On Simplicity

“If only…” may be the two cruelest words in the English language. Many of us (especially myself) will throw out “if only” as the reason why we don’t get to do everything we’d like. But the truth is that, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably got a wide array of options and opportunities available to you on some level. At some point is becomes important to realize that it’s not the five extra minutes we’re missing that is holding us back.

We have a lifetime available to us. How can we not accomplish our dreams?

In other words, what could you do if you truly freed yourself from doubts, from limitations, and from negativity. What could you do?

Accept that you have options. To start living the life you really want, the first step is to accept that you have power. Your power may be limited, but you have choices. They’re not the same choices Warren Buffett or Oprah has, but they’re there. To deny them is to throw sand into the sky and expect a rainbow. Own up to the responsibility that goes along with them and make the best of it.

Figure out what you want. Unless you’re extremely lucky—and some folks are—you won’t get to your dream life if you don’t even know what it is. Or worse yet, you may be living your ideal life and not even realize it. Figure out what you want. You may be wrong, you may change your mind later, but you’ll never get there if you don’t know where “there” is.

Scare the hell out of yourself. You don’t have to quit your job and sing for pennies. You don’t have to leave your family to sail across a faraway ocean. But you do need to push your boundaries. You’ll find your limits, trust me. But before you do, you’ll have found new depths of inner strength and greater skills and capabilities than you knew you had. You don’t have to lay everything on the line to scare the hell out of yourself, you just have to be willing to put your ego on the line.

Shake failure’s hand. Get over your past failures; they’re done. They don’t define your limitations anymore. You may be smarter, or stronger, or simply more charming than you were then. The bottom line is that your old failures simply aren’t applicable anymore. Stop hanging on them. Go find new failures that are applicable, and learn from them.

Learn to distinguish between thought and action. Both thought and action are vital, but you can’t focus on one and ignore the other. Each action deserves analysis, and every analysis deserves a follow-up action. Break that chain and that’s when the problems start. Thought and action: separate them in your head, and plug away at both equally.

So let’s hear it–what would you accomplish if you were freed from all restraints? What are some of the ways you break through the barriers in your life? Leap into the comments and share your story!

photo credit: bandita

**A quick note: I’ve got a project with a looming deadline and a family wedding this week, so while items will still be posting, I’ll be moderating a lot less frequently for the week. I look forward to reading what everyone has to stay when things calm down. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful week!

photo credit: Vox Efx

So there was this girl. She enjoyed writing, and was having moderate to middling success at it. Some days were long. Some were hard. Sometimes she felt simply tapped. But she kept writing with no changes for one reason, and one reason alone: she had the next step laid out for her.

So what’s the easy trick to staying motivated?

Schedule yourself in advance.

Here’s why: it’s too easy to let emotions dictate whether we continue to work on our dreams. When you have a bad day, it’s natural to want to take a break. But a break becomes a rest, a rest becomes a hiatus, and that becomes, well… the black hole of doom. Before you know it, you’re sucking your Doritos-dyed thumb, zombified out in front of Saved by the Bell reruns (or Walker, Texas Ranger—your call).

Create the Next Step When Times Are Good

But when you’ve got a schedule (a loose one, please), you’ve got the next step ready for you. You’re short-circuiting the existential crisis and just moving on. If that next step was good enough for you a week ago, it should be good enough now, even when bad fortune shines on you.

It’s the everdayness of our lives, the daily minutiae that often gets us through the really hard times—the loss of family, illnesses, joblessness. So let that same principle work for you on a micro level by creating some structured everydayness with your projects.

So you had a bad day. It happens. Check your calendar and look ahead to tomorrow. As Scarlett O’Hara, my favorite procrastinor, would say, “Tomorrow is another day.”

photo credit: cursedthing

Okay, I know your first question: why would you want to do less? I’ll give you a few reasons:

• Less stress
• More time for fun
• Doing things better

Convinced? Alright then, let’s identify one of the biggest culprits: your to-do list. If your to-do list has become a repository of things you wish you would do, then that’s putting extra pressure on you. You wouldn’t be alone if you found yourself rundown and tired from constantly doing things, but feeling like a bum because you never get to the bottom of your list.

If you’re ready to do less and enjoy more, it’s probably time to declutter your to-do list. The following ideas have worked for me:

1. Cross off any big items that you wish you were going to do, but aren’t actively planning on doing anytime soon. This includes things like, “paint the house” or “finish writing novel.” If you really want to get it done, keep the first step on the list (”pick up paint swatches” or “outline chapter three”).
2. Cross off any items you feel like you should do, but don’t actually care about. For instance, items like “Organize photos in albums” will only make you feel guilty and unproductive. Of course, this doesn’t mean you get to nix stuff you need to do, but just don’t want to–like “Schedule doctor’s appointment,” or, “Breast self-exam.”
3. Limit your list the number of things you can realistically do in a day or two. Just because you include 20 items, that doesn’t mean you have time in your day to complete them. In the end, you’ll just feel busy and overworked.

That’s it! I know it’s not a long list, but these three steps can take you a long way toward a simplified to-do list. If you’ve got any other tips, please share them in the comments! Let me know what works for you–or what hasn’t, and I’ll put together a follow-up for a few weeks from now.

*Note: If you already use an RSS reader on a regular basis, you can probably skip this piece. However, if you’ve got any tips on using RSS readers, please jump into the comments and add them. I’ll use them to put together a post for next week!

photo credit: Chesi - Fotos CC

I mention RSS readers quite a bit here. They’re where I check out my favorite authors and find inspiration. But not everyone is a fan of RSS readers, perhaps because they simply don’t know about these free tools that can simplify daily reading.

Pretty much every explanation of RSS starts with the phrase, “RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication.” This doesn’t actually help you understand the topic any better; in fact, it makes it more confusing. So don’t worry what RSS stands for, just remember the acronym.

Imagine a custom-made newspaper that let you select your favorite columnists and journalists. Every time you read it, it would feature any new articles that your favorite writers had published. You’d have to put in the inital work of choosing a pool of writers you liked, but after that, all you’d have to do was open this special paper and read only the information you wanted. That’s essentially what RSS does for you.

The Benefits of RSS

1. You don’t have to remember web addresses. Is it ZenHabits.com or ZenHabits.net? Is it LiveSimple or LivSimpl? Once you’re using RSS to catch up on your favorite blogs, you never have to remember their actual web addresses ever again. That means no “.com” vs. “.org” vs. “.net.” It also means that all isn’t lost when you can’t remember the name of a blog.
2. You can bookmark your favorite blogs or just keep tabs on interesting ones. Did you just find a blog that looked cool the other day? Add their feed to your reader and you’ll get a copy each time they publish new articles. That way, you can figure out if you like that blog without visiting every single day.
3. You don’t have to check back for updates. Not sure if The Simple Dollar has published the afternoon post yet? You could check back five times, or you could add the feed to your reader and have the post delivered as soon as it’s published.
4. You can scan through dozens of headlines quickly. Instead of visiting the blog, reading the current headline, and deciding whether it interests you before moving on, you can just scroll through everyone’s headlines at once.

Ready to try it? First, you’ve got to choose a reader.

Choosing a Reader

RSS readers are free and usually just require that you set up an account. It’s not very different from setting up an email account. You choose the website you want to use, you create the account (usually just basic info and a password), and you visit that website and log in whenever you want to see the latest headlines. It looks something like this:

photo credit: karindalziel

Lots of different websites offer readers you can use. I use Google Reader, but you can also try Bloglines, My Yahoo, Rojo, or any number of free services.

Add Blogs to Your Feed

When you first log into your reader, you won’t find any headlines. That’s because you haven’t subscribed to any feeds yet. A blog feed is just the stream of the latest posts. Subscribing to a blog’s feed is the same thing as subscribing to a blog.

You can either find your favorite feeds manually by typing them in (there’s going to be a search box for adding feeds somewhere on the reader’s page), or you can add them when you visit each site. Most blogs will have an RSS logo somewhere on the site. The logo will usually look something like this:

If you click it, it will usually ask which RSS reader you want to use. Find the reader you’re signed up with and click it (since I use Google Reader, I would click the Google button). Depending on the reader service you’re using, there may be a couple of other questions; click on the options that say “Add to Reader” or anything similar to that. Then, you’ll usually be taken to your reader (if you’ve already logged in at an earlier point), where you can see the latest headlines of the blog you just added.

As you scroll through the new articles in your reader, they’ll look pretty much the same as they do on the regular website. All the content and pictures should be there. You just won’t see the website’s regular header and sidebar information. Basically, everything that’s not the article gets chopped away by your reader.

You can unsubscribe to any blogs at any time, so don’t worry too much about hitting that “Subscribe” button. It’s not a lifelong commitment.

Not Interested? You Can Still Take Advantage of Subscriptions

If you’re not ready to use RSS readers or you simply don’t follow enough blogs to make it necessary, you can still get all the advantages by using email subscriptions. Many blogs will have an email subscription option next to the RSS subscription button. If you provide your email address, you’ll receive an email that contains all the new blog posts from each blog you subscribe to.

If you haven’t been subscribing to your favorite blogs, I highly recommend it. It’s a great way to keep tabs on what’s new without committing a ton of time. Plus, it’s just easier once you get the intial hang of it, which doesn’t take long. And hey, if you’re ready to give it a try, you can always subscribe to my feed and see if you like the process.

photo credit: Shereen M

It’s happened to many employees (some of us year after year): performance review panic. While you may be confident for eleven months out of the year, as the time for a 360-degree review rolls around, even the most hardworking souls can get a little nervous–I know that’s certainly been true for me. To make sure that your contributions are highlighted, keep this simple exercise in mind.

Create a running list of all your important projects and accomplishments as you work on them. Often, some of your most challenging and helpful suggestions and initiatives are forgotten by the time your review comes–both by yourself and others. By tracking these projects as you complete them, you can be sure that you’re recognized for what you’ve achieved.

Here’s how to start: create a document (a simple Word doc is fine, but a spreadsheet can be helpful as well) and save it in a convenient place. Each time you find yourself working on something that’s a helpful contribution or is truly showcasing your skills, take a few minutes to note the details. Include any hard data you can get your hands on as well.

How to Organize Your List of Achievements

1. List the project’s title, or simply a name that you can remember. If you’ll have no idea what “Surplus Codes Tracking Initiative” will mean in six months, by all means, list “Organizing Extra Codes into a Database.” Of course, note the title the company has given the project, too, and be sure that this is the title you reference in your performance review or appraisal.
2. List the main duties that you’re responsible for. These may range from “Analyzed data” and “Crosschecked figures for accuracy” to “Prepared multimedia presentation” or “Created the press release.” Also list the people you worked with, and a few quick impressions of their work on the project, such as, “Lisa: timely responses kept the data gathering process on track,” or “Mark: clear communication skills ensured the guidelines were implemented effectively by multiple teams.” This way, you’ll present a professional front with provide concise, meaningful feedback on all aspects of the task.
3. Record the time spent on this project and list the positive outcomes. Were you able to save the company money? Did student achievement levels rise in a measurable way? Was the customer service process streamlined? Whatever the beneficial outcomes were, list them and include links to any documentation or presentations. Calculate any increases in terms of percentages with the hard data you gathered.

With a system in place (this one or one of your own), you can be calm and focused when it’s time for on-the-job performance appraisals. Instead of being nervous and freaked out, you can review your file for a quick refresher on the previous year and know that your contributions and highlights will be recognized.

photo credit: wadem

As much as I love simplicity, I’ve got a big confession: blogging about it has made my life a lot more complicated. How’s that for irony?

As much as I love it, the art of blogging does take up a significant amount of time and energy. From writing and editing to participating in the blogging community, I find myself with more choices and less time.

In the interests of everyone who’d like to add a little simplicity to their blogging lives, here are my techniques for keeping my blog life simple:

1. Have backup posts. (Or at least lots of backup ideas to get you started.) Working on a deadline isn’t simple. Frankly, it pretty much sucks. Having a few backup posts can keep you relaxed, even if you choose not to use them.

2. Take a day off now and then. I’m still playing around with my posting frequency a bit. When I’ve taken a day off, readers are yet to be astonished or dismayed. As I wrote in the On Simplicity Pledge, I’d rather post nothing than something vacuous.

3. Future post your entries a couple days ahead of time. It rules. I write when I want and set each post to publish at the appropriate time. It’s easy to check how far out you’re scheduled and know when it’s time to get cracking on your next post.

4. Apply categories to your RSS reader. Going through my reader used to be uber time-consuming and, let’s face it, never-ending. Then, I created a “Must Read” folder of about 20 blogs. Now, I take about 30 to 60 minutes to go through the feeds that are consistently interesting and valuable. All blogs in my reader are categorized by subject, so I find something I’m in the mood for pretty easily. I know that as long I’m through the Must-Reads, I’m fully caught up, and this has freed my time up greatly.

5. Write when you’re inspired. It’s a million times easier than trying to crank stuff out the hard way. Plus, it’s way faster in my experience.

6. Invest in grammar. Knowing proper grammar (or at least, accepted grammar) inside and out makes the editing process smooth and speedy. You’ll still have occasional errors slip through, but your editing time can be spent on making your post awesome instead of just not wrong. I use Grammar Girl for sorting out editing questions.

7. Know when to stop. I’m not perfect at this—at all. But if you’re struggling to find that elusive tenth reason for a top ten post, stop and ask yourself if you were done at eight.

8. Try Aaron Robbins’ Post Idea plug-in. You have to click “yes” about three times to get to the “Write” screen, but it sure as heck beats having 20 slips of paper with half-baked ideas floating around.

Please respond with your tips and ideas that make blogging simpler and easier for you. I’m really excited to find some ideas I can co-opt! (Imagine me rubbing my hands together and laughing maniacly…)

photo credit: greencandy8888

Perfectionism is like an unreliable friend. Sometimes this friend gets us in with the right crowd to all the right places. At other times, perfectionism makes us feel lonely and tired, like we’re not good enough. Some people even have abusive relationships with perfectionism. When too much time spent with this demanding friend has you feeling crazy, turn to a different pal: persistence.

Perfectionism is almost impossible maintain. It takes a ton of time and energy to even attempt to be perfect. And if you’re anything like me, even the most sincere attempts to be perfect ending up falling quite short of that mark. This means that you have two options when you shoot for a perfect 10: complete success or total failure. There’s no room for gray, which is where most of life actually exists.

Take blogging as an example. Some posts might actually be perfect. Others are bound to have the occasional typo. Others are simply not as well received as you might have hoped or planned. If you only count perfection as a success, then most of your efforts are doomed to failure. Does that mean that you should never try?

Defining Success in Shades of Gray

I’d answer that with an affirmative “no.” Instead of aiming for perfection, focus on persistence. Persistence is about continuing to try your best even when perfection is not an option. It means letting go of trying to live up to external standards and embracing your own. Persistence is where real growth and learning occurs.

I would also argue that persistence is one of the key ways you earn respect. After all, even absolute perfection can be a fluke accident, but persistence takes guts, patience, and a willingness to learn. The next time you’re troubled by your lack of perfection, look deeper inside and realize that there’s a stronger force you can call to your aid: the quiet power of persistence.

Telecommuting sounds like a dream come true. Work from home, spend all day in your pajamas snarfing down Chee-tos, and never have to deal with the boss in person. And it can be all those things, but it can also be a bit of a nightmare if you do everything wrong. Imagine your work life bleeding uncomfortably into your personal life and having to force yourself to focus.

That’s what I found happening to me when I landed a telecommuting position out of college. Instead of having more free time, I found myself with none. Instead of being able to focus without a lot of inter-office distractions, I found myself having an even worse time staying on task. The lowest point was when I realized I spent all my free time thinking about work (and trying to avoid it), and all my work time trying to think of stuff to do in my free time. In short, it just wasn’t working, so I forced myself to make some major changes. So, learn from my mistakes and actually enjoy telecommuting. Here’s what not to do:

Work at random times each day.

Not only does this lead to a chaotic life, it also encourages procrastination. Plus, for insomniacs (like myself back then), procrastination and flexible hours lead to the deadly result of working at 4 A.M. Not very fun. For a better work-life balance, set a regular schedule and stick to it. You’ll be forced to stay on task to get done at the scheduled time each day. Soon, you’ll hate it when you get off schedule and get stuck working late. While it’s okay to take advantage of flexible hours every once in awhile (you can grab lunch with a busy friend or end your day early to get on the road for a long weekend), stick to a schedule on the majority of days.

Don’t create a work station.

Since you’re not in an office, you may as well make yourself comfortable and do your job on the couch. Heck, why not work from bed? Yes, you can do it, but should you? If you enjoy being unprofessional, non-ergonomic, and slightly schizophrenic, by all means do. If you’d prefer to feel on-the-ball, refreshed, and productive, create a place that’s devoted to work and work alone. Keep important files and papers close by, remove any obvious distractions (like TV and the latest Janet Evanovich novel), and invest in ergonomic furniture and computer accessories. Plus, when you’re done, you’ll be able to close the door and leave work at “the office.”

Avoid breaks at all costs.

It can be tempting to blow through the day without breaks and get done faster, but there’s a huge cost. You’ll be fatigued by the end of the day and your performance levels will drop–leading to mistakes and less-than-stellar performances. Plus, it’s the road straight to burnout. Breaks give your brain a rest and lower your stress level. Plus, breaks at home are a great way to get stuff taken care of without cutting into your free time. Call your best friend, jog to the mailbox, marinate the chicken for dinner, or just turn up the music and dance! Breaks can be the best part of your day, so be sure to take them. Set a timer, and be ready to get back to work–fully refreshed–once it’s done.

Pretend your co-workers don’t exist.

Your fellow employees–and especially other telecommuters in your company–are a great resource, so get to know them. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away, and it doesn’t give you any allies. Not only are coworkers a great source of companionship, they’re the ones you’ll rely on when things get rough or you’re on a tight deadline and need a hand. If you pretend they aren’t important, don’t be surprised when they return the favor.

Embrace distractions.

Hey, no one’s going to complain if you listen to Barry White on work time, so why not blast it? Dr. Phil in the background isn’t reallly distracting you, so why turn it off? You wouldn’t want your blood sugar to drop, so you should probably stop and get a snack every 20 minutes, right? No! There’s a reason these things aren’t acceptable in an office, and they shouldn’t be acceptable in your home office, either. Keep the distractions to a minimum (think quiet classical music and a cup of tea) and keep your productivity levels up.

The Bottom Line: You’re Still on the Job

In short, telecommuting is still a job, so treat it as such. You can still take advantage of the benefits of working from home (like hanging out in your favorite flannels and having a hot cooked lunch each day) without turning your home into a three ring circus. You’ll find that your free time is more enjoyable–and so is your work time!

photo credit: Darren Hester

Inspiration can’t be scheduled, as anyone who’s ever had come up with an on-the-spot presentation knows. In fact, the best inspiration seems to come at the worst times, whether it’s the awesome new blog topic that pops up in spin class or the new management technique that comes to you while you’re knee-deep in paying bills. One of the worst things you can do is stifle that creativity and attempt to schedule it into neat half-hour blocks. Just as bad is letting your creative juices flow and letting your other daily tasks fall by the wayside. (Eventually, they always catch up to you!) The real answer is to learn to work when you’re inspired without neglecting the rest of your life. Fortunately, there are a few simple organizational steps you can take to help you make the most of your creative energy when the urge strikes.

1. Get down as many concrete details as possible–in writing. Ideas are never so beautiful as when they’re fresh. Don’t let that great idea, slogan, or project get lost in the daily shuffle! When inspiration strikes, pull out pen and paper or open a fresh document on your computer and get your thoughts down right away. From the smallest details to any overarching strategies that come to mind, flesh out your idea as much as possible NOW. If you wait until later, many of the smaller details–as well as your immediate passion–might fade.

Hint: Carry around a notepad or a personal recording device to help you get your ideas recorded as soon as they’re hot, rather than when they’re lukewarm.

2. Split your to-do list in two. Make one column full of “Gotta Do Today” items and populate the other side with tasks that are important but not urgent. When inspiration strikes, you’ll know exactly what tasks can safely be delayed. When your creative burst is spent, use the rest of your time to make sure that the items on the “Today” side are completed. This method helps you work spontaneously and guilt-free, and you’ll never get behind on regularly scheduled tasks either.

Hint: Create a new list for each day or week. Taking five minutes to start your day or week with clear priorities will make you more focused and keep your list up-to-date.

3. Learn to brainstorm effectively. A lot of creative thoughts are wasted because the kernel of an incredible idea gets lost in the details. After all, what may seem clear in the moment might appear to be simple ranting a few weeks later. Avoid this pitfall by taking notes with categories, headlines, or bulleted lists. Instead of writing, “Article on dog food, talk to Sue, library, coat health, teeth problems, new research, depend on breed?” your list might read: “Idea: article on quality of dog food. Topics: Coat health, teeth problems. Potential sources: Sue, library. Questions: Do different dog breeds digest food or nutrients in different ways? Action point: Look for new research on the topic to provide a timely angle.” An effective brainstorm takes virtually no more time or energy, and makes it easier to dive into your project quickly when you’re ready to pursue it further.

4. Create tangible measures and deliverables for your ideas. There’s no point in generating brilliant ideas or innovations if they’re going to end up in a generic “Ideas” folder that never sees the light of day. Make yourself accountable to your inspirations by choosing a few key deliverables or follow-up points. These can range from finding a market for your idea to researching a question that came up during the thought process. Whether you add these deliverables to your online calendar or put them on index cards with a due date, give your ideas a fighting chance by breaking them into specific actions.

5. Give yourself fair market value for time spent on future-oriented projects. The benefit of working when inspiration strikes is that your best work often comes out of these sessions. Whether you’re an accountant or a marketer, working on a task that you’re excited about often gives you the highest rates of productivity and success. So if you’ve been inspired and spend a few hours creating the flyer for next season’s event, reward yourself with a break. The hours you just put in are a fair exchange for the hours you would have put into the project later, so don’t feel like you have to knock out every goal you came in with earlier. Let your time be flexible and you’ll find that you spend most hours working on projects you love.

I’m all about simplicity and constantly look for shortcuts. However, I’m also a big proponent of making your own things, from cooking to sewing. Do these two values contradict each other? Isn’t is simpler just to buy something instead of making it? I don’t think so, and I’ve got a few reasons why.

When I buy something, I have to settle for what’s available. Whatever the best option at the store is, that’s what I’m stuck with. But when I make something, I can customize it to my exact specifications. This means I get everything I want, and nothing I don’t. This is true of both cooking, sewing, and making furniture or even cards and journals. I could order a fancy dish at a restaurant, but the truth is that I’d probably rather leave half the ingredients out. I could go buy a new dress at the store, but I’d rather make one in the exact style and color I want.

Once you’ve got skills, everything’s easy. Most things are only hard the first few times you try them. After that, the learning curve levels off. Then, you can take those skills and transfer them to new areas. Consider trimming your hair. Sure, the first couple of times it would be easier to just go to a professional and have it trimmed. But after a few times, it’s not hard at all. Now you’re heading to the salon half as often, you have more free time (it only takes a few minutes at home vs. an hour to drive there and back from your stylist), and you’re cutting your partner’s hair, too.

There’s no crunch in crunch time. So you need a card/gift/potluck dish/hem fixed and you don’t have time to get to the store. No worries, because you already know how to do that at home. Some potential mega-stress has become no big deal because you’ve stopped relying on outside sources.

Going to the store isn’t all that easy anyway. Shopping is no picnic. There’s a whole lot of research, driving around, trekking the mall, and endless searching that goes into shopping. All that, with no guarantee I’ll find what I’m looking for? No, thanks. I’ll just get to work on my own solution and be done by the time I would’ve been just hitting the parking lot.

The next time you’re ready to buy something that you could easily make or do yourself, be realistic. Will it really be easier to buy? Or does it just seem easier?

What do you do to skip the store? Any recommendations for things we could do ourselves just as easily as buying them?