Understanding Other’s Perceptions

The other day I overheard some young people talking. A fresh graduate from high school was posing this question to his peers.

Is it illegal to wear a ski mask into a bank to conduct business?

Obviously I would not suggest trying this to find out. The brief snippet of this conversation I overheard started me thinking about how important it is to understand other’s perception. If you walk into a bank wearing a ski mask, your intentions are far less important than other’s perception of your intentions.

When I’m on a bus or subway, I like looking around and trying to see how much I can tell about the fellow passengers just by looking at them. It is a simple way I try to keep myself in practice of noticing small details about people.

But just as important is the ability to understand how you are being perceived by others. We often plow ahead with our ideas without any thought as to how other perceive our actions and attitudes.

Here are somethings to ask yourself after interactions with others:

• What did the person hear? What you said and what they heard may be very different things. Based on what you know about the person, which parts of your conversation would they be likely to remember? If they were to immediately summarize your conversation with someone else, what are likely to be the main points they remember?
• Did they feel threatened? If you challenge the status quo, don’t assume that others will focus on the value of your ideas. Entrenched stakeholders are often threatened by new ideas. This is especially true if you are dealing with people who over many years have molded their jobs into positions that require very little real work.
• How do they perceive your authority? Misreading this piece of information can cause all kinds of roadblocks.

Tuesday’s Tip: Make it Easy to Exercise

I know very few people who feel they exercise enough. Everyone knows that they should spend more time exercising but very few people do. However if you look at where they put their exercise equipment, it is no wonder they don’t exercise. Buying an exercise bike and sticking it in the corner of your basement is going to make it hard for you to want to actually go down and exercise.I think the ideal setup for exercise is to have your exercise equipment tied into your television, so the TV doesn’t work unless the exercise equipment is being used. Better yet, if the exercise equipment had a generator on it, so you had to pedal in order to produce the necessary electricity.

You can get many of the same benefits simply by putting your exercise equipment in front of the television. What seems to work well for me is to pick a television series I haven’t seen that is out on DVD and promise myself that I’ll only watch those videos while I’m exercising. Most television shows are 35 to 45 minutes long (once the commercials have been removed) which can give you a decent workout without eating up your entire day.Of course exercise equipment is only useful if it is actually used, but why not set things up to favor your success.

On a related note, if you are looking for an exercise bike, ski machine, etc. start by checking in the paper, or online classifieds. There are thousands of people out there who have purchased machines, stuck them in their basement where they were never used and are now looking at selling them for cheap just to get them out of the house. My wife found me a very nice NordicTrack for $5 (they usually sell for over $600 new) that I use almost every day.

Productive Blogging Posts

The last seven weeks we have been doing a series of Productive Blogging. Here are links to each of the posts. How did this go? Was it useful? Should I only stick to non-blogging topics in the future?

1. The Distribution of Inspiration - Understanding how inspiration is distributed is crucial in maintain a regular posting schedule.  Pace yourself and  don’t get discouraged when your mind is  blank, but plan ahead when you have plenty of ideas.
2. Make a Top 100 Tips List - This is a simple method to make sure that you always have a ready supply of ideas for creating posts.
3. Create a Series - Creating a series can be a great way to spread out a larger post into smaller bite sized sections of content and give you a way to plan weeks or months ahead for your posting schedule.
4. Promotion vs. Production - A discussion about the proper balance between promoting your blog and producing content.
5. Starting Slow - Blogging is a long term commitment.  Don’t start out at a sprint.  Try to take steps today to plan for your readers in the future.
6. One Post Per Week - A simple method to make sure your readers always have fresh content even if you go for periods of time without making a post.
7. Getting Unstuck - What to do when your mind is blank and you can’t think of anything meaningful to say.

5 Low Tech Things That Make My Life Easier

I like simple things that save me time or make my life easier. I’ve compiled a list of 5 simple items I use on a regular basis that make things just a little bit easier.

1. Self inking stamp - It is a simple thing, but having a self inking stamp for signing checks and putting return addresses on envelopes is a huge time saver. They don’t have to cost a lot of money, but I would suggest avoiding the ultra cheap ones (less than $10). I started out with the cheapest I could find and it eventually fell apart. My second one was still under $20, but much better constructed.
2. Smart Wallet - I recently replaced my wallet with this money clip. It holds bills and 4 credit cards. I’ve been very happy with it because it gives me everything I need in a much smaller package than what I had previously. It isn’t for everyone, but if you are a guy looking for a way to lighten your wallet, it is definitely worth checking out.
3. Portable file folder - Several summers ago I purchased a zipable portable file folder when I was completing my residency requirement at Harvard. I knew I was going to spend a lot of time on foot and was looking for an easy way to organize all my papers. I’ve been using it ever since. It is a great way to organize bills or other lose papers and the fact it zips closed makes it easy to take on the road. It is big enough to hold a regular file folder, so you can easily use it to transport files without having to worry about spilling the contents.
4. Pilot G-2 Gel Pen - In my opinion this is the best pen out there. I admit that I haven’t tried the Space Pen yet, but from a price stand point the G-2 is going to be very hard to beat. If you shop carefully you can get them in a 12 pack for less than a dollar apiece. I use to try to buy fancy ink pens, but I haven’t found anything that writes as well as this for what I need. Some people (particularly lefties) may not like it because the ink takes a few moments to dry, so there is some time where you can smear it if you aren’t careful.
5. Belkin Concealed Powerstrip - This is a brilliantly designed powerstrip. There is a simple cover and cable routing system that allows you to wrap up any excess cable and keep them covered and out of view. I’m still using my Desk for your Desk system, but I’m considering getting another one of theses powerstrips to help keep things organized. It has 10 outlets on the inside, 4 are big enough to handle “wall wart” type powersupplies. It also has protection for phone, ethernet and cable connections. There is an additional outlet on the outside which is handy if you have some device you need to move around a lot. There is also a $300,000 guarantee against any electrical damage to any equipment plugged into the strip. If you haven’t seen this you should checkout the larger pictures from Amazon.

What is your favorite low tech item that makes your life easier? Please share any favorites in the comments.

Tuesday’s Tip: What Do You Measure?

Managers are told that whatever they measure will get attention and improvement. If they measure the number of defects in cars coming off the manufacturing line, just giving it this attention will help lower the number of defects. So how can you use this for your personal productivity?

The same rule applies. Measure the things that you want to improve. For example, if you want to read more this year, keep a list of every book you read. If you want to write more for your blog, keep track of how many posts or words you produce each week. If you want to lose some weight, keep a chart in the bathroom next to your scale and record your weight every day. If you want to watch less television, keep a chart near the TV and keep track of how many hours you spend channel surfing.

Keeping track of stuff requires effort and time on your part, but if you make it easy to do, the benefits can far outweigh any time that is lost recording your activities.

Consider keeping track of stuff in Excel. That way you can print out a graph and post it somewhere you are likely to see it to help remind you. For example, if you print out a graph of your weight for the past month and tape it to the refrigerator, it will serve as a good visual reminder every time you head for a snack.

The goal is to clearly quantify whatever you want to improve so you can see if you are doing better or worse. Just making things easier to visualize can go a long ways toward making you more productive and focused on your goals.

Productive Blogger: Getting Unstuck

Everyone gets stuck. Productive bloggers know how trigger ideas for great new posts. Here are some methods I use for generating new ideas:

Skim a Book on Your Topic - An hour in your public library with a pencil and notebook can easily produce enough ideas for several weeks of posts.

Use Someone Else’s List - Find another list on your topic. Link back to the original to give them credit and add your commentary to the list items you feel are important. This way you use their list as a springboard, but it is primarily your content. Make sure you give them proper credit and are actually adding value.

Link Out - Gather a bunch of links to great posts on a particular topic and use them as a basis for your post. Ideally you should read each one and provide some commentary for each link. More often than not, once you finish doing this, you’ll have a bunch of ideas for new original posts. Link out posts seem to be a popular thing to put up on Friday or the weekend. When you get stuck and can’t think of anything to write, use this as a way to break the gridlock. You can schedule it to go live on the weekend and use he ideas it helps you generate for your current post.

Interview Someone - This can be as simple as writing a fellow blogger and asking them two or three questions to use as a basis for post or as complicated as emailing 50 individuals and compiling their answers.

Draw Analogies - Think in terms of “how is X like Y?” For example, a recent speech at Harvard’s graduation discussed how John Harvard was similar to a Jedi in Starwars. (The entire speech was given in Latin.) Making comparisons is a great way to trigger new ideas and get a fresh perspective.

Create a List - Even when you hit a roadblock it is usually pretty easy to create a short “5 ways to” type post.

Reread Your Previous Posts - I find I can get a lot of ideas for new posts by rereading things I wrote a year ago. By writing a new post and linking back to the original, not only do you get a fresh perspective, but you help drive people (and search engines) back to your older content.

Links From the Past - Go through your content and select the top five posts from last year. Usually these are great finds for new readers and the process will often help you discover some great ideas on the way.

Use Related Links - If your blog is setup to show you related links, find a post that you liked and see what the computer thinks is related. You may be able to get some great ideas by comparing or contrasting the two posts.

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.

1. Dress light - Make sure you are wearing cool clothing in your home.  Wearing long sleaves 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.
2. 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 sandles to wear inside can pay for themselves very quickly if they help you feel cooler.
3. Use fans - most homes don’t distribute air particularly well.  A few well placed fans can put a big dent in how much your air conditioner has to run.  Pay attention to how the air flows through your house.  We use a cheap little fan with a built in thermostat so it turns itself off once it has moved enough air to bring the temperature inline with the rest of the house.
4. Cold water - Keeping cool drinks easily available can do a lot to keep you cool.  We use a water purifier jug and keep it in the refrigerator.  The water is already cold.  If I start to feel hot, a trip to the refrigerator for a glass of cool water is usually more effective than adjusting the thermostat downward.
5. No leaks - Make sure you don’t have any gaping holes around your windows or under your doors that are leaking in heat.  You can quickly fix any problems with foam tape or other materials.
6. Garage oven - Depending on how your home is constructed, your garage may be acting as an oven.  Leaving your garage door slightly open or even setting up a fan to help push out some of the heated air can make a big difference in the temperature in your home–especially if you have a room above the garage.  Consider where the sun hits to keep things as cool as possible.
7. Plant a tree - obviously this is a very long term solution, but a well placed tree can do more for keeping your house cool than just about anything else. If you plan carefully, you can place it where it will keep the summer sun off your house, but still allow plenty of winter sun rays when you want the extra heat.
8. Green house glass - If your windows are made from standard glass, they may be acting as a green house.  Anything you can do to help keep the heat outside will help your energy efficiency.  This can be as simple as closing the curtains or as complicated as installing screens that help block the light.  Tin foil to block out the windows is also effective, but might not look particularly nice.
9. Dryers, Ovens and Appliances - Your appliances can be a big source of heat in your home.  If you really want to keep the heat out, consider hanging your clothes outside to dry.  Even if you still use your dryer, consider  starting it before you go to bed, so it won’t be running during the heat of the day.  The same thing goes for your dishwasher.  Planning meals that require less cooking on extremely hot days can also help.  Consider turning down your hot water heater a few degrees to help lower the amount of heat it is generating in your home.

Productive Space

I am fascinated with the idea of very small, but well designed living spaces. My favorite part of IKEA stores is walking through the small living areas that they have set up and looking at how they used the space so efficiently. I ran across an interesting site where a builder is making very small houses ranging from 40 sq. ft. to 700 sq. ft.

While I enjoy large homes, I’ve found 30 to 40% of most places isn’t really used. It would be interesting to live in a place that was designed just around the types of space I needed instead of just matching a standard floor plan. The usefulness of a house is much more related to how well it is designed than its actual floor area. My wife and I use to own a home with 1,700 sq. ft. of floor space. However it seemed at least 50% bigger than another house with 1,800 sq. ft. of floor space. The smaller home had the space distributed in a way that was more useful for our needs so it seemed much bigger.

I don’t think I’d want to live in a 75 sq. ft. home, but it is interesting to see how they solved some of the space problems in creating very compact living areas. Check out Tumbleweed Houses for some pictures of very small houses. You may find some ideas for improving your current living areas and some ideas that might make you laugh (do you know what a chamber pot is?).

Tuesday’s Tip: Dry Erase Marker

Dry erase markers are wonderful inventions. Not only can you use them to write on the special dry erase boards, but they also work well on glass. You can use this to leave notes in some pretty interesting places.

For example, you can write notes on your bathroom mirror where you will be sure to see it in the morning. The window in your office can also serve as a nice impromptu whiteboard. I have a large desk made from a thick sheet of glass over a frame, so I can use dry erase markers to write directly on my desktop.

Obviously having everything you write in a neat wooden framed whiteboard is less messy and looks more organized, but sometimes doing something out of the ordinary is what it takes to get results that are out of the ordinary.

Productive Blogger: One Post Per Week Autopilot

To keep your blog from looking dead, you really should have at least one post per week. Any less and it is difficult for someone to justify coming back again. Since you know you need at least one post per week, why not do these ahead of time. Sit down one weekend and write one post per week for the rest of the year. They need to be well written, but not necessarily long or earth shattering.

• Pick a Day - Always publish these posts on a particular day. For example at Productivity501, we do a quick tip every Tuesday. This helps people come to expect that at a very minimum they can find new content on that day of the week.
• Include the Day Name in the Post - Calling your post Tuesdays Tip or something similar will help reinforce the idea that this is a weekly occurrence.
• Don’t Write too Much - If you find that you are on a roll, consider breaking the post into sections or create a series out of it. Don’t use the weekly as the place for your flagship content. 150 to 200 words is plenty.
• Schedule the Posts - You want these to go live even if you aren’t thinking about it. If you get sent away on a two week business trip away from internet, you want to know that your site is still going to be active with the weekly post.
• Take Notes for Other Posts - In the process of creating these tips, you will find some ideas for other posts. Make sure you capture these ideas and don’t lose them.
• Fill in as You Have Time - Once you have weekly posts for the entire year, go back and fill in. Other posts. If your weekly posts go up on Monday, maybe add your other content to Wednesdays.

When you get to a point where you want to post every day, it is amazing how much easier it is to fill out a week if one post is already written. By having these posts in place ahead of time, it gives you more flexibility to bring your blog up to a daily posting schedule even if you are busy with other activities that will prevent you from writing as much as you’d like.

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