Today is my birthday. Last year on this day, I made a semi-unplanned declaration to myself: This year I will give myself the gift of sobriety. I didn’t expect it to last. I didn’t really even believe that I was doing it. I have tried to give up alcohol dozens of times in the past, only to continue drinking later that day or the next. At most I would go about a week due to being at a...
Everybody wants to read more. Whether it is for pleasure or learning (or for the crazy few, the two go hand-in-hand), we would all benefit from the ability to read a little faster and improve our comprehension of what we are reading.
Conducting video interviews can be a great way to add value to your products, make a rich experience for your blog, gather customer testimonials for your marketing site, etc. While it takes getting over the fear of rejection to gather up a list of people willing to be interviewed, the end result is worth it. Not only in the value that the interviews can bring to your audience, but moreover, in...
Have you ever found it easier to eat a healthy breakfast, while succumbing to temptation when it comes to evening snacks? Perhaps you find yourself more creative and productive in the morning hours, while the late afternoon is often punctuated by what many call a “slump”. Whether your morning starts at 9:00am or 5:00am, the odds are that you find your best decision-making abilities and creativity...
One of the best parts of being an entrepreneur is the ability to work on exactly what you want to work on. The flip side to this privilege is that if you chose to work on the wrong thing, or otherwise poorly manage your time, you miss out on achieving your greatest potential. We all have the potential for great success, so how do we leverage time management strategies to take us to the next level?
Taking time away for a personal retreat is a discipline that not many professionals take seriously enough. We have enough going on in our daily lives that a break “just to think” sounds pretty unproductive. However, it is during those breaks in our routine that we discover whether or not what we are being productive in is what really matters.
In my book, The 9 Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs, I outline a series of regular routines that maximize your energy, save time, and allow you to enjoy consistent wins. Just as there are habits that should be added to your routine, there are also a few toxic habits that should be controlled. These habits are common to many entrepreneurs, and those who have found success have also...
I feel that the quest to be productive will last my whole lifetime. Every time I think that I have it figured out and put a system in place, the smallest change usually sends the system crumbling. However, I’ve recently settled on a few tools that are starting to stand the test of time, and I thought I’d take a moment to share them with you.
Most of us know how to tackle large tasks: You make a plan, set aside time, and execute. However, how do you make sure those little, pesky to-dos get done? Put new batteries in the camera. Call the bank about that letter. Pick up some milk while you’re out. Small to-do tasks are easily forgotten because they just aren’t important enough to stay at the top of our minds.
If you’re following along with the blog, you’ll know that this is week number three of my gainful unemployment. One of the biggest challenges that I’ve had to face this week is maintaining momentum, and knowing exactly what to work on. The former I handle through a mixture of Trello, Evernote, and Google Calendar. One of the biggest tricks, however, is to maintain that momentum–To manage my...
HI, I'M RYAN. I believe the best way to learn and remember is by writing things down and sharing them with others. This blog exists to help me synthesize and process my journey towards self-improvement.