by neil on November 30, 2008
I used to give productivity way more thought than it deserved and I’ve come to realize that being productive is something more. In the same way eating healthy is more a way of life than what you do at meal times.
To optimize your time you need to be focused. This focused state of deep concentration is when you are at your most creative and therefore most productive. If done right a 4 hour work day is possible. Below I’ve listed what I think are the most important elements in reaching a fully focused, optimized state of mind. [click to continue...]
by neil on September 8, 2008
1. Quicksilver
Quicksilver allows you to search for and launch applications easily.
Quicksilver not only allows you to load items but also perform actions on those items.
Here I’m sending a file via email from the Quicksilver interface.
Download: Quicksilver
2. Fluid
There are internet applications that require more attention than just a simple browser tab. Fluid allows any WebApp to act like a desktop application.
Visit the fluid icons Flickr group Flickr group for a collection of dock icons.
Download: Fluid
3. Automator
Automator allows you to easily automate repetitive tasks without the complex programming normally required. A task is assembled by dragging individual actions into an Automator workflow. You can run your created workflow, share with others or even create plugins for applications.
Here I’ve created a plugin that automatically sets up my development environment.
Result: Applications needed are opened and the windows are positioned on screen.
4. TextExpander
TextExpander allows you to create abbreviations for commonly used text/image snippets.
Eg: I’ve assigned my blog URL to the abbreviation “tnt”. Whenever I type”tnt”, the full URL http://thenexttrain.co.za/ is inserted.
Download: TextExpander
5. KeyCue ( Shortcut Keys )
KeyCue gives you an instant overview of all the shortcut keys for any application. Using shortcut keys will save you time. So next time you reach for the mouse, check to see if you can perform the same task with a shortcut key.
Download: KeyCue
