Frequently Asked Questions

Purchase & Guarantee

What is your refund policy?

Except for the Waves of Focus course, there is a 30-day money back guarantee. Simply use the contact form to receive a refund.

While you do not need a reason, I do appreciate any thoughts so I can consider how to improve these works.

Are there discount educational/upgrade versions?

Yes, there are.  If you have purchased the first edition of Creating Flow with OmniFocus or are involved with an educational setting, please use this link to purchase the book at a discount. There is no difference in product.

There is also now an educational discount available for Workflow Mastery: Building from the Basics. Use this link to purchase the book at a discount.

There are currently no discount options for Being Productive or Taking Smart Notes with DEVONthink.

Can I buy the books elsewhere?

Presently, the books are not listed in iTunes, Amazon, or otherwise. This may change, though I have preferred the direct artist-audience connection the present method provides. If you would prefer them sold by some other method, please drop me a line and send your vote.

Purchasing the ebooks here at BeingProductive.org provides you with multiple formats so you can read or listen where you like and how you like without restriction.

Can I share the books or course?
I suggest using them as you would a physical book or DVD within the home. As long as you are not reading or storing them at the same time, then please feel free to share within the household.

Products

Can I have a Table of Contents for any of these books or the course?

Sure!  In fact, you can get samples as well as the table of contents for each book by signing up to the mailing list:

 

Or you can download just the Table of Contents for each here:

What is the difference between the products?
Creating Flow with OmniFocus is about developing a specific daily workflow while also teaching the ins and outs of the task manager OmniFocus.  If you're looking to stay on top of many different things at once, this can be very useful.

Workflow Mastery is about how to consider and create work that feels meaningful. There is no required program.

Being Productive is the only video course of the bunch. It is about learning how to focus on a particular project while building a system around it. It can also be a more head-on approach to dealing with procrastination.

Taking Smart Notes with DEVONthink is about staying on top of your digital stuff, keeping it organized and the like.  It teaches you how using DEVONthink while walking you through building a set of interlinking notes.

Does Creating Flow focus on the iPad, iPhone, or Desktop client?
Creating Flow with OmniFocus includes all clients, but mainly focuses on the Desktop version. Most ideas can easily be adapted to the iOS version.
Does Taking Smart Notes with DEVONthink focus on the iPad, iPhone, or Desktop client?

Taking Smart Notes with DEVONthink focuses heavily on the desktop client. DEVONthink to Go is mentioned and discussed, however, it is mainly done so in support of the MacOS version.

Coaching

Could you tell me about my own specific workflow?

Requests for coaching and evaluating individual workflows are welcome. However, to do so adequately would take me some time. If you would like to hire me, please use the contact form to send me an inquiry and discuss rates.

OmniFocus & DEVONthink

What is OmniFocus?
In short, Omnifocus is a powerful task management system that can be used to organize anything from routine activities up through major goals in life. It is a tool that helps break down your goals into real world tasks that allow you to work and play in a way that you want to.

Check out the Omni Group’s main OmniFocus site for more information.

What is DEVONthink?
In short, DEVONthink is a powerful data management system. It can be used to organize a wide variety of file types including notes, PDFs, emails, news feeds, videos, audio files, and more.

Check out DEVONtechnologies' main site for more information.

Files & Devices

Can I buy the books or course on my mobile device?
You can purchase them, but you cannot download them directly to a mobile device. Instead, if you plan on reading on your iPad, iPhone, or Kindle, download them to your laptop or desktop and follow the included instructions to transfer them to your mobile device.
How can I read the eBooks on my iPad/iPhone?
To read the ePub or pdf files on an iPad:

  1. Open iBooks.
  2. Drag either file into iBooks.
  3. Connect your mobile device to your computer by the Apple provided USB cable.
  4. Open iTunes.
  5. Wait for iTunes to recognize the device (it will appear in the top right of the iTunes application).
  6. Select the device.
  7. Select “Books” in the menu bar.
  8. Make sure that “Sync Books” is checked. If you prefer to have only particular books synced, choose “Selected books”.
  9. Make sure that “Creating Flow with OmniFocus” is checked.
  10. Sync your device.

The book should now be available in the iBooks application.

How can I read the eBooks on my Kindle device?
1) Turn on the Kindle.
2) Connect the Kindle via the accompanying USB cable to your computer.
3) Drag the .mobi file into the documents folder on your device.
4) Wait until the USB activity indicator on your Kindle stops flashing.
5) Depending upon your operating system, remove the device by either:
⁃ (Windows) choosing “Safely Remove Mass Storage Device” or
⁃ (Mac) selecting “Eject”.

The book should now be available to read on your Kindle device.

What is the difference between the file types?
The PDF file is an electronic file which most accurately represents the presentation of the book’s contents. However, these pages are static in nature and will not adjust to the page for the latest eReaders.

An ePub file is also included for compatible readers such as the iBooks or Stanza apps on the iPad. ePub files are adaptable and allow changes of font, zooming of images (on iBooks), among other adjustments.

Also included is the .mobi version which is compatible with Kindle device readers. Note, this file is intended for the actual Kindle device and not the iPad application.

Affiliate Questions

Do you have an affiliate program?

Yes. Check it out here.

Are you affiliated with The Omni Group or DEVONtechnologies?
I have been compensated by the Omni Group for giving a talk and may in the future, too. However, I’ve enjoyed their products long before any such arrangements.  I also paid a visit to their home base in Seattle and they seem like a swell bunch.

I have no affiliation with DEVONtechnologies. I've had a series of email exchanges and periodic visits to their forums and they, too, seem like a swell bunch.

Are you affiliated with Davidco or Getting Things Done?
Nope. I just really like the methodology.

Throughout Creating Flow, Workflow Mastery, and Being Productive I try to describe what I understand to be GTD concepts and what I believe to be my own deviations from them. But, Davidco does not endorse me, and I may not interpret everything they have to say perfectly.

Do check out the book Getting Things Done. There are many task management methodologies out there. I find the best are those you can adapt to your own workflow. I’ve found the GTD method to be useful for myself.