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An Exercise for Professional Clarity
Isaac, Praxisâs founder and CEO, had me do an exercise today that helped me clarify what the education part of our product is and how we expect customers to use it. Think about what you do at your job, why you do it, and how you do it. Or even better, what your companyâs product […]
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Three Weeks with the 10.5â iPad Pro
I bought the 10.5â iPad Pro the day it was announced and received it the following Monday. My old Gen 3 iPad didnât support multitasking, Touch ID, iOS 10, or True Tone. Basically nothing that makes an iPad awesome for work. It was getting pretty slow and desperately needed an upgrade. Iâm super happy with […]
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Trying out Things 3. I really like the hierarchy: Areas > Projects > Sub headings/groupings > To do items > Checklists. Exactly what I’ve wanted. Goes 1-2 levels deeper than most to-do apps.
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Using Walks, Drives, and Commutes For Work
I used to think that walking, driving somewhere, and commuting were things that we fundamentally opposed to work. Complete downtime. Even using them to listen to podcasts isn’t working. It is a good use of the time, but it isn’t working. I now regularly go for walks throughout the workday and take time commuting between my house […]
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Freeter looks like a good app for gathering various project tools in one place. I’ve spent some time setting up my own automations with TextExpander, AppleScript, Automator, and Keyboard Maestro, but I’m going to try making dashboards for a few of my projects in Freeter to bring everything under one roof.
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Two questions to ask when you are stuck on a project
What is this project about? This is sometimes a tough question, but figuring it out makes all the difference. If you figured it out at the beginning of the project, simply reminding yourself what the goal of the project is and what the core parts of the project are can be enough to get you […]
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Ted Kooser on Writer’s Block
Writing Routines, a great new sites that gives behind-the-scenes look at the daily habits of writers and authors, has an interview with Ted Kooser, a former US Poet Laureate. I love his answer to a question on writer’s block: William Stafford, one of our great poets, said that the best thing to do about writerâs block is […]
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Two Ways to Handle Client Requests
There are two ways to handle client requests: Build the request exactly to the client’s specs and deliver it on time. Take a step back and figure out what the client’s end-goal is, regardless of what their stated specs say. Then architect a solution that you think best fits their goal and pitch that to […]
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I’ve been feeling stuck with some creative issues at work and decided to try a new tactic today: I spent 30 minutes digging into what specifically I was stuck on instead of just the general “I’m Stuck.” I picked one of the items on that list and turned it into a question. I wrote that […]
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What to Do When You Mess Up
Own up to it and take responsibility for it. Fix it immediately. Put a system in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Could be a checklist, could be checks by multiple coworkers before something goes out, etc. Whatever works best for you and your team. Remember that feeling bad about it helps keep […]
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The Most Important Thing About Creative Work
One of the things I’ve had to learn about transitioning into a more creative and visionary role with my new job is to change the way I think about when and where work gets done. The most important thing about creative work is that it gets completed by your deadline. Everything else is secondary. I’ve […]
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Integrating Care into the Customer Experience
I was at an Intelligentsia coffee shop in Venice, CA, a few weeks ago. I ordered an espresso. As my order came up, I watched the barista. He pulled the shot, and as I was ready to take and enjoy it with the side of sparkling water they include, he paused before he gave it […]
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There is no right time to quit a job, have kids, or start something new. If you want something, you have to take the first step immediately and figure things out along the way. The right time will never come. Jump now.
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Ignore the Rules and Be True to Yourself
“Writers write every single day.” “If you aren’t writing code every day, you can’t call yourself a developer.” “The best in every field get up at 4am and start working by 6am after a workout and an hour of reading.” Rules are so fun to state. They make you look hardcore, driven, and disciplined. But […]