On occasion I write things.
Here’s all the productivity software, tools, and systems I’m using to run my life. My last tech stack post was 5 years ago. For all the energy I spent fretting about shiny new apps, very little has changed. There are a few tool swaps, but my baseline system is the same.
When writing annual reviews in public, it’s tempting to proclaim “this year was the best ever!” Maybe it lends some kind of credibility to the author. But to be honest, last year wasn’t my best year ever. A lot of great things happened, but those great things were undergirded by a growing sense of exhaustion–exhaustion that eventually lead to burn out.
My favorite animal is the capybara. Capybaras are a type of rodent from South America. I don’t actually know that much about Capybaras. That doesn’t mean I can’t love them. Here are three reasons why you should love them too.
My first pet was a Betta fish. He was blue, because my favorite color was blue. His name was Fish, because he was a fish. The Petco employee said he would do great in a small bowl, the kind of bowl kindergarteners draw when asked to draw a pet fish.
“If it’s fun, it’s not frivolous” – reddy2go Every so often I get drawn into the madness that is the mechanical keyboard community. In High School I gave a 12 minute presentation on the merits of Colemak, an alternative typing layout to the standard QWERTY.
Khe Hy is the owner of Rad Reads and creator of the excellent Notion Course, Supercharge Your Productivity. In our chat we skip right past the talk about notion dashboards or productivity hacks and dive right into some deeper existential questions.
In this episode of the Strangely Earnest Podcast, we chat with Tasshin Fogleman. Tasshin has been meditating for over a decade, and has trained and taught extensively at the Monastic Academy. We talk about: Different types of meditation you might not have heard of Common meditation misconceptions Recommendations for beginners And much more Full Episode Guest Links Subscribe to Tasshin’s newsletter Follow Tasshin on twitter Meditation tips from Tasshin On Loving-Kindness (Metta) meditation Show Notes 00:00 Intro
In this episode of the Strangely Earnest Podcast, we chat with the one and only Marie Poulin. We talk permaculture, the creator economy, sharing revenue numbers in public, impostor complex, and more. Marie helps business owners level up their digital systems, workflow, and product ecoystems, so they can spend more time on what matters.
A fantastic chat on public speaking, learning by doing, and vulnerability with Kyle Bowe. Full Episode Guest Links Kyle Bowe on twitter Kyle Bowe on YouTube Show Notes 00:00 Intro 01:13 creativity requires letting go 03:29 Podcasting requires active listening
In this podcast with Reddy, we talk all things play: How to play and be serious at the same time What we can learn from the ways animals play How mediating on our own death helps us play and much much more!
Alysson Costa is the professor I wish he had. He’s currently teaching Engineering at the University of Melbourne. In this podcast, we explore: Understanding Yourself How to use Social Media well Academia’s obsession with grades And much more Full Episode Guest Links Follow Alysson Costa on twitter Alysson Costa on Google Scholar Show Notes 00:00 Intro
Are habits better than discipline? Is inspiration all you need? It’s easy to get stuck to arguments like this. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking is too granular. Habits, discipline, and inspiration are just a few of 6 different Adherence Strategies.
We talk with Ben Ford, founder of Commando Development, about the his course Communicate to Operate. In this podcast we discuss: How tech companies can adopt military strategies to deal with chaotic situations Ben’s online course Mission Command and much more Full Episode Guest Links Follow Ben Ford on twitter
I thought Impro was bullshit. Impro is a collection of essays on improvisational theatre by Keith Johnstone. It’s become a cult classic among non-thespians. Somehow these people think it applies to real life. How daft. I did spend nearly all of my high school free time in the theatre, but it was always backstage as a techie.
We talk with Michael Ashcroft about the development of his course, Fundamentals of Alexander Technique. In this podcast we discuss: What is the Alexander Technique? How Michael built his courses Having fun on twitter and much more! Full Episode Guest Links Follow Michael Ashcroft on twitter Michael Ashcroft’s substack Michael Ashcroft’s YouTube Show Notes 0:00 Intro
We chat with Wendell Britt about his course, Mastering the Game of Allyship. In this podcast we chat about: Making learning fun Why world-building for personal development? Figuring out your superpowers and much more! Full Episode Guest Links Follow Wendell Britt on twitter Wendell Britt’s Instagram Show Notes 0:00 Intro
“Captain’s Log. Stardate 2020 point 8. Today is our 6th day of interstitial journalling, a little under one week into our two week mission…” Captains of sailboats and spaceships alike keep Captain’s Logs 1. Even if you hate water or never plan to pilot a spacecraft, you too can keep a Captain’s Log.
I used to be a competitive Rubik’s Cube solver. First I learned to solve the Cube without a guide. Then I wanted to solve it faster. I aimed to move my hands as fast as possible. I memorized dozens of algorithms, practiced finger tricks, and tuned the springs on my cube to a consistent pressure.
Is the process of bolding and highlighting notes a waste of time? Would you be better off spending that time thinking instead of collecting? Progressive Summarization is a technique for processing notes. Invented in 2017 by Tiago Forte, the process looks something like this:
Building a Second Brain. How to Take Smart Notes. Two knowledge management systems, battling it out for the hearts of productivity nerds worldwide. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose a side. A fusion of the two is possible, producing a knowledge management system with the best of both worlds.
If you know the right equations, you can send a rocket to the moon. So why can’t I figure out this life stuff? My Path to Rationalism School taught me to find the right answer. Well formulated, close-ended questions dominated my education.
Every summer I like to write an Integrity Report. It’s not quite a yearly review, and not quite a planning exercise. It’s a reflection, aiming to answer this question: “Am I actually living like the type of person I claim to be?
We live in houses maximized for square footage and filled with commoditized furniture. Our neighborhoods feel soulless, disconnected. Cities around the world are laid out with complicated zoning and laws that are impossible to navigate. It feels like we don’t have much control over our environment.
Most days you scroll through twitter and get nothing out of it. Some days you see tweets like this: Lose weight? Free money? What’s the catch? You have to send this guy $800. If someone on twitter asks you to venmo them $800, please run away.
Earlier I wrote about my productivity tech stack, but I didn’t show you what that looks like. Many readers are asking how I use Notion, an organization app. Let’s dive into some implementation details. I’ll show you how I use Notion, how it fits into my productivity system, and what I don’t use Notion for.
By James Stuber and Tasshin Fogleman A good carpenter doesn’t use a swiss army knife; they have a toolbox. Each tool has a job to do, and each tool does that job well. In the digital realm, we all have a toolbox: we write in Word or Google Docs, check email in Outlook or Superhuman.
I hate telling people what to do. However, I always make an exception for sleep. Think you can get away with less than 7 hours of shuteye a night? Wrong. Instead of sounding like a broken record, I’ll just link you to my book notes on Matthew Walker’s ‘Why We Sleep’.
This is the second article in a series on Boring Fundamentals. Hi, my name is James, and I’m addicted to program hopping. Program hopping: jumping from one exercise regimen to another; displaying an inability to commit to a plan for its entire duration
Every summer James Clear publishes an Integrity Report. It’s not quite a yearly review, and not quite a planning exercise. It’s a reflection, aiming to answer this question: “Am I actually living like the type of person I claim to be?
I love the internet. It’s full of fascinating people, sharing what they do and what they love. Imagine reading blogs from: a startup founder a digital nomad a full time poker player a book author an avid teetotaler a tea fanatic a person who bought a private island a person who lives in an RV The lessons you could learn!
I’m that kid who got a B in high-school P.E. I hated exercise. My parents used to force me to go for runs. I’d jog around the corner, just out of sight, and sit down on the curb. For 20 or 30 minutes I’d sit.
A one-way ticket. A backpack. An idea. That’s all we had. Over the next three months, May and I would watch a tea ceremony, crash a motorbike, wake up for sunrise with throngs of tourists, drink cheap whiskey with local tattoo artists, order the wrong food, love it anyway, watch fire-dancers in a jungle, and make new life-long friends.
I can’t stop thinking about these articles, books, and videos. If these ideas resonate with you, you’ll love my bi-weekly newsletter. Table of Contents: Learning and Teaching And Exploring Understanding Yourself is a Superpower Choose Your Own Adventure You Can Do More Than You Think On Loving Work On Systems Directives for the Directionless Learning and Teaching and Exploring Becoming A Magician
Here’s all the productivity software, tools, and–most importantly–the systems I’m using to run my life (as of March 2019). Call it my productivity tech stack. Table of Contents: Productivity Systems Productivity Software and Hardware Focus and Procrastination Fighting Tools Productivity Systems It’s tempting to spend a lot of time looking for the perfect app, the trick that will quadruple your productivity.
–Updated May 2020– If you’re looking to build a fully weather sealed Micro Four Thirds kit, hopefully this list of cameras and lenses will help. Not all bodies or lenses are weather sealed; look for the ‘Dustproof / Splashproof’ label.
In his book The Goal, Eliyahu Goldratt explores the Theory of Constraints (TOC). TOC posits: in any system, there is at least one constraint holding back throughput. Attempting to improve throughput anywhere besides the constraint makes the problem worse.
“I observe that some men, like bad runners in the stadium, abandon their purposes when close to the goal; while it is at that particular point, more than at any other, that others secure the victory over their rivals.” — Polybius
Update Jan 2020: I now use a tool called Sunsama instead of the workflow described below. The philosophy I outline in this article meshes well with Sunsama. I recommend giving it a try. Have you ever been in flow? Each action comes smoothly, step-by-step.
We all have to balance different areas of our lives: work, hobbies, learning, health, fitness, relationships. Within each of these areas, there’s an infinite number of tasks we could do. It’s overwhelming. Sometimes we try to do too much at once and end up getting nothing done.
A thought process: Higher education is good As a society, we want more people in higher education Many people can’t afford tuition What if we made it easier by subsidizing student loans? That’s exactly what the US did in the 1980s.
1216 The Mongol army storms across continental Asia and the Middle East, conquering all in their path. Even when greatly outnumbered, the Mongols seem unstoppable. 1294 The Mongol Empire spans from Eastern Europe to Korea, forming the largest land empire in history.
–Updated April 2021– If you’re looking to build a fully Weather Resistant Fuji XF kit, this page has got you covered. Not all Fuji bodies or lenses are weather resistant, so make sure to look for the WR label before buying.
I’d be willing to bet that most people’s first contact with Minimalism was through the context of physical objects. How do I organize my stuff? How can I own fewer things? Is it okay to get rid of this ornament from Aunt Flo?
When’s the last time you thought about running water? When’s the last time you worried about access to food? It’s probably been a while. Seeking necessities like food and water used to take a huge part of the average human’s day.
You read productivity blogs right? You must be a good productive citizen. Every day you: Wake up at 5am Meditate for 20 minutes Make Bullet Proof coffee Take your vitamins Read for an hour Journal about your ‘grand vision’ Write 3 things you’re grateful for Stretch for 20 minutes, on the porch, as naked as possible (get your vitamin D!
I blew $361.84 trying to game Robinhood’s free stock promotion. The best way to learn is to learn by doing. To avoid doing, I read books and articles all day. It’s ‘Productive’ procrastination. Reading is great, but until I put whatever it is I’m learning into practice I don’t truly understand.
Mr. Hazel. The name invokes terror into every incoming freshman. They’ve all heard rumors about his insane demands and harsh grading. The Bell rings: class has started. Mr. Hazel paces up and down the room, hunting for the kids with guilt on their eyes.
We all have techniques for making decisions: rules of thumb, procedures, heuristics, aphorisms, principles. But do you know what your principles are? Are your principles an amorphous cloud, floating somewhere in your head, ready to be blown away by stress and difficulties?
Every year my university would send everyone a day-planner. Every year I would promptly toss it in the recycle bin. As that planner flew through the air, arcing towards the basket, my life was getting harder, more disorganized. How could I be so careless with such a powerful too?
“Absorb what is useful. Discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own.” -Bruce Lee Bruce Lee’s fighting style used techniques from multiple martial arts and ideas from all aspects of physical training. We can take this same approach.
In the summer of 2015, I decided to learn photography. I didn’t know about lighting or composition or exposure. I didn’t even know what kind of photos I wanted to take. I took random snapshots of bridges, of buildings, of random knick-knacks in my house.
Dr. Patrick has extensive research experience in the fields of aging, cancer, and nutrition. She’s well known for her thoughts on sauna use, vitamin D, and micronutrient deficiencies. Her website Found My Fitness shares insights on health research via discussions of research papers and videos.
If you’re a freelancer, student, or someone who has some freedom to arrange your day, you need a planner system. Without one it’s too easy to float along and forget about your priorities. I’m a fan of analog. Digital todo-lists and calendars are convenient, but I can never stick with them.
The past few weeks I’ve felt like an unproductive sack of shit. I stare at my to-do list and open reddit instead. I feel bad about it so I check my phone and scroll through Facebook. Now I feel worse. Rinse, repeat.
A silly thought experiment For 2 decades, Amazon had essentially zero profit. They plowed every last cent of revenue into growing even more revenue. Amazon is the largest Internet-based retailer in the world. And they keep expanding in all directions, no matter how tangential to internet retail.
I’m home from work but can’t relax. My head is all over the place. Deadlines at work. Big changes coming at my other job. How to plan for all of this? I need to do this-and-that for my side project! I also need to pay bills and exercise and make dinner and…
Floating along and just going through the day-to-day motions makes me really unhappy. If my mood is off, 90% of the time it’s because I’ve been stagnant. I bet a lot of my readers feel the same way. To fight this, always be running an experiment.
When I was a kid, I drank pop everyday. If you wanted something to drink, it was water, milk, or pop. I usually chose pop. I loved vanilla coke and mountain dew, but I couldn’t have too much mountain dew; it had too much caffeine.
Periodic reflections on your life status are enlightening and can help clarify goals for the future. Here’s an overview of how my 2016 went. In public I reflect on my yearly goals and analyze my year through that lens. Privately I conduct a more thorough analysis for myself using Alex Vermeer’s Guide.
The way you view yourself is preventing your growth. You can’t think of a solution until you know it’s possible -Malte Skarupke Describe yourself Describe yourself in 5 traits. How many of those traits did you choose? How many of them are labels that someone chose for you?
I’m headed to Hong Kong and Hawaii! Here’s the photography gear I’m taking. The Gear Fujifilm X-Pro2 16mm f1.4 35mm f2 The X-Pro2 and 35mm f2 lens are the integral part of my one camera one lens one year project. I’m used to this ’normal’ field of view, so this combo will be in use for most of the trip.
In May I started on a year-long photography project. Based on this post by The Online Photographer, the goal is to photograph for a year using one camera, one fixed lens (no zooming!), and only black and white. Hopefully I’ll learn something and quit blowing money on camera equipment.
Being frugal is overrated. You can save more money with less effort with one simple change: reduce your exposure to ads. Have you ever tracked your spending on impulse purchases? How about the cost of upgrading to the newest phone, or car?
Fuji’s newest flagship, the X-Pro2, has just released and we are starting to see real world reviews. While many reviews are glowing, some glasses-wearers aren’t happy with the viewfinder’s small eye relief. Is this really an issue or just overblown internet drama?
Here’s a list of things I tried to do in 2015. Try to guess how many I accomplished: Qualify for the American Open (Weightlifting) Improve my conversational skills Learn photography and take photos every day Establish a lasting meditation routine Maintain <12% bodyfat Rekindle old friendships Get an CS Masters degree from GA Tech’s OMSCS Kill off my debt and get on the path to early retirement ala (Mr.
It is possible to learn a language to basic fluency in under a year, in a short amount of time each day [1]. If you’re reading this page, you have access to a lot of useful resources. The internet makes access to learning materials and native audio easy.
A reminder to myself: Important Composition Light How often you leave the house with a camera in hand Unimportant Corner to corner sharpness at 100% crops Highest usable ISO Bokeh ‘quality’ How new your camera is How many ‘pro’ lenses you own Best looking strap/case/bag(s) Instagram likes / Flickr favorites =====
Set aside time to tinker. An hour, or an afternoon will do. Pick a subject that piques your interest, or something that bores you, or something at random Play Explore Learn Create Experiment Make mistakes Why Tinker? Connect ideas across domains Find new interests or hobbies Find your passion
A common theme with these writings is “Fundamentals First,” that is, make sure your foundation is solid (not necessarily perfect) before taking further action. This post is about the most fundamental of fundamentals: your mind and body. Is your life going off the rails?
About Me My name is James Stuber Design Engineer at Woodruff Scientific, Inc., doing fusion energy research. Weightlifting Coach at Rocket Crossfit I tend to learn on my own with an emphasis on building strong fundamentals and seeking pragmatic solutions.