Psychologie | Wahlfreiheit führt nicht immer zu den gewünschten Effekten. Die Annahme, Menschen wären glücklicher, wenn Sie freie Wahl haben, ist so nicht korrekt. Die beiden wirklich empfehlenswerten TED Talks von Barry Schwartz und Sheena Iyengar erläutern anhand von Beispielen und Untersuchungen, was wählen bedeutet und welche oft auch negativen Konsequenzen die Freiheit und das Angebot mit sich bringt.
Barry Schwartz hat zu dem Thema auch ein empfehlenswertes Buch geschrieben: "Anleitung zur Unzufriedenheit: Warum weniger glücklicher macht" (Amazon-Link).
Leider kann das Video "The art of choosing" nur auf YouTube angeschaut werden:.
Auf der Cologne Commons war der Vortrag von Martin Butz einer der vielen Highlights. In seinem Vortrag über die Probleme Kreativer mit dem Urheberrecht nahm er die Zuhörer auf eine humorvolle, kontroverse und oft schockierende Reise durch die Landschaft des Urheberrechts mit. Martin Butz zeigte anhand zahlreicher Copyright-Beispiele wie festgefahren die Situation für kreativ Schaffende ist.
Gleichzeitig hielt er spannende Beispiele parat, die Perspektiven aufzeigten, in welchen Produzenten, Musiker und Kulturschaffende virtuos aus Altem Neues entstehen lassen und sich nicht um die Problematik des Copyrights kümmern. Eine Tour de Force bei der einem oft das Lachen im Halse stecken bleibt, wenn Anwälte zuschlagen und Konzerne unverhältnismäßig reagieren.
Alle weiteren Teile nach dem Klick!
Mehr Informationen zu Martin Butz.
In seiner Keynote zur Cologne Commons 2010 Konferenz geht Jürgen Ertelt, Sozial- und Medienpädagoge, näher auf zahlreiche wichtige Internet-Entwicklungen ein bei denen wir uns beteiligen sollten. Wie der Koordinator des Projekt Jugend online bei IJAB e.V. Fachstelle für internationale Jugendarbeit zeigt, ist von uns allen dafür Engagement und Beteiligung angesagt. Sonst entscheiden Politiker und Wirtschaft über unsere Köpfe hinweg neue (unsinnige) Gesetze. Alle weiteren Teile nach dem Klick.
Mehr Informationen unter www.cologne-commons.de
Trip in das Beatboxing-Reich | Der König der Beatboxer und Vokalakrobaten hat mal wieder zugeschlagen. 58:37 Minuten purer Spaß mit unglaublich gutem Unterhaltungsfaktor. Faszinierend wie jazzig, musikalisch und vielfältig Beardyman klingt. Und wie er da die Controller, seine Stimme und das Publikum unter Kontrolle hat. Wahnsinn!
WordPress Trickserei | Die Funktionalität von oEmbed und WordPress macht mich ganz kribbelig. Einfach erstaunlich, wie das Bloggen immer noch einen Ticken komfortabler wird. Vielleicht habt ihr es schon bemerkt. Um in einen Artikel Inhalte von Plattformen wie YouTube, Vimeo oder Flickr einzubauen reicht eine URL. Die kopiert man einfach in das Textfenster und dank oEmbed und Schnittstelle des Anbieters baut WordPress automatisch das ein.
Dafür hat man mehr Übersicht, weniger Fusselei mit dem Editor und arbeitet auch noch schneller. Welche Drittanbieter WordPress unterstützt findet ihr auf den englischen Hilfeseiten. Seit WordPress 3.0 gibt es auch unter Einstellungen » Mediathek den Unterpunkt Anhänge. Über diesen justiert Ihr die Autoanhänge und deren maximale Größe.
Die obige Flickr-Gallerie wurde über den Link http://www.flickr.com/photos/simsullen/sets/72157624132832947/show/ eingebaut.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simsullen/sets/72157624132832947/show/
Netaudio Mix | Leider hat es der Netzmusik-Pionier Dirk Murschal aka [in]anace nicht rechtzeitig zur Diskussionsrunde zur Cologne Commons Konferenz 2010 geschafft. Dafür präsentierte sich der Musikliebhaber, Netlabel-Besitzer und DJ freier Musik aber am Samstagabend von seiner Schokoladenseite.
Mit seinem wunderbaren Mix bewies [in]anace, wie lange schon freie Netzmusik gut klingt. Denn für seinen Mix durchforstete er lange seine Festplatte und mischte anschließend alte mit neuen Klassikern. Wie für Creative Commons-Musik üblich, könnt Ihr den Mix herunterladen.
DJ-Set - [in]anace - "Cologne Commons 2010" (MP3)
Nach der Cologne Commons 2010 gestand [in]anace wieder Blut geleckt zu haben. Scheinbar vitalisierte ihn unser Kölner Festival für digitale Kultur. In einer Email fragte Dirk Murschall nach, ob es denn dieses Jahr noch ähnliche Veranstaltungen geben würde.
Leider - so scheint es - war die Cologne Commons die größte freie Netzmusik-Sause in 2010. Spannend wird es nächstes Jahr mit der Netaudio London und vor allem der Netaudio Lissabon.
Website: www.inanace.de
Special thanks to silentseason.com for providing SSCD03. Picture artwork by [in]anace. Picture taken in an elevator of the Shanghai World Financial Center.
Auf der Cologne Commons Konferenz 2010 erläutert Leander Wattig anhand des Das Facebook-Buch von Annette Schwindt, wie Verlage versuchen neue Wege zu gehen. In seinem Vortrag erklärt Leander Wattig die Entstehung des Buches. Neben den Entwicklungsschritten führt Leander Wattig vor, wie die Autorin gemeinsam mit dem O'Reilly Verlag neue Wege geht, um das Buch auch in Zukunft auf dem aktuellen Stand zu halten.
Mehr zum Panel Gutenbergpresse Goodbye, eReader ahoi!?!.
Themenverwandte Artikel:Gutenbergpresse Goodbye, eReader Ahoi?!?Gerd Leonard & Chris Anderson: Gedanken zur Ökonomie der ZukunftVerdammt… so viele interessante Bücher gerade…DIY: Bau Dir Dein eigenes Kamera-StativKulturflatrate: Eine Wissensgesellschaft für alle
Foto: www.flickr.com/photos/seanhobson/
Netaudio Remix im Radio | Unser Freund Christian Grasse produziert mit einem Kollegen eine Netaudio-Reihe für das Radio, die die Creative Commons-Musikszene vorstellt. Die erste Folge ist bereits online. Christian Grasse und sein Kollege - und das ist fast schon revolutionär - konnten die Redaktion davon überzeugen, dass im Radio nicht nur über Creative Commons geredet wird, Nein!, es kommt noch besser! Sie überzeugten die Redaktion, dass man die Zuhörer aufrufen sollte, mitzumachen. Deshalb steht nun jeder Beitrag der Reihe samt der einzelnen Produktionsspuren und Manuskript unter einer CC-Lizenz (BY-NC-SA).
In seiner Email schreibt Christian Grasse an mich:
Wir laden also zum Remixen ein. Wir sind gespannt ob sich jemand dem Beitrag künstlerisch oder auch inhaltlich annimmt und ihn verändert. Soweit wir wissen, stehen auch Sendeplätze für Remixe bereit... Wir würden uns freuen, so viele wie möglich auf Blogs oder via Twitter darauf hinweisen könnten. Denn das dürfte das erste Mal sein, dass eine ÖR-Rundfunkanstalt Produktionsspuren zum Remixen unter CC freigibt.
Also schnappt Euch das Remix-Paket (ZIP) und werdet kreativ. Mehr zur ersten Netaudio Folge auf der DRadio Wissen-Webseite.
Wunderbarer Netaudio-Pop | Mit "In Frame" veröffentlicht 12rec ein wunderbares Album. Das Album steckt voller elektronischem Pop mit Gitarrenklängen, süßen Melodien und einer wunderbaren Portion Melancholie. Ein schönes Album, um den Sommer endlich hervorzulocken und um mit Monokle und Galun in der Sonne zu chillen.
HiFi MP3 & FLAC: Album-Download @ 12rec.bandcamp.com
DIY Kultur Video | Derzeit sitze ich am Video-Kapitel für mein drittes Sachbuch für O'Reilly. Bei meinen Recherchen zum Thema Stative bin ich wieder einmal auf Vimeo über wunderbare DIY-Video-Tutorials gestolpert. Erstaunlich ist, wie man manchmal mit wenig, viel erreichen kann. Oder mit viel Mühe und Spucke wundervoll ästhetisches, wie z.B. das tragbare Schulterstativ aus Holz von Jonathan Clifford Bergqvist. Noch mehr DIY-Videos findet Ihr im Vimeo Kanal www.vimeo.com/channels/theedit.
Themenverwandte Artikel:Fünf eigenwillige Zeitraffer-HD-VideosMarkus Beckedahl vertritt Creative Commons auf der c/o popSeelenstriptease, Remixmaschine und betäubte KinderAusgewählte News aus Musik & Musikindustrie vom 09.04.2009FileJing?!? Die Zukunft des DJing gestaltet man mit Controllern und Dateien
Webdesign, Usability, Feedback | Der wunderbare Web 2.0-Service Notable ermöglicht es Websites gezielt zu kommentieren und zu kritisieren. Unkompliziert nutzt man entweder das angebotene Firefox-Addon oder lässt Notable eine Website über eine URL einzulesen. Im nächsten Schritt zieht man dann Boxen um einzelne Bereiche der Website und schreibt in eine Kommentarbox Anmerkungen, Vorschläge und Kritik. Entdeckt habe ich Notable über einen spannenden Artikel im Smashing Magazine, in welchem Notable genutzt wird, um große Websites wie Mashable, TechCrunch oder MSN zu analysieren. Notable musste ich unbedingt auch mal ausprobieren. Dazu habe ich das englischsprachige Weblog Digital Tools von Kollege Martin Wisniowski kritisch kommentiert.
Zur großen Ansicht der Kritik geht es hier. Großartig ist auch, dass ihr meine Kommentare auch noch einmal kommentieren und kritisieren könnt.
View this feedback (Digital Tools) on Notable
Dieses Video gibt es auch in HD auf YouTube.
Experimental Label | Force Inc. und sein Sublabel Mille Plateaux galten jahrelang als Aushängeschild für progressive elektronische Musik aus Deutschland/Frankfurt. Force Inc. und sämtliche seiner Sublabels wie Force Tracks und Mille Plateaux verschluckte die Krise, vor allem der Untergang des Vertriebs EFA trieb Force Inc. in den Bankrott.
Jetzt steht das Sublabel Mille Plateaux wieder mit neuer Musik und arty Videoclips auf. Während die Musik schon steht, fehlt diesem Label aber noch ein Konzept für das digitale Zeitalter. Zur Zeit ist das Blog auf wordpress.com die aktuelle Anlaufstelle. Dahingegen gibt es noch eine alte Website unter www.mille-plateaux.net/mp/ und die Musik gibt es im nicht wirklich hübsch anzusehenden Shop zu kaufen. Da sollte jemand noch einmal konzeptionell drüberbügeln...
Themenverwandte Artikel:Tribut an das Jahtari NetlabelApropos Broque…Redesign der Label-Website von BroqueMisanthrop – “Effi Briest”Kaltstart: April, April! Phlow reloaded!
Dokufilm zum Thema Copyright | Ich schäme mich fast schon, dass ich diese einstündige Dokumentation mit großartigen Einblicken in die Welt des Copyrights erst gestern gesehen habe. Der dänische Dokumentarfilm erschien bereits 2007 und beinhaltet spannende Interviews. Ausgewählte hochkarätige Interviewpartner zeigen aus wieviel Blickwinkeln man das Thema Urheberrecht, Copyright, Kunst, Kultur und Remix sehen kann.
Interview mit dem Ausnahmekünstler und Remixer Danger Mouse
Zwar trennen mir die Dokumentarfilmer manchmal nicht scharf genug die einzelnen Begrifflichkeiten ab, dafür jedoch ist der Film in keinster Weise polemisch. Auch wenn die Dokumentation eher den Winkel Pro-Remix einnimmt, schlägt sie aber nicht sinnlos auf die Industrie ein und stellt einfach verschiedene Aussagen gegenüber. Außerdem ist der Schachzug viel cleverer funktionierende Alternativen aufzuzeigen und Argumente zu entkräften wie: "Es gibt niemanden, der Musik oder Video umsonst produzieren würde, wenn es nicht das Copyright gibt."
Dazu fliegen die Zuschauer gemeinsam mit der Dokumentation über sämtliche Kontintente. Von Russland über Nigeria über Amerika bis nach Brasilien entführt uns der Film. An den verschiedenen Orten zeigt der Film die unterschiedlichen Kulturen und den Umgang mit Urheberrecht. Neben Größen wie Danger Mouse, Lawrence Lessig oder Dan Glickman (CEO MPAA) kommen auch Musiker und Produzenten aus Brasilien und Nigeria zu Wort.
Interview mit einem russischen Verkäufer illegaler Kopien
Den Film könnt Ihr direkt dort oben anschauen oder Euch legal als Torrent herunterladen. Da der Link zum Torrent auf der Website nicht funktioniert, schnappt Euch einen aktuellen Torrent von "Good Copy, Bad Copy" mit Hilfe der Torrent-Suchmaschine torrentz.com. Mehr Informationen findet Ihr auf der Website unter www.goodcopybadcopy.net.
Party auf der Hacker-Konferenz | Am Wochenende steht hier in Köln die Sigint 2010 an, eine Veranstaltung des Chaos Computer Clubs. "Die Konferenz für Hacker, Netzbewohner und Aktivisten" war bereits im letzten Jahr exzellent besucht. Als Entlastungsveranstaltung des Chaos Communication Congress, der dank des überwältigenden Interesses überquillt, freut sich Köln wieder auf eine Vielzahl von Vorträgen. Gemeinsam mit dem Musiker Sudio und dem bekannten Netaudio-DJ psycoded bestreitet mo. das musikalische Party-Programm.
Einen exklusiven Track von Sudio findet Ihr übrigens auf der aktuellen Phlow-Techno-Compilation X. Wie immer gefüllt mit Creative Commons-Musik bis oben hin!
Video & Web 2.0 Workshop | Vergangene Woche beeindruckten mich die technischen Möglichkeiten und das Web 2.0 ein weiteres Mal. Als Workshop-Leiter erklärte ich jungen Studentinnen, wie man mit einem Weblog, einfacher Schnitt-Software und YouTube einen eigenen Nachrichtenkanal aufbaut. Zuvor hatten die Architekturstudentinnen noch nie ein Blog betrieben, geschweige denn Videos aufgenommen und geschnitten. Die Kreativität von "Laien" und das Resultat haben mich umgehauen...
Für den Workshop mit dem Thema Detmolder Räume kooperierte ich mit Stefan Baudeck vom Medienwerk aus Lemgo. An die Detmolder Schule für Architektur und Innenarchitektur hatte uns Prof. Dr. Martin Ludwig Hofmann gerufen, der uns freie Hand für die Gestaltung gab.
Schon im Vorfeld arbeiteten wir typisch nach den Mustern Web Zwo Null... Mit Google Docs entstand innerhalb einer Stunde gemeinsam - ohne das ich Stefan Baudeck zuvor getroffen hätte - der Lehrplan. Es war schon ein wenig unheimlich, wie sich in Google Docs der Text synchronisierte während wir zu zweit in Köln und Lemgo das Dokument editierten. Es funktionierte wunderbar effektiv.
In der Produktion kamen kleine DV-Kameras, einfache Stative, iMovie und WordPress zum Einsatz. Für die Verschriftlichung der Interviews nutzen die Studierenden Open Office, dass auf sämtlichen Mac-Rechnern installiert war. Für die Vertonung griffen wir auf Creative Commons-Musik zurück. Neben einem Ibizza-mäßigen House-Track von Channel 3000 von Glam Slam für Trailer und die Interviews kam auch ein Chipmusic-Track von Dubmood von Jahtari zum Einsatz - siehe YouTube-Clip "Workshops" weiter unten.
Besonders professionell wirken die Videos dank der schönen CI und Typografie von Johannes Erler, der als Gast-Dozent an der Detmolder Schule für Architektur und Innenarchitektur referiert. Bauchbinden, Grafiken und die Produktion setzten jedoch alle Studierende an den Rechnern selbstständig um.
Und hier das Resultat, das Weblog mit den Videos: Detmolder Räume!
Die Studentinnen freuen sich sicherlich über Kommentare.
Mein Tipp: Die beiden Interviews mit Dimitri Hegemann vom Tresor (Teil 1 und Teil 2).
Themenverwandte Artikel:Markus Beckedahl vertritt Creative Commons auf der c/o popVor der Netaudio Berlin noch schnell auf die Netaudio LeipzigWebmontag in Köln…Ein Monster-Mixtape für ein frohes neues 2010!Freie Samples für futuristische Sounds, Loops und Produktionen
When I was a small child, Id curl up on my parents bed after the sunshine had warmed their dark brown comforter. It was an oasis of peace and safety that I struggled to find in later years. Id made the mistake of thinking that being an adult meant no longer delighting in silly things like a sun-warmed blanket. I was entirely wrong.
Each day includes moments that can be deeply enjoyed or carelessly tossed aside. As I learned to identify and enjoy those moments amid the hubbub of regular life, I found more smiles and sunshine than Id ever thought possible. Try one of the following for best results!
Sometimes I still like to enjoy a bright patch of sun-soaked carpet just like I did that blanket as child. But lets not talk too loudly about that. =)
Have you joined us on Facebook yet? Click here to say hello!
I'm an editor here at Stepcase Lifehack. I know the value of long walks, good books, joyful repartee, and a well-made martini. Say hello in the comments here, find me on my blog or hit me up for a follow on Twitter.
Share This
Think your small business can’t grow in this economy? You’re wrong. Improving your mindset and minimizing your risk are possible in all economies.
If you pay attention to the media and get sucked into an “economic panic,” you might think that trying to grow a business in today’s economy is a crazy notion. But many of the companies you know and trust were started in economic conditions much like the ones we’re experiencing today. Disney, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft were all started during recessions. The economic conditions in which they were started didn’t doom them to failure.
But let’s face it: Small business is multi-faceted and as such, requires a multi-faceted approach. What you’re thinking and how you’re thinking have as much of an impact on the level of your success as anything else, especially for the small business owner.
That’s why this week I’m focusing on getting your head in the right place for small business success. Next week, I’ll move on to logistics and strategies for minimizing risk and growing your business.
Let’s start off with a conversation about where most small business owners start getting into trouble. It all starts at home, right in the brain, especially in an economy like this.
Lack-Based Thinking
Lack-based thinking is when you think things like: “I can’t afford….” “I don’t know how I’m going to pay for….” It’s all about fear, uncertainty and self-doubt.
Lack-based thinking constantly hammers away at the mindset you need to succeed. You won’t have the drive to succeed or put your dollars in the right places if you have “I can’t afford it” floating around in your head. Focus on making a shift so you can start putting your mind and your money where they can bring you back the most return.
Develop and Use Affirmations:
The first thing that you can do to start making the shift out of lack-based thinking is to use affirmations. This is just good psychology: in essence, you’re re-training your brain. To get started, make a list of affirmations or declarations and say them aloud every day, at least three times a day, for 30 days. If you miss a day, start over at Day 1. It’s absolutely imperative that you do this continuously, without a break, for 30 days. Research shows that’s how long it takes your brain to retrain itself, so if you do something for two weeks, miss a day, and then start up again, even if you do it for another two weeks, your brain won’t be retrained. It has to be 30 consecutive days, without missing a day.
The best way to get into this habit is to decide on Day 1 that you are fully, 100 percent committed to taking this action. Don’t accept any excuses from yourself.
Focus on the Larger Purpose:
Maybe you started a business so you could travel the world or just so you could relax, knowing you have money invested for a long and enjoyable retirement. Create tangible reminders of the reason you started down this path: a vision board, a picture, or a bold statement posted in your workspace. Reaffirm what you’re working toward and you’ll find a continuously renewed will to keep going.
Track Your Successes: Stay focused on the positive by keeping track of your successes, even the small ones. Make a list and review them every morning and evening. This focuses your attention on what you’re doing right and keeps you concentrated on moving in a positive direction.
Once you get your brain engaged for success, you’ll be in a much better position to take action and achieve your goals and dreams.
Stay tuned: In Part 2, I’ll cover some of the best strategies for growing your business in any economic climate.
Susan Baroncini-Moe is the CEO of Business in Blue Jeans and the person that small biz owners call when they're ready for hands-on help creating a meaningful business that creates more freedom and flexibility in their lives. Learn more at BusinessInBlueJeans.com. Other links: The Experts Series and Susan's No Suits Allowed! E-zine.
A couple of months ago I wrote an article on 10 reasons to quit TV on my blog. I was half expecting resistant replies, but was surprised to read many readers expressing the same sentiments. Some of them have removed TV from their lives since years ago, while some are on the way towards cutting TV out. Many of them expressed improved quality of life after they stopped / reduced TV viewing.
You might be wondering: Why remove TV from our life? Truth is, I used to watch TV a fair bit when I was young. When I was a student, I made it a point to watch all prime time shows (The trailers had a way of making you feel you were missing out if you didn’t watch). If there was ever a blockbuster movie on air, I would catch it too. TV made life seem exciting.
Then slowly, I reduced my TV viewing. It was a natural progression, really, as I became busier and found priorities outside of TV. Today, I’ve not watched TV for about 4 years. I found my life satisfaction increased when I watched less TV. It has given more time for me to pursue my life goals. Compare 2 hours of TV watching to say, writing personal development articles for my blog or writing my 1st book, the latter activities are definitely a whole lot more meaningful. In retrospect, I felt the time I spent in front of the black box in the past was a waste of time.
If you are ready to remove TV from your life and spend time on things that matter more, here are 6 steps on how to do so:
For any successful habit change to take place, you have to replace the old habit with something new. Here are some suggestions:
Being subscribed to the cable TV makes you feel compelled to keep watching, so as to maximize the value of your subscription. If you’re serious about removing TV from your life, unsubscribe immediately. Forget about the line-up of shows on cable – not only do you get a big chunk of your life back, you also save money in the process.
If cutting TV out immediately is a big stretch, start off by limiting your TV viewing. If you’re a heavy TV viewer, limit to 2-hours a day first. Then go down to 1.5 hours, then slowly 1-hour, then 30 minutes. Soon it’ll be easy to just stop watching altogether. In fact by then, you’d have experienced the positive effects of not watching TV that you are ready to stop watching it altogether.
Even if it’s just 30 minutes a day, you’ll be surprised at how much progress you’ll make in a short span. Back in 2007, I first started working on my personal goals at least 30 min/day, including my aspirations for my future. After a year, I was ready to quit my day job and pursue my passion. Today, I’m running my personal development business and doing what I love full-time. Start on your goals today, and very soon you’ll see results.
After I decided to stop watching TV, I stopped catching new shows. I continued to watch past shows that were still running, such as Prison Break (via DVD), but otherwise I stopped catching new shows, be it Ugly Betty or Gossip Girl. With the ending of the “old” shows, it also ended my TV viewing.
One of my readers got rid of her TV 5 years ago. Since then, her family (comprising of her, her husband and her son) spend a lot more quality time together, playing board games and writing their journals together every week. If throwing away your TV is too drastic, store it away. That’s what happened for another reader. When she was young, her parents didn’t want her to grow up around the negative influence of TV. However, they couldn’t bear to throw the TV away. In the end, they kept the TV in a closet. Subsequently, she grew up TV-free, and had the time to pursue other hobbies and activities.
How about you? Do you watch TV or have you stopped watching for a while? Do you have any tips to remove TV? Please share your thoughts in the comments area.
Image by *USB*
I'm Celes and I write at The Personal Excellence Blog on how to achieve our highest potential and live our best life. Get my free ebook 101 Things To Do Before You Die by joining my free newsletter (unsubscribe whenever you want). Get my RSS feed and add me on Twitter @celestinechua.
We’ve all heard how frightened nearly everyone is of public speaking. Maybe that’s understandable, but it creates the potential for lots of misinformed conventional wisdom spread by people who have to make presentations but haven’t had the opportunity to learn what really works.
To help correct some misperceptions about what creates better presenters and presentations, here are eleven public speaking paradoxes for reluctant presenters to accept, embrace, and follow:
1. Minimize your public speaking nerves by looking for as big an audience as possible.
My theory on nerves and speaking? We all have a certain amount of nerves getting up in front of a crowd: the more people in the audience, the smaller the amount of your nervousness each audience member has to absorb. The theory may sound silly, but with more people in the audience, there’s a greater likelihood of spotting individuals who get your message and show it in their eyes – always a comforting sign for a speaker. The more people, the more likely someone will find your jokes funny and start laughing or be moved by your remarks and start applauding (and trust me, it takes somebody being the first to applaud). These nerve-settlers all benefit from having a bigger crowd.
2. If you’re concerned about forgetting what you’ll say, take all the words off your slides.
The typical crutch to avoid forgetting your presentation is to put every word on your slides so you can turn around and read them aloud – which always makes for a deadly presentation. Putting everything on-screen also allows the audience to stop paying attention to you since they can more efficiently read your slides themselves. With only images (or at least very few words) displayed, however, if you forget your remarks or cover something different from what was originally written, nobody knows because the audience has no visual reference to spot the variation. You enjoy all kinds of freedom to change up what you say and how you say it, making it much easier to cover your forgetful moments.
3. To compare more favorably to the great motivational speaker on the agenda, ask to speak right after them.
Unsure speakers try valiantly to stay as far away as possible on the agenda from exciting speakers because they think they’ll seem worse by immediately following a keynoter. That’s simply a bad strategy. There’s invariably a buzz among the audience after an exciting, engaging speaker, and it’s wonderful to bask in it as the agenda’s next presenter. Not only do you get a free pass to lunch off the audience love the previous speaker created, you can always refer back to a point your predecessor made to refresh the audience’s glow while you’re onstage.
4. To satisfy audience requests for presentation materials, refuse to provide slide print outs.
Handing out your slides before the presentation creates a distraction as audience members are tempted to look at them and ignore you. Plus if you’ve taken the advice to primarily use graphics on your slides, having them won’t be of much learning value anyway. Instead, write an article with your presentation’s key points and invite the audience to visit your blog to review it. If you don’t have a blog, write your presentation summary to share with the event organizer for its blog or website. You’ll expand your reach, providing both your in-person audience and others interested in your topic the opportunity to learn from what you have to say.
5. When you want the whole presenting experience to just be over as quickly as possible, show up way early and make a day of it.
One of the best things you can do as a nervous presenter is to arrive early since it provides several advantages. You can see where you’ll be speaking, determine where to stand, and figure out solutions to challenges the equipment or conference venue create. You’ll also be able to arrange the setup so your computer will be in front of you – serving as a monitor – eliminating the tendency to turn away from the audience to see what’s on the screen. Being there early allows you to meet and interact with audience members, learning what interests them. Finally, you can watch other presenters so you can amplify or avoid points they’ve made, as appropriate. All these benefits will help make your presenting time seem to pass much more quickly.
6. If answering questions makes you nervous, encourage lots of them.
Questions are a giant opportunity to customize your content to what’s most relevant to the audience. They also provide a chance to catch your breath and drink some water as you turn the attention over to the audience momentarily. To get questions started, plant a few with people you’ve met before the talk so you begin with ones you are ready to address. Plus always remember: if you’re stumped for an answer, ask other audience members to share their perspectives on the challenging question.
7. If you have a really loud voice, demand a microphone.
So many people, especially self-conscious men, try to avoid using microphones because they talk loud. Use the microphone. With a microphone, you can speak at your normal volume while also raising and lowering your voice as you’d like to create continued interest in what you’re saying and how you’re delivering the message.
8. Stand up while you present on a conference call or webinar because no one can see you.
Suppose you’re doing a webinar or other phone-based presentation. The natural tendency is to sit at your desk since the audience isn’t watching. True, but the wrong move nonetheless. Standing up and “presenting” your comments gives your voice more energy, which translates to a better phone-based talk. Bonus tip: don’t speak in the same volume you normally would for a phone conversation. Instead, over-emote since the phone dampens your delivery style. Delivering your message in this manner creates a much more engaging audience experience.
9. Since presentation mistakes are embarrassing when they’re noticed, point them out and have fun with them.
Some speaking mistakes are small and go unnoticed. Others (the computer or projector fails, a video doesn’t play) are apparent to the audience. Rather than dreading them, here are two things to do. First, anticipate what might go wrong and have a funny (ideally self-deprecating) comment to share for each one. Secondly, have a backup plan for each of the potential disasters. When you handle presentation adversity with a laugh and a quick recovery, you’ll win an audience over even faster than by delivering a seamless speech.
10. If you don’t like the sound of your voice, record it and listen to it over and over.
The single best investment I’ve made as a speaker has been a digital audio recorder to capture every presentation I do. While it can be tough to listen to yourself if you’re uncomfortable speaking, the gaffes you’ll hear quickly pinpoint areas to improve your skills. Another advantage? Next time you’re speaking on the same topic, you can review your previous presentation while rehearsing to remind yourself of what parts worked best and effective ad-libs that weren’t planned in your original remarks.
11. Deal with your anxieties about audience reactions by rewarding them for immediately sharing opinions.
While most conferences survey attendees, it’s often weeks later, and speakers frequently never receive results. That’s why the second best investment you can make in becoming a better presenter is creating your own simple evaluation form. Offer audience members a chance to win a book or give-away relevant to your presentation for sharing one thing they liked, didn’t like, found interesting, and would recommend about your talk. These four points from each presentation provide incredible feedback and reactions you never could have anticipated. The total cost of the books I’ve given away has paled in comparison to the improvement opportunities this strategy has yielded – especially from things people didn’t like.
There you have it. If you don’t enjoy speaking, these eleven paradoxes may seem very unnatural, but using them to your advantage will allow you to make dramatic improvements in your abilities as a public communicator!
Mike Brown leads The Brainzooming Group, helping organizations succeed more rapidly by expanding their strategic options and efficiently implementing innovative plans. He authors the Brainzooming blog, shares innovation ideas on Twitter, and wrote the ebook Taking the NO Out of InNOvation. He's also a frequent keynote presenter.
Do you want more comments on your blog? Let’s assume you already know how valuable comments are to your blogging experience. But how do you get more of them? Here are 31 ways to increase comments on your blog. Some are concepts I use regularly on my own blogs. Others I know about from watching other bloggers. (Note that I don’t necessarily endorse all methods. You have to decide what is right for you.)
You may find some of these concepts boring and old hat. However, I’m hoping there are a few new thoughts in the mix that spark some ideas about how you can encourage your readers to interact with you more. Take the good bits home to your blog and play around with them. Find out what works best for you. A sustainable and interesting blog is one written by an author who truly takes joy in the blogging process. Best of luck!
Have you joined Lifehack on Facebook? Here are three quick reasons why you’ll want to consider doing so!
You should click here to join us on Facebook!
Most people dont know the profound effects of making decisions. Often times, we go through life oblivious to what thoughts we are thinking and what actions we are taking. Every single decision we make in our days shapes our current reality. It shapes who we are as a person because we habitually follow through with the decisions we make without even realizing it.
If youre unhappy with the results in your life right now, making the effort to changing your decisions starting today will be the key to creating the person you want to be and the life you want to have in the future. Lets talk about a few ways you can go about making life changing decisions.
Before you start making a decision, you have to understand what a decision does. Any decision that you make causes a chain of events to happen. When you decide to pick up a cigarette to smoke it, that decision might result in you picking up another one later on to get that same high feeling. After a day, you may have gone through a pack without knowing it. But if you decide not to smoke that first cigarette and make a decision every five minutes to focus your attention somewhere else when you get that craving, after doing this for a week, your cravings will eventually subside and you will become smoke-free. But it comes down to making that very first decision of deciding whether or not to pick up that cigarette.
Often times, we take too much time to make a decision because we’re afraid of whats going to happen. As a result of this, we go through things like careful planning, deep analysis, and pros and cons before deciding. This is a very time consuming process. Instead, learn to trust your gut instinct. For the most part, your first instinct is usually the one that is correct or the one that you truly wanted to go with. Even if you end up making a mistake, going with your gut still makes you a more confident decision maker compared to someone who takes all day to decide.
When you make a decision, act on it. Commit to making a real decision. Whats a real decision? Its when you decide on something, and that decision is carried out through action. Its pointless to make a decision and have it played out in your head, but not doing anything about it. Thats the same as not making a decision at all. If you want to make real changes in life, you have to make it a habit to apply action with your decision until its completed. By going through this so many times, you will feel more confident with accomplishing the next decision that you have in mind.
Theres something about telling other people what were going to do that makes us follow through. For example, for the longest time Ive been trying to become an early riser and whenever I tried to use my own will power, waking up early without falling back asleep felt impossible. So what I did was I went to a forum and made the decision to tell people that I would wake up at 6 AM and stay up. Within two days, I was able to accomplish doing this because I felt a moral obligation to follow through with my words even though I failed the first time. Did people care? Probably not, but just the fact that there might be someone else out there seeing if you’re telling the truth will give you enough motivation to following through with your decision.
Even after I failed to follow through my decision the first time when I told people I was going to wake up early and stay up, I didnt give up. I basically asked myself, What can I do this time to make it work tomorrow? The truth is you are going to mess up at times when it comes to making decisions and instead of beating yourself up over it, learn something from it. Ask yourself, what was good about the decision I made? What was bad about it? What can I learn from it so I can make a better decision next time? Remember, dont put so much emphasis focusing on short term effects; instead focus on the long term effects.
I know this might sound counter-intuitive, but making a decision doesnt mean that you cant be open to other options. For example, lets say you made the decision to lose ten pounds by next month through cardio. If something comes up, you dont have to just do cardio. You can be open to losing weight through different methods of dieting as long as it helps you reach your goal in the end. Dont be stubborn to seek out only one way of making a decision. Embrace any new knowledge that brings you closer to accomplishing your initial decision.
Finally, enjoy the process. I know decision-making might not be the most fun thing world to do, but when you do it often, it becomes a game of opportunity. Youll learn a lot about yourself on the way, youll feel and become a lot more confident when youre with yourself and around others, and making decisions will just become a lot easier after you do it so often that you wont even think about it.
Anything you decide to do from this point on can have a profound effect later on. Opportunities are always waiting for you. Examine the decisions that you currently have in the day. Are there any that can be changed to improve your life in some way? Are there any decisions that you can make today that can create a better tomorrow?
Hulbert Lee writes an inspiration blog at From Bottom Up. The people he writes about include famous entrepreneurs, famous celebrities, and famous leaders. If there's one message that these people can offer, he wants to deliver that message to his readers to inspire them and to help them succeed in life. Visit his blog here.
This week I went conference room shopping with a fellow speaker, Shirley T. Burke. Fortunately Shirley T. gets feng shui and understood that I would have some very specific requirements for the meeting room in which well present our seminar, Back on Track: Get More of What You Really Want From Life. I speak best in spaces that feel good. And, I want the space to have a life-affirming energy that will complement our life-affirming message.
The first room was the right size and shape and was nicely appointed, but what really made it stand out from all the other meeting rooms we visited was it had windows with a view of green trees and shrubs. By comparison all the other spaces we saw seemed like lifeless boxes. Todays experience reminded me of a similar experience I had several years ago. I attended an annual conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers in Reno, Nevada. It seemed like an odd location to have the annual conference of a group of left-brained, highly organized people, but I was willing to see what Reno had to offer us.
As I moved through the hotel lobby I found myself repelled by the glitz of the decor. When I ventured into the casino I felt disoriented by the cave-like space with the mirrored ceiling, busy carpet pattern, and noise of the machines. I was told that casinos are deliberately designed to encourage people to gamble. They are intentionally designed to be disorienting. What a strange place! I was most struck by the lack of connection between people. All around people were sitting alone at machines or focused on games at tables. It all seemed incredibly sad to me. I couldnt wait to get out of the casino each time I had to walk through that space.
What a contrast it was to go upstairs to the conference rooms! Gone was the noise and glitz. It seemed like any other conference center pretty lifeless. We spent time in windowless rooms and ballrooms divided by partitions. Although those rooms were clean and functional, they lacked natural light, color and positive energy.
After experiencing the casino and meeting rooms, two different types of impersonal and uncomfortable environments, both with no windows, both with no plants, it was such a relief to emerge into the lobby that offered beautiful views of the mountains in the distance through large picture windows. I stood at those windows and drank in the view. I felt like my soul was being nourished by the view. Never before had I been so struck by how depleting the man-made environment can be when it is devoid of elements of nature.
People can create all kinds of environments. Without having a consciousness awareness about how you are affected by those environments, you can spend enormous amounts of time in spaces that are not life-affirming. For most of us its not a casino, but our home or office. Spaces lacking views of nature or objects of nature are uncomfortable and will affect performance and productivity.
The natural habitat of a human being is the out of doors. Therefore, when you bring the outdoors inside, in the form of plants, rocks, shells and water; you feel more comfortable. When you feel more comfortable, you perform better.
If you dont have windows that give you a view of nature, one quick way to improve the energy of those spaces is to bring the outdoors inside by adding elements of nature. Add a print of a beautiful landscape. Add plants and water features like fountains and aquariums. I was in a windowless bathroom recently that came alive with shell prints, real shells and a silk plant. Nature feeds our souls in ways that man-made environments cannot.
To bring the outdoors inside add:
My passion is helping people discover the profound impact that environment has on performance. I want people to know they can change their lives by changing the spaces in which they live and work. Check out my blog or my book, Rock Scissors Paper: Understanding How Environment Affects Your Performance on a Daily Basis.
When you go to see Despicable Me in 3D, which you will because it makes you laugh even though you grimace a bit because you’re not 12 anymore, hang onto those 3D glasses. You’ll need them to watch the 3D videos you post to Youtube by following the insanely simple directions served up by the crazies over at Zurb. Their opening is simple:
“Nate was coming to the office to do a Soapbox and we decided two dimensions weren’t enough to fully capture him, so we set about to build our own 3D camera. It was a huge success and much easier then you would think. Here is our process in three easy steps, so that you can follow along at home.”
My first thought was that I’d never be able to start both cameras at the same time. That apparently isn’t an issue at all. Nifty!
Head over to the Zurb blog to check out the rest or toss on a pair of 3D glasses and watch the video for a taste of home-cooked 3D!
One of the things I like best about social media is the way it helps me discover talented writers. They remind me a lot of distance athletes with their deep conversations about seemingly minor details and long periods of time spent practicing alone.
The web also has a downside. There seems to be a growing belief that having mobile access to information negates any need to regularly consume quality writing.
Some writers point to the popularity of the Twilight series and say it’s a sign the general population no longer cares about quality. In my reply I always point to the wise commentary of Juan Williams:
Pandering to base interests is very different from catering to real needs. (Paraphrased from his commentary on the notion that people of color only want to watch MTV.)
It’s possible that you’ll make money by pandering, but there are a lot of people doing the same thing now. Traipse around online for a bit and you’ll find thousands of desperate writers trying to predict the next fetish in hopes of fame and fortune. It’s sad to watch them trying so hard because in the end they’ll have nothing to be truly proud of. I want to write things for which my only explanation for writing is not, “I needed the money.”
Do you? If so, you may find some portion of the following useful. I’ve gathered some of my favorite quotes from brilliant, prolific, and plain crazy writers and share them here with some tips I’ve found incredibly helpful in my own journey as a yearning writer. I hope you enjoy!
Vigorous writing is concise. ~William Strunk Jr.
Nothing makes me grimace quite like hearing somebody say they’ve reached 50,000 words and so have completed their first novel. Remember dully typing toward a minimum word count for an academic paper you had no interest in writing? If you start to get the feeling about something you’re writing, it’s probably time to stop writing and do some more research (or bribe your editor/professor/mother into accepting the shorter piece of work).
I try to leave out the parts that people skip. ~Elmore Leonard
I have a short, round-bellied friend who turned me on to this quote. That said, I’ve found that helping another writer edit their work often leaves me with more insight into my own writing than I gave to the other writer! If you can find a trusted friend to trade nascent work with, you will have found a wealth of improvement.
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth
I have a private blog I update daily with rants, outlines, fears, and bits of nothing that stream out of me when I’m struggling to find focus for another piece of writing. You’ll never see it. There’s no value in my sharing it because the moment I know others can see it is the moment I no longer write just for me. I suggest you give this method a try. It doesn’t have to be a blog. A notebook would work just fine.
If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style, let him first possess a noble soul. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I am still learning to to do the first part. I’ve taken great value from sharing outlines of my intended work with friends who are very logical and excel at criticizing arguments without muddling thoughts. The last part… is something I can only hope for. If I someday hear a reader say, “his writing is imbued with kindness” I think that will do.
The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. ~Anaïs Nin
As one who writes a lot for the web, I am continually tempted by the low-hanging fruit of trending topics and morning news drivel. Restating the obvious is easy, fun, and very retweetable. But the obvious rarely seems to translate into any sort of real legacy. If I only had a list of all the things my readers already know collectively, it would be so simple to stay fresh!
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~Mark Twain
Imbue, conjure, nefarious… are just a few of the words I have as friends to help me clearly make a point, share an idea, or call something into question. There’s a joy in having the perfect words at one’s disposal that only a dedicated writer can appreciate. A thesaurus can be useful if you’re bored, lazy, or drunk. Nothing trumps having a word come to mind just as you need its help.
Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable. ~Francis Bacon
I use a moleskine to store my thoughts for later. Having thoughts and personal commentary all in one place has the added benefit of serving as a source of inspiration for later times of drought. Think of it as you would catching raindrops in a canteen. You’ll be glad for the moisture some day.
The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes. ~Agatha Christie
If you walked into my office at random, there’s a very good chance you’d find me sipping a glass of tea while staring off into space. Am I doing nothing? Not in the least. Contrary to my mother’s early suspicions, I’m not addled. I just like to silently try phrases out in my mind before writing them down. Agatha had a point about dishes, too. There’s no such thing as writer’s block. But there are times when washing dishes is a better use of time than staring at an empty screen!
Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~Joseph Heller
I hope you are kind to yourself and forgiving when you cannot find the perfect phrase or paint a story just so! Writing, for me, seems a monumental task at times and I am always delighted to find others who understand my situation and reach out to help. There’s a joy in knowing that no matter how lonely a stretch of path may seem we are never entirely alone, no? We always have our writing and with it an entire community of people who care.
If you’re a writer, and you are one even if you simply compose witty text messages, I hope you’ll say hello.
You should follow Lifehack on Twitter Here
About a year ago, I published a question in a Blackberry forum asking how the devices had helped to make professionals more productive.
The responses I received were typified by the one that I remember the most: “I am more productive because I can check my email on the train to and from work.”
This seemed like a reasonable response at the time. As a person who gets a bit nervous when I have nothing productive to do, I could relate. While I don’t take the train, the value of converting “down time” to productive time is a pretty attractive one.
And apparently, I’m not alone.
A recent survey of 1 million users in 34 countries showed that 62% believed that their work productivity was “much better” due to new technology. 75% consider the opportunity provided by devices such as smartphones and laptops to remain in constant contact with work as a positive development.
Apparently, “productivity” has been redefined.
According to our new definition, productivity has something to do with two things: converting “down time” to work time, and being able to “stay in touch” with what’s happening at work at all times. This kind of commitment used to be associated with “Type A” executives, but nowadays anyone with the right tools can join in the fun.
“Fun” might be a strong word, but many of us like to find new ways to be effective, and like to feel as if we’re getting better at managing our time.
However, what’s actually happening in the life of many professionals is not amusing at all. Their companies have taken the opportunity given them by technology and the recession to convince employees to spend more “down time” doing work. At the same time, they send a subtle message that “staying in touch” with work also means being available 24 hours a day for 52 weeks of the year.
Converting “Down Time” Nowadays, it seems, everyone with a smartphone has gotten into the habit of continuously trying to convert “down time” into useful, work time. Here are some everyday examples of ways in which many professionals are converting their “down time.”
I recently asked a client: “How did your big presentation to the executive team go?” She responded: “OK… but the CEO spent the entire hour on his (expletive) Blackberry.”
This was bad news for my client, whose project was now being viewed by the CEO as another chunk of his “down time.”
If these are all examples of attempts to convert “down time” into useful time, take note of the way in which “down time” has been expanded. This is more than filling in the time that would be spent sitting on a train. The habit has invaded every nook and cranny of our lives, sparing no-one, and costing us dearly.
At this point, many of you reading are probably shaking your heads at some of the poor etiquette on display. I did the same, until I began to think of the mindset of the employees involved.
All the habits listed above were developed by professionals who were well intended — they were trying to boost their productivity by converting “down time” into something of value. Unfortunately, once we humans are hooked on a habit, it’s hard to stop, and we end up employing it inappropriately, much to the annoyance of others in our lives. In that moment, the fun has disappeared and the habit has become an empty, automatic practice that does more harm than good.
The worse part is that in many companies, executives are leading the way by example, as they are often the first users of these devices and the employees most likely to squeeze work into every available minute of their lives.
They are also the ones who are unwilling to sever the connection between themselves and their colleagues, even for a few hours each day.
Staying in Touch With Work A friend of mine once told me the story of a manager of rambunctious employee who was essential to the organization, but frequently complained and threatened to leave. In the space of a few months, he got married, bought a house and had a baby.
After these happy events, his manager passed my friend in the hall on hearing the latest it of happy news and whispered conspiratorially: “I have him now!” In other words, with his new family and financial obligations, the rambunctious employee was unlikely to raise more trouble, and would probably settle into a comfortable routine of corporate service with a steady eye on his pension, benefits and 401(k).
The point of the story? There are executives and managers who are blithely offering the gift of smartphones to their employees, and in some companies it’s seen as a reward, and a status symbol.
What many of them know, however, is that when an employee accepts the device, they are likely to join the group of the always-reachable, and engage in many of the behaviors that their higher-ups are practicing, such as: – sending and receiving messages at 2:30 am – using weekends, vacations and holidays to conduct company business – implicitly agreeing to respond to all messages within a short time-frame – interrupting ANY activity to “find out what my boss wants”
(If the stories told on YouTube and on blogs are true, then _anything_ can be interrupted nowadays by smartphone use!)
To put it in more Machiavellian terms, companies have found a way to take time and attention that employees used to spend on their own, with their families and with their friends, and convert it to company time. It starts with the gift of a smartphone.
While I truly doubt that there is some master plan, don’t doubt for a minute that a manager doesn’t know the difference between her employees who are always-reachable from those who aren’t. Companies can make big gains in productivity by simply giving away smartphones to their employees, while ignoring the added stress that gets created.
There are some companies that are noticing what is happening, however.
Enlightened companies take a page out of the medical profession, which has long realized that it’s important to maintain some kind of boundaries in their professionals’ lives. Companies can put in place policies that clearly delineate time spent “at work,” “on call” and “away from work.” They recognize that these are three distinct modes that must be enforced if employees are expected to function at their best.
Most employees, however, find themselves in un-enlightened companies and must make their own way, starting with 3 steps they must take.
Their first step is to identify the unproductive habits in their time management system. They can do the kind of analysis I describe on my website (www.2time-sys.com) to find the strong and weak spots.
The second step is to create an improvement plan that outlines the habits to be changed, along with some target dates. This gives them some realistic goals to heard towards.
The third step requires them to create an environment to make the habit changes easier to effect. Unfortunately, most habits do not change easily or quickly, and the right blend of supports can make all the difference.
Employees who have begun this personal journey need to make a plan to enlighten the executive team. Most smartphone use started with the CEO and her direct reports, and they are the ones who, in all likelihood, introduced, for example, a culture of 24 hour availability to the organization.
In an effort like this, employees need allies at all levels to help demonstrate that bad habits developed in the executive suite can wreak havoc when rolled out to an entire company. (There is a growing body of data available that can be used in this effort.) In an intervention, executives can be asked to imagine an all-company meeting in which half the attendees spend most of the meeting on their smartphones, lost in cyber-space. (Some would simply argue that they are following the fine example of their CEO!)
If the executive team can be convinced that these behaviors are destructive, then the company can move to specify some specific changes.
For example, the US Federal Government has banned the use of cell-phones by its employees while they are driving and conducting government business. In part, that’s because of obvious safety reasons.
From a productivity stand-point, however, it makes perfect sense. Other policies can be introduced to limit the use of smartphones and laptops during off hours, for starters. (In some companies, turning off all messaging devices between 12:00 am and 6:00 am would be a major step.)
Each company needs to look at its culture, as well as its strategy, and phase in these changes in a way that makes sense. They need to allow for the fact that habit change takes time, and that a new culture could not be born in an instant.
The single employee who decides to change their company has a very difficult task on her hands, however, as she realizes that smartphones have done more to change company culture in the past few years than any vision statement or 2 day retreat. She needs to appreciate that some executives may decide that they like the way things are going, and don’t want to change a thing. Those companies who take this route probably won’t see any immediate fallout as employees cling to their jobs for fear of losing them, but they’ll pay later. At some point in the future, productivity will be impacted on a large scale, as employees burn themselves out and the bottom line suffers.
It’s much better to make the small, enlightened changes now, than to wait until the cost is higher and the effort required seems to be impossible to garner.
All it takes to get started is one or two employees who are willing to redefine what productivity means for themselves and their companies, in favour of long-term results that are sustainable.
I own a management consulting firm in Florida, and recently moved to live in Jamaica. Shortly after arriving, I began to study time management techniques when I found that my old system didn't work. I eventually coined the term "Time Management 2.0" for people who are continuously upgrading their own, custom approaches. Find out more about Time Management 2.0 and the MyTimeDesign training.
In many instances, the likelihood of an individual succeeding (no matter what the goal) will be dependant on how uncomfortable that person is prepared to get and for how long. C.A.H.
The Application of the Information
This morning I coached someone who asked me to expand on the growth comes through discomfort theory. Its something Im always teaching and its a concept my client was having trouble getting her head around from a practical application point of view. As the concept is relevant to most of us, I thought I would expand on it a little today.
Whats Growth?
In the context of this discussion, growth could mean a range of things: learning, improvement, adaptation, skill development, greater insight, better understanding, less fear, more confidence, greater productivity, less anxiety, more patience, fewer destructive habits and even something as practical and measurable as greater physical strength and improved health.
For an athlete, growth might mean more points per game, a higher vertical leap or a faster time. For a shop-aholic it might mean eliminating debt and changing spending habits. For the person with a social phobia, it might mean looking someone in the eye and initiating a conversation. And, for the chronic people-pleaser it could mean saying no to somebody, taking a stand and not backing down. In simple terms, growth means creating positive change in some area of our (personal) world.
Whats Discomfort?
Discomfort, on the other hand, could be anything that (in a general sense) wed rather avoid. It could present itself in the form of a work problem, a financial situation, a conversation were always deferring, a fitness challenge, a health issue, a habit we need to break, a fear we need to confront, a relationship we need to end, a dynamic we need to change or even (as many people have experienced) an unexpected illness. It could arrive in the form of an emotional, physical, psychological, sociological, financial or professional challenge. Or, a combination thereof.
Individually Uncomfortable
The interesting thing about the discomfort/growth paradigm is that its completely personal in terms of how and when it works and what it means to us. By that, I mean one persons discomfort (and, therefore, opportunity to grow) will be another persons minor event. There is no universally relevant discomfort scale because we all think, feel, experience and react differently. A scale like P.R.E. (a widely-used scale which gauges an individuals Perceived Rate of Exertion while completing a physical task) tells us that comfort or discomfort, hard or easy is all about the individual. Which tells us that learning, adaptation, change and improvement are also about the individual.
Standing on a stage and talking is simply part of my job. For me, that task is about as stressful as driving a cab might be for a cabbie. That is, not very. For someone else, it might be an exercise in anxiety or maybe even terror. And, at the same time, a major opportunity for growth. Knowing that things only have the meaning we give them, we can safely assume that there is no single experience, process or situation that will produce consistent or equal results in terms of positive or negative change across the board.
Naturally, not all discomfort serves a positive purpose (standing in front of a moving bus for example) and, of course, we need to be wise and discerning about how, when and why we get uncomfortable. Having said that, its important that we find the awareness, courage and understanding that allow us to see problems, hurdles, barriers and catastrophes for what they really are: opportunities to grow and learn.
Is it time for you to address that thing youve been avoiding?
Dont get mad at me you keep putting it off. Im just reminding you.
You should follow Lifehack on Twitter Here!
Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is a qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, television host, motivational speaker and university lecturer. For the past 25 years he has been a leading presenter, educator, motivator and commentator in the areas of personal and professional development. You can visit Craig's blog at Motivational Speaker.FREE eBook So Youve Decided to Get in Shape (Again) Craig's FREE eBook takes 20 30 minutes to read, and addresses the REAL getting-in-shape issues based on his 25 years of experience. To get Craigs FREE eBook click here, weight loss books.
Think about the last time you were all over the place, full of a free floating anxiety, bouncing from one task to another, reacting to people and situations emotionally in a way you later regretted. Ive learned that when I feel like that I have become ungrounded, disconnected from my center, from my knowing that I am OK and all is well.
How do I get back to my center? How do I ground myself? Staying grounded requires daily attention and effort. Here are some of the ways you can stay grounded:
As I wrote the above list it occurred to me that all my recommendations are the same recommendations I make to people who want to learn how to stay more organized. So, staying organized in your physical space is a great way to stay grounded!
Joan Borysenco, Ph.D, author of Inner Peace for Busy People writes of the benefits of being grounded, centered, When Im centered its easier to respond to people, to catch the nuances of their attention, and to let inspiration flow through me. Thinking of myself as an instrument that life plays, rather than the source of the melody, has helped me be a better juggler. The instrument needs to be cleaned and polished, treated with care. When Im in balance, the unbalanced hodgepodge of things on the to-do list are accomplished more effectively.
Treat yourself with care and stay grounded by committing to maintaining an organized space. That way when you are confronted with one of lifes challenges you can handle it from a place of clarity and calmness, centered and able to access your inner wisdom.
Are you usually punctual or late? Do you finish things within the time you stipulate? Do you hand in your reports/work on time? Are you able to accomplish what you want to do before deadlines? Are you a good time manager?
If your answer is “no” to any of the questions above, that means you’re not managing your time as well as you want. Here are 20 tips on how to be a better time manager:
Do you have any tips to be a better time manager? Feel free to share in the comments area!
image
When I was 18 an old family friend told me that her best advice to anyone was always for them to be as true to themselves as they could. Looking back, I find it odd that she admonished me to be true to something I really couldn’t put my finger on. I didn’t know who I was.
We all discover things about ourselves as we age and grow. But at 18? I didn’t have a clue. If I could give my 18 year-old self some advice, I’d tell myself to chase after whims so long as I knew for sure that I wasn’t running away from hard work or a valuable lesson by doing so. I’d tell myself to be friendly and try new things. I’d tell myself that there would be plenty of time to follow the pack when the pack was living in a nursing home.
What advice would you give to your 18 year-old self?
(As I have time I’ll update this post with your advice!)
There’s been speculation that as the economy recovers, many people who’ve been stuck in their jobs and unable to find new ones, will suddenly pick up and move to greener pastures. In contrast there are also predictions of a jobless recovery, which may mean being stuck in a lackluster job longer than these people (or maybe you) expected or would prefer. If that scenario plays out, it’s vital to recharge while still in your current job. Both near-term success and preparing for future successful moves make this essential.
Having been in one company for way longer than I ever expected, I had to reinvent myself multiple times to stay sane, productive, and continue to grow personally and professionally. These 8 strategies can help you recharge your job if you feel you’re getting stale:
Having been around the block a few times at your job you’ll have learned many lessons about what works and doesn’t in your profession, your company, and your industry. Thinking back on the strategic lessons you’ve learned provides an opportunity to start a blog, do presentations, record a podcast, or write an ebook. Sharing your knowledge in this way can build your stature with a broader audience to help pave the way for your next career move.
If you’ve been a student of what you do, you should know a variety of techniques, models, and strategies that make you more effective. Having previously worked through them to understand what and how they deliver results, you’re in a unique position to begin tweaking them more aggressively. Rather than being stuck doing things one way over and over, you can modify certain elements to test for improved performance in subsequent uses.
Mark Twain had a famous quote apologizing for the long length of a letter, mentioning he didn’t have the time to make it shorter. Most of us face the same challenge – it takes time to simplify things. Having been in your job for some time however, you’re in the perfect position to bring simplicity to your job and what your company does. Every business can use more simplicity. Take advantage of your tenure to create greater value by being the person who has the experience to make things easy, clear, and free of unnecessary detail.
Smart kids who are bored with school get into trouble when they aren’t challenged. Same thing happens in careers, too. The difference is in a work setting, you typically have to find ways to challenge yourself. If your mental energies aren’t fully engaged currently, get yourself going mentally with additional reading, training, or just plain experimenting with new techniques in your chosen field. You’ll become even more valuable in today’s job and whatever lies ahead for you.
What better way to take advantage of expertise you’ve developed from having been in one place for a while than by sharing it with others in your company? It’s not only beneficial for another person; mentoring pays dividends for you as well. You’ll learn new angles on what you know through explaining it to someone else. You’ll increase the size of your fan base within the company. Ideally, you’ll also prepare someone to be your own replacement, helping free you for other opportunities inside your company should you elect to stay longer.
Use your knowledge and view of the business to identify areas where you can make a stronger contribution or fix problems that exist today. Document your thoughts and start introducing them to your boss toward redesigning your job. Just remember this: focus on the results and benefits you’ll deliver for the company, not on what’s frustrating you about your current position. Doing so will make your boss a lot more likely to hear you out and consider your proposal.
If you’ve delivered results in your current job, you’re obviously known for the talents you possess. Build off that success to find new places to apply your talents inside your company. The key is to generalize what you do. For instance rather than thinking of yourself as a “finance person,” recast that as having an aptitude for numbers and measurement. All of a sudden, you might be able to look at a variety of metrics and monitoring-oriented positions such as project management, marketing analysis, call center management, etc.
Early in a new job, you may feel pressured to dial back your personality to fit in. As you gain comfort, it’s time to introduce more of your personality into what you do. Are there talents, hobbies, or other passions you have which only get time and attention outside work? If so, look for ways to introduce those elements into your work. Maybe you’ve developed knowledge and experience in social media. Look for ways to bring that to your work setting to help drag your company into this century.
Try these strategies while you’re seeking something better. You may improve your current gig so much that staying actually becomes viable!
You should follow Lifehack on Twitter here!
The idea behind sangria is simple: Take some wine and add nice things to it until you can’t resist pouring it all over ice and enjoying with friends. Of course, some recipes call for extra time in the fridge and most can be consumed by yourself.
I’ve gathered five of my favorite sangria recipes and included links to six others with an explanation of what makes each unique. Be creative, take your time, and enjoy the process. Enjoy!
This sangria recipe is wonderful for early summer afternoons when the sun is hot and youd like something refreshing and fruit-laden without too much alcohol!
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving. If youd like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice.
Serves: 3-4
This sangria has quite a bit more kick than the brunch sangria. Perfect for a warm evening with friends who all have safe rides home! =)
Serves: 8 to 10
This complex sangria celebrates the nuance of the Viognier amidst the sweet gyrations of sweet mango and minted peaches.
In a saucepan, cook the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves; transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the Grand Marnier, Viognier, mango, peaches and mint and serve over ice.
Serves: 2-3
Guy Fieri swears by this sangria though I’ve found the peach brandy can take over if the lemons and limes aren’t especially juicy. As always, fresh and juicy fruit will go a long way toward making your sangria one to remember!
Directions:
In a pitcher, add all the ingredients and stir to combine. Ideally, you want to wait about 1 hour for the fruit and the wine to infuse each other, but you can drink it right away.
Serves: 6 rocks glasses
The zest of the grapefruit adds a special zing to this sangria. Use grapefruit soda in place of the ginger ale for added punch!
Pour the wine into a large pitcher. Wash the orange, lime, and lemon. Cut them into thin slices and add to the pitcher. Add the Grand Marnier and the sugar. Marinate for a few hours. (The sangria will taste better if you leave it overnight.)
When ready to serve, fill the pitcher with ice cubes, add the soda, and stir well. Serve with a wooden spoon in the pitcher.
Serves: 3-5
So there I was, cruising along the freeway at 110 kph (70mph) on my big, comfortable Suzuki, complete with the electric (up/down) screen to deflect wind and rain, full-face helmet (which covers the entire head, including face), waterproof jacket (with body-armour inserts) and waterproof gloves, when a guy on a Harley passes me doing around 120 kph (75 mph). Gotta say, he looked much cooler than me. Complete with open-face helmet (no face protection), a pair of teeny tiny sunglasses, no gloves, no screen (to deflect wind), some ripped jeans and an old leather jacket (not waterproof) with his gang symbol on the back. He probably thought I was just another big tosser on a Japanese bike. He may have been right.
With the wind nearly blasting his head off (courtesy of his open-face helmet) , the cold giving him frostbite on his fingers, face and knees and the combined noise of a Harley with shotgun exhaust pipes (that means loud!!) and an open-face helmet at 120 kph deafening him, I had to respect his commitment to his gang, the uniform and the code.
The code that says: no synthetic blue jackets with body armour (they are for sissies like me), no full-face helmets (also for girly-men) and gloves are only to be worn in snowstorms. The code that says, this is our uniform. Looking at his contorted face (courtesy of the wind) as he flew by, I began to think about the way we humans love to belong and the price were prepared to pay for that membership. To our gang. Our group. Our church. Our click. Our team. To something bigger than us.
But what I really pondered as I cruised along (it was a long ride) was whether belonging was more likely to be a positive or a negative in our lives over the long term. Is it always good to belong? When isnt it? What compels so many of us to join?
Part of it is that were social creatures, and on a level, we love being in a family. However, sometimes in our efforts to belong, we compromise our values and beliefs, we lie to ourselves and we do anything we can to be accepted. Belonging (to something) can make us feel better about ourselves. If only for a while. It can also make us feel trapped.
Sometimes being a member of a group means security. Sometimes it means pressure. Sometimes it means keeping up, conforming and ticking the boxes. Sometimes belonging to a group can define us. It can also be where we lose ourselves. Sometimes in an effort to find ourselves we actually become a clone of others.
Many people want to belong to something, no matter what. The thought of not belonging terrifies them. Somewhere and somehow they have learned that theyre not good enough, worthy enough or valuable enough on their own. Theyre deficient unless theyre part of a collective.
Im not against belonging to a group (Ive been involved in many) but I think once we all start to look, sound, walk and talk the same, alarm bells should ring. I dont think my purpose is to be a replica, cyborg or mouthpiece for someone elses ideas, message or mission. I think my purpose is to live a life in alignment with my core values. Whatever that means and whatever that requires.
If you belong to a group and you can honestly say that your life is better for the membership, then my advice would be to stay. If your membership (involvement in, or obligation to, the group) means something not quite so positive, then maybe its time for you to discover who you are beyond the group identity, the collective mindset, the gang rules and the weight of expectation.
It might just be the most liberating and empowering thing you ever do.
Youre welcome. =)
Some Discussion Questions:
1. Have you ever lost yourself in a gang? 2. Have you ever lost a friend or family member? (no naming of specific groups please) 3. Are you a member of a gang that makes your world a better place? 4. What should we consider when were thinking of joining a gang? 5. What advice do you have for people who feel stuck (trapped) in a gang (situation, group, organisation)?
* Feel free to answer as many or as few as you like. Or just add your general thoughts on the post. :)
Image: f650biker
Things went downhill when we had three family crises in a year, said a new client who was explaining how her lovely home had evolved into a cluttered, chaotic mess.
It is very common for people to lose control of the order in their homes during times of crisis. Crisis situations that go on for an extended period of time consume time, energy and the motivation required to maintain an organized home.
Its not uncommon for people to find that once theyve gotten past the personal crisis–illness, death in the family, caregiving for aging or sick relatives, recovery from surgery–they have another crisis on their hands, a living space that is such a mess that they have no idea how they will ever get it back to its more orderly state.
Twice in the past year Ive been thrown into crisis mode, first when my step-father began deteriorating mentally and had to have brain surgery and then when my disabled brother developed a serious infection in his artificial knee joint requiring surgery, weeks of IV antibiotics and another knee replacement. Both events were incredibly energy consuming for me because I was a key decision-maker, the coordinator of communication between family members, a key source of emotional support, and I had my own fears and other feelings to manage.
It was all I could do to get through each day dealing with the crisis at hand, much less tend to my small business and maintain order in my home. Those two crises were an opportunity for me to learn how to get through difficult times without losing control of other parts of my life.
Here are 6 of the important lessons I learned:
Then do them! I am the money manager in our house. So, making sure bills got paid and that money was in the right accounts at the right time were two tasks I had to get done so we could avoid consequences like ruining our credit rating. Keeping us afloat financially during those difficult times helped ground me. I liked knowing that no matter what else happened, we were operating on a firm financial foundation.
Instead of trying to keep everything in order by myself, I asked my husband to do many tasks that normally I would have done to maintain our home and our lives together. Also, people offer help during times of crisis. Let them! Last summer when I had bi-lateral bunion surgery I asked friends to help provide food and walk my dogs. They were happy to have something to do that would help me, and their help provided a type of emotional support I really needed.
It became clear to me pretty quickly that helping my mother and step-father through my step-fathers health crisis and staying healthy myself during that stressful process was more important than writing checks for a professional organization. I actually chose to resign from two volunteer positions because taking care of family and myself were the priority.
You may not have time to do much with paper that flows into your house on a daily basis, but you can make sure that it all flows to the same place. That way, when you need to find something in that pile of paper, you have only one place to look. You might stack it in piles in your home office or get an open box and store it there. Just dont let it float throughout your space!
If you want to go one step further, pull out bills and magazines/catalogs/newsletters. Put the bills in a highly visible location so you dont forget about them and so they are easily accessible when you are ready to pay them. Place the magazine, catalogs and other reading materials in a location where you spend time reading. Removing those items from your paper pile will make it shrink and also make it easier to access things to read when you need a source of distraction.
In times of personal crisis it is very normal to shut down because of overwhelm, fatigue, or just not knowing what to do. While it is important to take breaks to rest, recharge, and recover, it is not a good idea to go to ground and let everything go. It takes only a day or two for your space to go from being a peaceful haven to a chaotic nightmare. Then you not only have a crisis going on outside your home, but also inside your home. You have no safe place to retreat. Messy houses scream, You slob! Why dont you do something about this mess! Make yourself do at least the bare minimum to maintain order, like controlling the paper flow, washing the dishes, straightening up daily.
You may resist doing maintenance activities because you are exhausted, but if you override the urge to stop and plop on the sofa and instead do a few tasks to keep your space neat and organized, you will find that doing those things will help ground and calm you. You will then be better able to go out and deal with whatever challenge is going on. If you are physically incapable of maintaining order yourself, because of illness or disability, ask others to help you do that. Many people want to help in some way. Let them know that their help will ground you and facilitate your recovery.
Image: evelynshire
Ever faced people who bother you? I’m sure all of us have faced such people before. It’s okay when we have to face them just once or twice, but there are times when these people emerge in facets of our life where we have to deal with them on an ongoing basis. They can be business associates, fellow colleagues, friends, or even family members and relatives. In such cases, we have to learn how to deal with them. Here are my 9 tips to handle such people:
When dealing with people, always remember that it’s not about changing others, but about changing yourself. You can try to change others, but you may not succeed doing so. The best way to address the situation is to change how you perceive it and how you react to it. By changing that, everything else will subsequently change as well.
Be clear on what you will tolerate and what you will not tolerate. Then stick with it. You have your own personal space and it’s your perogative to protect your space. By drawing the boundaries, even if just mentally, you are clearer of the kind of behaviors to expect from others. If you don’t do so, it’s easy for you to be pushed over by others, especially since such people tend not to be conscious of personal boundaries. You’ll wind up shrinking in a corner and feeling miserable, and you wouldn’t want that.
If the person has a history of spilling into your personal space, then let him/her know where you stand the next time you communicate. People aren’t mind readers, and sometimes they may not be aware that they are infringing on your space. Giving the person some indicators will help. If he/she tends to take up a lot of your time, then let him/her know that you have XX minutes at the onstart of the conversation. That way, you are being fair by informing him/her in advance. If you prefer to communicate via email/text/chat/other channels, then let him/her know too.
If the person does not stick within the boundaries, then enforce them. Give a gentle reminder at first. If he/she still does not get the hint, then make a call and draw the line right there. I used to be very relenting in my communications. I would attend the person for however long it took. In the end it enroached on my personal space, and I wasn’t sure if all that time and energy I spent ever did anything too. As I gradually pushed back and became firm on my boundaries, I was a lot more fulfilled. I realized if I wasn’t meeting my needs, I couldn’t be helping anyone with theirs.
Ignoring is effective in the right moments. When you respond, you give them a reason to continue their behavior. If you just ignore, they don’t have a choice but to seek out someone else. Not only that, it also hints to them about their behavior and helps them do some self-reflection.
Most of the times, these people behave the same way around others too. I had a friend who was very negative. She always had something to criticize whenever we were together. At first I thought she had something against me, but after I observed her interacting with our common friends, I realized she was like that with everyone else too. Realizing it wasn’t anything personal helped me deal with her objectively.
Watching others deal with the same person you find annoying can be an eye-opening perspective. Even if the person may be at his/her wits-end handling the individual, just observing from a third party’s point of view can give you insights on how to manage. The next time you are with this person, get someone else into the conversation too. Take a back seat by broaching a topic that’s relevant between the two of them, then play the silent role in the situation. Observe how the other party handles him/her. Try this exercise with different people – from savvy networkers, someone you find difficult to deal with as well, someone similar to you, etc. You will get interesting results.
Often times, they act the way they do because they are looking for an empathetic ear. Hear what they have to say, and be empathetic towards them. Give them some friendly act of kindness. Don’t impose on them, but just be there and empathize. It might well do the trick.
There was once when I had a long talk with a client on an issue she was facing. Later in the week, I sent her an sms telling her that ultimately it boiled down to her, and as long as she believed in herself, there was nothing insurmountable. Many weeks after that, we were catching up, and she told me how the message was really encouraging for her. She normally deleted all her smses but left that one in her phone. A little kind act from you may take little effort on your part but mean the world to others.
Beneath the facade is really a cry for help. Check with them if they need any help, or if there is anything you can do to help them. Sometimes, it’s possible they require help but they don’t know how to articulate it. Help them to uncover their problem, then work with them to analyze the issue and discover the solution. It’s important to still let them take charge in the situation, because the end outcome is you want them to learn to take control of the situation, and not grow dependent on you for help.
Image ©
