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
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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
10 Articles on Writing
Behind the Blog: How I Write an Entry-Get Rich Slowly In this article, the author outlines how the process of how he creates articles for his blog. He shows through his own experiences how an article takes much time and planning to create before it is ever even nearly ready to be published. Writing and Remembering: Why We Remember What We Write-Dustin Wax In this article, the author explores the reasons why we tend to remember things that we write down. One example of this is note-taking at a meeting. Once a person has taken down the information in writing, he or she may not need to refer back to the notes because the information was put into memory while being written down. There are … [Read more...] about 10 Articles on Writing
Interview: Home Office
Despite the popular misconception that working from home is simple, creating an effective work environment in your own home can be quite a challenge. Dealing with interruptions and distractions is something that every job holder faces, but for the home worker, these distractions are often more abundant and become very detrimental to productivity. We asked experts for advice on the following topic: What is your best piece of advice for creating an effective work environment in your home office? The single most important productivity strategy is equipping the home office to facilitate the work. Today, in fact, a (used!) Steelcase desk system is being delivered here. The U-shaped work … [Read more...] about Interview: Home Office
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