Comments on: Ways I’ve increased my productivity http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/ Web development and new media observations Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:16:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: judson671 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-73690 judson671 Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:01:58 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-73690 I noticed most of the things you have done to gain productivity were "expensive", like upgrading to a macbook, buying an extra monitor, etc. There are many good tips out there about how to improve productivity and efficiency through picking up the skills of computing. A blog I recently began to follow is <a href="http://www.artwinauto.com/" rel="nofollow">Productivity Improvement in Computing</a>. It talks about how to save time, get things done faster at no or little cost. I noticed most of the things you have done to gain productivity were “expensive”, like upgrading to a macbook, buying an extra monitor, etc. There are many good tips out there about how to improve productivity and efficiency through picking up the skills of computing. A blog I recently began to follow is
Productivity Improvement in Computing.

It talks about how to save time, get things done faster at no or little cost.

]]> By: links for 2009-01-27 « pabloidz http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-57132 links for 2009-01-27 « pabloidz Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:03:13 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-57132 [...] Ways I’ve increased my productivity Michael Kimsal’s weblog (tags: productivity) [...] [...] Ways I’ve increased my productivity Michael Kimsal’s weblog (tags: productivity) [...]

]]> By: mgkimsal http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-56969 mgkimsal Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:03:26 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-56969 I'm not sure there's such a thing as a 'right' choice re: macs. There are some advantages - resume/suspend being a primary one for me as I use a laptop a lot. The machine does not do heavy multitasking well - there's the infamous pinwheel-of-death which I still get on a regular basis. Under Linux, I was able to drop down to a text-only interface when things got slow and typically deal with the problems from a CLI, which seemed to help speed things up a bit, but you can't do that on a mac (at least, I've never seen anyone do it, nor found a way to myself). I've been using computers since 1981, and they all have major flaws in some way. I've not yet found the 'perfect' computer, even after 28 years of looking. Macs are nice, and have suited the mobile aspect of what I need, but I'm not committing my entire life to them at this point. I still have a Linux machine up which I use for some work. Same thing with PHP. It's good, and I use it, but I also use Grails. I could suggest to you that you'd be more productive in Grails, but you probably wouldn't think you would be. What I'm finding these days is that the majority of time I'm spending on work for clients isn't the sorts of things that different languages would make a vast difference on - I'm spending the bulk of my time unravelling client needs and translating those in to definable chunks of work. The creation of the code itself (screens, logic, etc.) isn't that big of a deal right now. I’m not sure there’s such a thing as a ‘right’ choice re: macs. There are some advantages – resume/suspend being a primary one for me as I use a laptop a lot. The machine does not do heavy multitasking well – there’s the infamous pinwheel-of-death which I still get on a regular basis. Under Linux, I was able to drop down to a text-only interface when things got slow and typically deal with the problems from a CLI, which seemed to help speed things up a bit, but you can’t do that on a mac (at least, I’ve never seen anyone do it, nor found a way to myself).

I’ve been using computers since 1981, and they all have major flaws in some way. I’ve not yet found the ‘perfect’ computer, even after 28 years of looking. Macs are nice, and have suited the mobile aspect of what I need, but I’m not committing my entire life to them at this point. I still have a Linux machine up which I use for some work.

Same thing with PHP. It’s good, and I use it, but I also use Grails. I could suggest to you that you’d be more productive in Grails, but you probably wouldn’t think you would be. What I’m finding these days is that the majority of time I’m spending on work for clients isn’t the sorts of things that different languages would make a vast difference on – I’m spending the bulk of my time unravelling client needs and translating those in to definable chunks of work. The creation of the code itself (screens, logic, etc.) isn’t that big of a deal right now.

]]> By: Robby Colvin http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-56960 Robby Colvin Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:59:25 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-56960 You made the right choice in using a Mac. I used to use PHP, but you might want to look into using Rails as a way to increase productivity as well. It has helped me to be so much more productive than before. You made the right choice in using a Mac. I used to use PHP, but you might want to look into using Rails as a way to increase productivity as well. It has helped me to be so much more productive than before.

]]> By: Troy Malone http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-56948 Troy Malone Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:58:13 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-56948 Thanks for the insight into what's working and what's not as far as productivity goes. I have a project management system that I created to help me keep organized with client projects. That has helped me fill out the GTD system, specifically with the delegated items. (waiting for items). Good luck with everything...it looks like you are doing great! Thanks for the inspiration. @troymalone Thanks for the insight into what’s working and what’s not as far as productivity goes. I have a project management system that I created to help me keep organized with client projects. That has helped me fill out the GTD system, specifically with the delegated items. (waiting for items).

Good luck with everything…it looks like you are doing great! Thanks for the inspiration.

@troymalone

]]> By: Deborah Reynolds http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-56946 Deborah Reynolds Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:55:48 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-56946 Michael, sounds like you ready for a Virtual Assistant! Here is a great article explaining the many ways a VA can help you be more productive, http://www.vanetworking.com/VA-top-ten/. I would be happy to give you more information or answer any questions you have about hiring a VA, just contact me via e-mail. Michael, sounds like you ready for a Virtual Assistant! Here is a great article explaining the many ways a VA can help you be more productive, http://www.vanetworking.com/VA-top-ten/. I would be happy to give you more information or answer any questions you have about hiring a VA, just contact me via e-mail.

]]> By: Ken Kaufman http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-56945 Ken Kaufman Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:26:54 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-56945 I appreciate this post about productivity. I have tried different versions of some of the things mentioned, and it is something we can all do much better at. The Virtual Assistant is something I have used for quite some time, and it makes me much more productive! I appreciate this post about productivity. I have tried different versions of some of the things mentioned, and it is something we can all do much better at. The Virtual Assistant is something I have used for quite some time, and it makes me much more productive!

]]> By: Dave Klein http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/ways-ive-increased-my-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-56943 Dave Klein Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:15:16 +0000 http://michaelkimsal.com/blog/?p=697#comment-56943 Thanks for the tips as well as the encouragement. It's good to see that others have some of the same struggles. My $0.02: the iPhone is a great productivity enhancer. It saves me the time I would have to spend catching up on email, blogs, twitter, etc. after being away from my desk for a day or part of a day. I haven't let myself install any games though. Thanks for the tips as well as the encouragement. It’s good to see that others have some of the same struggles.

My $0.02: the iPhone is a great productivity enhancer. It saves me the time I would have to spend catching up on email, blogs, twitter, etc. after being away from my desk for a day or part of a day. I haven’t let myself install any games though.

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