Over the past few weeks, I have received a handful of emails on the topic of lifestyle design. Specifically, a few people asked me what lifestyle design actually means. Instead of coming up with a short definition, I decided to put together a post that answers that question in detail.

In a nutshell, lifestyle design is all about creating your own design and plan for life. You start by asking yourself some basic questions such as:

• What do you want to accomplish in your life?
• What is important to you?
• Where do you want to live?
• What do you want to spend your time doing?

Once you have a good understanding of what you want out of life, you then design a lifestyle to suit your needs. Last but not least, you create a plan to make it happen.

Want a longer definition? Here is what I think lifestyle design is all about:

It’s All About Choices

Lifestyle design is all about realizing that you have a choice in life. No one ever said you had to stick with your job or go to college (parents are an exception).

Instead, you have complete control over everything you do (or don’t do). If something isn’t the way you want it to be, you can change it. If you are not where you want to be, you can create a plan to get there.

Once you realize that you have control in life, you can start to think outside the box and start having fun with it.

It’s All About You

As selfish as it sounds, lifestyle design is all about you. Sometimes you have to spend a little time on yourself and truly figure out what it is you want to do in life. Otherwise you might race through your whole life without even realizing it.

No one can tell you how or why you should live your life a certain way. Many “Lifestyle Designers” will try to tell you that traveling and wealth are everything but this is far from the truth.

However, I have come to realize that time, passion, and freedom are the three things that most of us are after. Other than that, everything is custom to who you are and what you want to do.

It’s All About A Design

Lifestyle design is all about designing a lifestyle that suits you. Instead of accepting the typical lifestyle that many people have told you to follow, you go out and create one from scratch that suits you (a unique individual).

If you want to travel, then by all means design a lifestyle that allows you to travel as often as possible. If you like being a waitress, perhaps you should design a lifestyle that allows you to be the best damn waitress on the planet.

The key is to design something that is ideal for yourself. Do not listen to what anyone else has to say and do not fear what others might think of you.

It’s All About A Plan

Lifestyle design is all about taking your design and creating a plan to make it a reality. Trust me, it is a lot easier than you think once you already have the design aspect figured out.

The important thing is to completely breakdown your lifestyle design and figure out what obstacles, tasks, and projects need to be figured out in order for you to live life the way you want it to be. Then start coming up with small steps you can take in the right direction.

It is also important to realize that lifestyle design takes time. Don’t expect everything to fall in to place overnight. Try your best to enjoy the journey and constantly remind yourself that your life is happening right now.

It’s All About Action

Lifestyle design is all about taking action. Without it, you are not going to get anywhere you haven’t already been. So take my advice and get started today, not tomorrow. Start taking any steps you can and before you know it your life will be just how you planned it.

From personal experience, I have found that the very first step is always the hardest. Once you get started, you start to build up your motivation to keep going and things start falling into place.

It’s All About Dedication

Lifestyle design is all about dedication. While taking action is very important, it is not the only thing you need to be successful. Since most people are going to hit roadblocks (including myself) along the way, you have to be dedicated to making this all work.

Take my advice and realize that you will fall down sometimes. When it happens, force yourself to get back up and continue you on. Eventually you will get where you want (and need) to be.

It’s All About Passion

Lifestyle design is all about passion. Regardless of how you design your lifestyle, you should be 100% certain that you are passionate as hell about it. You should be ready to eat, sleep, and breath your lifestyle and everything that comes along with it.

Why is passion so important? Because you should enjoy what you do on a daily (even hourly) basis. Everything you do in your life should be something you want to do, not something you feel forced to do.

It’s All About Change

Lifestyle design is all about change. What kind of change? A change for the better.

This is a personal opinion, but I feel that lifestyle design should be about making a difference in the world, someone’s life, or in the way we do things. I truly believe that as humans, we have a desire to help in as many ways as possible.

Don’t believe me? Just ask someone what they would do if they didn’t have to work and many people will answer with volunteer, teach, or some other form of activity that benefits someone or something.

If your lifestyle design is nothing more than making a bunch of money and doing nothing, then by all means do it. However, I highly recommend seeking a lifestyle where you can benefit others (and/or the world we live in).

***
There you have it, an in-depth look at lifestyle design. I probably missed a few things and some people may have differing opinions but I think this is a great starting point.

Photo Credit: icathing

Have something to add? Feel free to leave some feedback and let me know.

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/lifestyle-design-4620/feed/ 10 http://www.lifeofjustin.com/wake-up-early-4144/ http://www.lifeofjustin.com/wake-up-early-4144/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:45:35 +0000 Justin Wright http://www.lifeofjustin.com/?p=4144 I've been a night owl my entire life, even when I had to get up early to head off to work. Funny thing is, I really enjoy getting up early in the morning. I just never could figure out how to do it without dragging myself out of the bed or wishing I had a syringe full of espresso. However, for the first time in my life I have established a routine in which I wake up at 6:30 every morning. Crazy huh? I never would have thought I would be the type of person to willingly wake up early each day.]]>

I’ve been a night owl my entire life, even when I had to get up early to head off to work. Funny thing is, I really enjoy getting up early in the morning. I just never could figure out how to do it without dragging myself out of the bed or wishing I had a syringe full of espresso.

However, for the first time in my life I have established a routine in which I wake up at 6:30 every morning. Crazy huh? I never would have thought I would be the type of person to willingly wake up early each day.

Why Did I Become An Early Riser?

So you are probably wondering, why the change? The main reason was because I decided I wanted to get a steady sleep schedule going. It sure beats going to sleep at different times everyday and never knowing when you are going to wake up.

Here are some other reasons why I decided to start waking up early:

To Watch The Sunrise

As I mentioned yesterday in my post about the perfect morning, I have gone for a morning run each day and love watching the sun come up. The picture above is yet another amazing example of a sunrise. Besides the sun coming up, there is also something about the morning air that I really enjoy. It sure beats running at 1 in afternoon.

To Sleep Less

Believe it or not, another main reason I decided to start waking up early is because I wanted to spend less time sleeping. Prior to making the switch, I would go to bed around 4 in the morning and easily sleep until one or two in the afternoon. That’s over nine hours of sleep. Plus I constantly felt tired when I woke up, which was most likely due to the over sleeping.

Now that I get up early every morning, I get somewhere between six and seven hours of sleep each night. I even feel more awake now when I wake up than I ever did before.

To Beat Insomnia

I have never been the type of person to fall asleep as soon as I go to bed. I remember nights where I sit in bed staring at the ceiling for hours before I drift off. Usually I would just sit there and think about things I need to do, or better yet what I could be doing instead of lying there in bed.

Now that I get up early I have finally hit a point where I can go to bed, read for a little bit, and pass out really quickly. Talk about a time saver! Now I no longer waste those couple hours lying in bed waiting to fall asleep.

To Exercise Daily

Last but not least, I made the switch to waking up early to make sure that I go outside and exercise everyday. Now that running is the first thing in my schedule, it is very difficult for me to bail on it. Prior to waking up early, I would always make up excuses such as it’s already 2PM, I need to work, or I feel tired today. Those excuses no longer work.

How Did I Do it?

So the real question is how did I manage to alter my sleep schedule so much? Believe it or not, it was actually a lot easier than you think. However, the hard part is fighting through the transition phase without giving up.

Here is a step by step guide on what I did, along with some tips to make it easier for you:

1. Decide When To Get Up

The first step in the transition is deciding when you actually want to wake up. For me, I decided that 6:30 is the perfect time for me because the sun starts to rise and running is perfect at that time. Regardless of what time you choose, make it a plan to stick to it no matter what.

2. Create A Reason To Get Out Of Bed

Once you have the time set in stone, it helps to give yourself a reason to wake up. Going for a morning run is my reason, as well as having more time in the morning to read. It does not need to be a major project or task, the key is to just give yourself a little motivation to want to crawl out of bed.

A few other reasons you could use would be to have time to think to yourself, catch up on your to do list, or to sit down and drink a cup of coffee.

3. Get Up!

This is the difficult part, especially in the beginning. The important thing is to set your alarm for the exact time you want to get up. When it goes off, get up instantly. Literally jump out of bed and do push ups if you have to! There is no time for the snooze button or lying around pretending to wake up. Instead, it is all about getting up as quickly as possible.

Getting up right away will make the transition a hell of a lot easier for you, trust me. This was the only way I was able to stick to it and actually alter my night owl sleep schedule. By doing this for a week straight, I was able to get my body used to waking up. Once you make it past the transition phase, it becomes much easier.

4. Sleep When You’re Tired

When it comes to being a night owl, one of the things that can be tricky is going to bed at a certain time. My whole life I have never been able to set a specific time to go to bed. It is far easier to wake up at a certain time than it is to go to bed.

So what I have done lately is go to sleep whenever I feel tired. Some nights it might be 10, other nights it might be 12 or 1 in the morning. The thing is, as long as I wake up at my scheduled time, my body tends to adapt. If I stay up late one night, I tend to fall asleep earlier the next. So far, this schedule has worked a lot better than my chaotic one I had before switching.

5. Make It A Routine

Last but not least, it is important (and very helpful) to create a morning routine. For me, every morning I hop out of bed and have a cup of coffee. I then throw on my workout clothes and head out the door for my jog. By doing this on a repeated basis, it makes getting up so much easier since my body (and mind) know what to expect.

If you can set up a routine, you will be much more inclined to stick to it.

So there you have it, a few tips on how to start waking up early. Remember, it does take some time to get used to so I would try out a new schedule for a few weeks before making a final decision. The worse case scenario is you decide waking up early is not for you. It’s fairly easy to go back to your normal sleeping habits as I have done it many times in the past.

Which do you prefer: waking up early or sleeping in?

Photo Credit: *clairity*

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/wake-up-early-4144/feed/ 22 http://www.lifeofjustin.com/how-to-have-a-kick-ass-2010-3634/ http://www.lifeofjustin.com/how-to-have-a-kick-ass-2010-3634/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:43:20 +0000 Justin Wright http://www.lifeofjustin.com/?p=3634 I’m a firm believer of setting realistic goals. However, I’m also a big thinker who feels that no one should ever sell themselves short. You should never set a goal for yourself that is too easy to accomplish. Instead, constantly push yourself as hard as possible. Why? Because pushing yourself makes you a stronger person. And who doesn’t want to be a stronger person? So here’s a thought: why not set a goal of making this year the best year of your life? Can you think of a single reason why it shouldn’t be? I can’t. So how can you make this year an amazing one? Start by doing some the following things. You don’t have to do them all, but give a few of them a shot and see how they work out for you.]]>

I’m a firm believer of setting realistic goals. However, I’m also a big thinker who feels that no one should ever sell themselves short. You should never set a goal for yourself that is too easy to accomplish.

Instead, constantly push yourself as hard as possible. Why? Because pushing yourself makes you a stronger person. And who doesn’t want to be a stronger person?

So here’s a thought: why not set a goal of making this year the best year of your life? Can you think of a single reason why it shouldn’t be? I can’t.

So how can you make this year an amazing one? Start by doing some the following things. You don’t have to do them all, but give a few of them a shot and see how they work out for you.

Stop Waiting

In 2010, make it a goal to stop waiting for things to happen. Get out there and take some action. It doesn’t matter if you are still not sure where you want to end up. Just take action and you will be surprised as to what happens. As soon as you start taking action, you get in a rhythm where you constantly get things done.

So say so long to procrastination, there’s no room for it this year.

Task: Sometime in the next week or two, I want you to go out and do something you’ve always wanted to do but have been holding off on. It doesn’t matter if it’s something crazy like skydiving or simply heading to the bookstore and grabbing a book you have always wanted to read. Just get out there and give it a shot!

Set Goals

If you’ve ever read a self-help book, you’ve probably heard of goal setting and how important it is. Without setting goals, you have no idea where you are going or what you are trying to do. Goals also make it easier to get where you want to be because you can actually measure you success based on what your goals are.

Task: In order for 2010 to be the best year ever, I want you to spend a minimum of two hours evaluating your goals and writing them down somewhere. Whether you do it on actual paper or on your computer is completely up to you. The key is to just get the goals down somewhere so you can constantly look at them and remind yourself what it is you want to accomplish.

I want you to really dig deep and throw out some crazy goals for this year. Something you can’t even imagine actually accomplishing. This will ensure that you truly push yourself to not only become a better person, but also to make this year the best ever.

Take Time For Yourself

This is a big one. In 2010, make it a goal to take time for yourself. It’s amazing how good it feels when you take a break from your everyday life to just relax and enjoy yourself. Try reading, meditating, or something else you find relaxing. I’m a big fan of sitting outside and doing word search puzzles myself.

Task: My guess is you have a pretty hectic schedule the way it is. So take some time to look over your schedule and figure out where you can squeeze in some alone time. If you can, try to get at least 30 minutes each day if possible. If you can’t do it everyday, then plan on taking time to yourself every other day.

Enjoy The Moment

We have a tendency to always be looking forward to things that are happening in the future. Am I correct? I know I do it from time to time and it’s a tough habit to break. But life is all about living in the moment. Right now is the only “real time” we have in our lives. We can’t go back in time and we can’t travel forward in time.

So it’s important to practice the art of living in the moment.

Task: To live in the moment, try concentrating on what you are doing. For example, a good way to practice living in the moment is by focusing on your food when you eat. Don’t read or watch TV while you eat but instead focus on the food, the taste, and the experience. It’s amazing how much better it is when you pay attention to what you are eating.

Keep A Journal

This one may not be for everyone, but I am a HUGE fan of keeping journals. The main reason being it allows me to let out my feelings and thoughts. It’s also an easy way to track my goals and see what I’ve accomplished.

It’s pretty awesome being able to dial in to a certain day from last year and immediately remember what I did. It works like a second brain, only this one doesn’t forget anything.

Task: If you want to give journal writing a try, I highly encourage checking my post: The Art of Journal Writing. It’s got some great advice and details on how I keep a journal.

Focus

For me, 2010 is going to be a year of focus. The focused mind can accomplish great things and I know this from hands-on experience. This is why goal setting is so important. If you have clear and precise goals, you can focus on them and put all your energy into attaining them.

However, goal setting is no longer enough. We live in a world that is literally FILLED with distractions. Everywhere you turn there is something demanding your attention. Whether it’s your phone, Facebook Page, Twitter profile, television, video games, or magazines; they are all full of distractions.

So the secret is to pull yourself away from all the distractions and find a certain place and time that you can focus in on your work, goals, and life. If you have to pull the plug on your router, do it.

I find that working late at night works for me since there are a lot less distractions happening. However, the key is to find a time and place that works for YOU.

Task: The best advice I can give to focus is to start experimenting with what works for you. Keep track of your productivity levels throughout the day and find when your mind is the most focused. This is when you should be busy at work doing the things you love.

Also, schedule some “focus time” into your life where you completely cut yourself off from distractions. Shut off your cellphone, turn off the television, and avoid any distractions you might have in your life.

Simplify

Is your life filled up beyond capacity? I know mine was not too long ago. It really amazes me at how much stuff we manage to do, as well as accumulate in our lives. From the second we wake up, we perform task after task all the way up until bedtime. It’s amazing how we manage to stay sane through our everyday lives.

Luckily, simplifying can completely change your life. You don’t have to go full-pledged minimalist to reap the rewards either, though I highly recommend it. Just getting rid of some of your unused belongings can dramatically clear your mind and make you feel more at ease. The same goes for automating small tasks like paying bills and opting out of paper statements. I can tell you one thing, I don’t miss getting mail…

Task: This year, try simplifying in at least one way. It might be as simple as scheduling auto billing. This can easily save you a good amount of time over the course of a year. If stuff is your problem, try taking an inventory of all your belongings and figure out what you can get rid of. Less stuff is not only less things to worry about, but it’s also less things to clean and find room for.

Try New Things

If 2010 is going to be the best year ever, we need to try some new stuff! I’ve never met a single person who didn’t have at least one thing they wanted to try sometime in their life. Whether it’s learning a new language, taking up a new hobby, or starting a business.

Trying new things is what life is all about. Imagine how boring it would be if we were never able to go out and experience what life has to offer.

Task: Set a goal this year to go out and try something you have NEVER done before. There has to be something you’ve always dreamed of doing or have at least heard about from a friend. Just get out there and give it a shot. If you end up hating it, you can feel good knowing you at least gave it a try.

Learn Something New

This goes right along with the last idea. Just like trying new things, learning new things can change your life for the better. I have always been a big fan of learning because it’s fun, challenging, and highly rewarding.

Learning new things also allows us to meet new people, have more in common with those we already know, and expand our minds.

Task: Go out and learn something new this year. It doesn’t matter if it’s from a book, a class, or on the internet. Just set a goal to learn something new.

If you’re not sure what you want to learn about, try grabbing a class schedule from a local community college and take a class you might find interesting. Who knows, you might even end up meeting some awesome like-minded people.

Overcome Fears

I must admit that I have my fears, whether they are of real things (like snakes) or of certain situations (public speaking). I assume most of you out there have fears as well.

So what if we try to overcome our fears this year? What if we go out and actually experience the things we are afraid of? If we can do this, I have a feeling 2010 is going to kick some ass.

Lets say you’re afraid of cockroaches. So this year, you decide your going to get over that fear once and for all. So what you are going to do is go out and find a zoo or some other place that has cockroaches.

Even better, you’re going to go there and actually get up and close with one. Heck, you might as well pick it up and stare him in the eyes. What an awesome way to kiss that fear goodbye.

Task: First off, I want you to write down a list of things you are afraid of. It doesn’t matter if they are big or small, just throw them down on a piece of paper.

Secondly, I want you to go back and look at your fears and figure out what you could do to overcome them. Brainstorm some ideas and write them down next to the fears.

Last but not least, I want you to set a goal to try to overcome at least one of the fears. Even better, try a handful of them and see what happens.

So what are you waiting? Get out there and make 2010 the best year ever!

Photo Credit: OsvaldoROVE | CC

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/how-to-have-a-kick-ass-2010-3634/feed/ 5 http://www.lifeofjustin.com/journal-writing-tips-3452/ http://www.lifeofjustin.com/journal-writing-tips-3452/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:20:00 +0000 Justin Wright http://www.lifeofjustin.com/?p=3452 If you’re like most people, you spend a good amount of time thinking to yourself everyday. I use to do it all the time, especially when I worked in a cubicle. I would constantly sit at my desk and let my brain work itself into overdrive about all sorts of different things. I would brainstorm ideas on how to make money, think about the dreams I had the night before, and even spend time daydreaming about a life that was more enjoyable. However, I would always fail to make anything of the thoughts. Instead, I would let them drift away and constantly forget the ideas I had.]]>

If you’re like most people, you spend a good amount of time thinking to yourself everyday. I use to do it all the time, especially when I worked in a cubicle. I would constantly sit at my desk and let my brain work itself into overdrive about all sorts of different things.

I would brainstorm ideas on how to make money, think about the dreams I had the night before, and even spend time daydreaming about a life that was more enjoyable.

However, I would always fail to make anything of the thoughts. Instead, I would let them drift away and constantly forget the ideas I had.

The Solution: Keeping A Journal

Ever since high school, I’ve been a fan of writing down my thoughts and ideas. However, I was never good at keeping it consistent. I would always write a few entries in a notebook, only to set it aside and never look at it again. Months would go by before I would remember to write down my thoughts. Not exactly a good system.

Luckily, I’ve had a lot of free time lately and I’ve managed to come up with a journal system that has been working for me on a consistent basis. So far, it’s been an amazing tool and has helped me in more ways than I anticipated. It’s helped me:

• Clear My Mind
• Keep Track Of My Thoughts
• Act On My Ideas

And these are just a few of the benefits of journal writing.

My Journal Strategy

Maintaining a journal does take some work, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. I’ve made it a nightly routine to write in my journal right before I lay down to read. I also jot down my dreams right after I wake up in the morning. It’s actually a relaxing time for me and helps me keep my head clear throughout the day.

I keep a handful of different journals because it makes it easier to search them, as well as keep them organized. Here’s a breakdown of the journals I keep on a daily basis:

Dream Journal:

I’m a big fan of tracking my dreams, though I’m not sure why. I guess I’ve always been interested in the brain and the things it does. By writing down my dreams, I tend to be able to remember them a lot more.

Plus it’s kind of cool to go back and read them later on. It’s almost like reading the story of a completely different life.

It’s also helps me lucid dream, which is always an interesting experience. Never had one? Try pinching yourself in a dream sometime. Once you realize you’re dreaming, you can sometimes control what the dream is about. It’s weird.

Idea Journal:

My idea journal is a simple dumping ground for any ideas I have. If I come up with an idea for a blog post, I’ll add a new entry and start typing it up right in my journal.

There is no limit on what I will put in this journal. Sometimes my ideas are short phrases that I need to write down otherwise I would totally forget them.

Personal Journal:

For the most part, my personal journal is a diary of all the things I do on a daily basis. It’s a mix of stories and thoughts that all intertwine to make up my life. I tend to write down a lot of my thoughts because it makes it a lot easier for me to go to sleep when I have a clear head. I can also go back and look at what I was thinking at any point in time.

Who knows, someday when I get old I might actually enjoy reading my thoughts from when I was younger. If anything, it’s a good way to track your progress over time.

Money Journal:

The spending journal is something new that I’ve implemented recently. I create a new entry for each day and put in how much I spent on that day. I make sure to jot down the exact values. I also put a note by each value so I know what it was for.

I also add in any income I make each day and put down where it came from and what for. If I want, I can then add up all the totals and see a breakdown of my monthly spending. I haven’t perfected this strategy yet but hope it works out for the best.

If you’re wondering where I got the idea from, check out the book: “Your Money Or Your Life.” It’s a great book about the true meaning of money and how you can achieve financial independence.

Paper Or Digital?

Once you have a good strategy, you then have to decide where to keep your journal. Would you prefer writing in a notebook or do you like the idea of typing up your journal entries?

I started out writing in a notebook, but have since made the jump to using my computer. Why?

It’s Cheaper:

At some point, your notebook will be filled with entires and you will have to go out and buy another one. If you actually invest in a decent journal, you’ll easily drop at least 10 bucks.

It’s Better For The Environment:

I consider myself pretty green and I always do my best to avoid waste. It’s amazing how much paper we actually consume, especially when we don’t have to. By moving your journals to your computer, you save a ton of paper and never have to worry about running out of pages.

It’s Easier:

Like I mentioned above, I actually keep a few different journals, which would require a couple different notebooks. By using my computer, I can easily make different journals and assign entries to specific journals. Best of all, I can even search them later on when I was to find a specific entry. And last but not least, my wrist no longer hurts from trying to write two pages worth of thoughts.

So there’s a few good reasons to make the switch. If you prefer paper, that’s cool too. I just hate writing in notebooks, mostly because I’m left-handed and it just doesn’t work right. Plus I like to save space when possible.

The software I use is called MacJournal. It’s a great piece of software and it even lets you record audio and video in your entries.

Give It A Try

I highly recommend that you try and keep a journal. Not only does it help you clear your mind and retain your thoughts, but it’s also a relaxing experience. Plus it’s a good habit to form and something you can do for the rest of your life.

You’ll most likely have to modify the strategy to fit your needs but it’s all part of the process. Eventually you will come up with a system that works perfectly for you.

Do you keep a journal?

Photo Credit: House of Sims | CC

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/journal-writing-tips-3452/feed/ 3 http://www.lifeofjustin.com/mac-apps-productivity-3414/ http://www.lifeofjustin.com/mac-apps-productivity-3414/#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:26:30 +0000 Justin Wright http://www.lifeofjustin.com/?p=3414 1Password Have a ton of passwords? 1Password is a lifesaver when it comes to storing your personal information. Not only can you store passwords, but you can also add personal information, credit cards, and a whole mess of other stuff. My favorite thing of all is the ability to "Go & Fill Login," which will take you to a certain website such as your bank and automatically log you in. It's amazing how much time you save by not having to do all the steps manually.]]> If you’re like me, you love to keep things simple and productive. This is especially true for computer related tasks and chores. If you happen to use a Mac, check out the following applications that I use on a daily basis to keep myself productive:

1Password

Have a ton of passwords? 1Password is a lifesaver when it comes to storing your personal information. Not only can you store passwords, but you can also add personal information, credit cards, and a whole mess of other stuff.

My favorite thing of all is the ability to “Go & Fill Login,” which will take you to a certain website such as your bank and automatically log you in. It’s amazing how much time you save by not having to do all the steps manually.

There is a free trial available if you would like to test it out. Once your trial ends, it’s $39.95 to purchase a 1Password license (easily worth it).

MacJournal

I’m a big fan of keeping a journal. I actually have a few of them ranging from ideas to personal thoughts. Keeping a journal is so useful that I plan on writing a separate post about it in the near future.

I originally used notebooks, but quickly decided it was a pain to have more than one notebook lying around. Plus it can add up since you need to purchase new ones every time you fill them (it also saves trees).

MacJournal makes it super easy to keep a journal on your computer. You can create as many journals as you want and manage them just like an online blog. You can even embed photos, videos, and audio clips in your entries.

Its got some built-in security that makes protecting it rather simple. You can also set it up to automatically create backups. That way you’ll never lose your journal.

Learn more about MacJournal here.

Notational Velocity

Just like keeping a journal, note taking is a huge step in becoming more productive. I keep tons of notes everyday and constantly go back and look them over. But who wants to keep using paper every time you want to jot an idea down?

Notation Velocity makes it super easy to add notes, as well as search existing notes. It’s as simple to use as a text editor, but you do not have to worry about having tons of files scattered all over your desktop. It keeps them all in one place that’s easy to navigate.

Did I mention it’s free? You can download it here.

PandoraBoy

I still remember back in high school when we all used to brag about how many songs we have. We took pride in our libraries of music and used them constantly. However, it seems like everyday that passes I use my music library a little less. Why? Because I can easily listen to all of my favorite music via online streaming websites.

Of all the services available, Pandora is by far my favorite. It allows you to create stations that play music based on artists and songs you like. Normally, you have to keep the player open in your browser, which was the only pain with using it. I would constantly close the tab on accident and have to restart my player.

This is why I consider PandoraBoy a good application for productivity. It allows you to play Pandora music from a desktop application. That way you can leave it playing all day and not have to worry about having a browser open. If you happen to have an Airport Express (or Extreme), you can even use AirFoil to play the music wirelessly through your home stereo. I currently use this setup and think it’s amazing.

You can get PandoraBoy here.

Quicksilver

I’ve always been a heavy mouse user and never saw the need for keyboard shortcuts. However, I made myself give them a shot and could not believe how much easier they are. I used to use the dock (or my applications folder) to launch applications on my Mac, which took up more time than it needed to.

Using Quicksilver, I can just hit a shortcut and start typing the name of an application. Once it finds it I just hit enter and it launches it right away. It even learns which applications you use the most often so you barely have to type anything for it to know what you’re looking for. Now I barely use the dock at all.

You can get Quicksilver here.

Time Out

The name of this application says it all. It forces you to take time outs from your computer so you don’t sit there all day without getting up. It slowly fades in a gray screen and then counts down your break and automatically goes away once it’s complete.

You can set the breaks for any length you choose and can also control how often they come up. It’s a good reminder of how much time we sit at our computers, especially if you have it setup to make you break once an hour.

You can download it for free here.

Typinator

This application is simply amazing. I have to thank Adam Pieniazek for bringing this one to my attention. What it does is allows you to create easy to use shortcuts for words and phrases you use often.

For example, you can set it up so that whenever you type “jsd,” it will automatically turn it into joseph@somedomain.com. If you fill in a lot of forms, this can easily save you a ton of time.

You can even type up paragraphs and assign shortcuts to them. This comes in really handy if you send out a lot of emails with similar structures.

You can test it out for free by going here.

Did I Miss An App?

If you know of any other Mac applications that can increase your productivity (and simplify your life), feel free to share them below.

PS. In regards to full-disclosure, I must admit that I will in fact not make a dime off of any of the recommendations above. I just love using these apps…

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/mac-apps-productivity-3414/feed/ 6 http://www.lifeofjustin.com/create-a-minimalist-home-office-3295/ http://www.lifeofjustin.com/create-a-minimalist-home-office-3295/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:34:53 +0000 Justin Wright http://www.lifeofjustin.com/?p=3295 If you work from home, there's a good chance that you spend a fair share of your time in your home office. I know I do. But is it too cluttered? If you missed my post yesterday, I already talked about the art of decluttering and how nice it feels. Along with getting rid of everything I didn't need, I also spent time making my home office as minimalist as possible.]]>

If you work from home, there’s a good chance that you spend a fair share of your time in your home office. I know I do. But is it too cluttered?

If you missed my post yesterday, I already talked about the art of decluttering and how nice it feels. Along with getting rid of everything I didn’t need, I also spent time making my home office as minimalist as possible.

What Is A Minimalist Home Office?

I think this varies depending on who you ask. For me, it’s all about having the things I need to do my job and nothing else. Others might find that they need more or less things depending on your profession. I’ve seen some awesome offices before where people had nothing but a desk, a pad of paper, and a pencil.

However, not all of us can get by without a computer and other technology related items. So that’s why it’s important to decide what you NEED to get your work done.

Determine What You Need

The most important step of this whole operation is going through everything and determining what you need to get your work done. It’s easy to start with the basic items like your computer, something to write with, and so on. However, don’t overlook the small things like pens and pencils.

Prior to going through everything, I had about 40 pens and pencils stashed around my desk. Half of them didn’t even work. So I took the time to go through all of them and tossed the ones that didn’t work and kept a few of the good ones. I also moved them to my drawer instead of keeping them on my desk. When I need one, I grab it out of the drawer.

Once I finished that, I went through my tiny hidden drawer and removed everything I didn’t need. Man is it amazing to have a drawer that has more room than you need. I remember when I had stuff piled up in them and couldn’t find a damn thing when I needed it.

Don’t Forget The Computer Itself

Of all the items in most peoples offices, the one they often overlook when cleaning up is the computer itself. Is your computer organized? Do you keep it updated? Do you have applications and files lying around that you don’t use?

Going through my computer took the most time because I had a lot of stuff to clean up. For the past few weeks I’ve had issues with my user account, so I ended up creating a brand new one. It felt like a fresh start and ended up being a life saver as I managed to remove a lot of stuff I no longer needed.

Here’s a quick look at my current desktop:

If you didn’t notice, I stopped using desktop icons and set my dock to hide automatically. Instead, I’ve opted for a clean and simple setup.

I also added the large clock to my desktop because it helps me stay focused. I tend to waste far less time when I’m staring at a clock that’s ticking away. It reminds me that time is precious and that it shouldn’t be wasted.

I’m also a big fan of positive quotes on my wallpapers. I created a bunch of them and set it to automatically change every hour. Seems to keep me in a great mood

A Few Tips To Help You Out

In the process of simplifying my home office (and my life), I’ve noticed a few things that can make it easier. Here’s what I recommend:

• Learn To Let Go – The hardest thing for me was learning to let go of some of the stuff I had. Even getting rid of unused pens and pencils can be tough. It must be the pack rat in all of us.
• Keep Your Desk Simple (and clean) – The less stuff you keep on your desk, the better you’ll feel. The things we collect and set up around our desks distract us, even if we don’t notice.
• Don’t Be A Collector – In other words, don’t keep multiple copies of the same items.  Do you have two printers? More than one stapler? Three pairs of headphones? Try your best to buy (or keep) the nice things and remove the rest. I’d take one nice pen over 10 dead ones any day.
• Take An Inventory Of Your Work Tools – Then remove the ones you don’t need. I used to have a stapler, a cork-board, a scanner, and tons of other stuff that I used once or twice and never touched again.
• Use Less Paper – I must admit that I love to jot notes down and keep papers lying around. However, I’ve taught myself to use the computer for the majority of my note taking. When I still feel the need to write stuff down, I use a designated notebook. It’s so much nicer having a nice notebook that you can use for all your note taking, ideas, and other items you might want to write down. Then you can tuck it away in your drawer and know where it is.

Good luck. if you have any tips and tricks on simplifying your workspace, I’d love to hear them!

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/create-a-minimalist-home-office-3295/feed/ 8 http://www.lifeofjustin.com/the-art-of-decluttering-3283/ http://www.lifeofjustin.com/the-art-of-decluttering-3283/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:39:25 +0000 Justin Wright http://www.lifeofjustin.com/?p=3283 Does your place look like similar to the picture? If so, it's time to start decluttering. Over the last few weeks, I've been busy decluttering my life and all I can say is wow does it feel great! It is amazing how much clutter we accumulate in our lives, both physical and mental. And it's a safe assumption that a lot of our mental clutter is the result of all the physical clutter we surround ourselves with.]]>

Does your place look like similar to the picture? If so, it’s time to start decluttering.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been busy decluttering my life and all I can say is wow does it feel great! It is amazing how much clutter we accumulate in our lives, both physical and mental. And it’s a safe assumption that a lot of our mental clutter is the result of all the physical clutter we surround ourselves with.

So What Is Clutter?

When I use the term clutter, I’m referring to anything that is unnecessary. We do need certain things to be happy, but most of us need far less than we think. For example, when’s the last time you took a good look in one of your closets? My guess is there is a ton of stuff in them that you haven’t used in a long, long time.

What about your computer? I’m sure you have tons of files, folders, and random desktop icons that you don’t use.

My rule of thumb was that if I hadn’t used it in the past year, I no longer needed it. And don’t forget the things that you have multiples of. My girlfriend and I went through our kitchen cupboards and noticed we had about 20 glasses or cups, 7 or 8 plates, and a whole bunch of bowls. But did we really need that many for two people?

Sure, we might have people over that want to eat but that’s the only reason we would ever need more than two of each. So we went ahead and donated all the extras to Goodwill.

How Do You Free Yourself?

So now that we know everyone has clutter, how do you get rid of it? For me, the easiest way was to go through every room in my apartment. I made sure to check all my backpacks, boxes, and drawers that I’ve accumulated over the past few years. I also spent a ton of time going through our closets.

For every item that you find, you need to ask yourself if you truly need it. If you know you don’t need it, throw it in the get rid of pile. If you find something you might want to keep, throw it in the maybe pile. Everything else can stay in the “safe” pile.

The first round is tough because your mind constantly tries to tell you that you need ALL of it. You start thinking stuff like:

• “I might need this sometime.”
• “I paid like X dollars for this, I can’t get rid of it!”
• “If I ever do blank, this would come in really handy”

It’s amazing how much your mind loves to keep everything. But eventually you have to tell it NO.

Start With Your Clothes

The first step for me was going through the bedroom, specifically my clothes. I went through every piece of clothing I own and made a pile of all the items that I had worn in the past year. Once I finished that, I was left with the following unused items in my closet:

• 25 Shirts
• 10 Pairs of Pants
• 6 Pairs of Shorts
• 5 Pairs of Shoes
• 2 Jackets
• 10 Hats

Talk about a ton of unnecessary baggage! Heck, some of the shirts still had the tags on them. I also had a few pairs of shoes that I knew I would never wear again. So I threw all of the clothes into 4 garbage bags and took them to the used clothing store. I managed to get a whopping 5 bucks for a few items and donated the rest to charity.

The Rest Of My Apartment

Once my clothes were finished, it was time to go through the rest of my belongings. I went through each room and cloest and made a gigantic pile of stuff I didn’t need. I was left with a heaping pile of crap in the living room that consisted of:

• Weight Set
• Jack Lelanne Power Juicer
• 2 Framed Posters
• Playstation 2
• Computer Speakers
• Digital Camera (crappy one)
• Trash Can
• Cables I No Longer Used
• Bunch Of Random Crap

The good news is I managed to sell almost everything above on Craigslist. It’s amazing how fast people come by and pick up your stuff. I ended up pulling a profit on a few items, which made it even more awesome.

It Feels Great

I cannot believe how good it feels to not own a lot of things. Now when I walk into my apartment it feels cleaner and much easier to find the things I need. It also feels good to give your unused stuff to charity so someone else can get use out of it.

Photo Credit: allyaubry | CC 2.0

PS. Tune in tomorrow for another post about decluttering your home office.

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/the-art-of-decluttering-3283/feed/ 2 http://www.lifeofjustin.com/taking-a-break-2398/ http://www.lifeofjustin.com/taking-a-break-2398/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 17:35:27 +0000 Justin Wright http://www.lifeofjustin.com/?p=2398 Regardless of what you do for a living, it is really important to take breaks (or mini-retirements) whenever you get a chance. It's even more important if your career involves working for yourself. Why? Because people that work for themselves (myself included), tend to be very hard on themselves. I constantly feel like I need to be working as hard as possible all the time. Below are a few things that I really enjoy about taking breaks from time to time:]]>

Regardless of what you do for a living, it is really important to take breaks (or mini-retirements) whenever you get a chance. It’s even more important if your career involves working for yourself. Why? Because people that work for themselves (myself included), tend to be very hard on themselves. I constantly feel like I need to be working as hard as possible all the time.

Below are a few things that I really enjoy about taking breaks from time to time:

They Give Me Time To Think

Of all the things I have done while taking breaks, thinking is the biggest of them all. When I am constantly working on multiple projects, it can become really difficult to juggle everything and find time to just site back and think.

When I take a break, I can just sit back and clear my mind and think about the things I’ve been putting off. Plus I can look at my business and career and make decisions on what I should be doing to get to the next level.

They Allow Me To Do Other Things

The main thing I started doing while taking breaks is working out. I started cycling more often, weight lifting, swimming, and spending more time outside. And just recently, I committed myself to the P90X program. The best part of all, is doing these things costs little to no money. Which makes them the perfect activities to do on your break so you do not have to worry about money.

I have gotten in much better shape and feel great. It’s really easy to sit at your computer everyday and forget to workout. I did that for almost 6 months and could feel the difference as I started to gain a little weight and lost my endurance.

Besides working out, I also started reading more books. I picked up a library card and started checking out books. This is another way to stay occupied without spending any money.

They Refresh My Mind

Just like thinking about, breaks also allow me to refresh my mind. I can forget about my career for awhile and just spend time thinking about other things. It’s amazing how much better I feel when I am not constantly checking my email and focusing on the next task I have to get done. I can just sit back and relax and just enjoy the small things in life.

They Bring Back My Motivation

Of all the things I have noticed from taking breaks, the one thing that really sticks out is how my motivation comes back. There are many times when I get worn down from working on projects and start to question my career decisions. However, as soon as I return from a break, I am super motivated to get back to working on various things. I have seen my best work come immediately following a break.

So How Do You Plan A Break?

For many people, it may be difficult to plan a break. What I suggest doing is doing a bunch of projects in the beginning of the month. For example, last month I did a few large projects early on and then took the second half of the month off. This may not work for everyone and it depends a lot on your schedule and your business.

There are also different levels of breaks. Sometimes I will still spend time on my computer checking email and working on various things, but no where near as much time as normal. Other times, I will try and avoid the computer entirely for awhile (this can be difficult).

So if you can’t take a complete break, just try to cut back on your hours for a week or so. Even this will help you refresh your mind and enjoy the good things in life.

Photo Credit: Andreanna

© Justin Wright - This post was created by Justin Wright Please subscribe to the feed for more great content.


]]> http://www.lifeofjustin.com/taking-a-break-2398/feed/ 5