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David Allen Company Podcast
Podcast: Meg Edwards - Problems or Projects?

1 Jul 2009 | 1:33 pm

Meg describes how GTD'ers often get stuck on defining projects. She shares how defining a problem like a project can help reach a successful outcome. Click here to listen now or click here to download. (mp3, 05:16) Related Links: More about Meg Discuss on Connect Discuss on GTD Times
Podcast: David Allen - Best Practices of Collect

23 Jun 2009 | 11:47 am

David Allen and his technology team discuss the best practices of GTD's Collect phase. What makes a good collection tool? What do you need on-the-go? At home? Hear David's tips & tricks on this key phase of the the GTD system. Click here to listen now or click here to download. (mp3, 34:37) Related Links: Master GTD on GTD Connect Discuss podcast on GTD Times
Podcast: David Allen on Using Twitter

17 Jun 2009 | 3:30 pm

Is Twitter good or bad? Is it just a source of procrastination? Is it affecting our GTD workflow and productivity? Click here to listen now or click here to download. (mp3, 04:51) Related Links: Master GTD on GTD Connect Discuss podcast on GTD Times
Podcast: David Allen & Pat Smith - Blended Learning

15 Jun 2009 | 4:06 pm

With the launch of the new GTD Interactive elearning course, many David Allen Company clients are now looking at a blend of instructor-led with the online course. David and Pat discuss this new "blended learning" and what it means for implementing GTD. Click here to listen now or click here to download. (mp3, 14:08) Related Links: Learn about the new GTD Interactive course FAQ about GTD Interactive course GTD Connect
Podcast: David Allen - The Perfect GTD List Manager - II

9 Jun 2009 | 11:24 am

David Allen and his technology team continue the conversation about GTD list managers, what qualities to look for, what has a zero learning curve, the keys to really making it work and more. Click here to listen now or click here to download. (mp3, 13:34) Related Links: The GTD Book GTD Connect GTD Times

David Allen Company Updates
Member Exclusive: Spreadsheet As List Manager

3 Jul 2009 | 1:31 pm

I use MS Excel as my list manager, carrying my file in a pen drive that I have always with me so that I can use it at home and in the office and sometimes I print parts of lists like @errands or @ calls when I will be out and about. I wonder if there are any other Excel freaks like myself here t...
Member Exclusive: Looking At Blackberry

1 Jul 2009 | 9:54 pm

I'm looking at a Blackberry, after using Palm OS handhelds since 1997. I was all set to get a Centro from AT&T. That way I would have a new PDA, on the same carrier as Kelly's iPhone. Seemed like an upgrade by downsizing from my bulkier Treo. My needs are simple, and I like the simple Palm OS li...
Member Exclusive: Outlook Webinar

1 Jul 2009 | 4:10 pm

We just posted registration details for a new Connect webinar I'm doing in July on Microsoft Outlook. You can register through the link on the home page of Connect. Cheers!
GTD Times: Is that a problem or a project?

1 Jul 2009 | 2:08 pm

GTD Secrets: True Confessions of a GTD Coach - Episode 4 One of the things that I have seen over the years is a lot of incomplete Project Lists. And I think some of it is because we have a tendency to have a narrow view about what a project is. Years ago, David said in a seminar, "Hey folks, you don't have problems; you have projects." And one of the things that I see is people not necessarily bringing their "problems" into their GTD system. It just doesn't really occur to them, and it was the same with me. When I'm coaching people now, and they start sharing about their "problems", I'm like,…
Podcast: Meg Edwards - Problems or Projects?

1 Jul 2009 | 1:33 pm

Meg describes how GTD'ers often get stuck on defining projects. She shares how defining a problem like a project can help reach a successful outcome. Click here to listen now or click here to download. (mp3, 05:16). For access to all previous podcasts, check out our complete podcast feed. Related Links: More about Meg Discuss on Connect Discuss on GTD Times

Did I Get Things Done?
Productivity, Motivation, and Personal Development Links – 28th June 2009

Andrew Mason

28 Jun 2009 | 11:00 am

I am writing this post on Friday evening as I will be on holiday in Northumberland when you read this post having a well deserved break with my family. Northumberland is a great place in the UK that we visit every year. Great beaches and great castles, my children love it! This week I totally cleared my home office out and had it decorated. The new carpet was fitted today so now I am through to the exciting part, which is buying all the new furniture for my office. I already have my eye on a nice chair and desk from Ikea and I cannot wait to get back into my office. Here are my collection of…
GTD-Free Getting Things Done Application Review

Andrew Mason

24 Jun 2009 | 8:32 am

GTD-Free is a desktop productivity application based on David Allen’s wildly successful philosophy as described in his “Getting Things Done” book. It joins the ranks of many other, similarly styled applications set on helping others to get the most out of their days while reducing the stress of organizing work. GTD-Free is, appropriately enough, a no-charge download which seeks to introduce new users into the popular organizational model through a simple, no-frills program. The aesthetic approach taken at GTD-Free is extremely basic and rather bland, especially in comparison to some of…
Productivity, Motivation, and Personal Development Links – 21st June 2009

Andrew Mason

21 Jun 2009 | 12:22 pm

Today has been Fathers Day here in the UK and I have had a great day with my family. I awoke to my favorite breakfast, Smoked Haddock and Poached Eggs and the day has been great ever since. I have had another busy week that I cannot believe is over already. This week I visited Wokingham in the UK to perform an onsite test for a client. This is the last test I have for a good few weeks as I have a lot of work to do in the office now to catch up. Here are my collection of links for this week. My first link for this week is a great blog post from the Happy Topics Blog about How to Learn a Little…
iPhone 3.0 Update Improves GTD Productivity Applications

Andrew Mason

18 Jun 2009 | 2:55 pm

The much publicized Apple iPhone 3.0 update was released around 1000 PDT yesterday. I started my update as soon as I could and installed the latest version of the iPhone OS eagerly waiting to test out some of the new features. All very well and good. Today, my two killer iPhone Apps, OmniFocus and Evernote both got upgraded to take advantage of the iPhone 3.0 features. OmniFocus OmniFocus version 1.5 for the iPhone has been released. The main feature in this upgrade include integration of cut, copy, and paste features as well as utilizing the integrated maps. The full blog post for this…
Productivity, Motivation, and Personal Development Links – 14th June 2009

Andrew Mason

14 Jun 2009 | 7:22 am

I am writing this post on Saturday as I am taking my wife away tomorrow for our wedding anniversary which is on Monday the 15th of June. We are staying in a nice hotel and spa to celebrate our 13 years of marriage! I started to clear out my office and I am dedicating more time to it next week. I want to get it decorated in the next week so that I can start to plan the layout and get the new office furniture ordered. I am really looking forward to improving my home office. Here are my collection of links for this week. My first link for this week is a link to a post about How to implement GTD…

Productivity in Context
Productivity Recap- Friday July 3rd/09

Northernchick

3 Jul 2009 | 6:02 am

Dave Navarro of Rock Your Day writes about how to fix things in his post “What To Do After You Make A Crushing Mistake”. He writes about the importance of acknowledging your mistake and writing down how you got there so it’s less likely to happen again in the future. http://www.rockyourday.com/after-the-mistak/ Ian McKenzie of Ian’s Messy Desk gives “Tips for leaving a good out-of-office message”. Goes over all the things and out of office message should have, including the dates you will be gone and who/how to contact in case of urgency.
Productivity Recap- Friday June 26/09

Northernchick

26 Jun 2009 | 3:54 am

Micheal Ramm of Black Belt Productivity shares a list of “15 Tips For A More Productive Work Day.” These tips include having a designated time to end work for the day and getting enough sleep. http://blog.blackbeltproductivity.net/tips-for-a-more-productive-workday/ Dragos Roua of Edragonu writes about how the first things you do in the morning will effect the mood of the rest of the day and how to create a successful, peaceful morning routine in his post “The Morning Phrase”. He writes about how to find a phrase that when you speak it in the morning will help you lead…
Tips for Web-working Success

@Stephen

23 Jun 2009 | 7:30 am

Meryl Evans at Web Worker Daily has assembled a collection of tips on the Minimum Specs for a Successful Web Worker Machine. I am honored to have one of my own tips included! Web working is not for everybody. Those who do it tend to have traits and personalities that fit the web working life. For others, it means making sacrifices they don’t want to make. “I don’t really understand why people would like to work at home. It’s like reducing to the minimum (almost nothing) the barrier between professional and private life,” comments Chris on Georgina’s recent post, “How To Ask the…
Productivity Links- Thursday, June 18th/09

Northernchick

18 Jun 2009 | 3:50 pm

Andrew Mason of Did I Get Things Done? writes about his personal attempt at organizing his home workspace in his post “Creating A Productive Home Office”. http://www.didigetthingsdone.com/2009/06/12/creating-a-productive-home-office/ Laura of I’m an Organizing Junkie shares helpful tips for sticking to your plan and getting things done in her post “Procrastination Habit Breakers”. Tips include setting a timer and choosing the best time of day for you to work well. http://orgjunkie.com/2009/06/procrastination-habit-breakers.html Ibrahim Husain of Stepcase Lifehack…
Microsoft’s Vision of Future Productivity

@Stephen

18 Jun 2009 | 7:02 am

This video is remarkable, the technologies astounding: Productivity Future Vision Microsoft’s long-term productivity vision explores how we will create and share content; collaborate across teams, organizations and networks; and gain contextually relevant insights based on preferences and intent. Each scene showcases real technologies being explored by Microsoft teams and partners and others in the industry. To see current prototypes we are exploring, go to www.officelabs.com. Productivity Future Vision If you are reading this in a feed reader and do not see the video, click the title.

LifeClever ;-)
The “Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight” Giveaway—Winner Chosen!

Chanpory Rith

10 Jun 2009 | 11:18 am

Thank you everyone for the great comments. I’ve selected a winner and it’s Jimmy Vu Nguyen. We’re looking forward to that mind map! I’m running a little contest for my friends at Art House Films to promote their new documentary, Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight. Yes design nerds, that’s the Milton Glaser—the designer who created the famous I ♥ NY logo. The prize is Milton Glaser’s latest book, Drawing is Thinking. The film will be playing on June 19th in San Francisco at the Roxie. Here’s the official synopsis: For many, Milton Glaser is…
Meet me at AIGA SF Portfolio Day 2009

Chanpory Rith

6 May 2009 | 11:36 am

I’ll be reviewing portfolios for the AIGA San Francisco chapter on Saturday, May 30, 2009. It’s an all day event, and it’ll be my sixth year as a reviewer. I enjoy it every time, and I’ve yet to make someone cry. Am I too nice? Perhaps, this will be my lucky year. ;-) It looks like reservations are still available. So sign up if you’re looking for a job in this terrible economy or if you simply want portfolio feedback from Bay Area design studios. Space is limited, so register soon: AIGA SF Portfolio Day Registration
Say bye bye to Hallmark!

Chanpory Rith

22 Apr 2009 | 4:25 pm

Can’t find greeting cards that live up to your design standards? Check out Paper Culture, a new greeting card company co-founded by my friend and former MetaDesign colleague, Hui-ling Chen. The cards are modern, cute, and delightful. Best part, you can even personalize them with your own photos or text. Right now, a majority of the cards are baby-oriented. But I expect to see a larger variety of different event cards once the business gets going. Here are some more sample images: Don’t forget to check out my previous post on other cool greeting card companies: Where to Find…
Why design is political

Chanpory Rith

2 Apr 2009 | 6:05 am

Here’s a little something I wrote ages ago which I should have shared with you. Never too late: Simple problems (problems which are already defined) are easy to solve, because defining a problem inherently defines a solution. The definition of a problem is subjective; it comes from a point of view. Thus, when defining problems, all stake-holders, experts, and designers are equally knowledgeable (or unknowledgeable). Some problems cannot be solved, because stake-holders cannot agree on the definition. These problems are called wicked, but sometimes they can be tamed. Solving simple…
How to write a positioning statement

Chanpory Rith

1 Apr 2009 | 9:58 am

I don’t have a prank or joke for you today. But, I do have a new post on the SMB Marketing Guide blog. It’s a short, but practical, guide on how to write a positioning statement. I even wrote like a poem. Here’s a little teaser for you: Your product is one among millions. With so many products, why should a customer choose yours? Positioning answers this question. A product’s “position” is the place it occupies in the customer’s mind. All products have a position— even if it’s the position of “unfamiliar” or “irrelevant to me” or “not very good”.

GTD Times
Is that a problem or a project?

GTD Times Team

1 Jul 2009 | 3:08 pm

GTD Secrets: True Confessions of a GTD Coach - Episode 4 One of the things that I have seen over the years is a lot of incomplete Project Lists. And I think some of it is because we have a tendency to have a narrow view about what a project is. Years ago, David said in a seminar, “Hey folks, you don’t have problems; you have projects.” And one of the things that I see is people not necessarily bringing their “problems” into their GTD system. It just doesn’t really occur to them, and it was the same with me. When I’m coaching people now, and they start sharing about their…
The Strategic Value of Personal Productivity

GTD Times Team

30 Jun 2009 | 5:37 pm

David Allen is doing a webinar event next Wednesday, July 8th, hosted by Unbound Ideas. In this 90-minute interactive webinar, David Allen will describe the strategies, tools and specific behaviors that dramatically upgrade individual and organizational productivity. In particular, he will focus on: The 5 stages of control and the 6 horizons of focus necessary for personal self-management How to get immediate control of “current reality” How to keep track of the total inventory of your commitments Why organizational issues are often personal process issues Why it’s so challenging to…
OmniFocus Speed Keys

GTD Times Team

29 Jun 2009 | 6:44 pm

Studies show that most people will be 4 times faster on the keyboard by using shortcut keys versus reaching for the the mouse and clicking their way through menus. You don’t need to know all of them, but certainly the keyboard shortcuts that represent the tasks you use the most can be a tremendous time saver. One of our Coaches was recently working with someone on OmniFocus and passed along a great summary of all of the OmniFocus keyboard shortcuts. We also have these posted for Windows & Outlook. ShareThis
Taking a deeper look at control & perspective

GTD Times Team

29 Jun 2009 | 12:41 pm

Making It All Work, David Allen’s latest book, ties together what many people were hungry for after reading Getting Things Done: control + perspective. In MIAW, control (5 phases of mastering your workflow) gets married to perspective (your horizons of focus) to give an overview of the whole game. Chris Taylor, editor for Goose Educational Media, wrote up a detailed book review of Making It All Work that we thought you may find helpful. He wrote: We broke the review into two parts, as I felt Making it all Work really lent itself to that format. Part 1, focusing on control Part 2,…
Join the GTD Fan Page on Facebook

GTD Times Team

26 Jun 2009 | 2:36 pm

We’ve setup a page on Facebook for all of you David Allen and GTD fans out there. It’s a great place, if you’re so inclined, to follow some of the latest bits of noteworthy news, quotes and musings from GTDGuy. Check it out: facebook.com/gettingthingsdone.You can also follow David on Twitter as GTDGuy. ShareThis

Rock Your Day
The 5 People Who Secretly Control Your Life

Dave Navarro

23 Jun 2009 | 4:37 am

When you realize how many of your personal preferences are based on nothing more than other people’s views of “acceptable,” it becomes a scary wake up call for setting your own standards. You don’t want to reach the end of your life realizing that you let somebody else program you to be a “good dog.” But what you may not realize is just how many people influence your life, feeding you ideas about what is “right,” “wrong,” “good,” “bad,” and practically every other subjective decision making criteria that…
Why You Do What You Do (And Why It Should Scare You)

Dave Navarro

16 Jun 2009 | 4:55 am

When it comes to getting things done, most people think of words like productivity, willpower, and goal setting. But if you’re frustrated at where your life is right now and you’re having trouble pushing past the things that are holding you back, willpower isn’t the problem. Goal setting isn’t it, either. And no amount of productivity cult-ism is going to turn your life around. There’s something more important than that - something so important it determines whether taking action is a pleasure or a chore: It’s the set of personal standards you hold…
Why You Need To Abandon Your Rescue Fantasy (Yes, You Do Have One)

Dave Navarro

8 Jun 2009 | 8:58 am

Somewhere on one of my old Brian Tracy CDs there’s this great line he says about how in order to really take control of your life you have to first realize that no one is coming to your rescue. If you want your life to be different, you’re going to have to get up off the couch and make it happen. Steven Covey also talks about the dangers of the “rescue fantasy” in one of his books, saying how too many people think that some magical solution will solve their problems in the future. We’ll get that raise, and then we’ll be able to get out of debt. …
Ego and Productivity: Don’t Let Your Default Answer Be “Yes”

Dave Navarro

18 May 2009 | 4:26 am

So a lot of people are on board when it comes to running like hell from the Cult of Productivity - the mindset that says if you’re not hacking your life 24/7 and taking everything “to the next level,” then you just must not be a very committed person after all. Of course, we know better (now), and we’re calling bullshit on this. Running at maximum capacity does NOT equal a better life any more than redlining your car’s engine makes it last longer. “Zoom zoom,” indeed. So let’s talk about one of the many tools the Cult of Productivity - The…
What To Do After You Make A Crushing Mistake

Dave Navarro

14 May 2009 | 10:22 pm

We all make some of the same mistakes over and over again. Some of them are costly. And the costlier the mistake, the more likely we are to want to get angry at ourselves for making it … and then avoid thinking about it ever again (until we repeat it, of course). This is natural. Costly, crushing mistakes are emotional poison to us, and we instinctively want to do anything possible to stop thinking about it. What You Should Do Immediately, While The Wound Is Still Fresh Once the mistake is made, do what comes naturally. Yell. Stomp your feet. Kick your chair if you have to -…

Steve Pavlina's Personal Development Blog
How to Become More Successful

Steve Pavlina

3 Jul 2009 | 10:14 am

How do you feel about people who are very successful? What’s your attitude toward the movers and shakers in your field? Do you admire and respect them? Do you speak highly of them? Or are you suspicious of them? Do you criticize or attack them? What’s the true role of these people in your life? What do they represent? Subjectively speaking, your relationship with the most successful people in your reality represents your relationship to success itself. Those people represent your potential and how you feel about it. I use the term “relationship” to mean your general…
Climate Change

Steve Pavlina

29 Jun 2009 | 2:03 pm

Recently the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) released a new report on how climate change is already affecting the United States, plus predictions for the next 100 years based on different scenarios. If you care to read the report, you can find it online at www.globalchange.gov/usimpacts. This group is comprised of respected U.S. scientists from a variety of disciplines. According to their web site, the USGCRP “coordinates and integrates federal changes in the global environment and their implications to society.” They’ve been conducting heavy peer-reviewed…
Your Wealthy Avatar

Steve Pavlina

26 Jun 2009 | 10:28 am

There was a recent discussion in our forums about the contrast between playing an online computer game (MMORPG) and, over a period of weeks or months, acquiring a substantial amount of gold for your character (avatar) versus experiencing the opposite situation of financial scarcity in real life. The question posed was: What’s it like to enjoy financial abundance in real life? Honestly it’s pretty much the same thing you’d experience in a virtual game world when your character has a lot of gold. When you have an abundance of gold, the nature of the game changes, doesn’t…
3-Day Las Vegas Workshop Oct 2-4

Steve Pavlina

25 Jun 2009 | 12:59 pm

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be doing a 3-day public workshop here in Las Vegas on October 2-4, 2009 (Fri-Sun), and I invite you to attend. This event will be held in a very nice meeting room at Harrah’s Hotel, right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. This will be a personal development workshop, not a blogging workshop. The content will be loosely based on the material from my book, so we’re going to cover the whole she-bang of personal growth — habits, career, money, relationships, health, and spiritual growth. This workshop will include a nice blend of…
How to Make a Raw Fruit Pie

Steve Pavlina

22 Jun 2009 | 5:00 am

Since December 2008 I’ve been attending monthly raw potlucks here in Las Vegas. Erin and I hosted one at our house a few months ago, and we’ll be hosting another one in August. Typically 20-25 people will attend (I’ve seen as many as 35), so these potlucks are a nice way to meet local raw food enthusiasts and to sample a variety of tasty items. At previous potlucks I’ve brought guacamole, nori rolls, and garlic “bread,” but by far the most popular item I’ve made was a raw fruit pie. I’ve brought raw pies to three potlucks, and I always brought…

Think Simple Now
Time for a Retreat – Personal Update

mert

13 Jun 2009 | 8:05 am

By: Tina Su For the next four weeks, I will be living in an ashram near Bangalore India. I will be attending a meditation and spiritual retreat called Inner Awakening that I have been anticipating for many months now. It’s an opportunity to learn directly from an enlightened guru in a serene environment, along with several hundred other spiritual seekers from around the world. I’ve decided not to bring my laptop or cell phone, and to fully emerse myself in the experience. Besides, a month without technology sounds like a really nice cleanse of its own. During this time, no new…
How to Quiet Your Mind

Tina Su

11 Jun 2009 | 12:22 pm

Photo by Andrea D’Aquino (Germany) By: Tina Su Do you regularly feel at ease and at peace? Are you continuously overflowing with Joy and Bliss on a daily basis, such that you seem free of problems and emotional pain? If so, go directly to the comment section and share with us your secrets. If you’re still reading, you are amongst the vast majority of us striving for a better life, yearning for a more peaceful and joyful existence. Yet, it seems like an impossible challenge, where we end up mentally punishing ourselves for failing, concluding that “I’m just not made to live…
Overcoming a Rough Week

Ralph Jean-Paul

3 Jun 2009 | 8:59 am

Photo by Carlos Yepez (flickr stream). By Ralph Jean-Paul We all have bad days, but have you ever had one of those weeks when it seems everything is going wrong? Monday, your alarm didn’t ring and you were late for work. Tuesday, your car broke down. Wednesday you lost your credit card. Thursday was your annual review and your employer informed you that, due to the economy, the company is not issuing raises this year. By the time Friday arrives and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, you get a ticket for speeding. How do we handle a series of setbacks and bad news? I…
Personal Change You Can Measure

Scott Young

28 May 2009 | 9:37 am

By Scott Young As we approach mid-year, are there any goals you had set at the start of this year that you want to make progress on? Here is a simple tool that can help you in becoming more productive and effective. There is an old business adage, “what is measured, improves.” I believe that lesson applies, to not just your business, but also your life. If you measure something, you gain conscious awareness of it. If you gain conscious awareness, you increase your ability to control it. Today is the third day of a week-long diet log I’m running. My diet log is simply…
How to End Suffering

Tina Su

14 May 2009 | 9:49 am

By Tina Su “While pain might be inevitable, the suffering that comes from the pain is not. Suffering is not a state of life, it is a state of mind. Suffering is your response to an event. Whether you suffer or not depends entirely on your reaction to that situation.” ~ Paramahamsa Nithyananda (Swamiji) Today, I will get (more) personal. I’ve debated about whether or not to share this information in a post. It was a quiet battle between keeping my personal life somewhat private, and the intense desire to share the lessons from this important chapter of my life. In sharing,…

Unclutterer
Workspace of the Week: Office away from the office

Erin Doland

3 Jul 2009 | 4:30 am

This week’s workspace of the week is more of a question than a space. What do you do to make working from a hotel room a bearable experience? (Image is My_OCD’s hotel office): There isn’t anything particularly interesting about this setup, and that is because it’s in a Super 8 hotel and it’s a dreadful environment most of us have experienced. If we’re being honest, working from a hotel room is usually pretty awful. But, when business calls, it’s the office we have to use. So, instead of looking to this specific setup for inspiration, I wanted to open…
And the winners of the Alice.com $250 shopping giveaway are …

Erin Doland

2 Jul 2009 | 7:23 am

Thank you to EVERYONE (all 1,313 of you!) who participated in our Alice.com $250 shopping credit giveaway. Now let’s get on to the good stuff … At 10:00 a.m. ET this morning, I closed the comments and counted up the entries. Then, I headed over to the Random Integer Generator at random.org and entered in the data: Out popped the following numbers: 94 — Aliya 811 — David I have contacted the winners and they will be receiving $250 credits in their accounts at Alice.com. (I’m a wee bit envious!!) Congratulations to our winners and thank you to Alice.com for their…
Control cable-clutter with a monkey braid

PJ Doland

2 Jul 2009 | 4:30 am

An excellent post on cable clutter from The Closet Entrepreneur has been making the rounds this week. It shows how to use a monkey braid (or chain sinnet) to shorten cables so they stay out of the way and don’t get tangled. I tried it out with a particularly annoying 25′ 13-pin MIDI cable I use frequently and it works just as advertised. Sometimes the best things in life really are free. (via Lifehacker)
Unitasker Wednesday: The Beaba Babycook

Erin Doland

1 Jul 2009 | 7:30 am

Okay, I know that choosing unitaskers from Williams-Sonoma is so simple that it’s like shooting fish in a barrel … but I can’t help myself! There are so many wonderful unitaskers lining their shelves. It’s fruitless for me to try to steer clear. I am drawn to their shiny, unitasker-ness like a moth to a street lamp. I can’t help myself. This week’s winner of the unitasker title is the Beaba Babycook. Simply by using a pot, a steamer insert for that pot, and a blender (or potato masher or food processor or even the back of a sturdy fork) that you already…
A year ago on Unclutterer

Erin Doland

1 Jul 2009 | 7:15 am

2008 Time-saving tips Tips to help you save time doing chores. The transforming diaper bag The Hoppop is a diaper bag that transforms into a baby seat. Folding efficiently can save space Real Simple has a how to guide on the correct way to fold just about anything. June 2008 wrap up These are the things that made June 2008 memorable at Unclutterer. 2007 A man in uniform Steve Jobs is a man who knows what he wants to wear.

Blog Consulting by Visionary Blogging
13 Ways for Bloggers to Sleep Better

Easton Ellsworth

3 Jul 2009 | 10:35 am

I went to bed at 4 AM last night, er, this morning. I’m still a bit bleary. Why? I was up late working on some things for blog consulting clients. It’s not fun but that’s what you gotta do sometimes to make sure your blogging efforts yield good fruit. Here are 13 ideas to help you sleep better (and, I hope, longer) at night knowing your blog is doing what it should. Keep your blog content churning out regularly. Miss a beat and you’ll lose some winks. Get your posts published or scheduled for publication before you’ve been awake one hour. That way you can bask…
Special Offer Through July 7: $77 Total Blog Inspection

Easton Ellsworth

2 Jul 2009 | 8:25 am

Through Tuesday, July 7, I’m offering my Total Blog Inspection service package, a $700 value, for only $77 (normally $297). Within 72 hours of your purchase, you’ll receive: A complete 130-point appraisal of your blog’s content, design, community, traffic, subscribers, search presence (SEO), social presence, conversion and value ($225 value) A written report in PDF format with my best tips and recommendations for the improvement of each aspect of your blog, delivered by email ($150 value) A 10-minute video screencast that lets you watch my computer screen as I visit your…
Blog Content Improvement: A Struggle of the Heart

Easton Ellsworth

17 Jun 2009 | 12:31 am

Have you ever been frustrated by your blog writing? By your inability (as you see it) to create compelling content? By the difficulty of coming up with ways to make your blog’s content more effective for your business or organization? My friend, I have so been there. Better Blog Content is a Matter of the Heart I sang in choirs in high school. At first I was shy and never wanted my voice to stick out and be heard, so I tried as hard as I could to blend in and disappear in the crowd. I wanted to become a really good singer, but I was always terrified that somebody might hear me…
Improve Blog Content: 29-Point Checklist

Easton Ellsworth

10 Jun 2009 | 10:49 pm

Want to make your blog content better fast? Here’s a carefully assembled checklist you can use every time you analyze the quality of the words, images and sounds that you publish at your blog. Blog consultants, social media strategists and anyone who owns or manages a blog should find this useful. 29 Key Aspects of Blog Content We’ve identified the nine blog improvement types. Now let’s break down blog content evaluation and improvement into 29 key areas: Number of published articles (posts + pages) Age of first published article Age of latest published article Posts…
Blog Improvement: Do You Know These 9 Key Areas?

Easton Ellsworth

9 Jun 2009 | 12:56 pm

Blog improvement is a tree whose trunk is vision. Emerging from the trunk are nine main branches: Blog content improvement – Making your articles, photos, podcasts, videos, etc. better at grabbing your audience’s attention and leaving them constantly satisfied yet hungry for more Blog design improvement – Making your blog look, feel and work better for the people who visit and engage with it Blog community improvement - Building a more vibrant community around your blog Blog traffic improvement – Getting more of the right kind of people to discover your blog, and…

Notes On Productivity
Video: How to use ActiveWords

Eric Mack

29 Jun 2009 | 9:56 am

One of the essential components of my productivity toolkit is an application called ActiveWords. I use ActiveWords to control most of my Windows Applications. I've just posted the video and related links over on the inside.eProductivity blog. Since this blog is focused primarily on Lotus Notes, I know that the next question I will get is: "Will ActiveWords work with Lotus Notes?" Yes and no. ActiveWords works as if you had typed keystrokes at your keyboard and is great for launching applications and substituting text. These features work great in Notes. Because Lotus Notes is itself a…
When tools (e.g. Lotus Notes) become personal

Eric Mack

25 Jun 2009 | 12:00 pm

Two interesting discussions today. (Well one at least, my post has no comments yet.) Ed Brill: What kind of apps do you run on the Notes client stand-alone? Eric Mack: Just what is Lotus Notes good for, anyway? There's discussion about what people use Notes for and whether it can be personal or not. I just posted this comment to Ed Brill's blog, but I think it is valuable to re-post here. It deals with the issue that when tools become personal, people become passionate about them - and they tell their friends, and their friends, and their friends...@12, one of my clients, David Allen, loves…
Just what is Lotus Notes good for, anyway?

Eric Mack

25 Jun 2009 | 11:11 am

In the beginning, we did not think of Notes as e-mail. (I'm talking about the client) We thought of Lotus Notes as the ultimate repository for information and knowledge in tacit form across distributed databases (often called "knowledge-bases" or "applications"). Oh, and Notes happened to do email and calendaring (with some issues). Over the next 15 years Microsoft did an exemplary job (I think) of convincing the world that Notes was just email and that it wasn't very good as such and that Outlook was better application because it was a really good Personal Information Management…
GTD Productivity Software Winners Announced!

Eric Mack

24 Jun 2009 | 3:23 pm

Over the past few weeks, two free drawings were held for GTD Productivity tools. Sponsored by ICA, ActiveWord Systems, and Gyronix, the drawings awarded prizes with a total value of over $2000. People were invited to to download and explore eProductivity for Lotus Notes. Everyone that did, got their name entered in the drawing. Those that took the time to send in feedback, got their name entered a second time. No purchase was required. Six people's names were drawn on June 2 and again on June 15 for a total of 12 lucky winners. Visit the Inside.eProductivity blog to find out who…
iFidelity for more productive e-mail

Eric Mack

19 Jun 2009 | 3:03 pm

One of the (many) features that I love about Lotus Notes is the ability to paste doclinks from anywhere to anywhere. Long before we had URLS we had doclinks. I feel so strongly about the value of Notes doclinks that I worked hard to get my two favorite knowledge visualization tools, MindManager and The Brain, add support for Notes Doclinks to to their product. If you can live inside of Notes, doclinks are great but when you move to the web they sometimes break. I've been following Ben Langhinrichs blog posts about his product, iFidelity, that among other things appears to ensure that doclinks…

Ian's Messy Desk
Fifty Ways to Take Notes

Ian McKenzie

3 Jul 2009 | 5:40 am

Image by Austin Kleon via Flickr I spent a lot of time poking around at various options for on-line note taking. I was looking for something that would allow me to quickly clip web content and dump it into a folder/category structure for later retrieval. As it has evolved its features, Evernote is the tool best suited to my workstyle. With web-based, desktop-client and iPhone versions, Evernote makes it easy to clip and retrieve notes anywhere. If Evernote is not to your style, here is a list of Fifty Ways to Take Notes, compiled by Brian Benzinger. Quick Public Pages Using a quick public…
Top 20 Ways to Tell if You’re Canadian

Ian McKenzie

1 Jul 2009 | 9:23 am

Today is Canada Day. Here are the principle ways to determine if you are a Canadian. You understand the phrase “Could you pass me a serviette, I just dropped my poutine on the chesterfield.” You eat chocolate bars, not candy bars. You drink Pop, not Soda. You know that a Mickey and 2-4’s mean, “party at the camp, eh!” You don’t care about the fuss with Cuba. It’s a cheap place to go for your holidays, with good cigars and no Americans. You know that a pike is a type of fish, not part of a highway. You have Canadian Tire money in your kitchen drawers. You know that Casey and…
What Best Defines Canada?

Ian McKenzie

1 Jul 2009 | 5:31 am

Image via Wikipedia Today is Canada Day. This marks the joining of the British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867. So, what does it mean to be a Canadian? At least, from the perspective of Canadians. Picture this: Pierre Trudeau standing with his back to Niagara Falls, clutching a red maple leaf in his hand, on Canada Day. Can you imagine a more Canadian scene? Only if the robotic space Canadarm somehow made it into the scene,…
Quotes: The 3 E’s of Personal Achievement

Ian McKenzie

29 Jun 2009 | 5:54 am

Image via Wikipedia Most of us work towards some type of personal achievement. We all have a desire to improve our lives in some way. Despite the desire we’re not always sure what steps are needed to improve our personal achievement. Here are three areas where we can invest effort that will bring positive results: Enthusiasm “There is a direct relationship between joy and effort. The joy of success is in ratio to the amount of effort expended to achieve it.” —Denis Waitley “I can’t imagine a person becoming a success who doesn’t give this game of life…
Tips for leaving a good out-of-office message

Ian McKenzie

26 Jun 2009 | 5:34 am

Image by silas216 via Flickr We’re heading into vacation season in this part of the world. It’s time to get away from the office, kick back and relax. However, if you spend your well-deserved break worrying about your work load on return to the office, it’s going to affect your ability to relax. A little bit of preparation before you leave will ensure less to worry about on return. A good out-of-office message is a must. A well-prepared message can go a long way to decrease the backlog of messages waiting for you when you get back to work. A good out of office message has…

Your best just got better
The "debut" of our next seminar in the Mastering Workplace Performance series

Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA

3 Jul 2009 | 2:14 pm

The Promise Doctrine: a system and guidebook for consistently delivering on your promisesIf you know of anyone who "may" be interested, we have room for 5 more people to attend our upcoming seminar on 11 July, 9am-1pm in Marin County, CA. We're making this available primarily to executive directors of not-for-profit organizations, as the title sponsor is the To Celebrate Life Foundation! After you view our website which introduces our upcoming book, please consider passing this on to just one person you think may be interested. Please ask them to e-mail us ASAP to secure a spot. The room is…
Wow, an inspiring letter written to those in our small-town community of Ojai

Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA

3 Jul 2009 | 9:33 am

This note was passed along to me earlier this morning. To be honest, I usually don't spend the requisite 4 minutes reading these kinds of letters...For some reason, however, I did read this one.After you read it, imagine something good in your life. I did, and came up with a list over a page long. It was a nice exercise...Dear Friends:If you stopped by the World Flavor Café, you know by now that we’ve been closed these past two weeks, and you’ve probably read our short message at the door. This message is to expand on that.Allow me to be philosophical for a moment. Life’s dreams are…
Why is there a demand to manage time?

Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA

1 Jul 2009 | 7:39 am

(Repost...From some time ago!) We all have more to do than we can get done, so we have to prioritize free hours and work on first things first. No doubt, it's more effective to focus on the most important thing. The problem is: the most important things can change day-to-day, hour-to-hour. Have you ever noticed this phenomenon happening, yet you still can't do anything about it? I'll set the stage by asking you to think of a day when you started off identifying a "priority project for the day." 1. You're at your desk, and think, "I'm going to get up and get a cup of tea/coffee."2. You walk…
Make it ok to "move the mission forward"

Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA

27 Jun 2009 | 9:07 pm

I'm no longer "surprised" by the surprise of a good idea. Since my brother and I have had a wallet (from about 10 years old or so!), we both have carried an "extra" piece of paper - wherever we go. Over the past 28 years, here is something I've learned: A useful idea just may show up anywhere. Capturing the idea now, and nurturing that idea later just may be the most balanced work/life expression we can experience. So, you can believe my delight at dinner the other evening when our meal-time chat turned toward inspiration and motivation in the learning processes of corporate cultures (wow,…
Are you sitting with the "right" people?

Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA

25 Jun 2009 | 12:05 am

Put the right people in the room [or, at the table] and amazing things happen.Last night after work here in London, 5 of us went out to dinner and quickly the conversation went FROM "tell us about California," TO "let's brainstorm ways we can produce educational programming for the bank in a way that engages more learners?"Jodi and I took the opportunity to share many of the programs we've been involved with creating over the past three years. In fact, just last weekend we were co-presenters during some sessions at PresentationCampLA - a GREAT example of what happens when you "put the right…

Black Belt Productivity
What is in Your Book?

Jason Echols

30 Jun 2009 | 6:35 am

Recently, I was sitting around with my Bomber Jacket Levenger Circa, going through some notes I had taken. My wife sat down next to me and started talking about some subject that meant a lot to her. So I stopped what I was doing and listened. Then she finished her point and paused. “Are you going to write this down in your book?”, she asked. That got me to thinking… My family has learned that some of the most important things I deal with go in my Circa. Many times, I will be working in my “book”, and one of my two children will sit next to me and ask what I am…
Managing…”The Day After”

Jason Echols

16 Jun 2009 | 6:42 am

I recently returned from a week long vacation. Nothing like walking in on Monday morning with that feeling of dread knowing that your inbox will be full. You walk in to see that blinking light flashing on your phone. Mondays are not typically good to begin with…for most of us. This, however, rivals poking yourself in the eye with a pencil. I call it the “rattlesnake in the inbox” syndrome. That dread that one almost inevitably has when they return from a vacation. Some type A personalities would even say that it is not worth it to take a vacation. In their minds, by the…
Calibrated Your Compass Lately?

Jason Echols

29 May 2009 | 7:31 am

It is so easy to lose perspective sometimes. This is true on several levels. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in life that we lose a grip on what is important. Or on a specific project, we can get wrapped around it so much that we fail to see that we may be taking the wrong approach completely. Next week, I will be on vacation. I plan to spend some of that time allowing myself to get back into the stratosphere. It is not that I feel I have completely lost my way. But, we all need to do this from time to time…allow ourselves to get a good overview of where we are, and where we want to be.
Staying Motivated

Jason Echols

27 May 2009 | 7:00 am

One of the most difficult parts of being productive is staying motivated. Unfortunately, there is no magic elixir that we can take that helps us stay motivated to be present and productive. Sometimes a life event motivates us, and can keep us going for some time. But what about when the pressure is not on? What happens when we are simply doing whatever it is we do? There is no one set of rules that will apply to everyone. There are both physical and mental aspects of being motivated. Here are some that are important to me. Mental - Manage Thoughts 1. Have your tasks clarified. Nothing will…
What Does It All Mean?

Jason Echols

22 May 2009 | 7:43 am

For productive people…or at least those to try to be productive…one of the most important parts of our process is taking notes. Most of my notes come from meetings that I attend. I have recurring meetings with customers and teammates in which I need to take good notes. You may have client meetings that require the same type of note taking. I am not here today to talk about note taking skills. That is a post for another day (let me make a note of that). I want to talk about how we take those notes, and turn them into action, when necessary. Remember, it is not about the system. It…

Geeks Guide To Productivity » gtd
GTD With Evernote?

Ubertech

24 Jun 2009 | 7:00 am

The mighty Jared shares some insight on how to get thang’s done with Evernote… create an Evernote account create 3 notebooks1: “Next Actions” or “To Do” “Maybe” or “Someday” “Projects” or “Dependents” make Next Actions your default notebook delete the example notebook create two tags: Contexts Projects create a bunch of context tags in the form “@place”; drag each under the Contexts tag as-needed, create project tags in the form “.name”2; drag each under the Projects tag read more Related articles by Zemanta: Convert and Clip Web Text to Evernote…
What Would You Do If…

Ubertech

24 Jun 2009 | 12:48 am

I’m reading John Maxwells new book Put Your Dreams To The Test and he made a great statement in chapter one that really spoke to me. What would I do if I had no limitations? Posted in gtd
You To Can Have An Empty Email Box?

Ubertech

22 Jun 2009 | 1:23 pm

Kelly how do you keep your inbox so clean? People ask me all of the time how I get my Inboxes to zero every day (or nearly every day.) Here’s what works for me:- I give myself enough processing time- I’ve gotten really fast at the “assessment” step- I have a simple clear model to know what to do with something after I assess what it is - I’m really clear about my current 20,000 areas of focus to know whether something is my job or not- I’m really current with my projects & actions to know if I can/should say no or yes via kelly forrister originally…
Shutting Out All The Noise…

Ubertech

19 May 2009 | 11:42 am

image by yow long lee I think to be effective in life we all really need filters to keep the distractions to a allowable minimum. Social media by it’s nature can devolve into a magnificent time suck that can overwhelm you with minutia. Goodbye to those who follow everybody back but use 3rd party systems like Tweetdeck to “filter out” the people they don’t really want to see. I’m not interested in being a placeholder for you anymore. Why not publicly own up about who you find valuable? Do that and we won’t even need #followfriday anymore! All I’ll have to do is check out the…
At Least Looking Productive…

Ubertech

18 May 2009 | 12:08 am

Erin Rooney Doland of Unclutterer fame shares on how to increase the perception that your productive… Posted in clutter, gtd, productivity

Lifehacker: GTD
Springpad Takes Your Life Data Mobile

Erin Schwendemann

29 Jun 2009 | 8:30 am

If you're a fan of previously mentioned web-based life organizer Springpad, or you're looking to start with it, the webapp's notebooks just got easier to use with layouts optimized for mobile browsersOnce you've set-up your Springpad account, point your device's browser to my.springpadit.com/m. From there, mobile users can access data sorted by type, check off task & list items, switch between "springpads," or notebooks, and add new notes and tasks while on the move. New to Springpad? See how Springpad Helps You Get Things Done for more information. Introducing the springpad mobile web app…
Top 10 Productivity Basics Explained

Kevin Purdy

27 Jun 2009 | 9:00 am

There's a core set of habits and techniques that filter and color a lot of what we write about at Lifehacker, but we rarely step back to explain them for newcomers. Let's get back to basics with 10 productivity tactics.10. Doable to-do lists As our founding editor so aptly puts it, every worker of any stripe has two different hats they wear, and can switch between them often: the Boss hat, when tasks are thought up, broken into steps that can be done, and a deadline set; and the Personal Assistant hat, when work is cranked out and reported on. Gina's breakdowns of the art of the doable to-do…
What Lists Do You Always Keep Accessible and Updated?

Erin Schwendemann

16 Jun 2009 | 8:35 am

Some people keep lists obsessively, but whether or not you're a serious list-maker, productivity weblog Lifehack.org suggests nine lists that are a must to keep updated and handy—no matter who you are.Photo by purpleslog At the top of their list, "Things I Want" is a perfect example of a list that they say needs to be kept up-to-date and readily accessible. Every year, people I know ask me what I want for my birthday, or for Christmas, or just because they love giving me gifts (that last would be nice, huh?). Usually, I have no idea what to tell them. That's why I've started keeping a…
Stay Focused with a Motivational Wallpaper

The How-To Geek

28 May 2009 | 11:00 am

Keeping yourself motivated to stick to your goals is a tough job—so reader Ben created a custom wallpaper image with motivational phrases as a constant reminder throughout the day.The wallpaper has 102 two-word mantras that Ben uses to stick to his goals—the same wallpaper might not work for you, but it's easy enough to create your own similar desktop wallpaper—just open up your favorite image editor and add some motivational sayings, your goals, or anything that keeps you focused throughout your day. You might ask yourself whether you'd ever see the wallpaper since you…
Quickly Prioritize Your Tasks by Urgency and Importance

Adam Pash

26 May 2009 | 9:00 am

Whether or not you're an active disciple of David Allen's popular productivity manifesto, Getting Things Done, you may be aware that GTD has a useful—but complex—processing diagram. If it's too much for your tastes, the UI/NUI/UNI/NUNI system is a simple, easy-to-adopt alternative.The Web Worker Daily weblog walks us through this classic prioritization method, which originated from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In a nutshell, you assign one of four priorities to every task based on its urgency and importance. Urgent and Important tasks are your highest priorities,…

Stepcase Lifehack
How to Get Audiobooks Onto Your Zune – and Off Again

Dustin Wax

3 Jul 2009 | 7:00 am

Although I am a professional writer and blogger, although I keep up with the latest tech trends, although I am, might I say, something of a geek, I do not iPod. I don’t even iPhone. This is not a political nor even a religious position, it is simply the Way That It Is. When Microsoft released the Zune, I scoffed. Until one day, I sauntered past the Zune display at a local Mega-Duper-Mart and, out of the corner of my eye, caught a glimpse of a sight so hideously ugly, so repulsive in all its aspects, that I stopped dead in my tracks. The Brown Zune. Truly glorious in its ugliness, the Brown…
How to Hire A Web Design Firm

Susan Baroncini-Moe

3 Jul 2009 | 6:00 am

How many times have you heard stories of people who hired web firms to design and develop their web sites and either got substandard sites or the developer ran off with their money? Or what about the entrepreneur who “hired” his nephew/friend/daughter to design the site for free, and the results were disasterous and this small business owner didn’t feel comfortable offering much constructive criticism on a job done for free? As a small business consultant, I’ve heard these stories so many times. And I go back and forth between feeling heartbroken and really angry on…
The Benefits of Automation

Paul Dickinson

2 Jul 2009 | 6:00 am

Automation is the use of control systems to control processes, reducing the need for human intervention. Putting this into context, automation is having technology do things for you so that you don’t have to. Automation is all around us. When you’re at a set of traffic lights, there isn’t a traffic light operator that decides when to change the light from red to green. It is done automatically. The street lights come on at night automatically. There are no lamplighters running around turning each light on anymore. We can apply this same idea to our own life. Granted, most of…
Take Back Your Personal Power (Part 1)

Craig Harper

1 Jul 2009 | 6:00 am

“But I know What’s Best for You…” Do you ever feel like you’re a mere pawn in someone else’s game; a powerless player that is regularly used, abused and manipulated for the gain and self interest of others? Self interest that’s often thinly disguised as some kind of action, decision or “plan” that’s somehow in your best interest? Isn’t it amazing how some people know what’s best for their life and yours? If only you and I had the ability to think and choose for ourselves; things could be so different. Have you ever felt like your life (or part of your life) has…
10 More Linux Resources for Kids

Dustin Wax

30 Jun 2009 | 7:00 am

Yesterday, I wrote about Linux distributions designed with kids’ needs in mind and some of the software for children that runs on Linux. Today I thought I’d share some of the other resources I came across while researching a likely candidate to install on my nephew’s and niece’s new PC. Switching Your Kids to Linux by Scott K. This is a great primer for parents getting ready to give their kids a Linux system. The author walks parents through the steps of getting your kids ready, such as making sure open source software like Firefox, Pidgin, and Thunderbird are already installed…

Arif & Ali's Blog
I met Shashi Tharoor!

arif

1 Jul 2009 | 9:57 pm

When dad mentioned that we would be travelling to Delhi over the weekend, I couldn’t help but think, man wouldn’t it be cool if I could meet Shashi Tharoor while we were there. As we were driving from Delhi Airport to the Taj Mansingh, our host pointed to a tall compound wall that went on for miles. “That’s where all of India’s MP’s stay,” he said. So that’s where Shashi stays, I whispered to myself. But these were just stray random thoughts. I am sure flights to Mumbai are full of optimistic teenagers/tourists hoping that they would bump into…
And that’s why I am not too hot about Facebook and Twitter

arif

30 Jun 2009 | 6:13 am

I may not lend you money or help you move, but it would be my pleasure to take you out for a cup of coffee. If that’s good enough for you, you my follow me and Ali on Twitter here. :-) Similar Posts: Clear Instructions on How To Do (just about) Everything Keep track of Web Links that we find fascinating and Books that we’re currently engrossed with. Doctor: “Arif, You have only six months to live.” 25 of the infinite number of things that I am Grateful for. Thank you God, O Thank you! Sufi Comics: Answering 3 questions with 1 brick Share and Enjoy:
Want a gift copy of the Quran? Click Here.

arif

25 Jun 2009 | 1:07 am

Since Salaam Centre, started the “Quran for All” project in Aug 2008, they have distributed more than 20,000 copies of the Quran on request. If you are in Bangalore, you can get your gift copy of the Quran by calling the number displayed on the hoarding. You cannot simply read the Qur’an, not if you take it seriously. You either have surrendered to it already or you fight it. It attacks teanciously, directly, personally; it debates, criticizes, shames and challenges. From the outset it draws the line of battle, and I was on the other side. I was at a severe disadvantage, for…
The Coolest Desktop Wallpaper Service on the Planet

arif

24 Jun 2009 | 5:25 am

I never thought that I would pay for something as frivolous as desktop wallpapers, but when I came across Vladstudio.com, I had a change of heart. Vlad Gerasimov, is the Picasso of the Desktop world. Although $29.99 does sound pricey, but considering that one gets lifetime access that too, to hundreds of great looking wallpapers, I’ve been able to digest the price tag, (specially since I’ve already paid). So now whenever I’m in mood for a change of scenery, using the Vladstudio Companion, I just click a button and I can change my desktop wallpaper from one great work of art…
Sufi Comics: The Forgiving Commander

Mohammed Ali

23 Jun 2009 | 9:01 pm

Sufi Comics - The Forgiving Commander Malik ibn Ashtar was the Commander in Chief of Imam Ali’s army. He was also made the governor of Egypt. The beauty of this anecdote is the wonderful balance of character displayed. Did you like this comic? Copy this Code to add the above Comic to your Blog / Website: <a title ="Sufi Comics - The Forgiving Commander" href="http://www.vakil.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Sufi-Comics-The-Forgiving-Commander.jpg"> <img…

moleskinerie
OPEN SESSION: The Moleskinerie Open Thread Discussion

Armand Frasco

3 Jul 2009 | 12:00 am

Welcome to OPEN SESSION: The Moleskinerie Open Thread Discussion.Moleskinerie invites you, our visitors to share your thoughts on a special topic.Today it is "Freedom of expression and creativity""Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." First Amendment to the United States ConstitutionImage: WikipediaVIEW ALL OPEN SESSIONS HERE.
The Sketchbooks of Joachim Robert

Armand Frasco

2 Jul 2009 | 1:15 am

Our friend Joachim is embarking on a round-the-world voyage and has opened a blog to begin sharing his experiences. "The sketchbooks I wanted to tell about are those I realised during my studies. My school was the ECV Aquitaine, and my big sister gave me a sketchbook, I don’t remember for what occasion it was. The sketchbook was a Moleskine,you know, one of these little black books with mole-skin (not really) cover on the outside, a creamy paper inside and an oh-so-romantic-but-a-bit-exagerated history wrapped all around… The gift fell just right, because I began to do things in…
Inspiration: Jeff Scher

Armand Frasco

1 Jul 2009 | 11:27 pm

Jeff Scher, who describes himself as "a painter who makes experimental films and an experimental filmmaker who paints" has a beautiful animated short in the New York Times. "Walking is life at its most immediate. The combination of people and places changes constantly and never repeats. It makes you small in the face of sheer numbers, but at the same time it’s reassuring. It’s nice to be one of the fish in this teeming sea. This film is an attempt to capture the feeling of looking at people. And it’s o.k. to stare, they are only flickering watercolor ghosts of people…
My Hero, Johnny Long

Armand Frasco

1 Jul 2009 | 12:00 am

A tip from Joel Anderson:"Here's something I think is very cool - Johnny Long, security expert and author of Google Hacking (and more) has relocated to Africa and is blogging his journey via (what appears to be) a Moleskine Cahier..."Later revised with this note:"Hm - on reflection, it looks like a pocket Moleskine, not a Cahier..."LINK© 2009 JL All Rights Reserved
Crap Detection 101

Armand Frasco

30 Jun 2009 | 11:33 pm

We veer a bit from the usual for this piece by Howard Rheingold, Internet visionary and Moleskine use.The answer to almost any question is available within seconds, courtesy of the invention that has altered how we discover knowledge - the search engine. Materializing answers from the air turns out to be the easy part - the part a machine can do. The real difficulty kicks in when you click down into your search results. At that point, it's up to you to sort the accurate bits from the misinfo, disinfo, spam, scams, urban legends, and hoaxes. "Crap detection," as Hemingway called…

I'm an Organizing Junkie» I’m An Organizing Junkie
This month’s organizing challenge and my hairspray friend

Laura

2 Jul 2009 | 11:24 pm

Put your hand up if you have drawers full of makeup and cupboards full of hair supplies. Oh my word, you are so not alone my friend. I’m a hair product junkie. I don’t even want to begin to tally the money I’ve wasted spent on “miracle” hair products over the years and while some [...]
What do SuperWoman and Green Smoothies have in common?

Laura

2 Jul 2009 | 12:38 am

They are both posts I’ve written over at The Juice this week. Earlier in the week I discussed the superwoman myth that so many of us fall for and listed some steps that can be taken to avoid falling for this crazy trap in the future. On a lighter note, I also got to share another [...]
Are you the Franklin Covey Tote Bag Winner?

Laura

1 Jul 2009 | 10:17 am

A couple of weeks ago I hosted a Franklin Covey giveaway. The winner was LuAnn from Back Porchervations. Unfortunately, I’ve been having trouble contacting her. So LuAnn if you are reading this please email me by July 4th at 12:00 pm to claim your prize. If I have not heard from LuAnn by the deadline [...]
Organizing School Papers and Kid’s Artwork

Laura

30 Jun 2009 | 9:14 pm

School just ended for us last week so yesterday and today we have been going through the piles of paper that came home with the kids on the last day. I’ve written about my process before and that system is pretty much the same one we used again this year. If you are also inundated [...]
Rounding up our vehicles

Laura

29 Jun 2009 | 10:17 pm

Updated to add: The winner is Brenda at Savin’ It Up! Whew this month fly by, didn’t it?! I do hope that some of you were able to tackle your vehicles this month and hopefully the changes you’ve made will take some stress out of traveling for you. To participate in this month’s organizing round-up all [...]

SheenOnline
12 Reasons Why Google Wave will Change the Web

Rahsheen

22 Jun 2009 | 8:34 am

Cross-posted from my other home at Black Web 2.0 where I write about technology from a different perspective. Google Wave is the shiniest new thing that everyone is talking about. It’s not even out yet, but I watched the entire video from the Google I/O demo and I have to admit I’m impressed. I honestly think it will change the web, even if it only serves to show others what’s possible and sparks innovation. Here are a few reasons why. 1. Real-time Just about every service out there is striving to reach real-time status. We have come to a point where waiting to see the information we…
Find the Freshest Hip-Hop Stuff at CurrentHipHop.Com

Rahsheen

5 Jun 2009 | 9:00 am

Cross-posted from my other home at Black Web 2.0 where I write about technology from a different perspective. Finding the exact types of content you’re looking for is an ongoing battle for many of us. Sure, you probably know a few sites where you can find hot new music, maybe even download it. You probably also follow a few hip-hop blogs. Wouldn’t it be easier if there was one place you could go that brought all of your favorite content together? Maybe an aggregator for hip-hop, rap, and R&B music that also pulled in the latest news about your favorite artists? This seems to be the…
PayPerPost v4.0 Now Live

Rahsheen

31 May 2009 | 8:55 pm

This post sponsored by PayPerPost Everybody wants to make money on the Interne. Many think they’ll do it by blogging, but the bloggers that actually make a living at it usually leverage their blog to make the big bucks. The blog itself is just a means to an end. Even with that being the case, there are a few ways to make a little money on even the smallest of blogs. PayPerPost is one of those ways. PayPerPost Beta 3.6953 The old PPP site actually has a more social feel to it. The home page shows various stats about your account like how many posts you’ve done and how much money…
Why Should You Do Everything As If It Matters?

Rahsheen

19 May 2009 | 11:00 pm

Sometimes we find ourselves faced with tasks that are beneath us. Many of these things are simply part of our day-to-day lives like laundry and taking out the trash. Others we have chosen to complete in order to reach our goals in life. You have to step up on something beneath you before you can reach the next level, so it’s imperative that these things get done. Most people have jobs that they hate, but need them to pay the bills. Sure, you’re working on that blogging thing and your new album is almost finished, but the things you love to do don’t always keep a roof over…
bit.ly is the Authority on Bookmarklet Design

Rahsheen

7 May 2009 | 5:12 pm

Ever since I first saw their sidebar bookmarklet, I was hooked on the bit.ly url shortener (now the biggest of them all according to TC). It is the epitome of what a bookmarklet should be. I remember being amazed because I didn’t even think you could make a bookmarklet so sexy. There are other services (FriendFeed, Tumblr, Posterous, Diigo) with nice bookmarklets, but bit.ly was the first I’d ever seen of it’s kind. There are a few reasons it rocks: It opens up right on top of the page I’m on It not only allows me to shorten and copy the current URL, but also gives me…

THE WEEKLY REVIEW
Snow Leopard, Safari 4 and Other Miscallaneous Meanderings

chris

16 Jun 2009 | 5:37 am

Snow Leopard - featureless? No way. Now that WWDC is past and all the Mac developers have settled back in at home, there should be a good bit of content this week focused on the updates Apple unveiled during the conference. For the most part, there was nothing truly shocking. As they have the past couple of years, Apple’s updates were focused on gradual improvements to their existing lineup. Here’s what got my attention. Snow Leopard Enhancements Although Snow Leopard is lacking in new features, there are a few updates to current applications within the operating system that are…
Great Moments by Design - Ego App

chris

5 Jun 2009 | 5:42 am

All your numbers in one place. There are times when a software application becomes tightly integrated with your routine without you even realizing it. Then you come across a scenario where that software is not available and you realize how much you’ve come to depend on it. Ego for the iPhone/iPod Touch is one of those pieces of software for me. Some while back I came to this realization—even when sitting at my desk working on my computer where all of my information is accessible, if I want to look at stat for a site of mine, I would rather use Ego. That is one of those great moments…
A Loft with a View

chris

27 May 2009 | 5:52 am

A Loft with a View When I was young, the majority of my family’s holidays involved long drives and sleeping in our camper. Even when visiting other cities we often found a local RV park and camped rather than any alternatives. Hotels and motels were not a regular occurrence for us. My memories of those trips are all good—kids like to run around and campgrounds are a more suitable environment for that than a hotel lobby. Now that I’m the parent, I realize how hard it can be to travel with young children and find the appropriate accommodations. Left to my own devices, I would most…
A List of Productivity Tips

chris

20 May 2009 | 1:35 pm

Michael Ramm created a great list of tips on how to increase your productivity. Forget GTD and four hour work weeks … use even a few of the items on this list and you will increase your output and feel better about your work.
Fusion: Behind the Scenes

chris

13 May 2009 | 6:12 am

Building the Fusion Ads network I’ve always enjoyed getting an insight into how certain companies or people work. Case in point—the design decisions posts by the crew at 37signals. They give their readers a taste for how they work as a team as well as the tools and techniques they use to perform their work. And if you like someone’s work, it makes sense that you would be interested in how they ‘do’ it. Last week, Michael Mistretta gave an update on where things are with the Fusion Ads network. I want to follow up and give some insight into how we got to where we are today.

Effing The Dog
35 Reasons Why Eventualism Is Eventu-Awesome

To celebrate my 35th birthday (which is today - one of the only thing I celebrate “day of” due to impending gifts and drinkage - Christmas and Happy Hours are the others) I will impart upon you the 35 things that make Eventualism eventu-awesome.* *Feel free to read this later - ...
The Eventual Nature Of Michael Jackson

It’s been a week since the passing of The King of Pop (I’d say “self-proclaimed” but since it goes without saying, I won’t) and he has and will continue to maintain a strong presence in the media. He has long been under the watchful eye of journalists everywhere, and ...
Effing Limerick Of The Week #28

Coast Hotels did something real grand Bringing bloggers over from the mainland They had a great time Their trip was sublime BTW @coasthotels, I’ll promote your brand!
Effing Limerick Of The Week #27

There once was a game so revered It caused its players to unite via beard The Penguins and the Wings Play for Stanley Cup rings While I watch just to be overly "beered."
Happening HTTPs

As one would expect, upon my return from vacation I jumped right back into work, fresh as a dandelion. That meant a lot of eventualizing...so rather than boast about my own accomplishments, I've decided to pass on my valuable love to some sites that I feel either you should visit ...

Matt's Idea Blog
Attention Data Hounds: What Personal Data Are You Tracking?

matt

29 Jun 2009 | 7:08 am

I'm working on a roadmap for the Personal Informatics movement (you'll find a quick summary of the emerging field below), which I'll post later this week. In the meantime, as readers of my site (i.e. people who actively improve themselves, either via productivity or more generally) I'm sure many of you are already tracking data about yourselves. I would love to know about what personal data you have coming in, and how you use it. (Well, not too personal ;-) The topic is all categories about the human condition, such as health (diet, sleep, mood, medicine), relationships (friends, family,…
Did, Doing, To Do: Why your Past, Present, and Future Selves Need to Chat

matt

22 Jun 2009 | 4:07 pm

Who is going to control your destiny, the "past you" or the "present you?" [1] Recently I've been drawn to the notion of how our actions are informed by our past, and how they impact our future. I've particularly found it helpful to think of myself as three people: my Past Self, Present Self, and Future Self. I haven't found a solid reference for this from psychology (I'm sure it's out there [2]), but I want to share my thinking, and to get your impressions. The perspective I'm trying for is that of asking how well we treat them. What if someone could hear your conversations? Would they think…
The Beginner's Mind Operationalized: Cut-Throat!

matt

12 Jun 2009 | 7:36 pm

(In a big departure this week I'm going to risk sharing an experience I had a few months ago. I was playing "cut-throat" racquetball [1] for the first time with two friends, and had a Think, Try, Learn breakthrough. I humbly submit my unedited journal entry from this experience. Have you had any similar experiences? Share! -- matt) A HUGE, formative experience today seeing the methods in action playing the three-man version of racquetball called "cut throat". I had the absolutely best time of my life. I was able to enter the experience with an experimental attitude: "This is an experiment!
IdeaLab: Risky performance, kill your Netflix, and don't be so certain

matt

7 Jun 2009 | 8:46 pm

These last few weeks have been nutty as I implement my workship plans (see Testing The Classics: A Time Management Experiment: Time Blocking), so I'm going to cheat and share some quick bits I've been collecting on Twitter. Comments? Should every performance be an experiment? It depends. If you are beta-testing new ideas, then yes, experimentation is important. It's also risky. However, for mature performances, less experimentation makes sense. But with minimal experimentation comes complacency. Want more time, more money, & less stress? Cancel Netflix. Why less stress? Mostly it's the…
Testing the classics: A Time Management Experiment: Time Blocking

matt

2 Jun 2009 | 7:45 am

Nothing beats project anxiety like a plan. -- me :-) You know me - I love experimenting on myself almost as much as on you. Or my clients. Kidding aside, I've studied many, many techniques to manage ourselves as we work, and a classic on is time blocking, AKA time mapping (see [1] for more). It's a simple idea: Schedule regular chunks of time with yourself for important tasks. The experiment I've tried for the last few weeks is applying it to three largish projects coming up (higher education workshops) with a relatively short timeline (less than a month). The advantage is it forced me to…

eDragonu - the choice of a personal path
System Overload

dragos

3 Jul 2009 | 5:00 am

How many times you’ve started something “without thinking”? How many times you just dived in, thinking that “things will arrange somehow”? How often you embarked on new projects just by passion or enthusiasm, without any type of assessment? I know I did it a lot of times. So often that I was on the verge of completely ditching my assessing and deciding capabilities. I was just doing stuff, imagining that I was carried by “the flow”. Truth is I was not on the flow. I was completely out of sync. Trying to do so much, but with so little care for my real needs. Just going forward…
July Mariner Promo Code

dragos

30 Jun 2009 | 3:00 pm

Here comes a new month, and with that, a new chapter of our yearly long promotion. First of all, this is an exclusive promotion for eDragonu readers, and it’s based on exclusive promo codes. You won’t find these codes anywhere else on the Internet. It’s one of the way I try to reward my users, by arranging special deals with other value providers in the field. And second, I will get straight to the point, as usual, giving you the code and then I will give some basic description on what you get and how to use it. The Mariner Promo Code for July 2009 is panther This code will…
Pay Yourself First

dragos

29 Jun 2009 | 5:30 am

Anything you do requires energy. And everything you do creates energy. Anything. Even reading this article. You’re spending energy by focusing on the text, processing the info in your brain and matching it against what you already know. At the end of this process, you get some energy back in the form of new ideas, new approaches or possibly some answers. Hopefully, you’ll get some positive energy by reading this :- ). Have you ever thought what happens with this energy you get back? How much of it you really use? How much of it you discard unconsciously? We’re usually thinking in…
Amazon Kindle 2 Review

dragos

26 Jun 2009 | 2:00 am

Over the last few months I’ve been playing extensively with the new Amazon Kindle 2. In today’s post I’ll share some of my conclusions after quite a long period of constant usage. Since there already tons of technical reviews on the internet, I will will focus more on the day to day usage and on the insertion points on my daily routine, rather than talking about too much geeky stuff. But since we’ll be talking about a gadget, I will shortly go through some of the most important technical highlights of it. Kindle 2 – The Gadget Amazon Kindle 2 doesn’t have an LCD. Instead, it…
The Morning Phrase

dragos

23 Jun 2009 | 5:00 am

What’s the first thing you hear in the morning? What’s the first thing you read in the morning? What’s the first thing yo do in the morning? I ask because this very first thing will shape your whole day. If it’s something that plays on the radio, you’ll hear that tune all day long. If it’s something that you hear form your room mate (or your spouse, or your kid) it will circle in your mind all day long. If it’s something you’re doing with good results it will influence your entire day. With good results, of course. I call this specific piece of action, this day igniter: “the…

Popular Science - DIY
So We Put a Jet Turbine On Our ATV...

30 Jun 2009 | 9:45 am

Don your Nomex firesuit and industrial-grade ear protection: It’s time to soak in some nature at 60mph. PopSci staff photographer/madman John Carnett has realized an unholy dream long in the making: an ATV powered entirely by a jet turbine. And then he took it to the woods and pushed it to the limit; to the edge of logic, control and sanity. read more
Home-Brewing Biochar in Brooklyn

30 Jun 2009 | 6:10 am

Among the hot new ideas afloat in the world of geoengineering is biochar, a form of charcoal that some say could significantly help in carbon sequestration in the future. Re:char, a fledgling company working out of a corner of a cluttered warehouse in a shared artist loft in Brooklyn, New York, is experimenting with biochar production on a very small scale. read more
DIY From the Archives: Make Your Own Magnetic Postage Scale

18 Jun 2009 | 12:48 pm

You’ve successfully tested the limits of how much can fit into a #10 envelope without bursting its seams, but now you’re questioning how much postage you need. Sure you could just slap a few of the new 44-cent stamps onto whatever you're sending and be done with it, but that’s good money you’re throwing away. Instead, spend just a few bucks now to build a simple magnetic postage scale, newly updated from an original article in the February 1971 issue of Popular Science. read more
25 MPH on a Propeller-Powered Skateboard

12 Jun 2009 | 1:10 pm

The retro-futuristic design of this skateboard was inspired by the look of rocket ships in old cartoons. Ryan Bavetta used a jigsaw to cut out the sleek deck and then mounted a propeller and 3.7-horsepower engine from a model airplane on the back to power it. A handheld remote controls the engine throttle, which can move the board 25 mph or more wherever he wants to go. read more
A Glorious Gift Guide for Your DIY Daddy

11 Jun 2009 | 8:17 am

For all he's done and all he's taught you, you'd think dear old Dad would be honored more than one day out of the year. And if you want to get technical, had he not teamed up with mom on that one long-ago DIY project, you wouldn't be reading this right now. So this Father's Day, pay homage to his tinkering spirit with something he'll use in future acts of glorious creation. Throughout this guide, you'll find a wide selection of tools from free iPhone apps to a budget-busting hammer drill; an oh-so-convenient cordless glue gun and soldering tool; plus a variety of things to help him amp up his…

Get Organized Wizard
Organizing Q & A | Organizing – & Sharing – Your Fave Web Resources

Michele Connolly

3 Jul 2009 | 2:59 am

Q: How do I social bookmark a post? A: Social bookmarking is a way to save and/or share links to websites, blog posts, articles or resources you find helpful. Social bookmarking sites, like Digg, Delicious, Technorati, Reddit, StumbleUpon and even Facebook, are great tools for organizing your favorite web resources, since you effectively ‘save’ the links you post. They’re also a cool way to share with others the web places you find helpful, since you effectively recommend the sites you social bookmark. Most websites and blogs these days include social bookmark buttons at the bottom of…
Getting Organized Quick Tip: How To Make SMART New Year’s Resolutions – Any Day Of The Year!

Michele Connolly

2 Jul 2009 | 7:47 am

Can you believe it – we’re halfway through the year! It’s a good time to reflect on those new year’s resolutions we made 6 months ago. If you’re on track, congratulations! If not, here’s a quick tip for making resolutions that are a lot more likely to stick – any time of the year. Getting Organized Quick Tip #2: To improve your chance of achieving your goal, sticking to your resolution or realizing your plan, make it a SMART goal: Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-framed. If you’re not familiar with SMART Goals, you might like my article How To Set SMART Goals,…
Get Organized Mission #8: Declutter 50 Items

Michele Connolly

1 Jul 2009 | 10:09 pm

One of the simplest ways to live a more organized life is to have less stuff – in fact, the less you have, the easier it is to get organized and stay organized. So in this mission we’re going to get rid of 50 pieces of clutter from your home. It’s easier than you think – especially with my room-by-room, clutter-busting suggestions. Now before you hyperventilate, please let me reassure you that you won’t have to part with anything you use and love. I promise. Remember – you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below. If you’re new, check out 52…
Getting Organized Quick Tip: How To Short-Circuit Perfectionism and Procrastination

Michele Connolly

26 Jun 2009 | 10:07 pm

If you’re a (a) perfectionist and/or (b) procrastinator, here’s a quick tip for you. Getting Organized Quick Tip #1: Don’t over-engineer. Start with the simple version. Lower your target and you may well improve your aim. This applies whether you’re organizing your closet, decluttering the living room, starting an exercise program or anything else. Getting started can be the hardest part of any change. To make a start and gain momentum, it’s a great liberator to let yourself opt for the baseline version of a task or challenge. And you know what? You can always come back and…
Organizing Missions Update: More Tasks To Help Organize Your Life and Achieve Your Goals Coming Soon!

Michele Connolly

26 Jun 2009 | 9:20 pm

If you’re one of the first to have committed to 52 Organizing Missions on the blog (as opposed to the 52 Organizing Missions e-program, which is right on track), don’t worry – your new missions are coming! I’m a little behind, thanks to an intense conference followed by the obligatory post-conference handshake-induced flu (uh, yuk!). But I’m back on deck now, and I’ll be doling out the missions over the next week. We’ll be fully caught up in a little while. So take advantage of the little break – and prepare yourself to make some great progress on getting organized very…

The Simply Organized Parent & More
Life Happens...

25 Jun 2009 | 7:08 pm

While I was working away in my office this afternoon I noticed our cat (a.k.a. "the huntress") laying in the middle of the front yard. This seemed a little odd, but not enough out of the ordinary to cause concern.Then, I heard ~ what I thought was the water being turned on outside, that was concerning enough to investigate (since no on was suppose to be home except me).Coming around the corner on the porch I managed to startle our poor lab (enjoying a lazy summer nap - no doubt) as well as myself. But, no one was there. I must have been hearing things.As I headed back inside the typical…
Sharing Posts...

25 Jun 2009 | 10:09 am

The Simply Organized Parent & More is now listed on Technorati! m7aiyfwg8pAre you a fan? Share the love!April Welch, CPO© is a Certified Professional Organizer. Her specialties are with children/families and the chronic disorganized. While her philosophies are centered on how individuals are 'wired' she believes in providing a fun and educational environment with simple solutions to all organizing dilemmas. April is the Franklin Covey® Family Organizing Guru & the Guest Blogger for YadaHome.com.
The Meaning of Home

8 Jun 2009 | 8:05 am

Due out in theaters June 25th is the new movie "Away we Go" ...Director Sam Mendes and written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, brings us a fresh tale about a couple who is expecting their first child. As they travel around the U.S. in order to find a perfect place to start their family, they encounter misadventures and fresh connections with an assortment of relatives and old friends who help them discover "home" on their own terms.Which begs the question ~ what exactly is the meaning of home for us all?For my family, we live in Small Town USA, our home is our sanctuary. It is the gathering…
Busy Morning Breakfast Strategies...

16 Feb 2009 | 12:18 pm

This morning while making pancakes I realized I probably haven't shared my own breakfast strategies with y'all.So here goes...Each weekend I try to make a family breakfast & while pumping out the pancakes, waffles or fruit salad I just keep going.What I mean is ~ I'm already there ... making the kitchen a mess, prepping food, taking the time to stand at the stove, having to clean ... so I make a double or triple batch.Usually the kids are hanging out with me & we can have some great conversations (bonus family time!).Then, I put the leftovers in the fridge either by portion size (the…
Procrastination...

8 Feb 2009 | 10:24 pm

For those who know me best, they know that there really is only one thing I procrastinate about ... doing my bookkeeping.So, as tax season approaches (we always have our appointment in February) and my anxiety begins to increase I thought it would be perfect timing to share with you my day (as well as allowing me to procrastinate some more!)What I did instead of preparing my books for our tax appointment:Made some teaAte some chocolateWashed my faceDid some laundry (sweaters - the kind that NEED special attention)VacuumedPicked a station on XM Radio OnlineVacuumed my officeVacuumed under my…

Get Organized!
Get Organized: Win Free Stuff From Stacks & Stacks

Carmen

2 Jul 2009 | 6:00 am

Clutter Control Freak blog, associated with top internet retailer Stacks & Stacks, is known for dishing out clutter hacks you can live with. They also know how to throw a good contest!This time, they're giving away several amazing prizes to help you get organized...- Digital Velocity Iron from Reliable- Stainless Steel Bowl by Blomus- Lined Storage Basket from Ameriwood Industries,- Set of Three Travel Tie Holders from Richards Homewares- Set of nine metal Flower Magnets from Design IdeasEntry is super easy - just leave a comment here about your best "re-purposed product" storage…
Get Organized: Preparing for Emergencies

Carmen

30 Jun 2009 | 6:00 am

When little boys around America join the Boy Scouts, one of the first things they learn is the Scout motto -Be prepared.But what has a boy to be prepared for, other than sword fighting with friends, playing video games, and pestering their sisters? Funny you should wonder this, in fact, as someone asked Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, that very question: "Be prepared for what?""Why, for any old thing," Baden-Powell replied.Wise advise for kids and adults alike!Real Simple magazine helps women everywhere live like a Scout through their feature "How to Prepare for an Emergency." From…
National Magazine Seeks Tips from Real Women on How to Get Organized

Carmen

25 Jun 2009 | 6:30 am

Do you have a special organizing tip that helps you get organized and stay organized? If you have something - a routine, a hint, a method for keeping your home neat and tidy - a national women's magazine wants to know! They are looking for fresh ideas from real women around the country.Send your submissions to Leslie Pepper at LeslieLido@gmail.com by Friday, July 3rd. (BTW, pro organizers can submit as well, but keep in mind that only your name, city, and state will be included in the article, not your business name or website.)Once your organizing tip is approved, you'll find out what…
Get Organized: A Can't-Miss Tip for Air Travel

Carmen

25 Jun 2009 | 6:00 am

If you travel a lot, or even just a little, you understand what a pain airport security can be! Especially if you're a chick. You want me to fit all my liquids and lotions into that little bag?My good friend Skipper recently facebooked about this very thing and how she found a great solution. Midwest Bottles offers small, travel-size containers at a fraction of the cost you would see in stores. According to their website, all items are discounted at least 25% or more everyday.Skipper, always one to tell it like it is, hit the nail on the head when she said -"I found Midwest Bottle company who…
Get Organized: Coupious Gives Us Coupons Without All That Clipping Nonsense

Carmen

23 Jun 2009 | 6:00 am

You're at the checkout counter, you reach for your 10% off coupon, and - it's not there! ARGH!!!!! No way are you dropping everything you just scooped up in the store to drive all the way back home.At this point, not only have you lost the $15 bucks you would have saved, you've lost your temper...at yourself. If only I would have been organized enough to not forget!Fortunately, there's an up-and-coming cell phone app that will keep you on top of your coupon game. It's a *free* service called Coupious, and it brings the coupons right to you, wherever you and your mobile might be.According to…

Notes On Productivity
Video: How to use ActiveWords

Eric Mack

29 Jun 2009 | 9:56 am

One of the essential components of my productivity toolkit is an application called ActiveWords. I use ActiveWords to control most of my Windows Applications. I've just posted the video and related links over on the inside.eProductivity blog. Since this blog is focused primarily on Lotus Notes, I know that the next question I will get is: "Will ActiveWords work with Lotus Notes?" Yes and no. ActiveWords works as if you had typed keystrokes at your keyboard and is great for launching applications and substituting text. These features work great in Notes. Because Lotus Notes is itself a…
When tools (e.g. Lotus Notes) become personal

Eric Mack

25 Jun 2009 | 12:00 pm

Two interesting discussions today. (Well one at least, my post has no comments yet.) Ed Brill: What kind of apps do you run on the Notes client stand-alone? Eric Mack: Just what is Lotus Notes good for, anyway? There's discussion about what people use Notes for and whether it can be personal or not. I just posted this comment to Ed Brill's blog, but I think it is valuable to re-post here. It deals with the issue that when tools become personal, people become passionate about them - and they tell their friends, and their friends, and their friends...@12, one of my clients, David Allen, loves…
Just what is Lotus Notes good for, anyway?

Eric Mack

25 Jun 2009 | 11:11 am

In the beginning, we did not think of Notes as e-mail. (I'm talking about the client) We thought of Lotus Notes as the ultimate repository for information and knowledge in tacit form across distributed databases (often called "knowledge-bases" or "applications"). Oh, and Notes happened to do email and calendaring (with some issues). Over the next 15 years Microsoft did an exemplary job (I think) of convincing the world that Notes was just email and that it wasn't very good as such and that Outlook was better application because it was a really good Personal Information Management…
GTD Productivity Software Winners Announced!

Eric Mack

24 Jun 2009 | 3:23 pm

Over the past few weeks, two free drawings were held for GTD Productivity tools. Sponsored by ICA, ActiveWord Systems, and Gyronix, the drawings awarded prizes with a total value of over $2000. People were invited to to download and explore eProductivity for Lotus Notes. Everyone that did, got their name entered in the drawing. Those that took the time to send in feedback, got their name entered a second time. No purchase was required. Six people's names were drawn on June 2 and again on June 15 for a total of 12 lucky winners. Visit the Inside.eProductivity blog to find out who…
iFidelity for more productive e-mail

Eric Mack

19 Jun 2009 | 3:03 pm

One of the (many) features that I love about Lotus Notes is the ability to paste doclinks from anywhere to anywhere. Long before we had URLS we had doclinks. I feel so strongly about the value of Notes doclinks that I worked hard to get my two favorite knowledge visualization tools, MindManager and The Brain, add support for Notes Doclinks to to their product. If you can live inside of Notes, doclinks are great but when you move to the web they sometimes break. I've been following Ben Langhinrichs blog posts about his product, iFidelity, that among other things appears to ensure that doclinks…

Wrike - the most practical project management software
Wrike to Support TheFunded Founder Institute

Daria

29 Jun 2009 | 12:00 am

It can be difficult for a start-up company to survive and thrive in the market. Start-ups need all the help they can get to save money and become more productive. Wrike has profound expertise in improving project management and increasing organizational productivity, and we decided to share our knowledge and our service with start-up founders. We are happy to announce that Wrike Inc. became one of TheFunded Founder Institute partners and offered its assistance to the start-up companies that are trained there. The Funded.com, created by Adeo Ressi, has long been known as a great resource for…
Become a Wrike Fan on Facebook!

Daria

8 Jun 2009 | 12:00 am

Love Facebook? So do we! That’s why we decided to create a special place on Facebook where we can network, share news, discuss project management topics and stay connected with you. We welcome you to become a Wrike fan on Facebook. You’ll be able to connect to other people who think that Wrike is the most practical project management software, ask them about their Wrike tips and tricks, upload your pics, chat about Wrike’s new features, and find out about our events!
Project and Task Discussions Can Now Be Added Via Email

Valerie

27 May 2009 | 12:00 am

Project and task discussions are a feature frequently requested by many of our users. We worked hard to create a neat solution that will let you add comments to tasks not only online but also via e-mail. This is a big step forward in project communications, enabling you to leverage the benefits of email and the web interface at full power. Let’s look at the details. Tasks in Wrike now have a special tab called "Discussions" (1). There you can leave your comments (2) with images (3) and attachments (4) to the task and view messages of other team members (5). When you update a…
Set Hours in Task Duration

Valerie

27 May 2009 | 12:00 am

Besides project discussions, another feature often asked for by many of our users--estimation of task duration in hours--is now live. To help you build a more precise schedule, we’ve added the ability to set task duration to minutes (1). Examples of valid entries in the duration field: "2h 30 m", "5d", "3h", "15m". In other words, you can use the following format to set tasks’ duration: "3d 4h 5m". The task duration feature allows you to enter the correct number of days, hours and minutes or to remove unnecessary parameters.
New Pricing Model Makes Wrike the Most Cost-Effective Project Management Solution

Valerie

27 May 2009 | 12:00 am

We are glad to share news about the enhanced pricing model with you. We’ve revised our pricing and made it more tempting for you to invite more co-workers, clients and contractors to collaborate with you on Wrike. To make it happen, we’ve introduced new subscriptions, such as "Manager," "Collaborator" and "Viewer," and let you mix these user types within one account. Viewer The special "Viewer" subscription helps you inexpensively involve an UNLIMITED number of people who need to access tasks assigned and shared with them, but do not…

Complete Organizing Solutions
Play-Doh, The Summer Sanity Saver

Tanna Clark

2 Jul 2009 | 10:03 am

This summer I have been looking for activities that will keep all three of my children occupied and I especially love it when that activity also helps keep the volume down! My kids are anything but quite for the most part of the day but there comes a time when I just want everyone to settle down. An added bonus would be for them to play well together so Mommy can have a few minutes to herself. With children ages 2-8 it is challenging at times to find something they can all play together in their own unique way but still be close enough not to get on each others nerves. Tricky right! One of…
Frugal Find: Jute Twine Vase

Tanna Clark

2 Jul 2009 | 7:00 am

I have a couple of vases left over from when Hubby had bought me flowers. There is one in particular that isn’t all that pretty and I will probably never use it again. Yet, we keep it just in case we want to get flowers for someone. Kimba has a terrific idea for turning a plain Jane vase into beautiful decor. All you need is some jute twine and a hot glue gun. I looked in my box of ribbons and I already had some twine so this will cost me nothing.
Mattress Lift Provides Storage Under Bed

Tanna Clark

1 Jul 2009 | 6:21 pm

Katja shared some inspiration for kid’s rooms from the Italian furniture company Di Liddo & Perego. I couldn’t help but notice the bed with built in storage. The mattress actually lifts up which would be a great place to store extra pillows, blankets or toys.
Puzzle Storage + Giveaway

Tanna Clark

1 Jul 2009 | 5:48 am

My daughter loves playing with her puzzles but our biggest problem has been the mess she leaves behind. You can always tell she has been there. When she rummages through the puzzles she often ends up flipping the puzzles over as she is pulling them out and looking for the one she wants to play with. I think for her the best part is making the mess and then she goes on her way and I am left to pick it all up. (Obviously from this photo Mommy had already picked up the mess!) In comes Mellisa & Doug with their Natural Wood Puzzle Case. Melissa & Doug has become a household name in toys…

There, I Fixed It.
Toilet Paper Dispenser

Ms. Fixit

3 Jul 2009 | 6:00 am

Image Credit: Joe-Ks
Ahhh, Air Conditioning

Ms. Fixit

2 Jul 2009 | 10:00 am

Image Credit: Rednecks Unlimited
Lakers Game Lakeside

Ms. Fixit

2 Jul 2009 | 6:00 am

Image Credit: Maude
The first semi-regular “Here, Fix This” Photoshop Contest

Ms. Fixit

1 Jul 2009 | 9:49 pm

This is clearly broken (see train below) . You must now open up your pirated copy of Photoshop and “fix” it the best you can. And send it in to thereifixedit+contest1@gmail.com Winner’s name will live in infamy. Contest ends 11:59pm, July 3rd. What are you procrastinating for? Click the pic to download the huuuuuge original file. (I’m also sorry for using Comic Sans. Sorry.)
Post-Modern Manhole

Ms. Fixit

1 Jul 2009 | 10:00 am

Image Credit: DrcOnline

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