1/ I have been doing a test phase with @culturedcode's Things 3.

I admit it's a crazy thing to do, but I had to put this app through the "#TfT Hacker" productivity test.

So this probably has no value to my reader base, but I feel compelled to talk about this app.
2/ Things is a task manager known for its beauty and simplicity.

The Things UI is done right.

For some reason, when I see my daily task list in Things, I don't feel overwhelmed due to its focus on what is relevant right now and its generous use of luscious white space.
3/ They say Beauty is only skin deep. But don't be fooled, while Things is praised for its beauty, it's not just another "pretty" app.

It embodies a true and tested system for dealing with your tasks and projects.
4/ In fact, the more I use it, the more I see its developers have a solid method of handling tasks and projects in mind, and these methods are reflected in the functionality.

What methods? I don't know their objectives, but I can tell you what I have observed.
5/ Method:
+ Focus on what is relevant now
+ Capture things you need to do, but don't get bogged down in "managing" tasks (focus on work, less on managing your work)
+ Don't add any fluff - these are just tasks, don't overcomplicate something that should not be complicated.
6/ Having used Things for a while, I can say it lacks some things I would like to have, or at least things I THINK I NEED.... but do I?

This might be one of the biggest values: Do I need a tool that does a million things or a few things really well?

To my surprise, LESS IS MORE
7/ LESS IS MORE

I am an idiot.

I constantly get sucked into the "technical details, fine-tuning, over-optimizing my system". So much so that I forget to focus on what's important: my work, life & my friendships.

Things 3, due to its simplicity might just help remain human.
8/ Let me address a few criticisms about Things.

It is only available on Mac and iOS.

Well, this is what I use, and for good reason. So not going to defend it.
9/ Things 3 came out years ago; where is version 4?

The UI and feature set is solid, based on tested & proven time management methodology.

I am thankful they don't "reinvent" themselves just to tack on a "4" version label.
10/ They frequently have updates, small feature enhancements, and bug fixes.

So if you want a tool that adds tons of new features (most of which. you won't use) every few months, then Things is not for you.
11/ If you want a tool that helps you focus on getting work done and not disappearing into "nerd task management overoptimization", Things might just be for you.

In life, LESS IS MORE can bring calm, focus, and joy. If this is your goal, Things 3 might be an ideal companion.
12/ Learning resources.

I have not attended/audited these courses, but I love the content on YouTube from these individuals and am confident their courses will be useful.

@curtismchale - curtismchale.ca/education/
@peterakkies - peterakkies.net/courses/things…

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More from @TfTHacker

Dec 9
1/ Templating in @logseq

I am on day 3 of my deep dive into Logseq. Also, I am using Tana in parallel, inputting the same data, tags, and structure into each tool. (Is anyone curious about my observations? 😏)

However, today's thread is about Logseq's template feature. #TfT
2/ This is another important feature, and Logseq has us covered.

It is super easy to define a template with bullets, structure and metadata (properties).

As shown here, right mouse click on a node and define it as a template.

To use the template, type /Template
3/ The template feature allows for inserting dynamic variables for dates and current page. Perhaps there are more variables? I don't know. Here is what is documented: Image
Read 5 tweets
Dec 7
1/ 1st day recap with @logseq

Today I forced myself to take meeting and planning notes all day in Logseq. I am an old-time Outline lover. And I have to say it feels very natural. #TfT

I will continue the rest of the week doing so.
2/ Outlining is smooth. The keyboard is responsive and works the way an outline should regarding indenting, outdenting, zooming, page navigation, and rearranging nodes between levels and hierarchy.

If you like outlining, you will feel at home.
3/ I created a bunch of namespaces for organizing primary nodes I often use in note-taking into logical structures. Namespaces never really did anything in Roam, so I was "educated" today on their value in a tool that supports them.

Logseq has a cool "hierarchy view."
Read 4 tweets
Dec 7
1/ Because I am crazy and can't help myself, I am deep diving into @logseq. I have been promising my #TfT buddy @rroudt that I would do this for a while, and well, with the winter months upon us, it's a good time.

One initial impression: I like their sync service.
2/ I value tools that offer TNO sync capabilities, and not many do. I have to commend @obsdmd and @roamresearch since they offer TNO.

TNO is Trust No One Security

It means I provide the password (key) for the encryption between the client and their servers.
3/ For those rare "very sensitive" use case scenarios, this allows me to use their cloud services and be sure that even though they can get to my data, the data is encrypted with a key they don't have, thus the data is useless to anyone without the key.
Read 6 tweets
Nov 17
I am a big fan of @ejames_c writings at @commoncog. A subscription to his service leads to many amazing essays. #TfT

I want to highlight this article and why the concept is valuable to use in Tools for Thought. (Article is free to the public)

commoncog.com/no-learning-do…
In this essay, he talks about the amazing work of Edwards Deming, specifically the PDSA model.

PLAN
DO
STUDY
ACT

It's a model for continuous improvement by iterating through multiple workflows to achieve desired results through trial & error (honest examination of results).
The idea of PDSA is that it involves multiple loops of PDSA.

Rarely in life do we reach our intended goals with just one attempt, rather we succeed over multiple iterations, with each iteration getting closer to the desired result.
Read 12 tweets
Nov 8
1/5 Obsidian Survey on frontmatter (YAML)

Please answer these questions:

Do you use YAML in your notes? (frontmatter or inline fields)
Do you like YAML?
What do you dislike about YAML?

YAML is cumbersome to work with but does add a "database" like layer to our notes. #TfT
2/5 While I don't find YAML hard to work with, it does create a fair amount of "busy" work in Obsidian. This si one of the appeals to me of a tool like Tana, which provides more UI for quickly working with schema and inputting data.
3/5 On the other hand, Markdown is not a database and doesn't have a way of capturing schema like information. This is why some tools like Obsidian have added a "schema" layer.
Read 5 tweets
Nov 5
1/ In the spirit of sharing, here is my folder structure.

I keep things shallow for "active" documents. I only keep active notes and projects on the root. That way, they are super easy to get to. I archive them once done to prevent the structure from becoming overwhelming. #TfT
2/ in 00-Folders, I maintain my "Archive" with some logical structure (not too much, not too little).

Using the move file command makes it super easy to stick a file into an archive folder.

I collect files in the root of the vault during the week, then once a week archive them.
3/ My Archive is not a black hole of FILE DEATH.

I actually frequently review my archived notes via search or through linking and "Strange New Worlds" resurfacing linked ideas.

I also delete notes of no value. Deleting is a healthy part of managing your archive.
Read 8 tweets

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