Balance, Products, Technology
January 24, 2012
By Cerentha Harris
New year, new you. If you’re still hoping to clean up your act in the new year, maybe some cheap/free apps will help you along your way. Theres nothing better than finding a well designed piece of software that can greatly improve your daily life on the computer by helping you organize information or achieve tasks easier than before. We’ve collected some of the most popular productivity apps that will hopefully do just that for you.
Dayone $9.99
What better time to start a journal than a turn of the new year? Dayone is a deceivingly sophisticated journal app for your computer and mobile applications. One of the biggest issues with keeping journals is making it easy enough to write in. Dayone has covered all the bases by integrating smart features like menu bar quick entry, reminder systems, calendar view, and more. It also has Dropbox integration for syncing.
Sparkbox $19.99
Forget iPhoto. Sparkbox proves to be the next best thing in image management. Some of the handy features includes the Safari Websnap extension integration. If there is a blog page full of images you want to save for later, in a single click you can have them all downloaded and ready to categorize in Sparkbox. There are also color-coded image searches, and a brilliant tagging/highlighting feature which allows you to annotate images with your thoughts. All of this comes packed in clean UI which will fit right in with other Mac software.
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Design, Products
November 17, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
These aren’t the virtual kind of desktop accessories we often write about. Here are three ways to organize your real desktop.
Desk Accessories in Ash by Farrah Sit. “Own less and own well,” writes Sit on the Etsy site she shares with Dana D’Amico. She and D’Amico met in 2005 when they both designed for Calvin Klein Home. We couldn’t agree more with that sentiment.
Pratt Wall Accessories Set is a collaboration between students at Pratt Institute’s School of Art and Design and retailer West Elm. It’s a nice clean simple design that’s also hard-working.
Zen Garden desk organizer by Dublin-based Karolin Felix. An elegant little garden on your desktop that also keeps your pens organized.
Balance
February 18, 2011
By Julie Zeff
If you are like people I know, then you have a to-do list a mile long. And, everything on that list feels like it’s of the utmost importance.
It is an unfortunate truth: your to-do list will actually never end. Even though you may never have a truly completed to-do list neatly crossed off you can have a list that feels doable and a lot less stressful.
Recently I was preparing to go on a much-needed vacation with my husband. Instead of becoming giddy and excited about the idea of a sweet romantic getaway for two, I was irritable, exhausted, and, quite honestly, resentful of my pre-vacation to-do list. This list was full of work to-dos, family to-dos, and vacation prep to-dos. I felt absolutely overwhelmed.
I realized that in order to gain clarity, and a better attitude, I had to re-invent my to-do list. I had to transform it into a helpful tool. I took charge of my to-do list in three easy steps.
1. Make a New List - Get cozy and quiet in a place that is different from where you usually make your lists or plan your days. Make this time and space different somehow. Take some deep breaths and let yourself slow down. Now, write a list of all of your responsibilities for the day or week. (Don’t forget to keep breathing while you write!)
2. Divide - Divide a separate piece of paper into two columns and label them: Must Do’s and Would Like to Do’s. Put the items from your list above into the appropriate column. Challenge yourself to place at least half (maybe even most) of the items from your initial list in the Would-Like-to-Do column. Closely examine what beliefs, patterns and resistance emerge. You may feel like everything belongs on the Must-Do side, but does it really? For example: If you believe that you must return every phone call or email on the same day you receive it, then challenge yourself. What would happen if one day most or even all of your emails or calls went unanswered? The world as you know it probably wouldn’t end. Get creative and let yourself think outside the box.
3. Conquer - Next, fold the paper in half and hide your Would-Like-to-Do items. Number the Must-Do items in order of importance. Then, go forth, and do the things on this shorter, more focused list. Don’t forget to celebrate what you achieve.
When I followed these steps myself, I realized that almost everything on my pre-vacation to-do list was really a Would-Like-to-Do item. There was very little that I actually had to complete before I went away. I had to make sure my most important work responsibilities were handled and that my kids were safe. Beyond that, I realized that even packing was optional! By focusing the list on only those things I absolutely had to achieve, I created for myself a new, more refreshing perspective and let go of my do-or-die to-do list. I took charge of my to-do list. Using the three simple steps above, you can too.
Illustrations by Jordan Awan.