FCB #025: Productivity & Life Operating Systems

Introduction

As a very busy small business owner, and now online content creator, I've always been interested in time management, project/task management, and productivity in general.

My own productivity journey started out with Day-Timer and Franklin Planner paper-based systems in the 1980s. With the advent of the Internet, the worldwide web, and smartphones, my productivity systems morphed from paper-based to software solutions, both desktop and web-based.

With the exponential rise in information we all need to manage due to the internet, the idea of a broader personal knowledge management (PKM) system or "life operating system" -- to help me try and balance all this informaton and the areas of my life -- has become more and more appealing to me.

In this article, I'd like to share my journey in this regards and some PKM and life management systems and software which have made a big difference in the success of my business and personal life.

• Getting Things Done (GTD) by David Allen
• Notion All-In-One Workspace Software
• Pillars, Pipelines & Vaults (PPV) by August Bradley
• Building a Second Brain (BASB) by Tiago Forte
• Projects, Areas, Resources & Archives (PARA) by Tiago Forte
• The Ultimate Brain (UB) by Thomas J. Frank

Getting Things Done (GTD)

Getting Things Done (GTD) is a time management and productivity methodology developed by David Allen, outlined in his book titled "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity."

GTD is a comprehensive approach to personal and professional productivity that aims to help individuals better organize their tasks, commitments, and information, leading to reduced stress and increased productivity.

The core principles of GTD are as follows:

1. Capture: The first step is to capture all tasks, ideas, commitments, and information into an external system. This could be a physical inbox, a digital note-taking app, or any tool that allows you to record information quickly.
2. Clarify: Once everything is captured, you need to clarify what each item means and what action, if any, is required. Items are categorized into actionable items (which require action), reference materials (which are for future reference), or items to be delegated.
3. Organize: Organize actionable items into lists based on context or priority. For example, you might have lists for work tasks, home tasks, phone calls, errands, and so on. The goal is to have a clear list of tasks for any given context.
4. Reflect: Regularly review and update your lists. GTD emphasizes the importance of regular reviews to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks and that your task lists are up to date.
5. Engage: Finally, you engage with your tasks based on the context and your priorities. You work on the tasks that are relevant to your current situation, whether you're at work, at home, or on the go.

One of the key principles of GTD is the idea that your mind should be used for creative thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making, rather than for storing and remembering tasks and information.

By externalizing all your commitments and organizing them systematically, you free up mental bandwidth and reduce the mental clutter that can lead to stress and inefficiency.

GTD has a wide following and has been adapted into various software tools and systems to help individuals implement the methodology effectively.

It's a popular approach for improving personal and professional productivity and has had a significant impact on time management practices.

Notion Workspace Software

Notion is an all-in-one productivity and collaboration software tool that provides a flexible and customizable workspace for individuals and teams.

Notion offers a wide range of features that allow users to create, organize, and collaborate on various types of content, such as notes, documents, databases, wikis, calendars, and more.

Notion is known for its versatility and adaptability, making it suitable for a variety of use cases, including project management, knowledge management, note-taking, task tracking, and more.

Some key features of Notion include:

1. Blocks: Notion is built around a modular block-based system that allows users to add different types of content blocks (e.g., text, images, checkboxes, databases) within pages, providing flexibility in structuring information.
2. Databases: Users can create custom databases within Notion, complete with filtering, sorting, and relational capabilities. This makes it a powerful tool for managing structured data.
3. Templates: Notion offers a wide range of templates that users can use as a starting point for various tasks and projects, from simple to-do lists to complex project management setups.
4. Collaboration: Notion supports real-time collaboration, making it easy for teams to work together on documents, databases, and projects.
5. Integration: Notion integrates with other popular tools and services, including Google Drive, Trello, Slack, and more.
6. Cross-Platform: Notion is available on the web, as desktop applications for Windows and macOS, and as mobile apps for iOS and Android, ensuring that users can access their content from anywhere.
7. Customization: Users can personalize their Notion workspace with custom themes, icons, and layouts.

Notion's versatility has made it popular among individuals and teams for a wide range of applications, from personal note-taking and task management to complex project collaboration and knowledge management.

It has gained a dedicated user base due to its flexibility and adaptability to different workflows and needs.

Pillars, Pipelines & Vaults (PPV)

"Pillars, Pipelines & Vaults" (PPV) is a framework popularized by August Bradley as part of his approach to personal productivity and life management, often referred to as the "Life Optimization System" (Life OS).

This framework is designed to help individuals organize and manage their lives effectively by breaking it down into key components:

1. Pillars: Pillars represent the major areas or domains of your life that are important to you. These could include your career, health and fitness, relationships, personal development, finances, and more. Each pillar represents a core aspect of your life that you want to prioritize and manage.
2. Pipelines: Pipelines are the systems and processes you establish to manage the flow of information, tasks, and activities within each pillar. They are the workflows and routines you use to handle the various responsibilities associated with each area of your life. For example, you might have different pipelines for managing work-related tasks, personal health and fitness goals, or financial planning.
3. Vaults: Vaults are the storage systems or repositories where you store and organize information, reference materials, and knowledge related to each pillar. Vaults serve as centralized places to collect and access relevant information and resources. These could include digital note-taking apps, document repositories, or knowledge databases.

The PPV framework, as popularized by August Bradley, encourages individuals to take a systematic and structured approach to managing their lives.

By identifying and defining their pillars, establishing efficient pipelines, and maintaining organized vaults, individuals can gain better control over their personal and professional responsibilities and make more informed decisions.

August Bradley's Life OS and the PPV framework have gained popularity as a comprehensive approach to productivity and life management, and they have resonated with individuals seeking to optimize their personal and professional lives.

August has developed his own Notion Life Design Course for individuals and Notion for Teams Course using Notion software and his Pillars, Pipelines & Vaults (PPV) Life Optimization System.

Building a Second Brain (BASB)

"Building a Second Brain" (BASB) is a framework and methodology developed by Tiago Forte for personal knowledge management and creativity enhancement.

Tiago Forte is a productivity expert and educator who focuses on helping individuals improve their information organization, knowledge retention, and creative thinking processes.

BASB is designed to help individuals systematically capture, organize, and leverage their ideas, information, and knowledge.

The core principles of Building a Second Brain include:

1. Capture: BASB encourages the regular and systematic capture of information, ideas, and insights from various sources, such as books, articles, conversations, and personal experiences. This often involves using digital tools like note-taking apps, document repositories, and other knowledge management systems to store this information.
2. Organize: Once information is captured, BASB emphasizes organizing it effectively. This may involve creating structured digital notebooks, databases, and tagging systems to categorize and link related information for easy retrieval and reference.
3. Distill: BASB encourages the process of distilling and summarizing captured information. This helps individuals extract the most valuable insights and knowledge from their notes and documents. Summarization can include creating outlines, summaries, and key takeaways.
4. Express: Expressing ideas and knowledge is a crucial aspect of BASB. It encourages individuals to turn their insights and information into various forms of content, such as articles, blog posts, presentations, or videos. This not only helps reinforce learning but also makes the knowledge more accessible to others.
5. Synthesize: BASB promotes the synthesis of information from different sources to generate new ideas and insights. By connecting seemingly unrelated pieces of knowledge, individuals can foster creativity and innovation.
6. Share: Sharing knowledge and insights with others is another important component of BASB. This can include sharing content publicly or collaborating with colleagues and peers to exchange ideas and feedback.

The goal of Building a Second Brain is to create a digital "second brain" that acts as an external repository for your knowledge and ideas.

This system allows you to offload cognitive burdens, make better use of your mental resources, and become more organized, creative, and productive.

Tiago Forte offers courses and resources to help individuals implement the BASB methodology effectively, and it has gained a dedicated following among knowledge workers, educators, and creatives who seek to improve their personal knowledge management and creative thinking processes.

You can learn more about BASB in Tiago's 2022 book titled "Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential."

Projects, Areas, Resources & Archives (PARA)

PARA is a framework for personal knowledge management and organization popularized by Tiago Forte, a productivity expert and educator.

The acronym PARA stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives.

This framework is designed to help individuals effectively manage their digital information and knowledge by categorizing it into these four distinct categories:

1. Projects: Projects are the active and time-bound tasks or initiatives that you are currently working on. They typically have specific goals, deadlines, and outcomes. In the PARA framework, you organize information related to your ongoing projects separately to keep your focus and attention on your current priorities.
2. Areas: Areas represent the broader domains or aspects of your life that require ongoing attention and management. These can be long-term commitments or ongoing responsibilities that don't have a fixed endpoint. Areas help you categorize information related to various aspects of your life, such as work, personal development, health, and relationships.
3. Resources: Resources are reference materials, documents, and information that you want to keep for future reference or research. They may not be directly tied to a specific project or area but are valuable for your personal or professional growth. Resources can include articles, notes, manuals, and other documents that you want to access easily when needed.
4. Archives: Archives are the repository for information and materials that are no longer active but are worth keeping for historical or reference purposes. This category allows you to maintain an organized archive of completed projects, finished tasks, or old reference materials without cluttering your active workspaces.

The PARA framework encourages individuals to separate their digital information and knowledge into these four categories, making it easier to find and manage information efficiently.

By maintaining a clear distinction between what's active (Projects and Areas) and what's for reference (Resources and Archives), individuals can reduce cognitive load and improve their ability to focus on current tasks and responsibilities.

It's worth noting that while PARA was popularized by Tiago Forte, it is just one of many approaches to personal knowledge management and organization. Many people have found value in adopting PARA or adapting it to their specific needs and workflows.

You can learn more about PARA in Tiago's 2023 book titled "The PARA Method: Simplify, Organize, and Master Your Digital Life."

The Ultimate Brain (UB)

Thomas J. Frank is a productivity and education YouTuber known for his channel "College Info Geek," where he provides advice and tips on topics related to college, productivity, and self-improvement.

He has covered various productivity techniques and study strategies in his videos and articles.

If you would like to use Notion as your Second Brain, Thomas has developed a comprehensive and brilliant Notion template called the "Ultimate Brain" (UB), which brings all of your tasks, projects, notes, and goals seamlessly together in Notion -- creating a truly all-in-one second brain.

As a side note, last year, selling his two Notion templates (Ultimate Brain and Creator's Companion), Thomas generated $1 million in revenue.

Calvin's Productivity System

Up until recently, I have used a Legend Planner Pro Weekly paper-based planner and TickTick software via the Web, my Windows PC, and my Apple devices to manage my vision, mission, dreams, goals, projects, tasks, and notes.

I had tried previously to implement August Bradley's PPV system via Notion but personally found it way too complicated and cumbersome to learn and implement. It's a truly great and comprehensive system. It just didn't work for me.

Recently, after learning about Tiago Forte's books ("Building a Second Brain" and "The PARA Method"), I begin searching for and trialing Second Brain templates on Notion that I could use to build my own Second Brain.

After purchasing and trialing three of what I felt were the best Second Brain templates available on Notion, I have decided to stick with Thomas J. Frank's "Ultimate Brain + Creator's Companion Bundle." It's perfect for a solopreneur content creator like me.

Conclusion

My own productivity journey started out with Day-Timer and Franklin Planner paper-based systems in the 1980s.

With the advent of the Internet, the worldwide web, and smartphones, my systems morphed from paper-based to software solutions, both desktop and web-based.

I have studied and used several different personal knowledge management (PKM) and project/task management systems including GTD, PPV, and most recently BASB and PARA.

My current system uses Thomas J. Frank's Ultimate Brain + Creator's Companion Bundle on my Windows PC and Apple devices and elements from GTD, PPV, and PARA methodologies.