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By Shawn Powers in productivity —

Let Me Pencil You In

...how's the second Tuesday of next week?

If there were a demand for planners, journals, and other productivity tools with only the first 3 pages used – I'd be able to retire today. I know it's not unique to quit "resolutions" shortly after starting, but my ability to fail is legendary. No matter what books I read, TED Talks I watch, or inspiration I might garner from a productivity guru, I lose interest shortly after getting into the groove.

whiteboard with sticky notes all over, some done, some not done
Will it last? No. But that's OK.

I'm currently using a "production calendar" that breaks up my various extra-curricular things (blogs, newsletters, videos) over the week. Every night, I use my Supernote tablet to make notes on what I accomplished, and then prepare for the next day's list of tasks. Dumping the next day's activities into my notebook sorta cleans out my brain a bit so I can worry less about forgetting something important, and more about getting rest. It... helps a little. I think.

The next morning, I grab my Supernote, and take it up to my office. I create Post-It notes of various colors, and stick up the things I need to get done that day, along with any that didn't get done the day before. As I complete the tasks, I move them over to the done side. Somehow seeing all the things I've accomplished during the week is inspiring, especially on days I don't get as much done as I'd like.

I'm sure I'll grow tired of this colorful, exciting way to keep track of my day. I've decided not to get upset when it happens though. Whether due to ADHD, or just some weird personality quirk – once I get bored with a thing, I tend to set it aside. That doesn't mean it's a failed thing, it just means I've squeezed as much juice out of it as I can. Along the way I pick up a few things that stick, and I'm just going to embrace the quirkiness!

Hey! I Moved My Newsletter!!!

If things went according to plan, you should have received this issue of my newsletter just like the ones before. But you might notice it's no longer coming from a SubStack-based URL. There's nothing wrong with SubStack, I just wanted to host the newsletter myself, and using this platform (Ghost), I can tie in to other programs easier than with SubStack.

If you are offended by the lack of substack-iness, I won't be offended if you unsubscribe. But unless you exclusively read my newsletter from the SubStack app, there should be little difference. I hope. Let me know if something is wonky! (More wonky than normal, anyway...)

Are You Feeling Secure?

While the entire course isn't complete, this week did finish off the second section of our ongoing (FREE) Linux+ training course. Section 2 is the security section, and some of the more challenging topics to teach and learn. The security section includes a bunch of topics:

shawn holding Linux+ logo
Soon the course will be complete! But the security section was a huge milestone.

It's Been a Crazy Week. Let's Watch Some TV.

I don't have any great productivity tips this week, because it's been, well, quite a week. Plus there's a frost warning for overnight here in northern Michigan, and that means it's time to come inside and start appreciating the indoors. :)

The ongoing writer's strike means there's not a lot of new television content, but if your year has been anything like mine, I have a backlog of things just waiting to turn my brain to jelly while I sit under a blanket and stare into the box of moving lights. Some of the shows I'm looking forward to watching this fall are:

Or Books?

My wife works at an Indie bookstore, so we also tend to read (or listen to audiobooks) quite a bit. I read quite a bit during the summer:

What books or television shows are you excited about? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

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