Comments on: Freestyle Productivity: Balancing Systems and Simplicity When Organizing Your Life http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/ Demystifying Sustainable Success Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:55:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Ashley http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-11637 Ashley Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:26:20 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-11637 Have you tried Notational Velocity? It's really simple note software for Mac, like a text editor, but it's really easy to search the notes to find the exact one and you don't have to save them bc it autosaves for you with the date and time you last edited it. Plus it's free. Have you tried Notational Velocity? It’s really simple note software for Mac, like a text editor, but it’s really easy to search the notes to find the exact one and you don’t have to save them bc it autosaves for you with the date and time you last edited it. Plus it’s free.

]]> By: Make Time For Time: 4. Technology and Time « TheUniversityBlog http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9990 Make Time For Time: 4. Technology and Time « TheUniversityBlog Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:02:05 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9990 [...] Move away from technology while you make solid plans.  Cal Newport suggests the following balance: [...] […] Move away from technology while you make solid plans.  Cal Newport suggests the following balance: […]

]]> By: Ibrahim | ZenCollegeLife.com http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9800 Ibrahim | ZenCollegeLife.com Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:40:31 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9800 I used to be an "early adopter" of technology and web-related events, products, and services. But I realized that all that got me was knowledge of things I didn't need. Now I evaluate whether things will increase my effectiveness and/or happiness before I even consider learning about them... I used to be an “early adopter” of technology and web-related events, products, and services. But I realized that all that got me was knowledge of things I didn’t need. Now I evaluate whether things will increase my effectiveness and/or happiness before I even consider learning about them…

]]> By: Twitter Trackbacks for Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Freestyle Productivity: Balancing Systems and Simplicity When Organizing Your [calnewport.com] on Topsy.com http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9788 Twitter Trackbacks for Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Freestyle Productivity: Balancing Systems and Simplicity When Organizing Your [calnewport.com] on Topsy.com Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:50:18 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9788 [...] Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Freestyle Productivity: Balancing Systems and Simplicity When Organiz... calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life – view page – cached Freestyle Productivity: Balancing Systems and Simplicity When Organizing Your — From the page [...] […] Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Freestyle Productivity: Balancing Systems and Simplicity When Organiz… calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life – view page – cached Freestyle Productivity: Balancing Systems and Simplicity When Organizing Your — From the page […]

]]> By: Tina http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9780 Tina Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:21:03 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9780 Informative post. Your take on capture, GTD-style, is different than how I understood it. Capture is not a holding place for your "stuff." Capture is collecting those stuff. In that sense, low tech i.e. paper and pen, can often be more effective than gadgets. After capture, you can process the stuff and put it into your hi-tech programs and devices (iCal, PIM), etc.. Informative post. Your take on capture, GTD-style, is different than how I understood it. Capture is not a holding place for your “stuff.” Capture is collecting those stuff. In that sense, low tech i.e. paper and pen, can often be more effective than gadgets. After capture, you can process the stuff and put it into your hi-tech programs and devices (iCal, PIM), etc..

]]> By: Barrie http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9779 Barrie Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:30:24 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9779 I use the method from the little red book using a sheet of paper and that has helped a great deal. I tend to not follow it exactly during the day, especially the study times, since I have a nasty habit of napping right after class. And I also follow up with google calendar for tasks and events, and transfer the events to a larger paper calendar. It's working pretty well, but I have a problem with autopilot schedules. I do something similar to free styling by using google calendar and having a weekly event that I keep moving up every week that lists my thoughts for that class, such as my studying/note taking methodology. It's not really working that well though, because it's really hidden. So I might transfer that into a plan.txt file and implement this strategy, though I seriously need to just sit down and do work. I'm afraid to lose any more time to planning. And as for "The second concern is actually doing the stuff that you need to do.", I don't think that gets any easier regardless how hard or well it's planned. Though it does become less paralyzing if there is a detailed action plan. I find it simply requires effort. Thank you for the post! I use the method from the little red book using a sheet of paper and that has helped a great deal. I tend to not follow it exactly during the day, especially the study times, since I have a nasty habit of napping right after class. And I also follow up with google calendar for tasks and events, and transfer the events to a larger paper calendar. It’s working pretty well, but I have a problem with autopilot schedules.

I do something similar to free styling by using google calendar and having a weekly event that I keep moving up every week that lists my thoughts for that class, such as my studying/note taking methodology. It’s not really working that well though, because it’s really hidden. So I might transfer that into a plan.txt file and implement this strategy, though I seriously need to just sit down and do work. I’m afraid to lose any more time to planning.

And as for “The second concern is actually doing the stuff that you need to do.”, I don’t think that gets any easier regardless how hard or well it’s planned. Though it does become less paralyzing if there is a detailed action plan. I find it simply requires effort.

Thank you for the post!

]]> By: Rodrigo http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9778 Rodrigo Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:38:21 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9778 Hi Cal, great post! It's all about balance, isn't it? I think that the internet is the real hindrance because you end up surfing and procrastinating. As you pointed, the paper and pencil are the best tools to develop ideas, because the interaction between our brain and our hands are perfect! There is something natural about it that just flows. Hi Cal,
great post! It’s all about balance, isn’t it? I think that the internet is the real hindrance because you end up surfing and procrastinating. As you pointed, the paper and pencil are the best tools to develop ideas, because the interaction between our brain and our hands are perfect! There is something natural about it that just flows.

]]> By: xtheunknown0 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9777 xtheunknown0 Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:22:32 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9777 From the red book, page 35: <blockquote>...the professor announces the date and time of the midterm - something...that needs to be scheduled...[Stephen] adds "Sched. Gov midterm (4/5, 3 P.M.)"</blockquote> How does our hypothetical student schedule the midterm the next morning? From the red book, page 35:

…the professor announces the date and time of the midterm - something…that needs to be scheduled…[Stephen] adds “Sched. Gov midterm (4/5, 3 P.M.)”

How does our hypothetical student schedule the midterm the next morning?

]]> By: rupss http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9775 rupss Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:57:36 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9775 Hey Cal, Great post dude. I have a rather unrelated question for you - do you have any advice for high school seniors (like me!) who are currently applying to college? That is, regarding the whole getting applications done/keeping deadlines straight, etc? You have some sweet advice about how to do well in college admissions, but not so much about sorting out the admin work, I think. Thanks! Hey Cal,
Great post dude.
I have a rather unrelated question for you - do you have any advice for high school seniors (like me!) who are currently applying to college? That is, regarding the whole getting applications done/keeping deadlines straight, etc? You have some sweet advice about how to do well in college admissions, but not so much about sorting out the admin work, I think. Thanks!

]]> By: Nazim http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9774 Nazim Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:31:09 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/#comment-9774 Typo for the last header; it says freesytle. But anyway, I've recently started integrating iCal. My notebook wasn't very good at keeping dates. Typo for the last header; it says freesytle.

But anyway, I’ve recently started integrating iCal. My notebook wasn’t very good at keeping dates.

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