How often have you wished you had a bit more time each day? With a bunch of projects that I’m trying to juggle (and an inability to say “no” to more), that’s something I frequently wish for.

Well, I’ve discovered a way to gain more than an hour everyday. I’m sad to say, it’s a fairly recent realization that I wish I knew about years ago.

I was recently analyzing how I spend my time and I discovered: When I sit down to do my work, I know what I want to work on but it usually takes me about 5 minutes to actually get into the work. The first 5 minutes is taken up with clicking to open documents, opening the appropriate windows in my web browser, and thinking about what I want to do on the project. It’s not that I dawdle on these parts of the project, it’s just that I’m not up to full-speed/full-production mode just yet. I’m just getting off the runway, so to speak.

It led me to wondering what would happened if I shortened the runway. How would I do that?

And after some trial and error, here’s what I’ve found: When planning the details of my day (the night before), I need to do more than just say “At 3pm I want to write a blog post for TheHappySelf“. Instead, I need to push deeper and say: “At 3pm, I want to write a blog post for TheHappySelf about the 3 challenges you face when setting health goals.” I also note mentally what documents or windows I need open on my browser. In other words, I figure out all of the things that used to take me the first 5 minutes of the project. In effect, I’m shortening the runway and getting to that point of productive critical mass sooner.

The result is an extra hour of work for me every day. At least. Here’s how the math plays out: If I start 12 projects (i.e., 12 half-hour projects over a 6 hour workday, for example, which isn’t that unusual for me), and each project used to burn the first five minutes, I have regained an hour in the day. Simple!

The cost of gaining back this hour? Maybe 10 minutes of planning the day before. That’s a great return on investment!

Of course it might vary for you — maybe you have 6 1-hour projects in your 6 hour day (and you’ll regain half an hour) or 24 half hour projects in a 12 hour day (and you’ll regain 2 hours). Whatever. If you can save five minutes on each project (and that is entirely feasible with a little advanced planning), you can win back a huge amount of time in the day.

Open Your Creative Mind

There are all sorts of situations where creative thinking comes into play.

Generally, we might associate creative thinking with art: writing a story, creating a painting, or composing music, for example.  In reality, creative thinking is something that even the lay person uses on a daily basis, especially when it comes to problem solving.

When you find yourself in a quandary about how to solve a dilemma or create your next masterpiece, here are some powerful creative thinking techniques that can get the ideas flowing.

The Random Element

One problem we often face when trying to solve a problem is that we tend to think in a straight line. 

The Random Element Technique allows us to take our mind in different directions to hit on solutions that may have never occurred to us using a more conventional approach.

To use this technique, start by defining your problem.

For example, let’s say that you are having trouble getting along with a coworker.  Look around you and find something completely unrelated to your situation, say a jar of jellybeans on your desk.  What kind of inspiration can you get from applying that jar of jellybeans to your problem?

Some possibilities include:

• Jellybeans are sweet.  Maybe I need to be sweet to this person and “kill him with kindness.”

• All colors of jellybeans are mixed together.  Maybe I need to recognize that it takes all types of personalities to make the world work and accept our differences.

• There are a whole lot of jellybeans in a jar.  Maybe this person and I spend too much time in close proximity to one another.  Would moving to a different desk or cubicle make a difference?

It’s amazing when you discover just what kinds of connections your mind can make, and it gives you a whole new list of possible solutions to try.

Reverse Brainstorming

Most of us know the basics of brainstorming.  You define your problem and then make a list of all the possible solutions you can imagine before going back to evaluate the list for the gems.  The Reverse Brainstorming Technique works in a similar fashion, although instead of coming up with solutions, you brainstorm ways to make the problem worse.

Let’s continue with the example of the coworker conflict.

What ways could you come up with to make the situation worse?

• I could stop working on projects with this person so we miss deadlines.
• I could antagonize him or her, maybe even going so far as to start a fistfight.
• I could ignore the problem altogether and let it grow into something even more unmanageable.

From each of these anti-solutions, you may be able to draw a parallel solution by doing the opposite.  For example, you could work extra hard on your projects and improve your coworker’s opinion of you, you could try being extra nice to create camaraderie instead of irritation, or you could sit down with the person to work through the issue so it doesn’t get worse.

Morphological Analysis

This technique goes under many names, but the overall concept is the same.  Instead of getting overwhelmed by the need to solve an entire problem, try looking at its component parts and discern what kind of changes you can make to them.  You then take it one step further by mixing and matching these changes to come up with a variety of new ideas.

A great example for this technique is product improvement.  Let’s say you need to develop the next great thing in eyewear.

Start by listing the component parts of eyewear, such as:

• Frames
• Lenses
• Hinges
• Nosegrips

Other important aspects of eyewear include:

• Comfort
• Fashion
• Ease of use

For each component, consider how you can change it through the use of different materials, shapes, alternate uses, etc. Then try rearranging your lists to see what you come up with. You may just invent the most comfortable nosegrips or most fashionable new shapes for lenses.

What If?

Most of the things that we take for granted today would never have come into existence if someone, somewhere along the line hadn’t said “What if?”

“What if you could turn the cooking fire on only when you need it?” (Stove.)

“What if I could talk to my family on the other side of the country?”  (Phone.)

“What if I didn’t  have to tend livestock in order to have transportation?”  (Car.)

We face a problem when it comes to creative thinking, because we often get to a point where we just decide something isn’t possible, so why spend any time thinking about it?  This creative thinking technique encourages us to do just that.

Let’s say your problem is that you are planning to have a baby and want to take time off of work to stay home.  Our logical minds will often think, “I have to have money for the bills, so it’s impossible for me to stay home with my kids.”  Instead of ending your internal monologue there, however, ask “What if I didn’t have to go to work everyday?”

Some of the things you might think about include:

• I feel like I could be a better parent.
• I could do things I enjoy instead of punching a time clock.
• I would have more time for personal development.
• My house would go into foreclosure because I didn’t pay the mortgage.
• I’d get bored after a while.

It’s not all about just following a positive train of thought, as you can see.  But what you might realize from putting this list together is that while you do need to earn money to pay the bills, you might also want to find ways to do so that you enjoy and that allow you to be home more often.

You may even realize that you have a particular passion you’ve always wanted to pursue, and maybe this is just the time to do it so you can be the parent you want to be without becoming bored or losing your house.

The Lotus Blossom

Yasuo Matsumura of Clover Management Research in Japan is credited with developing this powerful creative thinking technique.  It reminds me of mind mapping, although there is a bit more structure to the overall process, which can be very helpful for right-brained people who are trying to tap into their creativity.

Start by writing your main problem or idea on a small piece of paper, say a sticky note.  Surround this note with eight others.

These make up the center and the petals of your lotus flower.  Use each of these eight “petals” to record potential solutions to your problem or improvements to your idea.  Now, take each of the petals, and make it the center of a whole new lotus flower.  Surround it by eight more petals, and continue on in the same way.

In this case, let’s say that you are looking for ways to stretch the family budget.  The center of your first lotus flower would read, “Don’t have as much money as we would like to meet monthly expenses.”

The solutions to this problem could be:

• Make more money
• Decrease unnecessary spending
• Decrease necessary spending
• Sell car/get rid of car payment
• Etc.

Take each of these solutions, and make it the center of a new lotus flower.

For the first one, “make more money,” you might create petals that say:

• Ask for a raise
• Get a different job
• Get a second job
• Sell items on Craigslist
• Etc.

For the suggestion to “decrease necessary spending,” some of your petals might read:

• Shop the sales
• Use coupons
• Buy generic brands
• Shop at thrift stores
• Etc.

At this point, you can make each of these ideas into a new lotus flower to continue on with your brainstorming, or you can stop, if you’ve found a solution (or two, or ten) that will work for your problem.

The problem with, well problems, is that we often get so wrapped up in what we can’t do, that we completely overlook what is truly possible.

By using these five powerful creative thinking techniques, you can encourage yourself to think in new directions, whether for solving the daily dilemmas that plague us all or for creating the newest invention or most innovative work of art.

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

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Escape clutter mountain. Find your freedom.

Many of us spend a lot of time at a desk.

Whether your desk is in a corner office with a view, in a row of cubicles or in a crowded corner at home, chances are good that you haven’t given a lot of thought to how your office space is arranged.  Even if your office is not your ideal, you don’t have to feel that you’re stuck with it.

There are small changes you can make to any workspace that will make it a more enjoyable and productive place to work.

The first place to start is by looking at the amount of clutter in your workspace.

Unless you’re diligent about keeping things neat, it’s easy to end up with a workspace that’s full of clutter.

The proliferation of communication methods has made it easier to communicate, but it’s also increased the amount of information to track.  Post-it notes, documents and email printouts are great ways to keep on top of deadlines and commitments, but it’s easy for this paperwork to start taking over your desk.

When the paperwork starts to push you out of your workspace and your productivity is suffering, it’s time to declutter your desk.

Here’s a roadmap to follow:

1. Start by making a clean sweep of your desk.  Remove everything that’s portable, then put back only the items you use the most – i.e., phone, keyboard, mouse.
2. Sort the clutter.  Go through the clutter you just removed from your desk.  Trash the things you no longer need and file the rest. Try to do this quickly and don’t waste time lingering over each piece of paper or publication.  If you don’t have an organized filing system, now’s the time to set one up.  Get in the habit of filing things away when you’re done with them.
3. Use a single notebook or pad of paper to keep track of to-do lists, meeting minutes and phone calls.  Think of it as your work journal.  You may want to use an online app or computer tool instead, but the portability and easy access of a notebook makes it a low-tech solution that never goes out of style.
4. Keep your bulletin board clutter-free. Check it regularly for outdated items and remove them.  By only displaying meaningful items, your bulletin board will be a useful tool instead of a catchall.  If you have a whiteboard, clean it regularly.  Markings that are left on the board too long will become permanent.
5. Make a habit of clearing your desk each night. This will let you start the day with a clean desk and a clean slate.  If you’re in the middle of a project at the end of the day, make some notes to refresh your mind when you return to it and then file it away.  Beginning each day with a clean desk will give you an entirely new perspective.

Once you’ve decluttered your desk, remember that keeping it clutter-free is a habit that you’ll have to establish.  Just as you have to keep exercising to stay in shape, you’ll need to spend a little time each day sorting through your paperwork and either tossing it or filing it.  Take the same approach with your email.  As your inbox fills up each day, delete the messages you’ve read and don’t need to keep.  Save important email messages in folders. Or, just kill your email all together.

Now that you have a plan for clearing your desk of clutter, it’s time to look at the ergonomic aspects of your workspace.  How comfortable are you at your desk?  Does your chair provide the proper back support?  At the end of the day, do you have aches and pains?   Physical pain that’s caused by your chair or desk height can lead to chronic injuries over time, so it really pays to make some changes and replace any problem furniture.

The next ergonomic considerations should be your mouse and keyboard.

Does your keyboard leave you enough room to easily maneuver your mouse?  Are you able to position your arm so that you can use the mouse without straining?  If not, try to rearrange your desk and remove any obstacles to the ideal keyboard and mouse setup.  Pain from improper mouse use is another problem that can build over time and end up causing a chronic condition – it pays to do everything possible to avoid it.

The final ergonomic issue is the lighting in your workspace.

Is there enough light?  Too much light can actually be a problem if it causes a glare on your monitor screen.  If glare is a problem, first investigate using your computer screen settings to modify your screen’s brightness and contrast.  If there’s too much ambient sunlight in your office, the solution may be as simple as using blinds to filter light coming in from a window.  If there’s too much overhead lighting, try using a desk lamp instead.

Once you’ve taken care of the clutter and solved your ergonomic issues, it’s time to put the personal touch back into your workspace.  Position a few personal items on your desk, but don’t get carried away.  A couple of framed photos and a plant should be enough to add a calming touch.  Lots of gadgets, toys or office supplies will just contribute to desktop chaos and can end up being a distraction.

One of the hardest parts about creating a clutter free and comfortable workspace is taking the first step towards getting it done.  It’s easy to procrastinate or feel too busy to tackle your office clutter.  Instead of trying to do the entire job at once, approach it as a series of small changes.  As your workspace becomes more organized, the odds are very good that you’ll find yourself becoming more productive.  Creativity and focus are easier to tap into when you workspace is clear and clutter-free.

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”  Albert Einstein

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Have you ever ridden down a steep hill on a bicycle?  You most likely found that all of your focus was on the bike, the wind rushing past, and the road beneath you.  The experience was purely exhilarating and there was no room for doubt or anxiety.

What do successful artists, chess players and athletes have in common with that downhill bike ride?  According to psychologists who study human creativity and happiness, they know how to focus on an enjoyable activity and tap into this feeling of exhilaration on a regular basis.

Psychologist Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi has given a name to experiences which are characterized by this energized type of focus – “flow.”  The name is a metaphor for the sense of effortless action that comes with intense focus.  Immersion in almost any activity can bring flow.  Even work can lead to moments of flow when we learn to focus on the aspects of the job that we enjoy most.

More than the pursuit of pleasure or possessions, successive periods of flow make up a happy life. Concentrating on an activity to the extent that time and the self is forgotten, we feel that we have become part of something greater.   According to Csíkszentmihályi, “Moments such as these provide flashes of intense living against the dull background of everyday life.”

For some people flow occurs naturally; the rest of us have to work at it.  Here are some thoughts on how you can bring more flow into your life.

• Flow occurs most often in activities that have a clear set of goals and responses. Examples of this type of activity include chess, poker and tennis.  When you’re immersed in one of these games, you feel yourself reacting to decisions almost instinctively.  Outside of the arena of games, composing a piece of music or writing a computer program are activities that provide the clear goals and responses that lead to a feeling of flow.

• Flow can occur at work when the job has clear goals and rules of performance. In his research studies on flow, Csíkszentmihályi has found that it’s easier to experience flow at work than during leisure activities.  Maybe this is because work is usually more challenging than non-work activities.  Also, there are usually more opportunities to concentrate at work and the product of one’s effort is more likely to be rewarded.

• Structure your leisure time around flow. Hobbies, sports and exercise are far more likely to provide a sense of flow than time spent watching television.  It may seem easier to watch television, and there’s nothing wrong with unwinding by just doing nothing, but expending some effort in a meaningful activity will bring more happiness in the long run.

• Recognize the potential for flow in social activities. Most of us have had the experience of “clicking” with another person and of engaging in a conversation that we remember long after.  When this happens, we are in the social flow.   Interacting in relationships with people who have similar goals to our own can bring a sense of flow.  Paying attention to the goals of others and then sharing our related experiences and feelings can create a social atmosphere that invites flow.

Even though flow is often achieved at work, many people are unable to realize the benefits of flow on the job because of external forces like stress or boredom.  Csíkszentmihályi has some suggestions for taking a new approach to work.

• Transform a routine job by finding something to focus on. A clerk can make a goal of providing the best customer service, a teacher can decide to help those students most in need, and an engineer can attempt to streamline a design process.  These are a few examples of how to find flow by creating focus.

• Add excitement to a dull job by creating challenges. Examine different parts of the job and try to do it better or faster.  Instead of spending time trying to avoid work, expend the same energy in trying to do the best job possible.  When approached with a sense of personal mission, even the most tedious and boring job can bring a sense of flow.

• Reduce on-the-job stress. Stress can occur at work when disorganization or interruptions make it impossible to achieve a sense of accomplishment and flow.  Deal with these issues by making to-do lists and delegating work if possible.  If some tasks seem insurmountable or unknown, get help or training so that they can be tackled.

What are some of the biggest deterrents to being able to experience flow?  Factors such as an unhappy childhood, poverty and poor health can make it hard for a person to see life as a joyful experience.  Yet there are people who deal with seemingly insurmountable problems and maintain a positive outlook.

The ability to control one’s focus is critical when it comes to dealing with life’s problems.  Some people focus on suffering, others learn to live with it and turn their focus elsewhere.

Control over your focus is something you can practice.  When engaged in an activity, whether it’s something simple like washing the dishes or something more complex like doing your taxes, give it your full attention.  You can also give yourself more time for flow by working out your schedule to include more time for activities that you really enjoy.  An occasional change in your surroundings and routines can also help give you a new perspective and encourage flow.  Taking a vacation or redecorating your workplace can give you a new way of looking at your life and go a long way towards helping you to identify what you really enjoy doing.

Csíkszentmihályi suggests that as we search for goals that will allow us to focus our attention and achieve a sense of flow, we need to choose goals which will produce some good in the world.  He calls flow a “source of mental energy,” an energy that must be used for constructive purposes.  He encourages us to develop a sense of serious playfulness that will make it possible to be both focused and free at the same time.

According to Buddhism, we should “act always as if the future of the universe depended on what you did, while laughing at yourself for thinking that whatever you do makes any difference.”

Flow: The Psychology of Experience by Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi. If you are interested in reading this fascinating book which I have discussed in this post, simply click on the book image and you will be taken to Amazon.com where you can read reviews and more about this book. Definitely a must read.

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My question for you…

Tell me about what you do to get into “flow” in YOUR life.

Ignite the creative spark within you.

One of the things that really sets humans apart from the other animals on this planet is our capacity for creative thought.

Not only is it a necessity for the advancement of the species (after all, someone had to come up with the idea for harnessing the power of fire), but it brings us a lot of enjoyment, too.  Why else would we spend so much of our time and energy reading books, decorating our homes, or listening to music?

It can be argued that creativity is something that is divinely inspired, that some people “have” it and some people don’t.

The fact of the matter is that we all possess the ability to think creatively. Sometimes, however, we need a little spark to get us started.  (Just like the person who decided to bring fire into the cave!)

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.”  Henry David Thoreau

Whether you’re trying to stretch your limits or you’ve just found yourself with a bit of a mental block, here are several exercises that can help get your creative juices flowing.

1. Brainstorm. When faced with a challenge, solutions can seem hard to come by.  Let yourself see that this isn’t truly the case by writing your problem at the top of a piece of paper and then coming up with 30 ways to solve it.  These are just quick, bite-sized ideas, not fully developed plans.  Sure, 30 is a big number, but what you’ll find is that once you’ve covered the obvious stuff, your brain will start coming up with more and more creative approaches.  Some of them will be unrealistic, but don’t censor yourself until your list is complete, and then you can go back and evaluate each item.

2. Change your approach. If you’re sitting in front of the computer trying to write the next Great American Novel but just can’t seem to get a handle on the words, you may find that you’re pushing too hard in one direction.  Look to other forms of expression to motivate yourself.  Trying to write a song? Instead of listening to music, head out to the local art museum for some visual stimulation.  Having trouble with graphic design?  Go to the symphony and let yourself be inspired by a completely different art form.

3. Draw a mind map. Mind maps are a great way to generate new ideas because you start thinking in different directions.  Begin by writing your challenge in the center of a sheet of paper.  (There are several online tools that can help you do this, too.)  Surround this word or phrase with related thoughts.  As you do so, you may find that you want to delve into one or more of them more deeply.  Continue by surrounding the new phrases with related thoughts.  By the end, you’ll often find that you’ve come up with solutions that would never have occurred to you if you hadn’t made these seemingly random connections.

4. Check out other industries. If you keep doing things the way they’ve always been done, then that doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for growth.  Why not see how other businesses/companies/industries do things and determine what ideas you can bring back to your own endeavors?  It’s worked for Amazon and Zappos, so why not for you?

5. Free write. Most of us have an internal editor who constantly critiques our thoughts and ideas.  Shut this guy up by sitting down with a piece of paper and writing stream-of-consciousness style for three minutes.  Don’t take time to fix your grammar or spelling, as those things give that internal editor the opportunity to nay-say.  Just write everything that flows out of your mind on your particular topic.  When three minutes is up, you may discover ideas you never realized were rattling around in your brain.  Another alternative is to do a “brain dump,” where you write everything you’re thinking about on a sheet of paper so you can get it out of your head and move on to focusing on the actual problem.

6. Use an online idea generator. This one from Idea Champions is called “Jump Start.”  You enter your problem or challenge in the form of a question that starts with “How can I?”  Then you click the button, and it generates a list of adjectives to help you answer that question in new ways.  It then helps you to brainstorm ideas, as well as to uncover the “underlying principle.”

7. Ask for suggestions. Do you Twitter?  Facebook?  Blog?  Use a phone?  All of these are great ways to reach out to other creative people in order to tap into some great ideas.  A writer friend of mine recently named a character in her romance novel based on suggestions sent to her via Twitter.

8. Start at the end. We often get so hung up on how to solve our problems that we become paralyzed.  Avoid this by taking a “backwards” approach to problem solving.  Start by imagining what things would look like if the problem was already solved.  Once you have a good mental representation, back up one step and determine what was the very last step that would have needed to happen for you to get to that outcome.  Then, back up again to figure out what you would need to do to reach the step that you just imagined.  Keep going until you’ve backed up to your current point, and you’ll have a step-by-step list of how to get to your desired outcome.

9. Become an idea collector. When you come across quotes, pictures, and other snippets that inspire you, write them down, cut them out, or capture them in some other way.  Compile these ideas where you can browse through them from time to time for inspiration.  Some people put them in binders, some pin them to bulletin boards, and other go all arts-and-crafts and create a scrapbook-style idea book.

10. Be someone else. When you have a challenge that just seems insurmountable, imagine what you would do if you were someone else.  Don’t have enough money for that great new gadget you want to buy?  Consider how your favorite athlete might solve that problem.  What would you do if you were a child?  Heck, how would you solve your dilemma if you were a dog?  This is especially effective if you put yourself into the mindset of someone you really admire and respect.

11. Reword the challenge. Continuing with the earlier example, we can say that the challenge is not having enough money for a new gadget.  Consider changing your perspective to see if there is a different problem you could be solving.  In this case, the problem might be “I want the newest gadget.”  Looking at it from that perspective, you may discover that you can solve your problem by finding a comparable product that costs less or even buying a refurbished one.

12. Cube the challenge. This exercise allows you to come at your challenge from multiple directions.  For each problem or challenge, take the time to do the following:  Describe it, compare it, associate it, analyze it, apply it, and argue for and against it.  This can be extremely helpful in showing you where patterns occur in order to get to the true heart of your challenge so that you can solve it.

13. Carry a notepad. Creativity isn’t just about solving problems and meeting challenges.  Sometimes it is all about capturing a good idea that you can use later on down the road.  Keeping a small notepad or voice recorder gives you a way to preserve those great ideas so that you can pull them out and dust them off at a time when you can give them more attention.

While creativity is certainly a natural ability, it also needs to be nurtured, and occasionally encouraged, in order to develop.  Using these ideas can be a great way, not just to solve a particular problem, but also to open up your mind to allow more creative thoughts to flow through you.

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What methods or secrets do you use to spark creativity in your life?

I would love to hear your answers. Feel free to comment below or if you liked this article, I would appreciate you sharing it on StumbleUpon or Twitter. Thanks!

Hit the target with accurate productivity.

Productivity isn’t something that generally just happens. We have to work at it.  Fortunately, there are quite a few resources out there that can help us find a better way to do something, get motivated to start, or even offer suggestions for how to keep the momentum we’ve built.

While some blogs seem to be a bit of a distraction when we’re really trying to be productive, there are plenty of others that can get us pointed in the right direction.

When reviewing the list I have personally created below, you may notice that many of the best blogs covering productivity also touch on other aspects of self improvement, both physically and emotionally.  It makes sense, as our ability to move forward with our jobs and responsibilities (even the things we enjoy) is dependent on how we feel about ourselves.

Here are 15 “killer” productivity blogs you shouldn’t overlook…

43 Folders – This blog can be a little irreverent, but it offers tips, hints, and suggestions on a wide variety of topics.  Much of the content is geared toward being more productive in your work/creative life.  43 Folders has been around since 2004 and has an incredible amount of information for productivity hounds to mine.

Black Belt Productivity – Written by Jason Echols and Michael Ramm, this blog is sort of an ode to all things GTD (Getting Things Done).  They help readers find ways to be more efficient with their time and to simply get a bit of perspective.  From multitasking to dealing with a case of “The Mondays,” they’ve got ideas for putting it all together.

Craig Harper – This Australian personal-trainer-turned-motivational-speaker shares his interesting, and sometimes controversial, ideas on all things personal development.  His humor keeps the blog interesting, and he doesn’t mind making you feel a little uncomfortable if that’s what it takes to get you thinking and behaving in new ways.

Dumb Little Man – While originally started by Jay White, this blog now shares tips, hints, and ideas from many different writers who have something good to contribute.  Advice here reaches beyond just work productivity to give suggestions on how to improve all aspects of your life.

LifeDev – “Empowering Creative People” is the tagline for this blog, and it focuses on simple strategies you can implement in your work life to make things easier, as well as to be more successful at what you do.  The posts manage to be comprehensive without being overwhelming, which makes this blog an easy read that packs a punch.

Lifehacker – Probably the most famous of all the productivity blogs, Lifehacker’s slogan is “tips and downloads for getting things done.”  Simply put, a “hack” is a shortcut, and it is often used to refer to methods to fix or work around a computer problem.  Lifehacker takes this concept to a whole new level by offering advice not just for technology, but for all areas of your life.

Pick the Brain – This blog may fall under the “self improvement” category, but it does so by giving great advice on how to improve personal productivity and motivation.  The articles are designed to help readers find the best ways to get themselves into the right mindset to become productive and successful.

The Positivity Blog – This site centers on ways to improve oneself to live the best life possible.  The author has a fairly unassuming quality about him, and his advice is based on things that have worked in his own life.

Productivity Café – Think the best productivity secrets have to be complicated?  This blog might change your mind.  It offers simple tasks that you can do in order to “sharpen your skills so you know what tasks and projects to do and when and how to do them.”

Productivity Goal – This particular blog seems to hit on most of the major areas of getting things done with its subheading of “Work productivity, time management, organization, tools and tips.”  While it may not have as many subscribers as some of the bigger players in the productivity niche of the blogosphere, there is a sizable archive full of great advice and suggestions stretching back to 2006.

Stepcase Lifehack – With a focus on how to make life a little easier in order to improve productivity, Lifehack is one of the most popular blogs of its kind.  The goal here is to “get things done in a faster pace” through organizing and automating.

StevePavlina.com – This blog bills itself as “Personal Development for Smart People.”  The author is a bit of an Internet phenomenon, with his lengthy posts and huge following.  His topics range from personal habits to money and careers to relationships to spirituality.  The main thrust of it all is to take responsibility for yourself and then to take action to become the person you want to be.

Unclutterer – While this blog claims not to be a productivity site, it sure does offer a whole lot of advice that can help us all become more efficient.  The main focus is on organizing your home and office.  It can help you streamline your processes, get rid of distractions, and—yes—unclutter your little corner of the world.

Wise Bread – Part of improving productivity is learning to work with what you have.  Wise Bread is all about “living large on a small budget,” and they offer great advice on how to be frugal and how to actually have fun and live a great lifestyle while spending less and saving more.

Zen Habits – It’s nearly impossible to compile a list of the best productivity blogs without talking about Zen Habits.  The tagline is “simple productivity,” and the goal is to help others achieve better lives through simplicity, organization, habit building, and health, among other things.  A great place to start is The Beginner’s Guide to Zen Habits.

Of course, spending hours and hours reading the archives of all these blogs would have a decidedly negative effect on your overall productivity.  Instead, consider choosing one or two blogs a day and limit yourself to no more than one hour of searching old posts for topics that are the most relevant to your current needs.  After all, the ultimate goal is to get more done, not to simply read about getting more done.

Do you have a favorite productivity blog that is not in this list?

I would love to hear about it. Feel free to add your comments below.

If you loved this article, I would appreciate you submitting it to Digg or StumbleUpon.

Thanks!

Got Creativity?

For many people, productivity has become the Holy Grail of personal development.  These days, everyone wants to do more and get more value from what they’re doing.  Finding and keeping a job has become serious business, and showing the boss that you’re extremely productive seems like the surest path to success.  As a hedge against job loss, many people are starting side businesses.  Success as an entrepreneur has become a reality for some, but many who aspire to success are unable to find the time and motivation to make things happen.

It takes real creativity to be truly productive and still maintain a balanced life.  Creativity may seem like the antithesis to productivity, since it implies experimentation and inspiration rather than hard work.  But if you spend some time observing successful productive people it will soon become apparent that creativity plays a key role in their approach to life.

Here are three ways that creativity can inspire you to become the productive person you want to be…

1.    Create belief in yourself. Picture yourself as the productive person you want to be and keep that picture in your mind.  Get to know your talents and strengths, believe in them, and let that belief fuel your energy.  Productivity is all about energy, and that energy needs to be focused on your strengths.  When faced with a challenge or new task, assume that you will find a way to be successful.  Refusing to recognize the possibility of failure is one of the best ways to avoid it.

2.    Create a vision of what you want to do. There’s no point in wishing for greater productivity without some objectives.  Set some goals and write them down.  Get creative with your goals and add some real challenges to the list.  Next it’s time to think about priorities.  Work, Family, Body, Mind, Spirit – these are the things that make life worth living.  Keeping them in balance is a challenge; the best way to meet that challenge is to have goals in each area.  True productivity depends on priorities and balance.

3.    Create the path to your goals. For many, this is the hardest part of the process and the place where many people fall short.  Acting on your goals and priorities will require you to make some changes and break with some routines.  This step requires you to figure out how you’re going to take the risks that lead to your goals.  Creativity and experimentation are needed, since the path is not obvious and there may even be dead ends.  When it becomes obvious that an approach you have taken is not leading to your goals, it takes courage and strength to look for another way to get there.

Each person has creative resources to draw upon, but many people aren’t willing to use these resources to define life-changing goals and find creative ways to achieve these goals.  Guaranteed, every successful productive person has moved through this territory.  Is creativity something that can be learned and developed?  Experts in creativity say it can be, and that creativity is not just for artists but is a necessary survival skill in today’s world. Identifying and emulating some of the traits of creative people is one way to become more creative.

Here is a sampling of creative traits:

•    Flexible. Creative people are fluid and flexible.  Like organisms that survive through adaptation, creative individuals are flexible in their thinking and able to abandon plans that aren’t working in favor of something new.  They are able to find new perspectives and approaches for problems.

•    Unafraid of failure. Fear of failure is the great inhibitor.  Creative people are comfortable ignoring conventional thinking and experimenting.  They try new things without fear of failure; they don’t let fear of making a mistake stop them from devising a plan.  Creative people who are productive also have the ability to learn from failure.

•    Playful. The creative mind is free-wheeling and childlike in its playfulness. For many, adulthood means burying one’s playful side.  Cultivating playfulness, fantasy and imagination will lead to greater creativity.

•    Energetic. Creative people are passionate, enthusiastic and energetic.  They seek excitement and stimulation, including mental stimulation.

•    Motivated. Inner motivation is what drives creative people, even more than recognition for their successes.  They start almost every day with a plan of action and ideas to address current projects and goals.

Creativity comes naturally to some lucky people.  For everyone else, the process of becoming more creative takes time and involves experimentation and risk. Seeking out challenges, learning new skills, becoming accustomed to change and moving out of one’s comfort zone are all ways to foster creativity.  With creativity at your disposal, you will be inspired to plan a highly productive and balanced life.