Category Archives: productivity

Tim at Hawk Wings beat me to the punch as I was going to post about this. Recently, there was an excellent write up on the Yojimbo mailing list by user Robert Foxworthington on implementing a GTD system in Yojimbo using a combination of collections and tags. Great example of how, with a little outside the box thinking, you can implement a GTD system using almost any tool. The reason: It is not about the tool it is about having a system that you trust.

One of the main tenants of the GTD methodology is the idea of ubiquitous capture. That is, a way to always get that stuff you have floating around your noggin out of it and into a trusted system that will allow you to evaluate it later. For many, having a pen to write stuff down with at constant disposal is the easiest, quickest and most cost effective solution for this. Problem is, most pens are better designed for the shirt pocket than, say, any other pocket that you more regularly have available in this increasingly casual society.

That being said, here is a rundown of some stealthy pens that can fit in all manner of other places so that you are never without a way to jot down that next great idea (or just an addition to your honey-do list):

Lamy Pico – This is the one I own. The Pico is a really stylish and slick little pen that is the size of a really small cigar when closed and extends to a full size pen when open. I actually keep it in the bottom of my wallet with some half-size index cards thrown in to complete the kit. Although this combo is not my main capture device, this helps ensure that I am never without one.

The Inka Pen – Really small when closed and has a loop that attaches to your keychain. Once detached, it converts to a full size pen and even has a PDA stylus. This is one I would have gotten if I had not seen the Pico first.

Levenger Silvertini Wallet Pen – This small, elegant, sterling silver pen is designed to attach onto a wallet, checkbook or other small personal accessory. It is only three inches in length so it can fit almost anywhere and has a strong clip so it wont get lost. It does not expand to a full size pen so you will not be writing a novel with it but that is not the point.

Bookmark Pens (via David Seah) – I have yet to find these but they sure do look interesting. They are sold as flat pens that are designed to attach between the pages of a book. They kind of look like they would make a book the size of a Moleskine bulge a bit but it might . David has a good write-up if you follow the link.

FoldzFlat Pen – This is a pen that folds into a flat unit the size of a business card for easy carrying in the card slot of a wallet. Looks kind of goofy to me but there are no points for style in this list – only functionality.

Pilot G2 Mini – The Pilot G2 was my pen of choice for a long while and is a fantastic gel roller with unbelievable smoothness. The mini version is just a good but in a package small enough to carry in a front pocket with little notice of it being there. A good and cost effective solution.

Zebra F-301 Compact – This is another “convertible” pen. Only 4 inches when closed it converts to a regular size pen once opened. Another cost effective solution.

(Late stage addition)

Fisher Space Pen – How could I have forgotten the venerable Space Pen? This lovely little feat of space age design is certainly small enough to carry in the pocket of your choice and can write on almost anything. This is the pen of choice for many a GTDer. I have been properly scolded for this original omission in the comments.

My friend Tim Erlin, pointed me to this Fast Company article titled “A Head for Detail” about an experimental software project called MyLifeBits and how Microsoft Researcher Gordon Bell is using it to create a lifetime store of everything. Everything he sees and says, his phone calls, his e-mails, every document he writes or reads – everything one could conceive of is captured and stored in a searchable database designed for quick recall of every possible aspect of his life. Here is an out take:

“As we chatted about ious topics–Australian jazz musicians, his futuristic cell phone, the Seattle area’s gorgeous weather–Bell’s gear quietly logged my every gesture and all my blathering small talk, snapping a picture every 60 seconds. Back at his office, his computer had carefully archived every document related to me: all the email I’d sent him, copies of my articles he’d read, pages he’d surfed on my blog… He plunked down in front of his computer, pulled up a browser, typed in “Clive Fast Company,” and there they were: Hundreds of pictures of the meeting scrolled by on his screen, and the sound of our day-old conversation filled the room. It was a deeply strange feeling.”

Besides being a brilliantly written article, an engaging and fascinating read, it really highlights some of the groundbreaking findings that are coming out of Microsoft Research and it implications on productivity in the workplace.

For instance, the research on how multiple monitors increase productivity has provided backing to my personal crusade I have been leading at work to make sure that any IT staff member who wants an extra monitor receives one. I also hasten to remind the management types that the research actually shows that three monitors is the sweet spot (I am still working on winning that one). The point here is that searching around the Microsoft Research site can dig up some fascinating stuff that is just over the horizon including some stuff that you can use to your benefit today.

As a final note, there is a fun little side link to the article that tells you how you can start to create your very own MyLifeBits using off the shelf technology and software that is out today (including Mac Org-Fu cult favorite DEVONThink).