It isn't uncommon for small crises to turn into a huge time drain if you haven't planned ahead. I'm not saying that you should spend an inordinate amount of time trying to plan for every possible emergency, but there are some very basic level precautions that are worth the small amount of effort they require. Here are a couple crises to consider: Your wallet gets stolen while you are traveling to another city. Your car gets a flat tire. Your cellphone gets its memory erased. These are all fairly minor issues if you are prepared. They can become catastrophic issues if you are not prepared. For example, if your cellphone memory gets erased, as long as you have a backup of … [Read more...] about Prepare for the Worst to Save Time
Productive Blogger: Promotion vs. Production
Most bloggers have the idea that blogging is 97% writing and 3% promotion. This view places way to much emphasis on writing. It isn't that writing isn't important, but if you write 5 posts per week that no one knows about as opposed to writing 1 post per week that get spread around the web, which do you think will be more effective? Network With Peers There are a bunch of ways to promote your content. Getting on the front page of Digg or Delicious is great, but you will probably have better results over the long term by focusing on good old fashion networking. You need to meet other people in your niche. Subscribe to their blogs, comment on their posts and email them offers to … [Read more...] about Productive Blogger: Promotion vs. Production
The Right Things
Last night I made a late night run to the grocery store. As I got out of my car, I noticed a woman walking around the lot looking at the ground. She had her hand cupped as if she were holding something. By the time I exited the store, she had worked her way across the parking lot to the store entrance. In her hand, I saw five slightly smoked cigarettes. I watched her continue her search as I got into my vehicle. It took me a few minutes to realize what she was doing. She was looking for cigarettes that had been partially smoked and discarded. I assume that she would take them home and finish smoking them. While I admire her frugality, it was a sorry sight. She was going through … [Read more...] about The Right Things
Upper, Lower and Middle Class Tax Breaks
Many people feel that rich people don't pay enough taxes. The question of what type of tax structure is best for the economy isn't something I want to address in this post. Instead, I'd like to talk about the idea that rich people pay less in taxes than the poor and middle class. Part of this view is rooted in what people see as the purpose of taxes. I see the government as providing a very valuable service to me. They keep the infrastructure running and create the rules and environment that allow me to live happily and run a profitable business. I am happy to pay taxes to support the police and military to keep me safe, pave roads to drive on, help prevent the outbreak of horrible … [Read more...] about Upper, Lower and Middle Class Tax Breaks
People Who Come to Distract You
If you work in a traditional office, it is likely that you deal with a lot of traffic in and out your door that is little more than distractions. Here are a few tips for keeping distracting people out of your office. Don't have a place for them to sit -- If you have a chair, put a stack of books or papers on it. You can also keep a folding chair behind some furniture for the times you need it. It is much more difficult to get someone to leave once they have found a seat. Stand and come out from behind your desk -- If you conduct your conversation standing, it will likely be much shorter. This is a good thing to do before you know if they have something valuable or if they are … [Read more...] about People Who Come to Distract You
The Noguchi Filing System
Link: The Noguchi Filing System is a way to organize the paper in your life without requiring that you categorize it. Basically, you use "pockets" to hold everything and place them vertically on a shelf. Whenever you need something from a pocket, you remove it from it's place and place it back on the shelf as the leftmost pocket. This means that, over time, all of your frequently used pockets will be on the left and the least used pockets will be on the right. … [Read more...] about The Noguchi Filing System
14 Must-Have Online Banking Features
Our daughter just turned 3 months old. She has already visited 10 states and she's spent 1/3rd of her life on the road with us. My point is, we travel a lot. We need to be able to manage our finances from anywhere in the world. Rich online banking services are much more important than a physical location. Since I have been doing all of my banking online with quite a few different online banks as I looked for the best solution, I've had a chance to really experiment with what works and what doesn't work for us. Here is a checklist of things to look for in an online bank. Some items you may be familiar with. Others might be new to you if it isn't something your current bank … [Read more...] about 14 Must-Have Online Banking Features
Fewer Choices Result in Better Efficiency
There was a study published in 2003 by the Journal of Psychology that attempted to measure how helpful time management training was for employees. They sent a group of employees to a 1 and 1/2 day seminar on time management and then compared their self-assessment one month later with a control group. The study showed that individuals who had been through time management training believed that they significantly decreased their avoidance behavior and worry. They also reported that they had an increased ability to manage time. (Notice that the study wasn't trying to measure their actual skill level, only their perception of their skill.) This is, of course, a great study for all … [Read more...] about Fewer Choices Result in Better Efficiency
Previous Posts
Here is a list of a few important posts from past years that you may have missed. Expect Change - How a wealthy man destined his family for poverty by not expecting change. Top 5 Time Wasters - Small things that will eat up your time and keep you from being productive. Time Discounting - A look at why it is psychologically difficult to work on things that give future reward. Fewer Choices for Greater Productivity - A look at how limiting your choices helps you get more done. Not To Do List - The opposite of your to-do list. This list can be just as important as the list of things you want to do. … [Read more...] about Previous Posts
Controlling Your Mind
"Stop! You aren't thinking about what you are doing. You can't do this unless you give it 100% of your focus." My piano teacher went on to tell me about how her mentor had stopped her in the middle of playing a piece because she got distracted by a bird on the outside of the window. Taci King was a very kind woman, but she made it clear that I wasn't going to get any better unless I learned to control my mind and concentrate on the task at hand and at that moment, the task at hand was playing a particular piece of music. This lesson has stuck in my mind more than any other from the two years I studied with her in high-school. I remember it every time I'm trying to do something and … [Read more...] about Controlling Your Mind
You Shouldn’t Always Look for the Right Tool
When I was 13, I set my room on fire for the first time. I had found an electric fan that I assumed had been wired together by my uncle (and electronics guru). When I plugged it in, there was a loud pop, some sparks and a flaming piece of the switch flew to the floor and started burning the carpet. I took off running downstairs for the fire extinguisher in the kitchen. My mom (who happened to be in the room) calmly walked over and put the fire out by stepping on it. It turns out that the fan had been wired together by my 11 year old brother, who had hooked a 12 volt automotive fan into a regular household wiring cord with an automotive switch, shorting the connection between the … [Read more...] about You Shouldn’t Always Look for the Right Tool
Saving Money on Cooling Your Home
Dealing with the summer heat can be pretty expensive. The colder you need to keep your house, the more it costs. Here are some tips to help you stay cool at home more efficiently. Dress light - Make sure you are wearing cool clothing in your home. Wearing long sleeves and warm pants is going to force you to keep the temperature colder to stay comfortable. If dressing in cooler clothes lets you turn the thermostat up even just a single degree, it can still result in significant savings. Take off your shoes - This is related to dressing light, but if your feet are cool, it is much easier to feel cool all over. A cheap pair of sandals to wear inside can pay for themselves very … [Read more...] about Saving Money on Cooling Your Home
Office Timesavers
There are a lot of little things you can do to save yourself time in your office. Each of these ideas can make a modest improvement in the amount of time you save. If you do several of them together, it can start to add up to a serious amount of time savings by streamlining your work. 1. Keep cleaning supplies within easy reach It is a simple thing, but having some Windex and paper towels nearby to wipe down your desk can save you time and help keep your workplace more organized and tidy. 2. Remove your guest chair People are less likely to stay for a long time chatting if there isn't a place to sit. You can keep a fold out chair nearby or borrow a chair from the conference room … [Read more...] about Office Timesavers
Questions and Answers
Here is a collection of some random questions that have come in, either by email or search terms that brought people to this site. The run the gamut from banks to bullets and cover a lot of area in between. If you have questions you'd like to see answered, please send them to [email protected]. Why do banks fail? In the US, banks fail when the FDIC decides they are under-capitalized and force them to sell to another company. This happens when a company makes a bunch of loans that go bad. Much of the current financial crisis was brought on by banks investing in complex investments in mortgages that turned out to be much more risky than originally thought. Why create a … [Read more...] about Questions and Answers
Your Desk its own Desk
With all of our modern gadgetry, it is easy for our desks to get covered with wires, routers, cell phone charger cables, etc. Here is a simple solution to help cut down on the amount of visual clutter you have to face when working. Get a Desk for Your Desk After all, shouldn't your desk have a work area for itself? There is no reason it needs to share with you all the time. :) By getting a small table, shelf or box and placing it under your desk in a place you don't need for your feet, you can move all of your electronics down out of view where they can still perform their function, but not contribute to clutter on your desk. Depending on how your desk is set up, you may even be … [Read more...] about Your Desk its own Desk
Simple Way to Speed up Elevators
Last week we looked at a beautifully simple solution to reduce crime in low income housing areas. I wanted to give a few more examples. A contractor had built a skyscraper downtown in a large city. The new occupants were moving in and the contractor and new owners were finishing up dealing with little issues in finalizing all the little details of the contract. As the number of people in the building increased, the office workers started complaining about the elevators being too slow. Trying to make changes to the elevator would have been a pretty expensive modification. The people who had designed the building came in, timed the elevators, and determined that they were … [Read more...] about Simple Way to Speed up Elevators
Don’t Depend on Your Job
I see a lot of people who become overly dependent upon their job. This isn't surprising and it's very easy to do--particularly with highly motivated performance oriented individuals. However, if your entire identity, self-worth and financial resources are tied up in your job, you are setting yourself up for catastrophe. I'm not saying you shouldn't be proud of your work or enjoy your job, but I am saying that you shouldn't let yourself get blinded to all these economic realities. No matter how good you think you are, you can be replaced. This is true now more than ever. In fact, if you are an extremely high performer and are being paid commensurate with your capabilities, your salary … [Read more...] about Don’t Depend on Your Job
Taking the Time to Read
There are few people who wouldn't benefit from spending a little more time each day reading a good book. If you want to keep yourself at maximum creative capacity, you have to make sure you are taking in new ideas and thoughts. If you aren't continually feeding your mind, you'll eventually find your creative reserves starting to run dry. Continually producing output without taking any input is a good way to burn out. Here are eight tips that I've found help me in my personal reading habits: Read books. There is a lot of material available on blogs and other internet sites, but make sure you are taking time to read actual published books. The quality of published materials … [Read more...] about Taking the Time to Read
10 Tips for Creating Secure Passwords
If you do anything with computers, you deal with passwords and you probably have a handful of different passwords for different sites and systems. The best password is something that you will never forget, but even your family or closest friend would never guess. In my experience people either have extremely secure passwords like J!*xurQ1# that are so difficult to remember that they have to write them down (which defeats the security of a password) or extremely unsecure to start with, like Jonny (the name of their spouse). The goal of this post is to give you some ideas on how to generate secure passwords. The tips start out with some simple ways to come up with terms and end with … [Read more...] about 10 Tips for Creating Secure Passwords
Remote or Local Assistant?
There has been a lot of interest in virtual assistants. The idea sounds great. You hire someone to do the work you need remotely. Since you don't have to be in the same city, state or country, you are free to choose the most cost effective assistant from anywhere in the world. On the other hand, there are some significant advantages in hiring someone locally. Here are some advantages for both types of assistants. Benefits of a virtual assistant They can work while you sleep. If you hire someone from a different time zone, they may do the bulk of their work outside of your business hours. Depending on your line of work, it can be very convenient to hand someone a project at 5 PM … [Read more...] about Remote or Local Assistant?
The Distribution of Inspiration — Productive Blogging
Most successful blogs post new content every weekday. People looking to start successful blogs look at this and think, "I guess I need to write something every day." The problem is that inspiration isn't evenly distributed. One day you may have ideas for 10 posts and the next two weeks--nothing. To be a productive blogger, you need to learn to use the mountain tops of inspiration to help fill in the valleys where you can't think of anything to write. This can be as simple as keeping a word processor document of future posts. If your blogging platform supports it, I suggest using the scheduled post feature. Write your post when inspiration strikes but set it to go live when you … [Read more...] about The Distribution of Inspiration — Productive Blogging
MacSpeech Dictate
I haven't used speech recognition software since 2001. Back then, I was working in a hospital and we were experimenting with Dragon Naturally Speaking (now owned by Nuance)as a way to streamline the medical transcription process. The software was interesting, but far too primitive to save time for anyone who typed with more than two fingers. When I was offered a review copy of MacSpeech Dictate, I was intrigued. How much of a difference would eight years of development and processor speed bumps make on speech recognition? Evidently, (thanks to Moore's Law) eight years makes a huge difference. I have honestly been blown away at how accurate the software is. In fact, after using it for … [Read more...] about MacSpeech Dictate
Reducing Expenses vs. Being Productive
We usually think of being more productive as a way to make more money, or at least make the same amount of money with less effort. This is a short sighted approach. Being more productive really means doing things that will give you more time to pursue the things that are really important to you. If I am able to maintain my same level of pay and cut my work time in half, I've made some pretty significant improvements in my productivity. But what if, instead of maintaining the same level of pay, we just try to maintain the same standard of living. Or better yet, just maintain the same standard of living on things that are important to us. This type of thinking suddenly opens up … [Read more...] about Reducing Expenses vs. Being Productive
Beautifully Simple Solutions
The study of aesthetics is the study of beauty. When you really think about it, the way we react to art and music is fascinating and not very well understood. Sometimes beauty seems to be only in the eye of the beholder--subject to cultural conditioning. Other times beauty seems like something that can be appreciated by all humanity--transcending cultural considerations . The way we react to beauty is really an emotional response. I don't know how to really define it, but for me, the reaction to something beautiful feels like it comes from something in my chest instead of my head. Maybe that sounds weird, but that is the best way I know to describe it. In college and graduate … [Read more...] about Beautifully Simple Solutions
Google Voice Mobile App
If you have a Google Voice account (formerly Grand Central) you might want to check out their new application for Blackberries and Android phones. It appears to do a lot of what the GVDialer does, but it is free. You can send SMS messages and place calls using your Google Voice number. If you have a plan where you can add a number to your "circle" or "friends" you can add your Google Voice number and drastically reduce the number of minutes you have to use. Google Voice is still in a closed beta, so there doesn't appear to be a way to sign up for an account if you don't already have one. … [Read more...] about Google Voice Mobile App
Great Amex Platinum Concierge Service
I've been critical of American Express Platinum Concierge Service, but last week I had an interaction that was very impressive. A deer ran into our car and broke the mirror. Due to a misunderstanding, the local shop didn't order the part in time for our trip. I sent the concierge service a map of the route we were going to take, the time we were leaving and asked them to find me any dealer with the part in stock on our route. The concierge came back with a list of dealers with it in stock along with a list of dealers that could get it in two days near our destination. This was a huge time saver for me and very helpful. Do you have any success stories from using the concierge service? … [Read more...] about Great Amex Platinum Concierge Service
Cost of a New Computer
It is very easy to underestimate the cost of a new computer. The cost of purchasing a computer is relatively straightforward. You pay the price that on the sticker. However, there are two other areas of cost that are often overlooked. Let's briefly look at each of them. Maintenance costs Computers are like cars. They have a finite life and at some point it is very likely that they will both need repair. The older they are, the more likely it is they will need repair. When people buy computers, they often focus on the sticker price and not the total lifetime cost. The one year warranty that comes with a computer automatically may be a lot cheaper than the three-year coverage, but how … [Read more...] about Cost of a New Computer
Scanned Signatures and Handwriting
Previously we've looked at how to create a scanned signature that you can use to sign documents without printing them out. Today we are going to look at how to get your signature and handwriting into a font that you can use on your computer. First off, lets look at why you'd want to do something like this. Benefits of a Scanned Signature and Handwriting Having your signature as a font has some big advantages over having it as a .PNG or .GIF file. Fonts are mathematical representations of the shapes they contain. This means you don't get jagged edges, no matter how big you make it. .PNG or .GIF files work ok if you are making them smaller, but you will start to see artifacts and jagged … [Read more...] about Scanned Signatures and Handwriting
My Time Management Organizer History
In high school, I tried a month of using a Day Timer planner. It was nice and I liked the small wirebound planners, but I ended up using a Day Runner planner even though the pages tended to rip out because it only used a three ring binder. In college I went to a Franklin seminar and started using the Franklin system. While the actual pieces of paper weren't too different from what I had used before, the training that went along with it was very valuable. I stuck with the Franklin for about six years, but eventually found that I was at my computer enough I could rely on a digital calendar. My switch to digital was complete when I finally moved to a Blackberry that could sync over the … [Read more...] about My Time Management Organizer History
Shred Everything
Even before I started my paperless office experiment, I purchased a shredder. The amount of private information on the paper I was throwing out started to concern me when I realized that I had no idea where most of it was going. The novelty of turning every random scrap of paper kept my normal waste basket empty for the first week. After this fascination wore off I started asking myself "Do I really need to shred this?" Surprisingly, most of the time I found it was better to shred pretty much anything that came in the mail. Flyers and other mail that gets sent to everyone is spared from shredding, but most of the junk mail goes into the shredder. Here is some of my reasoning for some … [Read more...] about Shred Everything
Doing it All
Erin over at Unclutterer has a nice piece about how she does everything by cutting down on the things that aren't important. … [Read more...] about Doing it All
Interview: Areas to Stay Low Tech
Everyone uses technology, but I thought it would be interesting to see in what areas people have decided they are better off avoiding technology. So we asked a bunch of bloggers: Are there areas where you have decided it works better to go low tech? (3593) Personally, I have found that I prefer a mechanical watch. I think there is something about having to set it and make sure it is wound that makes me more aware of time and how I spend it. An old-fashion book is still better than an MP3 or a PDF. There's just something inexplainable about holding a good, hard-cover book in your hand. It feels more important. It feels like there's actual knowledge contained within. And … [Read more...] about Interview: Areas to Stay Low Tech
Internet Access
The most important component of my work environment is a connection to the Internet. With a decent connection, I can work from pretty much anywhere in the world. In this post, we are going to look at some of the different technologies used to connect to the Internet and talk a bit about each one's strengths and weaknesses. Cable Modem Cable modems have the capacity to offer extremely high speeds. Usually this is limited by the cable company. In most places, you can get 1Mbps to 10Mbps downloads with .5Mbps to 2Mbps upload speed. Cable modems share the bandwidth with other people on the same cable, so your speeds may be at least partially dependent on what your neighbors are … [Read more...] about Internet Access
Productive Finances Checklist
Here is a checklist for your financial productivity. Most of these things seem minor, but taken together, they really add up and can make a big difference in how efficiently you are using your time and money. Are you using direct deposit for your paychecks? -- If you are still manually carrying a check to the bank or putting it in the mail, stop! Direct deposit will get your money to the bank faster so you start earning interest as soon as possible. Even if it only saves you 5 minutes every two weeks, that is an extra 2 hours each year you can spend on something more important. Is your money in the bank earning at least 4% interest? -- If not, look for a different account. There … [Read more...] about Productive Finances Checklist
Tips for Car Travel
As the summer months approach, I wanted to share some simple tips for traveling by car. We do a lot of travel and these are some of the tips we've found that make our lives easier on the road. Driving into the Light When I was younger I could drive through the night without a problem. Now I find that I get very tired driving past about 10:30pm. Tired enough that it isn't safe. By leaving early in the morning I can drive into the day light. I am much more alert getting up at 2 am and driving until 5 pm than leaving at 10 am and driving until 1 am the next day. Podcasts On a long trip I can make the hours fly by listening to technology podcasts. I feel better traveling when … [Read more...] about Tips for Car Travel
Interview: Productive Time of Day
We interviewed a number of people and asked: What time of day do you feel you are most productive and why? (198) Here are their answers. What about you? Leave your thoughts in the comments. I feel most productive in late morning and early afternoon. My energy peaks at this time of day, and I have found I am able to focus more on important tasks. I am not a morning person, so usually I end up going around in circles or repeating something- basically, wasting my time. Late afternoon, beginning around 3, I begin to get sluggish and often need a nap! It is important to know when your energy level is at its highest and when you are least distractable. That is when you should … [Read more...] about Interview: Productive Time of Day
10 Cell Phone Tips
Cell phones are playing an increasingly important part in most people's lives. Here are 10 things to consider when you get ready to upgrade phones. 1. Connectivity Does the phone connect well with your computer and other devices? Some phones have bluetooth and can keep your address book synchronized every time you come near your computer. Others require a USB connection. Some only have synchronization software that works with particular operating systems. Make sure you know that the device will connect with the things that are important to you before you buy it. 2. Email People are using their phones for email more and more. Make sure you understand not only what the device is … [Read more...] about 10 Cell Phone Tips
Why You Need Personal Capital
I've been exploring several business opportunities recently, so I've been thinking a lot about capital. If we want to do X it will take $1500 of capital. If we want to do Y it will take $4000 of capital. Our options in business greatly depend on the amount of capital we control. Capital represents the ability to do something. Better yet, it creates an option for you to choose a particular path. Without enough capital, that particular path is not available to you. When it comes to our personal performance, capital is an important concept. True, we don't usually call it capital, but if you think in terms of that which gives you options, it functions in the same way. You have to … [Read more...] about Why You Need Personal Capital
Fewer Financial Institutions
Last year I finally got fed up with all the statements I was getting from various financial institutions. I had retirement accounts with 4 or 5 different companies and stock accounts with 2 or 3 others. It was very difficult to keep track of what was doing well and what was doing poorly. I finally settled on two institutions; one for retirement type accounts and one for my non-retirement savings, checking and investments. I contacted both institutions and gave them a list of what I wanted to move over. On the retirement side of things, the transition went very smoothly. They filled out all the paperwork, sent it to me for my signature and I FedExed it back to them. The … [Read more...] about Fewer Financial Institutions
Networking in Large Companies
Nokia has an interesting culture for promoting informal mentoring. When someone new comes on staff, their manager sits down with them and makes a list of the people they need to meet. The manager helps give the new employee an idea of what they should discuss with each person on the list and explains why building that particular relationship is important. Nokia then supports this practice by giving the new employee time to visit with each person on the list--even when that means traveling to other company locations. The result is a very strong collaborative culture that gives new people a jump-start on building relationships that might take years to identify and build in a … [Read more...] about Networking in Large Companies
The Have-Done List
A to-do list is what most people see as the pinnacle of personal productivity. You set a plan, work the plan, and the check items off the list. To-do lists can be a great. They help you focus on what is important instead of just what happens to be on your mind. However, there are times when creating a to-do list isn't the best thing. There are times when you need to be able to freely explore and do whatever comes to mind. Vacations are one example. If you create a to-do list (and I know some people who do) for your vacation, it might take away from some of what you need to get out of a vacation. I also find that there are times where I need to focus on a particular area, but … [Read more...] about The Have-Done List
Kindle DRM
It sounds like the digital rights management on the Kindle isn't as clear cut as it sounds. Worth reading if you are thinking about getting a Kindle. … [Read more...] about Kindle DRM
Your Locus of Control
Locus of control is something studied by psychologists to determine how people perceive their ability to change events. Someone with an internal locus of control believes that they have a strong ability to influence the events around them. Someone with an external locus of control believes that external forces (people, fate, luck, etc.) control events in their environment. There were some studies done in the 60s that showed locus of control to be a personality variable, not a situational variable. In other words, if you put two people in the exact same situation, their perception of their ability to control the situation can vary wildly. Their perception of how much influence they … [Read more...] about Your Locus of Control
Interview: Computer Setup
In the next part of our technology interview, we asked a number of people: Describe your computer system setup and tell what parts you feel are most important for your productivity. (679) I was surprised at how many Mac users we had. Obviously everyone's setup is based around their particular needs, but there are some great tips in here. OS X itself is great for my productivity. In the year and a half I've been using a Mac, I've had only a few trivial computer problems, all easily solved. The two programs that most add to my Mac productivity are Quicksilver and TextExpander. To my mind, Quicksilver's versatility alone is a good reason to use a Mac. TextExpander, like the … [Read more...] about Interview: Computer Setup
Twitter Milestone
Last week we hit something of a milestone when we reached our 10,000th Twitter follower. Thanks to everyone who is following Productivity501. … [Read more...] about Twitter Milestone
Quote from Robert Benchley
Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment. ~Robert Benchley … [Read more...] about Quote from Robert Benchley
11 Steps Toward Developing a Superior Mind
Great success in life is usually the result of taking advantage of rare opportunities. So success is most likely to come to those who are prepared to take advantage of opportunities. One of the most important aspects of being prepared for any opportunity is making an intentional effort to avoid becoming dumb. I know that sounds silly, but it is very easy to find people around you who haven't kept themselves in mental shape. When opportunities come their way, they miss out because they lacked the right knowledge, frame of mind, or mental stamina. Just like a muscle, your brain needs exercise. Far too many people get stuck in a rut of old habits and never really exercise their … [Read more...] about 11 Steps Toward Developing a Superior Mind
Cost vs. Benefit for Productivity
Most people are really bad at comparing cost and benefits. Hybrid cars are a good example of this. For example, the cost of the cheapest (that I could find) new gasoline Honda Civic is around $14,800. The cost of the cheapest hybrid Civic is $22,000. Assuming that you drive 13,000 miles per year, the hybrid will save you $369 per year in gas--assuming gasoline costs an average of $2.80 per gallon. So you are paying an extra $7200 to save $369 per year. It will take nearly 20 years before you end up saving money with the car. Even if you consider that the government will give you something like an extra $2,100 off your taxes for buying the hybrid, it will still take nearly 14 years … [Read more...] about Cost vs. Benefit for Productivity
Opera Unite
Opera announced a new browser called Unite. It gives your browser the ability to share content instead of just consuming it. For example, you can share you pictures with other users, or share your music with your handheld computer. It is an interesting idea and could be very powerful. … [Read more...] about Opera Unite
It Isn’t How Much You Do
It is very easy to confuse motion with accomplishment, but simply being busy doesn't do anything toward reaching our goals. Being busy can be addictive. Look around and you will hear a lot of people complaining about how busy they are, but when you look deeper, it is clear that they like being busy. I'm not sure why this is. I think being busy makes us feel important. It is possible that we feel important because we assume that important people are busy or that people who accomplish a lot are busy. While neither of these things is necessarily true, there is something about being busy that people like. The people who are really productive are usually the the least busy. In fact, … [Read more...] about It Isn’t How Much You Do