How to Be On Time Every Time

In my last post, I talked about why being punctual matters. The short version: people who are habitually late (or are late even once, when it counts) project incompetence, self-centeredness, and even a lack of integrity.

In the comments, lapka asked if there were any tricks for people who have a hard time showing up on time, and through a little bit of research and a little bit of… » Continue

May 16 2008 | By Dustin | Tagged: planning, procrastination, punctuality, time-management, trick | 16 comments»

Tactics & Strategy: Do you know the difference?

Attaining true productivity can be an elusive process, and often when I look around at the methods people are using I see two distinct approaches: tactics, like motivation hacks, or overarching strategies, like applying the concept of minimalism to productivity.

But the best productivity systems use both approaches, with the strategy providing a framework for action and the tactics defining those actions. People often use the terms strategy and tactics… » Continue

February 22 2008 | By Joel | Tagged: planning, strategy, tactics | 6 comments»

How to Use a Notebook to Make 2008 the Best Year Ever

The notebook has been around forever. Do you remember your first one? It probably had very wide lines and perhaps a spiral binding. You used a fat pencil and traced letters until they became second nature. Before long you learned script. Then you migrated to pens. Some of you, dear readers, are now Moleskine aficionados and are selective and perhaps downright snooty about your pen choice. The lefties here… » Continue

January 7 2008 | By Susan | Tagged: goal setting, gtd, meditation, new_year, notebook, planning, Productivity, success, tool | 30 comments»

How to Fail at Practically Anything

I say, fail a lot. Push yourself to the limits of your talents, endurance, and common sense, and then go one step further and fall down, spectacularly if possible. Failure is one of life’s great forces; it’s driven far more innovation than talent, creativity, or necessity combined. Plus, its stories are better.

Most people, of course, avoid failure. Or, at least, they try to, as much… » Continue

September 12 2007 | By Dustin | Tagged: failing, failure, planning, risk, success | 11 comments»