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Self-Improvement & Direction

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10 Ways To De-Clutter, Simplify, and Streamline Your Life. So you know you need to get organized, but don’t know where to start. You may lose things, purchase a new thing, and find that thing (you thought) you lost one week later. You’ve read something about Minimalism, but aren’t sure how it applies to you. You know you’re not ready to get down to 100 possessions, ditch your car, or work only from remote locations.

Sound familiar? If you are looking to live a life free of the stress and (physical) weight of your clutter, but you don’t know where to begin, here’s how to start. Step 1: Start Now Assess what you have. Step 2: Clear the Clutter and Clean the Slate After you’ve taken stock of the areas in your home that need decluttering, prioritize which area is most important. Don’t get overwhelmed by thinking you’ll do everything at once. Don’t save things for “someday.” Step 3: Let Go of “Shoulds” The “shoulds” create clutter, both physically and mentally.

If they take follow-up action, put those actions on your calendar. Step 5: Go Paperless. Lifehack. There are hundreds of thousands of productivity tools to choose from. Auditing each of them is the hardest part of the selection process. Just searching on the App Store and Google Play Store will force you to scroll endlessly, each app showcasing a different form of functionality/ promise of results.

I am of the belief that productivity apps can help an individual move forward and complete their tasks. We have the choice, in the 21st century, to use these apps at our own leisure. With or without them, productivity is key to managing your time, organisation and stress. For those individuals looking for useful and simple productivity tools to use across their day, I recommend these 11 tools to get you started: 1.

Todoist is something that I’ve been using for around 2 years now and it’s something I recommend to a lot of people. Todoist is fantastic for organizing all your thoughts, planned actions, and keeping all those must-do ideas stored. 2. 3. 4. 5. Download it here. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Lifehack. Happiness is a big word, but it can be found in the smallest of things. Whether it’s the smell of roasted coffee beans in the morning or the simple refreshment of a good night’s sleep, it all adds up. Rinse your day for all it’s worth and find little lifts in everything you do—here are 25 on the house to get you started. 1.

Wake up to music that sets the right mood (a bit of Bob Marley if you swing that way). 2. Feel the grass between your toes on a warm Sunday afternoon when there is nothing to do and nothing to worry about. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Featured photo credit: Ed Gregory via stokpic.com. Lifehack. The world we are living in today has taken away our ability to truly appreciate the little things that we should be thankful for. Mindfulness helps us see the little things that we have unconsciously neglected due to the hectic daily routines and busy schedule in our lives. Being mindful not only helps us become a calmer individual, but also saves us from a lot of trouble. It helps us be more productive without making the unnecessary errors. Often, we make bad decisions or mistakes because we weren’t mindful enough to notice the subtle things that are happening around us.

However, if we practice mindfulness, we will gradually become more aware of the things that are happening around us. We also better understand our own emotions and our physical state, which lead us to a healthier and happier life. Here are 20 simple things you can do every day to become a more mindful person: Take a few second of your day to observe your breathing. Focus on chewing while eating. Lifehack. The heading is not to say that some people are smart while conversing and that others are just plain stupid. That would be a gross generalisation. But perception says that some people who converse in a smart manner are more aware and confident.

And we believe that you must have a way of coming across as someone who is smart, creative and sure of themselves. These following sentences are some of the ways of starting or continuing an informed and interesting conversation that is not only a pleasure to others but of great interest to you. 1. “That is such a great pin/ring/pen/etc.”

By starting with a comment on something personal, you can often know more about the other person. 2. By asking a question, you make sure that the other person is compelled to answer. 3. By offering to help someone, you will always come across as a friendly and kind person. 4.”What’s your reaction to that act/bill/play?” You can start conversation by asking about the other’s opinion on things. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Lifehack. Following a productive daily routine is a great way to improve your productivity. Depending on your lifestyle and needs, you will need to decide when to do this routine. Many successful people complete their daily success routine in the morning or in the evening. 1.

Use your high energy time for high value tasks Over the course of the day, your energy level will change. If you wake up slowly and hit your stride later in the day, then it makes sense to schedule important meetings and activities later in the day. How do you determine your high energy time? Resource: To deepen your knowledge of personal energy management, read “The Power of Full Engagement” by Jim Loehr 2. Everyone has boring tasks to work through to keep their work and lives in order. Completing a few maintenance tasks during your in-between time is a great way to end your day on a strong note. 3. Seeking new ideas, knowledge and inspiration from books is one of the most important actions for your daily routine. 4. 5. 6.

Lifehack. Friendship. What is friendship? Friendship is a bond created when you meet a stranger inside your radar. Your radar is defined as the scope in which you detect other strangers. The instant bond and vibe that is created is what causes friendship to be formed. It is the bond that is there to support you when you are sad and the bond that is there to share your happiness.

It is the bond that interlinks two different life together into one. These are the bonds that will make you chuckle like a kid whenever you think of your best friend. However, this friendship may be put to the mettle when certain circumstances occur. I was at a dining restaurant just a few weeks back.

His favorite food is fried chicken cutlet and he loved it. Here are a few of the many concepts I’ve learned during our long distance friendship. 1. When your schedules and timezone clash, it will be hard for you to spend time with your best friend. 2. All the memories you forged together will never be forgotten. 3. 4. 5. 6. Lifehack. The super-achievers amaze the normal people in every way possible.

They have the same 24 hours per day that an average Joe has, but they manage to use those hours much more effectively. Oftentimes, they not only thrive in one particular area but develop incredibly well in most of the fields. Be it mental and physical health, relationships and social life or business and career, these individuals manage them all in an exceptionally good way. Now, to avoid creating a picture of a perfect human in your mind, these people tend to fail as well. In reality, they fail a lot. So it is no surprise that these confident people have eight things they regularly do, which all have a tremendous impact on their productivity. 1.

Don’t get me wrong, they don’t complete a hardcore training session every single day. Whereas typical people tend take care of their physical health intermittently, high-achievers set it as one of their highest priorities. Let’s take Barack Obama as an example. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Lifehack. Your teens and 20s are like training wheels on an adult bike. However, once you hit 30, the training wheels are off. Hopefully, you’ll have fallen off and scratched your knees enough times to learn from your mistakes before 30, so your remaining life will be better. Most of you have had your hearts broken, made a few bad choices, and had your parents bail you out of financial bind (or two). Your 20s are a time to push boundaries, be a little irresponsible, and get to know yourself in the process. By the time your turn 30, you should know who you are and how far you’ve come. Practice these tips before you hit 30, and it will make the rest of your life somewhere you’ll definitely want to be. 1.

Your 20s are for making mistakes and learning from them. 2. All the greatest achievers of our time have failed, failed, and failed again. 3. Take care of yourself and be proud of who you are. 4. You can often forget how lucky you are when you’re constantly surrounded by comfort. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Lifehack. You know those times in life when you really want to make a big change, but you just can’t seem to stick to it?

You want to lose weight, but each time you think about exercising, you get distracted. You need to start studying, but you keep raiding the fridge instead. You can’t wait to go on your next holiday, but you keep spending your money on shoes, so there’s never enough to get your plane ticket. What is the evil little monster stopping you from reaching your goals? Well, you are. Here are 10 common lies your mind might be telling you. 1. This is probably the most common and most annoying lie we tell ourselves. 2. When we want to make a change, we start looking around at our options, and the other people who’ve already succeeded at it. 3.

Our minds, when trying to desperately hang on to comfort and safety, are very good at saying, “When I have this much money, I’ll change my diet,” or “When I move to a better location, I’ll start a new exercise program.” 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 13 Ways You May Be Accidentally Making Yourself Unhappy. Lifehack. The sound of my heels on the hard floor, I find myself on stage, my face hot and eyes slightly squinting from the bright golden lights.

I’m bowing before a standing ovation given to me by a much bigger room than I expected, full of admirers. The applause is overwhelming, and pride in my presentation bubbles up through my core. A wave of gratitude washes over me as I realize that my cheeks hurt from the work of smiling, then, suddenly, I am snapped back to my living room where I am writing an article on my Mac and the little cue card that pops up in the right upper corner notifies me of another reminder I had set weeks ago. So I collect my thoughts and continue my work. We are mostly aware of the proven benefits of taking vacations. We are repeatedly and painfully reminded that our obsession with keeping up with the Jones’ and impressing our bosses is taking its toll on our efficiency, creativity, performance, and even our health!

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Lifehack. How you start your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you want to be productive, feel fulfilled and accomplished without sacrificing your health (e.g. drinking five cups of coffee and skipping lunch to finish your project), you should include these six rituals into your morning routine. 1. Unplug your devices So many people sleep with their mobile phone next to their bed, and then the first thing they do when they wake up is grab their phone and check their email, Facebook and other social media apps. We’re so addicted to our mobile devices that, according to the Pew Research Center, 67% of cellphone owners check their phones, even when it isn’t buzzing. Not the best way to start your day indeed. What you need to do instead is unplug your devices and connect with your loved ones face-to-face first thing in the morning.

Make it a special time of the day to connect, even if for 10 to 15 minutes. 2. Green leafy vegetables are excellent for your health. 3. 4. 5. 6. Lifehack. Hi. My name is Daniel and I am a recovering Facebook addict. Whew, it felt good to admit that out in the open. With that confession out of the way, I’d like to help you understand why you are addicted to Facebook. I’ll even provide some easy steps that you can take today to break the habit and be more productive. The first step to breaking any bad habit is to understand the psychological triggers that made you pick up the habit in the first place. Below are five common ones that I know very well. 1. Facebook capitalizes on your tendency to procrastinate by incorporating a news feed with an infinite scroll. 2. Facebook resembles a boring reality TV show that is on full display during every hour of the day. 3. Facebook makes it easy to be a creeper. 4.

Facebook takes advantage of your desire for instant gratification. 5. Facebook wrecks your focus by preying on your fear of missing out. If you’re ready to break your addiction to Facebook, follow these five steps. 1. 2. What did I do? 3. 4. 12 Signs You're Doing Better Than You Think You Are. Sometimes in life, we become so focused on what we haven’t achieved that we lose sight of what we have. It’s easy to forget about all the progress we’ve made, and be discouraged by all the things in our lives that are going wrong or ‘missing’.

But maybe it’s time to start taking pride in our progress. Maybe it’s time that we recognize all the accomplishments we’ve made and the true significance of these accomplishments. That being said, here are 12 signs that you’re doing better than you think you are. 1. You know what you don’t want. We spend so much of our lives searching for what we truly want. But we don’t have to base our lives on other people’s schedules. It’s okay to discover what you want through finding out what you don’t. 2. We’ve all experienced some form of pain in our lives. We can’t erase those horrible experiences, but we can choose to move forward from them. You understand that you can’t change the past but you can change what happens from now on. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 89 Incredibly Simple Swaps That Could Change Your Life | Greatist. Whole grains for white, quality for quantity, Wii Fit for Mario Kart—just one smart swap can pave the way to a healthier and happier life.

We decided to go all out and provide 89 “this for that’s,” so there are no excuses when it comes to making healthier choices! Fitness 1. Planks for Crunches OK have we said this enough? Crunches may not be the secret to six-pack abs. 2. Congrats on that 26.2-mile marathon. 3. In a perfect, outdoor world, flat roads rarely exist. 4. Trash that Cosmo-reading elliptical routine and surprise the body with a fun, calorie-burning cardio session. 5. Stretching out cold muscles could lead to injury. 6. We know that barbell looks tempting. 7. How often does someone complain about having to sit in a cubicle all day? 8. Okay, we get it. 9. Falling asleep at the wheel? 10. Skip the big machines (they’re sweaty anyway) and go for the little guys—free weights are more versatile and allow for a full range of motion in the joints. 11.

Isolating muscles is so 2012. 12. Lifehack. Lifehack. 15-productivity-hacks-for-procrastinators-2. 8-changes-make-you-really-want-successful. 10-common-behaviors-which-scare-people-away. 20-secrets-genuinely-happy-people-never-told-you. 60 Small Ways to Improve Your Life in the Next 100 Days. The Higher Learning. 77 Creative Ways to Lighten Up In Tough Times. F. Scott Fitzgerald. An old Cherokee told his grandson:

Neil Degrasse Tyson. 20 Things Smart People Don't Do. 13 Ways Successful People Deal With Toxic Persons. 13-ways-emotionally-intelligent-people-deal-with-difficult-people. 40-little-things-daily-life-that-bring-true-happiness. 8-lists-keep-you-want-successful. Top 15 Smart Psychology Hacks | Life Hacks. 11 Goal Hacks: How to Achieve Anything. How Mindfulness Helps You See What's Missing (And Why You'd Want To) 100 Days Project. MeditationBrainwaves.com - change your life with binaural beats. Voluntary_simplicity.pdf. 6 Things You Can Do When You Lack Discipline. 25 Psychological Life Hacks. 15 Ways to Be Irresistibly Attractive.

How to Rewire Your Brain to Be More Kind Toward Others. 10 Inexpensive Hobbies. 50 Quick & Easy Ways to Save Money. 20 Daily habits Of Highly Organized People. 13 Ways Successful People Deal With Toxic People. 10 Things Productive People Do Before Bed. Discover A Hobby - Ultimate Directory for Finding and Learning New Hobbies!! Discover A Hobby - Ultimate Directory for Finding and Learning New Hobbies!! 20 Mini Money Hacks To Save You A Lot. How It Works - Digit. NARAL Pro-Choice America. Reynolds Community College.