PIM always with you: Pocketsi >>Memopad is my brain dump >> Datebook is my tickler forThe PIMpocket way of lifejacques@turbe.comThis is not I spread that CyberPoche appr Use Dimex to export Dateboo Use memoleaf to choose memo Select/copy title of new meIf there are reference memos, During the day categories cou · All memos to activate nex For memos: Lo >What would be your memo titl Here are the tokens I insert I When I started I set on these If I had to create a new re Creating categories in MemoLe If you need to track prioritBenefits Here are the benefit1) Power tools donThe Cyberpocket WayThe CyberTeri is one of the first Cyber · A single database for sche The desktop companion shouldCyberPoche way of life Grow your own keyword langua Hope you feel CyberPoche is f To newbies, I

Contents

 

Two databases many tools

Tools

PIM always with you: Pocketsize is a must for the whole system.
I'm the master. My PIM Pocket system is the master (any desktop complement is
the slave). ²²

Paper is out : updating, clipping, cross referencing, sorting, differing,
canceling : paper is out ! Data entry shouldn't be a problem: Graffiti is a few
hours training (it has definitely destroyed my handwriting ! ), Fitalystamp is
twice faster and twice more accurate, PPK is handy (and now nobody should fear
to unfold it in front of anyone!). TextPlus phrases are fantastic for inserting
names, adresses, templates, pedit/lapTophack stuff for inserting keywords,
reordering items, indenting, generating todos...

I prepare my next to come retrievals with MemoLeaf lookups (or Datebk5 lists).

Retrievals are through categories (a "to work on" selection of MemoLeaf Lookups,
or simple Palm Finds (narrowed with FindIgnoreHack).

MemoPad

>>Memopad is my brain dump

It's the container where I pour anything that might support anything that is,
or could possibly be someday, displayed in datebook.

I aim to note any thought I stay on for over a minute : don't really succeed.

My rule for now is: if I happen to be thinking for the second time on a same
topic, then I must note it. This, I think I'm over 75 success ;-)

My memos are mostly always opened to any updating, appending, correcting.
Except their title, they are not structured, but by their content itself.


Except meeting notes, and short drafts, if I look at my memo database, I find
most of my (under 1 year old) memos are lists.
Lists : of ideas, of tobedone, of actions, of projects, of meeting notes, of to
talk with, of mail or documents clips, routines, adresses, links, storages,
organizations, any reference data, outline for a draft, creation seeds....


>> Filing

As anybody, I don't want to work for my system: I want it to serve me for what
do.
My cornerstone is "instant retrieving of any stored data" I may need by
surprise : no wait, no asking where, no panic.

That made me drop outliners (sorry Jeff - the Shadow King - if you happen to
read this): hierarchical trees are only "one" view on a topic. And you have to
spend (unproductive) time to conceive and maintain them (more extensively
planning may help save time, excess of planning is always a loss of time).

The more I go, the more I think the key to my so called "CyberPoche" approach
are *Keywords tagging* : I feel they are the key to simplicity and
effectiveness. They can be tailored to any retrieval, any cross referencing.

I have been working so for over 16 months now. Keywords were first a (light)
discipline, they became a habit, they're now a way of thinking. They even
participate to my mental "objectives" thinking. I live now with about 120
active 4 letters keywords (+ company or persons names, + type of action tokens,
+next week review to look at it). You can add, modify, combine keywords at any
time.

At first, I created keywords for memo retrieval only. Now I begin to use them
for any data on my Palm, and elsewhere : Datebook (for now I "hide" them in
datebook notes), or docs.
It has made me (re?)discover the power of the "Find" button.

I even try to write my keywords in a certain order (with a template help as
needed) so I can have combined keywords in "find" too (but I won't expand,
you'll think my system is complicated !)

Datebook

>> Datebook is my tickler for decisions
"how I want to succeed"

A decision is a decision only when you have described *which achievement* you
aimed at, and *when you will review* it. Review time (meeting with yourself or
with others) is lit up in a (more or less far away) schedule (and maybe
supported with a few retro-planning steps or reminders before).
So, day schedules are decision lists: not what I have to do or work on that
day, but what I have decided should be fulfilled (outcome) on each topic of
that day to be satisfied with myself : time to give to others (for a purpose),
time to spend (for an action), time to spare (for a pleasure).

>> Datebook is for history
"how I want to improve"

History helps to track what I committed to (for others or for myself). It logs
what occured (actually did and succeeded) : the basis for better decisions.
I want my Datebook archives to be as much I need it the "table of contents" of
my life.

CYBERPOCHE

The PIMpocket way of life

Jacques Turbé

jacques@turbe.com

This is not a "real" booklet. Just an assembly
of my 10 last months posts.

Thanks Teri for the great help.

If there is interest I'll work this further. I plan to expand on the desktop side,


Cheers,


Jacques Turbé

 

Usage examples

Desktop extension

I spread that CyberPoche approach in Windows. Now, the directory structure on
my disk is not static as it was. My active docs and notes are in directories
that mirrors my projects under way.

Moreover, as for Palm memo titles, I'm constantly updating file names to
anticipate the next action(s) that have to deal with the content : Start of the
file name remains the unique traditional one, but now I append to it keywords,
and even short action verb So a look at my active directories is very
informative of what's pending. And I use now very often the "Find" function of
my file manager (the swift and versatile WinCommander rather than MSExplorer)
to quickly extract active files that involve a person, or a business, or a
project in that business, or a context...

To-Morrow

Desktop (Windows)

Use Dimex to export Datebook.dat into CSV format. Create header using TextPad to add details to entry.

Sorting: Sort on words related to the "todo next", week number & date, action tokens

Context info--kept in memos instead of address book--easier to copy & paste, faster to retrieve

Address Book--used as cardfile for topics/objectives/project summaries and history.

Using Excel
· Use Dimex to export datebook.dat into Excel.
· Insert a duration column from Start & End times for sorting.
· All someday tasks are at the end, due to filtering by dates
· All projects heads can be filtered with a search on ##fb in "Note" column (start of Datebk5 tag for float. Bold means still undone).
· Tasks of a project are listed thru a proj# search: #122 for instance
· Tasks on asking for a working context can be filetered on action tags (if included in item name or note)

You can also use Excel to create a new project. Create a list of next actions in a Palm memo.
In Excel, you insert two duplicate rows of the dummy task items and copy/paste the the rows from the memo into the Name column. These will be sequenced after syncing into Datebk5 weekly graphic view and you categorize and add icons at that time.

Archiving

Use MemoLeaf to choose memos to archive. Select in Palm desktop, copy to TextPad. Backup and delete memo.dat on the Palm desktop, then paste the archive file to compress an sync. On the palm, categorize into chapters via MemoLeaff selections. On desktop use memo2web to turn into html document. Compress it using Plucker and sync to Palm. Delete this memo.dat and restore the original. This allows you to access the memos via html links in the Plucker document.

Journalizing

Select/copy title of new memo, swipe/paste using TimeNowDA. Save in Datebook5 Journal view
Use memo template headers saved in LClipDA or TextPadDA, with date, week and at least one Megawiki key word. Use pedit to transform into ToDo if needed.
Rename the today category using tomorrow's date. Journalize completed memos, leave in tomorrow category if not complete, or this week category for scheduling later.
Use MemoLeaf to filter all memos containing this week's number or target day date.

Reference data

I use memos for any writing (I forbid myself to store any text in any other app note). So memos can be for action (lists of tasks for a given outcome), or for reference (any data I want to have with me, in case of).

If there are reference memos, I try to guess for what they could
possibly be used : I then include (if an idea comes !) one or
two "active" keywords. So more and more of my "reference" memos embed
already one or two "sometime/ maybe" actions after the title and
before the "body".

So they come back in the active process. I have a chance to draw that
sometime/maybe idea in MemoLeaf Lookup at a time where it could
appear usefull.

This kind of "permanent focused brainstorming" (if that wording is
understandable) is permanent with CyberPoche, more than I ever
experienced with outlines, when things remained stuck in their single
outline.

Daily review

  1. During the day categories could be :

    1. Today (memos activated for today which are not in a temporary category).
    2. Phoning (if 1 hour total allocatted to that)
    3. Coaching Brig'start (if... ibid)
    4. Prepare TopTech Show (meeting)
    5. Strategy options (self study)
    6. ...
    7. Next (this week, or highlighted at last week review)
    8. Unfiled


    Reviewing day, I'm happy if I end with :

    1. Today (empty)
    2. Next
    3. Unfiled

    Then I'm full of thrust for my to-morrow preparation.

Weekly Review

  • · All memos to activate next week are selected in MemoLeaf and moved to the "This Week" category. Week number should be part of the memo title.

  • · Daily review (done in the evening, during commute home)-all memos to be worked on are moved to the "Today" category using MemoLeaf.. They are updated in pedit. Move the done tasks underneath the done dotted line (the lower half of the memo, separated by a dotted line). Next tasks are moved up, reordered if needed. Context tokens and next week to review date in the header are also updated if needed.

  • · All projects to be worked on the next day are selected from the "This Week" category using MemoLeaff and moved to the "Today" category.

  • · If task is high priority, allocate time in Datebk5 as a float.

  • · Miscellaneous short unimportant tasks are Todos, displayed at bottom of Datebk5. daily view.

  • · Routine tasks are exported into Mobile Checklist Lite, to be saved as a list.

  • · All projects to be deselected for the week have their titles updated for the next review (update week number) and are moved to the "Unfiled" category.

Cyberpocket examples

Memo Title


Long title starting with specific & unique and ending with general (keywords, topics, persons, projects, time frames, etc).

When I used MegaWiki, I never changed the first part of memo title (it would have destroyed Wiki link system).

Now that I have dropped it, I insert the first task todo at the begining of the title. So, in Datebk5 split screen, I display « Today » memos: my list of first todo. If I tap on it, it open the whole list of related tasks (the « project », GTD speaking).

Examples of a long title

Q

>What would be your memo title? For
>instance would you put something like...
>
>Invite Jacques round for a cup of tea and interesting chat about cyberpoche © 11.09.02 02.37 social home


A
The CyberPoche memo could be (not sure I'd write all that in such an instance
!) :
Collect CyberPoche tips* @ 2w39 We 9/11/02 CYBP PALM SOCI jacques@turbe.com
9/10/02
-------------------------------
·CyberPoche index*·
·Collect Pam's plain vanilla tips*·
-------------------------------
© Ask Jacques if he likes tea
£ Browse GTD and MegaWiki mails
Note questions
$ Buy appropriate tea
# Accomodate Jacques's journey from Paris
? @ Send invitation
¥ Chat around the cup
$ eeeeh .... Jacques'fees ???
------------------------------
@ Ask an example on GTD group 9/10/02

First I would have journalised (TimeNow) in Datebook my memo creation:

"Collect CyberPoche tips"

(note: I choose a short specific title, outcome oriented)


Then I would have Wikilinked it (Linki):

"·Collect CyberPoche tips*·"

As the memo doesn't exist yet, MegaWiki would create it for me in pedit (my
default).

I would then add data for futurefast retrievals :

Token for first action : here "@" (send a mail)

Week and (here) day for first action in this memo :

"2w39 We 9/11/02"

Then I would replace my template tags by my specific keywords (Call Magipad,
tap in magipad):

"Topic Project Cust" template (from LclipDA if needed) would become: "CYBP PALM SOCI"

I may add in the memo title names, emails..

The second line and further carries the creation date (wiki jump to Datebook :
what was I doing the day of creation?)
and, eventually, wiki links to parent and sisters memos.

Then after the first dotted line (LClipDA) come the list of ideas (with their
action token, as soon as I see an actoion underlying).

Note: the first action "? @ Send invitation" could be moved top of the body
with a few taps in pedit. Then when done, moved to bottom.

The second dotted line is the border between not done and done.

Here are the tokens I insert in memo titles to mean context :

# (do, action)
™ (waiting for,)
@ (to send)
© (to call)
¶ (to write)
¥ (to meet)
£ (to read)
€ (to bill, account app tag)
$ (to pay)
? (next, mark in the body of a memo )

Context tokens

Keywords

Q

I'd love to see examples of the keywords you use!


Not sure I'll give you the examples you ask.


  • · They are 4-letters abreviations of affairs, projects names you don't know

  • · Significant words are in french

  • · The display of my keywords would be too much a display of my "self": on what
    I polarize, what I seem to drop, who are important for me. Not to display under
    too many unknown readers among which some might have to deal with me (a hint on
    how effective keywords have become for me).

    But I'll try to answer your wish.


    I have to browse what I call
    the "5 levels of action".

    From top to bottom :


  • Why >> goal, value, role, partner, life domain, at stake, want, big concern
    (the strategic level) (something like the FC Compass ?)

  • What >> result, outcome, deadline, commitment, person in charge, expected
    achievement (the executive or decision level (help me choose my english terms)).

  • . How >> steps, methods, process, organisation, information, persons delegated
    (the operating level)

  • How much >> actions to conduct, todo, to (re)plan, to measure, to
    communicate (monitoring level)

  • [Affect >> satisfaction, fear, motivation, involvement, stress (emotional
    level)] (I consider this level in action, but it doesn't appear - yet - in my
    keywords)

    For a memo related to action, I usually put levels by viewpoint, from bottom to
    up. If you're used to outlines, you could say keywords are two significant
    nodes when going from the leaf (the memo) to the root. Most often there levels
    are: 3 2, 3 1 or 2 1

    For instance,
    for a future training on negociation I'll have to deliver in
    november to techs managers at ABC Co, the keywords could be :

    TNEG ABCO

    Those keywords are maybe not understandable by you, ut they are by me ;-))
    If the memo is the list of objectives we just settled for that training, I
    could take the "expertise" standpoint :

    OBJF NEGO

    So next time I'll have Objectives of a training to write, or ideas to get for
    similar nego program, that memo would be selected by MemoLeaf Lookup.

    Sure, when I first drafted this memo, I was happy to find in my "OBJF" lookup
    "CONV" (convince) memos, "VEND" (sale) memos or MOTV (motivate) memos.

    If this affair was brought to me by Nathalie (my main and prefered business
    provider) I would include NATH keyword.

    If these objectives were prepared with Harissa Glaoui (Sales Manager at ABC Co)
    I would probably not create a keyword for her (I won't meet her very often) but
    include her name in my memo title (and have her name remembered as a TEXTPlus
    phrase, so each time I type "har" I get a popup avec "Haricot vert", "Harissa
    Glaou    i", "Harry Corooge".

    So if my next action with this memo is to review next week the proposed
    objectives with Nathalie before a final presentation at ABC Co my memo could
    have that long title:

    TechNeg proposal* ¥ 2w40 We 9/18/02 TNEG ABCO OBJF NEGO NATH Harissa Glaoui

    Imagine the number of selection this memo can be in by a singlle MemoLeaf
    Lookup! (a lookup is less than a second for 800 memo). In which outline should
    I have put it ? How much time to be sure it is linked to other outtlines ?

    Remember :

  • You don't have to put as many keywords for each memo. You just put the
    keywords that come to mind. Our minds are usually cute enough on subjects we
    practice. You can later, at will, insert more keywords *only if you think of a
    use*.

  • Don't learn and tap the keywords, you couldn't avoid mistakes from time to
    time : just paste them from a list (I use pedit MagiPad for that, but I'll
    maybe switch to textplus). In Magipad you have over 70 ' letters keyword on
    160x160 (over 85 if tiny font)

    :MemoLeaff and my CyberPoche way.

    -->> Use 6MemoLeaff as your Memo app (I don't) and as you Memo manager (I do).

    When I just jotted a new recipe in a memo, I'd ask myself when or what for I
    may have to read or update that memo next ? Here I would answer : "when I'll
    need ideas of recipes". My significant word here is "recipe". So I would use it
    as a tag in my memo. In the title (first paragraph of the memo, to take benefit
    oMemoLeaff Lookup feature).

    If it's the first time you use the tag "Recipe", you should note it (in a
    "Tags" memo, why not) to stick to that wording. The tag acts as a filing label.

    Of course, if you know you're going to have tens of recipes, you should think
    of subsets such as : "fish", "exotic" (use the very words you use, don't mimic
    mines !)
    Now I append to the usual title of my memo (as unique as possible) filing tags
    I know I'll use (don't overorganise : I prefer, later, to add a tag that was
    missing for some unthought use, than to loose time loading as many tags as
    possibly related to any content of the memo !).

    When I've inserted my 2 or 3 meaningfull tags, then my memo IS filed. So, on
    Palm, I drop my filed memos in a single cabinet : the Palm unfiled category.


    -->> Now, back to your recipe search. This time witMemoLeaff :

    I enter "recipe" iMemoLeaff, and tap on Lookup button: I get within a second
    the list of the 44 recipes currently entered in my Palm among a mess of over
    800 memos (the recipes memos include the tag "recipe" in their first paragraph).

    Too many to browse easily ?
    I store all of them in "Current selection" category, or in a new "Recipes for
    tonite" category (my project, BTW) with a singlMemoLeaff command (\T).

    Then in that selection (ie this selected transient category) I may have a
    lookup on "fish" : I'm now comfortable with a short list of my 7 favourite
    fish recipes entered on Palm. I can browse back and forth the memos in it :MemoLeaff keeps the list of my last Lookup results.

    When I'm done (I've maybe created some next errands to do) I delete the
    "Recipes for tonite" category, so my memo are back to their "unfiled" (Palm
    speaking) ready for next retrieval state.

    -->> I prefer that memo mess to outlined structure.

    Imagine I had yesterday aunt Sally for dinner. My lovingly furbished chowder
    choked her. I want to remember to never have my chowder again in a meal with
    Sally. As I wan't to care her, I'll update my "Chowder" memo with "Sally" or
    even "Sally - " (all people I care have their names as tags of course !)
    So next time I'll have a meal with Aunt Sally, my firsMemoLeaff Lookup would
    be for "recipes", and - in that found selection - a second lookup with "Sally"
    this time : I'll have the selection of all her entered likes and dislikes.

    For instance, if in the list I spotted these memos :
    "Chowder à ma façon * 2w07 Recipe Fish Mom + Sally - "
    and
    "Canard à la Margaux * 1w51 Recipe Meat Mark + Ann + Sally + "
    I'll know which memo to open to build my next errands ...

    Of course "Sally" could participate to other retrievals:
    Lookup on "$Future" and "Sally" could remind me of some inheritance idea (Sally
    is a wealthy 103 y know...)

    Last "tip": I *always* enter the week date : next week to review that
    memo (so I'm sure not to miss it, and I know I don't have to care
    before). Inactive have always a week date (can be 6 months away ;-)
    If there is nothing to do, the week date is the creation date. So my
    memos with old weekdates in title are either obsolete (to trash),
    either reference.

Categories

When I started I set on these :
Today
This week
Money
Thoughts
Lists
Index
Unfiled
Today my permanent categories are :
Today
Other ASAP
>Selection<
(Temp)
Unfiled

Thus at my Daily reviewes (preparing next day "schoolbag"), I can selectMemoLeaf lookup on tags and keywords) :
Meeting with Bob
ABC report
Customer X strategy

Those 3 treansient categories could be 3 working notebooks for the day.

A memo for reference data

If I had to create a new recipe in a memo, I'd ask myself "When or why would I have to read or that memo again?" Here I would answer : "When I'll need to come up with a different recipe to use." My significant word here is "recipe". So I would use it as a tag in my memo, in the title (the first paragraph of the memo, for use with thMemoLeaff Lookup feature). If it's the first time you use the tag "Recipe", you should note it (in a "Tags" memo), so that you can use this tag consistently. The tag acts as a filing label. Of course, if you know you're going to have tens of recipes, you should think of subsets such as : "fish", "exotic" (use the very words you use, don't mimic mine !)

Now I append to the usual title of my memo filing tags I know I'll use. (Don't over organize. I prefer going back and adding a missing tag rather than to lose time trying to add all the tags possibly related to content of the memo !). When I've inserted my 2 or 3 meaningful tags, then my memo IS filed. So, on Palm, I drop my filed memos in a single cabinet : the Palm unfiled category.

Now, back to your recipe search. This time witMemoLeaff :

I enter "recipe" iMemoLeaff, and tap on Lookup button: Within a second I get a list of the 44 recipes currently entered in my Palm, contained in a total database of 800 memos.

I store all of them in "Current selection" category, or in a new "Recipes for
tonight" category (my project, BTW) with a singlMemoLeaff command (\T).

Then, in that selection, I search on "fish" : I'm now comfortable with a short list of my 7 favorite fish recipes entered on Palm. I can browse through the memos in these resultsMemoLeaff keeps the list of my last Lookup results.

When I've completed using these recipes, maybe after creating some next action errands to do, I delete the "Recipes for tonight" category, and they return to the "unfiled" category, ready for next retrieval state. I prefer that memo mess to outlined structure.

Imagine I had yesterday aunt Sally for dinner. My lovingly created chowder choked her. I want to remember to never have my chowder again in a meal with Sally. To remind me, I'll update my "Chowder" memo with "Sally" or even "Sally - " (All people I care about have their names as tags of course !) So next time I have a meal with Aunt Sally, my firsMemoLeaff Lookup would be for "recipes", and - in that found selection - a second lookup with "Sally" this time : I'll have the selection of all her entered likes and dislikes.

For instance, if in the list I spotted these memos :
"Chowder à ma façon * 2w07 Recipe Fish Mom + Sally - "
and
"Canard à la Margaux * 1w51 Recipe Meat Mark + Ann + Sally + "
I'll know which memo to open to build my next errands ...

Of course "Sally" could participate to other retrievals:
Lookup on "$Future" and "Sally" could remind me of some inheritance idea (Sally
is a wealthy 103 years old aunt...)

Last "tip": I *always* enter the week date : the next week to review that memo (so I'm sure not to miss it, and I know I don't have to think about it before then). The inactive ones always have a week date (can be 6 months away ;-) If there is nothing to do, the week date is the creation date. So my memos with old weekdates in title are either obsolete (to delete), or reference.

If they are reference memos, I try to guess what they could possibly be used for. I include one or two "active" keywords. So more and more of my "reference" memos already contain one or two "sometime/ maybe" actions after the title and before the "body". As they come back in the active process. I have a chance to draw that sometime/maybe idea in MemoLeaff Lookup at a time where it could appear useful.

This kind of "permanent focused brainstorming" comes with using CyberPoche. When I used outlines, actions remained stuck in a single outline.

Temporary categories

Creating categories iMemoLeaff is not a must. You can browse the memos
selected by a Lookup in titles without creating a category.

The need is mine. If I want to retain a set of memos related by some lookup on
a keyword, weeknumber, name or token. I'm happMemoLeaff let me put that set in
a dedicated category by a single command.

I would say creating temporary categories empowered greatly my efficiency :
better reviewing, better planning, better reacting, better data management :
greater satisfaction.


· Paper : remember, when you go for meetings outside, you prepared light
folders for each meeting / topic, and slip your active notes or reference data
you might need.

· Palm : the folders are temporary categories created witMemoLeaff help at my
yesterday daily meeting. I even (just before the meeting starts) have that memo
category displayed in Datebk5 split screen (if I have todos - very scarce -
they are integrated in day view).

This evening daily meeting : I browse my todays categories, updtate the memos
that have too (and their title). If I had to do a search toa non selected memo,
I might update my keywords, and or insert a wiki link to the forgotten memo (
slowly growing "mind mapping" of my memo heap). Then I can delete the temporary
category : their memos return "unfiled", but updated for next retrieval.

I'm glad if my "Today" category is empty, my temporary categories have
vanished. Then I can review my "Next" category (itself updated in depth at each
weekly meeting), and Datebk5 to fill the "Today" of to-morrow (follow me ?) and
create any temporary category to support my to-morrow schedule. It's like a
child preparing his schoolbag.

My (implicit) rule of thumb : If I plan one hour or more on a topic, then it
deserves a temporary category selection. Thus the selection is short and handy
to browse. It helps to keep focused during that hour. It helps to spot any memo
which have become irrelevant or obsolete (and should no more be selected) : I
update their keywords, or even insert a "To archive or delete" token. If
archived for further reference, they'll end pluckered (or isiloted) via a
Memo2Web html conversion.

My other rule of thumb is that a selection should be no more than 8 memos (at
least less than one 160x160 screen). If not, there must be some to purge, to
keyword-update, or even new keywords to create for a better focused screening.

Priorities and durations

If you need to track priorities and durations to sort your so mant "Next to Do" (I don't), you could set, for instance those codes :
Priorities--code using 1-5 for priority, duration (s=short <10, medium 20-40, long=1h)
example--2#s, 3#l, 1#m

Benefits

Here are the benefits I would write now (the first dozen that comes to mind),
after a year of practising (Success : they embed the benefits I wrote and aimed
for a year ago !) .

  1. Have all my needed PIM data (active, maybe, reference) at finger tips

  2. Have a no-brain retrieval procedure (never wander where have I filed it,
    always the same procedure MemoLeaff lookup (or Palm find). I don't bare any
    mistake or time loss when "under fire" (in front of a customer for instance)

  3. Almost immediate gathering of data needed for a specific review, or for a
    next task.

  4. Adapt to my evolving needs, never be tied in any pre-built structure (free
    form titles for items). Opened to new ideas, criteria...

  5. Allow multi-point of views retrievals (not catched in some rigid tree
    structure)

  6. Easy document assembly on Palm (creating a doc or a mail out of selected
    data pieces)

  7. Data ready to use: update on desktop, and vice-versa

  8. Data easily created / retrieved by other apps (hence my MemopadDB and
    DatebookDB pdb choice).

  9. Have a potential unlimited number of categories (transient one purposeMemoLeaff selections)

  10. Avoid any database administration, only focus on my content and my usual
    wording (my keywords vocabulary). (BTW : that's why I dropped outliners,
    structured databeses, and - almost - Wiki)

  11. Don't have conduit management problems, desktop formating / converting
    work.

  12. Have an organisation concept-driven (content, logical: What, Why) rather
    than procedure-driven (tool, physical : how, where). Thus it is breading /
    sharpening my way of thinking, and I can now spread the same concepts outside
    Palm (PIM on desktop, file handling in Windows, and even physical paper
    filing).

Principles

1) Power tools don't always mean power usage
2) Fewer databases lead to more control and brings accuracy
3) Use apps only where they help you work more simply
4) Don't change your system when you switch from Palm to computer
5) Sophistication teaches to simplify.
6) Committments are the trigger for projects and tasks

The Cyberpocket Way

The Cyberpocket Way

The Cyberpocket Way was developed by Jacques Turbe in his search for a way to implement the principles of David Allen's Getting Things Done. It is an evolving system, based on a few simple principles, and is extremely customizable and flexible. This document attempts to distill the principles of the Cyberpocket Way. Adapt this to your workstyle and your needs.

Principles:

1) Power tools don't always mean power usage
2) Fewer databases lead to more control and brings accuracy
3) Use apps only where they help you work more simply
4) Don't change your system when you switch from Palm to computer
5) Sophistication teaches to simplify.
6) Committments are the trigger for projects and tasks

Palm side:

· A single database for scheduling and journalizing. This is your hard landscape. Datebk5 is what Jacques uses.
· A Palm app for managing projects, GTD style. Memos are used for this.
· Creating a project, scheduling, and reviewing projects. Again, memos are used for this.
· ToDo used only for immediate tasks that can't be done just now (less than one day.)
· All done todos converted to done datebook events
· Memos for action generate "to prepare" lists of tasks to schedule in Datebook
· Palm used as primary point of entry.

Memos are used for "mind dumps" during weekly reviews, to track projects, and to hold reference material. Keywords are used in the header of the memo so that you can see at a glance what the project is and when it needs to be reviewed next. Memos are left uncategorized and are moved into the "This Week" and "Today" categorizes when they are due for action. Examples on using memos will be shown later in this document.


Desktop companion:

· Creating a new project
· Creating a pick list
· Tasks linked to their projects
· Easy switch between schedules & someday/maybe
· Quick reviews of project in progress
· Up to date reports
· Linked to meeting notes, commitments, goals, onboard documents..
· Easy creation of projects task lists, routines, check lists.

The desktop companion should compliment the Palm side. A simple system might use Palm desktop. Excel works well, if you use Dimex to extract the Datebook info in .csv format. Ecco, a personal information manager is also a good choice.

Benefits:

· Have all my needed PIM data (active, maybe, reference) at finger tips
· Have a no-brain retrieval procedure usinMemoLeaf lookup
· Almost immediate gathering of data needed for a specific review, or for a next task
· Adapt to my evolving needs, never be tied in any pre-built structure (free form titles for items).
· Allow multi-point of views retrievals (not attached in some rigid tree structure)
· Easy document assembly on Palm (creating a doc or a mail out of deleted data pieces)
· Data ready to use: update on desktop, and vice-versa
· Data easily created / retrieved by other apps
· Have a potential unlimited number of categories
· Avoid any database administration by using keywords to organize
· No conduit management problems, desktop formatting / converting work.
· Organization concept-driven, rather than procedure-driven

In Practice:

The Cyberpocket approach relies on memos for all projects (in the GTD method, projects are any result that requires more than one action step.) During weekly reviews, and as items come in during the day. Memos are the container where you pour all actions that might support anything that is currently or could possibly be displayed in datebook. Except meeting notes, and short drafts, most of your memos are lists.
Lists : of ideas, of to dos, of actions, of projects, of meeting notes, of items to discuss, of mail or documents clips, routines, addresses, links, storage, organizations, any reference data, outline for a draft, creation seeds....
Memos are left uncategorized and are moved into categories as they are worked on. This allows you to keep most of the categories free for later use.

The categories we'll use are:

Today
This week
Money
Thoughts
Lists
Index
Unfiled

The key to making this system work is to use keywords and context tokens in the header of the memo.

He re's an example:

Collect CyberPoche tips @ 2w39 We 9/11/02 CYBP PALM SOCI jacques@turbe.com
9/10/02

Here's the information contained in this header:
Collect CyberPoche tips--short outcome oriented title
@ --context icon, meaning "send an email". The next action for this project.
2w39 We 9/11/02-Date for the first action on this memo. The two is the year (02), week is 39, date to work on this is Wednesday, 9/11/02
CYBP PALM SOCI-keywords meaning Cyberpocket, Palm, Social
jacques @ turbe.com-who's responsible for the item
9/10/02-date the memo was created

Here's the rest of this memo:

-------------------------------
·CyberPoche index*·
·Collect Pam's plain vanilla tips*·
-------------------------------
© Ask Jacques if he likes tea
£ Browse GTD and MegaWiki mails
Note questions
$ Buy appropriate tea
# Accomodate Jacques's journey from Paris
? @ Send invitation
¥ Chat around the cup
$ eeeeh .... Jacques'fees ???
------------------------------
@ Ask an example on GTD group 9/10/02

The items between the dotted lines at the top are Wiki links to other memos with reference material. You don't need Megawiki to use this system-it was in use at the time of this example. Below this are the actual next items for this project. The dotted line at the bottom separates completed items from those still in progress.

Here's a list of context icons used:

# (do, action)
™ (waiting for,)
@ (to send)
© (to call)
(to write)
¥ (to meet)
£ (to read)
€ (to bill, account app tag)
$ (to pay)
? (next, mark in the body of a memo )

From this, you can see that the next item to work on is ? @ Send invitation. This is the same context icon used in the header. When this action is complete, you'd move the item below the dotted line, change the context icon on the header for your next action, change the next review time, and add the ? next to the next item in the list. If you don't plan to work on this project any more this week, you'd also change the category to unfiled.

The keywords you choose should be whatever makes sense and are easy to remember. If you have a short list of keywords, you might consider creating a Palm shortcut for easy text entry. TextPadDA also works well for short lists, is free, and can also be used for the context icons. For longer lists, consider using a quick entry method like MagicPad in pedit or a program like TextPlus.

Another example from Jacques:

When I create a new recipe in a memo, I'd ask myself "When or why would I
have to read or that memo again?" Here I would answer : "When I'll need to come up with a different recipe to use." My significant word here is "recipe". So I would use it
as a tag in my memo, in the title (the first paragraph of the memo, for use with thMemoLeaf Lookup feature). If it's the first time you use the tag "Recipe", you should note it (in a "Tags" memo), so that you can use this tag consistently. The tag acts as a filing label. Of course, if you know you're going to have tens of recipes, you should think
of subsets such as : "fish", "exotic" (use the very words you use, don't mimic
mine !)

Now I append to the usual title of my memo filing tags I know I'll use. (Don't over organize. I prefer going back and adding a missing tag rather than to lose time trying to add all the tags possibly related to content of the memo !). When I've inserted my 2 or 3 meaningful tags, then my memo IS filed. So, on Palm, I drop my filed memos in a single cabinet : the Palm unfiled category.

Now, back to your recipe search. This time witMemoLeaff :

I enter "recipe" iMemoLeaff, and tap on Lookup button: Within a second I get a list of the 44 recipes currently entered in my Palm, contained in a total database of 800 memos.

I store all of them in "Current selection" category, or in a new "Recipes for
tonight" category (my project, BTW) with a singlMemoLeaff command (\T).

Then, in that selection, I search on "fish" : I'm now comfortable with a short list of my 7 favorite fish recipes entered on Palm. I can browse through the memos in these resultsMemoLeaff keeps the list of my last Lookup results.

When I've completed using these recipes, maybe after creating some next action errands to do, I delete the "Recipes for tonight" category, and they return to the "unfiled" category, ready for next retrieval state. I prefer that memo mess to outlined structure.

Imagine I had yesterday aunt Sally for dinner. My lovingly created chowder choked her. I want to remember to never have my chowder again in a meal with Sally. To remind me, I'll update my "Chowder" memo with "Sally" or even "Sally - " (All people I care about have their names as tags of course !) So next time I have a meal with Aunt Sally, my firsMemoLeaff Lookup would be for "recipes", and - in that found selection - a second lookup with "Sally" this time : I'll have the selection of all her entered likes and dislikes.

For instance, if in the list I spotted these memos :
"Chowder à ma façon * 2w07 Recipe Fish Mom + Sally - "
and
"Canard à la Margaux * 1w51 Recipe Meat Mark + Ann + Sally + "
I'll know which memo to open to build my next errands ...

Of course "Sally" could participate to other retrievals:
Lookup on "$Future" and "Sally" could remind me of some inheritance idea (Sally
is a wealthy 103 years old aunt...)

Last "tip": I *always* enter the week date : the next week to review that memo (so I'm sure not to miss it, and I know I don't have to think about it before then). The inactive ones always have a week date (can be 6 months away ;-) If there is nothing to do, the week date is the creation date. So my memos with old weekdates in title are either obsolete (to delete), or reference.

If they are reference memos, I try to guess what they could possibly be used for. I include one or two "active" keywords. So more and more of my "reference" memos already contain one or two "sometime/ maybe" actions after the title and before the "body". As they come back in the active process. I have a chance to draw that sometime/maybe idea in MemoLeaff Lookup at a time where it could appear useful.

This kind of "permanent focused brainstorming" comes with using CyberPoche. When I used outlines, actions remained stuck in a single outline.


Archiving
UsMemoLeaff to choose memos for archiving. Select in Palm desktop, copy to TextPad. Backup and delete memo.dat on the Palm desktop, then paste the archive file to compress an sync. On the palm, categorize into chapters viMemoLeaff selections. On desktop use memo2web to turn into html document. Compress it using Plucker and sync to Palm. Delete this memo.dat and restore the original. This allows you to access the memos via html links in the Plucker document. By using the hypertext links, you can quickly access your information.

Weekly Review
· All memos to activate next week are selected iMemoLeaff and moved to the "This Week" category. Week number should be part of the memo title.
· Daily review (done in the evening, during commute home)-all memos to be worked on are moved to the "Today" category usinMemoLeaff.. They are updated in pedit. Move the done tasks underneath the done dotted line (the lower half of the memo, separated by a dotted line). Next tasks are moved up, reordered if needed. Context tokens and next week to review date in the header are also updated if needed.
· All projects to be worked on the next day are selected from the "This Week" category usinMemoLeaff and moved to the "Today" category.
· If task is high priority, allocate time in Datebk5 as a float.
· Miscellaneous short unimportant tasks are Todos, shown at the bottom of Datebk5.
· Routine tasks are imported into Mobile Checklist Lite, to be saved as a list.
· All projects to be deselected for the week have their titles updated for the next review (update week number) and are moved to the "Unfiled" category.

TeriPitman

Teri is onbbe of the first CyberPoche "fans" on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GtD_Palm. She was one of the first to ask me to publish a kind of CyberPoche Tutorial out of my many posts.

I always answered yes, I'll do, but never did ! Teri is so kind she offered me to collate, structure, and even write a summary.

It's because of her you can see this page.

Thanks Teri,

J.T.

BTW :

Teri Pittman

New and improved site: http://www.xws.com/terispage/

 

Palm side

· A single database for scheduling and journalizing. This is your hard landscape. Datebk5 is what Jacques uses.
· A Palm app for managing projects, GTD style. Memos are used for this.
· Creating a project, scheduling, and reviewing projects. Again, memos are used for this.
· ToDo used only for immediate tasks that can't be done just now (less than one day.)
· All done todos converted to done datebook events
· Memos for action generate "to prepare" lists of tasks to schedule in Datebook
· Palm used as primary point of entry.

Memos are used for "mind dumps" during weekly reviews, to track projects, and to hold reference material. Keywords are used in the header of the memo so that you can see at a glance what the project is and when it needs to be reviewed next. Memos are left uncategorized and are moved into the "This Week" and "Today" categorizes when they are due for action. Examples on using memos will be shown later in this document.
Desktop companion:
· Creating a new project
· Creating a pick list
· Tasks linked to their projects
· Easy switch between schedules & someday/maybe
· Quick reviews of project in progress
· Up to date reports
· Linked to meeting notes, commitments, goals, onboard documents..
· Easy creation of projects task lists, routines, check lists.

Desktop companion

The desktop companion should complement the Palm side. A simple system might use Palm desktop. Excel works well, if you use Dimex to extract the Datebook info in .csv format.

Ecco, a personal information manager is also a good alternative. It's now my choice, and I'll have to tell how well it fits CyberPoche approach:

Tasks linked to their projects
Easy switch between schedules & someday/maybe
Quick reviews of project in progress
Up to date reports
Linked to meeting notes, committments, goasl, onboard documents..
Easy creation of projects task lists, routines, check lists.

CyberPoche way of life

CyberPoche way of life

A lot of my CyberPoche way in in my brain : anticipate retrieval needs, set a
steady wording for matters. So, if you try, begin small, your way : never let
your system be ahead of you or driven by others. Date may be shared, PIM is
personal. But, I tell you, the more you use that approach, the more it grows as
a simple built-in habit, and the more it brings rewards. Learn and grow more
and more from experience. As it is mainly a thinking process : think better
(well, less badly ).

I feel I speak quite better about what I want, what I intend, what I'm doing,
where I am than I did. Brain dump helps a lot (I knew). I do believe my
CyberPoche habit (I do) helped me to really keep systematic, simple, and draw
the full benefits.of braindump : be reactive and innovative !

Keywords

Grow your own keyword language
The key to making this system work is to use keywords and context tokens in the header of the memo.

The keywords you choose should be whatever makes sense and are easy to remember. If you have a short list of keywords, you might consider creating a Palm shortcut for easy text entry. TextPadDA also works well for short lists, is free, and can also be used for the context icons. For longer lists, consider using a quick entry method like MagicPad in pedit or a program like TextPlus.

Here's an example:

Collect CyberPoche tips @ 2w39 We 9/11/02 CYBP PALM SOCI jacques@turbe.com
9/10/02

Here's the information contained in this header:
Collect CyberPoche tips--short outcome oriented title
@ --context icon, meaning "send an email". The next action for this project.
2w39 We 9/11/02-Date for the first action on this memo. The two is the year (02), week is 39, date to work on this is Wednesday, 9/11/02
CYBP PALM SOCI-keywords meaning Cyberpocket, Palm, Social (don't be afraid: those are my words, build yours as clear as you need!)
jacques @ turbe.com-who's responsible for the item
9/10/02-date the memo was created

A living process

Hope you feel CyberPoche is far more than mechanics it may look when I describe
how I organise it. It's a living and motivating process. You don't deal with
which, where, up, left, bold or color. It's not linking anything in a pyramidal
system. You don't constrain to systematically sort anything everyday in @p @e
@h just for some methodologic religion sake. Those reviewing and preparation
times are great breaths of thinking (to do, to get ready, to involve, to
delegate, to split, to protect, to optimise, to differ, to refuse, to throw, to
end) and positive feelings (pleasure of accomplishment, growth in
understanding, power on our doings, sharpening of our wills, building on our
expectations).

If you try

To newbies, I'd advise to begin with built in Datebook and memopad, and "Find"
button. CyberPoche is already workable with these.

Soon you'll maybe benefit froMemoLeaf (for instant categorizing of selected
memos),
Wiki (*only* for instant toggle between Datebook and Memos), and a better memo
editor, and a more versatile datebook.

Never let your system ahead of you. Just let it grow according to your actual
needs. Watch new tools, releases, tips on lists. But always ask you: is there
any feature I lack in my system ? Do I really need it ? Can I get the same
benefit by accomodating some new process in my existing system ?
With that approach, I dropped many pleasant and powerfull apps, and improved my
simple CyberPoche way ;-)

I don't forbid me to have at hand a large set of well sharpened tools. I don't
spare memory as long as they bring me some usage value (even with greedy apps,
I have now over 1meg free on my old IIIc, 2 years ago I was always memoryshort).


Axon File: cyb.xon
jacques@turbe.com
Last modified: mardi 5 novembre 2002 16:48:00