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Productivity Toolkit: Celine of Pimp Your Work

by Celine on October 21st, 2007

I’m going to do a series of posts called “Productivity Toolkit”, where I ask professionals about which productivity tools they use.  They may or may not answer me. If you want to contribute to the Productivity Toolkit, simply email me (celineroque AT b5media DOT com) your list of tools and why you use them.  One sentence descriptions per tool will do.

To start off this series, I’m going to go ahead and post my own toolkit:

Taskbar Shuffle.  It’s a simple enough program that lets me rearrange the items on my taskbar and system tray.  It comes in handy when I’m opening two documents or applications for a single task.  Instead of letting XP automatically (and illogically) arrange my taskbar, I can group taskbar items to improve my efficiency.  Go to the Taskbar Shuffle website if you want to try it yourself.

ToDoList.  I use ToDoList by Abstract Spoon as my ultimate tasklist for projects and life goals.  I usually have 4 lists open at a time.  These include my yearly goal list (which includes personal and financial goals), my monthly project list (work related stuff only), and my list of things that I want to accomplish before I marry my girlfriend.  A 4th list is a template list because some of these tasks (and their subtasks) are repetitive.  For example, I have a template for “Invoice - Client Name - Month”, and it has subtasks including, add total amount, write invoice, email invoice, receive payment, etc.  I just copy-paste this every month and customize it.

 TimeTrek.  Now, some clients request a report on how much hours I’ve logged for a certain project - that’s where TimeTrek comes in.  ToDoList has its own timer function, but it doesn’t really publish HTML reports like TimeTrek does.

GreatNews.  I mentioned in my previous post about RSS feed productivity that I use GreatNews by CurioStudio as an RSS reader. The only thing that gets on my nerves is that everytime it launches, it asks me if I want to go to the developer’s website to check for updates.

 StickyNote.  It’s pretty and efficient.  I use StickyNote when I have quick ideas while I’m working.  It’s easier to come back to these ideas later because they’re just there on my desktop.

Index cards.  I cut 3×5 index cards in half and clip them together.  They serve as my guide throughout the day - a place-oriented to-do list.  One index card might say “school” and have a chronological list of things I have to do then.  Another can say “grocery” and have my grocery list.  It’s like a “map” of where I should go and what to do when I get there.  They can be rearranged in case there’s a slight change in schedule.

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POSTED IN: Productivity Toolkit, Cool tools, Cool downloads