Being “productive” requires the right thought process. Your mental state is much more important that the tools you use for getting things done, though many productivity resources are overly focused on the toolbox (rather than how the tools are applied). This week we’ve got a few links on ways to think differently about “knowledge work”. Enjoy!
How to Make Mind Maps →
Our friends at Zapier put together this great introduction to mind mapping techniques. When starting a new project or trying to make sense of all the tasks you need to get done, visualizing everything in a mind map helps get it out of your head and into a better system for organizing your thoughts.
Maker vs. Manager: How to Schedule for Your Productivity Style →
Managing your time effectively requires a different approach to slicing up your day depending on your primary role. This post talks about the contrasting approaches you should use if you’re a “maker” or a “manager”, and how to handle a hybrid role.
Penmanship and Programming Education →
A thoughtful post from Tom MacWright on the connections between penmanship for the writer and typing for the programmer. Jumping into the process of “making computers do things” without an understanding of syntax and specificity causes frustration.
…jumping right into “programming” the thinking skill without discussing the writing skill is doing the craft a disservice.
As with teaching any language to a non-native speaker, programming education must consider the foundational components that experts take for granted.
Image: jakecaptive