Techie Organization 101: Improving Life Through Better Planning

As with many who have grown up with the so-called lifehack / web2.0 generation, I am partial to articles and applications designed to organize and plan one’s life. I find that in a world which is becoming increasingly global in which our days are filled with hundreds of tasks rather than just tens, taking time out of one’s day to organize things can often be the best way to actually get more free time. I think people’s hesitancy to take time out of each day to plan and reflect is a feeling that time not spent actively pursuing a goal is not time well wasted. I can say definitively, however, that that is not the case.

Recently I’ve come across two very different, but nonetheless equally useful articles, which provide some help achieving both goals. The first is a piece by the folks at Spine-Health.com which discusses in great detail the benefits of napping. Managing both client work and what is quickly becoming a virtual empire of my own blogs, has me often under the gun to meet tight deadlines. While I admit to occasionally attempting to push straight through with the tasks, I have found on repeated occasions that taking time for a “power nap” mixed with some meditation and exercise actually makes workflow faster and more enjoyable. For those of you who come from the school of ‘napping is dead time,’ I suggest that you give the article a read, as there is some strong science behind napping. The only caveat I would add, however, is that in my experience napping should be only one of multiple methods of productivity and stress management employed.

Now, I’ve promised you two LifeHack worthy pieces, and so I won’t disappoint. The second is a piece on money and debt management, the leading cause of stress in most people’s lives. Just as I try to do with my own writing, I appreciate a piece that provides readers with easy-to-implement practical steps to achieve its stated purpose, and this article doesn’t disappoint by providing 101, of them. For those of you who are committed to incorporating a mental shift in the way you approach your finances instead of just looking for the quick-fix, this article provides the framework to make a good start.