We're the makers of Daycast—a planning and time-tracking tool for makers. This is where we write about the cultures of distributed teams, working remotely, maximizing the value of our creative process, and how we navigate common challenges that arise on the road from nothing to something.
It’s a rare individual that takes to remote work right away. Most of us need to adjust to working from home and to build new habits if we want to be productive. Here are my 6 best, just-about-anyone-can-implement-them tips for becoming a pro at productively working from home in 2 months or less.
Read MoreOrdering your task list isn’t necessary in Daycast—you can clock into whatever you want, whenever you want—but it can be helpful. With a little forethought and a deliberate strategy, you can manage your to-dos in a way that helps you get more of what you want from your time and less of what you don’t.
Read MoreFor all the noise about the harm of always-on working, very little ink is spilled on how individual professionals can realistically reclaim their time and attention. Leave the talk of digital detoxes and Big Tech reform aside for the moment… here’s something you can easily start doing today.
Read MoreWhatever the endeavor, your time is probably better spent taking the next small step than searching for a way to pull off a giant leap. Training for a marathon? Remodeling your house? Bootstrapping a SaaS startup? There isn’t any one thing you can do to ensure success… except to keep going.
Read MoreWe want to build more integrations for Daycast. What would help you most? A Slack integration that lets you create a new Daycast task from a Slack message? Or maybe a Trello integration that automatically imports your board and list items? We’re not short on ideas, but we’d love your input.
Read MoreIf time management were just about getting things done, Daycast wouldn’t exist. There are myriad tools to help you jam-pack your days and check off more and more boxes. But we think time management is about unpacking your days, making mindful choices to spend your limited time on what matters most.
Read MoreFed-up dieters the world over have ditched food rules in exchange for what they call intuitive eating. Maybe exhausted would-be time managers should follow suit. Hard-and-fast rules about time management abound, but we advocate a more reflective approach. Bespoke time management, if you will.
Read MoreA new year is underway, and you’ve got goals to crush. With these six proven tools in your personal productivity arsenal, you’ll enjoy greater focus, sharpened mental clarity, and sustained momentum—all of which you’ll use to stay committed and moving towards your targets. Come December, you’ll thank yourself.
Read MoreDay planning is not an affectation of those ultra-organized folks who color code their inboxes. In fact, day planning is not about organization at all, but preparation. And it can mean the difference between wasted resources and a humble, somewhat bumpy, but altogether more efficient workday.
Read MoreI thought working remotely would mean being less affected by company culture than when I worked onsite. A year later, I say culture matters more as a remote worker because it lives where I do—in my home. Fortunately, culture is something we can screen for like we might a potential housemate.
Read MoreOne year ago, I left the commute behind for a home office (read: desk tucked into an alcove). The adjustments have been many and all have ultimately nurtured growth—difficult, painful growth sometimes. If I had it to do over, I’d make only one change: Switch to remote work sooner. Here’s why….
Read MoreTime tracking software should solve problems, not create new ones. Finding the right fit for your team is key. We compiled our notes on time trackers we’ve studied—what’s special about each? what don’t we like?—and compared them with Daycast to save you time as you look for your team’s solution.
Read MoreAre you using FreshBooks accounting software and want to try Daycast (or vice versa)? Using both and aren’t sure how to get the rest of your team up and running? This post is for you. We’ll have your whole team using Daycast to plan, track, and send time to FreshBooks in just a few quick steps.
Read MoreWith Daycast, our aim is to help you extract maximum value from each day. That’s why we’ve added three new features to help you stay focused while working, recharge when your workday is done, and spend less time on administrative to-dos. It’s all there for you in the latest release—version 1.1.0.
Read MoreIf transparency sounds like just another corporate buzzword, consider what happens on teams that don’t have it: silos grow and solidify, communication narrows, and efficiency slows. But what can you expect from a more transparent culture? And how do you go about building one? We cover both here.
Read MoreWhy is time tracking such a mind-numbingly awful exercise in … awfulness? Here’s what I think: Most time tracking methods are doing it wrong. Timesheets, frustratingly complicated apps—the only value they deliver is in the form of a paycheck. Which sounds like enough, I know. I want more.
Read MoreBecause managers are uniquely positioned to shape team culture through both everyday interactions and long-range choices, any move toward empathy will be more successful with intentional leadership. We’ve identified five things leaders can start doing right now to nurture empathy.
Read MoreSome things—like frying eggs, like planning your days—seem pretty self-explanatory but in fact yield far better results with the application of real technique. When it comes to day planning, we recommend a method that’s simple, easy to use, and helps you get more satisfaction out of your workday.
Read MoreEmpathetic cultures don’t arise by default; they must be deliberately cultivated. And while leaders that value empathy give their teams a better chance of developing it, everyone plays a role in growing an empathetic culture. Here are five things we all can do to engender empathy in the workplace.
Read MoreThe ways and contexts in which managers review creative work can reap great rewards or cause great harm. I've failed in this area enough that I'm now qualified to write (a little) about it. So here’s a baker's dozen of hard-learned lessons gleaned from 20 years observing and managing creatives.
Read MoreThe Open Door Teams blog explores topics related to remote teams—especially teams of makers—and their management. We are the creators of Daycast, the day planner and time tracker for remote makers.
Meet Daycast: the team-aware day planner and time tracker. Plan your day, track your time, and update your team all in one place.
Daycast is the time-tracking, day-planning app that improves team transparency. We use it every day. Learn more.
Get your free copy of our time management eBook here.
Reach the article from Porch here.
