Commuting between work and home can be a frustrating and inefficient experience. But it does not have to be. There are many productive (and safe!) ways to make the most of your time while you’re behind the wheel. For example: Learn a new language Burn some CDs with language lessons (you can easily find them on…

Stores are busy right now. Maybe people aren’t buying as much as in past years but they’re buying nonetheless. Everyone is in the spirit of giving, but deep down also looking forward to receiving. The common denominator here is “things” and “stuff”. Now, I’m all for making people happy and seeing the smile on their face when they open an exciting gift – that really brings me joy. And, of course, I love receiving a gift from someone special, but life experience has taught me that this “stuff” cannot really bring what most of us want for Christmas .

It’s December and one side of my brain is already thinking about presents, imagining the warmth of home, and preparing a list of “must-buys” for Christmas entertaining . The other side ois stuck with the reality of my daily life: me, at the office, dealing with day-to-day tasks. My attention has been divided and this…

I don’t like to take risks. I also haven’t had my own business for very long, so I’ve felt like every penny I made had to be sealed away in a vault for safekeeping in case I’d wake up one morning and have no writing assignments, no consulting clients, and no speaking engagements. Mentors told me…

We’re coming up on back-to-school time, and for thousands of young people everywhere, that means taking their first great big step into adult life: college. Going to school, whether you stay at home or travel across the country or around the world, can be terrifying. It can also be your life’s greatest…

I’m moving this month, and one of the things I’m looking for in a new apartment, even though I live alone, is a second bedroom where I can put up an office. My current place is a small 1-bedroom, and while there is a little computer “nook” in one corner of the…

We all know that play is important for kids. Play teaches them coordination, adult roles, social interaction, and basic problem-solving skills. But somehow, we’ve fallen prey to the idea that play is only important for kids. “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a…

      When I first started blogging a few years ago, I went through a series of stages that most authors can appreciate. Wow, I’m online! Ok, now what do I say regularly? This is really easy! People are actually reading me? Better check my stats… Better recheck my stats… And so it goes. In those early days life was simple and something…

Some people think that life balance is a thing of luxury, something you pursue when times are good…that we should work like dogs  to remain indispensable in this unpredictable economy. But wait a sec. Weren’t we were already working like dogs, before we added in the fear of losing our jobs? Here’s what got me…

Today’s employers seem to want more of our time than ever. In the US, the average worker puts in 55 hours a week; in Europe and other places where short working weeks have long been the norm, workers are struggling to hold on to their reasonable schedules as employers look to the US model in…

Welcome to Week Two of the Lifehack Great Big Summer Giveaway. Last week we talked about home life, relaxation, and generally getting things together outside of work. This week, we’re going to the office, or wherever you work, to get your best ideas about making your work life work for you. Today, I want to talk…

We all know about using the recycling bin and using reusable grocery bags, but how else can we live our values at home — whether they’re environmental, political, religious, moral, social, or otherwise? Sam Davidson and Stephen Moseley tackle the question of living according to your values in their book New Day Revolution, along with…

Summer’s almost over, folks! I don’t know about you, but my summer was go! go! go! the whole time. Between the kids being off school, writing a ton (here and elsewhere), finishing up and self-publishing a book, keeping the house in order, looking for a new house (looks like we found one!), and of course…

Let’s open the Lifehack Great Big Summer Giveaway with a big question — and a big prize! How about a 1-year subscription to The Clutter Diet? The Clutter Diet puts a team of Professional Organizers – including our own Lorie Marrero, creator of The Clutter Diet – at your…

It’s here, folks: The Lifehack Great Big Summer Giveaway! We’ve got some great sponsors, great prizes, and some great contests coming up over the next couple of weeks. “Home/Work” is the theme of the giveaway, and over the next two weeks we’ll be asking you, Lifehack’s readers, to tell us how you manage the…