About

About David Sparks

Hi, I’m David.

I’ve been a nerd my entire life. The first computer I learned to program was a Radio Shack Color Computer. I didn’t actually own it, but I rode my Schwinn ten-speed to the local Radio Shack (daily), and I spent about 4 hours a day programming the computer on the store floor. Then the Radio Shack employees would have me show customers how it all worked. Like I said, nerd since birth.

Eventually, I found my way to the Apple II, and then the Mac, and it was love at first sight. I’ve been using Apple products for as long as there have been Apple products.

In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive with Apple technology. I want to help you achieve what is most important to you and enjoy your life at the same time using technology instead of becoming another one of its victims. Pretty much everything I make points at that North Star. I believe in this message so much that I’ve staked my livelihood on it.

If you’re new to the MacSparky-verse or you’ve been following me for years, I’d like to point out a few resources:

The Blog

​The MacSparky Blog​ has been in publication since 2007 and is full of ideas ranging from ​simple keyboard shortcuts​ to save you time every time you need a PDF, to fancy AppleScript scripts to ​help you write email faster​ to more heady ideas about ​scheduling your time and being more productive​.

The Field Guides

I published my first book over ten years ago. Now I primarily make video courses, which are a much better way to teach how to use your technology. You can find out more at ​Learn.MacSparky, where I have a range of MacSparky Field Guides​ to help turn you into a digital ninja.

The Podcasts

I’ve been producing the ​Mac Power Users podcast​ for over 12 years. Every week Stephen Hackett and I bring you workflows, guests, and ideas to help you get your work done faster and more efficiently. If you are looking for a place to get started, check out ​the full episode list​.

In 2018, I added a second Apple tech podcast, ​Automators​, where Rosemary Orchard and I go a level deeper and make your technology do your bidding.

The Labs

I also run ​the MacSparky Labs​, where we have built a community of like-minded folk trying to make technology work for us instead of against us. Here you’ll get weekly tutorials, podcasts, and monthly meetups. It’s a lot of fun.

Getting Productive

Getting beyond the technology, I believe Focus will be the super power of the next 20 years. Why not spend some time on that muscle with Mike Schmitz and me with ​the Focused podcast​? And while I’m on the subject of productivity, that’s also important to me. I’ve developed a roles-based productivity system borrowing from modern productivity theory and ancient philosophy (i.e. Aristotle and Epictetus) to come up with a productivity system that’s helped a lot of people. You can learn about that in the ​Productivity Field Guide​.

The MacSparky Newsletter

I publish a regular newsletter with new content about Apple gear and productivity. Additionally, I can keep you updated with new content in the MacSparky-verse. Why not sign up?

My YouTube Channel

It is alive and well, with videos on a variety of topics and apps I use.

Personal Coaching

I do have a “Personal Operating System” coaching plan that I run with a very select number of people. If you are interested, let me know.

Want to follow me on social media? I’m @macsparky on Mastodon and Instagram.

Contact

Help@MacSparky.com
This is the quickest way to get support if you need help with a Field Guide or the MacSparky Labs.

To Contact MacSparky
I enjoy hearing from readers and listeners. Indeed, it warms the cockles of my heart. However, I get a lot of email. I read it all (and much of it is fascinating), but I rarely reply. My reason is simple; if I wrote back to every bit of email, I’d never publish anything else. To quote E.B. White, the morning mail is my enemy. This is no reflection on your correspondence but my overwhelming desire to make new things.

Also, please understand there is some email that I never reply to:

  • Podcast guest pitches for someone that you represent.
  • Emails with subject lines I don’t understand.
  • Mean-spirited email (you know what I mean).
  • While MacSparky.com is advertiser-supported, there are no “strategic cross-posting collaborations” or money for embedded link deals. If you are writing me to make such a proposal, please, please, please don’t.

With all that said, you can reach me here.