December 21, 2008
Some people tell me they don’t have time for (creating) a system. They need to change right now, but have no time for change. So, they keep running things like before. And guess what? Yes, they actually get similar results! On top of that, they keep on complaining, because nothing ever changes and they keep on going nowhere.
Another thing they believe is that if they spend time setting up and maintaining a todo-list and doing regular (weekly?) reviews, they’ll never get anything done.
Of course, most systems take some time to get set up, but once you start using your system, the time you use in “maintenance” is more than compensating for the time you save not having to think about what to do (next)– or making up for the things you didn’t remember to do. So, you see, having a system creates extra time!
I know, improving your system will save you more time, so you have to invest in making things better…every time! This will cost you more time in the beginning, but it will save you more and more. Now, if someone shows you a shortcut on how to get things done in a smarter, more efficient way, you are actually improving a lot.
Then the choice is yours what you would do with the extra time you have saved. You could invest it in saving more time in other areas of your life, or you could have more fun with friends and family or you could spend it with doing nothing and not using the shortcut at all. This way you can continue to complain and demotivate others But that’s not who we are, right? 
So, what would you do? And what does your system looks like?
Read this article, if you want to read more on productivity myths.
Enjoy every day,
Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker
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October 25, 2008
Looking for ways to save money? Are you also spending more than you receive? Interested in shortcuts to reduce the spending, without lowering the quality of goods or services?
Then these simple lifehacks are suitable for you!
- Don’t spend more money than you have! Most people spend 104% of their income…Keep a diary and ask yourself if you really need everything you are about to buy!
- Telecom : switch regularly or renegotiate with your current (mobile, internet) operator. There are always deals around the corner!Don’t agree on longterm contracts (1 or 2 years is enough!). And of course, use Skype with your friends : it’s FREE!
- Food : look for last-minute discounts for food you want to eat tonight. Mondays are the best for these kind of deals in the local supermarkets…
- Unsubscribe : if you don’t go to the gym 3 times every week, unsubscribe, it’s not worth your money or do it yourself at home! Also unsubscribe from magazines, newspapers, etc. if you don’t read them (enough).
- Travel : if you book your trips yourself : use search engines, rss and bookmarks to find the cheapest tickets. Also booking months in advance is often cheaper!
- Drink more water! Instead of drinking coffee or coke, drink a glass of water! You save more and it’s often healthier too
- Bring your own lunch: instead of buying a sandwich at work or eating at a nearby restaurant, bring your own lunch from home. Just add up last months expenses to know how much you’ll save every month!
- Go to the library or borrow a book from a friend. Do you really have to own every book? Ebooks are often cheaper as well!
- Make a wishlist (online) and share it with your friends, so instead of giving you flowers or a bottle of wine when they visit you, they might bring items from your wishlist…
- Turn off! If you are not there, switch off the lights, the screen, the heating, etc.
If you apply these tricks, you can go on an extra citytrip or holiday by the savings you’ve made
Any trics you apply for saving money? I invite you to share them…
Enjoy every day,
Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker
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