Ok so by now you probably know, I’m a total sucker for productivity hacks. If there’s an article about a way to do things faster or easier or a hack for getting more done in your day I’ve probably read it. Along the way I’ve come across plenty of things that didn’t work or just weren’t worth the money. Lucky for you, I won’t bore you with any of those here. I will however, share the 8 very best and cheapest apps (most are free) I’ve found and use whenever
Every child is born an artist. The problem is how to remain one as we grow up. – Pablo Picasso I’ve always loved this quote. But I’ve sometimes struggled to really put my finger on why. Initially I suppose I liked it because it conjured for me an image of a joyfully uninhibited child artist wandering freely from one thought to another, seeing infinite possibilities in her work and exhibiting a freedom that few adults seem to have the luxury to indulge. Now however, I find myself re-reading this quote
Ok so, about a week ago it was Black Friday. Followed by Small Business Saturday, and then of course there was Cyber Monday and I don’t know what’s next – Adopt a Pet Thursday? And oh, is today something? If so I’ve lost track. At any rate, my head is spinning with all these crazy themed days. What are they all about anyway? – They’re about selling us stuff of course! My inbox is overrun. My junk folder alone has over 2000 emails from sites alerting me to their latest
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about “fit”. Not “fit” like how well my clothes fit, though as the holidays near with their never-ending opportunities for overindulgence I am somewhat obsessed by that type of fit too. Today however, I’m referring to finding the right fit in an environment. Like, for instance a college environment. My first born is in the midst of the college application process. If you’ve had the dubious distinction of enduring this unique and insidious form of torture sometime in the last few years then you
Over the years I’ve struggled both professionally and personally with the idea of worth. Professionally, I’ve sometimes wondered if I should consider discounting my price or settle for less in order to get more business. In my personal life I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of getting stuck in the thinking that I’m “just” a mom and by doing this I’ve unwittingly de-valued my role and contribution to my family and myself. Neither is good. I know. Though in defense I must say that professionally, I’ve found pricing one’s services is often
The other day I was chatting with a friend who owns a small business. My friend was complaining that she’d pitched a prospective client that she was convinced would give her their business because she knew she was the best choice. After all she said – and I’d have to agree – she worked harder and knew more about this client’s business than any competitor and she’s had more success in this industry than any of the competition. And yet in the end, and to her great surprise, the prospect chose
“Feeling Gratitude and Not Expressing it is Like Wrapping a Present and Not Giving it”. – William Arthur Ward I recently read an article in which Google CEO Larry Page was praised for being one of the most likable CEO’s in corporate America. You know why? Because according to the article, he’s good at expressing his appreciation for others and the work they do. In fact, I also came to learn that making a concerted effort to express gratitude in the workplace is baked into the Google culture
We all get stuck from time to time. We get stuck in jobs we hate, in relationships we’ve outgrown, in routines that bore us and in habits we know we should break. The list goes on. At some point we realize we need to fix it. We NEED to make a change. -But then the question becomes, how? Well, I’ve found the key to making a change is to start by changing your story. I know. You’re thinking, I came here for help. WTF are you talking about? A
“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” – Albert Einstein The genius in this quote is not just that it came from Albert Einstein who we all know is well, an actual genius. For me, it’s real impact is in its simplicity and its ability to divine the essence of what it takes to be successful in anything. That essence is grit. It took me longer than I’d care to admit to figure that out I’ll have you know. Perhaps like you, I
How to Raise and Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success By Stanford University Dean Julie Lythcott-Hain. Parents, you heard it here, this one’s a winner! In her easy to read style the author offers up anecdotes of parents touring graduate schools, serving as mouthpieces for their shy, passive children, and submitting résumés to potential employers, sometimes without their children’s knowledge. In her book Lythcott-Hain argues, “these behaviors do more than mold kids into dependent beings, they corral and constrict their possibilities and their imaginations. .