Presenting the first 1 Thing Done video.

Yes, it’s lousy. The lighting is bad, the sound is bad, and it’s got that horrendous camera whine that I may have since learned how to avoid.

But if you listen you’ll understand that the point is that I got it done and got it out there, using the tools I had available.

And the next one will be better.

Get one thing done. Then another. Make each one better. Rinse, repeat.

Also — in the video I talk a bit about Merlin Mann and in particular his old material from the early days of 43 Folders. Given the new video Merlin recently posted, I want to just want to clarify that a bit.

I don’t recommend you read Merlin’s older stuff because everyone desperately needs advice on notebooks, paper, space pens and new ways to order hamburgers. And I’m certainly not promising that all of those old posts will make you more productive. No guaranteed secrets to turbo charge super productivity in ten days or your money back call now operators are standing by.

I recommend the older stuff on 43 Folders because:

1. The posts are entertainingly written.
2. As Merlin acknowledges in his recent video, everyone needs strange, fun, and even low-impact input from time to time.
3. Maybe one in two dozen of those early posts will contain the very thing you need in that moment to get out of a rut and get something started or get something done more efficiently. That will be worth it, and that one thing will be different for everyone. Or maybe you won’t find that thing, but at least you’ll have enjoyed a few minutes of wit.

By all means don’t get sucked in, and don’t fool yourself into believing that reading productivity blogs — old or new — is any substitute for getting real work done. But in the right context and the right frame of mind, they can be a lot of fun.