The Four-eyed Journal » productivity

An early Christmas wishlist for Google Docs

jhay — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:45:25 +0000

Google Docs has been a great online tool for managing documents instead of just sharing them. There have been many times where it has worked well for my needs especially in school. During those times, my school mates and colleagues in different organizations have been impressed by what Google Docs can do. I’d like to stress out though, that they have just bare scratched the surface on Google Docs.

However, the service could still use a lot of improvements. The good folks at GigaOm has asked their readers for suggestions on what needs to more work for Google Docs to be a better online productivity app:

Better folder permissions management

The ability to insert cut cells

Better selection of functions in Spreadsheets like what you’d find in Microsoft Excel

The ability to toggle between rows and columns

Multiple criteria for sorting spreadsheets

Scheduled backups

Reliable sharing

Improved drag-and-drop functionality

Fewer menus and toolbars and a larger viewing pane in the browser

Better document navigation

Automatic paragraph numbering

The ability to view in outline-only format

Editable style sheets

The ability to insert shape options

No limits on importing data

Better integration with desktop applications

Faster overall performance, especially when importing complex spreadsheets

And please, please above all: play well with Powerpoint.

I join them in bringing this message across to the Google Docs team. Call it an early Christmas wishlist of sorts but if these do become reality, then there would be one more loyal Google Docs user in me.

Finding the right mobile blogging setup

jhay — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:57:30 +0000

Mobility is the name of the game. A game I have yet to master as evidenced by the sudden drop of updates on this blog. My new job has been taking a lot of my time and efforts that I now only spend an average of 5 to 6 hours of each day being online. Blog hopping, consuming RSS feeds and online research has really taken a back seat and with it, my blogging.

In order to cope up, I’ve been trying to perfect or at least create a working mobile blogging setup using my LG Optimus One phone. Already it is loaded with the standard apps for mobile bloggers running on Android:
WordPress, Google Reader, Springpad, Twitter and Google Docs.

One of the home panels dedicated to mobile blogging

I have also been a regular subscriber of Globe’s Powersurf promo so that I can still get online on the road or where there is no free Wi-Fi available.

Being on the constant search for a free Wi-Fi hotspot, I’ve come to know where in SM Bacoor and SM Dasmarinas are the spots where their free Wi-Fi signal are the strongest.

So while there’s still time, I take out my Optimus One and fire up Google Reader to get as much new content from the blogs that I regularly follow. The juicy topics I quickly save and share via del.icio.us or Twitter then the my thoughts on the subject are quickly jotted down using Springpad.

I then work on these drafts when I get home and that’s how I manage to put out a new post every once in a while. It’s taking quite a while to get used to reading content on small screen as compared to using a notebook PC.

It does have its own advantages though as most websites are displayed without the ad banners that when overdone really makes me want to hit the close button.

What I get is the content in its raw and pure form. Distraction-free reading is very effective in a mobile setting. Now I fully understand why the Safari browser has a similar feature.

Going back, I use the WordPress Android app to quickly moderate comments and save draft posts which saves a lot of time. All I have to do when I get home is to focus on putting the finishing touches to the draft and then finally publishing them.

The ultimate test of how effective this mobile blogging setup is to look at the output which is number and quality of the blog posts I am able to publish here. Looking back on the past posts, it’s obvious that there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Once I do get the hang of this setup, I’m confident that I’d able to regularly post on this blog again. Plus the change of environment and being regularly on the road does help in getting the creative juices and blogging mojo flowing.

This setup is far from perfect, as there are problems, though small ones, that I still need to address. But that’s for another post, for another time. Do you also blog on the go? What’s your mobile blogging setup?

Blogging goals for 2011

jhay — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 08:31:36 +0000

For this year, I have set the following goals in relation to my blogging activities:

Consistently post new content at least 5x a week
Return this blog’s subscriber base to 100 by the end of Q1 2011
Organize a blog contest-giveaway event
Develop a healthy and productive relationship with more bloggers

These four goals would be the four pillars of my blogging plan this 2011. In the next couple of weeks, I’d be cooking up strategies on how to achieve these goals or make progress towards it.

Since it is a year-long plan, every quarter I’d take a look back and assess my progress. Then adjust the strategies and maybe a few details of the plan depending on the results of the evaluation.

It would be a fun and exciting 2011. I hope you my dear readers and visitors would stick around for the ride.

Lastly, I’d like to extend to all of you my warm greetings and wishes for a prosperous new year!

Image by WorldIslandInfo.com

Adopting the 30-30 Minute Work Cycle - A simple lifehack for increased productivity

jhay — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 11:54:54 +0000

In my quest to become more productive, I have decided to adopt the 30/30 minute work cycle. It is a lifehack by Chetan Surpur. What this means is quite simple, for every hour I spend on my laptop, 30 minutes of it would be spent on nothing but work. I would write, do research, re-write, do some routine blog maintenance and other things needed to keep this blog growing and accomplishing my other writing tasks. Notifications about new email, twitter updates, chat messages, etc. would be turned off or ignored unless it is extremely important or work-related. During this 30 minutes it will be nothing but work.

When that period is up, the next 30 minutes would then be spent on non-work activities, like having fun, playing with my little daughter, reading a book, getting up and stretching my legs, anything to give me a break.

With this system, time is well-managed and efficiently used. Instead of just sitting in front of my laptop doing all sorts of things which 80% is not really work-related.

To keep track of the time, I’ve downloaded and installed Workrave.

Workrave is a program that assists in the recovery and prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). The program frequently alerts you to take micro-pauses, rest breaks and restricts you to your daily limit.

Workrave gives instructions on how to exercise during your break time

It runs on both GNU/Linux and Windows and it’s easy to use and set-up. What’s great about this app is that it gives instructions on rest exercises designed for those who are working on computers – programmers, typists, writers, geeks and bloggers, well anyone who’s on a computer.

It includes wrist exercises to prevent or lessen carpal tunnel syndrome, an eye exercise to relieve eye-strain, some arm-shoulder movements to keep the blood flowing and the muscles some relaxation. Best of all, it tells you to get up and walk away from your computer during your break.

When it does tell you to take a break, it locks your entire desktop. So you cannot use your supposed free time to wander on to Facebook, Google Reader or Twitter, heck even porn sites. Gaming is even a no-no. When Workrave tells you to take a break, it means exactly that. Though you can always click the “skip” or “postpone” button and continue on working it just means the entire system will depend on your self-discipline. My self-discipline in this case.

The 30-30 minute work cycle isn’t suited for everyone. You can even tweak it to suit your working style. The whole point is to have a system that will help you manage your time efficiently, allocating it both to work and having a break.

Go ahead and give it a try. Let me know how it turns out. If you have other similar systems, methods or regimen, share it with for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Buying a new computer – laptop or desktop?

jhay — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:22:21 +0000

A cousin of mine, who’s currently a Computer Science freshman student has been meaning to buy a computer in the coming weeks has asked me a crucial question:

“Kuya, should I get a laptop or desktop PC?”

My answer was, “It depends on your needs.” Allow me to elaborate basing on my many years of using the personal computer, having started on a desktop PC and using a laptop computer at present.

Keyword is: Mobility

If you need to have a computer on-the-go whether be it for accessing email, writing, blogging, creating presentations, spreadsheets, doing some graphics work, etc for most of the time you’re awake then you go buy a laptop.

This could be broken down into what you’re mobile for?

If you need to have easy internet access for doing email, writing, blogging, listening to your mp3 collection where ever you are then get a netbook. The Asus Eee PC, Acer Aspire One, Lenovo IdeaPad S9/10, HP Mini Note and a host of other netbooks out there would do just fine. The price would easily fit your budget and your body would be spared from lugging around a heavier full-sized laptop.

For heavy graphics works, sound or movie editing, desktop publishing on-the-go, then get one of those full-sized laptops, like the Compaq c756TU I bought last May. Be prepared to shell out a lot more cash for this class of machines and don’t forget to get a nice bag to carry it around with you, something that will not take a lot on your body and provide good protection for your laptop.

If your needs are the opposite of those mentioned above, meaning you don’t need to do all of those where ever you are in the world, right there and then, go get a desktop PC instead. You could set it up any way you can, as long as you can afford it, and you don’t have to worry about carrying something valuable with you where ever you go.

I know you guys have an answer for this question as well. Do share them and help out not only my cousin, but anyone else who is also grappling with the same question.