DEV Community: Martin Pagels

How I've been doing tasks lately

Martin Pagels — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 06:55:00 +0000

Hello, fellow productivity enthusiasts! Today, I want to share my personal journey of refining task management, inspired by the invaluable wisdom of Brian Tracy's video titled "Tips to Structure Your Day." While I have always been diligent in getting things done, I recognized that there was an opportunity to optimize my approach. Tracy's video ignited a strong desire within me to elevate my productivity to new levels. Let me show you the strategies I've implemented that have transformed the way I manage my tasks

Embracing the Power of Planning
One of the most transformative lessons I learned from Tracy's video was the importance of planning. While I had always recognized the value of planning for my coding projects or my teaching lessons, I realized that extending this practice to my entire day could yield tremendous benefits. Inspired by Tracy's insights, I now make it a priority to plan out my daily tasks and activities.Each day, around 30 minutes before I go to bed, I take a few moments to outline the important things I need to accomplish and the steps required to achieve them. This intentional approach to planning has proven to be a game-changer, helping me stay organized, focused, and in control of my day's agenda. By setting clear objectives and mapping out the necessary actions, I've experienced a significant boost in productivity and a greater sense of purpose throughout the day.

Moreover, knowing that I can go to bed with a clear mind, confident that everything is planned for the next day, has brought me a sense of calm and peace. It allows me to truly relax and recharge, knowing that I have a well-structured plan in place to tackle the upcoming tasks and make the most out of my time.

Harnessing the Power of Effective Listmaking
Tracy's emphasis on the power of making lists struck a chord with me. Prior to discovering Tracy's insights, I had underestimated the impact that a well-structured list could have on my productivity. Inspired by his advice, I now approach list-making with renewed enthusiasm and appreciation. A clear and comprehensive list acts as a compass, guiding me through the day and allowing me to prioritize tasks effectively. Not only does it provide a sense of direction, but it also brings a remarkable sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as I check off completed tasks. The act of crossing off items from my list gives me a tangible representation of progress, fueling my motivation to tackle the next task with vigor. With each completed task, I feel a surge of productivity and a greater sense of control over my day. List-making has truly become an indispensable tool, helping me unleash my full potential and maintain a consistent level of effectiveness throughout my endeavors.

Taking the Next Step: Embracing the Art of Prioritization in My Journey
One of the most invaluable strategies I gleaned from Tracy's video was the art of prioritization. While I have yet to fully implement these techniques in my own routine, I recognize that it is the next logical step in my journey towards optimal productivity. Tracy's insights have empowered me to discern between essential and non-essential tasks, allowing me to allocate my time and energy more effectively. By embracing the art of prioritization, I am confident that I will be able to take my productivity to even greater heights, achieving remarkable results one small step at a time.

A Transformation in Productivity
Since implementing Tracy's advice into my daily routine, I have witnessed a profound transformation in my productivity. No longer am I simply getting things done; I am accomplishing tasks in a more strategic and optimized manner. With a well-defined list and a focus on prioritization, I am achieving more in less time and experiencing a heightened sense of fulfillment.

In conclusion, Brian Tracy's "Tips to Structure Your Day" video has been instrumental in revolutionizing my approach to task management. It has helped me realize that even with prior accomplishments, there is always room for improvement and optimization. By embracing the power of planning, creating comprehensive lists, and mastering the art of prioritization, I have elevated my productivity to new heights. I invite you to watch Tracy's video and embark on your own journey of enhanced productivity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ysyybi4068

New React Docs beta is live!

Martin Pagels — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 08:18:16 +0000

Covers function components, hooks, rendering, state updates, and other key concept. Still WIP.

In the meantime this is a 1:1 copy of the official react docs but with hooks: https://reactwithhooks.netlify.app/

For React beginners: How to learn useState by writing a todo app

Martin Pagels — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 21:04:53 +0000

The last article I read which mentioned the words todo app and React in one sentence began with: "Every time you write a todo app in React, a bunny dies" 😂. But hear me out:
Yes, this is an article about how to write a todo app, but I chose a different approach for beginners.

I'm currently working as an assistant coach at a boot camp company which teaches awesome people who are willing to learn coding web frontend technologies. At some point we are, of course, teaching them React. Every weekend, the students get a homework in order to reflect on the topics they learned over the week and deepen their knowledge. And what better way to learn useState and thinking in React while coding a todo app. <- I said the two words again in one sentence. 😂

I know from my experience that, as a beginner, it is hard to learn these things. Because you not only have to learn "how to think as a programmer", but you also have to learn the syntax of a new language. And as a complete beginner, a React functional component can look very strange.
Therefore, I created a repo where I documented the whole process of creating a simple todo app in React. Every important feature such as add a todo, delete a todo, toggle a todo, edit a todo lives in their own pull request. So you are able to see how the project would evolve. I also wrote a detailed pull request description where I describe, why I coded it this way (in every pull request). And I also committed very often. You can see in the branches how I added the code to the project.

If you are just beginning to learn React and are also having trouble tackling a problem, I hope this repo helps you understand how you would solve such task. You are not sure if you should take a look? Allow me a little self-advertising (this is the message I got from my head coach after checking the repo)

Here is a list of things I recommend you should know in order to get the best out of your journey through this repo:

You should:

have a basic understanding of Git & GitHub
have a basic understanding of HTML
have a basic understanding of CSS
have a basic understanding of JavaScript (variables, scope, functions, array methods)
have read the React documentation (hook version here) and understand (and maybe tried it out)
have read Thinking in React

What you will learn:

reading and understanding readmes
how to navigate through pull requests in a GitHub repo
read code from another programmer
how to start a project
how to structure your coding process
how to write good commit messages
React functional components
learn the usage of useState
where and how to handle events and update state
why a basic understanding of JavaScript is important for React (such as array methods map(), filter(), find())

I probably could have used other advanced React tools to solve the tasks, such as custom hooks or useReducer instead of useState, but my goal was to show you how to solve this with just a bare minimum of React understanding.

Here is the repo link: https://github.com/mpagels/react-todo-app-walkthrough

If you have any questions on how and why I solved it this way, please start a review and ask your question there. (It's good for your GitHub statistics, and other people with the same question can join the discussion).

I hope you have fun with it, and I wish you all the best on your journey to becoming a React developer.

Cheers.

Martin