Revisiting DOIT.IM .. Getting Things Done has a Champion!

I made a post some time ago on the task management software DOIT.IM. The software is great and has made changes recently that makes it essential to my daily workflow. This program is the first app I open while brushing my teeth and second to only my alarm app when I am going to bed.

Some of the features that make this a must to anyone that wants to get things done are:

Sub-tasks, which are essential for doing projects.


Many task management software packages are horrible at this (i'm talking to you Astrid!).  DoIt.IM does it the right way by actually allowing you to create a project.  Within those projects you can have all the tasks that pertain to that project.

Goals, "Where there is no vision, the people perish " Prov 29:18

This is the heart of the program for me, and where I start my day.  Above projects is the Goal section , within these goals can be many projects.  This allows you to get an overall view of the things that are important to you.  Approaching tasks this way ensures that you never feel unaccomplished at the end of the day.

Review, check how productive you were ..or were not...

There is a benefit in giving yourself a grade.  DoIt.IM has a beta feature where you can grade you performance on a daily and weekly basis. This feature gives you a way to make sure you are improving as the days go buy.

This program is what thehustlerstech.com is all about. The android counterpart works exactly the same; and at $20 a year the increase in productivity you will enjoy is well worth the price. 

Resources: 

DoIT.IM web site

DoIT.IM Android Application

Plot out Your Empire with Mindmeister

People process information in many different ways.  For those that process information easiest by creating diagrams, Mindmeister can help you visualize your empire.  Mindmeister is a web application that has an Android component which allows you to do tree-like diagrams where one item braces to the next.  This is great for me when planning businesses, as it gives me a visual representations of how the business needs to be set up and the and the details that relate to it .

The service is free for a limited amount of diagrams.  The Android application is also free, and stays consistent with the look and feel of the web application.

Resources:

MindMeister Web App
MindMeister Android Application

Your Next Million Dollar Idea is in Jeopardy

Ideas are the fuel for the hustler. The bad thing about some ideas, is that they don't usually come when you're sitting at your desk, ready to jot them down in Microsoft Word.  They often come while you're on the toilet , in the shower, in bed or driving.

Capturing your next million dollar idea is important , so here are some ways for you to get those ideas saved FAST :

1. Hovernote -Hovernote is a note taking program like many others , but what sets it apart is that it (as its name implies) hovers over your screen when using it.  This comes in handy because you can open Hovernote and  leave it open in your notification bar until you need it.  When you want to jot something down , you simply pull down the notification bar and start typing.

2. Google Search "Note to Self" feature - Native in the Google search utility is a little known feature that allows you to take quick notes.  To activate it you simply have to hold down the search button on your Android device.  The voice prompt will come up and you will dictate your note by starting with the words "note to self".  After your note is taken, you will be placed in an interface allowing you to send the text of the note that you just too plus the audio to your email.  Make sure you create a filter and note label to organize these messages and you are good to go.

Using the Asus Transformer as a "Dumb Terminal"

For years, a great way that IT professionals have saved money was to purchase a very powerful server computer and very low end client computers.  They would then set up the client computers to use a virtual environment that was powered by the server.  This allows for a company to only have to focus on investing in a high-end server and the clients can be relatively cheap.

This same idea can be applied to using a Asus Transformer tablet while connected remotely (using Teamviewer) to your high-end desktop computer. This way you can leverage the speed and storage of your desktop with the functionality  and portability of your Asus prime.

This is one of the many areas that a tablet is useful as we find a place for it in our productive lifestyles.

Hustle Tip: Using Go SMS to Schedule Text Messages

The name if Google mobile Operation System is called Android.  The definition of Android is "A robot with a human appearance.".  The idea is to put the power of a robot in your hands.  One thing that people miss when it comes to tech, are automated tasks.  Go SMS (a free SMS client for Android) has a number of features, but my favorite by far is the ability to schedule when I want to send a SMS message.  Here are some examples for when this comes in handy:

Reminding a employee that he needs to inventory products before closing.

Telling a client that you enjoyed the meeting and are looking forward to doing business.

Checking with a client to make sure that they are happy with your service/product. 

When you start using this tool , you will instantly find a bunch of ways it can work for you.  Go SMS is free so go over to the play store and give it a try.

Resources:

Go SMS in Play Store

Hustle Tip:Using a Navigation Shortcut

If you have an Android device , you also have the most advanced navigation technology on the market. There are a number of reasons why there will be NO navigation system that will beat the one that is in your pocket a few are:

1. The sync between the Internet and GPS allows for a number of online service to be available.
2. Google Maps includes street view that will allow you to see destinations up close.
3. The integration with Google services like Latitude makes it easy to find friends.
4. Google continues to make it better with over-the-air updates.

So since you have this great technology, a great way to utilize it is by using navigation shortcuts.  From your device's main screen, hold and select "shortcut".  You will then select "Directions and Navigation".  

Once you have your directions shortcut box up you can place any address in with a relevant name and icon. 

Situations that a navigation shortcut comes in handy for the hustler:

1.If there are a number of stops that you need to make in a day.  Prior to the going out on your mission plot out all of the stops and make a shortcut for each.   Place each stop from the first to the last in top to bottom order so you can get to each destination in a timely fashion.

2. Quickly gaining traffic reports for places you go frequently.  It is a benefit to know how fast you will be able to get back to your office from where ever you are.  This will allow you more clarity to on how far you can stretch your most valuable resource .. time.

Do It Well with Doit.im - Sub-tasks Done the Right Way

Your son's football practice, getting ready for the big meeting, getting ready for the real estate exam.  All of these tasks can have multiple tasks within .  There are a great deal of tasks management programs that will help you organize your life , but they all had one big flaw, and that is the way that they handled sub-tasks. 

The advantage of the managing tasks using sub-tasks, is that you will separate your tasks into projects.  This , for me , has been very powerful because I can easily group my tasks and focus on details that I may miss otherwise.  There is only one system that that I have found available that is both an Android application and a web application.  The application is called Doit.im.  

This powerful application gives you the ability to create tasks just as your simple tasks managers like Tasks (yes the application is called tasks) , but it goes much further with powerful subtasks options. The subtasks are used through projects.  Each project can have several subtasks.

Doit.im also has a powerful online application that is very consistent and works very well.  This application are for those that are highly productive and need to manage their lives like a business.  Doit.im is the perfect companion for the hustler in you!

Doit.im android application

Doit.im web application

Previous blog on Astrid with Producteev 

The Go Software Suite

Using an Android device for most can be a very confusing thing.  This is because there is no single Android experience on an Android platform.  This is because the Android platform is open source.  What that means is that multiple manufacturers can  make their own custom Android experience.  Companies like Motorlola, LG, Samsung, Sony, and HTC all have their own Android experience.

These experiences are fine, but they can be very heavy and unappealing visually.  There are many alternatives out there that will give you a custom experience, but there are none that are as complete and functional as the Go Software Suite.  The developers at "Go " have a suite of software from a launcher, keyboard, and even a lock screen app.

The benefit to the productivity fiend is that when you use multiple devices or you switch devices frequently, you can always depend on having a consistent experience.  These also have the added benefit of being FREE!

Go Launcher from the market
Go Keyboard from the market
Go Locker from the market

Voice Dictation Through Your Android Device

The use of voice dictation on the Android devices has not gotten it's props,  due to the popularity of Seri (the dictation service on the iPhone) .  Android has really made huge strides with their voice recognition software and there are some things that you can do with it to make you more productive:

• Use it to update word documents on the go.  This is a great way to start a report without typing.
• Call local businesses by just saying "Call" and the business name.  It uses Google maps to find the business and calls them.
• Say "note to self" and say a message.  It will send an email to your Gmail address with the audio.  This makes a great instant reminder. 

References:

Google Voice Actions

Producteev + Astrid The "Getting Things Done" Marriage

This is the first post that I will be making on this blog and I wanted it to represent what this blog is about. The goal that I had when thinking of creating a blog was to empower the "Go-Getters".  I want to make sure that the tech that people use everyday, are used to their fullest potential. I also want to inform people of new technology that will help them run their business, go through school , or navigate their careers.

The program (or programs) that fit this bill, are Producteev and Astrid.  These are two programs but they work together as a great task/to-do management system. I have spent hours researching a task management system and this one by far brings the most features and the cleanest interface.

Producteev is a web based program at www.producteev.com, it uses a very colorful interface and is very flexible.  The best way to use this is by using the GTD methodology by David Allen.  If you are not familiar with the GTD methodology, and to get a walk through on how to use it with Producteev, check out this article here for more details.

Astrid is an Android app that has been out since the early days of Android.  This means that it has been developed to be very stable and feature rich.  The interface can be modified to light , dark or transparent so you have enough options there to make it visually pleasing.

The power of these systems are from the pairing of the two programs.  The key to making this work for you is to get very familiar with the Producteev program, spend time setting it up, and sync the tasks with Astrid.  This is a seamless process and makes your Android device your reminder for all of your tasks.  When used properly, it can really make a difference in your productivity.   I have used these programs for school and my business for the last four months and I have found that I am getting more done and wasting less time.

These are free programs so there is no excuse for not getting that long list of objectives done and putting more money in your pocket as a result!

Resources:

Producteev Website
Astrid Program
GTD Methodology with Producteev
Getting Things Done by David Allen (Book)