Nothing reduces productivity more than a slow computer.  Not to mention, it is extremely frustrating. 

You buy a new computer or install a fresh version of windows and things are running great.  A couple of weeks and 20 applications later, things are starting to slow down.  Does that sound familiar?

Well, there is a neat solution to this problem - PortableApps.com.  It’s a simple way to access a bunch of really useful tools and applications without installing them.  The best part is that you can keep all the applications and related documents on any USB drive (even your iPod) and use them on any computer.

How I do it?

Since I use multiple machines and don’t want to install the same applications over and over on each machine, I carry around a USB drive that contains a working set of my data and the PortableApps I use most.

I created a folder on my USB drive called PortableApps then I downloaded the PortableApps.com Suite and ran it.  I entered the L:\PortableApps as my "installation" folder.  This doesn’t install anything; all it does is create the PortableApps folder with all the necessary files.  Tip: If you install it to the root folder of your drive then it will auto start when you plug it in.

If you run the StartPortableApps.exe, it adds a taskbar icon which is just a launcher to your portable apps

I use this menu to launch my applications, back them up and change settings.  All the changes I make are saved within the PortableApps folder I specified, so nothing gets written to the registry, start menu or anything else i.e. zero impact on my windows installation.  So, all I have to do to back up my PortableApps is just make a copy the folder.  Tip: I use SyncToy to sync my PortableApps folder on the portable drive back to my computer - this way if I ever forget the portable drive, I will still have my applications.

What you should do?

First of all go ahead and download PortableApps and "install" it to any location you like - ideally a thumb drive.  Run StartPortableApps.exe to run the launcher. 

Try out the applications that come packaged with the initial install and remove the ones you don’t like.  To remove an app, just open up the launcher and click Options > Remove an App.  All this does is take you to the folder where the apps are installed and all you have to do is delete the folder for the application you want to remove.

To install new apps, just download them from www.portableapps.com.  Downloaded applications filenames end paf.exe.  After they are downloaded, click Options > Install a New App in the launcher.  Then browse to the downloaded file and that’s it.  All that happens is a folder gets created for the application under your PortableApps folder.  Nothing gets installed per se, so no start menu entry or registry modification

Here are some applications you should try out:

1. Notepad ++ (link)
2. 7-Zip Portable (link)
3. WinDirStat Portable (link)
4. WinMerge Portable - (link)
5. VLC Media Player - (link)
6. FileZill Portable - (link)
7. Firefox Portable - (link)
8. Miranda IM Portable - (link)
9. Sudoku Portable - (link) WARNING - PRODCUTIVE KILLER
10. WinSCP Portable - (link)

Videos

A very quick tour of PortableApps (~2 minutes)

A quick how-to for PortableApps (7 minutes)

Resources

1. PortableApps - www.portableapps.com
2. Tech Tip 128 - Computing on the Go with PortableApps
3. PortableApps Review
4. What is a portable app? 

So you want to be productive and get things done?  A good first step would be to read Getting Things Done by David Allen.  This book has started a whole GTD movement and has strong following.  Personally, I use it to stay on top of everything but I am not a strict practitioner. 

The premise of GTD is pretty straight forward. It is an action management method (not time management).  The principle is that you need to move tasks out of your mind and record it somewhere.  That somewhere could be a piece of paper, outlook, a PDA, etc…

I am not going to rewrite all the things that have been written about GTD but here is a quick reference to the process.

1. Collect
2. Process
3. Organize
4. Review
5. Do

How I do it?

I collect all my tasks in Outlook.  I categorize them with color coded categories.  I set dates and reminders.  I review and prioritize then I do.  My outlook calendar looks like this:

The cool thing I like about Outlook is that I can drag a task into the calendar area to create an appointment.  I can even drag an email into the task area or the calendar area to create a task or appointment respectively.  It is freaking cool.

The one thing I HATE about Outlook is that there is no easy way to synchronize your information across multiple machines without an exchange server.  I can sync my calendar with Google use Google’s Calendar Sync and my email is in Gmail.  The only problem I have is that there is no way to sync my tasks.  Sure I could use one of the billion online tasking sites but then I lose all the amazing things I can do with Outlook (try it and you will know what I am talking about).

As for managing my email.  I dedicate specific times (twice or so a day) to read and reply to email.  I do one of several things with my message.  If it requires no action, I delete it or archive it.  I might also label/tag/categorize it if necessary.  If it requires a couple of minutes to respond to it, then I do it.  If it is going to take longer the I put it on my task list and move on.  Later when I review my task list, I will process it accordingly.  My inbox is always empty.

What you should do?

1. Get the book - it’s available as paperback, hardcover, audio book and even for your Kindle
2. Read the book
3. Practice what you read
4. Share your tips, experiences and opinions in the comments area below

Videos

If you are too lazy to read watch these videos

GTD by David Allen

Outlook 2007 To-Do Bar

Interacting with Entourage

Tools

1. Microsoft Outlook 2007 for Windows or Entourage 2008 for mac
2. Google Calendar
3. Google Calendar Sync
4. A plethora of To Do list tools at lifehacker

Resources

A good overview of GTD (Wikipedia)

Book Excerpt (BusinessWeek Online)

What is GTD? (Author’s page)

Frequently Asked Questions (Author’s page)

GTD: A New Cult for the Info Age (Wired)

A Primer on Getting Things Done (7P Productions)