Practical writing, videos, lessons, and shipped work from Daniel R. Odio, selected for Optimize Meetings.
6 items
You've tried Google Docs for meeting notes but it always feels clunky and you end up being the only one typing. This reveals why Hackpad's lightweight approach gets everyone actually contributing—and shows you the inline commenting trick that keeps discussions from derailing your notes.
You think you're fast on a computer until you take the GeekSpeed challenge and realize you're burning time on screenshots, app-switching, and email. This post reveals the specific utilities (CloudApp, Alfred, TextExpander) that fix the friction points where you're currently getting stuck.
You think cc'ing a bunch of people gets attention, but you're one 'reply all' disaster away from looking like an amateur. This post shows you exactly what goes wrong and how to avoid the mess you've probably already created once or twice.
You've tried every productivity hack but still miss urgent requests buried in noise. This [1][2][3] tagging system gives you a dead-simple triage filter that works in any tool—no app required—so you stop dropping balls when things get chaotic.
You've dismissed IM as a distraction, but you're missing how it lets you coordinate in real-time during calls, get quick answers without breaking flow, and keep a written record that saves you from disputes. This breaks down why separating work and personal IM accounts turns it from liability into your most powerful productivity tool.
You've probably let great ideas die in Slack threads because no one owned them or set a deadline. GE's forcing function—assign an owner and a date in the room, or kill the idea immediately—stops that leak and keeps you from drowning in half-started projects.
You've tried Google Docs for meeting notes but it always feels clunky and you end up being the only one typing. This reveals why Hackpad's lightweight approach gets everyone actually contributing—and shows you the inline commenting trick that keeps discussions from derailing your notes.
You think you're fast on a computer until you take the GeekSpeed challenge and realize you're burning time on screenshots, app-switching, and email. This post reveals the specific utilities (CloudApp, Alfred, TextExpander) that fix the friction points where you're currently getting stuck.
You think cc'ing a bunch of people gets attention, but you're one 'reply all' disaster away from looking like an amateur. This post shows you exactly what goes wrong and how to avoid the mess you've probably already created once or twice.
You've tried every productivity hack but still miss urgent requests buried in noise. This [1][2][3] tagging system gives you a dead-simple triage filter that works in any tool—no app required—so you stop dropping balls when things get chaotic.
You've dismissed IM as a distraction, but you're missing how it lets you coordinate in real-time during calls, get quick answers without breaking flow, and keep a written record that saves you from disputes. This breaks down why separating work and personal IM accounts turns it from liability into your most powerful productivity tool.
You've probably let great ideas die in Slack threads because no one owned them or set a deadline. GE's forcing function—assign an owner and a date in the room, or kill the idea immediately—stops that leak and keeps you from drowning in half-started projects.