Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

My New Task Dashboard Passes the Most Important Test

November 10, 2025 at 12:44 AM

Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

John-Paul Flintoff

@jp.flintoff.org

Helping someone assemble Instagram posts as a booklet.

November 5, 2025 at 12:18 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Creative task avoidance can look like productivity. This week I look at how to spot it, and give a sneak peek of my new Obsidian plain text task dashboard — the crafting of which was *totally not* an avoidance mechanism! I hope!!

#productivity #obsidian #plainText

It makes work easier without becoming the work itself

How I Get Instant Access to the Four Text Files That Run My Life

November 3, 2025 at 8:21 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Simplify your planning with easy, fun #iPhone shortcuts to four #Obsidian files. Stay on top of notes, tasks, calendar, and daily goals without complex apps. (thread…)

Medium medium.com/@miscellanep...
Blog ellanew.com/2025/10/06/p...

Living life distraction free, thanks to these simple iPhone Shortcuts

Inktober 2025 - Index - Ellane W

October 6, 2025 at 12:22 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Whelp, it's #Inktober already here in #Australia ! This year I'm sketching and inking each drawing with my non-dominant hand. Always wanted to be ambidextrous; this is helping.

Here's my index page ellanew.com/2025/10/01/i...

…and here's a shortcut to day 1, Mustache ellanew.com/2025/10/01/i...

My second attempt at Inktober. All drawings done with a fine nib fountain pen in black ink, with my non-dominant hand.

Calendar.txt is the Simplest Time Planning System You Will Ever See

October 1, 2025 at 11:08 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Learn calendar.txt, a simple plain text system for time management. Just add dates and events, no complex apps needed. The perfect companion to todo.txt. (h/t to @ploum@mamot.fr for putting me onto it) (thread…)

#productivity #plainText #ptpl #calendar

No complex apps; you just need to know the idea

I Like to Time Travel with Wall, Paper, and Digital Calendars

September 29, 2025 at 1:15 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

My yearly ritual of setting up wall, paper, and digital calendars to shape the future and keep life on track.

These calendars live on my wall, in a paper notebook, and on my Apple devices. They let me time travel to next year, making it feel like a place I've already been. (thread…)

Making next year feel like a place I’ve already been

Tool Stack Inspiration — the People and Apps That Shaped My Path

September 22, 2025 at 3:55 AM

Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

The English Oak Project

@thekentacorn.bsky.social

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver

September 18, 2025 at 8:16 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

This week: the plain text enthusiasts and simple tool users who inspired my productivity journey, plus thoughts on what makes a tool stack work.

#productivity #Mac #design #app #obsidian #plainText #ptpl

Methodology trumps technology, every time

Three Decades of Email Clutter. Three Folders. One Life Changed.

September 15, 2025 at 6:07 AM

Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

Libby Heeren

@libbyheeren.bsky.social

I need you to know that your contribution, your voice, your perspective, your way of explaining something, YOUR whatever, is valuable.

Just because "it's been done before" doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Nothing is new, everything's been done! But not by you. Yet.

#databs #rststs #python

September 14, 2025 at 4:27 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

I took this pic through an office window at the end of a wonderful, demanding week being the full time carer of an elderly family member on holiday. Can’t tell you how much it resonates! Made me smile big and wide. It’s okay to both have a nice time and to want to scream afterwards. #introvert

A sketch of a squirrel-like critter standing on two feet, mouth wide open, on a spiral-bound page with the text: "It's been lovely. But I have to SCREAM now."

September 11, 2025 at 10:09 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

After nearly 30 years of email chaos and 8,000+ messages, I, a chronically messy person, finally achieved Inbox Zero. Here's the simple 3-folder system that made it happen.
#ptpl #productivity
Medium miscellaneplans.medium.com/three-decade...
Blog ellanew.com/2025/09/08/p...

How one messy person learned to love an empty inbox

Echo, by Ernesto Köhler, 1888

September 8, 2025 at 4:36 AM

Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

Lilly Piper 🧡💛🤍🩵💙

@lillypip.bsky.social

Piano, clarinet, and flute piece. Absolutely gorgeous, in my opinion.

I’d really love you to check out my sheet music for this at www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_...

I did all the engraving and layout myself, note by note. I hate to beg but, a look, a like, & a share would make me very happy.

YouTube video by Lilly Piper

www.youtube.com

September 3, 2025 at 6:39 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Introducing what I have affectionately dubbed my One-Page Notebook (1PN). The One-Page Notebook is simply a regular sheet of paper, folded in half two to three times. It's big enough to write on without needing… (cont'd…)

The Surprisingly Powerful One-Page Notebook That’s Always With Me

It’s simple, slim, and pressure-free

PTPL 170 · The Calendar Trick That Changed How I Mark Maybes - Ellane W

September 3, 2025 at 12:08 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

A simple time scheduling idea from Merlin Mann, a fight with Apple Calendar (guys! stop micromanaging!), and the double dashes I use today.

Blog ellanew.com/2025/08/25/p...
Medium medium.com/@miscellanep...

#productivity #macOS #ptpl

Learn Merlin Mann’s clever tip for uncertain calendar events, and my workaround for Apple Calendar’s punctuation limits

PTPL 169 · Mac Tips for Beorg Files Plus a Straightforward Productivity Approach - Ellane W

August 25, 2025 at 6:35 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

I have discovered that I can speak (often incorrect) French, quite well! Proud of myself for having the courage to talk with native speakers.

Big respect for migrants who get out there and practice the language of their new home.

#languageLearning #language #courage #migrants #francais #french

August 19, 2025 at 8:21 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Get productive with plain text with a simple 2-tool system, Beorg file editing on Mac, VS Code tag fixes, and EasyOrg agenda access for beginners.

#productivity #org #ptpl

Blog ellanew.com/2025/08/18/p...
Medium ellanew.com/2025/08/18/p...

Get productive with plain text with a simple 2-tool system, Beorg file editing on Mac, VS Code tag fixes, and EasyOrg agenda access for beginners.

I've opened a shop. Come take a look!

August 18, 2025 at 1:39 AM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Family around me

Good food to eat

A cosy rug to keep me warm

#3goodThings

August 6, 2025 at 10:46 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

My precious baby grandson lived for 11 short days. We are devastated, but so very thankful we got to stroke his tiny head and say au revoir — till we meet again!

I made some digital posters with words that have brought peace and comfort as I grieve.

(thread…)

Visit Ellane W's Shop!

ko-fi.com

August 5, 2025 at 2:42 AM

Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

Brandon | ·𐑚𐑮𐑨𐑯𐑛𐑩𐑯

@mr-brandon.bsky.social

I find the Shavian alphabet beautiful and full of possibility. I hope art like this helps make others curious too. Please share it if you like it! 𐑛𐑵 𐑿 𐑓𐑰𐑤 𐑤𐑲𐑒 𐑞 𐑢𐑫𐑥𐑩𐑯? 𐑲 𐑛𐑵. — Visit shavian.info for an explanation. #comic #comics #comicstrip #comicstrips #illustration #wordpuzzles #Shaw #script

This is a comic strip.

A woman wearing glasses is looking at her phone saying something in strange letters. The man next to her looks confused, as though he can see the speech bubble above her.

The man asks, "How come I heard 'oh, boy' but it looks like nonsense?"

In the next frame, the woman, looking confident, answers in the same strange letters. The man looks surprised and replies, "A different English alphabet?"

In the last frame, the man rolls his eyes. He says, "...this comic is going to have VERY limited reach." The woman looks disappointed and replies with a short answer in the same script.

August 2, 2025 at 4:32 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

I’m thankful for:

The Non-Violent Communication approach to not judging emotions as good or bad. In welcoming them and gently exploring the needs behind them.

The support and kindness of family and friends. (Hold them close, if you can.)

Good memories.

💜

July 30, 2025 at 5:36 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Abby Covert's information architecture resources are on sale. I've just bought "Stuck - Diagrams Help" and "How to Make Sense of Any Mess". Looking forward to diving in!

30% off with the code stuckturns3

#IA #design

abbycovert.com/shop/

Shop - Abby Covert, Information Architect

I love designing products that help you to make the unclear, clear. Below you will find all the products that I sell myself, including my own books, some

abbycovert.com

July 17, 2025 at 11:30 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Here’s a throwback to an article I wrote in 2022, just in case anyone is still under the mistaken idea that being normal is something to aim for medium.com/the-orange-j...

#barefeet #crunchy #mobility #health

10 Things Normal People Do, That I Don’t

It’s high time we defined our own “normal”, don’t you think?

PTPL 165 · 30 Seconds to a Truly Useful Read-It-Later System - Ellane W

July 16, 2025 at 6:12 PM

Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯

@ellanew.com

Dedicated Read-It-Later apps are nice, not necessary.

The links you save today might be a mystery tomorrow. 30 seconds can mean the difference between one more link being lost to the black hole of ambiguity, and having useful resources at your fingertips. (thread…)

#productivity #obsidian #ptpl

30 seconds can mean the difference between a useless clutter of links, and having a useful Read It Later resource at your fingertips.