How to Beat Task Paralysis

We all come up against a wall every now and then. There just seems to be something stopping us from moving forward, and in some cases we can’t quite put our finger on it. It’s frustrating. You stare at your list of tasks and can’t move at all. You’re stuck in what I call “task […]

Exploring Mastery: A New Approach to Productivity

On the most recent episode of Mikes on Mics, Schechter and I had a great round table with Thanh Pham of Asian Efficiency (creators of OmniFocus Premium Posts) and Kourosh Dini, author of Creating Flow with OmniFocus (which I’m currently re-reading). One of the things that came up was the idea of mastery, especially regarding

Starting With Why

This TEDx talk by Simon Sinek works on so many levels, but especially with the idea of that I’m trying to convey in my work. Take the time to watch it – it’s one of the best talks I’ve seen.

Review: RHA MA450i Headphones

I’m spending more and more time with headphones in my ears these days, whether it’s because I’m editing Mikes on Mics (or the members-only Mike Techniques podcast) or because I’m spending time outdoors getting my run on. A good set of headphones can actually really help your productivity – especially if you like to listen

How My Mother Helped Shape My Work

My family and I just finished an incredible long weekend, one that was both fun and productive. So as this new week (essentially) begins today, I thought I’d so something a little different today. You see, today is my Mom’s birthday. She’s been a big supporter of me and my work, and I wrote a

Two Desks in One: My New Minimal Workspace

I’ve discussed standing desks before, and while I continue to praise the idea of them I have definitely changed how I incorporate one into my workspace. In fact, at the end of last year I went on the lookout for a new workstation that would meet the following criteria: Allow me to stand or sit

Productive Meal Planning with Basil and OmniFocus

As a stay-at-home parent who is tasked with cooking meals regularly, I had been looking for a way to add that aspect of my home life to my regular workflow. I’ve been using Basil for a while to gather recipes, and recently I came up with a way to use Basil in tandem with OmniFocus

How I Use Evernote for Beer Cellaring

Ever since writing became my career, I’ve made efforts to keep it from being my primary hobby. Sure, I still write for fun – making it the second best thing I do with my time (after spending time with my family, of course) – but the idea of expanding my horizons beyond writing for work

A Better Journey to Markdown with David Sparks and Eddie Smith

Those of you who have been following me for a while will remember my Journey to Markdown series, where I decided to finally take the plunge and learn Markdown. While it wasn’t as harrowing a journey as I thought it might be, I definitely would have benefited from the latest MacSparky Field Guide™ simply titled