LifeRemix Blog - Great writing about great lives

Basecamp not for you? Check out Wrike.

glen — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:51:34 +0000

Written by Greg of Wisebread.

Basecamp is a great tool for managing projects and sharing information with clients, but it has its limitations. Because it was built specifically for the workflow of a Web design project -- long 2-3 month project time frame, start and end dates, client interaction -- it doesn't work well as an internal project management tool.

At Wise Bread, there is a small 3-person team handling the backend system. We needed a task management system that was more traditional. We needed the ability to create a ton of tasks under many different projects. Basecamp's division of content via project silos didn't fit our internal workflow.

This is where Wrike shines. You can think of Wrike as an anti-Basecamp. I want to point out 3 key differences between Basecamp and Wrike:

1. Wrike charges per user, not per project.
2. Wrike has a two-way email interface.
3. Wrike is functional but still being actively developed.

1. Wrike charges per user, not per project

A one-person business (or a personal user) pays only $3.99 per month. Each additional user adds another $3.99. This pricing structure is great for our 3 person team because we have a ton of different projects but few users. Regardless of the number of projects we create, we pay less than $12 per month for our team's project management.

Where Basecamp charged you for adding new top-level categories (ie., Projects), Wrike allows an unlimited number of "folders". Wrike's folders can be used for projects or departments. This system makes it easy to organize thousands of action items, notes, and deadlines across hundreds of projects.

There is a 30-day trial so you can check it out for free. (There is a free version, but you're limited to creating 20 tasks which isn't very useful for businesses.)

2. Wrike has great email integration

Wrike can email you a daily todo list and deadline reminders. Better than that, you can email Wrike to create a new task. Instead of logging onto Wrike every time you need to add an action item, just email it to wrike@wrike.com. Next time you go into your account, using the same email address you used to send the task creation email, the task will be there.

You can even include the due date and category of the task in the email's subject line. Another nifty feature is adding other users to this task by putting their email address in the CC field.

This create-by-email feature is great when processing my email inbox each morning. I can quickly add items to my todo list and assign tasks to coworkers by forwarding emails. This is my favorite feature of Wrike.

3. Wrike is still rough around the edges

The good news is new features are being added every month. The developers are actively listening to their users. You can see the evolution at the Wrike blog. You can add your feedback and get tips from other members at the just-launched user forums.

The bad news is that they're still building out the system so other tools will have more features. The site felt slow when I started using it 8 months ago, but it has improved significantly since then.

Worth a look

Wrike's way of doing things fits nicely with the requirement of a small Web based team. If you're a Web designer, Basecamp is the best tool for the job. For all other Web workers, Wrike might be a better fit for you.

Gregory Go is cofounder of Killer Aces Media and the About.com Guide to Online Business. Killer Aces Media publishes the popular personal finance and Life Remix charter member blog Wise Bread.

10 Tips to Change Yourself From a Dedicated Couch-Potato to a Gym Enthusiast

glen — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:10:47 +0000

Written by Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project.

Photo by kajo55

Exercise helps keep you happy and vital. Studies show that folks who exercise are healthier, cheerier, more energetic, think more clearly, sleep better, and have delayed onset of dementia. What’s more, they get relief from anxiety and mild depression—comparable to medication and therapy.

But of course, no one really disputes the benefit of exercise. The trick is actually DOING IT.

My own favorite activity is reading in bed—preferably, while snacking. It took me a while, but I’ve managed to get myself into the habit of exercising regularly.

These ten strategies helped me stick to my routine:

1. Always exercise on Monday. Starting the week on the right foot makes it easier to stick to your plan.

2. Never skip exercising for two days in a row. You can skip a day, but the next day, you must exercise no matter how inconvenient. This rule dramatically increased the number of times I exercise over the course of a month.

3. Remember, exercise GIVES energy. If you feel too tired to exercise, remember that exercise boosts energy. It took me a long time to notice that I’d drag myself to the gym, work out for forty minutes, and leave feeling far more energetic than when I went in.

4. Any work-out “counts.” Give yourself credit for the least effort. My father, a runner, always said that all he had to do was put on his running shoes and close the door behind him. Why does this work? Because if I know I can quit after five minutes, I get started—and once I start, I usually follow through with my usual routine. Getting out the door is by FAR the toughest part.

5. You don’t have to shower. One problem—mostly for women—is that taking a shower can take too much time. Look for exercise like strength-training, yoga, or walking, that don’t make you sweaty.

6. Throw money at the problem. Spend more to go to a more convenient gym, or to get an iPod, or to work with a trainer. Exercise pays off BIG in your quality of life, so this is a place to splurge.

7. Don’t set the bar too high. I have a friend who thinks it’s not worth exercising unless she’s training for a marathon – and so she never exercises. She’d be better off going for a one-mile run five times a week.

8. Don’t kid yourself. Belonging to a gym doesn’t mean that you go to the gym. Having been in good shape in college doesn’t mean you’re in good shape today. Be honest about what your habits really are now.

9. You have time. Just take a twenty-minute walk. If you can’t do more, do that! Just a twenty-minute walk will really pay off.

10. Exercise for SANITY not VANITY. I find it more motivating to think about the fact that exercise is going to make me feel happier, calmer, and more energetic, right now, rather than to think about vaguer long-term benefits, like strengthened immunity or longer life. It’s not clear that exercise has much impact on weight loss, so don’t be give up when the pounds don’t fall off. It’s worth doing for so many other reasons.

If you’d like to read more about happiness, check out Gretchen’s daily blog, The Happiness Project, and join the Happiness Project group on Facebook to swap ideas.

Lazy Productivity: 10 Simple Ways to Do Only Three Things Today

glen — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:23:15 +0000

Editor's note: This post was written by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits.

I have to admit, I'm as lazy as the next guy. I have my moments of productivity, where I'm cranking out the tasks and checking things off my to-do list like my life depended on it.

But for the most part, I just want to do a few things each day, and then take a nap.

And as it turns out, that's all that's needed. Doing just a few things each day has worked wonders for my productivity -- I do less, but those few things I do have a higher impact. With this method, I've created a couple of successful blogs, and achieved a few other things along the way. Not trying to brag, but only showing that laziness can actually work if you put it to work for you.

How can laziness work? Well, if you only want to do three things, just do three things. But here's the key: make those three things count.

Here are my suggestions for making laziness work for you:

Choose only three things to do today. If you set a limit, you will be forced to choose just the important things. If you don't set a limit, you'll try to do everything ... which means you'll be busy, but you'll be doing a lot of unimportant things as well. Just choose three, but choose carefully.
Choose for impact, not urgency. There are always things that seem urgent today, and those things tend to push the important stuff back. But here's the thing: the urgent stuff is only urgent in our minds. In a week, they won't matter. But if you choose something that has long-term impact on your work and your life, it will matter in a week. It's those high-impact tasks that really make a difference. If you choose high-impact tasks -- things that will really make a difference over time, that will get you recognition and success and create new opportunities -- you can let the urgent stuff melt away.
Choose them the night before. Plan your three tasks the night before, so you're prepped for the day when you wake up. Then there's no "urgent" stuff on the list, because you chose them when you were calm. It helps give you a jump-start on your day.
Start on them immediately. First thing you do when you start working: start on the first of your three important tasks. Don't do little things. Just start.
Don't check email until the first one's done. There's always the urge to dive into email (or whatever your normal productive distraction is at work), but resist. Let it be your reward for completing the first task on your list. Let your urge to be lazy motivate you to finish that task!
Choose a fourth, more important task to procrastinate on. Here's where procrastination can really help you. Trick yourself by putting a big task you've been dreading at the top of your list. So you actually have four tasks. You will try to procrastinate on that big task by working on the three tasks below it. In that way, you'll still get three very important tasks done while procrastinating on the fourth. How will you get that fourth one done? When something bigger comes along that you dread even more, put that at the top of your list.
Take breaks in between. When you finish one of your three tasks, give yourself a short break. 10 minutes works well for me, but you may need 15 or 20. That's OK. We're not in a sweatshop here. You're only doing three things today. Take a walk. Get a glass of water. Shoot the breeze with someone. Check whatever you like to check online. Then get back to work on the next task.
When you're done, celebrate with a nap. After you do your three important tasks, take a nap. You've earned it. You've done three important things today, which is more than most people, to be honest. They might do 7 smaller things, but you've been more productive by doing less.
Batch process smaller tasks. It's inevitable that you'll have smaller things you'll need to take care of. Put those off until the afternoon or end of your day, and do them all at once in batches. So do all your phone calls, then all your emails, then all your little paperwork or whatever. Just don't allow these smaller, routine tasks to push back your big ones.
What if you need to do more? You probably won't actually complete them all anyway. Just choose three and put the rest off until tomorrow. I promise, the world won't end and life will go on. And you'll be much less stressed.

Photo courtesy of Ian Bloomfield.

8 Ways to Make Your Blog Viral On Facebook

glen — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:09:17 +0000

Post written by Glen Stansberry, creator of the Facebook App Creator for Bloggers.

Not many people have really figured out a way to successfully fuse social networks like Facebook with blogs. Blog owners haven't been able to really leverage the massive user base that Facebook has amassed since its launch in 2004. Did you know that:

Facebook has over 58 million active users?
Facebook grows to over 200,0000 signups a day

One of the reasons that Facebook has grown so rapidly is that the whole system is based on trust. Each user that adds an account does so accurately depicting who they truly are. Why? So his/her other friends will be able to find them, and share photos, messages, and links with them.

I've created a service that automatically turns your blog's RSS feed into a Facebook application. The Facebook App Creator for Bloggers lets each blog's users download the application, which shows the latest posts from your blog in their profile pages. Next to each article there's a "share" button, allowing the Facebook users to quickly and easily share articles with other Facebook friends.

This App Creator for Bloggers,coupled with these 8 tips below, will entice Facebook users to share these trusted links of your blog's posts, with other Facebook users.

Make lots of friends- This may seem like a no-brainer, but it really does help. Facebook has made it pretty easy to do this, allowing you to find your friends by your email contacts, hometown, and a multitude of other ways.
The more friends you have, the more people will be visiting your profile, and seeing what you've been up to.
Find and join lost of networks- Remember, the key is getting more visibility to your profile. Joining popular networks is a great way.
Become friendly- Again, this falls under the "Duh!" category, but I have to say it anyway. Stay in touch (as much as possible) with your contacts. The more you're on their mind, the more they'll visit your profile page to check up on you.
Start sharing- I try to share things with my friends that I know they'll like. It's actually changed the way I think when I read articles these days. I constantly try to think of a friend (or group of friends) who would genuinely like to read the article, and instantly share with them.
This increases your "friendliness" and lets your friend know that you're thinking of him. Who wouldn't want that? And if they're thinking of you... that's right, they're more likely to check your profile and see your blog posts.
Start uploading photos to Facebook- This may not make sense, but Facebook is the largest photo sharing site in the world. Why? Because when you upload photos, you can tag your friends who are in the photo. And then they'll get an email saying "You've just had a photo of you added!", pointing them to your photo sets. This is a highly viral feature of Facebook, and it's the reason why they're so popular.
This will bring traffic to your blog because once the user has visited your profile, he'll see see your a
Place the application as high on your profile as possible- It's the whole "above the fold" mentality. The higher your blog's application on your profile page, the more people will see it. You want them to scroll as little as possible to see your blog posts.
Post your app on your blog- What's better than promoting your blog? Having your readers promote your blog! Point them towards your Facebook application, and allow them to install it on their profile. They can also choose to share your blog's applications with their friends, and then to their friends, and well... you can see how it can get viral.
The more prominently you can display the application on the your blog, the more readers you'll have install it.
Write posts that people will actually want to share- There is an art to writing titles, and the more attractive your posts' titles are, the more they'll be clicked and shared. Even if you've got 1 billion friends on Facebook, it's not likely your post titled "My Socks Are Warm" is going to get passed around a lot. The excellent blog Copyblogger is chock-full of how to write better, if you're looking for a resource.

These techniques can greatly improve your blog's visibility on Facebook.

Photo by Laughing Squid.

Can a Book Really Change Your Life?

glen — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 15:25:53 +0000

Written by Tony Clark of Success From the Nest.

"Ever read a book that changed your life? Me neither." ~ Jim Gaffigan

How often have you heard someone say that a book changed their life?

Besides Oprah. Or all the reviews at Amazon for self-help books -- by authors at the same publisher who are required to pimp each other's books.

No, I'm talking about your friends, family, colleagues, or customers.

How about you -- has a book ever changed your life?

I'm going to say "no," because a book can't change your life.

Waiting For a Fire to Start Itself

I've known lots of people who rush out to buy the latest "30 Days to [Enter Results Here]" book, read it in a few days, and then are pissed off that their life hasn't changed.

30 days later, they are still waiting for a new life -- and are even more frustrated.

"What a waste of money," they say. "That book is a scam."

The problem is that no matter how powerful the ideas and concepts contained within a book (or audio program, or video series, etc.), it's worthless if you don't put them into practice.

That requires action on your part.

Reading a book, and expecting some life altering thing to magically happen is like waiting for a match to light a fire on its own. Granted, there are circumstances where a match can spontaneously combust, but there are some factors there that cause it to ignite.

A fire requires a catalyst and a trigger. Until then, it's just potential.

It's the same with life changing events.

A Book as a Catalyst for Change

It's been said that knowledge is power. It's also been said that it's not knowledge that's power, but knowledge plus action.

The ideas and concepts presented in the right book, at the right time in your life, can be a catalyst for change. The book itself provides the starting point, but you are the one that is making the change. You are taking steps to put the ideas into practice.

Over the years several books have provided that catalyst for me. Books that came into my possession at a point where I was ready for their particular ideas to set a change in motion. For example:

5 Rituals of Wealth by Tod Barnhart provided a framework for me when I needed it.
Is Your Genius at Work? by Dick Richards is one of the few books I recommend to everyone looking for some insight into themselves.
Work Less, Make More by Jennifer White gave me the perspective and tools to take my business to the next level. Sadly Jennifer passed away suddenly in 2001, just an hour after her 33rd birthday. Yet her words continue to inspire. I credit her strategies for getting me into action, and inspiring me to make some key changes in my entrepreneurial life.

There is real power in the sharing of knowledge and experience. Ideas can generate the trigger and action needed to move your life to where you want it to be.

But a book, no matter how powerful it's message, can't change your life.

Only you can do that.

Photo by Shots By Me.

How to Do Your Holiday Shopping Without Wanting to Take Your Own Life

glen — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:22:51 +0000

Written by Brett Kelly of the Cranking Widgets Blog (feed).

Every year, around early to mid-November, I realize that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This realization quickly gives way to the fact that Christmas is just slightly farther down the road, but approaching quickly. Then, the panic sets in...

Yep, shopping. While I love giving gifts to my friends and family, I absolutely despise the very notion of holiday shopping. Going to the local mall and wandering around aimlessly amongst the throngs of like-minded yule-tiders. Poking around in nameless gift stores filled with engravable flasks and non-descript jewelry boxes. Receiving (and often uttering) threats of physical violence or death over a simple parking space.

There simply must be a better way.

Well, friends, there is. And the good news is, many of you have already (at least partially) figured it out.

The problem of holiday shopping can be boiled down to two major points:

1. Figuring out what to buy for somebody
2. Acquiring the gift itself

Obviously, the first point is typically the most difficult and frustrating. Everybody has heard about (or has been described as) a person who's "impossible to shop for". These folks generally either have a very short list of things they enjoy or have enough cheddar lying around to pretty much buy everything they want. Either way, it presents a bit of a problem, but not an insurmountable one. What I typically do for people like these is choose something that I like and that could conceivably be of interest to the recipient.

For example, I'm a coffee guy. Coffee isn't exactly a specialized interest, so a nice bag of coffee beans or a cool piece of equipment would make a great gift for most people (except those who actively avoid coffee, of course). The important thing to remember is that it doesn't necessarily have to be something that they will absolutely enjoy. Take a chance and expose your loved one to something new. They might not like it, but they might love it.

Now, as for the rest of the people on your list (the people who wouldn't be categorized as "impossible to shop for"), here's a very good way to at least get the ball rolling on gift ideas:

For each person, pull out a blank sheet of paper and write their name in the middle of it, then circle it. Now, start writing words or phrases to describe that person (including their interests). Productivity nerds will recognize this as being a mind-map. Write as long as you have to until you've got a solid birds-eye overview of the person. Now, looking at the notes you've made, try to boil it down to a list of interests and/or distinguishing characteristics. If my wife were to perform this exercise with myself as the subject, she might end up with a list like this:

Computers
Programming
Coffee
Scotch
Learning
Writing
Reading
Music
Board Games

Now, all of these are potential sources of gift ideas. Many of the more straight-forward areas (like coffee, for example) will probably be less likely to yield a quality gift. Your really solid ideas will almost always come from the more open-ended aspects. If your loved one likes to read (and isn't married to a specific topic, like World War II or Candlemaking), buy them a book that you like! Again, the gift will be a gamble, in a sense.

But, as the saying goes, it's the thought that counts. Even if the recipient doesn't like the gift, you put some thought into it. They can hardly ask for more than that :)

As far as actually acquiring the gift once you've decided what it is, obviously buying online is the best way. The obvious advantages being the ease of purchase and the control you have over how and where the item is delivered. Getting all of your shopping done from the comfort of your own home is an attractive option, to be sure. But what if, for whatever reason, you can't get everything on your list from an online store? What if you must visit the dreaded mall?

Well, while this is definitely not going to be an enjoyable experience, there are things you can do to minimize the hassle of visiting a mall or shopping center during holiday shopping season:

1. Go on a weekday, preferrably in the morning - If you can take the morning off of work (or maybe an early lunch), it'd be a good idea to do so. The majority of the masses do their shopping on the weekends, so this could go a long way in relieving your holiday shopping stress.

2. Know *exactly* what you're going there to buy - Showing up at the mall with a list of people (instead of a list of products) is a sure-fire way to spending several hours in utter frustration. This is precisely what most people do, which is why there's such a general sense of melancholy among your fellow shoppers.

3. "Trident Shopping" - Hitting a series of stores in a linear fashion is sometimes a necessity. Most of the time, however, you have the option of a multi-pronged assault. Grab your list and 2-3 willing friends (heck, maybe they have shopping to do as well). Separate your shopping center into sections and distribute the list(s) among the shoppers. Envision your success and strike with surgical precision. Correctly executing this maneuver can put you inside the mall for *far* less time than shopping solo

It's really a shame that holiday gift giving has become such a pain in the ass. It's less about the joy of giving and more about the headache and stress of getting all the right gifts. Hopefully this guide will help ease your suffering, even if only a little. Happy Holidays!

Photo by A Different Perspective

How Surroundings Directly Affect Your Productivity: A Case Study

glen — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 06:21:48 +0000

Written by Glen of LifeDev.

Given the state of my organization as of late, I can certainly say that there is something to be desired. It's not that I haven't been getting stuff done. I've just noticed that I have a lot more stuff in my brain, which causes stress. Long story short: lately it's been a lot harder to focus on what has to be done.

At first I attributed the extra cycles in my brain to the busy season. It seems like once Halloween's over, pandemonium ensues and there is plenty more to do than normal. However, now that it's officially the busiest part of the busy season (you still following that?), I have been less stressed.

Let me repeat that. Even though I'm much busier, I've been less stressed, with a clearer mind. The reason: Organization.

The Trip

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I took a trip to San Antonio with my family. When I returned though, I realized a few things about my work surroundings: namely, I've turned into a slob.

My work environment had become much more cluttered than I'm accustomed to. The extra piles of this and that around the office were starting to directly affect my work, causing me small but subtle hiccups in my productivity.

Now, you're probably thinking that I'm a moron and anyone with a pulse could see that. And you'd be correct. But, it wasn't that it happened over night. I had trained myself to grow accustomed to less-than ideal surroundings. Eventually I had learned how to turn a blind eye to things like bits of paper here and there, always present in my subconscious and subtly tugging at my productivity. Fortunately, a fresh perspective helped me change, and in a hurry.

The minute I walked into the office upon return from Texas, I quickly saw all the clutter around me with fresh eyes. Bits of leaves here, piles of mail there, all demanding my already limited attention.

Quick Changes

Fortunately, the process of change was quick. In about 30 minutes I got down to business and vacuumed the office, filed my papers and cleaned everything up. Directly after the purging, I could feel a huge change in my ability to focus on tasks. I was easily planning my day and knocking off projects without my brain constantly reminding me to attend to seemingly insignificant tasks.

If you're feeling a little laggy in the productivity department, try reassessing your work environment. Is it too cluttered? Are there physical reminders lying around that you need to attend to? Odds are these small things are making big hurdles in your ability to focus, concentrate, and ultimately get things done.

15 Great Ways to Relax at Work

glen — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:25:25 +0000

Written by Chanpory of LifeClever.

Let me guess, you’re stressed out at work. Too much to do, too little time, yada, yada, yada. You already know the one million reasons for all that anxiety, so let’s get to the point.

Stress isn’t a cancer with no cure. A few simple steps can reduce anxiety and promote tranquility. Here are 15 tips to help you relax at work:

Eat breakfast
Relaxation begins before you even step into the office. Start the day off with breakfast. Aside from being nutritious, eating breakfast forces you to slow down in the morning. Eat, pace yourself, and you’ll get into work without rush-hour anxiety in your system.
Go to work earlier
After a delicious meal, avoid the morning stampede and go to work earlier than others. You’ll get fewer traffic jams, phone calls, and interruptions. All this lets you get more done in a calmer environment. With this increased productivity in the morning, you can go home earlier.
Meditate
Countless researchers in fancy white lab coats have shown how meditation relaxes both your mind and body. Luckily, you don’t have to be dressed in an ugly leotard and sitting at a yoga studio to reap the benefits of meditation. Try mini-meditations. Short little deep breathing exercises that take you temporarily out of your work angst. Here’s a technique to try now.
Breathe deeply
Deep breathing shouldn’t be confined to meditation breaks. Every breath you take should be deep. Sadly, many of us, myself included, are unconscious shallow breathers. To kill this habit, practice deep breathing exercises often to train your body to take full breaths.
Invest in an ergonomic chair
You sit in front of a computer 8 hours a day. Isn’t it worth investing in a comfortable chair to ease your body? My two favorites are the Aeron and Freedom Chair. Don’t like these? Here are alternatives.
Eliminate clutter
A cluttered desk distracts, creates visual pollution, and adds to your existing stress level. Each item on your desk, however small, is something you have to think about when you look at it. Don’t make excuses, clear your desk (and virtual desktop) now. Tomorrow, it’ll feel good to come to a clean desk.
Wear headphones
In noisy work environments, headphones are vital to sanity. Even if you’re not listening to music, put them on to block ambient noise. It’ll also let others know not to bother you.
Play music
Of course, listening to music with your headphones on also helps you to relax. Pick something you know will put you at ease. As much as I like postmodern electronic noise, cheesy ABBA songs work like a charm.
Take your full lunch hour
Make lunch sacred. This means not munching at your desk. Take your lunch outside and don’t end your lunch hour early. Here are more ways to maximize your lunch hour.
Take a nap
Finish eating lunch a little early? Use the rest of your lunch hour to take a nap. While the dotcom days of nap rooms at the office are extinct, you’ve still got options: your car and, if you have a closed office, your chair. Pop in a pzizz track, set an alarm on your phone, and recharge your body.
Play
If you have a hard time napping in the middle day, use the rest of your lunch hour to play. Take a walk, sketch, write in your journal, twirl, play hopscotch. Anything pleasurable as long as it’s not working and in front of the computer.
Turn off IM
Chatting is not working. It only distracts, divides your attention, and increases anxiety because of the strain of “multi-tasking.” Fewer interruptions during the day means makes it easier to maximize flow, the state of being totally focused in what you’re doing. Cut out IM and bring calmness back into your work life.
Turn off automatic email checking
Another culprit of stress is email. Instead of setting your email to check for new messages automatically, set it to manual. Check email only twice a day, and never ever when you first get into work.
Laugh
Comic relief is a well known technique for relieving dramatic tension in movies, plays, and novels. It’s also handy during those high-anxiety moments at work. When you’re taking yourself too seriously, pop-up your favorite silly YouTube video and have a laugh. My favorite is Shoes.
Get a new job
If none of the above works, maybe its time to simply quit your job.

A lot of this is just common sense like your mama taught you. But hey, we all need reminders when we’re too busy to remember.

What stress-relieving techniques do you use at work?

7 lies that prevent Your Great Idea from becoming a Real Business

glen — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:14:26 +0000

Written by Greg Go of WiseBread.

A lot of people have a Great Idea. It might be a new invention or a local service business. Unfortunately for consumers, many would be entrepreneurs are waiting for "the right time" to start their Real Business. They have plenty of reasons (excuses) for the delays. From lack of time to lack of experience, our minds have creative ways of rationalizing our fears.

Here are 7 common excuses for not starting a Real Business, along with strategies for overcoming internal fear, uncertainty and doubt ("Internal FUD").

How Internal FUD kills Great Ideas

1. I'm too busy right now. I'll start when I have more time.

This is the most sinister of the excuses because it is completely true. You would do more for your business if you had all the time in the world. But really, are you ever going to get less busy?

Starting a new business involves risk, time and effort. As you pick up more dependents and/or expenses over time, your ability to take the risk necessary for launching a business disappears. Many would-be entrepreneurs wait far too long for a perfect moment that never comes.

Today is as perfect as it gets. Even if you only do one small thing a day (or week or month), it's better than always waiting for tomorrow. Don't put off your dream until you are "less busy". It's never going to happen.

2. After I get an MBA, I'll be ready to start up.

Some people think they need an MBA before they can make their Great Idea happen. That is false. An MBA doesn't guarantee success. And an MBA is not a requirement for starting a business.

At the end of the day, you're trading a service or product for some money. If you can build/provide this product/service, and you can convince people to pay money for it, you have a business. MBA, bachelor's or even high school degrees be damned.

3. I hate sales.

If you really hate trading a product/service for money (the definition of a "sale"), then I don't know what to tell you. There's no business without sales.

However, I'll bet you don't really hate sales. You hate used car salesmen and cold callers. The good news is that 99.9 percent of business transactions are completely unlike the pushy sales pitch. Businesses that offer actual value don't have to work very hard to make sales. If you're making a product or providing a service that people want and it's priced fairly, then both you and your customers are happier because of the sale.

Dismiss this myth -- you don't hate sales. Do you love talking about your great idea? Sales is just telling people about the awesomeness of your product/service.

4. I'll do some research after South Park.

You know the really successful entrepreneurs enjoy their work much more than traditional leisure activities like watching TV/movies. And you probably already feel guilty about watching TV instead of doing more market research. I won't lecture you about dedication and commitment and priorities. You already know that stuff.

Instead I'll tell you how I got out of my entrepreneurial funk. Whenever I was watching more TV than working on my Great Idea, it was because I was stuck. I didn't realize it at the time, but my mind was avoiding making a tough decision or working through a particularly hard problem. My Internal FUD pushed me towards easier tasks. Watching TV was a whole lot easier than spending a couple hours researching, thinking about, and making the tough call. I overcame this self-imposed obstacle by giving myself a "State of the Great Idea" report.

Rediscover your motivation by scheduling 1 hour of "hard thinking time" to come up with concrete actionable tasks. Make a date with yourself to honestly evaluate your Great Idea. Stealing 10 minutes in the shower or during your commute is not good enough. You need the full hour (or more) to think through the critical problems and identify actionable tasks you can do next. Once you have some tasks to do, and have made some forward progress in turning your Great Idea into a Real Business, you will lose the craving to incessantly watch and discuss Cartman's latest hijinks.

5. I don't know anything about business.

Good news! Business administration is the easy part. The hard part is having a good product. There are plenty of resources (both off- and on-line) that will help you cross those business process bridges when you get to them.

Shatter this roadblock by realizing you don't need to be a business guru to get started. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are among the greatest entrepreneurs of our time, and they didn't know anything about business when they started.

To help you figure it out along the way, here are a few online resources to help your business get started:

Entrepreneur.com's Startup Basics section - articles on how to bootstrap your business
Guide to choosing the right business entity (LLC, C corp, sole proprietorship, etc)
IRS portal for small business and self-employed - forms and information about taxes
How to find a good lawyer
How to find a good accountant

Pore over articles at Entrepreneur.com and check out business books from the library. All the business know-how you need is freely available.

6. I don't have startup capital.

Your business may legitimately need startup capital, but is your Internal FUD keeping you from looking for it? Not having the necessary capital right now is not a show stopper. There are lots of places to get startup capital.

A variation of this excuse is "I don't want to take on partners/investors, so I need to save up the money myself." This is Internal FUD using your greed against you. If you thought about it a bit, isn't it better to own 50 percent of a Real Business now than 100 percent of a maybe future business that could or could not actually happen?

Don't let Internal FUD keep you on the couch instead of raising that startup capital. Even if you wanted to retain full ownership, you have lots of financial options. Here's a few creative ways to not take investors and overcome the money problem:

cash out your savings
get one or more low interest loans from friends and family
small business credit cards
live like a poor college student -- lower your personal expenses
do it yourself
get a line of credit from your company's bank
get a loan from the Feds (basic requirements for getting a SBA loan)

Here's a chart with more funding options and the pros and cons of each.

7. Before doing anything else, I need to write a business plan.

A business plan is important to keep you on task. Once you've opened your doors, you won't have time to think big picture amidst the day-to-day fires of running a business.

Having said that, you don't really need a business plan before getting started. Writing a beautiful 100-page plan doesn't make you a single penny. Making a product, closing that first sale... those are the truly critical things to being a Real Business.

What you need is a stripped down, practical, internal business plan just for yourself. Just answer the following questions (and write down your answers!), and you'll be well on your way to closing that first sale.

What is your product or service?
Who are your customers?

There are probably many potential types of customers that are interested in your product. Who are the ones that will particularly love your product/service? How many of them are there?

Who else is doing what you're doing?Who are your competitors and potential competitors? Why is your product/service better?

When will things get done?

Given the specific customers you describe above, how do you plan on getting them? Will you buy ads, encourage referrals from existing customers, create a website?
In the next 3, 6, 12 months, what are specific milestones you want to accomplish? What does your company look like in 2, 3 or 5 years?
What are the next steps you need accomplish this month?

How much money will it take to start and how much will you earn?

How much money will it cost to make your product or provide your service?
How much do you have to charge to earn a profit?
Using this spreadsheet, plan your startup's first year expenses and income. What month will you break even?

The next step to becoming a Real Business is easy.

At the end of the day, you only need to keep two things in mind:

Most of these excuses aren't real obstacles. As soon as you recognize that's it just Internal FUD, you can pinpoint the real problem and get busy solving it.
It's not that hard. All you need to turn your Great Idea into a Real Business is to do the next action step... then another one, and so on. You don't need to do them all at once nor do you have to know what all the steps are ahead of time. Just take the next step. It's easy.

Recognize that there is nothing but bogus Internal FUD stopping you from turning your Great Idea into a Real Business. Good luck! I know you can do it.

If you've overcome your own Internal FUD, share your success stories in the comments.

Greg Go helps publish Wise Bread, a leading personal finance blog.

Photo by Flickr user Twyford

11 Tips for Feeling Happier Right Now

glen — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:30:20 +0000

Post by Gretchen of The Happiness Project.

If you’d like to make yourself happier, you can start right now. In the next hour, check off as many of the following items as possible.

Each one of these tips is guaranteed to lift your mood, as will the mere fact that you’ve tackled and accomplished some concrete goals.

1. Boost your energy: pace while you talk on the phone or, even better, take a brisk ten-minute walk outside. Even a small amount of exercise elevates your spirits.

2. Listen to a great song. Research shows that listening to music you love is an extremely effective way to improve your mood.

3. Reach out to friends: make a lunch date or call a friend. Having warm bonds with other people is a key to happiness. Perhaps surprisingly, it turns out that socializing boosts the moods not only of extroverts, but also of introverts.

4, Rid yourself of a nagging task: answer a difficult email, purchase something you need, or call to make that dentist’s appointment. Crossing an irksome chore off your to-do list will give you a big rush of energy and cheer.

5. Create a calm environment: clear some physical and mental space around your desk by pitching junk, stowing supplies, sending out quick responses, filing, or even just straightening up your piles. Outer order contributes to inner serenity.

6. Lay the groundwork for some fun: order a book you’ve been wanting to read (not something you should read) or plan a weekend excursion. Studies show that having fun on a regular basis is a pillar of happiness. Try to involve friends or family, as well; people enjoy activities more when they’re with other people than when they’re alone.

7. Do a good deed: make a helpful email introduction, set up a blind date, or shoot someone a piece of useful information or gratifying praise. Do good, feel good—this really works. Also, although we often believe that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act. When you act in a friendly way, you’ll strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people. And that’s a happy feeling.

8. Fake it: put a smile on your face right now, and keep smiling. Research shows that even an artificially induced smile has a positive influence on your emotions. Also, if you’re smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable.

9. Spend time with an energetic friend. Studies show that you’re more likely to feel good about yourself when you feel energetic. For the long term, it’s important to get enough sleep and to exercise, but if you need an immediate pick-me-up, spend time with an energetic friend. In a phenomenon called “emotional contagion,” people pick up each other’s moods. By hanging out with someone energetic, you’ll boost your own energy.

10. Go outside.Research suggests that sunlight stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood and increases focus. For an extra boost, get your sunlight first thing in the morning.

11. Save the life of a stranger. Every day, seventeen people die while waiting for a donated organ, and just one donor can save or improve the life of as many as 50 people. Most Americans say they approve of organ donation, but not many actually sign a donor card. Register online and tell your next of kin you want to donate. As you click away, imagine the joyous faces of the people who will one day get a call from a hospital, to tell them that their prayers have been answered. That will make you feel pretty darned happy.

Photo by yaya6193