Modern Americans are the most sedentary people in world history. We sit nearly all day in our homes, cars, and offices—all before laying in bed for hours every night. All of that immobility is adding inches to our waistline and subtracting years from our life. But there’s one very simple solution.

Everyone knows I geek out when it comes to new technology. But sometimes old tech is the best tech, and that goes for taking notes. Last fall information guru Clay Shirky banned the use of laptops and other digital devices in his NYU classroom. It remains a controversial move. Not only students, but even other […]

If you’re trying to build a business, a platform, or just a better mousetrap, it’s a lot easier to hit your goals if you have a team behind you. When I left Thomas Nelson to start speaking and writing full time, I was mostly on my own. I had a speaking agent to help coordinate […]

The evidence is undeniable—we need good sleep to perform at our best. And one way we can get more rest is to make room in the middle of the day for a killer nap. I once worked for a man who napped nearly every day. He would sit upright in his chair, hold his keys […]

Every business has projects from time to time that demand our total focus and attention. The good news is that there are certain tactics we can use to keep our edge even when we’re under the gun. The most important thing is to recognize up front that we have to prepare. If you were going […]

I know what you’re thinking, but I’m talking about margin—breathing room, think time, downtime, those moments we all desperately need really stay effective and enjoy the things that matter most. But the truth is we seem to be getting less and less of it. Not only are prices racing while wages slow, but we’re working […]

For the last few years I’ve taken a short sabbatical each summer. I’m looking to rest and focus on intense relational time with Gail. The challenge is unplugging from the Matrix. Anyone who’s attempted it can relate to the difficulty. I’m at the computer or on another device a large portion of the day, every […]

The two most powerful words in the English language are yes and no. Unfortunately, they’re also the hardest to master. Like you, I have more opportunities and requests than time and energy. I’m better than ever at discerning the good from the bad, but I still sometimes agree to a project or meeting, instantly realize […]

It’s easy for me to overdo things. I know, shocker. What can I say? I like getting things done. But the problem is that when I overdo, I underperform. For people driven to achieve, it’s a common trap. Even if we pare things down to the essentials, we can plow so deep into those that […]

There’s nothing more useless than unfinished projects. But it’s easy to watch them stack up, isn’t it? So what can we do to wrap them up and ship them out? I’ve been thinking a lot about unfinished projects since watching this video by my friend, Jeff Walker. Don Miller has also talked recently about completing […]

Lousy communications is one of the biggest challenges any team faces. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost files, even whole conversation threads, in email. And no one likes triaging an inbox, even with a good system. So what if we had a better solution? We do, thanks to a team of online […]

Our society puts a high value on achievement but not much on rest. I hear people brag about how much they work and play but never how much they sleep—usually the opposite. But what if sleep could help you achieve more? My team and I just finished launching the Get Noticed! Theme for WordPress, and […]

Ever since I began blogging, productivity has been one of my most popular topics. But I’m convinced we’re not always productive for the right reasons. Maybe this is why many people are productive but miserable. Over my career I’ve been entrusted with a lot of responsibility. At one time, I was responsible for the well-being […]

Because it will take longer than two minutes to write the action down on your to-do list, organize it, get back up to speed later, and complete the task. … And it will keep your to-do lists much shorter. [smartads] Here are four ways to cut your to-do list in half: Understand the five basic decisions.

For years, I have used the concept of “templating” to improve my productivity. The idea is that you create a template for any task that you find yourself doing repeatedly. So instead of “reinventing the wheel” every time, you do it once, save it as a template, and then reuse it.

You know it’s time to declare email bankruptcy when you are experiencing the following four symptoms. If this is true of you, I provide a seven-step strategy for wiping the digital slate clean and starting over.

Evernote is one of those rare apps I can’t seem to outgrow. I am always finding new uses for it. In this post, I share twelve ways to use Evernote you might find useful, and perhaps, even surprising.

I have been making to-do lists since college. In terms of physical systems, I started with the Seven Star Diary, graduated to a Day-Timer, and then landed on the Franklin Planner. At the time, it was state of the art. After reading David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, I decided to go digital. I did […]

[guestpost]This is a guest post by Jaime Tardy. She has interviewed over 130 millionaires on her blog and just published a new book about what she’s learned. It’s called, The Eventual Millionaire: How Anyone Can Be an Entrepreneur and Successfully Grow Their Startup. You can follow her on Twitter.[/guestpost] Let’s face it. One of the […]

I am a productivity geek. I want to get more done in less time. I’m always looking for that edge that will make me more efficient. But the last week has been tremendously unproductive. Though I had big plans, I’ve not accomplished much of anything.

Almost everyone has some important project they can’t seem to get to. Maybe it’s starting a blog, writing a book, or launching a new business initiative. You just can’t seem to find the time to tackle it. Whenever I speak on the topic of Platform, the first question I always get in the Q&A is […]

How many times has this happened to you? You go to bed after a long, unproductive day with the intention that tomorrow is going to be different. Then you wake up the next day and fall right back into the same old trap. It feels like you’re trapped inside your own private version of Groundhog […]

If you want to get the maximum benefit out of Evernote, you need to establish a solid structure using stacks, notebooks, and tags. Here is how I do it.

But it is really possible to get caught up on your email and stay caught up? Yes. I’ve done so for years, even as the demands of my job have increased. I’m not bragging; it’s just a fact. But I should warn you: there is no easy fix. Taking control of your inbox means changing your behavior. You must be willing to make the investment.