Of posts, that is. 🙂

Achieve Nerdtopia with Alfred for OS X: Paul Ciano’s five–part series

If you’re twitching for an Alfred–specific post (my last was in April), I suggest Paul Ciano’s five–part series, Achieve Nerdtopia with Alfred for OS X. Thanks for geeking out, man! ⭐

Where I profess my love for Alfred

Alfred is one of my besties. Without needing to reach for my trackpad, I have so many cool activities available from my keyboard, and I’m pretty sure I haven’t dug into all of its features. Most of these are work related.

Alfred usage 2014-04-23

Forty custom searches helps speed my workflow. A few dozen snippets, such as:

  • pre–defined replies, some with dynamic placeholders to be substituted for a URL
  • my home address
  • email addresses
  • frequent usernames and URLs; the latter used when replying to site owners at work
  • email signatures (personal and work)
  • ASCII art

Handy calculator. Blazing fast file navigator (I rarely use Finder). A custom workflow that opens my work applications with a single keyword. Several other nifty workflows from talented, determined people. System commands, like Sleep, Shut Down, Empty Trash, or Quit All Applications.

Display large text across your screen so you can share with someone across the room — and everyone in between. (Command-L, or Command-Option-L to display a phone number rather than a calculation.)

Most importantly, instead of using Google to check spelling:

Why do you love Alfred? I’d love your suggestions — please leave a comment!

View an article with Instapaper Text only using the keyboard

As a happy, longtime Instapaper user, I need the Instapaper Text bookmarklet often when settling in for a lengthy read on my MacBook Air.

I’d like to share a tip that’ll save time of switching to your mouse or trackpad.

When the bookmarklet is saved to your browser, you can use it with the page you’re viewing by following these steps:

  1. Move your cursor to the address (a.k.a. location) bar by pressing Command + L.1
  2. Type the first few letters of the bookmarklet name (or the whole thing if you type quickly).
  3. Press Enter.

If you use folders in Instapaper2, you can take this a step further by saving the bookmarklet for those folders as well.

  1. Mac: Works with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. ↩
  2. Pro tip. If you send saved articles from Instapaper to your Kindle, don’t mix text articles with media so those particular entries aren’t wasting space in that periodical (Amazon’s term, not mine). I have video, audio, and photo folders as well. ↩