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Open Loops 8/31/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

There’s too much information out there. The Simpler Life shares how to manage four of the worst offenders at “Digital Overwhelm: 4 Problems and How to Fix Them”

The web is a great reference tool. I often feel dissatisfied with the online dictionaries, though; either the tense of the word I’m after isn’t listed, or it’s part of paid content. Lifehacker talks about getting a definition from Google in “Google Just Became a Quicker Dictionary Search Tool”. For me, in Firefox, a complete new search becomes Ctrl+T, Ctrl+D, google define: and the word. Ta-da!

When simplification turns bad: simplification is behind many a bad day because our brain turns one bad incident into a throw-away day. From Lifehacker’s “The Science Behind “Having a Bad Day” (and How to Solve It)”

Getting a new perspective can make a world of difference. One way to see how much clutter you overlook is to film your house. Lifehacker talks about this in “Use a Camera to Help See Your Clutter Trouble Spots”

I’m a big fan of using nature sounds as a way to focus while I am working. Now there is a free online tool that allows you to save your mixes. Lifehacker reviews this, as well as giving two free tracks, at “NatureSoundsFor.me Makes Mixing and Sharing Relaxing Tracks Simple”

Photo by Flipped Out

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Open Loops 8/24/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

If you have ever said “I don’t have enough time to…” head over to Dumb Little Man and ask yourself if any of the 7 scenarios apply to you. For me, it is that I don’t finish things, and I don’t say no. From Dumb Little Man’s “7 Reasons Why You Are Time Poor – by Dumb Little Man”

When I read the title of Ian’s Messy Desk’s “Sleep On Your To-do List To Get Things Done” I thought of the urban myth that sleeping on textbooks allows you to study while sleeping. It turns out that actually reviewing the tasks before sleeping increases your intention of doing them.

A reminder of personal safety tips is never amiss. Marc And Angel have “20 Tips That Could Save Your Life”. Sometimes we get complacent, and it’s best to be reminded before it’s too late.

In dealing with my recent creativity blockage, I read a lot about breaking through. Lateral Action had a great point: “Some days, it feels like your laptop is a Pandora’s Box – open it and you unleash all kinds of digital distractions, that make creative work an impossibility. Or to change the metaphor, information overload is in danger of crushing your inspiration.” I really used the tips on this article: giving myself a break, scheduling time, and using filters. And I found it very reassuring that if I miss something and it’s really important, it will come back around. From Lateral Action’s “How to Stop Information Overload From Crushing Your Creativity”.

Photo by kainr

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Open Loops 8/17/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Open Loops 8/17/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

This blog article over at JonathanFields.com had me thinking. In fact, I went back and read it two or three times. What is my cocktail statement?
“I’m LJ and I am a web programmer. I run a successful blog over at SimpleProductivityBlog.com, where I help people find solutions to the problems of unbalance and complication, as well as be more productive. I am working on writing a fantasy novel, as well as a simple productivity system book.” What’s your cocktail statement? From “Cocktail Lines and True Presence: the Power of Not Relying on Your Past”.

Too many key fobs bulk up my keys. My Prius key is the fob, but I never carry around the others. Lifehacker points to a great article on consolidation. I don’t know if it will work for me, but I am going to try! “Program a Single Key Fob to Unlock Multiple Cars”.

Unclutter makes a good point: “The more time you spend focusing on something, the more it will consume your thoughts.” It’s a matter of putting your focus on something; whatever you focus on will get stronger, for good or bad. From “Drifting away from mental clutter.”

Productivity without burnout needs an internal root. ZenHabits has a great article on some not-so-concrete techniques to get your productivity up at “How to be Insanely Productive and Still Keep Smiling”.

Yes, people really need these. I will have to make one for an upcoming guest. Thanks Lifehacker! “Make a Remote Sleeve for Technologically-Challenged Visitors or Family Members”.

Photo by chrissy575

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Open Loops 8/10/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

After a recent encounter with an educated adult saying “go-ed” (as in “I go-ed to the store”), I’ve been on a grammar kick. MakeUseOf has a great listing of free online grammar resources at “The Best Free Online Grammar Resources”

I’m sure I’m not the only person in the world who has tried unsuccessfully to stick stuff together. How About Orange pointed to a wonderful site about sticking stuff together called “This to That (Glue Advice)” at “How to glue stuff to other stuff”

As a blogger, I consider myself a writer. The problem is when I target the blog, things get in the way. Big things that can stop me from writing. This article from Stepcase Lifehack, “9 Expert Tips For Better Writing”, gives me some alternate outlets that can spark the rest of my writing life. Particularly “Write something every day that you do not intend to share”.

A different approach to decluttering: the “clean slate method” from Zen Habits (“The Clean-Slate Guide to Simplicity”). Warning: this is not for the faint at heart.

Too many people have embraced the simplicity movement for simplicity’s sake only. But it isn’t about that. As TortoiseKnowsBest points out, “It is not about the stuff we have, it is about the relationship with have with that stuff…“. A great read over at “Slow and Minimalism”

Photo by quinn.anya

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Open Loops 8/3/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

Concise points to reboot yourself after a long weekend, from Unclutterer’s “Five simple uncluttering tasks”

Simplifying can be difficult if you love the stuff you have. Sometimes it’s not a matter of love, though, and Zen Habits has a great list to help identify things to keep at “How to Simplify When You Love Your Stuff “

One of the best and most overlooked ways to get more done is mentioned over at Forever Young’s “Top 5 Tips To Improve Time Management And Productivity”: Don’t Rush. Too often we think we have to work faster, and all that does is pile on stress and cause us to make unnecessary mistakes.

Giving out my social security number scares me. I make it a point not to give it out unless it is required by law, and I do the same for my daughter. Get Rich Slowly has a great article explaining when it is required, and when it may be requested at “How to Safeguard Your Social Security Number”.

There are few things that make me say “wow” built in to Windows. Lifehacker had a great article on a new one to me, though: how to create a log file with auto-dating. They used AutoHotkey to create a shortcut, but I was able to create a launcher using my favorite Breevy. Very cool. (From Lifehacker’s “Use a Daily Log to Keep Yourself Focused on Productivity”)

Photo by Vincent Desjardins

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Open Loops 7/27/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:00:33 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

18 ways to work smarter…my favorites are “go for the high impact”, “cut the fluff” and “stop when you’re tired.” From Dumb Little Man’s “Working Hard Is not Enough” .

It is very easy to make excuses for not doing something. Small Notebook’s “How to Make Things Harder and Do Nothing” article goes into it.

I stopped taking the latest and greatest of software some time ago. Web Worker Daily has an article, “When the Latest Isn’t the Greatest” about when you should, and shouldn’t, upgrade.

Life can get overwhelming. Stepcase Lifehack gives the 6 steps on how to get through it without completely losing control at “How To Stay Organized When Life Throws You a Curveball”.

The Other 8 Hours has a great point:“The difference between an aspiring artist and an artist comes down to one thing . . . an artist creates”. An aspiring whatever is waiting, for whatever reason. It’s a great thought. From “The Secret to Success for Artists and Creatives”.

Photo by romana klee

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Open Loops 7/20/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:00:57 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

A very detailed exercise on getting back in balance can be found at Balance In Me’s “How to Find the Missing Component of Your Life Balance”. It is extremely detailed, and well worth the read through a long article.

Lately I have been conscious of a feeling of stagnation, of blockage. I don’t know if it’s because I’m still recovering from the situation at work, or if I’m burnt crispy, but I am blocked. I need to spend some time getting rid of it. Stepcase Lifehack has “5 Steps To Move Out Of Stagnancy In Life”.

My penchant for saying yes often lands me in places I don’t want to be, having a task list the size of Mt. Everest. Untutterer has “Seven tips for managing the overwhelming to-do list”.

According to the points in Martha Beck’s “Is It Time For You to Take Some Minimum Days?” I am suffering from burnout. So on my vacation this month, I will be doing as little as possible. Remember, “These days, life is like a treadmill that’s lost its regulator and just speeds up, minute by minute. When things get too crazy, just jump off.”

This description of Phoenix had me laughing. Hard. From Martha Beck: “Wonder of Wonders, Miracle of Miracles”

Photo by ChicagoGeek

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Open Loops 7/13/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

I’m not a big fan of Tim Ferris (see Sunday Rant: Does The Character of Authors Matter?), but his book The 4 Hour Work Week did raise some interesting points for me. Over at Illuminated Mind’s “The Lie of The Four Hour Work Week.”, the book is dissected to another level. It’s full of good points if you’ve read the book.

I’ve talked about why I hate “The Big Picture” before. Illuminated Mind has a great take on life purpose over at “The Anti-Life Purpose (or your purpose is not what you think)”. Simply put: “your purpose is to become who you are.” Pretty darn cool, in my book.

I’m a geek. I’m a wanna-be gardener. The two worlds collide over at Geek Gardening: A Wired Guide to Domestic Terraforming.

I’ve noticed that ever since I have turned off the auto-notify on my iPod Touch email, I’m less likely to get sucked into constantly reading email. Productive By Design talks about 5 ways to be more productive at “5 Ways to Avoid Distractions“

The How-To Gal has a great video on How-To Keep Birthday Candles from Dripping Wax on Your Cakes. I’ll save you the time watching the video…put the candles in Lifesaver candies before putting them on the cake.

Photo by Duchamp

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Open Loops 7/6/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

Do we pursue balance as a sign that something is wrong in the workplace? Part-time Wage Slave looks at the whole issue at“Does Work/Life Balance Really Exist?”

David Seah likens breaking through procrastination to a diabetic metaphor: “I had previously thought that inspiration results in action, but maybe it’s less linear than I think and more circular.” See the interesting take on procrastination at “My Type 2 Procrastination”

Stepcase Lifehack gives a great summary on handling paper from a professional organizer: “10 Tips for Avoiding An Office Paper Nightmare!

My project lists get incredibly overwhelming to the point of paralysis. But I didn’t think of it in terms of soul-crushing until I read Lifehacker’s “How to Maintain a Project List that Doesn’t Crush Your Soul”. There is lots of good wisdom in this article.

I couldn’t figure out why I was so much more prone to eating sweets when I was stressed. Now I have an idea: self control is a limited resource. From Unclutterer: “Self-control is an exhaustible resource”

Photo by jenny downing

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Open Loops 6/29/2010: Articles I Think Worth Passing Along

LJ — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays are open loop at SimpleProductivity blog.

Finally! Someone else admits there is no one-productivity-system-for-everyone. Stepcase Lifehack talks about this, and how to find what works, at “Navigating Productivity Advice: Finding What Actually Works”.

The dangers of being connected 24/7 are spelled out in Stepcase Lifehack’s “Are You Becoming a ‘Productive’ Moron?. Is it really smart of us to be answering emails and texts at all hours of the day? “Corporate productivity will continue to suffer as more employees are given smartphones, and bad habits become defacto operating standards.”

Let’s face it: no job is perfect. But doing is always better than talking. Here are some things to do that will bring results, from Dumb Little Man: “Is Your Job Driving You Nuts? Then Fix It!”

Simple Mom’s “8 Ways to Find Motivation at Home” is aimed at parents who do not work outside the home. But it applies to all parents, particularly the tip about “ending the day”. I know I’ve been guilty of ending my paid workday and then doing stuff around the house until I’m ready to drop into bed exhausted.

Sankofa Song is an unusual blog in its tone and delivery, which I can appreciate. This post struck me as having a fundamental truth to it: “You Are Not Broken”. Too many people don’t ask for any amount of help with the big stuff because they are afraid they are beyond help. Nonsense!

Photo by David Paul Ohmer

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