Over the last several years I’ve tried a number of different approaches to make my day to day life more manageable. And, while I’ve found nice solutions for most challenges I deal with (remembering contact info, keeping appointments and meetings, managing tasks) I’ve still had one giant void.

A clean and easy way to take down and synchronize notes.

In my book a notes app only needs three things:

1. A nice simple mobile interface (this includes a nice typeface, ie: Helvetica.)
2. An easy way to access the app from any computer or device.
3. Easy and instant synching between mobile devices, computers, and the web. It’s only text after all!

In essence, let me write and access notes from anywhere without getting in my way.

For a while I tried to use Apple’s default Notes application. And, to be frank, it was one of the worst experiences I have ever had using an Apple product. For one, the Notes application is absolutely hideous. Second, it requires me using Mail App to manage notes from my computer. Now, I don’t know if you have ever used Mail App to do anything, but it sucks. It’s slow, clunky, and especially frustrating to use if you aren’t working with basic email.

Beyond just the default Notes app I also dabbled with EverNote. Now, to be fair, EverNote seems like a good application for certain uses. The problem I have with it is that it tries to do too much. I don’t need photos, voice notes, text transcribing, or any other of the other options it offers. The more options provided the more things to get in my way.

A Simpler Way

About a month and half ago I decided to start using Simplenote, a small, extremely simple, note taking application for the iPhone.

On top of a wonderfully simple interface Simplenote also has API access for third-party developers. This means there are several options for desktop based note applications. My personal choice is JustNotes, although I’ve also installed and used Notational Velocity and it’s a great choice as well. If you’re a dashboard fan you can try out DashNote.

The final benefit of Simplenote is website access your notes. In essence, allowing you to gain access to your notes from any computer on the web. While I don’t use this often (I always have my iPhone) I like the peace of mind it provides.

Over the last month and half simple note has drastically changed the way I record and access quick bits of information. It’s managed to squeak itself onto my iPhone’s home screen and even has a global shortcut on my Mac. I couldn’t be happier with the implementation.

As a long time user of OS X I’ve tacked on application after application to handle small, but essential, tasks.

Fluid for running my calendar and Stacks, JustNotes for syncing with simplenote, The Hist List for personal tasks, Quicksilver for application launching, and xScope for Web Development quickies.

Each of these applications has the option, and generally encourages, the use of global shortcuts. For those of you that don’t know, a global shortcut is a keyboard shortcut that can be can be used system wide.

The main advantage of this is the ability to access common features or tools without having to switch apps (i.e. switching songs in iTunes). However, many applications have default shortcuts that get overwritten by the global alternative. For instance, a common shortcut in Photoshop is cmd-option-d which is used to feather a selection. Yet, in OS X, trying to use this results in the dock getting hidden.

The best way around this issue is to create custom shortcuts for things that have conflicts or need quick access. However, before diving in and going crazy — “uh.. what did I set that shortcut to? *Click*click*click*, oh, right, cmd-option-shif-ctrl-F3″ — follow a simple framework to avoid headaches . Here’s what I recommend.

1. If possible leave the standard program shortcuts in place. This makes for less hassle down the road if you ever have to reinstall the OS or use multiple machines for task (i.e. a school computer lab).
2. Make all program based shortcuts cmd-ctrl-LETTER. To date I have not found any program in OS X that by default uses cmd-ctrl-LETTER shortcut’s. The first advantage to this is that you don’t have to worry about overwriting already-in-place shortcuts. Second, and most importantly, the cmd-ctrl keys are super easy to reach and use.
3. For custom global shortcuts use a standard. Preferably cmd-option-ctrl-LETTER. Similar to the last bullet, I have never found a pre-set shortcut that used cmd-option-ctrl-LETTER. Yes, it sound like a lot of keys, but it’s three right in a row and they’re easy to reach.

The point is, if you standardize pre-set, local, and global shortcuts you’ll never have to worry about the key combo, all you’ll have to do is remember the letter or number you used. Further, it’ll keep conflicts at a minimum and give you a lot of options for growth down the road.

I’d love to hear other tips on what people are using so don’t hesitate to comment with your suggestions.

1. We are extremely lucky to work in the industry we do. By having everything online, it’s just silly to not be able to work from home. When you have a group of trusted individuals who get their stuff done and are accountable for it, it is such a nice benefit to work from home. I find it funny with micromanagers in a big corporation who think working from home is an excuse to slack off. If that’s the case, you’re clearly not doing something right. But, micromanaging rants can be saved for another blog post.
2. When 2 of the 9 people in your office have swine flu, you can avoid them. Plus, you don’t actually have to take sick days. It’s so nice to stay home when you’re not feeling well, but still be able to get your work done and not cut into your vacation or personal time.
3. Fresh air and change of scenery. Everyone can use that.
4. It tests communication skills. Are we working in the most collaborative way? Does the weakness show more when we’re out of the office? If so, what do we do to solve the problem?
5. Nooners. Kidding. I swear.
6. It helps put work life vs. personal life in perspective. Some things that tend to stress me out when I’m in the office just aren’t that big of a deal and aren’t worth adding the extra years to my life. It’s good to get that periodic reality check.
7. Pajamas. Enough said. Well, not really. You also don’t have to put makeup on or do your hair…until George surprises you with a video chat. Course, it’s worse when he does that during #5. Ah, kidding again. Really.
8. For some reason, I feel like I can take a step back and become more strategic. I have the time to look at the big picture, our process, client goals, etc. I’m not sure why, but I do. Maybe it’s because I get to dodge phone calls for a day, and really focus on some of my own goals.
9. Healthier lunches. I LOVE going out to lunch with my colleagues. It provides a much-needed break in the day, and is a great time to talk about our shenanigans outside of work. However, with that comes lunches that are much larger and much higher in calories. I know, I know. With some discipline I’d be better when at work, but where’s the fun in that!?! At least when I’m home, I have a damn good reason for staying home to eat.
10. Everyone’s super duper excited to see you when you get back. It’s just one big love fest. Seriously.

What did I miss? What are you favorite things about working from home?

I’ve learned two valuable lessons recently: Don’t be lazy. Don’t be a brat. More specifically: add a subject line to your e-mails. It’s not that hard and it makes everyone’s life easier.

When I first started at Imulus, I was not accustomed to inter-office exchanges of e-mails. Most of the time if someone wanted me to complete a task, I would attach the completed item to an e-mail and send away. Naturally I would ignore the prompt asking me if I still wanted to send the e-mail without a subject line. After a while, my mail application would give up on me and stop the alerts.

Eventually, I was diplomatically informed by some of my co-workers that my neglect of subject lines may be a tad annoying. “Annoying?” I thought in my most indignant mental voice. “I’ll show them annoying.” After this cerebral conversation with myself, I proceed to add subject lines that had nothing to do with the actual e-mail. Subjects such as “sweet cuppin cakes” or “I like turtles” would crop up in my co-workers’s inbox giving them something to chuckle at or be irritated at.

My shenanigans ensued for around a year and a half until the day that cruel irony bit me square in the ass. During a dark day in Imulus’s history when we lost some information, I was doing my best as the diligent designer to help recover all that I could. This meant I had to look though old e-mails with my trusty search to help me. Side note: I am not a good organizer when it comes to my e-mail and I am a digital pack rat – bad combination. Anyway, back to our flustered heroine. As I was sorting through my old e-mails becoming increasingly murderous towards my past self I came to a harsh revelation – it’s not worth it. It’s not worth the inconvenience for maybe a couple of seconds of giggling at the silly subject line.

These days I have learned my lesson… Although occasionally I do like to slip in the old silliness, but only if it applies to the real subject line.

It’s 6:30pm and you’re tired from a long day of work. You’ve just finished writing a four page email to a client. Documenting all of the tasks you completed that day. In fact, you even took time to explain the reason you used nofollow linking to the client’s intranet website. Then, moments later, Mail unexpectedly quits. Your work is gone.

Or… is it. You remember copying the contents of the email to your clipboard minutes before. Quickly you open a new email and anxiously paste:

http://tr.im/OMG_ribbons …

wait, no, surely that can’t be right. You paste again:

http://tr.im/OMG_ribbons …

Then you remember, that co-worker of yours, Taylor, sent you a link on IM (”Haha, d00d this is hilarious”). But for some reason it didn’t format right and you had to copy it.

You think — there must be some solution, assuredly. Yet no, your work is gone. You swear to yourself, “never again.” Fortunately, moments later you find a blog post describing your exact scenario. It suggests downloading the free app Clyppan to record your clipboard history. “Wow, that’s awesome,” you say to yourself, “I’m gonna use this all the time.”

And guess what, you do.

Edit: One note, if you don’t set Clyppan to run on startup via system preferences > accounts, then you’ll have to start it manually every time you login to OS X.

Edit 2: Some might suggest the Quicksilver Clipboard module for this same functionality, however, as of 10.5 that module tends to randomly appear when quitting certain applications. Hence why I moved to Clyppan.