Posts Tagged → productivity

Drafts Just Got a Lot Smarter (Sponsor)

This post is sponsored by Drafts. Sponsorship doesn’t influence what I write. Here’s my take.

I’ve been a Drafts user since its release. It’s the first place text goes on every device I own. Grocery lists, blog post ideas, meeting notes, quick reminders. Anything that starts as words starts in Drafts.

What makes it work is speed. You open the app and start typing. No picking a folder. No choosing a notebook. Just a blinking cursor ready to go. You sort it out later, and Drafts gives you the tools to send that text wherever it needs to end up.

Version 50 Is a Big Deal

Greg Pierce just shipped Drafts v50, and this one matters for anyone who cares about automation.

The Shortcuts support got a complete overhaul. There are now over 50 Shortcuts actions.

You can query drafts by date ranges and location, access version histories, control the interface, and run granular commands for appending, prepending, and editing drafts. The kind of stuff that used to take workarounds now just works.

On the Mac side, the AppleScript integration got a serious expansion. You can query your entire draft library, update drafts, run actions, and work with workspaces. If you’ve ever wanted to build Mac workflows that pull from or push to your Drafts library, this is the update you’ve been waiting for.

The MCP Server for Claude

This is the one that caught my attention. Greg built an MCP server that connects Drafts directly to Claude. If you use Claude Desktop or Claude Code on your Mac, you can now talk to your Drafts library through the AI.

That means you can ask Claude things like “summarize the drafts I created this week” or “find all my drafts tagged with project-x.” You can create new drafts, run actions, and manage your library through natural conversation. It connects through AppleScript locally on your Mac, so your data stays on your machine.

I set this up and it took about two minutes. You can install it right from Claude Desktop’s Extensions settings. Search for “drafts” and it’s there. For anyone already using both Drafts and Claude, this is worth trying immediately.

There are plenty of note apps. What keeps me in Drafts is the philosophy behind it. Text first. Decide later. The capture friction is zero, and the automation layer lets you build exactly the workflows you need.

With v50, that automation layer got considerably deeper. Whether you’re building Shortcuts on your iPhone, writing AppleScript on your Mac, or connecting to AI through MCP, Drafts meets you where you work.

Check out Drafts if you haven’t already. And if you’re already a user, make sure you’re running v50.

Announcing the 2026 Productivity Field Guide

Hooray! The 2026 Productivity Field Guide lives.

This is the course that teaches you to stop optimizing and start becoming.

Most productivity advice is about doing more, faster. This course is about identifying who you want to become in every role you play and building systems to get there.

The ancient Greeks called it Arete: the pursuit of excellence in your own character. The kind of thing that makes you want to leap out of bed and put a dent in the universe.

What’s inside:

  • 80+ video lessons (8+ hours of focused instruction)
  • A 140+ page book (ePub and PDF)
  • The complete system: roles, Arete, reviews, hyper-scheduling, shutdown rituals

New for 2026:

  • Shadow Roles & The Inner Vader
  • The Arete Radar (and the meditative gap)
  • Physical Anchors
  • Solving for Meaningfulness
  • The Blank Page Ritual
  • The Overhead Tax

Two Editions:

Essentials Edition — All videos and the book
Pro Edition — Adds the eight-session Workshop Series with live implementation, Q&A, and companion guides. Plus invitations to live quarterly planning sessions throughout 2026.
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Both editions are 10% off through January 26th with code PFG26LAUNCH.

Get the Pro Edition

Get the Essentials Edition


​This system works. I’ve been teaching it for two years and I’ve seen the results on myself and others. However, if you’re looking for a quick hack, this isn’t for you.

If you’re looking for something that fundamentally changes how you approach your life and work, this is it.

P.S. The Pro Edition Workshop Series is brand new for 2026. Eight structured sessions walking through the entire system:
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Also, in 2026 we’ll be doing quarterly planning sessions with the Pro Edition to help keep you on track.

All sessions recorded and added to your course library.

Solving for Meaningfulness

In productivity, we worship efficiency. The fastest way to clear an inbox. The most automated way to track a project. The most frictionless method to organize our lives.

I’m going to suggest something different.

When it comes to your goals and plans, efficiency is the enemy.

I learned this the hard way last year. Trying to be hyper-efficient, I dictated my quarterly review and used AI to organize the text into a structured plan. The resulting document was thorough and efficiently produced.

It failed completely.

A picture of David's hand written Q1 Plan
My Q1 plan was hand written for a reason.

By skipping the struggle of manually organizing my thoughts, I hadn’t actually internalized the goals. The plan remained a digital file rather than a core part of my squishy human brain. The process of birthing the ideas is what makes them sink into your core.

I learned, again, that you cannot optimize the pursuit of virtue and your character.

Much of the tech industry has monetized us as advertising units, designing tools that prioritize engagement and speed over our personal flourishing. Choosing to go intentionally slow is an act of rebellion. It’s the refusal to live your life randomly.

The world will try to bury you with petty nonsense. Everyone has good intentions when they ask for just one more little thing. But every “yes” to the unimportant is a “no” to what actually matters.

Solving for meaningfulness means giving yourself permission to ignore the siren song of doing more. It means taking an hour in the morning to read and reflect, or taking two days for a personal retreat, even when your inbox is screaming.

These aren’t inefficient uses of time. They’re the highest and best use of your life because they ensure you’re actually heading toward a destination that matters.

As we enter a new year, resist the temptation to optimize everything.

Some things deserve to be slow. That’s where the meaning lives.

The Shop Time Experiment

For several years now, I’ve been getting back into woodworking. It’s a hobby I love, but through 2024, I kept running into the same problem: I never felt like I was getting enough time in the shop to actually make things.

During my regular reviews, I’d look at my role as a creative person and feel disappointed. I was talking about woodworking more than I was doing it. By the end of 2024, the gap between intention and action had grown so wide that I genuinely questioned whether I could still call myself a craftsman.

Looking back, I think my mistake was planning for specific projects instead of just getting time in the shop. I’d have a project in mind, but life would get in the way, the project would slip, and weeks would pass without me touching a tool.

Heading into 2025, I tried something different. Rather than plan specific projects, I committed to spending an hour in the shop every day. It didn’t matter what I did out there. Pushing a broom counted. Organizing a tool drawer counted. Actually building something counted. The only rule was one hour a day, away from work, being creative with my hands.

This experiment worked brilliantly.

Now I regularly spend time in the shop, and I look forward to it. Every day, one of my 24 hours goes to working with my hands. I find it personally satisfying, and it makes my other work better too. There’s something about stepping away from screens and into sawdust that resets my brain.

My Studio Book Shelf – One of the projects I started (and completed in 2025)

The experiment worked so well that I’ve expanded it. I now spend an hour a day on fitness, health, and exercise. Another hour goes to reading books and reflecting on what I read. That last one has let me dive back into the classics I enjoyed in college.

As we head toward the end of the year, I consider this one of the most successful experiments of 2025. It’s been a real improvement in my quality of life.

If you’re heading into a new year with something that’s got you stuck, maybe consider committing time to it rather than specific plans. Stop thinking about the project and start thinking about the practice. See how it works out for you.

On Teachers and the 2025 Productivity Academy

When I was a boy and first showed up for school, I was tested and found to be entirely … adequate. I wasn’t particularly sharp, but I was earnest. As such, I didn’t find myself in the “smart” classes with the “smart” kids.

And yet…

In those ordinary classes with the rest of the ordinary kids, I bumped into some of the most extraordinary teachers. To name just a few: Ms. Carol, Ms. Sartor, Ms. Puckett, Mr. Mercer, and Professor Peterson.

Each of those teachers saw things in me that I did not see in myself. In turn, each of them gently yet firmly put their hands on the tiller of my life, making the most subtle course corrections that, so early in my life, entirely changed me and the course of my life.

I don’t have the skill or subtlety of those magical people.

And yet…

I would still like to help. I owe it to my teachers.

So I’m announcing the second year of Productivity Academy Summer Sessions.

A Unique Opportunity for Students

Earlier this year, I released the 2025 Productivity Field Guide, which helped many find focus in a distracted world. This summer, I’m excited to announce the 2025 Productivity Academy. This exclusive program offers the Productivity Field Guide and a four-part webinar series over the summer for select high school and college students.

Why Should You Join?

In today’s hyper-connected world, staying focused has become a superpower. Distractions are everywhere, competition is fierce, and the ability to concentrate on what truly matters will set you apart in both academics and life.

But focus isn’t just about staying on task—it’s about understanding what’s important to you and what you want to achieve. This course will help you discover your “why” and give you the practical tools to build a focused, purpose-driven life.

What You’ll Get

  • The Productivity Field Guide – Learn practical strategies that actually work
  • Comprehensive PDF Book – Dive deep into the concepts with a complete guide
  • Actionable Worksheets – Apply what you learn with hands-on exercises
  • Month-Long Webinar Series – Participate in interactive sessions to reinforce your learning

What’s the Cost?

The course is free. However, I want something more valuable than money: your commitment. You must be willing to work through the material, complete the exercises, and attend the webinars. This isn’t for casual observers—only dedicated students should apply.

Why I’m Doing This

When I was your age, I struggled to find my focus. It took me decades to figure out my “why,” and once I did, my life transformed. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did. You can achieve that clarity much sooner, and I want to help you get there.

How to Apply

If you’re ready to take this step, send an email including:

  1. Who you are – Tell me about yourself
  2. Your goals – What do you want to achieve?
  3. Why you’re interested – What draws you to this program?

Applications are due by June 11. Recipients will be notified shortly after, and the webinar series will start later in June.

The Seven-Year Rule

Years ago, I encountered a fascinating concept in a book by the Dalai Lama: every seven years, human beings transform into entirely new versions of themselves. This idea stems from the biological principle that our bodies replace virtually all their cells over a seven-year cycle. The person you are today doesn’t share a single cell with the version of you from seven years ago. (This is, of course, a generalization as some cells regenerate much faster and others a little slower.)

There’s something profoundly liberating about this constant state of transformation. We often become fixated on our past: mistakes we’ve made, opportunities we’ve missed, harms inflicted upon us (and by us), or wounds we’ve suffered. But what if we truly internalized that the person who experienced those things no longer exists in a physical sense?

I recently spoke with a friend who was still dwelling on something that happened thirty years ago. “Why do you care?” I asked him. “That was four versions of you ago. That person doesn’t exist anymore. Move on.”

This perspective applies equally to our future selves. The version of you that will exist seven years from now hasn’t formed yet. So why not focus your energy and attention on the present moment?

As you read these words, you are uniquely yourself, different from who you were a moment ago and who you’ll become in the next. By embracing this present version of yourself, you release yourself from the bonds of history while simultaneously doing the greatest possible favor to your future self.

We exist in a perpetual state of transformation: cellular, psychological, and spiritual. When we recognize and honor this constant evolution, we free ourselves to live more fully in the eternal now. Adopt the Seven-Year Rule. You’ll be doing yourself a favor.

A Gentle Approach to Block Scheduling

In a few weeks, I’ll release the new 2025 edition of the Productivity Field Guide, where I blend ancient wisdom for life’s big questions with modern techniques for tactical execution. One key topic we explore is block scheduling, and something important I’ve learned from my students is that traditional block scheduling isn’t for everyone.

That’s perfectly fine. What I’ve discovered is that there’s a gentler approach that can work for almost anyone. Instead of overhauling your entire calendar, start with just one nagging task. You know, the substantial one that keeps slipping off your to-do list.

The approach is simple: Open your calendar app of choice and find a significant block of free time, perhaps next Tuesday afternoon. Make an appointment with yourself – not a quick 30-minute slot, but a substantial three or four hours where you can dive deep and make real progress. Label it clearly, and if you share calendars, mark yourself as unavailable. This time is sacred.

This simple practice works magic in two ways. First, you’ve transformed that vague, anxiety-inducing task into a concrete commitment with a specific time and date. You can release it from your mental burden until then. Second, you’ve carved out and protected that time; it’s now as important as any client meeting or medical appointment.

The key is showing up for yourself. When that scheduled time arrives, honor it as you would any other commitment. If something truly urgent arises, don’t just let the appointment vanish, reschedule it. The work either gets done in its allocated time or finds a new home on your calendar, but it never simply disappears.

I’ve shared this gentle approach with many people who were initially resistant to full-on block scheduling, and they’ve found it remarkably helpful. It works especially well for those daunting tasks that feel overwhelming. Something about placing them on the calendar diminishes their power. You’re no longer avoiding them; you’ve created a concrete plan to tackle them.

Remember, this isn’t about becoming a productivity machine. It’s about creating space for what truly matters. Sometimes, this minimal approach to scheduling is all you need to move forward.

As for the upcoming Productivity Field Guide, I’m excited to offer two versions: one including the videos, book, and course materials, and another that adds a 12-week webinar series. I’ll have a lot more news on this soon. I can’t wait to share these resources with you and hear your thoughts.

Sparky‘s Happiness Formula

Over the past several years, I’ve spent a lot of time reading classic Hellenistic philosophy. I find those thinkers’ willingness to take on the big questions interesting. Because when it comes to thinking about philosophy, I’m practical. I couldn’t care less whether or not I’m living in a simulation. I am very interested, however, in finding and sharing happiness. And the Greeks thought about that question a lot. Maybe Aristotle said it best:

Happiness is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.

From Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7

That’s really the aim of my Productivity Field Guide. To get people to figure out what roles are important and how to become their best version for those. Having lived this system and now taught it to many people, I’m increasingly convinced that the payoff is more significant than being your best self. I believe I’ve found a formula for happiness. Put simply:

Pursuing your best self (Arete) + Ethical Living = Happy Life

That makes a lot of sense! Many of the ancients argued that living ethically and in accordance with virtue is key to achieving eudaimonia, often translated as happiness or flourishing. Arete can easily substitute in for virtue. It is very similar. Fulfilling one’s potential and living in line with one’s true nature along with ethical living gets you there. Or, at least, it gets me there and several others I’ve talked to going through the Productivity Field Guide.

Does this mean this formula makes you immune from suffering and disease? Of course not. It does, however, give you a mechanism to cope. True happiness can come from living a life of virtue and striving for personal excellence. The more I pursue these goals, the more I see it in myself and others.

I’ll cover this more in-depth in a new edition of the Productivity Field Guide, which will be released later this month. Stay tuned.

The Upcoming Productivity Field Guide Update

I want to explain a project I’ve been working on all year: An update to the Productivity Field Guide, due for release in January 2025.

I have to admit that it makes me a little nervous. I’m in the process of releasing the new Shortcuts for iPhone & iPad Field Guide (later this month!), and I’ve never released a new edition of an existing guide in just one year. But in the case of the new Productivity Field Guide, I think it is merited.

Having taught the course materials to many people over the past year ranging in age from 15 to 90, I’ve learned much about where the system gets hard for people and where the friction points are. Moreover, I’ve spent a lot of time researching the underlying principles of the system, and I’ve got additional thoughts about it. Perhaps the most crucial reason for the update is the messages and emails I’ve received from people who’ve gone through the course explaining how the ideas in the course changed their lives.

I can tell you that I’m always happy to release a new Field Guide and teach people how to master some element of their technology. This Productivity Field Guide, however, is different. In this course, I’m teaching you how to master your life. And if I’m being honest, at the end of the day, this course is probably where I will make the most significant impact with my life. So I’ve put a lot of wood behind the arrow on this one with this upcoming update.

Again, we’ll be running an extended webinar series. (Last year, it ran for 12 weeks!) There’ll be a lot of new material. But I wanted to give you a heads-up that this is coming down the pipe. The price will go up to reflect all the work I’ve put into this, but there will be a healthy discount for returning customers.

I can tell you my own relationship with productivity-style literature has always been somewhat skeptical. I don’t believe there’s some magic cure that will make you double the amount of your output or suddenly make a million dollars. Indeed, the only reason this guide exists is that I had to answer some tough questions for myself. I do, however, believe that in the modern world, it’s harder than ever to figure out what’s important and find a way to focus on that. We’re all here for just a limited amount of time, and if we’re going to make a dent, we should at least put that dent exactly where we want it. That’s ultimately my goal with this course: to help you figure out those things for which you resoundingly say yes, so that saying no to the other nonsense becomes easy.