this woman’s work

Thanks to Lifehacker, I’ve been messing with Quicksilver. See, way back when I first got started Julia told me that I should start creating systems BEFORE I got overwhelmed with work. For someone as hare-brained as I can be (and as prone to wander off because something shiny caught my eye) this has been pretty important. When it comes to software Quicksilver has been a big help (not because it helps me organize but because it makes it easier to find stuff.) Other productivity tools I use:

•  Google Desktop (for the mac, natch, but it worked with PCs first)
  • This handy application would freak my paranoid husband out completely because what it does is integrate your computer into your google searches. Just yours, mind you (as far as I know — maybe I could use more paranoia). In any case, I’ve got a lot of articles and things here on my computer but I often forget ‘em. Sometimes when I do a google search I’ll find out that I have that nifty quote right there hidden deep in a desktop folder. It also searches my gmail. I like it.
• IGTD
  • I’ll admit that I haven’t used this as much as I should. Basically it’s a project organizer. Since most of my jobs have been pretty manageable with my handy low-tech whiteboard I haven’t really delved into this. But I can see how useful it’d be if I had several major disconnected projects happening. I keep it around just in case.
• Scrivener
  • If you’re a writer on a Mac and haven’t discovered the joy that is Scrivener, get thee to the web site now! This piece of software lets you totally organize your book-length projects. Watch the movie and I think you’ll be convinced.
• Billable
  • I tried a couple of different invoicing systems and Billable is my favorite. It’s got a timer so I can keep track of projects or I can bill by the piece (the person you’re billing won’t see what system you’re using). It’s been useful to figure out how long projects actually take me so that I can get better at bidding on projects. Once I’ve logged my jobs, I can create an invoice in pdf format and send it directly to my client. I can easily see what I’ve yet to bill and what invoices are outstanding, too, which Brett — my accountant — finds useful.
• Check off
  • Again, to be perfectly honest, I don’t use this because my whiteboard works just fine but it’s another application I keep around just in case. Basically it’s a to-do list that nests nicely in your toolbar (you know, next to your IGTD, Google Desktop, Feedreader and Gmail icons) and you can add things and check ‘em off as needed. If you do most of your work in coffee shops or something it’d probably be pretty darn handy.

Because I adore productivity tools, let me know if you know of any handy Mac apps that I’m missing. You PC people, well, there’s just no hope for you but you’re welcome to leave stuff in the comments in the interest of others of your type!

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