Draft: cloud text-editing for any anything anywhere

// I've written about #Draft already a few days ago http://bit.ly/g-draft when it was "just" a web-based text #editor for #Dropboxand Google Drive with version control and collaboration features.But I need to write again as a #Chrome extension was released that redefined how you can use Draft. I'll just copy the developer's (+Nathan Kontny) description:

Any webpage that you can write on, you can now use Draft with. Your blog, Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, even comment boxes on websites like Reddit and Hacker News. Just place your cursor in the box you want to write in, click the Chrome Draft extension, and Draft will open up in a new Chrome Tab. Choose an already written document or something new to write in Draft (any text from the original text box will carry over). When you're done, there's a menu button to paste your work back into the text box you came from.

As I write this post on Draft, it's a much better experience of writing without all the noise of Google+'s interface. Highly recommended, get Draft here http://bit.ly/draft-chrome

Text editing on the cloud: Draft

// I've been using Dropbox for some time now to access work files from home or when travelling. But when I've recently had to work on a closed down Windows PC that I couldn't install anything, I had to get further "deeper" into the #cloud. :) 

I've been keeping quick notes in text files stored in Dropbox so how could I edit them without login on Dropbox, downloading them, editing them and then uploading them again? 

Luckily, I've found an excellent new service for that, Draft http://bit.ly/draftincom It combines a clear interface focused on writing, #MarkDown support for formatting and connections to #Dropbox , Google Drive, Evernote and Box. Any change on the document is automatically saved back to the service it originated. 

On top of that, you can keep multiple versions of your documents for reviewing what you wrote. And on top of that, you can share a document to let others edit your document. #Draft will give you an overview of the changes and the option to reject any edits you don't like. 

Draft is a free service with a premium service for professional editing of your work.  

In case you don't like Draft for some reason, check out also Writebox http://bit.ly/writebox which offers a simple text editing experience (so simple, you don't even need to open an account) and connections to Dropbox and Google Drive. No collaboration features though. 

If you know of another similar service please share it in the comments. 

Today on the other hand

//
- Can be the first day of the rest of your life, if you so choose. Choose wisely.
Is an opportunity to decide if you like the path you're on, or if you need new direction.
- Is an opportunity to start building new habits, changing the you of tomorrow.
- Is an opportunity to say "yes" to something you normally say "no" to. New experiences bring growth.
- Is an opportunity to say "no" to something unhealthy that's a part of your routine. Change is good.
- Is an opportunity to make one better decision than you did yesterday, in life, love, health, or wealth.
- Is an opportunity to be better than you were yesterday.
- Is an opportunity to do NOW what you were going to put off until tomorrow.
- Is the ONLY thing you can truly control.

Proceed accordingly. 

Source: NerdFitness http://bit.ly/ZbELsY

The waiting line game of Mailbox

// #Mailbox , the latest attempt at improving mail #productivity , might work or it might fail. But they've handled their launch strategy in an innovative and smart (in terms of  #marketing ). 

Instead of the classic "give us your e-mail to notify you" and then just launch for the entire world, they adopted a "waiting line" concept: people who signed up first will get the app first. This rewards early adopters but also allows for "bragging rights" as the app shows your number in the "line" and how many people are in front and behind you. 

The result today is people filling the social networks with screenshots like the one below, showing how long the line is and if they are lucky (to be ahead) or unlucky (to have to wait a lot). And of course the tech press has something "exciting" to write about :) 

One could say it's the digital equivalent of #Apple 's lines on product launches. It remains to be seen if other start-ups will copy this idea... :)

What is a Project?

// Things don't have to be overly complex (as in the #Dilbert comic below) An answer by David Allen of Get Things Done ( #GTD ):

Any outcome that’s going to require more than one action item, in some sequence of events in order to be able to get to that outcome, that’s a project. And boy, there are a lot of people that just miss that.

Invariably I see that most people’s “project lists” are very, very incomplete. One of the more subtle ones that comes to mind is: What issues are on your mind right now, or situations or circumstances? Not necessarily negative things, but oftentimes there’s kind of a health thing, there’s kind of a family thing, there’s a relationship thing, there’s a—who knows?

There’s all kinds of subtle stuff that show up out there that are either problems or opportunities and they don’t march up to the door with a pretty pink bow and say, “Hi, I am now a project!” Get those clarified in a way that you know what done looks like (the project outcome), and what doing looks like (the next action).

More from David Allen at www.davidco.com
and of course more Dilbert at www.dilbert.com

Hack your life!

// #Hacking  is not a bad word, mmm'okay? :) Here is a small intro on hacking your daily routines to improve your #productivity  and enjoy more of what's really important in #life! :) 

7 tips to get to an empty inbox

// The guys at Time #Management Ninja have a short guide on reducing your mail clutter allowing you to be more #productive .

1. One Day at a Time: If you already have a lot of mail, realize that you can't empty it all on one day. You can do it gradually though.
2. You Touch It, You Own It: Make it a habit that if you open an email that you immediately decide what is the next action to be taken (reply, ignore, etc). Then file it accordingly and move it of your inbox.
3. Batch Your Email: Handle mail in batches, for example once per hour or even once per day. Increase the automatic checking of new email accordingly. Getting notified of new mail only distracts you from your main tasks.
4. Automate Your Email: use rules to automatically move incoming mail to the corresponding folders, for example all your newsletters to a "newsletter" folder when you can read them at your own time.
5. Stop Using Your Inbox as Your Todo List: It will just clutter up and you can't have a clear view of what is more important to handle first.
6. Schedule Time With Your Email: Find a time of the day that is best for handling mail. Handling mail does not require a lot of "brain power". Try doing it at the end of the day.
7. Send Less, Get Less: Some mails don't need to be responded. Some other mails are best dealt by getting on the phone for 2 mins and clearing up  the issue rather than spending 30 mins on a mail ping-pong. :)

More on the original article here http://bit.ly/WtTg9m

On being a productive creative

// Here's an excellent speech by illustrator Victor Koen at this year's TEDx Athens on harnessing your #productivity and #creativity. Some of the key concepts he explains: 

- Work-day self-awareness: realize which hours of the day you work best on your various tasks
- Separate your tasks to match your best performance during the day
- Learn to clear your mind to focus on the task ahead
- Work hard: excellence doesn't come on day one
- Work smart: get feedback, get guidance for experts
- Be punctual and proactive

Enjoy! :)

Must download: Best of Quora

// If there is a site that you could say "let's convert this into a book", it is probably #Quora . So it's great that they just come out with a collection of 100 of their best responses form the last 2 years. 

The 400-page   #book is available for download as a free #PDF and is split in 18 categories, including food, education, international, law, life advice, literature, music and more.

The #technology part includes: 
- Paul DeJoe's answer to #Startups: What does it feel like to be the CEO of a start-up?
- Steve Case's answer to 1995-2000 Dot-Com Bubble: What factors led to the bursting of the #Internet bubble of the late 1990s?
- Kevin Systrom's answer to #Instagram: What is the genesis of Instagram?
- David Cole's answer to Video Games: Am I missing out by not playing any video or console games?
- Ramzi Amri's answer to Steve Jobs: Why did #SteveJobs choose not to effectively treat his cancer?
- Tim Smith's answer to Steve Jobs: What are the best stories about people randomly meeting Steve Jobs?
- Peter Clark's answer to Silicon Valley Company Culture: Which of the Hogwarts Houses does each of the Gang of Four companies correspond to?

The best thing about the book is probably that is written by people who never intended to write a book or become authors. Their intention was to provide an answer to a question out of their experiences and knowledge without any financial or other motive. 

Download the Best of Quora here http://bit.ly/YhgkhA
If you prefer to read this on your browser or want to check out the full discussions, see the list of the actual pages here http://b.qr.ae/10dDDEt

New year resolutions motivator: Lift for iOS

// As usual for this time of the year, you might be thinking about doing all those you always wanted to do like start reading more books or working out or even be a better person. 

If you're missing on #motivation , there's (more than one actually) app for that. Following the recent trend of #mobile   #productivity  apps that allow you to digitize your life, #Lift has the goal of helping you create new habits. 

It packs the following features
- Track multiple habits
- See the activity of other people tracking the same activities as you and interact with them (give "props", comment)
- Connect to Facebook and Twitter so your friends can have motivate you or mock you if you don't keep up with your goals :)
- Everything is public: if you don't like this, you can of course use a nickname and not login via Facebook/Twitter. An option to hide your profile has been promised
- Add notes for each activity, view a calendar of your streaks
- Notifications for reminding you to keep up with your habits
- Free, without ads

More about Lift on their website http://bit.ly/XlTo01
For an alternative without the social/privacy element see the Way of Life app http://bit.ly/TJODJ5 If you're using another app for the same purpose, let me know in the comments! :)

New year resolutions motivator: Lift for iOS http://bit.ly/XlTo01

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The Apple Manual on being a Human

// A big scoop for Gizmodo yesterday, with what appears to be the Apple manual on their Genius staff training. It's a full instructions set on how to talk to customers in a civilized, friendly and empathic way, while at the same time not admitting that there might something wrong with an #Apple product and of course always providing some opportunity of selling merchandise... 

Full read http://bit.ly/TtwMDq

cc +Guy Kawasaki have you seen this? I thought of your books when I saw this :) 
via +Nassos K. 

Unrelated issue: what on earth did #Gizmodo do to their commenting system? This thing is unusable...

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John Cleese on creativity

How many Jewish mothers does it take to screw a light bulb? :) An excellent video of John Cleese on #creativity not as talent but as a way of operating.

http://vimeo.com/18913413

via +Mike Spinak

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Getting your priorities straight

The parable is more than just about time management. Read on...

Reshared post from +Brad Thompson

Parable of Time Management

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz" and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes." The time management expert replied, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!" "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is, "If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. What are the 'big rocks' in your life, time with loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question, "What are the 'big rocks' in my life?" Then, put those in your jar first.
If this inspired you, share with others so they can benefit!

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#Productivity #GTD :)

#Productivity #GTD :)

Reshared post from +Kimberly Shoemaker

hehehe

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Productivity is a finite resource

When you start depleting it, eventually you will run out. At that point, the only way to be productive again is to not try being productive :)

Embedded Link

Why Crunch Modes Doesn't Work: Six Lessons
Executive Summary. When used long-term, Crunch Mode slows development and creates more bugs when compared with 40-hour weeks. More than a century of studies show that long-term useful worker output is...

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Estimation on software projects can by tough

#Drupal experts Lulabot are sharing their thoughts and workflows (and even a budgeting spreadsheet!)

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The Art of Estimation | Lullabot
Two Truths About Estimation. The first truth about large software projects is that it's nearly impossible to provide an accurate estimate at the outset. A modern web site is a collection of small ...

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Remember to stretch your neck! :) http://cursorgaze.com/?p=1507

Remember to stretch your neck! :) http://cursorgaze.com/?p=1507
via +Guy Kawasaki

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The state of management tools

You have to wonder how far development of business software has progressed, when spreadsheets is being voted as the the best tool for the simple task of a to-do list.

My personal choice is Apogee Team, but I'm biased :)

More: Five Best Group To-Do Management Tools | LifeHacker

Free Video Sharing Tools For Businesses

With the announcement yesterday about Facebook's Video chat feature, there is more interest surrounding ways that you can share the apps running on your screen as well as your mug across a video link. There are dozens of Web conferencing products that I have cataloged here and I will mention a few of these services that are completely free and can be used to set up a video link between at least two computers with a minimum of fuss and bother

Full article: Free Video Sharing Tools For Businesses - ReadWriteWeb