Mark Koester

This blog is written in markdown, generated using Jekyll and hosted in plain old HTML. It’s all managed using Jekyll, a ruby-based static site generator, and it’s roughly the same setup I’ve had for nearly 7 years. I love it....

Web Design blogging Migration Jekyll Writing

Several years ago I was exploring various self-tracking technologies and how I might integrate personal data into my own life. One of the first things I discovered was just how many ways you might track a life using wearables, apps...

Tracking Data Visualization Quantified Self Personal Data Analysis Track Everything Year-in-Review Year-in-Data Python

Flow is a key mental state we experience when we become engrossed in an enjoyable challenge or activity. An athlete might feel flow in a competition or surmounting some obstacle, like climbing a mountain. A writer or painter might get...

Flow Peak Performance Tracking Track Everything Quantified Self Psychology Experience Sampling

Where is the lightning to lick you with its tongue? Where is the frenzy with which you should be inoculated? Behold, I teach you the overman: He is this lightning; he is this frenzy. – Friedrich Nietzsche (quoted in Rise...

Psychology Science Flow Peak Performance Happiness Learning

This data was tracked and logged with a combination of tools (more on this below). The short of it is that my number of creative words typed was tracked with Wordcounter for Mac and my project and smart notes with...

Writing Creativity Writing Tracker Tracking Data Visualization Quantified Self Personal Data Analysis Track Everything Year-in-Review Year-in-Data Knowledge Management

This data was logged with Goodreads, Kindle and Instapaper. Data collection and visualization powered by QS Ledger. This post is part of my 2019 Year in Data project.

Books Book Reading Articles Article Reading Tracking Data Visualization Quantified Self Personal Data Analysis Track Everything Year-in-Review Year-in-Data

How I Tracked It:

Health Fitness Data-Driven Health Health Tracking Strength Training Running Tracking Data Visualization Quantified Self Personal Data Analysis Track Everything Year-in-Review Year-in-Data

This data was logged with Todoist and my simple goal scoring system. Data collection and visualization powered by QS Ledger. This post is part of my 2019 Year in Data project.

Project Management Task Management Todoist Tracking Data Visualization Quantified Self Personal Data Analysis Track Everything Year-in-Review Year-in-Data

This data was logged with RescueTime and Toggl. Data collection and visualization powered by QS Ledger. This post is part of my 2019 Year in Data project.

Time Time Tracking Time Management Tracking Data Visualization Quantified Self Personal Data Analysis Track Everything Year-in-Review Year-in-Data

One of the most effective and powerful tools for taking notes, capturing memories and creativity in general is using a physical notebook or journal. Research has shown that writing by hand improves our retention and learning and even has benefits...

Tracking Quantified Self Track Everything Going Paperless Scanning Journaling Digitalization

Gordon Bell might rightly claim the prize for one of the most digitalized life ever. Born in 1934 and coming of age after World War II, Bell witnessed and spurred on a societal shift from paper to digital, from paper...

Tracking Quantified Self Track Everything Going Paperless Scanning History History of Computing

Are you facing a never ending pile of articles to read? Have you ever remembered this amazing post you recently read but forgotten the title or URL? Or are you just hoping to augment and improve how you read and...

Tracking Quantified Self Track Everything Reading Read-It-Later Article Reading Instapaper

So, you want to write? And you’re looking for a few tools to make your writing easier, better organized or adapted for a new publishing format?

Writing Productivity Tracking Mac OSX Tools Writing Tools Typora The Archive Markdown Organization

Over the last 6 months or so, I’ve been tracking my Youtube usage. I came to discover that I was spending on average about an hour a day watching YouTube videos. While there are a lot of things I love...

Goals Tracking Track Everything YouTube Online Video Consumption Media Tracking Quantified Self Self-Tracking 30-Day Challenge

The reported benefits of meditation are quite impressive: better physical health and happiness, less stress and anxiety, and even improved mental health and cognitive functions.

Self-Tracking Track Everything Tracking Everything Meditation Relaxation Mind Tracking Cognition Cognitive Enhancement Cognitive Testing Cognitive States Attention

I leverage science, goals and goal-setting in a number a ways. But recently, I started something new. I started “scoring” them. This has proven a good way to periodically check my efforts over time and my organization in reaching the...

Goals Goals Tracking Goal Setting Theory Personal Development Science of Goals

Meditation is one of the most touted habits we are all supposed to do these days. Meditation and mindfulness are lauded for a range of associated benefits from physical and mental health to cognitive improvements and beyond. It’s believed to...

Self-Tracking Track Everything Tracking Everything Meditation Relaxation Mind Tracking Cognitive States

There is a lot of excitement around how technology can be applied to improve our health. It seems like every day there is some new technology, wearable, pill, test, service or app aiming to track, monitoring, improve or cure us...

Self-Tracking Track Everything Tracking Everything Health Health Tracking Data-Driven Health

With so many quantified self tools and ways to track a life, it can be a bit confusing. A mind map can help.

Quantified Self Self-Tracking Track Everything Tracking Everything Mind Map

Goals Goals Tracking Track Everything Psychology Science Goal Management Personal Development Science of Goals