What's your feed reading speed?

If you can't measure it, you can't manage it. -- Peter Drucker? [1], [2]

As a follow-up to Afraid to click? How to efficiently process your RSS feeds I decided to time a few of my RSS processing and organizing [3] sessions. I've included the results below, with average time spent/post in bold. (Note: See the above article for the simplified workflow I use.)

Here are the results:

Test 1

#    : 139 posts
avg  : 33 minutes / 139 posts -> 14 seconds/post

Test 2

#    : 81 posts
avg  : 26 minutes / 81 posts -> 19 seconds/post

Test 3

#    : 242 posts
avg  : 43 minutes / 242 posts -> 11 seconds/post

Test 4

#    : 132 posts
avg  : 22 minutes / 132 posts -> 10 seconds/post

hits : 24
7 new to-read articles, 4 posts to reply to

Crucial to rapid processing is having a great follow-up system - especially an Actions list (I have a "To-Print" sub-category) and a Read/Review cache.

On curious thing I noticed: When I'm timing myself I'm much more aware of the two minute rule, which results in a more focused, more efficient session.


So how does this compare with your speed? I'd be very curious to hear some of your stats!

Note: If you try this experiment for yourself, you might also want to track how many "hits" you had, i.e., how many of the total # of posts passed the first phase. In Firefox you can get a quick count of open tabs by closing the window. It will ask you to confirm, and the message contains the count: "You are about to close ____ tabs. Are you sure you want to continue?". WARNING: It's possible to turn this off, so first do a dry-run, or bookmark the group of tabs (control-shift-D in Firefox) just in case!


References

• [1] This quote is often attributed to Peter Drucker, but a bit of digging indicates it's not that clear. Searching for the phrase - and the original "If you can measure it, you can mange it" - yields some surprises. For example, A Hacker's Guide to Project Management credits it to Tom DeMarco, who starts with it in his book Controlling Software Projects: Management, Measurement, and Estimates.
  
  However, going back a bit, the book Measuring the Value of Information Technology says it was Lord Kelvin who originated it:

  It was the scientist Lord Kelvin who said, "When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the stage of science." Later, this statement was abbreviated to "if you can measure it, you can manage it," and "if you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it."

  BUT, even further back the authors of Geography Matters! state "The Renaissance astronomer Rhaticus suggested that if you can measure something, then you have some control over it." Wikipedia has more at Rheticus.
  
• [2] You might also enjoy To Improve Productivity, Measure It First.
  
• [3] More at How to process stuff - A comparison of TRAF, the "Four Ds", and GTD's workflow diagram.
  
• [4] For bloggers this is why you should use great titles (see 8 Ways of Creating Compelling Blog Post Titles). Sadly, I admit I should use more care in titles. For example, instead of Four small Gmail tweaks Google could make to increase user productivity, it should have been more dramatic, e.g., "Four small Gmail changes that could save the world $500M" :-) Oh well, something for my lessons learned file!
  
• [5] Exceptions: Email-based feeds, which have no corresponding URL to view - must be read in situ. See Move email-based subscriptions to RSS for why you should not be receiving news via email.
  

How to use the "I'm not going to ____" mind hack

I've been collecting mind hacks, by which I mean surprising little tricks or abilities of our minds that are based on psychological insights. That I'm fascinated by them isn't surprising - I spent 20 years doing AI programming (no I don't have a Lisp machine at home, but it would be cool...), and modern personal productivity methods like Getting Things Done are found on this one:

The mind can't let go of something without a sense of closure, via renegotiation, trusted external capture, or completion.

There's a great book about them called Mind Performance Hacks: Tips & Tools for Overclocking Your Brain [1], but I want to share one that's repeatedly whacked me on the head [2] recently:

The mind's fear response can be bypassed with "I'm not going to ____" (fill in the blank).

The best description I've found is in Mark Forster's book Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management [3]:

The easiest way for the rational brain to trick the reactive brain is to be subtle: convince it there is no threat by pretending to yourself that you are not going to do the task.

For example, suppose you need to get cracking on writing a complex report, but you've been having trouble with procrastination. Apply the hack by saying to yourself "I'm not really going to write that report now, but I'll just get out the file." This works because, using Forster's terminology, the irrational brain can be lied to by posing scenarios that seem less threatening. The thinking is that once you get moving on the small step (which your brain doesn't resist) momentum is much easier.

However, I think this is actually a combination of two hacks, the second being (from One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way):

Very small steps disarm the brain's fear response.

As Maurer puts it, "All changes, even the positive ones, are scary. Attempts to reach goals through radical or revolutionary means often fail because they heighten fear. But the small steps of Kaizen disarm the brain's fear response, stimulating rational thought and creative play." Whew!


The final connection to this hack comes from the world of Alexander Technique [4], which is based on the idea of the mind-body system being a Black box that resists direct control. Suppose you have shoulder pain when you use your right arm. To fix it, the natural inclination would be to force the shoulder or arm to work better. Good thinking but, guess what? Doesn't work. We didn't learn to control our bodies that way, and we can't change them that way either. We don't know what "better" is! It's kinda like Einstein's thought that "Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them." Instead we have to re-learn using our bodies.

It's a big topic, but one mind hack that's taught is - surprise! -

The mind/body's habitual response can be bypassed with "I'm not going to ____" (fill in the blank).

This is the inhibition portion of the inhibition-direction principle, and might work like this for the shoulder pain example: Before you lift your arm (in fact before you even think of lifting your arm) say to yourself "I'm not going to lift my arm." This works because it helps to reset your habitual use of the shoulder. Massively simplifying here, but it's pretty neat!


So how about you? Got any favorite productivity mind hacks?


Related

In addition to the classic sites Lifehacker and lifehack.org, which both carry mind hack posts, check out Mind Hacks blog.


References

• [1] How can I not love a book with entries like "Remember 10 Things to Bring," "Catch Your Ideas," "Force Your Connections," and "Don't Overthink It"!? Chapter excerpts are at the O'Reilly Bookstore and Google has it on their Book Search.)
  
• [2] See A Whack On The Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative, and esp. Von Oech's Creative Whack Pack (you know I love cards - see Personal Productivity Playing Cards!)
  
• [3] You might enjoy my interview with the author at A conversation with Mark Forster. You'll find lots of good productivity tips at his blog Get Everything Done.
  
• See Reflections on Alexander Technique and personal productivity, and esp. the book How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live: Learning the Alexander Technique to Explore Your Mind-Body Connection and Achieve Self-Mastery.
  

Four small Gmail tweaks Google could make to increase user productivity

I'm a grateful Gmail user (my main email address forwards to my Gmail account), and I've been a satisfied user for the past few years. While I don't use Gmail to implement my Getting Things Done system [1], I've noticed four things that, if corrected, could increase productivity for all users. See what you think!

• Make it easy to edit subjects
  
• Allow search without seeing the inbox
  
• Simplify adding contacts
  
• Allow manual or longer retrieval delay

Make it easy to edit subjects

One of the best practices for email [2] is to edit the subject line of threads whose topic migrates. You know - it started out "let's bike this weekend" and after four times around it should be "here's Bob's phone #"! Doing this is possible in Gmail, but it's easy to miss because a) subjects aren't clearly shown, and b) the editing feature isn't obvious. Luckily, it's easy when you know where to look (see the screen shot to the right).

Related: Hanford Lemoore has a good summary of how confusing this is in Gmail: Arrow of Mystery and Subject Line (scroll down to The Subject line of Mystery).

Google's official instructions are here: How do I change the subject of a message I'm replying to?


Allow search without seeing the inbox

Often I'll need to search messages while completing an action, but Gmail's "home" page when you start it is the Inbox. Why is this a problem? Because it's sooooo tempting to just check the inbox - just for a minute - and then you've wasted tons of time and lost your focus.

Instead, it would be nice to configure Gmail to start somewhere else ("Contacts" or "All Mail"?) to avoid the allure. I've read that Google Desktop lets you index Gmail messages, but I really like to avoid installing Windows programs if I can help it.


Simplify adding contacts

Regarding contact systems, I strongly recommend that clients a) have one system to store names, address, emails, and phone numbers, and b) update them religiously (e.g., check and edit every time new data comes in). I use Gmail's contacts feature for mine (prior to this I had them in three different places), but looking up and editing is quite painful.

For example, to look up a contact:

1. Click the quick contacts input box and type enough letters to pop up the desired contact.
2. Move the mouse down to the contact of interest.
3. Carefully move the most straight to the right.
4. Move right to "__'s profile."
5. Move right to "Contact details" and click.

Step 3. is very error-prone because it's so easy to slide off target at any point during the process (see the screen shot to the right).


Allow manual or longer retrieval delay

Another best practice to avoid the inbox's siren's song is to change how often the program checks for new messages. The default is often quite frequent (I believe Outlook is 10 minutes, and Gmail seems faster than that), so it's smart to change it to be completely manual (i.e., you tell it when to check), or at least setting it to wait longer between, say one hour.

Sadly, I could find no way to change this in Gmail.


Wrap up

If you think these changes aren't worth it, just multiply the number of Gmail users [3] by time saved (say one minute a week per user?) by average $/hour, and you'll see some very large savings are possible.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. In particular, can you recommend good books on email? I've found a few [4], but I've not read any of them.


References

• [1] I track action in my paper planner (see Fare thee well Hipster PDA - I barely knew ye), and use the "Action Support" style of email integration.
  
• [2] When I talk about email in workshops, I say it's more "boot camp" than "charm school." By that I mean it's more important they learn a solid system for managing email (which is consistent with how they handle all the other stuff in their lives) before worrying about tips and tricks for making email communication more effective. The latter are important too, but need to come after the basics. That said, here are some great resources for once you've taken control of your inbox:
  
  
  • Hacking Email: 99 Email Security and Productivity Tips
    
  • 7 Ways to Ensure Your E-mail Gets Read
    
  • 12 tips for better e-mail etiquette
    
  • Write e-mail messages that get attention
    
  • Respond effectively to e-mail messages
    
  • E-mail checklist
  
  
• [3] I couldn't find an official number from Google, but I've seen ~50 million in a few places (though that number is disputed to be too high).
  
• [4] An Amazon search turned up:
  
  
  • Send: The Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home
    
  • E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide--How to Write and Manage E-Mail in the Workplace
    
  • The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage Your Email Before It Manages You
  
  

Related Gmail productivity tips

Following are just a few tips for practicing GTD within Gmail. Please share your favorites!

• Taking Gmail beyond email
  
• Handling Waiting For items in Gmail
  
• GTDInbox :: Firefox Add-ons
  
• Getting Things Done with Gmail

Some recent GTD how-tos, tips, and tricks

I often see questions about details in implementing Getting Things Done from a number of sources, including calls and emails from clients and readers, and participants of on-line forums. Here's a collection of some recent answers, which I hope you find useful. (You might also enjoy this list of my GTD-related posts, especially Some common GTD questions, with answers.)

• Indexing filing systems
  
• When to remove something from Someday/Maybe
  
• Keeping file folder tabs aligned
  
• Move email-based subscriptions to RSS
  
• How to know you're a GTD master

Indexing filing systems

When teaching clients about filing, I sometimes get asked about more complex approaches, including indexing file drawer contents. This is done by creating a master list (on paper, kept at the front of the drawer, or as a file on your PC) that groups files by topic or keyword, and specifies where to find them. Some people find this kind of system helpful (there are some home-grown solutions at Database to my alpha system - is it needed? and commercial programs like Paper Tiger), but generally I've found a simple A-Z system with no index works great for most people. It's simple, inexpensive, and filing and retrieving is fast.

This is a bit controversial, but I believe that indexing slows down both sides: filing something requires entering it into the system, and retrieving requires a separate look-up step. And anything that slows down filing leads to stacking folders, or creating a "to file" pile, which is more work. Also, if the indexing is a pain, it's easy to get out of sync with the actual files.

Adherents claim it's faster (e.g., Index Your Reference System), but I'd suggest starting simply with the A-Z, then trying something more complex if needed. I've not had a problem finding files, and I have about 100 at hand, and another 200 in a second drawer.

Related: Five secret filing hacks from the masters.


When to remove something from Someday/Maybe

Recall that we use the Someday/Maybe folder [1] as a holding place for things that are on our minds, but which we're not currently ready to act on. However, when do you move them out of there? I suggest breaking it down like this:

• Do I still think I'll want to act on it someday? If not, toss it.
  
• If I remove it from my life, will it still be on my mind? If so, keep it.
  
• Am I ready to act on it now (have resources/time/energy become available)? If so, create an action and a related Projects entry (if more than one step to complete).
  
• Otherwise, keep it for the next review.

Remember, this folder needs to be reviewed regularly. Otherwise it might become a Black hole, and will stop helping to offload tracking from your mind.


Keeping file folder tabs aligned

Another filing question, this one is about whether to try aligning file tabs. Some people prefer keeping them aligned - all on the left, for example - so that they aren't randomly mixed within the drawer. (See File Folder Tabs - Which Side? for a typical query.)

My advice is not to worry about it. The tabs will naturally be a mixture, and it's usually not a problem. Once in a while I'll have a few on the same side, making it a bit difficult to see the one that's behind, but generally it doesn't bother most people. I recommend using 1/3 cut standard Manila folders [2], and not getting hung up on the tab locations. They'll vary depending on random factors, but they're alpha so you'll find them OK.


Move email-based subscriptions to RSS

When I'm working one-on-one with a client, we spend a good chunk of our two days together processing and organizing email [3]. As you'd expect, people tend to have a large backlog of messages in their inbox (thousands, in some cases), and once we're done they're pretty motivated to regularly empty it in the future. In addition to becoming efficient at dispatching each message, it's helpful to also reduce your email volume.

I have a number of suggestions I share with clients, but here's a favorite: Move email-based subscriptions (e.g., newsletters) from your inbox to an RSS feed reader that supports creating anonymous emails, such as Bloglines [4]. Briefly, here's how it works: For each email-based subscription you'll create a custom email address (it's one click in Bloglines), then change your subscription (or unsubscribe and re-subscribe) to the new address. This leaves your inbox for the more urgent incoming "stuff," and allows you to catch up on your news and such as feeds via your feed reader. Each subscription shows up as its own feed - very handy!

Here's Bloglines' entry on this feature: From Why does Bloglines Offer Email Accounts?:

Bloglines free email accounts allow people to receive email newsletter subscriptions within their MyBloglines page. This helps to reduce traffic through your primary email inbox and helps to contain the spam menace. A Bloglines email account gives you a trump card when a newsletter breaks the rules of opt-in marketing. When you unsubscribe from a Bloglines email subscription, the email address disappears. You never have to worry about trying to find the unsubscribe instructions for an unwanted mailing list.

Read more about RSS at HOW TO: Getting Started with RSS. Related: Afraid to click? How to efficiently process your RSS feeds.


How to know you're a GTD master

For those of us who've been practicing GTD for a while, a useful question is "How do I know when I've mastered it?" (see for example the discussion I have mastered GTD when...). I usually say two things. First I suggest checking out my guide: GTD Workflow Assessment/Tips Checklist. If you can check off all items, you are definitely a master!

Second, I emphasize that, like any significant change (in this case, the art of self-management), becoming a master takes time. As George Leonard writes in his great little book Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment:

The master of any game is generally a master of practice.

Leonard writes about the universal process of mastering any subject, including the inevitable plateaus, backslides, and frustration. But I've found a practice like GTD can be a tremendous enabler for being living better - being happier, more fulfilled, and ultimately making changes that are congruent with your purpose (whatever it might be - even if you don't know it!)


References

• [1] I recommend clients use a paper folder instead of a list, because many potential items show up as paper - classes to attend, purchases to make, etc. So instead of a plain list, I recommend using a folder - this allows you to easily drop those items directly into it without much work. For "one-liners" you can also keep list(s) within the folders.
  
• [2] For a complete listing of useful supplies, see my Listmania list: Basic Processing Tools for Personal Productivity/Workflow
  
• [3] I tell people I help move them from email checkers to email workers.
  
• [4] Although Google Reader is very cool, it does not yet support email-based feeds. This is a deal-breaker for me, so I usually recommend Bloglines.
  

Does having fewer projects make us more productive?

I was reading the classic article "Beware the Busy Manager" by Bruch and Ghoshal (Harvard Business Review, Feb 1, 2002 [1]), which shares some surprising results from research into what makes effective managers. I strongly recommend reading the entire article, but for this post I'll focus on an interesting tidbit I found about the number of projects successful managers had. In talking about the two key dimensions (focus and energy - there's a nice summary here) they found that:

Because they have a clear understanding of what they want to accomplish, they carefully weigh their options before selecting a course of action. Moreover, because they commit to only one or two key projects, they can devote their full attention to the projects they believe in.

It was this last point that surprised me. In the modern personal productivity work I teach, a project can run the gamut from a small two-step one ("install office shelving") to very large ones ("apply for the NSF grant"), with most clients having between 20 and 100 of them. Clearly not all of them are "key." But what's the "right" number to manage?

Here's another bit of information: In the article Slow Down, Brave Multitasker, and Don't Read This in Traffic, a recent study found that:

For the [executives studied], the optimum workload was four to six projects, taking two to five months each.

The point being that a relatively small number of key projects - with less multitasking [2] - was better.

Finally, in the Time/Design training I took (see Some thoughts from attending Time/Design's trainer certification), the focus for action is at a maximum of 60 days out, a horizon that seems natural to me. The thinking is that anything farther than that should go on your Someday/Maybe list.

Here's how I put it on a recent forum:

I'm coming to believe that having too many projects is itself overwhelming. [...] Implications for GTD? Well, first we have many more projects, due to the fine-granularity definition of "project." Also, we track all projects from work and life. Combined with the 60 day idea, this leads me to wonder if it would be reasonable to "cap" the list around 20 or 30? Just playing here!

Of course the number varies, depending on the person. For example, I tend to be on the lower end, as otherwise I become overwhelmed, but I know others whose tolerances for more activity are much higher. However, I suspect we might be more productive having fewer projects, with only a few key ("big") ones.

How about you? How many projects are you comfortable with, and how many are "key" ones? Do you adjust according to your energy or mood? How?


References

• [1] Available via subscription or pay-per-article at Amazon. The original is here.
  
• [2] In his book CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked, and About to Snap! Strategies for Handling Your Fast-Paced Life, ADD expert Dr. Edward Hallowell calls ineffective multitasking frazzing. He says most of us fraz, and it's a trap. However some people (esp. those with ADD) can do better work when provided with some extraneous sensory input (e.g., music).