Grandma Knows Best (Productivity Tips That Stand The Test of Time)

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grandma-3Coastal grandma style is trending this summer. But there’s more that grandmas can teach you besides how to dress. Whether your grandma was an expert coupon-er or kept all her coupons in a repurposed can, you can learn a lot from their ability to save money (and time).

Here are few ways being more like your grandma could help you save time and money:

Check Email in Batches: My husband’s grandmother only checks her email a few times a week. She doesn’t do it in between other activities, but sees it as a daily task, much like reading the mail. Grandparents I know also tend to respond to each email right away rather than saving it for later. The younger generation tends check emails constantly, often as a way of procrastination. Checking your email once a day like your grandma allows you to be more focused on your other tasks. Read more

Turn on the TV to Get More Done

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redWatching too much television can be bad for your productivity. I’ve come up with a few ways to avoid the black hole of Netflix, but I’ve been caught out a few times. Let’s face it we’ve all had that moment where you’ve sat down to watch one episode, and before you know it hours have past and you still haven’t started that thing you where going to do. It’s normal to feel guilty about your binge, but seeing as you’ve used companies similar to Crestron UK to install a home automation system, which has improved the sound quality of audio on your TV, what is there to feel guilty about? You don’t have to anymore, especially if you’re enjoying your favorite shows.

Think of your time spent watching as ‘research’ – there are plenty of productive characters on television, and you can easily pick up a few tips.

Here are a few from some of my favorite shows:

Keep your eye out for new opportunities – When your incarcerated in a women’s penitentiary you always have to be on toes. Red from Orange is the New Black may run the prison, but that doesn’t stop her from always being on the lookout. Whether is a new inmate she can exploit or a run down greenhouse she can fix up – Red takes advantage of everything.

Real Life Use: When you think you’ve run out of options, look around you and you might find some opportunities that you’ve overlooked. Read more

How to Have a Four Day Work Week

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Business Man With Nowhere To Go

(Photo credit: FábioMakesMistakes)

We’ve all been told that working harder is the obvious path to earning more. However a recent survey found that most millionaires believe that the four day work week is a ‘valid idea’.  Who wouldn’t want Fridays off? I know I’d love that.  But the key to securing your own four day week is not to endlessly pester your boss, but to get more done during those other four days.

Here are five tips to help you get all your work done by Friday.

1.  Schedule important tasks earlier in the week

As tempting as it is to ease yourself into the week, getting your critical tasks out of the way early will save you time. This way you’re not cramming everything in at the last minute and you have time to follow up on tasks if need be.  Plus once you get through the really tough stuff you’ll feel motivated to get more done. Read more

It’s Malala Day – Help Change The World

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Malala Yousafzai speaks at World Bank headquar...

Malala Yousafzai speaks at World Bank headquarters on the International Day of the Girl (Photo credit: World Bank Photo Collection)

When I was younger I loved going to school and my passion for learning has never really left me. I’m always looking for new opportunities to find out more about a subject or research a new trend.  Whenever I fill in Buzzfeed quizzes, I always end up with the bookworm or nerd personality type.  I like to think of myself as curious but even still I’m a big fan of education, especially education for women.

Who is Malala? 

Today I would to share with you the story of Malala Yousafzai. Like me, she is a girl who loves going to school and learning. Unfortunately, some people around her did not want her to learn. They feared education would give her power. Those people had a meeting and decided to assassinate her in Pakistan, where she lived. On October 9, 2012, they walked onto her school bus, asked for her by name and shot her in the head.  The bullet hit her forehead and ran down the length of her face but did not kill her.  She is lucky to be alive.   Read more

Checklist for Bringing the Suburbs to the City

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Dalas skyline and suburbs

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I grew up in the suburbs so moving to the city was a bit of a culture shock for me. It’s always a bit of worry when you’re moving to a completely different town or city. You have no idea what to expect.

Grow your own vegetables – My dad has a garden that is his pride and joy in the summer time. He grows tomatoes, kale, basil, peppers, zucchini and lots of other veggies. So going outside to grab an eggplant or a squash was super easy growing up. But now in the city it’s a bit more challenging to grow a garden.

Host a garden party on your fire escape – Okay, so it won’t be your typical garden party with gazebos and fancy hats – but it is possible to bring a relaxed, outdoor vibe to a fire escape or roof deck near you.

Sign up for a farm share – To get that home grown feel in the city, why not join a CSA. Farm shares work with family farms to deliver organic and naturally-grown produce from a small local farm directly to your door. The shares allow you to become a “member” of the farm for a season. It’s great because as the harvest changes you get to discover plenty of new tastes and foods.

Watch an outdoor movie – You can’t get much more suburban the laying in the grass, stargazing and watching a movie with friends. Now you can experience this in the city too. Bryant Park runs a summer film festival every year showing all of your favorite classics.

How do you bring the suburbs into your life?