Can you share tips for effective to‑do list management, hockey‑related productivity, and automating the opening of multiple browser tabs for job applications (e.g., via Chrome settings)?
To automate opening multiple browser tabs for job applications, use Chrome’s startup settings: go to Settings → On startup → Open a specific page or set of pages, and add the URLs you need (Creator Studio, deliverable tracker, daily updates, playground, workflow automation). One click then opens all of them. For task management, adopt a simple GTD‑style system: keep an inbox where you dump everything, then process it. If an item is actionable, do it right away (following the two‑minute rule); if not, move it to a ‘next actions’ list. Review your inbox regularly—every few hours—to keep it empty. Prioritize constantly; even if you’re not naturally good at it, the habit of reviewing and acting on items keeps you productive. You can also use reminders for ideas, but building a personal SOP (like a morning inbox sweep) works better than relying on automated reminders.
Managing everything can get chaotic. I don’t have a fancy CRM; I’m pretty disorganized. My Google Drive is filled with countless files with little naming conventions. I’m good at taking ideas from conception to a minimum viable product quickly, but after that it often becomes a mess. For example, a couple of hours ago I responded to 92 DMs for Maker School without any system—I just opened the DMs tab and worked through them top‑to‑bottom, which I do every few days. Most people at my level would have a proper CRM, support tickets, a refund person, etc., but I don’t. Realistically I probably have around 50 Google Sheets and 100 notes. To keep track, I use a note‑taking app called Godspeed. I write a line like “respond to school DMs,” and it creates a giant to‑do list that I see each morning. You can use any tool you like—Apple Notes, Google Docs, etc.
Your to‑do list should be a capture‑and‑filter system, not a calendar. First, capture every idea or task using any tool (pen‑and‑paper, Godspeed, Bear, Evernote, etc.). Then, regularly review the list top‑to‑bottom. For each item, ask: Is it actionable? If no, trash it. If yes, ask: Can I do it in two minutes or less? If yes, do it immediately. If not, delegate it, put it in ‘next actions’, or file it under a relevant project folder. This is a slight tweak on Getting Things Done—capture, clarify, then act on quick wins, defer or delegate the rest. You can add layers like projects, waiting lists, etc., as needed.
I’m not naturally organized and often let tasks slip through the cracks—I’ll forget things for weeks and have to reshuffle my to‑do list constantly. Even with more money and the ability to delegate, I still struggle to stay on top of daily work. I try to improve my systems, but at the end of the day I’m just figuring it out like anyone else.
My task‑management process is based on David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) framework, adapted for apps like Godspeed. I use three bins: an inbox for every new thought, idea, or task; a to‑do list for urgent, non‑negotiable items; and a future list for important but non‑urgent items I want to get to later (some call it waiting). An archive holds completed tasks and everything else, though Godspeed doesn’t have a dedicated archive folder, so I just mark tasks as completed and use a combined inbox/to‑do approach. The workflow is: put every new thought in the inbox; after some time, do a prioritization step and sort the inbox items into to‑do and future; whenever you have a free moment, work on the to‑do items; if a new idea or task pops up while you’re working, add it to the inbox; at the next prioritization, move those new items to future or archive. This cycle repeats continuously. For example, while recording this video I had the thought ‘I need to get better at explaining this stuff.’ I placed it in the inbox; later, during prioritization, I moved it to to‑do. From there I drafted a simple way to explain Getting Things Done (GSD), memorized common meat‑protein amounts, checked the Lindy and Red Fin video descriptions to clarify anti‑scraping protections, organized the blueprint library, added Perplexity to my content‑generation system in Make.com, noted rebuilding the content‑generator flow in Ed End as waiting, customized the Loom video system (waiting), created a high‑quality tweet and pennant (waiting), bought boxers from a buddy (waiting), planned to visit the BL Restaurant in Halifax (to‑do), and noted rebuilding Left Click’s website (to‑do). After processing, my inbox is clear, my mind feels quieter, and the waiting list gives me a searchable backlog—I can easily search completed tasks. This structure lets me stay organized, think longer‑term, and maintain peace of mind while still being productive.