Saschka Unseld is the writer and director of Pixar's feature The Blue Umbrella. The Blue Umbrella tells the story of two umbrellas that falls in love (I know it sounds stupid but play along). Prior to The Blue Umbrella, Saschka worked on Toy Story 3, Cars 2 and Brave. Here are his favorite apps and gadgets, and a peek at his seriously cool workspace.

Location: San Francisco, CA; Currently in the Tendernob
Current gig: Working on Pixar's next feature, The Good Dinosaur, in the staging and layout department. All the while also writing of my ideas and scripts.e
Current mobile devices: iPhone and iPad mini
Current computers: Macbook Air (for Pixar work and private; Linux Box (for Pixar work)
One word that best describes how you work: Calmly

What app/software/tools can't you live without? 

Going on walks to think and relax. On the software side: RSS reader (currently Feedly), mobile photgraphy apps (currently Ogg, Camera+ and Instagram), Gmail,a Kindle for script reading, and iaWriter, WriteRoom, and Final Draft for iPad for writing.

What's your workspace like?

Two vintage chairs and a coffee table for relaxed reading and writting, a Marshall speaker/amp with my old iPhone for music, a Zassenhaus hand coffee grinder, and tiny french press for coffee breaks, and a standing desk for Pixar work, and a big black pinboard for specially mapping out visuals and ideas.


What's your best life hack?

Having breakfast at my local cafe every morning before heading to work. It makes me get up early, makes my brain start thinking about the day, and it makes me happy.


What's your favorite to-do list manager?

Emailing myself, and any.Do for iPhone.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Public transit.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Being calm and being and being on time.

What do you listen to while you work?

I go through phases. Sometimes I need music, sometimes I need quite. I started listening to Steve Reich Ensemble's "Music for 18 Musicians" for writing though (based on a tip by Micheal Chabon) and am absolutely loving it.

What are you currently reading?

I'm in the process of reading myself through the WGA top 100 scripts.

What's your sleep routine like?

It depends on my mood. I can do very late nights without much sleep before getting up, but I also enjoy hitting bed before 12. I prefer to get up between 6:30 and 8 am though.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

"Remember ideas become things.'

Kelly Mcgonigal career is dedicated to researching willpower and the science behind it. As a psychologist and a lecturer it Stanford, her work(and most recent book The Willpower Instinct) focuses on self control, motivation, procrastination, and how to overcome challenges to create healthier habits.
It is only fair if a master in productivity shares some of her tricks. We stole some minutes out of her busy schedule and this is what she had to say.

Location: Palo Alto, CA and New York, NY
Current Gig: Lecturer at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and School of Medicine; Author: Speaker.
Current mobile device: iPhone 4
Current computer: MacBook Air
One word that best describes how you work: "Aholic"

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

PubMed is my best friend. I consume scientific/medical studies the way most people consume air and food. I still prefer PubMed to Google Scholar.

What's your workspace like?

My #1 rule: no desk. I just can't think or do good work at a desk, and every desk I've had becomes a storage space for piles of scientific papers. When I'm working from home, I'm either sitting cross-0legged in a lounge chair with a cat and a laptop on my lap, or typing in bed or on my yoga mat. I love lying down to write.

What's your best time saving trick?

I don't cook, but I give myself permission to spend as much time as I need on healthy food.
That's my main luxury in life! I'll splurge on a salad bar and then use that time for creative projects and work.

What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else?

Productive procrastination. Often I should be writing a chapter or preparing a talk, I decide instead to do a deep dive on some random scientific topic, like "What's the latest animal research on the brain's default mode network?" I've stumbled upon so many cool studies that ended up inspiring articles or launching projects. I may have built my career on web searches I've done when I should be doing something else.

Also, I am better that anyone at getting people to sing along in a Zumba class (I teach group fitness and yoga on the side). My secret: pick great music, be a role model of ridiculous enthusiasm, and tell them: "Making noise is good for your core!"

What do you listen to while you work?

Music is my constant companion. If I'm preparing a talk, I like happy dance music, mostly house music DJ sets. If I'm writing or editing, drum and bass or jazz, like Coltrane. And when I need to go in to serious writing mode, I have an electronic and jazz holiday music playlist(I kid you not) that puts me into some kind of Pavlovian writing trance. (Best album on the list: OM Record's Home for the holidays), I've written two books and countless articles using that playlist. Five remixes in a row of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer may be your version of hell, but it's my version of Ritalin. When I'm feeling writer's block, I turn on background TV. Having to tune it out helps me focus. I canceled my cable last year, but now that I'm starting another book, I'm going to have to get it again.

Are you more of an introvert or and extrovert?

Introvert. People who don't know me well and have only seen me on TV are usually surprised by this, but spend any time with me and you'll find how much time I need alone to recharge from, teaching, and social events. When I'm not on the road, I tend to stay up late in my hotel room, reading and doing yoga, even if I'm sleep deprived or jet lagged. I nee that time to balance the intensity of teaching and speaking.

What's your sleep routine like?

I'm an extreme night owl, and I have my best creativity after midnight, usually around 2-4 AM. This doesn't work well for real life. The only time I honor my circadian rhythms is when I'm in deep writing mode, e.g the last couple of months of working on book. Then I might write form midnight to 6 AM, and sleep until noon or 1 PM.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

My printer, a hole puncher, legal pads, and good pens.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Although I'm trained as a scientist, I hold on to a  lot of habits form my days as visual artist. The process of translating science  into books or talks is a lot like my favorite former art platform, portraits. I just keep trying to see things as they are, look again and again at my subject, investigate it with an attention so focused, I can't help but fall in love with it. And then I try to recreate what I see in a new medium, making change after change until it captures the essence of the subject. The reason I love what I do is because I get to spend so much time engaged in this creative process.

James Altucher is all over the place, he is not only an investor, hedge fund manager, and entrepreneur several times over, but his writing on business, family, health, and creativity shows up everywhere. He's also written 11 books!

How does he manage to handle all this, we caught up with him and this is what he had to say.

Location: New York City.

Current mobile device: Samsung Galaxy Note II.

Current computer: Samsung Galaxy Note II and oh a Macbook Air.

One word that best describes how you work: Displine

Current gig: I've started 20 businesses and failed at about 17 of them. So I guess "persistence" is my current gig. I also write and have had a book out this month called Choose Yourself.

The basic idea is that in order to achieve success, or even happiness, you have to choose yourself for it. Nobody else is going to do it for you. When that happens -- when you build the foundation for choosing yourself -- your current gig becomes magic.

What apps/software/tools that you would rather die than do without?

A web browser and kindle.

What's your workspace like?

I have a tiny desk with a laptop. I'm sorrounded by comics and paintings and action figures that inspire me.

What's your best time-saving trick?

No TV. No third meal of the day. No news. No web surfing. No gossip. With these simple things you save about five hours a day.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

I buy 1,000 waiters pads from a restaurant supplies websites for 10 cents a pad. I write at least 10 ideas a day on them. They're great for meetings because I have to keep concise lists and they're always good conversation starters.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

I'm good at realizing the things am good at. And for each person I meet, I try to figure out what they're better than me so that I can learn from them.

What's your sleep routine like?

Around 6 PM I shut down all screens. No computer, phone, TV. No more eating for the day. I read, relax, maybe take a walk by the river. By 8 or 8:30 I'm in bed reading and quickly fall asleep. Then I wake up at around 5:30 and begin reading and by 7, I'm writing.





What do you listen to while you work?

I love to listen to a ton of things. BUT, when I'm working I need silence. I think listening to music while working is somewhat equivalent to multitasking and I'm not very good at multitasking.

Are you and introvert or an extrovert?
 
I;m an introvert that's very good at pretending to be an extrovert. I'm really scared to meet people in person but I very much enjoy writing to lots of people and speaking in front of large audiences.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

If you don't write your own rules, someone else will. And the results won't be pleasant.

Is there anything else you want to add for the readers?

Every day I know that if I take care of myself, everything else will ripple from that to distant shores.
If I stay physically healthy:  eat well, sleep well, exercise.
If I stay emotionally healthy: being around positive people who love me and who I love.
If I stay mentally healthy: come up with 10 ideas a day. Read a lot.
If I stay spiritually healthy: always think of the things I feel grateful for the things that bring abundance into my life. For instance, I'm really grateful to be doing this. Thank you.

Sparrow is a Mac email client. It's minimalist characteristics sets it apart from the other clients. Google acquired Sparrow last year, taking co-founder Dominique Leca with it. However this did not stop from catching up with him and asking him for some his productivity tips, work tunes, favorite gadgets and well, other random things.

Location: Paris, France
Current Gig: Product Manager at Google
Current mobile device: iPhone 5
Current computer: Macbook Air 13"
One word that best describes how you work: "Burst"

 What apps/software/tools you would rather die than live without?

Spotify, a Big Jambox, and Google Maps.

What's your workspace like?

It's pretty simple -- classic desk with my MBA and a pair of cheap headphones.

Whats you favorite time-saving trick?

I'm trying as much as I can to restrict myself  from using apps on my phone. I try to stick to the phone, SMS, and Maps app.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

I don't use any. iPhone's Notes does the job in the case of emergency.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

A good book.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else? 

Being annoying My secret is that I have no social awareness at all.

What do you listen to while you work?

Spotify playlists from friends. There's more than 1,500 tracks and I'm constantly discovering good stuff that I never would have found.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

"Never think that you have time."

Is there anything else you want to add?

If you're into software design, watch/read all of Bret Victor's presentations.

We all have stuff in out to do lists that we're either too busy or too lazy to Finnish. That's where task TaskRabbit comes in. TaskRabbit is a website where you can outsource you chores. Whether it's getting groceries, putting together furniture, or picking up a Craiglist purchase, TaskRabbit's network of reliable re-doers will take it off you hands.
We caught up with Leah Busque, the woman behind the magic of TaskRabbit, to find out how she stays so productive.

Location: San Francisco, CA
Current Gig: Founder & CEO, TaskRabbit
Current mobile device: iPhone 5
Current computer: 11-inch MacBook Air
One word that best describes how you work: Relentlessly

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

For productivity I couldn't live without Asana. When it comes to communicating with my team, I Use Hipchat. I also really love staying socially engaged with my team via Path.

What's your workspace like?

I sit at a desk in a spacious, open format at TaskRabbit HQ. We don't have offices here -- we have pods -- and we all sit near one another. This makes it easy to approach and help one another. It's and environment that naturally facilitates team work.

What's your best time-saving shortcut?

To cut down on email and spend time in meetings, I hold weekly office hours where my team can sign up to chat with me about a given topic. I also always block off 15 minutes in between meetings so my inbox doesn't get a head of me while I'm in a conference room.

I also use color coded calenders.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

Asana.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

The Bluetooth feature/compatibility in my car. i love taking conference calls on the road.

What do you listen to while you work?

My work jams always include Maroon 5 and Jay-Z.

What's your sleep routine like?

I prefer to go to bed early when possible. I honestly can't remember the last time I was able to sleep in -- Emerson serves as our built in alarm clock.


What's the best advice you've ever received?

When I told Scott Griffin, the former CEO of ZipCar about my idea for TaskRabbit he told me, "I think you are onto something. See how far you can take it." Not a day goes by that I don;t remember those words.

Nolan Bushnell is one of the biggest tech legends, he is best known for founding Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's, Nolan has several other companies in his decades strong portfolio.
We caught up with Nolan to talk about his workspace, sleep routine, and tips and tricks and this is what he had to say.

Location: Los Angeles, CA
Current Gig: Brainrush, Inc. CEO and author
Current mobile device: iPhone
Current computer: MacBook Pro
One word that best describes how you work: Mancave

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

Evernote, Powerpoint, and audiobooks.

What's your workspace like?

A cluttered cave. People have said that I could probably build a rocket ship with all the stuff that's i my office.

What's your best time saving trick?

Audio books while driving and exercising. Get an Audible subscription. I just finished Wool by Hugh Howey and now listening to The Innovator's Solution by Clay Christensen.

What's your favorite to-list manager?

Stickies. Stickies. Stickies.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Coming up with ideas and writing business plans around them, in order to build the future I want to live in.

What do you listen to while you work?



Nothing.

Are you more of and introvert or and extrovert?

I'm both. I like being in a crowd a little bit but I have to have my alone time. Being in my cave is my happiest place.

What's your sleep routine like?

I'm a night owl, but I can get up early if need be. 

What's the best advice you've ever recieved?

Focus on doing. Act.

Daniel Pink is in the field of psychology of motivation, if you are interested chances are that you have read his bestseller Drive. In it he argues that three simple things propel us: autonomy(wanting to direct our own lives), mastery(wanting to be good at something), and purpose(wanting to make a difference). Here are some of his favorite apps, time-savers, and inspirations.

Location: Washington D.C.
Current Gig: Writer.
Current mobile device: iPhone 4s
Current computer: MacBook Pro and iMac
One word that best describes how you work: Slowly

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

Dropbox, Instapaper, iDoneThis, and Jumbo(poster-sized) stickies.

 What's your workspace like?


I work out of a rehabbed garage that sits behind my house and serves as world headquarters of Pink, Inc.

What's you're favorite time-saving trick?

I do only the task that can be done in fewer than two minutes immediately.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

Not only am I analogue on this front, I use paper and pencil. And not even a mechanical pencil -- the kind that needs a sharpener.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

My Fields Notes notebook.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Preparing dinner from an apparently empty refrigerator. I don't have recipes. That's the fun part -- figuring out what's doable (and edible) no matter what the fridge presents.

What do you listen to while you work?

Nothing except my own internal anguish. In fact, I often wear ear plugs -- not just on airplanes but sometimes in my own office.

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert?

I'm an ambivert -- more introverted than extroverted but with some extraordinary well-developed faking skills.

What's you're sleep routine like?

I generally go to sleep a little after 11 PM and wake up a little after 7 AM. 

What's the best advice you've ever received?

"Live as if you were living already for the second time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now." -- Victor Frankl