Tech Productivity Issue #33 (Long Holidays vs. Short Holidays)

Issue #33 (Long Holidays vs. Short Holidays) 09/30/19

If you're ever stuck on a software bug, you might want to incorporate something called rubber duck debugging, a term I just came across recently. The idea was popularized in the classic tech book The Pragmatic Programmer.

The idea is that you carry around a rubber duck (or any inanimate object, really) and when you run into a programming bug, you explain the bug to the duck, line by line, in detail. I'm a believer that teaching something to someone else makes the teacher better at the subject. So I can see why this technique has worked for many.

Just something to keep in mind if you find yourself frustrated with wasted time spent trying to solve a programming problem.

Now on to this week's hand-picked productivity links!

Tools & Apps

Streak - Better productivity for remote teams. Submit tasks and build a "streak" (i.e. completing at least one task per day).

Apse - Window, Mac, and Linux app. A personal search engine. It captures text from your screen and shows you relevant results based on what was recorded.

WeCheck - Create free and simple collaborative checklists. Easy to share. No signup required.

JotForm Mobile Forms - The popular HTML form creation tool now has a mobile app with offline capabilities and kiosk mode.

Stack - Mac and Windows app. Offers a unique split screen view for multitasking and the ability to categorize and stack your apps while managing notifications.

Articles & Resources

This Strategy Makes It Impossible To Procrastinate - This is more about forming good habits, rather than procrastination, but the main suggestion is good.

Why Some People Become Lifelong Readers - Encourages parents to teach their children the importance of reading from a young age.

The brain may actively forget during dream sleep - NIH-funded study suggests REM sleep may prevent information overload.

Don’t listen to those productivity gurus: why waking up at 6am won’t make you successful - A counterargument to some other opinions that have been making the rounds. As a night owl, this is good news for me.

Should we take a few long holidays, or lots of short ones? - Makes the case for short, intensely enjoyable breaks rather than long ones.

Suggestions?

Have a suggestion for a productivity-related tool, article, or other resource? Send me a direct message via X (@LouisLazaris) and I’ll consider including it in a future issue.

Stay productive!

Louis
techproductivity.co
@LouisLazaris

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