Searching for blog post about 43Folders/Lifehacks

May 23, 2005 9:33 PM

I've been Googling fruitlessly for a good half-hour here, in search of a post I recall from a year or so ago, on the topic of Getting Things Done / 43Folders / LifeHacks

I'm pretty sure that it was on MeFi, Boingboing, or possibly Gaping Void (but I could be wrong) and it was sort of a personal recollection about the author's experience with "two kinds of people" in college, those who could cook up all sorts of great ideas, but lacked the focus to put them into practice, and those who were driven, but maybe didn't have as many fresh ideas. The creative types were more likely to get high, cram at the last minute and etc. and the main obstacle to their being able to focus was that it was just not interesting. So the author of this post suggested that by looking at organizational methods and so on as another opportunity to create and apply new ideas, these types of people could, in effect, outwit their own lack of focus. Obviously the texts referenced were 43Folders, Getting Things Done, and the like, but if possible, I'd really like to find this personal reflection type post that I've described here!

posted by idontlikewords to grab bag (5 comments total)

Sounds like a lot of things put together, but there does seem to be some elements of Joel Spolsky's "Smart and/or Gets Things Done" approach to hiring.

He does not, however, mention a thing about improving a lack of focus. I've just thrown this out in case it helps someone's memory--I know it's not what you were looking for.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 10:57 PM on May 23, 2005

I'd be interested in this too. I have the attention span of a gnat for anything that doesn't interest me or need to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND, and it's really holding me back... but I can't seem to overcome it. It's not ADD as far as any psychological professional I've seen is concerned; it's simply a lack of discipline and focus. I've taken to hiring people to do all the worl for me... :-P
posted by SpecialK at 11:38 PM on May 23, 2005

Well, as for actually improving focus and all that, I think the sites themselves that I mentioned are a great place to start. Perhaps if I had been more on top of things when I read the post that I'm looking for now, I'd have it in my del.icio.us bookmarks or something =)
posted by idontlikewords at 6:35 AM on May 24, 2005

GTD-type people seem to use del.icio.us a lot so you could try checking there under GTD tags.

Merlinmann reads MeFi so maybe if he sees himself referenced in your post tags he'll pop on over here.
posted by matildaben at 9:54 AM on May 24, 2005

I think GTD might be the keyword for what you're looking for.
posted by tresbizzare at 9:05 PM on May 25, 2005