A lot of unexpected things can happen in the course of a day at the office, so the SimpleProductivityBlog recommends putting together an office survival kit in preparation for the unforeseen. The author’s must-have tools include a sewing kit to mitigate a popped button or tear and a stain remover for those times you bring lunch back with your clothes. The author’s toolkit is rather small, so let’s hear what you would add to the ultimate office survival kit in the comments. While you’re at it, you’ll never be unprepared with a solid go bag. Photo by aokettun. The Office Survival Kit [SimpleProductivityBlog]
If you already liked the original CD/DVD spindle cable organiser, a creative user from DIY web site Instructables has taken it to the next level, cutting a couple of slots in the organiser and using it to conceal desktop cable clutter. We’re no strangers to the cordless workspace around here, but this is easily another great option to add to our already extensive list of the top 10 ways to get cables under control. Even better, assuming you’ve got an unused spindle or two, this method won’t cost a dime. Cables Box [Instructables]
On Wednesday we asked you to tell us your favourite digital photo organisng software, and hundreds of you answered with passionate testimonies extolling the virtues of your application of choice. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the top five vote-getters, then facing them off in one final showdown to find out which is the ultimate favourite. Hit the jump for a look at the top five photo organisers as chosen by your fellow readers, then vote for your favourite of the bunch.
Windows only: Freeware application Libra, like previously mentioned shareware Delicious Library, is a collection-management software designed to help you keep track of your DVDs, CDs, books, or video games. Just enter in or use your computer’s webcam to scan the barcode of anything in your collection, and Libra automatically retrieves the information for that product, including a nice picture to display on your virtual shelf. You can use Libra to manage your collection, track items you’ve loaned out, or print catalogs of your stuff. Currently in beta (and possibly a touch unstable), Libra is a free download, Windows only. Libra [via Download Squad]
The TipNut blog happens across a pretty neat solution to keeping your coupons organised, writing your shopping list, and more, using a zippered, binder-style personal organizer/planner. There are, of course, more elegant coupon-only solutions—like the mini-Pendaflex Gina picked up last year—but unwanted planners tend to pop up on holidays and around offices at the calendar year start. If you’ve got a spare one or just one that isn’t getting enough use, you can also store gift cards, write down your personal splurging weaknesses, and note prices for comparison. Hit the link for more ideas and advice on storing and organising coupons. Making A Coupon Organizer System – How To Guide [TipNut]
US-centric: At its most basic level, webapp Jott is a voice to text transcription service: you call Jott, leave a message, and Jott transcribes it and emails you or your contacts the text. That alone can capture the big idea that pops into your head on the drive to the office, but Jott can do a whole lot more than send you email. With Jott’s built-in links and tools that capitalise on its email-sending abilities, it can give nearly any personal organization system a go-anywhere, add-anything boost. Today we’ve got a quick primer on how to turn your phone into a ubiquitous capture tool that zaps info into all your favorite organisation apps by voice.
Getting StartedIf you don’t already have a Jott account, have your cell phone handy and head to their sign-up page. Fill in the forms, confirm your email, add 1-866-JOTT-123 to your contacts and/or speed-dial and make the confirmation call.
Once you log in, head right to “Contacts” and add “My Phone” (first name, last name) as a contact with only your own phone number. “Wait,” you might ask, “doesn’t Jott let you have all your messages sent to your phone as a preference?” Precisely—that’s every single Jott, which isn’t something I want to deal with. By having “My Phone” as a contact, you can skip your email inbox and leave yourself notes on your cell phone—which comes in handy when trying to remember a number or address while driving.
Next, hit up “Groups” and think of any sets of emails and phone numbers you might want to message all at once using one phrase, such as “Co-Workers” or “Family.” After that, head to “Jott Links” and enable any the growing number of Jott-enabled webapps—including Lifehacker favorites like Remember the Milk and Google Calendar—you use.
You owe it to yourself to check out Jott’s simple How To guide before calling, but the basic technique is simple. Dial the number, wait for the “Who do you want to Jott?” prompt, and then say either “myself” or one of the contacts, groups or “Links” you set up. After the confirmation and beep, you can speak clearly for less than 30 seconds, and your message will be translated by a mix of computers and humans (your privacy, they say, is assured) and then sent to the right inboxes, phones or web apps. I’ve had pretty decent luck with both the accuracy and turn-around on the service, but your mileage may, of course, vary.
Filter and customise your JottsSending yourself email from a dial tone can be pretty handy, but only if your Jott messages don’t get lost amidst your other messages. You could filter all of them into one folder or label by the “@jott.com” sender, but why not organise your messages by topic? If your email server allows the common username+label@email.com format (detailed here), simply add that extended email as a Jott contact and set your filters accordingly (like I’ve done to record my feature ideas). If your can’t accept “+” emails, think of a unique phrase you can say in your messages—like, say, “gigantic awesome idea”—and have your email client file accordingly. If you find yourself using Jott a lot, and you can use this method to set up a Gmail/Jott to-do list.
Group and print projects/ideasIf you’d rather not mingle your wandering thoughts with your email inbox, you can create folders to store specific memos to yourself on the “My Jott” page. Say “Home,” “Work,” or whatever else when asked who you’re Jotting, and the messages will end up inside folders that have easy printing tools. iGoogle users can also go email-free with the Jott gadget.
Make your organising tools more accessibleGreat organisation systems provide a single place to drop all your to-dos, events and thoughts, but what if you’ve just remembered a task while you’re walking to the store? Jott has you covered. The site provides built-in Links for many web-based systems previously mentioned on Lifehacker—including To-do manager Toodledo Expense tracker Xpenser Calendar and task organizer 30 Boxes Vitalist, a frequent commenter favourite
If you have Google Calendar hooked up your own preferred scheduling app, just add it to your Links and you can call in your quick-add items (like, say, “9 p.m. Sunday Watch The Wire“) for easy posting. But perhaps the strongest Jott integration tool is Remember the Milk, which already can seamlessly insert itself into Google Calendar and Gmail. Put them all together and there aren’t too many places where you won’t be able to record your thoughts and ideas for later use.
Keep Sandy close at hand (platonically)Sure, she’s technically an organisation tool as well, but the integration of Jott and
Are you desperately holding onto a failing Getting Things Done system that worked perfectly for someone you know? Do you find yourself trying out every single new productivity app that … some blog or another points you toward? The Cranking Widgets Blog recommends starting over for both those GTD types (the “copycats” and the “fiddlers”) and getting back to the bare essentials to see what works: Get rid of the fancy notebook, the expensive software and the pen made from the carcass of some endangered species. Go buy a couple boxes of crappy manila folders, a box of bic pens, a few reams of plain white printer paper and a pocket dayrunner-style calendar … Force yourself to live in the GTD wilderness for awhile (which is paradise to some, by them way) and you’ll start to appreciate the way some of the higher-tech setups work.
Or, as the writer suggets, you may just fall in love with the joys of paper. Have you ever realized your productivity system was failing you? How did you get back on track? Share your stories of rebirth in the comments.
Your GTD System Isn’t the Problem [The Cranking Widgets Blog]TiddlySticky takes its name from projects like the original TiddlyWiki and its Getting Things Done variant, but scales down the functionality to serve as a simple take-anywhere sticky notes tool. Operating out of a folder you can stash anywhere on your system, TiddlySticky is basically a JavaScript-powered HTML file that lets you create sticky notes with different themes and automatically saves them as you write. It doesn’t have the same tagging/search/sharing functions as web apps like Jjot or Google Notebook, but it’s always available and makes for a handy bookmark in any browser. Thanks Hiroyuki!
TiddlySticky
