Be Productive Without a Computer
A week or two back I wrote about the advantages of preparing before you put anything in code. Now, I’m going to give you a few ideas for things you can do — and charge for — before you have to sit down and ruin your eyes and give yourself carpal tunnel syndrome.
First, I must again pimp the Bullet Space Pen
Anyways, here’s a few things I do with my pen and paper to be productive.
Outline a Blog Post
I’m not sure why I keep posting here. Not many people read it, and none of those people will click on that advert at right or have even noticed the small donation button at the bottom of each post, so I know it’s not for the money. But I’m getting better at writing for it, and that’s worth it in itself.
That’s probably a good reason why someone who’s reading this, perhaps even you, might find it valuable to blog, and by extension to write down ideas for posts and jot a few point-form outlines off. Just list off pros and cons of something, it comes easily.
Alright fine, it doesn’t have to be a blog post. You can outline anything you want or need to write if you like.
Make To-Do Lists
You probably shouldn’t charge for this, unless you’re writing an itinerary for a project. Putting down what you need to do in writing is an excellent way to get the big picture of what needs doing, and most of the time you’ll find that things aren’t as bad as you thought. Good for stress levels.
Sketch Layouts
It’s really useful to have a general idea of what I’m creating before going into Photoshop (GIMP) and mocking it up. Details aren’t important, but figuring out key design elements such as headers, thematic graphics, and navigation can be done without having to make it too pretty.
Create Interface Designs
This sounds a lot like the last one, but this one’s talking more about apps. Application interfaces generally have fewer design elements, but more views. I find it really useful to sketch out all the views of an interface I’m designing, side by side, and look for overlap, spots for linkage, opportunities to consolidate or re-organize, etc. If you keep it around, it’s also a great way to know where to put that new feature you’re working on.
Draw Application Diagrams
Now I’m talking about the back-end. You know, the database and code stuff. Figure out a process that your application could be doing, and sketch out how you’re going to implement it by listing the models involved and their key parameters, and then filling the page with crazy arrows.
I remember there’s a name or acronym for this, but damned if I remember. Nevertheless, a great way to keep your program organized in your head and create a handy reference.
Logo Design
If you’re like me, and I bet you are, you have several projects on the go, each of which might benefit from a nice logo. I freely admit that I’m not the best at this, although I’m still kind of proud of the one I made for Folk Art Creative.
But, anyone can make a logo if they try (Experts can do it on cue is all). Just stick to black and white and try to capture the name or spirit of your subject in a wee image.
Doodle
Don’t charge for this either, but sometimes you just need to get away from the computer and create something more interesting. Who knows, you might be able to turn it into a design. Just let the pen run wild; the ink refills are cheap, so don’t worry. Bonus points for doing it in accounting class.