A Simple But Powerful (and Productive) Idea
Tim Ferris, writer of the Four-Hour Workweek, recently interviewed Gina Trapani, the founding editor of popular blog Lifehacker. Of particular note was this:
One simple but powerful habit is this: To act immediately on things as they come up…
Mostly, it’s about putting things in the right place as soon as you possibly can, to avoid having random stuff hanging around your mind and space.
To be clear, I think Gina was talking more about making full use of your idle time, rather then scramble around putting out fires: “For example, if I have an idea while I’m on line at the grocery store, instead of thinking “oh, I’ll write that down as soon as I get home,” I force myself to take out my phone and send myself an email or jot it down on a piece of paper in my pocket.”
Turning Gadgets into Something Useful
Gina’s idea is indeed very powerful, because it makes all those expensive toys we buy for ourselves become productivity drivers. That phone with mobile Internet access? No longer a way to waste data plan money on reading celebrity blogs, but something to actually get some emailing done, wherever, whenever.
I personally value my new laptop because it allows me to make full use of my idle time; I usually whip it out while waiting for a late client or even in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I really don’t see it as technology taking over my life. Rather, I see it as taking advantage of the opportunities to make my life a little bit easier.
If you use at least gadget, what is it? How do you keep it a productive tool, rather than a pricey mishmash of plastic and electronics?
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POSTED IN: Productivity Drivers
1 opinion for A Simple But Powerful (and Productive) Idea
Achieving Relaxed Productivity
Aug 26, 2008 at 7:37 am
[…] ideal in every situation. Sometimes we just don’t have enough time, and the need to maximize it is urgent. But if you could, from time to time, get things in a totally relaxed state, […]
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