Every week, we share the shortcuts, workspaces, and productivity tips of our favorite experts.
Today it’s my turn.
Here are some of the secrets to how I work, andsince this is Vitalshow I work out.
So now I have a cheapish phone in a 3-layer case.
So far so good.Current computer:I have an Asus VivoBook X202E named apollo.
Fun fact: I’ve been an exclusive Linux user since 1999.
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
I am totally in love withInbox.
I use that button all the time.
It’s like having extra CPU registers for my brain.
What’s your workspace setup like?
There’s never a perfect time or perfect place.
But I do have a home office that I like very much.
The workstation is a plain wood table and chair.
It is usually not clean.
Here’s the honest picture:
I have Roy Peter Clark’slist of Quick 50 Writing Toolsposted above my desk.
So it’s a souvenir too.
What’s your best time-saving shortcut/life hack?
What’s your favorite to-do list manager?
I am allergic to to-do lists.
They might as well all be titled Things I Am Dreading.
Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without and why?
Since this is Vitals, we’re also talking about how we work out.
I’m a roller derby player.
(I also run and lift, but I count that as cross training.)
For running shoes, I swear by theNike Free.
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else?
What’s your secret?
I had to ask friends for help with this one.
Two themes emerged:
“Doubting things.
This first clicked for me in the context of running shoes.
(Those studieshave since been done, and they show that the shoesdon’tprevent injury).
So I always ask what kind of evidence is behind something, and what specifically was tested.
I’mthe guy on the train saying there’s one cow that’s brown on one side.
“Doing it all,” “Time management.
“All you have to do here is prioritize ruthlessly, and be realistic about your planning.
You have to cut things to make room for what you love.
What do you listen to while you work?
I can’t listen to words while I’m trying to make words.
Here is myworkout playlist.
It includes Queen, Pitbull, Meatloaf, and Peaches.
What are you currently reading?
Curling up with a dead tree, my recent choices are books on hand-lettering and botanical illustration.
(The first exercise in one of those books is to draw an apple.)
I’ve also been reading theHow to Train Your Dragon bookswith my kid.
Our hero’s dragon Toothless is the smallest and weakest of them all, and actually has no teeth.
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
I’m not sure that’s auseful distinction.
I’m sort of introverted, but I do get my energy from other people.
What’s your sleep routine like?
I’m a night owl.
My best sleep hack is the hot water bottle at my feet.
About six months of the year I feel justified in using one.
Hot tap water on an ordinary night, boiled water when it’s really cold.
Fill in the blank: I’d love to see _________ answer these same questions.
Dr. Oz, because apparently he is apracticing heart surgeon and researcherin addition to being a TV huckster.
I’d like to see how he fits it all in.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
In writing: Never start or end a sentence with a boring word.
In roller derby: Get low and drive from your outside foot.
We call this a “bookend.”
In life: Pain don’t hurt.
Have someone you want to see featured, or questions you think we should ask?
