Contest Update
December 30, 2006
Just a quick note to let you know the status of our iPod Shuffle giveaway. The contest is an unashamed self promotional strategy to get you the reader to sign up to get new Productivity501 posts directly into your email inbox.
The contest is still running. We weren’t able to hit our goal of 250 email subscribers by Christmas, but we are very close. We need another 25 subscribers to get to our goal of 250 subscribers to our email list.
If you haven’t signed up already, you can use the form on the right hand side of the page to enter. If you’ve already entered, you can help by encouraging your friends to sign up. The sooner we get 250 users the sooner we’ll give away the shiny new iPod Shuffle to one of the lucky subscribers.
Take the Time to Play
December 28, 2006
I have a theory. Since I will probably never have the resources to try to prove it, the next best thing is to share it with readers and see what type of feedback I get. My theory is this: There is a direct relationship between your maximum creative output and the amount and quality of time you spend doing non-work activities.
Cutting Out Distractions
December 20, 2006
I one heard a story about an author who had designed a house especially to be used for writing. The house was built on a mountain and had an impressive view of the valley and mountains beyond.
The author had designed an office especially for writing. It had large windows overlooking the gorgeous view. Facing the windows was an expansive desk where the author planned to write many books. However, there was just one problem.
Striving for Greatness
December 17, 2006
Statistically speaking, you are unlikely to achieve above average success on accident. Here is a short list of things that seem like common qualities in people who achieve greatness. If you have qualities you’d like to see added to the list, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.
International Travel Tips
December 14, 2006
I’ve been doing a lot of travel recently, so I wanted to share some of things I’ve learned (many times the hard way) that make international travel easier. You should try to get as much information about the country you are visiting, but this list of tips should give you some good starting points that are relevant for most any destination.
A great source for safety information on foreign countries is the CIA World Factbook and the US Travel Advisory site.
Expect Change
December 12, 2006
Years ago there was a millionaire who was getting old. He decided he wanted to provide for his heir, but he wanted to protect them from poor investments that would make them lose the fortune he had built up. He had his lawyer draft his will in a way that would provide for his heirs, but only allow his money to be invested in a reliable solid industry. The industry he chose was electric street cars. Within a generation his descendants were pumping gasoline at service stations.
Doing Less
December 8, 2006
Time management usually concentrates on doing more with your time. At least once in awhile, we should concentrate on doing less. Over time we tend to acquire a bunch of baggage of things we feel we need to do. By eliminating some of our current activities, we can increase the amount of time we have available to concentrate on the things that are really important to us.
Stretching Yourself
December 7, 2006
Take the time to do something hard. Take the time to do something new. Your biggest surges of growth will come from stretching yourself. You can stretch yourself in small ways by trying a new type of food, talking with a stranger, or watching a movie that is different than your norm. You can stretch yourself in big ways by quiting your job and going into business for yourself.
Regardless of how you go about it, you will grow more by stretching yourself on a consistent basis than by reading every self help book you can find. When you are looking for things to stretch your capabilities, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Top 5 Time Savers
December 6, 2006
Yesterday we looked at my list of top 5 time wasters, so today it seemed appropriate to look at the top 5 time savers. It is hard to measure the value of something that saves you time, so these may seem fairly random. Your suggestions for top time savers are welcomed in the comment section below.
Top 5 Time Wasters
December 5, 2006
Here is my top 5 list of items that can waste my time without achieving anything of real value. These aren’t necessarily bad things, they are just areas where it is easy to lose precious time without realizing it. Everyone has their own top 5 list of time wasters. If you would like to share yours please do so in the comments below.
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