First: +1 for asking for examples!
The 'ideas' can range from fairly vague;
to more specific;
'nail down a GTD system, focusing on ease of modification in response to strategics reviews',
'integrate all my uses of to-do and time-planning software into a single tool/piece of software".
(other examples:
'find some way to store meta ideas and increase them',
'Find a reliable [I've had problems with blockers being too easy to circumvent, I don't want to screw around with deeper modifications to OS etc and I'm often on university computers anyway] way to stop myself using facebook at certain times/days')
The point there is just to keep thinking about "what can be done to improve" and to encourage writing down 'clever ideas' that have no obvious next-action.
'Formal Implementations' are more like "this is exactly what I'm going to do/try":
'use backup-to-computer app and software to store savedata, then uninstall games' [this is the only one so far where I fulfilled the idea but not the F.I - I couldn't get backup apps to work, and I ended up uninstalling without concern for savegame data],
'Use an ical port to get all my uni timetable data into Gcal and use Google's text message reminders to duplicate the fact that I'd moderately trained myself to pay attention to that style of reminder. Copy important lists into Gcal, experiment with Gcal's todos, and set aside time to copy important data from other services.'
(the FI versions of other examples:
"Use separate Trello lists to represent levels of precision and integrate with beeminder",
"Get a friend to create half of my facebook password [half to prevent them having access], give them instructions on when I can use it, [starting with when I ask and ramping up if that doesn't work] and turn on email notifications of anything I need to keep track of").
Also, implementations always have a next-action associated with them. (for example:
copying savedata - locate in filesystem, [didn't work: maybe backup apps?]
Look for beeminder integration that can work like notes.
(Fix problem with FB access if I ask a friend to help, figure out whether cutting facebook semi-permanently is worth it - use Goal Discernment [my alternative name for Goal Factoring. I already had a cognitive tool that I'd called 'Factoring', and I didn't want the work of switching my mental habits])
Sometimes the next actions lead to a modification of the implementation rather than a result, which is fine, and sometimes they lead to doing something that doesn't fully satisfy the implementation/idea, but I record those also (like for the facebook - I haven't actually done it yet because I'm not sure if it's too radical, but I quit all the facebook debate groups I frequented.)
The trello in question is here, although not all of the info is on there - next actions and problem specifications I still keep in my head (somehting to change? the NAs anyway).
Get a friend to create half of my facebook password
Gurer'f gur “sbetbg lbhe cnffjbeq” yvax, naq hasbeghangryl jvgu Snprobbx lbh pna'g punatr lbhe r-znvy gb n snxr bar orpnhfr vg'q nfx lbh sbe pbasvezngvba gurer. (Ohg n qvfcbfnoyr rznvy nqqerff zvtug fbyir gung.)
(These days I just use a ridiculously long password, and log out of Facebook anywhere except on my laptop, where I have LeechBlock installed.)
In an attempt to encourage more people to actually do awesome things (a la instrumental rationality), I am proposing a new monthly thread (can be changed to bi-weekly, should that be demanded). Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to comment on this thread explaining the most awesome thing you've done this month. You may be as blatantly proud of you self as you feel. You may unabashedly consider yourself the coolest freaking person ever because of that awesome thing you're dying to tell everyone about. This is the place to do just that.
Remember, however, that this isn't any kind of progress thread. Nor is it any kind of proposal thread.This thread is solely for people to talk about the awesomest thing they've done all month. not will do. not are working on. have already done. This is to cultivate an environment of object level productivity rather than meta-productivity methods.
So, what's the coolest thing you've done this month?