Instant Gratification Apps

shake shackWe live in a society where quicker is better and right now is best. With the popularity of services like Amazon, Netflix and iTunes, having things brought to us in a snap is becoming more and more common. To satisfy our need for “instant gratification” there are some apps that will bring you what you want, when you want it! Most are start ups, and designed for people who work long hours and don’t have the time or energy to check things off their to-do lists themselves.

I’m a big fan of outsourcing and here are some of my favorite apps for this:

wun wunWun Wun – This app allows you to place an order from restaurants, groceries, and liquor stores and they will deliver it to you in under an hour for free. I recently used it when I was craving some Shake Shack, but I didn’t want to have to trek the 22 blocks to get it. I timed it and the delivery guy arrived in 50 minutes, and the food was great. The other delivery services in NYC like Seamless and Delivery.com don’t service this restaurant, so it was the perfect solution for my burger craving. Just a heads up – their messengers’ work for tips. So be generous with your tipping.

Available in – New York and the Hamptons.

UPDATE: This app has changed — full details here. Read more

Win Free Stuff for Sharing Your Bucket List

Paula_MiamiThis past week I went on vacation to Miami for my birthday. I had a fantastic time relaxing by the beach and eating lots of delicious food. Even though this wasn’t an especially exotic vacation, it got me thinking about my bucket list and all the amazing places I’d love to visit and things I want to do before I “kick the bucket.” The thing about having a bucket list is that it is personal to you, so you’ll never feel like your list isn’t as good as someone else or the other way around.

My Bucket List

Thinking about the goals you would like to achieve is a great way to get started planning your future…especially after having another birthday! If you’ve always wanted to trek along the Inca Trail – why not research what time of year is best to go and what you’ll need to bring?

Here are a few things I’ve got on my own bucket list:

  • Visit San Francisco
  • Live in Paris
  • Hold a koala bear Read more

Limit Your Options And Get More Done

29/52 choice paralysis

(Photo credit: maclauren70)

We often think that the more choices we have the better. That’s the whole idea behind bigger supermarkets and larger malls – more choices. But is that really what’s best for us?

For example, if you’re a bridesmaid picking your dress can be a fairly daunting task, especially if the bride has told you to wear whatever you like. You know very well that she’d be unhappy if you really did wear whatever you like so you second guess every option. But if the bride narrows it down to a specific color and designer — the choice suddenly becomes much easier.

This concept is called decision fatigue – the central premise being that the more decisions we make the less likely we are to make good decisions. Once you accept that fewer choices are better you can start being more productive and improve your judgement.

Follow the items on this list to limit your options: Read more

7 Foods to Eat Your Way to Productivity

chocolateWhen we think about the different ways to get more out of our day, we don’t often think about changing our diet.

Put down the donut and try these yummy productivity boosters instead.

Blueberries – If there were such a thing as ultimate super fruit, it would be blueberries. They’re high in antioxidants, high in fiber and low on the glycemic index. Plus a recent study shows eating blueberries can help ward off degenerative diseases such as Alzhiemer’s disease. Which means there’s a good reason to indulge in blueberry pancakes for breakfast today! Read more

How to Have a Four Day Work Week

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