The Weekly Review

This week, James and Jean talk about small changes we have made lately to improve productivity and/or life. Whether it’s prepping for phone calls with a list of the info you need, or finding a quick solution to help your cat get up on the bed, little things can make a big difference. Don’t discount them, just because they’re easy.

Jean and James follow up on episode 113: Turn Good Intentions Into Next Actions and discuss using your trusted system to help effect the change you wish to see in the world. Jean talks about the recent events in her home town of Portland, OR and actions she is taking. James encourages everyone to put voting-related tasks into their trusted systems. Also, Jean makes a phone call and James unpacks a big box.

Listeners in the US, check voting information for all states here:

James and Jean look at how adjusting expectations can have a positive effect on motivation and energy. Summer tends to be the season of travel, long weekends, outdoor fun, and big post-WWDC development goals, so it can be helpful to recalibrate and adjust to the current reality, and even learn to appreciate it.

In this episode Jean and James talk about experiencing a very different summer than most. Jean is spending much more time in her backyard. James is giving his yearly tradition of visiting relatives in Canada a pass this time around. Also this week, some strategies for balancing the effort of filing and organizing paperwork with the effort of finding paperwork later when you need it. And finally, Dexter the cat needs a grooming.

In this episode Jean and James talk about their experiences with this year’s online Apple worldwide developer conference (WWDC) compared to past years when they have attended in person. Both are surprised by the number of similarities in how they felt before and after the conference even without spending a week away from home. Also, Jean takes a short staycation and James briefly reimagines WWDC sessions as a new episodic Apple TV+ series.

This week, we focus on James’ epic short project, a video presentation of The Liki Song, including over two dozen musicians and performers.

Since 2012, James Dempsey and the Breakpoints have held LIVE near WWDC, an evening of music, fun, and laughter playing some of the nerdiest developer music around.

An online WWDC meant bringing this yearly tradition online as well, so we’ve gathered the largest virtual group of Breakpoint performers ever assembled for a special event.

James talks about the logistical and technical aspects of pulling together so many moving parts in less than a week, and how such an all-consuming project affects one’s usual approach to getting things done.

Live-ish Concurrent With WWDC 2020

When this podcast launched, James and Jean talked a lot about managing email, because their inboxes were stuffed and overflowing. Thanks to our weekly reviews, new email tools, and a friendly sense of competition, we managed to get to Inbox Zero. We didn’t necessarily stay at Inbox Zero, but it was still a big improvement.

Jean had a issue this week and didn’t receive any email for 2 days. It led her to rethink her email hosting provider. We also talk about the new features Hey from BaseCamp is touting, though neither of us is interested in trying it right now.

Get $5 off Sanebox (referral link)

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Previous email episodes

57: I Have to Laugh (May 17, 2019)

52: Emailiversary (April 12, 2019)

28: The Big Email Processing Episode (October 26, 2018)

3: Brute Forcing Our Way ot Inbox Zero (May 11, 2018)

In this episode Jean and James talk about ways to use your trusted system to continue supporting causes once they are no longer in the headlines. James talks about his GTD strategy for non-fiction books, including those listed below. Jean describes the power of sending a physical letter to elected officials. And both explore various ways of turning your good intentions into recurring next actions.

So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

James and Jean talk about the trouble with focusing when work commitments don’t feel relevant or important compared to what’s going on right now in the world. Jean didn’t get her Weekly To-Do done, and explains why. James found himself writing a new song, which we share here and discuss his songwriting process.

Take care, everyone.

If you are not sure to how to help those who are struggling right now, consider making a donation to the Equal Justice Initiative.

This week Jean and James talk about the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. James just finished reading it and describes how the practical steps described in the book dovetail nicely into his mental model of his practice of GTD and building a trusted system. Jean and James discuss a few other habit-related books they have read. James takes a concrete step to putting the ideas in Atomic Habits into action.

Atomic Habits by James Clear