How else can you see this? Perspective and the Value of a Tool Change

Sometimes merely simplifying your perspective on a task can make work flow easier. For example, in this experiment to write shorter and more frequent posts, I found that using a different tool for blogging shifted how I view the process. Somehow the novelty made a difference.

Here's one other example: Writing my monthly newsletter is a task I avoid (maybe dread's too strong a word :-) each time it pops up in my calendar. I've struggled with ways to format it, and this time around decided to use the classic"IdeamMatt" style: A list of short, useful, and stimulating bits of knowledge and ideas. To my delight, this new view freed me up to have fun and write. Ironically, I ended up covering the same categories (2x2, book, news, phrase, and time management tip), but it felt lighter. (I prefer thinking of spirals and crossing paths, rather than circles.)

Why does this happen? Maybe its dropping associations with the old environment. Or the Path of Least Resistance in action? Either way, I welcome it.

I'm curious: Have you experienced this? Why does this happen?

(Image: Georges de La Tour: Christ with St Joseph in the Carpenter's Shop, oil on canvas, 1.37×1.02 m, c. 1642 (Paris, Musée du Louvre); photo credit: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY)

iPhone + RedLaser + Where's George = Cultural Enlightenment?

I came across RedLaser last week, an iPhone app that uses the camera to scan barcodes, then looks up related information on the net. I got excited because it reminded me of an idea I logged in big arse in '05: Something like Where's George for tracking the life of objects. It would work by showing you the origin of the thing (say your favorite tennis shoe), the town (in China) it was made in, who made it, the shipping history, and where it might end up (landfill or recycling). My thinking is that, by learning the path, impact, and energy use that goes into almost everything around us, we might question our lifestyle and buying choices. The connection: RedLaser is the front end!

The system would be a wikipedia-style open and collaborative effort, part Sherlock Holmes, part anonymous whistle-blower (insider documentation/pics).

I'm curious: What do you think? What incentive schemes might work in these cases?

(Image representing Buy Nothing Day via the fun Computer History page.)

Why Doing Research and Collecting Information Can Unstick Your Tasks

While installing a Drupal module on my site to enable blogging from an external editor (part of my experiment in writing shorter, more frequent posts) I again realized that doing research (collecting information and getting your head around a project/problem) is a crucial prerequisite to making progress on projects. Not doing it (or, importantly, not realizing you need to do it) is one reason we procrastinate and don't seem to make progress on a task. This is because it's not broken down enough to be possible. So consider collecting information as a possible first step. Actually, my first step is often to create an outline for the project (related: Simple project planning for individuals: A round-up), with the first task being - you guessed it - "Research __."

In this case, I had to learn how to install the module, which was a research task - "Search for module install how-tos". What was wonderful is when I sat down to do the next step - configure the client and try a test post - I found sitting right in front of my all the information I needed. Boom - off to the races!

How about you: How do you kick off a project? When have you been surprised by information your past self collected (see Did, Doing, To Do: Why your Past, Present, and Future Selves Need to Chat)?

The Definitive Guide To Superhero Novels

Having grown up with comics, I love the superhero universe. And as an adult, I confess I indulge in the guilty pleasure of devouring novels from the Superhero genre - it's what inspired The Personal Productivity Encyclopedia Of Superhero Powers.

Having just finished the delightful It's Superman!: A Novel, I did some research to find as many other superhero novels as possible. Then I figured, heck, why not share them with you! I've put them up in an Amazon Listmania list:

The Definitive Guide To Superhero Novels.

I'm curious: Do you have any superhero (or related) books to recommend? Enjoy!

(Image from The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company's Omnipotence page.)

The Definitive Guide To Superhero Novels

Moved to: http://matthewcornell.org/2009/10/the-definitive-guide-to-superhero-novels.html