I am a bit fetishistic about work process. This is entirely an attitude which seeks to embrace a manner of working rather than driving myself crazy being overly concerned with the results. I found that this is a sustainable method of doing good work as it keeps me focused on the next task rather than some ambiguous result which in a complex work environment may or may not be completely under my control.
I have tried many different systems and applications to control this focus. My latest that I have chosen to adopt is completely provided by the GNOME project and is available in the Ubuntu Software Center.
First off, I like lists. I like lists that have lots of tasks. I like lists that have lots of tasks that can have sublists of tasks and tags that will identify the various different aspects which the task covers. I like being able to set start and due dates for all these tasks. I like to make lists for simple projects and complex projects. I think I found some serious software that covers all these likes in Getting Things GNOME. (developer website: http://gtg.fritalk.com/)
Another piece of software, and this is a new step for me, is one that tracks time usage. I have realized a need to track how much time I spend with various tasks in my list, or that are not on my list. For now, I am not seeking to change the way I spend my time, just to begin tracking it. After a significant period of observation, I can hopefully begin to make adjustments in my patterns. So I turn once again to the Ubuntu Software Center and download Hamster and Time Tracker (Article about these http://gnomejournal.org/article/73/tracking-your-time-with-project-hamster ). These work together to track the activities which I am working on. For instance, I am tracking the amount of time it takes to write this blog post. A really incredible feature that this software combination has is that it hooks into the Getting Things GNOME application and can track items off my list! Score!
One more thing about GTG, I am super happy that there is a plugin which allows me to link a Tomboy note with the task. This puts my notes all in a searchable database, while letting them be useful in another context.
I am pleased with this system, so far. I usually am pleased with a new system in the beginning. So the true test is how well does this change sink into my behavior over time? Will it last? Will I find a new way to do things? Stay tuned and find out!