Jobs: Dmitry Tarasov, creator organizer "Chaos Control"
Workplaces / / December 27, 2019
Dmitry Tarasov
Of IT-entrepreneur, founder and producer of the "chaos control". He graduated from MIIT. Since 2006, he engaged in the development of mobile applications, has gone from the programmer to the CEO.
What do you do in your work?
I am the founder and producer of the project "Chaos Control». This organizer personal goals and objectives for busy people. Its creation came to my mind when I started in business.
Beginning his career as an independent developer of mobile applications in 2006, I earned that sell applications to end users. In 2008, this activity has reached the stage where it became clear: either remain a programmer or hire other programmers and grow their business. I chose the second option and become an entrepreneur, opened a studio on the development of mobile applications.
In the business development process, I was faced with the need to deal with a large number of cases from completely different spheres (from design to sales) thus became interested in issues of time management and improve productivity. After reading, perhaps, all the books devoted to time management, I realized that the use of them is not enough. As a result, I developed a very simple case management systems. It became the basis for "Chaos Control", on which our team started work in 2012. Now this is my key project.
What is your occupation?
Ever since high school, I wanted to become a programmer, so went to a technical college. He entered the Moscow State University of Railway Engineering (MIIT) on a specialty "Management and informatics in technical systems". Despite the promising name of the specialty, of all the things that were in college, I drew only benefit from the exercises. Most of the other items frankly does not hold water in terms of the ratio of "elapsed time - use". Therefore, the first year I started to work, giving it a much longer time than learning.
Program at the University has not changed for decades, so in order to form skills programming, I have engaged in self-education and the practical application of acquired knowledge in the real world projects. By the fourth year, I came up with the experience to do something more or less serious. By the way, this is why I am very happy that he learned in high school-middle peasants, and not at Moscow State University, or PTI, where I would be unlikely to able to devote much time to educate themselves for the program framework and work more than a couple of hours week.
At that time (2003-2007) very quickly developed the first generation of smart phones, it is possible to write applications for them. It was obvious that programmers specializing in mobile development, will be in great demand, and that they will be in short supply and, therefore, will be to make good money. So I decided to focus on mobile applications. Pretty quickly I became one of the first Russian developers for Nokia smartphones. Wrote this article in the magazine "Hacker", developed the application to order and make their own products.
But returning to the question of the role of academic education, I can say that the best thing it can give in the making of IT-specialist - it is not to interfere with getting practical knowledge anywhere still. This does not mean that if you want to become a programmer, you do not need college. Higher education, perhaps the need anyone. But not to make you a specialist (this is only your personal problem). Higher education must be first and foremost in order to improve communication skills, and this is unlikely to be effectively replaced with something.
What, in your opinion, should know and be able to IT-specialist?
IT - the most loyal in terms of the scope of claims. All you need to become good pros - is constantly accumulating experience on real projects, from which produce is usually no problem. The problems start when you go in the programming business, as it happened to me.
I will not go into a discussion of what you need to know and be able businessman. About this was written thousands of books of varying degrees of usefulness. I can highlight only the ability to endure difficulties, the ability and desire to quickly resolve problems, as well as knowledge of the English language.
If you're doing some kind of service or product in the IT (application site service), then most likely your target audience - it's a global market, not only Russia. Therefore, no English anywhere. Basic English, I taught in foreign languages courses at the Foreign Ministry, and now twice a week doing with the teacher - native speaker via Skype. I, incidentally, recommend a good service for learning languages italki.com. There you can find a teacher and engage with them remotely. The price issue - 10-20 dollars per lesson.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
If I have a really strong hand, so this is something that I always know what I want. I try not to do anything that is not known to what leads and it is unclear why it is necessary. This saves a lot of time and energy, allowing only deal with what is really important.
Similarly, I am guided by the principle of information consumption and dealing with people. I try any of their gesture to make sense. Of course, not always succeed, but it helps a lot in itself desire to selectively treat what to do, what to consume information and communicate with anybody.
But the weaknesses on which to work, mass. Here are some of them:
- I'm disorganized. Actually, that's why I'm doing an application for time management. To first of all to become more organized. :)
- I'm lazy. I constantly have to motivate yourself to do something. That's why I pay much attention to goal-setting. It is always important to know what I need to do this or that boring job and to what result it will bring me.
- I'm shy. For the entrepreneur is very negative trait. So I regularly go to the conference: public speaking help me deal with it. However, in recent years in this regard, everything had changed for the better.
- I make too many mistakes in everything I do. This is due to the fact that I best learn through mistakes. Calms only that not mistake the one who does nothing.
- I tend to dissipate attention and is easily distracted. We have to use all sorts of cunning tricks of time management, so as not to switch attention from one case to another. Ability to focus - this is the basis, when you need to get a result, and not just to develop the clock.
In short, I was rather critical attitude towards their abilities and have no illusions about this. For an entrepreneur is much more important to think strategically and be able to organize all that have some special talents. Talent and ability should be employees.
How does your workplace?
I work mostly at home and in the workplace minimum requirements. You could say that my workplace - this is my laptop, a few gadgets and notebook.
When food somewhere, just pile it all in a bag and then laid out in a new place. The specifics of our business lies in the fact that we do not have an office, the whole team is distributed across different locations. I can work from anywhere. All you need to do - somewhere to sit down and open the laptop.
Daily I use the following gadgets:
Mac Book Air 13 " (I7, 512 GB). This is my key tool. On a Mac, I went two years ago and noticed that the more productive for them. Not least because they no longer feel pain and suffering, is invariably accompanied by the use of Windows. Specifically MacBook Air is good that he is lightweight, compact and fast enough for 100% of all the tasks that I decide. Note that the keyboard is not engraved with Russian letters. This, oddly enough, increases its usability.
iPad Air 2. Use it mainly as an organizer and a means for content consumption. In fact, iPad replace my library. Books I read mainly through Kindle app, and magazines - with the "Kiosk» iOS. Twitter, which I love more than any other sotsialok also basically read through the iPad.
Tablet on Android. I have several, but is on the table or Nexus 9, or Samsung Galaxy Note 10 ". Use them to browse the news of Google Play (occupation obliges), learn Android, as well as to test the "chaos control".
Smartphone on Android. Usually this Galaxy Note 3. The reason why he is always on the table is similar: it is necessary to regularly use Android for work.
iPhone 6 Plus. This is my main phone. He holds the battery is almost always large and productive.
Apple Watch. They are convenient to use in the car: you can answer the call or read the notice, while standing at the traffic lights are not holding the phone. By the way, Apple Watch - a pretty good tool to increase productivity. They greatly reduce the number of contacts with a smartphone during the day, and this, in turn, reduces distraction. People who do not have smart-hours, rarely understand why they are needed, but popolzovavshis them a couple of months already can not abandon them.
As for software, here is a list of the most frequently used applications on my laptop:
- Scrivener - to write articles and longer texts.
- Pages - for the preparation of documents; in it I like having good mobile clients for iOS.
- OmniOutliner and MindNode - to compile and autlaynov mayndmepov that I use for primary collection of ideas on specific topics (from articles to projects).
- microsoft OneNote - the main tool for managing your notes. Unlike Evernote, a great mobile clients and has a suitable flexible.
- YNAB - a means of accounting finance and budget planning.
- Slack - the main (at least not yet) a communication tool for work projects.
As the browser I use Chrome. Unlike Safari, it can display your bookmarks and history not only on Mac OS / iOS, but on Windows, Android and everywhere. E-mail client and calendar in my standard, Makovsky. With regard to the scheduler, I think, it is clear that use "Chaos Control" on all devices. :)
By the way, on mobile devices, I try to incorporate push-notification for a minimum even for the majority of messengers. This allows you to respond to someone else's needs only when I did this I want, and not be distracted at the wrong time.
As for the most frequently used mobile applications, this is how the main screen of my phone.
Is there a place in your paper work?
I could do without the Moleskine notebook format A4, but still quite often there is a need to take a pen and start sketching out notes on paper. Usually it is necessary, when thinking of a certain topic is only beginning to emerge - a scratching process in a notebook accelerates their formation.
The rest of the paper is almost never used.
What is in your bag?
Every day I use a briefcase Dr. Koffer, which put a laptop, iPad and documents. Complete with portfolio goes marching kit that has everything from scissors to the flashlight. In this case, it is almost weightless and takes up very little space.
The trip take an ordinary backpack, where to put clothes and other necessary things. There are people who do not travel without thinking of something specific, but I have enough to have some cash and gadgets. Everything else depends on the duration and nature of travel.
How do you organize your time?
With time management I have long-standing and very complex relationship. As already mentioned, I became interested in them when faced with a business. I was looking for ways to get more done and make everything better. Of all the books on time management, in my opinion, the most interesting is Getting Things Done David Allen. In this case, it has several major problems: too much water, plus it absolutely ignores modern realities person's lifestyle, surrounded by gadgets and a huge number of sources information.
In addition, after several years of work on improving the productivity tools market, I came to the conclusion that the benefits of time management is overrated. It is important to correctly identify priorities and desired outcomes (this is not as easy as it may sound), as well as attention and expending energy by investing in those activities, which somehow leads to the achievement of your goals is, rather than a passive external processing stimuli. My thoughts on what I outlined in this topic article on Energy ManagementWhich was a very the viral and resonated with a large number of readers.
The technique, which I use and which is the basis of "chaos control", based on the principle that the planning It begins with a clear definition of the goals and desired outcomes in specific areas: business studies, hobbies, sports, and so Further. Examples of such purposes (desired results) to lose 5 kilograms per two months engaged in a gym; lift landing page conversion to 14%; prepare for the exam in English and the like. Fixing a goal, you must make a list of steps (tasks) to be performed in order to obtain the desired result. In the terminology of "chaos control" such a goal in conjunction with the corresponding list of tasks - it is a project. Here, for example, might look like a project dedicated to the launch of a startup blog.
The output is a clear structure of all projects, distributed by categories. Because of this, I always know what I need to do this or that business. This has a positive effect on motivation. That's all. No complicated time-managerial tricks, no special methods to increase productivity. The main thing - to understand what you're doing and why. Everything else individually.
What's your daily routine?
Oddly enough, I like to read about the morning ritual of famous people, but he yet none worked out. The only thing that is important to me in the morning - it quickly to deal with the main task of the day. If you have to do something important, then I try to do it in the morning.
By nature I am probably an owl, although lately I get up pretty early. I tend to experiment with the regime. I am the best. In July, I can have a daily routine, and a month later - another. As with time management, I do not think that the regime has a great importance. The main thing - every day to work on their long-term goals and gradually move towards their achievement; and what time to get up and all sorts of rituals - an individual matter.
How to pass the time in traffic jams?
Rarely I get into traffic jams, because they never go in rush hour. Behind the wheel is almost always listen to "Business FM» - this is a well-balanced radio, through which you can learn the basic information of the day, filed in the most impartial format now rarity. If going to be an hour or more, then I listen to some relaxing music an easy. Love Slipknot, for example.
In situations of forced downtime preference is given to podcasts, and audiobooks: it's a great source of ideas and useful information in a very convenient format. Read - this one, and to hear the living voice - more information is perceived much better. About podcasts I wrote separately here. If you read, what any of this:
- Twitter - my favorite social network. Probably the most effective way to acquire new useful contacts.
- Reeder - is RSS-reader, which I've been watching an interesting blog.
- "Stand» iOS - Here are all interesting to me magazines like Fast Company, Forbes and others.
- Kindle - here, I think, is clear. :)
What's your hobby?
I love guitars and everything connected with them. Myself play, but of course, not pros. To become a professional, you need to play eight hours a day, as in the present study.
It is difficult to say why I like it. Most likely, just like music, it helps me throughout life. In addition, there is a certain similarity in the development of business and the guitar: both getting better over time as a result of certain efforts.
What place sport occupies in your life?
I can not imagine my life without fitness. Yes, sometimes there are interruptions (even long), but it will sooner or later come back to the gym. Firstly, the person conducting long enough sitting, exercise is vital. Second, the studies help to deal with the constant stress caused by the specifics of the activities. We noticed that many entrepreneurs are engaged in these or other sports, with sometimes quite extreme?
I do several times a week (three to six), combining cardio and work out with weights. Quite a lot of experimenting with both the staff and with the duration and amount of training. The biggest achievement is his discomfort at the thought that I could skip the workout.
IN this article I brought a few thoughts about the sport. Many of them are controversial (experienced pitching disapprove), but can help if you try to love the gym.
Layfhakerstvo from Dmitri Tarasov
books
- «losing My virginity"Richard Branson - a book that pushed me to engage in entrepreneurial activities. She caught me at a time when I was almost ripe to quit your job and start a business, but still did not dare. After reading this book, all doubts have disappeared.
- «How to work 4 hours a week and do not hang around in the office "from bell to bell" live anywhere and prosper"Tim's Ferris - an excellent book, refreshing perspectives on familiar work, productivity and efficiency.
TV series
- If you have not watched the show "House of cards"- look. The protagonist - the standard of productivity and entrepreneurship.
- TV series "Hannibal"- another perfect example of what is evil and productivity go hand in hand.
podcasts
- Podcasts Tim Ferris more beautiful than his books. In them, he talks with high-profile-experts in various fields. Each edition lasts at least an hour, but it is impossible to break away.
- This Is Your Life - Michael S. Hyatt podcast. A good source of ideas on the topics of productivity, and leadership information (unspoiled sense of the word).
Blogs and Websites
- Seth Godin's Blog - marketing guru shares his philosophical thoughts on the creation and promotion of products.
- Blog service Buffer - a fine example of effective content marketing. Plus interesting articles about everything that is related to business development in the Internet.
What is your life motto?
My attitude to life can be characterized as follows: I understand that I must be no one, but no one nothing forbidden.
Nobody forbids you to do business. To do this, you do not need the support of venture capital, public opinion, Putin personally or someone else. Create your product may be just sitting at the computer.
We live in an era when perhaps everything.
Although, if only because all the information accumulated by mankind, lies in our pocket. You just need to learn how to use it, rather than consume.