1Password = 0Stress

Have you ever wasted precious time trying to remember a password to an important web site? Or had to fight your way through email, special questions and "captchas" to reset your password? Do you use the same password over and over because you can't remember 50 different ones? Are you afraid someone might hack your password and access your bank account or other critical information? Are you not able to think of a "strong" password for your most important data?

If any or all of these are true of you, you need 1Password.

1Password is a program created by AgileBits, located in Toronto, Canada and is another indispensable app for me on my Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

What does 1Password do?

  • Generates and securely stores all your passwords--accessible through a single master password.
  • Accepts web site passwords both prospectively and retrospectively.
  • Automatically saves log-in information for web sites you visit.
  • Launches and logs in to password protected sites with a single click of the mouse.
  • Generates strong passwords on demand.
  • Stores an "identity" (allows you to autofill an entire web page with your demographic information with  a click of a single button).
  • Stores credit card information filling in web pages with a single click
  • Stores secure notes.
  • Stores software licenses and access keys.
  • Synchronizes your passwords between your Mac, your iPhone, and your iPad.
  • Integrates into your web browser (via an extension) to make password and data even more accessible.

Using 1Password, I only have to remember a single password to access all my protected sites. I log in once, then merely click a link in 1Password. The software launches your browser and automatically logs into the web site. 

I use 1Password multiple times every day to access secure personal and professional information. You will too.

CheatSheet Instantly Displays All the Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac Apps

I found a story on Lifehacker about an app called CheatSheet. The app sits in the background of your computer, but if invoked (by holding down the Command key) it brings up a list of key combinations that can be used with the program in the foreground.

Learning keyboard shortcuts can improve your productivity significantly.  I tested CheatSheet with several of the programs I use commonly--CheatSheet worked for them all. The utility is free--and worth far more than its price (it's free!).

(Via CheatSheet Instantly Displays All the Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac Apps )

Reflection.app (screencast from your iOS device)

I found a great piece of software yesterday called Reflection. Reflection allows you to mirror your iPad or iPhone onto your Mac using Airplay. You can then capture the iPad screen using ScreenFlow. Previously, the only way this could be done was by jailbreaking your device or buying expensive 3rd party equipment. Reflection is $15 well spent.

OmniFocus Continued: Capturing Information in OmniFocus

In my last entry, I spoke about the power of Omnifocus. To get the most from the program, you must have easy ways to capture data. As I mentioned in my last entry, there are versions of Omnifocus available for the Mac OS as well as the IOS–I own them all. In this blog entry (and accompanying screencast) I’ll discuss the main ways I get information into Omnifocus.

Direct Entry

The least complicated way of entering a task is by manually entering it into the program itself. There are two ways to do this: (1) launch Omnifocus: Select Inbox: and type in the new Action (remember to frame the new item with a verb) or (2) Launch Omnifocus: select File: select “Quick Entry”: and enter the action.

Using the Quick Entry Box, you can capture a task and process it later, or if you expand the columns of the Quick Entry box (using the gear icon) you can type in the context, start date, etc at the time of entry. I try to estimate the amount of time it will take to complete the item at the time of entry.

If this is the first item in a new project, type in the name of the project in the Project column and then hit Command-Return. This will create a new project in the Omnifocus database. If you designate a Project while entering your item, it will be filed directly into that project. If you don’t, it will end up in your Inbox for later processing. Of all the ways to get information into Omnifocus, I find direct entry the most cumbersome.

Clippings

Clippings are incredibly handy and convenient. You highlight what you want, hit a key combination and, boom, Omnifocus launches and creates your Action item (with a link back to original item you highlighted). I use this method of capture Actions dozens of times each day. In order to get this to work you must set up your preferences in a specific way.

To set up Clippings go to the menu bar, and choose Omnifocus, then choose Preferences. In the Preferences menu click on the Clippings Tab. Define a Clippings Shortcut that works for you (I use the Command-Space-Period). Next you have to choose whether the clipped item shows up in Quick Entry (which allows you to do some additional quick editing) or whether you want the item dumped directly into your Inbox (I use Quick Entry).

Underneath the Copy Clipping to radio buttons are the different programs that work with Clipping. You can learn more about how Omnifocus will handle the clipping by highlighting each individual item next to the check box. I have all the programs checked. The most important selection is the final item: Any Application- make sure this is checked. You can then make and Action item out of information anywhere on your computer.

There is a special add-on for Apple’s Mail.app called the Clip-o-Tron 3000. Make sure this is installed (the installer is in the bottom right hand corner of the Clippings preference panel). The Clip-o-Tron let’s you highlight an email message and then use the key combination you designated above to automagically make a new Omnifocus Action. This new action contains the text of the email as a note AND a link back to the original email in your email database. This is my most common method of capturing Action items into Omnifocus.

If you’ve set up Omnifocus to synchronize (more on that in another entry)–the new Action will show up on all of your devices. Both Direct Entry and Clipping describe how I capture information from my MacBook Pro. Direct Entry also works on the iPad and iPhone. But I find myself usually using a third method to capture information from my iOS devices.

Capturing Information by Sending email

I’ve found I use my iPad more than my laptop these days. Unfortunately, capturing information is less convenient on my iPad. How do I get around this shortcoming yet maintain my productivity? By using email!

Open Preferences under Omnifocus menu bar and click on the Mail Tab. Make sure that the Mail Rule to create Omnifocus actions is checked. Next, look at the options under “Process messages having: radio buttons. I use the ”+omnifocus" before the @ sign option ( found it’s easier to have mail autocomplete a mail address than navigating to the subject line and typing). Next, you can choose the processed messages to be filed in a dedicated folder (I have a specific folder called at @Archive). If you leave this unchecked, the item will just remain in your email Inbox. Finally, (and critically) you must specify which e-mail addresses Omnifocus will accept mail from (I use all of my current e-mail addresses).

Now open Mail.app and select Preferences. Select the Rules Tab. Omnifocus should have placed a rule for you to edit. Here is how I’ve configured my “Send to OmniFocus” Rule.

 

Once configured, all I have to do is send an email to myself inserting +omnifocus just before the @ sign in the email address. When Mail.app is launched on my MacBook Pro, the item is automatically processed by Omnifocus and filed into the appropriate folder.

This is a handy method to use when you are reading email or a web page on your iPhone or iPad. I forward the email (or send a link to the web page) using my +omnifocus email address. This method  of capture is powerful, but what if I'm unable to safely send an email to myself yet want to capture something to OmniFocus (say, perhaps, while  commuting in my car or walking from one location to another)? It turns out that’s possible too, using Siri!

Using Siri to Capture to OmniFocus

This final method works only if you have an iPhone 4S with SIRI. As with the other methods, it takes a bit of configuration.

You must have Omnifocus installed on your iPhone. Launch Omnifocus on your phone and on the main Omnifocus Home Screen choose the Settings button (looks like a gear). Under Capture select the iCloud Reminders menu.

Make sure iCloud Reminders is turned ON. You also must enter your Apple ID and Password. Once this is configured, then hit the “Connect” button.

Siri understands two commands for OmniFocus. If I ask Siri to "Remember to..." the entry will be placed in my Inbox without an associated time. If I ask Siri to “Remind me to…..” do anything, for instance: “Remind me at 10am to call Dr. Smith about Patient Y’s operative plan,” a timed entry is placed in the OmniFocus Inbox and an alarm will go off at the requested time. What really happens is the entry is entered into Apple’s native Reminders App but when OmniFocus is launched, the reminder is transferred to your Inbox and the Apple Reminder is erased. The Omnifocus Inbox synchronizes with all your other devices.

The SIRI "Remind me to..." entry is context sensitive–if it’s before the time I specified, an alarm will go off to remind me to call today. If it’s after the time I specified, the alarm will be set for tomorrow.

I find this method of entry especially useful to capture items during my commute to and from work or when I’m walking between one location and another. In my opinion, this is one of the best applications of the SIRI technology–and has improved my productivity immensely.

Conclusion

I’m a heavy user of OmniFocus. In fact, Omnifocus is the hub of almost all of my workflows. During a typical day I’m inputting information constantly from many different sources. In this entry, I’ve covered the four most common ways I capture information into OmniFocus.

In my next Omnifocus entry, I’ll discuss how I organize and use Omnifocus in my daily work (and in the process discuss some of its strengths and limitations).

Until next time! Jeff Taekman

 

Why I Use Plaintext

As academic physician, a large part of my work involves writing. I write emails, meeting notes, drafts of manuscripts and books, blogs, ideas, grant applications, and more. I've owned every version of Microsoft Word for the Mac. But over the last two years, my workflow for writing has changed dramatically.

For me, writing can be very difficult. I find I write best with minimal distractions. I need to be in a position to get into a flow state and type whatever comes to mind. I’ve found it best to get the stream of ideas down on the page as quickly as possible, then come back later to edit. Software features, whether for formatting, editing, or reviewing often become a distraction. Over time, I've found I do my most productive writing in a program that offers few options (and thus very few opportunities for distraction).  Knowing this about me, you won't be surprised to learn that I have all but forsaken Microsoft Word (and Apple Pages) in favor of plaintext.

You might find this odd coming from someone who writes manuscripts and grants for a living. You're probably wondering how an academic can survive without Word? And why would a tech-savvy nerd like me choose something so basic as plaintext?

Please let me explain. If left to my basic inclinations, I might flail for hours trying to construct the perfect sentence. For a long time, this "perfectionism" would leave me stuck-often on the first page of a large writing project. Only recently did I learn to overcome this impediment. For me, the key to productive writing is for me to minimize distractions.  I need to control distractions in my environment, distractions on my device, and distractions within the writing program itself. Once I start writing, I try to keep my words flowing freely, saving the editing for my second (and third, and fourth) pass.

Word no longer met the demands of my workflow. I resented Word for its proprietary format, the size of its documents, its complexity, and the worst of all: auto-formatting. I commonly found Word getting in the way of my writing rather than getting out of the way and letting me write. Pages was not much better. And with either program it was difficult to keep versions synchronized between my Mac, my iPhone, and my iPad. After I wrote something I wanted the text to be immediately available on every device I owned.

I started looking for alternatives to Word and Pages. And there was a plethora of minimalist writing programs for the Mac and iOS to choose from. Most had only a few features–just enough to enable writing and to do minimal formatting. My favorite programs seamlessly synchronized to the Cloud, allowing me to write once, but access the text on any device. Because I write text bound either for a word processor or the web, I needed a single way to write in in words and in HTML. Plaintext combined with Markdown-a plaintext formatting syntax developed by John Gruber-allows me to write once and then move my words either to a word processor or to the web. Fletcher Penny’s MultiMarkdown adds many additional capabilities to Markdown and is especially handy for academics. If my note isn't going to stay in its native plaintext form, I usually run it through Marked-a program that imports Markdown/Multimarkdown and exports formatted text in the end format I desire (whether it's for a word processor or the web).

These days, I do the majority of my writing on my iPad or Mac using use a Markdown-enabled text editor. I use Word or Pages only in the very final stages of a writing project (after the bulk of the writing and editing is complete).

But there’s more. I spend about 30 minutes commuting in my car each day. I now occasionally use this time for “writing.” The addition of voice recognition to the iPhone 4s gave me the ability to dictate during my commute. I dictate into SimpleNote Notesy or the Dragon Dictation app on my iPhone. If I use Simplenote Notesy, the text automatically syncs using Dropbox and is immediately available on my Mac or iPad. If I use Dragon, all I have to do is mail myself the dictation and import the text into my writing application. I find myself drafting emails, letters, and even beginning long manuscripts while commuting. Then, when I arrive at the office, I just need to polish my prose rather than start writing from scratch.

Once I’ve written the document, plaintext is easy to share across operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux) and devices-negating the need to buy proprietary software or other converters. Plaintext documents are tiny, taking up a fraction of the space of a proprietary word processing file. Plaintext is flexible-serving as notes in its native form, or as the early stage writing / editing platform for larger writing projects.

My current workflow for most short documents is to write or dictate them into plaintext (I use Writing Kit on my iPad, SimpleNoteNotesy or Dragon Dictation for dictation on my iPhone, and Byword on my mac). Although I can’t dictate Markdown on my iPhone, it’s a simple task to add once I reach my destination. I use Dropbox to keep all my notes in sync. If I’m writing a document, I can used Marked to copy my formatted text directly to Pages or to Word for final formatting. For a blog entry or web page I can export my Markdown document to HTML using Marked.

There are numerous writing apps for the Mac and iOS. I suggest you try several (most are $5 or less each) to find the best fit for your personal style. Brett Terpstra recently wrote a blog entry comparing the different features of writing programs for iOS. Features important to me in the editors were: (1) built-in TextExpander, (2) import Markdown and Multimarkdown files, (3) synchronizes to the Cloud or to Dropbox.

For large academic projects, I have a more complex workflow that includes several other tools. I’ll cover this more complex writing workflow in a future entry.

Cheers, Jeff

Appended June 17, 2012: I was taking a look at @MacSparky's Twitter feed. He recommended this blog post by @yuvizalkow : I’m A Failed Writer #13: Beyond Microsoft Word… Or Not on the same topic.

Appended March 2, 2013: Read this entry on why I switched from SimpleNote to Notesy.

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iPad Keyboard Conundrum

I've been astounded by folks who still insist the iPad isn't a great productivity tool. The early iPad was primarily for content consumption, but over the last 2 years, there has been a concerted effort by Apple and software developers to make it a phenomenal tool for creation as well. For me, a keyboard is the key to iPad productivity. With a keyboard and particular software (to be covered in future entries), my iPad 3 (err, iPad) serves as a replacement for my MacBook Pro 90% of the time.There are an expanding number of available Bluetooth keyboards out there. My personal journey started with Apple's wireless keyboard . Although this set up worked well, it was not that portable. I needed a separate bag to carry the iPad and keyboard-and found myself rarely going through the hassle of taking / pulling out my keyboard. As a busy academic physician that works both clinically and administratively, I am in need of a portable solution that would work in the operating room and the board room–thus I started looking at folios (case and keyboard contained in one).

A short time later, I settled on the Sena Leather Folio. Through reviews I summized the Sena had two disadvantages, 1. it was expensive and 2. it lacked a right-sided shift key. I decided to pony up and thought I could easily overcome the non-traditional keyboard. Boy, was I ever wrong. The lack of the shift key was my major complaint, but not the only one. I would never, ever buy one again. Besides the outrageous price, what were the problems?

Strike One-The lack of a right shift key-although I believed I could overcome this limitation, I have to admit it drove me absolutely crazy (and greatly inhibited my productivity). Having to consciously override years of (automated) typing behavior slowed my writing down considerably. I tried work-arounds such as writing while skipping the caps with the right hand-none worked. The cognitive effort needed to override my automated behavior greatly impacted the speed and quality of my work. Worse yet, when in the flow of writing, I would often fail to overide the urge to hit the right shift and would accidently type an apostrophe (the key on the Sena keyboard where the right shift SHOULD be).

Strike Two-The stand-I like to type while sitting in a chair or relaxing in my hammock (one of my favorite writing places). The Sena case has a single thin leg to help the iPad stand up in landscape mode. The design makes it impossible to type with the Sena in your lap; the iPad screen falls down.

Strike Three-the case enclosure-the iPad is bound to the Sena by a simple tab that tucks into the opposite side of the case. In less than a month, the tab became overly flexible, and the ipad constantly slipped about in the case (especially when propped up). This was not only annoying, but the case then tended to block part of the screen.

I can't emphasize enough the non-traditional layout of the Sena Keyboard will greatly inhibit your productivity! You've been warned.

When I purchased my new iPad earlier this year, I decided it was time to also upgrade my keyboard. Which brings me to the ZAGG Folio 3. I've owned the black leather folio 3 and keyboard for more than a month, and I can't say enough positive things about it. It is extremely thin, portable, easy to use and set-up. The case is designed to use the iPad primarily in the landscape mode, but the iPad can be removed from its holder and flipped to portrait mode if you so desire. The design of the case is such that it can be used in your lap, on a table, or even in a hammock. If you want to just read, the keyboard is thin enough to flip behind the screen, conveniently out of the way. A charge of the keyboard lasts several months I've charged a single time since my purchase- even with heavy daily use). Best of all, the Zagg Folio 3 has a standard keyboard (yes, with a right-shift key)-this alone has doubled my productivity in writing. The only complaint I have is the slickness of the leather case. I have not dropped it yet, but I fear it's only a matter of time.

The Zagg has become a critical piece of hardware in my productivity workflow. I suggest you order yours today.

Omnifocus 1: OmniFocus-The Center of The WIPPP

I thought I’d kick off my blog with a discussion of one of my most critical pieces of software, Omnifocus by the Omni Group. Although I have modified and tweaked David Allen’s system to work for me (more on this in another entry), the software is based on David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD). There are versions for my Mac, my iPad, and my iPhone.

In a nutshell, Omnifocus serves as the central hub of organization for my personal and professional life. David Allen’s method depends on getting stuff out of your head and into a holding place called your Inbox. Each time you are confronted with something to do you have three choices: Do it, Delegate it, or Defer it. If you can to do it immediately (in 2 minutes or less), you should do it right away, otherwise, if not delegated,  the task should be sent to your Inbox for processing.

Core concepts to understand about OmniFocus:

  • Inbox is where you dump (capture) everything for further processing. The Inbox is a temporary holding area to be processed daily. 
  • Actions are single events. Actions should always start with a verb. An example of a good actionable event would be: “Download my CME certificate from the American Society of Anesthesiologist Meeting.” 
  • Projects are collections of two or more Actions. Projects can be defined as sequential (each task must be completed in order) or parallel (each task can be completed at any time). 
  • Contexts are where (or what) you need to complete the Action. My contexts include email, call, errands, Mac:Anywhere, Mac:Online, work, home, etc.

Omnifocus Basics-Items, Projects, Contexts, and the Inbox

Once a day (I typically do it in the evening), I sort through my inbox and assign each item a project (see below) and a context (where the item will be completed). In addition, I typically add a start date and projected time to each item. I only use a due date if the item is important AND has a hard stop.

Sample Project-Renewing my Medical License

I know each year on my birthday I have to renew my medical license and submit it to the Credentialing Office.There are numerous tasks I have to complete to make this happen. I have to submit documentation on my professional education, log the hours into the Medical Board’s web site, pay my annual license fee, download my updated license, and send the license to Credentialing.

Let’s assume I wasn’t vigilant in collecting all my CME certificates, and thus have to contact the organizing body of each meeting to obtain my credit hours.

The items in this hypothetical sequential Project called Annual License Renewal (with context in parenthesis) would be: (1) download CME certificates (Mac: Online) , (2) enter hours and dates into personal spreadsheet (Mac:Anywhere), (3) log on to Medical Board Web site, enter information and pay fee (Mac:Online), (4) Download renewed license (Mac:Online), (5) email license to hospital credentialing (email). The project has a hard stop (my birthday) past which I would not be able to practice.

You’ll notice I used only a few contexts in this example. All in all, I have about fifteen. My personal contexts include: Home, Work, email, phone call, Mac Anywhere, Mac Online, iPad, iPhone, or Tech–for any device.

Why Take the Time?

Once you have your tasks in OmniFocus, the fun begins. Omnifocus lets you sort your lists in really useful ways–called Perspectives. Instead of looking at my projects, I can sort my to-do’s by contexts–having it show me the emails I must send across all my projects, or, in another example, what I need to do on my Mac while online. If I have only a few minutes, I can ask OmniFocus to display items tagged as t 5 minutes or less.

Perspectives are very customizable–the customizbility is where the power of Omnifocus outshines other GTD managers such as Things. I personally have about a dozen different perspectives I use to slice and dice my Omnifocus data. During the day, I refer to my lists dozens of times, usually in a Context mode. At the end of the day, as I’m processing new to-dos, I work primarily in a Project view.

My data backs up to my Dropbox, and syncs to the cloud (there are several different sync methods available). My database is accessible with an iPad and/or iPhone client-always current and always with me. As I add new information in iOS, the item turns up in my Mac-based Omnifocus client. Synchronized, powerful, and simple-very Mac like.

In a single day I’ll usually add information to my Inbox in one of four ways: clipping, direct entry, email, or through Siri. Getting information into OmniFocus will be the topic of my next entry.

In conclusion–OmniFocus is an indispensable tool for personal and productivity. If you aren’t familiar with it you should run, (not walk) to your computer and download it immediately.