Posted February 21, 2006 — 15 Comments
by Britt Parrott
Many people forget how routine their lives are. While this is especially true for those, like me, who have a regular 9-5 job, freelancers often get into their own routines, even while being less constrained by hours and location.
Doing the same thing over, day after day, contributes to creative blocks. Some might work through these blocks temporarily (by visiting sites such as this one), but it neglects the root cause of what got them into the block in the first place: routine.
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Popularity: 93%
Posted in Motivation — 15 Comments
Posted November 1, 2005 — 5 Comments
By Bob Walsh
All too often when people like me extol the benefits of apply Getting Things Done we try to accentuate the positive, pointing out all the good things about it. Well, there’s the flip side too, and its probably time you heard about it:
Not Getting Things Done is not just inefficient in a world that punishes inefficiency, it’s a guaranteed stress-filled existence that will shorten your life and make your remaining years miserable.
Consider:
- Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
- Seventy-five to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
- Stress is linked to six of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.
-WebMDHealth
Stress will make you fat, stress will make you ugly, stress will kill you. While the younger you are the easier it is to shrug off a stressful week, the older you are the more you realize what stress costs you.
The tagline to David Allen’s first book is “The Art of Stress-Free Productivity” for a reason. Learning how to be productive and as stress free as you can in this day and age isn’t a way of getting ahead, it’s a way of staying alive.
Author Bio: Bob Walsh divides his time between improving and selling MasterList Professional, a personal task management application, writing a book for Apress (Micro-ISV: From Vision to Reality) on how to start a self-funded startup, blogging here and at http://www.todoorelse.com, writing custom software applications for companies with needs and budgets and trying to remember what the words “time off” and “vacation” mean. He can be reached at bobw@safarisoftware.com.
Popularity: 5%
Posted in Motivation — 5 Comments
One of the things I alluded to in my last post was confidence. I talk about “owning” something and having the courage to follow through. I realize, however, that this is not always easy. For some of us confidence comes harder than for others.
I was always envious of those folks who could just get up in front of people and “own it”, you know? The people who are totally comfortable in front of crowds? Those who always seem to speak with confidence and always know what they are talking about? I mean, I bet they never feel like they don’t know what they’re doing, right?
Wrong.
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Popularity: 8%
Posted in Philosophy, Motivation — 10 Comments
I feel there are a few great things I’ve done in my life. Much like many of you I not only got into personal productivity to get things done—I want to do great things. Maybe even change the world kind of things. It’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about the Web. I wrote about this way back in 1999. I’ve always felt that the Web can enable great change and while I tend to look at things from a bit of a different angle now, I still believe that.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about what I need to do to do something great and I wanted to write about that here. I want you to keep in mind that these are my opinions on what it takes to do something great and they’re very much open to interpretation.
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Popularity: 10%
Posted in Motivation — 27 Comments
Posted May 26, 2005 — 9 Comments
Wow, this personal productivity thing is really catching on, isn’t it? Not too much of a surprise, I suppose. Today Thomas Weber, of the Wall Street Journal, has a nice write up of several Web-based productivity applications.
Along the way he makes a very good point I feel is worth mentioning:
Can a high-tech list help you accomplish more? I’ve been testing several in hopes of getting my own life better organized. I discovered some clever features and found that the shared-list capability works well for those who need it. But as with other organizational tools, from day-planner notebooks to PDAs, what you get out of these sites depends on how much you invest in their approach.
As with most the tools and processes we use to get more things done, be more productive and maintain a better work/life balance (which to me is the key to all this stuff) it only goes as far as you take it. All the tools and systems in the world won’t help you if you don’t put the necessary effort in, right?
I’ve been using Backpack and I’m growing more and more fond of it as I get in there and mold it to my working style. To be totally honest, at very first blush, I wasn’t sure what to do with it. But I applied myself to it and, after a slight learning/figuring-out curve, it opened up and quite a few useful ideas on how to use it popped into my head.
Now, after a few weeks of use, I’m finally reaping some rewards. But it was, by no means, instantaneous. Follow through and effort were needed, and more will be needed to get the most out of it. It’s like that with almost everything in life. At times I feel like all this productivity stuff could be just a placebo, and I imagine that, for some, it is. But then I remind myself that it’s up to me to make sure it works for me, and that no system and no tool, is going to help me on it’s own.
Remember that as you work (and it is work) to make yourself more productive, less stressed or whatever you’re in it for. Keep the goal in mind and put a little of your back into it.
Popularity: 5%
Posted in Motivation — 9 Comments
Posted May 18, 2005 — 8 Comments
Most endeavors have some sort of goals associated with them. This must be true for those of us who are striving to be more productive and maintain a better work/life balance. I know I’ve been taking steps, such as starting this site, to help move myself toward some goals I’ve set. I mean, I’m not trying to “get things done” just for the hell of it! ;)
So, I’m curious, and willing to share. Why are you trying to be more productive? What does less stress and more “getting things done” mean to you? Are you wanting more time for you to more of your 43 things? Do you want a better job? Maybe planning on a trip to Africa?
Let me know why you’re getting things done. I find this kind of sharing motivational and hope you do too. For me I’ve got a few specific goals in mind and a whole lot of vague ones.
Why I’m Getting Things Done
- To write more clearly
- To start and finish a book
- To communicate more accurately
- To improve my health (less stress and all that)
- To be outside more often
- To earn more money
- To control more of my time
- To meet people
- To help people
- To take better photos
- To listen to more music
- To travel
- To teach
- To learn
- To grow
- To play more video games
- To read more often
- To sleep in
- To keep from forgetting things
