Rules
1,053 rules · page 22 of 22
Migrate active working set (last 90 days) first and verify…
Migrate your active working set (notes/tasks/projects accessed in last 90 days) first and verify every item against the original before migrating archival data.
Set calendar default duration to your actual most-common…
Set your calendar's default meeting duration to match your actual most-common meeting length (e.g., 25 minutes if that's what you schedule 90% of the time) to convert repeated decisions into one-time pre-commitment.
Learn platform-level shortcuts before app-specific ones…
Prioritize learning platform-level shortcuts (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+Tab, Alt+Tab) before application-specific shortcuts because they transfer across every tool in your stack.
Require a trial period with pre-defined success metrics…
Before adding any new tool to your stack, require it to pass a trial period with pre-defined success metrics and a scheduled exit date, eliminating tools that fail to meet criteria.
3-2-1 backup rule
Apply the 3-2-1 backup rule: maintain at least 3 copies of critical data, on at least 2 different media types, with at least 1 copy stored offsite.
Test backup recovery quarterly
Test one backup quarterly by performing a simulated full restore to verify recoverability before you need it, timing the process and documenting any gaps.
Offline capability audit
Conduct an offline capability audit by disconnecting from internet and testing each critical tool for 10 minutes, grading as fully offline, partially offline, or fully dependent, then identifying local-first alternatives for any fully-dependent critical tool.
Verify data portability before committing
Before committing to a new tool, verify it stores data in exportable open formats by actually performing an export and checking whether another tool can import it without significant loss of structure or metadata.
Practice core cognitive tasks weekly without AI — prevent…
Maintain weekly practice of core cognitive tasks without AI assistance to prevent skill atrophy in capabilities the AI handles routinely, treating this as backup generator testing for cognitive infrastructure.
Define 3 measurable success criteria before any tool…
When evaluating new tools, define three specific measurable criteria before beginning trial and set evaluation period between 14-30 days, as shorter periods miss friction and longer periods activate sunk cost bias.
Run old and new tools in parallel during evaluation…
During tool evaluation periods, maintain parallel operation of existing tools rather than migrating fully, to create controlled comparison between old and new under comparable conditions.
Start weekly reviews…
Begin weekly reviews by stating what your tools helped you produce before reviewing tool configuration or optimization, to anchor tool evaluation in outcomes rather than activity.
Reconfigure bad tool defaults during high-capacity periods…
When tool defaults consistently produce undesired behaviors, reconfigure the default settings during high-capacity periods rather than overriding them repeatedly through willpower during execution.
For critical tools with no export or backup
For critical tools with no export function or backup strategy, either establish automated exports and identify viable alternatives, or consciously accept the single-point-of-failure risk in writing.
Optimize your workspace for your highest-value activity…
When designing workspace environments, accept sub-optimality in lower-value activities to achieve near-optimality in your highest-value activity, treating this tradeoff as a feature rather than a compromise.
Separate functions in shared spaces with orientation, time…
Resolve space-function overlaps through orientation changes (facing different directions), time-based zoning (function varies by time of day), physical markers (specific lamp only on during deep work), or relocation — not through willpower to mentally separate functions sharing the same physical space.
Tally every physical reach and digital tool switch for one…
For one full work session, keep a tally sheet and mark every time you reach for a physical object or switch to a digital tool — do not trust intuition about usage frequency, as it is systematically biased toward what feels important rather than what is actually frequent.
Three spatial zones by usage frequency
Create three spatial zones for workspace objects based on usage frequency: active zone (desk surface/screen/home screen), near zone (drawer/shelf/bookmarks folder/second screen), and archive zone (closet/storage box/nested folder/app library), moving items between zones solely based on documented usage patterns.
For analytical work
For analytical work requiring sustained logical reasoning, use silence, brown noise, pink noise, or non-semantic ambient sound at moderate volume while avoiding music with lyrics, which introduces changing-state interference.
For creative ideation
For creative ideation and brainstorming, use moderate ambient noise at approximately 70 decibels (coffee shop level) to create processing disfluency that pushes thinking toward broader associative patterns.
Use natural soundscapes (birdsong, water, rain)…
For restorative breaks between demanding work sessions, use natural soundscapes (birdsong, running water, rain, wind) rather than ambient noise to engage involuntary attention while allowing directed attention to recover.
Position analytical workspaces for maximum natural…
Position primary analytical work locations to maximize natural daylight exposure, supplemented by a cool-white (5000K-6500K) task lamp, prioritizing this configuration over all other lighting arrangements.
One hour before bedtime
One hour before intended bedtime, shift lighting environment by dimming overhead lights, switching screens to warm-tone night mode, and avoiding bright cool-spectrum light to protect circadian preparation for sleep.
Keep workspace at 21-22°C (70-72°F) for analytical work…
Maintain workspace temperature between 21-22°C (70-72°F) during analytical work, as performance declines approximately 2% per degree Celsius above this range due to metabolic resources diverted to thermoregulation.
Close browser tabs untouched for 24+ hours during daily…
Close all browser tabs not interacted with in the last 24 hours during daily workspace resets to prevent tab hoarding from accumulating attentional debt.
Dedicate one virtual desktop to primary work…
Configure virtual desktops with one dedicated to primary work containing only essential applications, isolating communication tools to a separate desktop to create spatial separation between contexts.
Five-step environmental experiment
Test one environmental variable at a time using a five-step protocol: establish baseline measurement, form falsifiable hypothesis, make single change, measure experimental condition, compare results.
Measure at predetermined fixed times, not end-of-day…
Record measurements at predetermined fixed times during experimental days rather than relying on end-of-day retrospective assessment to avoid peak-end memory bias.
Two days of baseline measurement before any environmental…
Run baseline measurements for two days before implementing environmental changes to establish a reference point that accounts for normal daily variation.
Rate subjective state on 1-5 or 0-10 scales at 3 fixed…
Use simple numerical scales (1-5 or 0-10) recorded at three fixed daily timepoints for subjective measurements, maintaining consistent anchor descriptions across all measurement days.
Travel with only your top 3 environmental variables…
When traveling or working remotely, carry only the three environmental variables that produced the largest measurable impact on your productivity, accepting imperfection on all other variables.
Extract the function each environmental element serves…
Extract the underlying function each environmental element serves rather than fixating on specific objects, then satisfy that function with whatever is available in new contexts.
Pack your activation ritual alongside physical items…
Include your activation ritual as a mandatory component of portable environment kits, as behavioral sequences activate cognitive states independent of physical objects.
Map interests (why they need it) not positions…
Before entering shared space negotiations, independently map each party's interests (why they need what they need) rather than their positions (what configuration they want).
Write shared environmental agreements with explicit…
Document shared environmental agreements in writing with explicit standards and scheduled review dates, treating them as living documents rather than permanent contracts.
Quarterly environment audit at solstices/equinoxes…
Conduct seasonal environment audits at solstices and equinoxes, comparing current conditions against validated baselines and adjusting only the highest-impact variables that have drifted.
Photograph your workspace and list 3 adjectives…
Before standing, photograph your primary workspace and list three adjectives describing who the space says works there, then compare against three adjectives describing who you are becoming to identify alignment gaps.
Before upgrading any tool, measure whether it's the actual…
Before expanding any tool, measure whether it is actually the binding constraint by timing active work versus tool-wait time in your most important workflow.
Set WIP limits based on your constraint's capacity…
Set explicit work-in-progress limits by deciding how many active projects your constraint can handle simultaneously, and when the limit is full, new items enter a backlog rather than the active queue.
Before automating, first exploit (remove waste) then…
Before automating any process, first exploit it (remove waste) and subordinate it (ensure clean inputs), because automation amplifies whatever it touches including waste and mistakes.
Re-measure 2 weeks after any constraint fix
Two weeks after any constraint intervention, re-measure the old constraint and scan for queue buildup elsewhere; if the old constraint improved but total throughput did not improve proportionally, the constraint has shifted.
Map the constraint cascade before intervening
Before executing any bottleneck intervention, map the cascade by ranking all workflow steps from lowest to highest maximum capacity, identifying where the next constraints will appear when the current one is removed.
Local metric improved 50%+ but throughput gained less…
When a constraint is fixed but throughput increases less than 25% while the local metric improved 50%+, treat this as diagnostic evidence of a cascade and immediately map downstream capacity limits.
Estimate current AND maximum throughput for each workflow…
For each step in a multi-stage workflow, estimate both current throughput (what it processes now) and maximum throughput (what it could process if fully loaded) to reveal hidden capacity that upstream constraints are masking.
When tool-wait exceeds 15% of workflow time in a frequent…
When tool-wait time exceeds 15% of total workflow time in a frequently-repeated process, treat the tool as a constraint candidate requiring measurement and potential replacement.