Often I have people ask me, "Shawn, what tools do you use to do what you do?" I’ve been asked enough that, starting now, I’m going to publish a quarterly article that highlights the tools that make up my toolbox.

Of course, we’re talking a virtual toolbox but, again, I need them to do what I do. So, let’s go!

• Gmail - I live and die by my Gmail. While I especially love the threaded conversation view, it’s really the search function that makes it for me. I keep every email I get and with the handy search function, I can find just about anything I’ve ever sent or received. Being able to send and receive 20 megabyte attachments isn’t bad either.
• Todoist - My todo list. Friends, family and coworkers probably get sick of hearing me say, "I’ll add that to my todo," but it’s true; it’s what I do. The brain is meant for doing, not remembering (thanks David Allen!) so I try to record everything I need to do at Todoist and let my brain turn its gears to get things done.
• Launchy – I’ve already gushed about Launchy. Read about it here. Then, do yourself a favor and go get it. The less you have to take your hands off your keyboard, the more work you can get done.
• Evernote - My note taking application. Its constantly getting new features added and syncs up automatically to the web so I can get my notes anywhere from any computer.
• Firefox - My web browser of choice. It’s far more secure than Internet Explorer and with handy add-ons such as Read It Later and Screengrab, you just can’t go wrong.
• I Want Sandy - Makes setting reminders a snap. With easy to learn and easy to use commands, Sandy integrates with your life just like a real personal assistant.
• Google Reader - Used to keep up with my RSS feeds. I read. A lot. And Google Reader helps me keep my articles organized and at my fingertips.
• iTunes - To get my brain into that creative groove I need music. I keep and organize my music with iTunes. Don’t leave home without it (read: get an iPod).

There you go. A brief glimpse into how I keep things organized and get things done. I’d love to hear about the tools you use to do what you do, so hit up the comments and give us a shout.

Los made a great post talking about the toolbox and tools he uses to get things done as Service Programmer at Buckhead Church.

My full time job is Customer Care Manager of an ISP in the midwest but my love and passion in relation to technology is web design (which I don’t get to do enough of) and some graphic design. I also serve as Gathering Coordinator for eXchange (a volunteer position) and I believe I’m the unofficial tech consultant for about 100 friends.

I say, let’s make this thing viral so get on the bandwagon and tell me what your tools and toolbox looks like.

For now, though, here’s mine. Thanks to VirtualErn for the image.

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Whether your PC is five days old or five years old, one thing’s for certain. Your computer needs to stay protected from viruses, spyware and itself.

Itself? Yes, itself. Computers are like messy little kids. Once they’re done using the files they need, they drop everything and move on. No putting things back where they go. Just like that annoying nephew of yours.

This article will give you the lowdown on four free programs that will help keep your old or new PC running the way it should: fast and clean.

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What do I hope to accomplish with my blog in 2008?

• Post more consistently - Up until now I’ve blogged when I’ve had time and even then it’s been a sort of "write then publish" mindset. I’m going to use 2008 to get more intentional with my blogging and use some tried and true techniques to (hopefully) improve my posts. Will I post every day? Unlikely. Ideally, though, when I do post, it’ll be richer content.
• Less trash, more treasure - I’m going to funnel what used to be my quick posts to my tumblog and use shawnw.org for more substantial posts. I’ve had a tumblog for some time now but never really used it. You’ll notice I now have a list of my recent tumblog posts in my sidebar along with a Fun Stuff button, which links to my tumblog, near the top of my blog.
• Get 100 RSS subscribers by this time next year - I experimented with posting something at least once a day for a month and my RSS subscriber count didn’t really rise (it’s hovered around 40 since late summer). Then again, I was simply posting links to funny pictures, videos, and the like. My focus in 2008 will be to publish more tech howto articles making my blog more valuable and RSS subscriber-worthy.

This post was inspired by Daily Blog Tip’s Group Writing Project. To all those who made it here via DBT, good luck to you in 2008!

Thanks to DBT for the image above.

I’m hesitant to call these tricks as they’re solid methods for effectively managing your time. As you may have guessed, this article is for those who are time deficient, not for those with plenty of time on their hands. Check out the beginning of point one below:

Tame the e-mail beast. For a long time, I managed e-mail haphazardly, with days when I felt on top of it, and days when it became my to do list. But that’s no way to have a relationship with e-mail. You never hear anyone say they spent the whole day taking care of voice mail, and e-mail shouldn’t control you in that way either. So finally, I adopted a system.

You can read Marci’s entire article here. I like where she’s headed with this and can wholeheartedly recommend David Allen’s Getting Things Done.

What tips or tricks do you use to manage your time effectively?

Thanks to Mike9Alive for the image.