Ever heard the joke which runs "So you hate your job? There's a support group for that. They're called "Everyone" and they meet at the bar."
Okay, it's a bit corny, but it does point at a cultural truth: we're often taught it's normal to hate our jobs. We might moan about work to colleagues and family, but we don't necessarily do anything to fix it.
Because we're convinced that hating our job is "normal", we carry on each day, going through the motions, getting irritated by all the usual things, and going home feeling a bit fed up ... but never really thinking that we can change anything.
The truth is, there's plenty you can do to fix your job – and much of it is considerably less drastic than quitting. The first step is to stop expecting to dislike your work, and to start looking for ways to change the things which are driving you nuts.
Fixing the Little Things
Sometimes, a job that's sapping your energy can be fixed with just a few little tweaks.
Let's say it's a real drag for you to be at your desk by 8am. You have to force yourself out of bed every morning, you never get time for breakfast, you hate driving in rush-hour traffic, and you find it hard to concentrate when you get to work.
Instead of accepting this as an inevitable part of your job, look for ways to make it easier:
With almost any little problem, there will be multiple ways to make it easier. So stop telling yourself that "this is just how it is", and start looking for solutions. (If you're really stuck, post about your problem in the comments, and see if someone else can come up with an idea for you!)
Fixing Job-Related Things
Sometimes, what really bugs you at work is some particular aspect of your job. Maybe you have a routine task which always frustrates you. Or perhaps you've just ended up bored in your particular role. Maybe you're overwhelmed and struggling to get through all your work.
Again, it's very easy to just assume that this is how things are, and that you can't change it. But have you even tried? Let's say you're swamped with work. Could you:
Don't assume that other people in the office will necessarily realize that you're struggling. Often, busy people end up with more work on their desk because they're recognized as being efficient and hardworking. Yes, make sure that your efforts are being noticed – but don't let people use this as an excuse to expect more and more from you.
When Big Fixes Are Needed
Sometimes, no amount of tweaking is going to make your job better. Perhaps you went into a career which, in retrospect, is never going to make you happy. Maybe you have an irreconcilable personality difference with your manager. You might have simply lost all interest in a job which you once enjoyed. You may have experienced significant changes in your home life (such as marriage, a new baby, or illness) which mean that your job is no longer a comfortable fit for your lifestyle.
You may want to think about much larger steps like:
Of course, all of these require serious consideration. But don't rule them out. You can find work which you enjoy and which uses your real talents, skills and interests.
Is there anything about your job which is driving you nuts? Share it with us in the comments ... and see if anyone has an idea for how you can fix it!
Written on 5/17/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.
9 Proven Ways To Charge Up Your Motivation
Posted by SoMeOnE at 6:15 AM Labels: Development, Motivation, Success
Ever felt unmotivated and simply not in the mood to do anything?
Yeah, me too. Even though I'm always motivated and all ready to take action on my goals, I have times when I feel disconnected with my inner muse. No matter whether you are Seth Godin or Robert Kiyosaki, all of us have our own down times where we don't feel like doing anything. It happens. Our productivity plummets to an all-time personal low as we drag our feet around on things we should be doing. It can be frustrating.
When left unchecked, this lack of motivation can get out of hand. Rather than let your productivity yo-yo based on your mood, you should learn to get in control of the situation and counteract with self-motivation strategies. Below are my 9 strategies to deal with situations of low motivation, and they have been proven to work wonders for myself, my readers and my clients.
One of the biggest reasons why we are not motivated is because we are not connected with our vision. Specifically, the vision of what we are trying to achieve. What are you working so hard for every day? What do you want to get out of this? What is your dream outcome? What are your end goals? What will excite and spur you to move forward?
While I'm busy writing and growing my blog, The Personal Excellence Blog, every day, I never lose sight of my end vision. My vision is to have a reader base of millions, travel around the world to speak to people, launch my books and touch the lives of people everywhere. I may not be there yet, but I know I'll reach there as long as I keep working hard. For example, after 1.5 years, The Personal Excellence Blog is now read by over 100,000 readers a month and I'm an established personal excellence coach and speaker in my country (Singapore). Even just typing about this now is making me feel very inspired by what's ahead. With a big vision, it spurs me to create endlessly, rather than settle for status quo.
Lack of motivation can come from losing sight of the "WHY" - why we do the things we do. We are so busy with work and managing different areas of our life that every day turns into a routine of activities. It becomes a race to get as much done, without consciously evaluating why we are doing all these things.
Why do you live? Why do you do the things you do? Why do you slough away at work? What is it for? What do you want to get out of it? These are all important questions to ask ourselves, and important questions to have answers to. If you don't have the answers, perhaps it's time to seek them out.
Discovering my life purpose in 2006 has given me endless drive in life. I discovered my passion in helping others to achieve excellence and live their best life. This realization has led me to make bold life decisions, such as quitting my regular, well paying job 2 years ago to pursue my passion in personal development. Since then, I have started The Personal Excellence Blog, coached hundreds to achieve excellence in their lives and started The School of Personal Excellence (my training school). This "WHY" drives me every day to reach greater heights and accomplish more.
Your goals should come with deadlines so that you will be spurred into action. After all, by Parkinson's Law, work takes as long as the amount of time we give to it. Not setting a date can cause us to slack off and dwindle on the task. If we set deadlines, we will be triggered to get things done by that date. Specifically when do you want to achieve this? What is your cut-off date? Subsequently, set the deadlines for your weekly and daily tasks too.
Some of my clients told me they don't want to set deadlines as they don't want to stress themselves into achieving the goals. That's a cop-out. Stress from deadlines is only because you attach yourself to the outcome. The deadlines for your goals are meant to be reference points so you can achieve them. You should strive to achieve them, but not beat yourself to a pulp if you don't achieve it. Commit to your deadlines, but don't attach yourself to them.
Sometimes when we feel unmotivated, it's cue for a rest. Just like a car with no fuel needs to be refueled, if we run out of energy, we need rest. I was in a slump before and it took me a couple of months to realize it was because I wasn't resting at all. I was just working day-after-day and my mind and soul rebelled by taking a hiatus. I couldn't get new ideas for my writing and some items on my task list became chores rather than enjoyments.
So, stop doing whatever you are doing and take a breather. What are some of your hobbies? Spend some time doing them. Get away from your computer too. Engage yourself in things that interest you. Go take a walk in the park, hang out with friends, listen to music, rest, watch a movie, etc. Simply relax. It'll give you renewed focus and energy.
Sometimes, lack of motivation is a sign from our subconscious that we're not doing things we love. Do you spend a good portion of your time doing things you don't like? This applies to anything, from hanging out with people you don't like, or doing work you are passionless towards.
You don't need to do things you don't like to do. If you feel dead towards something, then stop doing it. There's no point doing things you don't love. Life is too short to be spending it that way. Create an action plan to get out of things you don't like and move towards things you love. As long as you keep yourself stuck with things you feel dead towards, you will forever be held back by them.
For example, after working 2 years at my last job, I reached a state where I completely dreaded work. I was working in brand management and skincare, which was very different from my passion to help others grow. I loved weekends and hated Mondays. I would be hauling myself out of bed and dreading my feet to work during weekdays. Finally, I told myself - this was it. I submitted my resignation letter and left in Sep '08. I never looked back ever since.
Surround yourself in inspirational materials, such as self help books, podcasts, inspirational stories of people, inspirational speeches, motivational quotes and personal development blogs like Dumb Little Man, Zenhabits, Lifehack and Seth Godin's blog. Every morning, I set aside some time to read personal development blogs as well as people who inspire me. In my room, I have motivational quotes plastered on my noticeboard, and I have my vision board of my biggest dreams and goals in life. Just looking at them is a simple reminder why I do the things I do (tip #2).
Here are some inspirational materials you can start off with:
* The Way to Happiness
* Steve Job's famous Standford Commencement Speech
* Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
* Philosopher's Notes is a great podcast resource - it condenses the wisdom of self help books into short podcasts
* 101 Inspiring Quotes of All Time (free ebook with over 300+ quotes - Most Inspiring Quotes of All Time)
One of the best ways to motivate yourself into action is through competition. When you are in lone man's island, it's easy to descend into a mode of stagnancy. However, when in the face of competition, you will push yourself to do better and better. Look at your goals, and see how you can spice things up with competition. Trying to lose weight? Get friends with similar goals to join in and see who can reach the goal the fastest. Want to grow your business? Benchmark yourself with some of the top people in the industry.
As Jim Rohn says, you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Do you notice that when you are around positive people, you become more positive afterward, even when you are by yourself? Similarly, when you hang around motivated people, their vibes will rub off you naturally too. It's kind of like diffusion. You will get motivated and be triggered to take action.
When I'm around higher consciousness people, I consequently get more ideas and feel more stirred than usual to act on my goals. This is why I make it a point to surround myself with positive friends. Even my browser favorites are filled up with blogs and writings of positive people. Reading them almost always give me added inspiration.
What are the things you are grateful for in your life? Your family? Your friends? Your health? Your life? What are the things that make you happy to be alive and motivate you to live? There are so many things I'm grateful for that the list is endless. I love being alive. I love living my passion, exercising, nightfall, the morning air, sunrises, my friends, my room, my elmo (a birthday gift when I was 15), living a vegan lifestyle, and many, many more. Being aware of these inspires me live life to the fullest.
List down all the things that you feel grateful for in a document somewhere. Feel the gratitude and love for those things that you have. Chances are, there is at least someone in this world who wants this but is unable to get it. Whenever you feel unmotivated, look at this list. It'll remind you of things worth living for.
Written on 5/13/2010 by Celestine Chua. Celestine writes at The Personal Excellence Blog, where she shares her best advice on how to achieve personal excellence and live your best life. Get her RSS feed here and add her on Twitter @celestinechua.
The Bare Essentials: Simplifying Your Life
Posted by SoMeOnE at 6:51 AM Labels: Clutter, Organization
Take a look in your closets, garage, junk drawer and even your day planner. Are your valuable spaces uncomplicated and organized or cluttered and cramped? If your answer is the latter, it may be time to simplify your life by getting down to the bare essentials.
For many people, a good number of items which currently clutter up your home are redundant, useless, in need or repair, or just taking up space. We simply do not need all of the possessions we have accumulated. These superfluous items can cost you valuable time and money as you sort through them on a daily basis. Simplification and getting down to the bare essentials will save time and money while reducing stress as well. Although there are many areas of our lives we could simplify, here are a few examples to give you a good start.
Getting down to the bare essentials is a straightforward way to simplify your life. By taking the time to whittle things down to the fundamentals, you will save both time and money. You will spend less time making decisions when there are fewer options and save money by reducing unnecessary purchases. In the process, you may find some unexpected
Most people wear less than 20% of the items in their closet on a regular basis. A simplified wardrobe can relieve a great deal of stress. Fewer options will expedite your outfit selection each morning. Stick to mix and match clothing pieces that are classic and timeless. Eliminate items that our outdated, waiting more than 6 months for repair or alterations, or worn less than twice a year. The increased space in your closet will also make it easier to view the remaining clothing you have.
As the seasons change, swap snow shovels and ice picks for rakes and garden shovels. Store the unused items above in the rafters. If you have multiples of outdoor tools, garden tools, or sporting equipment, select the one in the best condition, and eliminate the others. Most importantly, if you have boxes in your storage area or garage that have been unopened for over two years, consider discarding it. If it's been stored that long, you likely don't need it.
Some toys, such as building blocks, are a staple in a child's toy repertoire and should be kept. Classic games and toys should be retained so long as they are regularly played with. Others like board games or puzzles which are missing pieces, trendy toys (remember Tickle Me Elmo?) that now sit on the shelf collecting dust, or gifted items that your children never had any real interest in should be discarded or donated. More than likely, your child will never miss those items and their playroom shelves will look considerably less cluttered.
Keep your cupboards organized by eliminating dishes and appliances you rarely use. You only need enough dishes to serve your family and a reasonable number of guests. Donate any extras. A single set of mixing bowls and cooking utensils is all that is necessary. While decluttering the kitchen, take a look under the sink and combine or discard multiples of cleaning supplies as well. Then find time to take a look through your pantry and donate any non-perishables you will not eat in the next month to a food bank.
Multiple credit cards make it easy to accumulate debt and easy to miss a payment as well. If you have debt, consolidate it into one loan or credit card. An even better option is to become debt-free. If you are married and still have separate accounts, merge them into one. If you have money in the stock market, buy and hold rather than playing the ups and downs. Package services such as insurance (car, home, life) and technology Internet, cable, phone) whenever possible. One bill is easier to keep track of than three. In addition to simplification, you may find that packaged services at a discounted rate as well.
Avoid taking on too many social engagements. Carefully consider your availability before joining any groups, committees, or clubs. Limiting your social commitments will allow you do give each its due attention. Additionally, simplify your family obligations by grouping appointments together whenever possible. Take one trip to the dentist instead of 5 separate trips. If your children are involved in after-school activities, find another family that will carpool with you. Life is much simpler when you only need to drive the kids to soccer once a week instead of 3 times.
benefits along the way such as reduced stress, increased personal satisfaction, and more free time.
Written on 5/11/2010 by Maria Gracia. Maria is the founder of www.GetOrganizedNow.com and specializes in helping people get better organized to live the kind of stress-free life they've always dreamed of. Visitors to her web site can get a FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak and sign up for her weekly organizing newsletter.
Raise your hand if you desire to live a healthier and happier life. Fantastic! Now hands down.
I'm glad you recognize how integral good health is in designing a fulfilling, successful, and euphoric life. You realize that money isn't enough. You see the bigger picture - that a life of true "wealth" requires genuine happiness, peace-of-mind, dream-fulfillment, and more. Kudos to you!
But how do you construct such a life? Well, there aren't any "perfect" templates to conform to (thank goodness!). Amazing health is achieved through personal discovery and adaptation. It's unique to you. Be bold and creative.
However, like in life, there are harsh truths about health that you must understand if you are to improve your health (and life) experiences. Look for the Eureka! lessons - they'll help you!
Bonus!
The quality of your health is not a responsibility you can delegate. Nor can you legitimately blame others for your unhealthy plights. Healthy lifestyle choices matter. And they're made by you alone.
Be mindful! Your health responsibilities aren't just regulated to food choices. You're equally responsible for keeping active, staying well-rested, reducing stress, having fun (very healthy!), and everything else that influences your overall health and wellness.
The Eureka! Lesson:
Yes, you're fully responsible for your health. But that means you're fully empowered too! Thus, your health responsibilities aren't burdens. They're gifts of opportunity and self-expression.
Unfortunately, all things health are not created equal. Some have better genetics than others. Some have received more meaningful health education than others. Some have better socio-economic conditions than others. Some are flat out luckier. And all of these things are excuses.
The Eureka! Lesson:
Fairness isn't the point. Opportunity is. America sines as "the land of opportunity", not the land of handouts. The same applies to your health. You have a chance for greatness. Just how great is up to you.
Is health perfection really the goal, or is health greatness? I vote greatness! After all, perfection doesn't guarantee greatness, and greatness isn't perfect.
Perfection is quicksand. It snares you in a devilish trap of illusion and frustration. It's too heavily nuanced with details, rules, false promises, and other venomous constraints. As a result, your enthusiasm and momentum for a healthy lifestyle will suffer, ween, and possibly die. How tragic.
The Eureka! Lesson:
Don't strive for perfection - strive for greatness! Greatness is a healthy attitude that inspires you to focus on the big picture, live unconventionally, and learn from missteps. It's about BIG thinking and BOLD living.
"It's 'okay' for me to eat this gluttonous cake wedge because I'm going to the gym later."
How silly.
You cannot out exercise poor nutrition. First, losing fat, gaining muscle, and just getting healthier isn't only about "calories in, calories out". That's far too simplistic. Your nutrition choices affect your metabolism, sleep patterns, mental acuity, stamina, and happiness (just to name a few).
Second, such misguided beliefs ingrain the wrong health behaviors. Unhealthy indulgences aren't "rewards", they're unhealthy indulgences. Believing otherwise traps you in a vicious loop of stagnant health (at best) or a downward spiral of decaying health (at worst).
The Eureka! Lesson:
Certainly "reward" yourself for staying active. That's important! Just don't do it with crap food. Use pleasurable experiences, reasonable purchases, more quality family time, etc. instead.
"No pain, no gain" - or so the saying goes. I disagree.
Pain is painful. Humans have a simple response to anything painful - we stop! So, isn't the whole "no pain, no gain" argument backwards? Pain incites de-motivation, resentment, rejection, even fear. Which of those promotes improved health and happiness? Try none.
The Eureka! Lesson:
Here's my version - less pain, more gain. Embrace your true health passions - those healthy pursuits that magnify joy and create meaning. That's the secret for maintaining awesome health! Skip the pain, it's for dummies.
Pretending our society's unhealthy plights don't exist exacerbates the problems. Ignorance is not bliss. It's an intellectual and human-decency crisis.
67% of US adults are overweight or obese. The US ranks 1st in health care costs (as % of GDP), but 49th in life expectancy. US health care costs are estimated to be $13,100 in 2018 for every man, woman, and child.
We cannot wish-away these facts. And the trends are getting worse.
The Eureka! Lesson:
Hope remains! We made this calamity, so we can unmake it. Knowing is half the battle. So, let’s learn these inconvenient truths and use them as calls-to-action for better health and happiness.
The US financial sector was recently rescued from their appalling behaviors by a shiny $700 billion government bailout. But appalling health behaviors cannot be similarly rescued. Why? Because poor health behaviors create health debts that cannot be neutralized by a pen stroke.
What are these health debts? The things that matter - quality of life, longevity of life, emotional health, disease prevention, psychological health, physical health, overall wellness, and more. These debts corrode your life as it's happening. And no bailout later in life can reverse time.
The Eureka! Lesson:
Your health is not "too big to fail". So don't wait! If your health needs bailing out, then bail it out NOW before things get worse. The rest of your life's health and happiness depends on it.
"Do not take life too seriously. You will not get out of it alive." - Elbert Hubbard
Context matters. Yes, these harsh truths are, well, harsh. Hence, I hope you regard them as calls-to-action to improve the awesomeness of your life. Your health is that powerful.
But don't go mental. Life is too precious and delicate to take too seriously. Enjoy your health and your life. Be creative. Be bold. Be unconventional. And (perhaps above all else) be a kid! If you unleash your inner-child you'll discover that a happy, healthy, and spectacular life is rather easy.
I don't contest that these seven truths represent an exhaustive list. But I have learned them from my own health adventures, many the hard way. I share them in the hopes that they help you with your health adventures!
Yes, you may disagree with a few. I hope you do and that you share your comments because health is too important and personal to be passively accepted and rendered mundane.
Written on 5/10/2010 by Matt Gartland. Matt is a healthy lifestyle geek extraordinaire. He writes at Healthy Lifestyle Design (HLD), where he unleashes his passion for remarkable and unconventional living propelled by amazing health. Follow Matt on Twitter and join the HLD Tribe on Facebook.
How to Finish What You Start
Posted by SoMeOnE at 10:01 PM Labels: Goals, Procrastination, Productivity
Do you have a whole bunch of half-finished projects gathering dust?
Perhaps it's that fitness routine which you swiftly abandoned (along with all the accompanying equipment). Maybe it's a craft project which has been taken up space for months. You might have musical instruments which you never learned to play, college courses left unfinished, websites half-created, a novel that you started writing and never finished.
I used to be great at starting things, and really bad at following through. Over the years, I've learned to get better at finishing what I start.
Step 1: Decide Whether it's Just a Whim
Sometimes, you'll have a great idea for some new endeavor. Maybe you want to:
... and so on. Your interest might have been sparked by something you read, or by a movie you watched, or a friend who's passionate about a particular hobby.
Before you run out and buy a ton of stuff, and before you sign up for evening classes or dedicate every weekend to this, give yourself some time to figure out if it's just a whim. However keen you feel right now, wait a few weeks. Sometimes, an idea which seemed great at the time just doesn't last.
Step 2: Make a Firm Commitment
If you are going to start something new and finish it, you need to really commit to it. I wouldn't recommend spending large amounts of money (though that definitely can make you feel a stronger attachment to something) – instead, I'd suggest that you block out some time to spend on this project on a regular basis.
That might mean that you have to take a hard look at your diary and get rid of some other activities. You're not suddenly going to find a spare hour or two every day ... you need to think about what you're already spending your time on.
Step 3: Keep Track of Progress
It's easy to start off keen, spending a diligent half-hour a day on your project for a week or two ... only to hit a busy patch in life. I'm sure you've had projects which got put aside "just for now", only for months to go by without any progress at all.
It's easy to lose momentum when you're working on lots of different things. If I've got a project which I really want to move forwards on, I find that the best way is to keep track of the progress I'm making.
There are all sorts of ways to keep track, depending on your project. Here are some possibilities:
Step 4: Have an End in Sight
It might seem like a silly point, but if you're going to finish what you start, you need to know what "finished" looks like!
Some projects have a natural end point – but many don't. For example, when have you "finished" with a diet? When have you "finished" learning to play the piano?
If your goal is to "write a book", be clear whether you mean "write a draft" or "finish it to the best standard I can" or "get it published". These are all different goals and different endpoints. If you're doing your first NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, every November), then just finishing a 50,000 word draft is a great achievement. If you're aiming for a career as a professional writer, then you'll be looking at an end point of publication.
You might find that your goal doesn't have a finish line at all. If you're getting fit, you don't suddenly achieve fitness and then stop! With goals like this, set yourself some targets to keep you going. You might want to run a half-marathon in two years' time, and a marathon the year after that. You might aim to bench-press a certain amount of weight.
Finally ... if you have lots of half-done projects, don't feel bad about letting some of them go. That might mean throwing out old materials, selling those books you'll never read, or formally resigning from that course. Quitting is a way to finish a project – and it can free you up to take on something new.Written on 5/09/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.
Unique Ways To Access Your Natural Creativity
Posted by SoMeOnE at 8:31 AM Labels: Business, Entrepreneur, How To, Writing
Are you ever at work and the task that you're handling just flows and gets done without much effort? It's almost as if your brain and creativity just explode and you slice through the task with ease. That feeling, the flow, is an awesome feeling but how often do you have it? Wouldn't it be great if you could somehow bottle that feeling and release it when you need it most? Easier said than done.
There are probably a lot of variables that go into achieving this feeling and like most things, they are totally different for everyone. However, with a little thought, most of us can most likely identify a handful of things that help promote their inner creativity. Here are 11 tips I've found to work. If you have other steps or rituals, let us know!
Are you using the right medium to communicate your work and message? Your medium is the outlet that you communicate with. This can be a nurse, writer, speaker, artist, etc. Maybe you have the message right but it's not being shared through the right medium. This happens to lots of super creative people who find themselves in jobs they don't like with lots of restrictions. Creativity knows no limits. Try a new outlet and see if your creativity improves.
Just go ahead and start writing. Know before you begin that this will be the worst thing you have ever created; it's then impossible to be disappointed. More often than not, as you get moving, creative ideas will come to you and it is nowhere near as bad as you first pictured. Sometimes you just need to have the courage to take that first step towards creating what you desire.
Say to yourself "I will work on this for 1 hour" or "I will write a minimum of 500 words before standing up". We can't always be creative but every single one of us can make ourselves work on something for a set period of time as short as one hour.
Start creating whatever is in your mind; writer's block is often overcome this way. If you sit there for 30 minutes and nothing is coming, you're not going to get anything. Get up and do something that you love. Go for a walk, calm and center yourself, play with your kids, meditate. There is always a way. As I read in a fortune cookie once, "Many a bad move is made by standing still". Those 30 minutes have at least been spent moving towards creating rather than stagnating doing nothing.
Whenever I feel like I'm in a creative rut I sing or dance. Take some time to just totally let yourself go. Put on a song that you love and sing and dance to it and you'll get yourself out of all those negative thought patterns and in a really positive place. Really let yourself go. One way to get to a new level is to sing louder than you ever have done before. It leaves you feeling amazing and creativity just flows after that. WARNING: You might want to vacuum your house while singing this loud. It saves other people's ears and is super productive too!
I find that your best ideas come will come to you when your mind is still. When you're too deep into a project struggling to get creative, it makes sense to have a mental reboot every 30-60 minutes. Just go for a walk. Get some fresh air into your lungs and a change of scenery.
Creativity comes in ebbs and flows. Some days you might just be so uptight and tense that you need to take the day off. It's not unproductive because rest is essential to gear yourself up for the days when you really exert yourself. If you have the opportunity spend time with friends, family or doing something you love just for the sake of it. You'll come back to it tomorrow with a fresh mind and fresh ideas.
Do you sometimes find it tough to get creative because you feel like you just don't have enough hours in the day? I get it all the time. Truly deep creative thoughts don't usually come to you within the first 30 minutes of creating something, they come as you dive deeper into it after spending at least one hour there. It's tough to get that deep without the time.
What would benefit you is to set aside a few hours to become a master of your time. Batch similar tasks all in one, start reducing pointless internet browsing, etc. Then you'll be able to experience deep creative flow once again.
I see babies as naturally creative. They know no limits and no fears. Watch a baby for a while and see how they just do things. They are totally focused in this moment, not at all held prisoner by their past. Imitate their aliveness by spending time with them and you will find beautiful ideas flowing through you that you never thought you could access before. This leads me to the next tip ...
Being in the moment is without question the best thing you can do for creativity. If you are thinking about the past, you are limited by it. By being here and present you have access to all the precious gifts that you have now. This is a process of concentrating the mind and the best way for this is through meditation.
You hear meditation defined a lot of ways but it is really just concentrating, which is concentrating your mind on this moment. Practice concentrating 100% on reading this article until the end or the feeling of the keys you are typing. Life is a meditation practice and opportunities are everywhere. The creative benefits can only really be experienced, they're fantastic that's all I can say. It's a whole new level of living.
Sometimes, we spend too much time indoors between the four walls of our homes and at our desk and lose touch with our natural roots. Long spells in natural environments refresh the spirit. Nature is the ultimate creative inspiration. Have you ever looked out across a still river or up at the skies on a dark night and just been awe-struck? They're the beautiful experiences that life is made of. Doing this will invigorate your spirit, body and mind so they are all fresh and aligned towards creativity once again.
Written on 5/6/2010 by Richard Shelmerdine. Richard writes passionately about his love of spirituality and self improvement over at RichardShelmerdine.com.
7 Superpowers You Act Like You Have But Don't (And How That Messes You Up)
Posted by SoMeOnE at 6:22 AM Labels: Development, Fun
Growing up, I loved comic books. Not only would I read them, but I would spend hours daydreaming about what it would be like if I was a superhero with amazing superpowers. Of course with adulthood comes reality, and so when I grew up I knew it was time to stop dreaming about superpowers.
What is interesting though is how many people - adults - still act as is they have superpowers. They know they don't have them, but they still try to do things that can only happen in comic books.
Here is a list of seven superpowers that, even though they only exist in the comics, we all try to use from time to time. Unfortunately, the more of these we try to do, the less effective we become and the more we just get in our own way.
Comics are great and it can still be fun from time to time to imagine what it would be like to have superpowers. But when you are ready to come back to reality and move your life forward, let go of the wishing and focus on the simple actions you can actually take to get to where you want to go.
Mind control is exactly what it sounds like: the ability to take control of someone's mind. A person with mind control powers can force someone to do things against their will, forget events, and even make them fall in love. Sounds great until you think about what the world would be like if other people had mind control powers and could control you!
Even though mind control doesn't exist, many people still waste an inordinate amount of time wishing they could control what others think and do. If you have ever stressed over how someone would react to some news, or whether people would approve of a project you were working on, or simply whether a stranger likes you, then you know of what I speak.
You can not control other people. They are going to think what they think and do what they do, regardless of what you want. They may like you, they may hate you. They may approve, they may disapprove. The sooner you can stop worrying about and trying to control what others do, the sooner you can get on and live your life.
This is not to say that you should do whatever the heck you want with no care about anyone else's feelings. We live in a society, and being polite, courteous, and thoughtful are what make us civilized. However, all you can control is your own actions. Focus on what you can do, do your best, and stop worrying about other people's responses.
Body swappers were the heroes and villains who could "switch places" with someone else. They would take over a person's body and usually that person would take over theirs. Every single superhero comic at some point had a story with a "body swapper."
If we can learn anything from the large slate of Hollywood swapping movies (like Vice Versa, Freaky Friday, Like Father, Like Son, etc.) it's that everyone has their problems. When you compare yourself to someone else, it's very easy to focus on your negatives and their positives. It's not until you walk a mile in their shoes (or magically inhabit their body) that you realize that they have as many, if not more, problems as you do.
Stop trying to body swap. Instead, focus on what's currently good in your life. Take a minute to appreciate what you do have going for you. And when you find yourself becoming jealous of others, remember that everyone has problems and skeletons in their closet and those people may very well be jealous of you.
Have you ever had someone screw you over, and you then spent hours trying to figure out exactly "why" they did that? Wouldn't it be great to be able to read their minds and know for certain?
Mind reading is impossible, so we can't know for certain, but that doesn't stop us from making up giant stories about what people's motives and reasoning are. Sadly, these stories are rarely ever right. Even when they are right, they are usually only part of the story.
People are far too complicated for us to be able to easily assign underlying motives and intentions to their actions. When we try to, we usually just make the situation worse. So many people create tremendous stress and problems in their lives by obsessively trying to figure out why people behave the way they do. This is a lost cause.
The key to avoiding this is to criticize observable action, not hidden intent. If you say, "It hurts me when you make fun of my height," that's criticizing an observable action. They can not dispute that a) they made fun of your height and b) it hurt your feelings. If you say, "It hurts me when you try to make me look bad in front of everyone else by teasing me," that's criticizing intent. They can dispute that they were trying to make you look bad and come right back with, "I'm just playing, I'm not trying to make you look bad."
At the end of the day, you have no idea what is going on in someone's head. If you know them really well you might be able to guess, but you still could be wrong. If they are a stranger, you really have no clue. In either case, trying to figure it out is a lost cause. Deal with what you can know and observe, let go of the rest, and you will be a much happier person.
Precognition is the ability to see the future. If you had precognition, you would know exactly what was going to happen in the future and therefore you would not waste countless hours wondering and worrying about it.
Since no one can actually see the future, we are all forced to live with uncertainty. Admittedly, this is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Unfortunately, it is the only thing we can do.
Preparing for the future is one thing. Stressing about the future is entirely another. Planning and visualization are great tools, but wasting time stressing, worrying, and complaining about what "might" happen are life stealers. Sadly, the more time you spend in the present obsessing about the future, the less time you usually spend actually preparing to make the future better.
Plan for the future, but live in the present. The future will happen whether you want it to or not.
Ah, wouldn't life be sweet if we could hop in a DeLorean, go back in time, and fix our past mistakes? Of course, if science fiction has taught us anything it's that messing with the past is a bad idea. No matter how careful you are, the space time continuum is easily disrupted.
Even though time traveling to the past is a) a bad idea and b) impossible, so many of us waste time running over the past in our heads, replaying bad experiences by playing the "if only" game ("if only I had showed up on time!" "If only I said something different!" etc.), and overall just wishing things had been different.
Guess what? No amount of wishing is going to change the past. What's done is done. Observing the past for the purpose of learning from our mistakes is smart. Wallowing in the past and wishing things had gone different is crazy.
The next time you find yourself wallowing in the past, remind yourself that you can't change it and bring your focus back onto what you can do right now, in the present, to make things better.
Have you ever had a moment where you stopped and said, "man, my life sucks"? Probably; we all have. What did you do next? Did you curl up on the couch with a bag of Cheetos and a Law & Order marathon and just spend all day "wishing" your life was better? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it didn't get any better as a result...
Attempting to have reality altering magic is like attempting to time travel, only you actually can change the present! You might not be able to instantly change the present, but you can take actions right now to improve your situation.
Once you're in a downward spiral it becomes so easy to give up and just hope things will get better. Hoping and wishing are not strategies! Stop wishing and break out of the downward spiral by doing something, no matter how small, to change your situation. Even the smallest actions can build momentum that will "alter your reality."
The Hulk was the one superhero who could literally channel his rage. The Hulk's catch-phrase is, "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets!" (yes, the Hulk refers to himself in the third person). Sadly, the Hulk is the only person who could turn his rage into something good. For the rest of us, rage usually just leads to hypertension, heart disease, and regret.
But boy, it sure is tempting to let ourselves explode, right? You have that moment when you feel your anger rising and you start daydreaming about letting it out. But from experience you probably know that when you do, you almost always regret it.
Giving in to rage usually only does two things:
* You do or say something you wish you didn't
* You just make the situation worse, as the other party is now responding to your anger
Channeling rage into exercise, productivity, or any other positive outlet is great. But giving in and acting out of anger is a sure way to just make things worse for everyone.
Instead of blowing up in rage, take a few breaths, remember the big picture, and do your best to let it go. You will almost always be happier in the long run.
Written on 5/5/2010 by Avish Parashar. Avish is the Motivational Smart Ass. As a speaker and on his blog, Avish makes people laugh while sharing with them simple ideas to make their lives easier and more successful. To read more of his ridiculous rantings on self improvement, watch videos of him in action, and download the free "How to Think Quick" MP3, visit http://www.MotivationalSmartAss.com
7 Life Changing Lessons Learned From Walt Disney
Posted by SoMeOnE at 5:27 AM Labels: Development, Motivation, Success
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was a film producer, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, international icon, and philanthropist.
Walt is well-known for his influence in the entertainment industry during the twentieth century. Walt co-founded Walt Disney Productions with his brother Roy O. Disney and became one of the most famous motion picture producers of all time.
The company that he co-founded is now known as “The Walt Disney Company” and has annual revenues of approximately $35 Billion (US).
Walt and members of his staff created a number of the world's most famous fictional characters. This includes Mickey Mouse, whose original voice was Walt himself.
Walt has won 26 Academy Awards and he has earned 59 nominations; he has more awards and nominations than any other individual. Additionally, Walt has won seven Emmy Awards, and he is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, China, Japan, and France.
Clearly there is a ton to learn from Walt Disney. Let's take a look at 7 Life-Changing Lessons from Walt Disney:
In Closing“A man should never neglect his family for business.”
Your family is your first business, and they should never be neglected in pursuit of "a dream." Your family must be part of your dream, and should remain within your focus. Never become so consumed in business affairs that you neglect the individuals whom you need most.“I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn't know how to get along without it.”
Competition makes you stronger, it makes you better, it keeps you on your toes. Never shrink away from competition; never fail to see the value of competition. Your competitors can provide you with more value than your friends. Learn from the competition, and you will grow.
It’s critical that you embrace competition as well as adversity, Walt Disney said, “All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”“Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.”
You must follow your passion, if you’re doing it just for the money, it probably won’t last. Passion is what gives you the strength to overcome the obstacles associated with every dream. Passion is what keeps you going when everyone else is tired…money can't do that for you, only passion; passion is power.“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.”
Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Life is too short to spend it doing the possible. Learn to pursue the impossible, pursue what others say can’t be done, pursue what has never been done before, pursue your dreams, and turn them into a reality.
You must believe in the beauty of your dreams. Walt said, “When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.” If you’re going to believe, you might as well believe all the way.“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
I always say that “well done” is better than “well said,” so quit talking and start doing! Quit planning and start practicing; a plan is good, a good plan is even better, but if that plan doesn’t get put into action it’s as useless as a four fingered glove. Learn to get into action, start today, whatever you’ve been postponing …just do it. If you wait for the perfect time, you’ll never accomplish anything.“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”
Isaiah wrote, “Without a vision, the people perish.” But I think it’s worth noting that without people, the vision will perish. Never forget that you need people; never forget that your life is about serving others. When you serve others, you serve yourself.“Whenever I go on a ride, I'm always thinking of what's wrong with the thing and how it can be improved.”
Everyday you should become a little better than you were the day before. If you can become one percent better daily, you can recreate your life every 100 days. Learn to get better daily; look for ways to improve, to be kinder, more intelligent, and more helpful.
Let us remember that Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Thank you for reading and be sure to pass this article along.
Written on 5/04/2010 by Mr. Self Development who is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth; support him by visiting his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com or by subscribing to his feed.
Do you want to be rich? Most of us equate "rich" with "money" – and we take it for granted that more money is a good thing. We daydream about winning the lottery and quitting our jobs, traveling the world, and buying all the expensive gadgets we want.
Study after study, though, shows that more money doesn't make us happier. Of course, if you're living on the breadline, it will – but past a certain, fairly low, salary, there's no relationship between salary and happiness.
I think that real happiness comes from other types of riches. You might not have loads of money, but if you've got enough to live on, how about focusing on some of these ways of getting rich instead?
Time-Rich
You've probably come across the phrase "money rich, time poor". This, perhaps, sums up the reasons why more money doesn't result in more happiness. Often, the more you earn, the more time you spend earning – or taking care of your money and the trappings which come with it.
Being time-rich means having the freedom to spend as much of your life as possible doing what you want. Having an abundance of time can bring rewards that no amount of money can buy. Time-rich parents, for instance, have the chance to really engage with their kids. A time-rich painter or writer might not make millions, but might produce some truly outstanding pieces of art. A time-rich academic could revolutionize a particular discipline.
Money can be earned, exchanged and horded. Time goes past constantly, however much we might like to stop it. Being time-rich means engaging fully with life.
Get time-rich:
Health-Rich
If you lose a lot of money, you can recover. It might take some time, but you can turn around your personal finances and get out of debt. You can close a failing business and start a new one. You can borrow money from family or from the bank.
If you destroy your health, there's often no going back. Some chronic illnesses, such as ME, are caused by periods of overwork and stress. Is it worth wrecking your health for the sake of a few extra hours in work?
One of the most powerful stories I've come across about this is in Jonathan Field's book Career Renegade
I'd been working nearly seventy-two hours straight, each one more excruciating than the one before. But, missing the deadline meant losing $100 million for our client, so I pressed on until we finally closed the deal. I staggered into a cab, passed out for a few hours, then headed straight to my doctor's office. [...] Weeks of relentless hours had literally collapsed my immune system, allowing a softball-sized infection to ravage my intestines and eat a hole through them from the outside-in.
Get health-rich:
Interest-Rich
If you have a rich and varied set of interests, you're likely to have a fulfilling life. Spend time discovering what you really care about (whether or not it's what your parents or your friends want you to do). Having a life full of things which interest you is much more likely to make you happy than spending eight hours a day doing a job you dislike, just because it pays well.
Plus, when you get to retirement, you'll want hobbies and interests which give you meaning and purpose – and enjoyment.
You may well have lots of interests already. Are there any which you've neglected – perhaps because you think you don't have the time, or because they seem self-indulgent? If you feel that you lack any real hobbies or passions, make it your mission to find some! Try out new things (even ones which you think won't be right for you) ... and see if you surprise yourself.
Get interest-rich:
What sort of riches do you have in your life? Do you really need money to be rich – or would more time, better health or stronger interests make you happier?
Written on 5/3/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.
Complete Your First Book with these 9 Simple Writing Habits
Posted by SoMeOnE at 9:59 AM Labels: How To, Most Popular, Writing
Your first book isn't going to happen by itself. If writing a novel or non-fiction book is something you've dreamed of, the only way to make that dream a reality is by putting it into action -- day by day.
And the best way to do that is to develop some simple habits that will make the dream a reality, one step at a time.
I've learned a lot about writing habits over the years. As a journalist, a freelance writer, and a speech writer, I've written thousands of articles over the last 17 years. I've also written a novel, numerous short stories, a couple ebooks, and am now working on a non-fiction book. It's a struggle, daily.
But I've found that certain habits go a long way, and after awhile, they're not as difficult as they are during the first week or so. Get past that first-week hump, and it'll get easier. And that dream of your first book will come true.
Note on forming habits: I recommend trying to form only one of these habits at a time, starting with the first one and working downwards. Focus on each for at least 2-3 weeks, until it is ingrained. Then move on to the next.
The most important habit you can form is the daily writing habit. Even if you only write a page or two in a day, that's OK. The important thing is to do it. Eventually, you'll get there. Some days will be good, some will be not so good. Still sit down to write. It's important that you have one dedicated time for writing. You might do more, at other times, but make that one time be sacred. It might be first thing in the morning, right after lunch, right after work, or right before bed. Choose a time that you can do every single day, without fail. Dedicate at least 30 minutes to writing ... at first. Later, you'll need at least an hour, preferably two.
Get into the habit of focusing on the writing, and not the tools. You need to block out all distractions, especially Internet and email. Disconnect from the Internet, turn off the phones, plug some headphones into your ears to block out other distractions, clear your desk. If you use a pen and pad, choose simple ones. If you use a computer, use the simplest word processor or text editor possible. I recommend Dark Room or WriteRoom or some variant thereof -- just plain text, with no formatting, in full screen mode. It's you and the words and nothing else.
This can be as simple as how many words you wrote today. Check your word count when you finish, and log it in. You could also add in notes about what you wrote, how you feel about it, etc., but the important thing is to log it in so you can see your progress over time. It helps enforce the daily writing habit, and it motivates you to keep going.
You will probably be thinking about your book all day, if you're engrossed in it, but it's good to make it a habit to think about your book at certain times of the day. Exercise is a great time for that, as is house cleaning, driving, walking, government work, and any other activity where you don't need to think much. Make that time dedicated to thinking about the book.
You will have ideas at different times of day, in different places. You will overhear dialog that you want to remember. You will think of brilliant character flaws while at the grocery store. You'll think of eccentric plot twists while driving. You need some way to capture ideas -- I suggest a notebook or index cards, but whatever works for you is fine. More importantly, you need to make it a habit to write your ideas down wherever you go.
There will be days when you don't feel like writing. That may actually be every day. But if you let that stop you, you'll never write a thing. Instead, you need to make it a habit to just start writing. It doesn't matter what you write, or whether it's any good. Just start. Make your fingers move. I find a good way to start is by typing something ritualistic, such as my byline on an article, or common formatting stuff. That gets my typing going, and then I just continue that. Once you get started, you might find that writing will come easier. In any case, get into the habit of just starting, no matter what.
In addition to the routine writing time you designate (in Item #1 above), there will be other times when you'll want to write. Especially when you get a burst of energy or inspiration. You need to get into the habit of taking advantage of those times, and sitting down and writing immediately. Even if you're not at your computer, have your idea notebook, and just start writing. Inspiration comes at the most inopportune times -- you need to use it whenever it comes.
The dreaded word for many a writer, but revision is one of the most important aspects of the writing process. No one gets it right in the first draft. No one. If you aren't willing to revise, you might as well not write. But you don't need to develop this habit right away. Get into the writing habit first, and then begin developing rewrite habits. My suggestion is to begin half an hour of rewrite time, daily, after a month or two of developing the writing habit.
Most writers won't bother with this, but that's a mistake. If you are serious about your writing, a book bible is a must-have. However, you can work on that last. This is ideally a binder with everything about your book contained in its pages: plot outline, character sketches, notes, bits of dialog, small details, scene description, research, etc. You'll find this extremely useful. The habit to develop: get a binder, write notes on characters, plot, scene, dialog, and keep it updated, as soon as you're done writing. So: write, log it, then update your book bible.
Written for Dumblittleman.com on 09/12/2007 by Leo Babauta and republished on 4/30/10. Leo offers advice on living life productively simple at his famous Zen Habits blog.
8 Reasons To Use Google Chrome As Your Primary Browser
Posted by SoMeOnE at 2:37 AM Labels: Google, Technology
Google Chrome, the web browser by Google, has been gaining market share steadily since the day it was introduced. And rightly so. It's by far the best browser I've used (and I have used a number of them). I think my productivity has increased significantly since I switched to Google Chrome as my primary browser.
In this article, I give 8 reasons to persuade you to switch to Chrome if you haven't yet. Now, nothing is perfect and there are some caveats here too, but, the pros definitely overshadow the cons and hence I recommend using Chrome.
So that was about it. If you've been using Chrome as your main browser, I'd love to know how's the experience and what made you switch. Let's hear them in comments.
Yes, it is. You realize how fast it is when you click on the chrome icon to open the browser. It comes up in a flash, much faster than any other browser. As you start using it, you will find that the webpages also take less time to load.
Chrome is based on Webkit. The Chrome team recently talked about the factors that make it so fast. Sounds convincing and I see it in action every time I use it.
Not that security vulnerabilities aren't discovered in Google Chrome, but, it is considered to be more secure than its counterparts like IE and Firefox. In fact, it was the only browser that survived the Pwn2Own competition where security experts tried to exploit all the browsers in search for bugs.
The address bar in Chrome also acts as the Google search bar. Hence you could just type your search query there and hit enter. It will quickly pull up the relevant Google results. You don't need to first go to Google in order to search. This saves time.
One of the best things about Chrome is that it's minimalistic. The browser options are tucked away on the extreme right and that enables it to get you more screen real estate by providing a bigger browsing space.
This feature is quite useful when you are on long webpages and need to scroll down frequently. It also helps bloggers like me to take better screenshots.
The incognito mode in Chrome is a nifty feature. Although private browsing mode was later introduced in Firefox and some other browsers too, Chrome's incognito wins hands down. I particularly like how quickly you could go incognito by pressing Ctrl+Shift+n.
Apart from the obvious use of private browsing, there are several other uses of Chrome's incognito mode. Like, you could log into two Gmail accounts at once using this feature.
There's a "Synchronize my bookmarks" feature in Chrome which you can access by clicking on the wrench icon on the top right. You could use this feature to synchronize your Google account. That way you can access your bookmarks if you are using Chrome on a different computer.
Yes, unlike Firefox where you need to restart your browser whenever you install a new extension or uninstall an old one, Chrome doesn't require that. And as someone who plays with a lot of add-ons, I can tell you, this feature saves a lot of time and frustration.
Right, I love Google. They are known for their quality products and hence I believe Chrome has better days ahead. Now, some would argue that it's giving too much power to one firm, but, considering that most of us are pretty much dependent on Google and its services, it doesn't harm to try out their browser too. Oh, by the way, I did write an article on how to free yourself from Google in case you are interested.
Cheers,
Abhijeet
Written on 4/3/2010 by Abhijeet Mukherjee. Abhijeet is a blogger and web publisher from India. He loves all things tech as long as it aids in productivity. He edits Guiding Tech, a blog that publishes useful guides, tutorials and tools. Check it out and subscribe to its feed if you like the site. You can also find him on Twitter.
Despite our interest in getting things done in the most efficient way possible, our minds and habits often work against us. Spend a moment and think of the following:
- Do you make separate trips for every errand?
- Do you check your email more than once a day?
- Do you spend time searching for car keys or other objects you misplace?
- Do you spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter or similar sites?
You Can’t See The Forest For The Trees
Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. This is a popular saying that means to get so caught up in the little things that you lose track of the bigger (and usually more important) picture.
Life is a continuous journey and a process of never-ending growth. Every single day brings an opportunity to learn something new and improve or change your life. As a result, our habits, routines and possessions grow in many small steps. Over time all these small steps can create a lot of clutter and inefficiency in our daily lives which can waste up to multiple hours every week that could be used for better things (like having fun or doing the things you are passionate about).
Often it takes a fresh or outside perspective to point these things out to you, and today I am that outside perspective. All you need to do is take a step back and observe your actions and routines objectively to be able to make some simple changes that could give you up to multiple hours of free time every week.
A personal analogy I am sure that you can relate to would be cleaning up of your room or house. Often things just accumulate for days or weeks before it gets too much and I decide to do a total clean-up and reorganization of my room. It’s the same with your routines, habits and actions in your daily life. Over time these routines and habits each consume a little bit of your time until you are left with days wondering how you can get anything done.
Pin-Point The Most Time-Consuming Actions
Most people have some sort of a daily or weekly routine. There are many actions, habits and chores that you do over and over again. Some of these actions take up a huge amount of time…time that could be better spent doing things you love.
Let’s do a little exercise to pin-point the actions that consume the most time. Why? So that you can make some changes to streamline your life and create many free hours of time every single week that you never had.
The Method To Analyze Your Actions:
- Get a pen and a notepad.
- Draw 14 columns (2 for each day of the week).
- For each day of the week, name one column as ‘necessary’ and another as ‘unnecessary’.
- Do some thinking and write down all your repetitive actions that you do on a daily or weekly basis but split them into ‘necessary’ and ‘unnecessary’ for each day. For example: sleeping and eating are necessary but watching TV is unnecessary.
Earlier, I mentioned the saying ‘Can’t see the forest for the trees’ with the above exercise in mind. Since all your actions and routines have grown over your life up to how they are today, there may be so many little and unnecessary things that you are doing but you are not able to see it. (You are unable to see the bigger picture because you are so caught up in the day-to-day actions and routines.)
Strategize For Efficiency
Now that you have pin-pointed the activities that make up most of your day, we are going to analyze them on a deeper level. Are things that you listed in the ‘necessary’ column really ‘necessary’ and how can you change them?
- Combine Errands
Do you make separate trips for work, groceries, gym and other activities? I used to do this a lot and for me a drive to and from town was 20 minutes every time. Sometimes I would drive 3 times a day for multiple errands…what an inefficient use of my time. Try to think how you can combine your errands. Can you reduce going to the grocery store from once a day to twice a week? - Simplify The Complicated
Do you sit in traffic for a few hours every day? It may be worth considering moving closer to your work. Do you have a mailbox/dentist/doctor that is far away from you? Possibly get one that is closer to you. Do you have a garden that takes loads of time to maintain? Consider automating the sprinklers or replacing all those little flowerbeds with lawn.
Spend some time to determine if anything in your life that is more complicated than it could be is worth keeping it that way. If not, change it. - Eliminate The Useless
Personally I used to do a lot of unnecessary activities that not only consumed a lot of my time, these activities also did not make my life any better or give me any benefits. I am talking about things like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, checking for email every hour and looking at my website statistics to see how many visitors I had on that day.
For example, checking email and website analytics once a day saved me over an hour a week. I then deleted all my social networking profiles except for Facebook and Twitter, which I only use now to promote my blog and network with people I really want to be in touch with. No more idling on Facebook and reading what other (mostly unknown) people are up to. Above all, this time that I used to waste on social network sites has taught me nothing and has given me very little in return. The change of eliminating them has saved me a few hours every week that I can now use to do things I really enjoy or work on my business ideas.
As with any new changes that you implement it is always a good idea to test them out for 30 days to see if there really is a benefit. I have read that it takes 21 days for a habit to take effect, which is why I mention a 30 day period of testing anything new.
You may find that your life is pretty optimal and you can only save an hour or less every week using the steps I outlined in the article. However, most people (my former self included) will be able to free up hours of their week that they can use to do something they love or work on something they are passionate about.
 | Written on 4/29/2009 by Diggy. Diggy writes all about self improvement at his blog UpgradeReality. If you enjoyed this post you can subscribe to his RSS Feed and never miss a new UpgradeReality post. |