The Need for a Productive Workspace
How would you like to permanently boost your productivity by making some simple changes to your work area? If you’re going to spend so much time at your desk, then make sure it’s going to be a pleasant experience. How does your workspace make you feel? If you’re at your desk right now, take a…
The need for more Entrepreneurs, not MBAs
I am reading an article on my Inc magazine subscription from last year’s issue (catching up) about the need for more entrepreneurs more than MBAs. It says “New companies translate to new ideas, new approaches, products, vision, services, innovation, etc.” I couldn’t agree more. I have worked both with startups and gigantic enterprises and have…
What is Polyphasic Sleep?
A couple days ago, I saw a post about polyphasic sleep on LifeHack.org. Since then I’ve been emailed about this topic as well, probably because I’ve written previously about becoming an early riser. Polyphasic sleep involves taking multiple short sleep periods throughout the day instead of getting all your sleep in one long chunk. A…
Online Business Plan Workbook at Inc
I believe in careful and strong planning before executing my ideas. In business, a documented business plan is a guide for entrepreneurs to help them successfully deliver their vision. A number of business plan tools are available online and one of the better options is found at Inc.com. As described: The Business Plan Workbook is…
30 day super-break-in period for self-improvement
For years I’ve been recommending the 30-day trial as a way to install a new habit or replace a bad habit. Many people, myself included, have used this practice to successfully make behavioral changes — and have them stick. Now it’s time for the advanced version: The 30-Day Supertrial. [cue trumpets] A Quick Review When…
Consistently Read a Book Each Week
In 1992 I first learned of the habit of reading one book every week (on average), with most of them being in the field in which you desire to develop expertise. This translates to about 50 books a year. Brian Tracy explains that this habit will make you an international expert in your chosen field…
How to Rise Early and Keep it Consistently
It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom. – Aristotle Are morning people born or made? In my case it was definitely made. In my early 20s, I rarely went to bed before midnight, and I’d almost always sleep in late. I usually didn’t start hitting…
Simple Tips on giving up Coffee
Caffeine is the modern drug of choice in the work world, easily accessible, socially acceptable, readily affordable, and of course perfectly legal. As for the health effects, I’ve read evidence both for good and ill, so right now I don’t fall strongly on either side. One thing is clear though — caffeine is addictive. And…
Remove Clutter and Get Organized
What Creates Clutter? Julie points out several technical flaws that can prevent one from becoming organized, but my perception is that at a basic level, there is really just one flaw: a failure to systematize common decisions. Whenever I leave things lying out, it’s because I’m not ready to decide what to do with them…
Productive and Efficient Usage of Online Forums
What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence, a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it. – Herbert Simon Online forums, message boards, and newsgroups are now ubiquitous. These powerful…