Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯
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ellanew.com
Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯
@ellanew.com
Australian designer, writer, and plain text advocate. Indie blogger at https://ellanew.com. Planning and note-making without shiny app lock-in. Obsidian user. Christian. Swearing and politics blocked. https://pkm.social/@ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯 #𐑖𐑱𐑝𐑾𐑯
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My notes are #PlainText first, #Markdown second. They're highly portable between platforms, apps, and devices. #macos and #ios are my weapons of choice, but they'd look and work the same on #android and #Windows.
Connecting one stubborn task to my core values changed everything. Sometimes you need to feel the why before you can do the work. (thread…)

#PTPL #productivity #procrastination

Medium miscellaneplans.medium.com/how-to-climb...
Blog ellanew.com/2025/11/10/p...
How to Climb Out of Task Resistance
What finally setting up the spare bed taught me about the things we keep putting off
miscellaneplans.medium.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯
Helping someone assemble Instagram posts as a booklet.
November 5, 2025 at 12:18 AM
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
My New Task Dashboard Passes the Most Important Test
It makes work easier without becoming the work itself
miscellaneplans.medium.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:21 AM
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...
How I Get Instant Access to the Four Text Files That Run My Life
Living life distraction free, thanks to these simple iPhone Shortcuts
medium.com
October 6, 2025 at 12:22 AM
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...
Inktober 2025 - Index - Ellane W
My second attempt at Inktober. All drawings done with a fine nib fountain pen in black ink, with my non-dominant hand.
ellanew.com
October 1, 2025 at 11:08 AM
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
Calendar.txt is the Simplest Time Planning System You Will Ever See
No complex apps; you just need to know the idea
medium.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:15 AM
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…)
I Like to Time Travel with Wall, Paper, and Digital Calendars
Making next year feel like a place I’ve already been
medium.com
September 22, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯
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
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
Tool Stack Inspiration — the People and Apps That Shaped My Path
Methodology trumps technology, every time
medium.com
September 15, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯
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
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
September 11, 2025 at 10:09 AM
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...
Three Decades of Email Clutter. Three Folders. One Life Changed.
How one messy person learned to love an empty inbox
miscellaneplans.medium.com
September 8, 2025 at 4:36 AM
Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯
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.
Echo, by Ernesto Köhler, 1888
YouTube video by Lilly Piper
www.youtube.com
September 3, 2025 at 6:39 PM
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
miscellaneplans.medium.com
September 3, 2025 at 12:08 PM
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
PTPL 170 · The Calendar Trick That Changed How I Mark Maybes - Ellane W
Learn Merlin Mann’s clever tip for uncertain calendar events, and my workaround for Apple Calendar’s punctuation limits
ellanew.com
August 25, 2025 at 6:35 AM
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
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...
PTPL 169 · Mac Tips for Beorg Files Plus a Straightforward Productivity Approach - Ellane W
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.
ellanew.com
August 18, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Family around me

Good food to eat

A cosy rug to keep me warm

#3goodThings
August 6, 2025 at 10:46 PM
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!
I've opened a shop. Come take a look!
ko-fi.com
August 5, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Reposted by Ellane ·𐑧𐑤𐑱𐑯
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
August 2, 2025 at 4:32 PM
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
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
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?
medium.com
July 16, 2025 at 6:12 PM
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
PTPL 165 · 30 Seconds to a Truly Useful Read-It-Later System - Ellane W
30 seconds can mean the difference between a useless clutter of links, and having a useful Read It Later resource at your fingertips.
ellanew.com
July 14, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Yesterday I started the journey towards inbox zero. Carl Pullein’s “Inbox zero 2.0” finally made it click. I can do this! Fastmail makes it easy with their 4-pronged swipe gestures.

For each email, ask—
1. What is it?
2. What do I need to do with it?

(thread…)

#productibity #email
July 12, 2025 at 6:57 PM