Last month I had bad luck with computers. My power chord on my main computer died, so I bought a new one which also burned out. No power chord basically meant that my computer was virtually useless. I decided to switch to an iMac. The reason for this was actually convenience. My dad had an iMac I bought him a couple of years ago that he was no longer using since I got him an iphone.

Losing the ability to use your computer or having a computer die makes you think about your files. I keep all of my important files backed up on an external hard drive, but that can also die. I finally decided what I needed was  a place online to store my files. That way I would have the ability to access them regardless of what computer I was using or where I was.

I wasn’t actually looking for a place to keep all of my files, but just a few select ones that I didn’t want to loose.

I looked at a few different sites, and finally decided on Dropbox for two reasons. One, it had applications on available on many platforms. Two, you start out with 2GB of space, but get an additional 250mb of space (up to 10Gb) for every person that you refer. Not a bad deal.

The user interface is also good. Dropbox shows up as a folder and whatever you put into it gets uploaded to your Dropbox file.

So here is my referral link to Dropbox. If you use this link we both get an additional 250mb of space.

Click here to Sign up for Drop Box

Once you sign up, please feel free to comment on how you like it or don’t. Also, feel free to comment if you have found a better service.

The iPhone is a pretty cool gadget. By cleverly combining a computer with a cell phone, the iPhone has basically changed the cell phone industry overnight. And this isn’t just the case in the US. I live in Japan and the market here is now almost completely dominated by smart phones. So why if it’s so great, am I giving mine up? Let me explain.

When I first got my iPhone it was great. It allowed me to make phone calls, connect to all of my social media programs, use Skype, have a decent Japanese program, and not to mention the ability to watch YouTube from bed. It seemed perfect.

However, my love affair was soon ended when I received my first bill. The cost was over triple what I was previously paying. All of a sudden all of those extra features didn’t seem quite as valuable. The idea was that when I was in the house I would use wifi, so I wouldn’t get charged for using data. The problem was that the iPhone switched between the two and my data plan was maxed every month. So in order to make sure this didn’t happen I had to turn off 3G, which meant that I then couldn’t use email.

Now, the problem wasn’t actually with the iPhone, it was with the phone companies. They realized they had something people wanted and could charge a fortune for it. They created all kinds of new plans which REQUIRED you to opt into various services, which weren’t required with other phones even though they accessed data the same way. And since people were so thrilled with their smart phones, no one seemed to care.

After having my iPhone for over two years, I have come to the realization that an iPhone is a cool device. It combines the abilities of a cell phone and a tablet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do either one if these things as well as the originals. A basic phone costs far less and will allow you to make phone calls easier and cheaper than a smart phone. You also don’t have to worry so much about it getting damaged or lost. I can’t tell you how many times I leave my iPhone in the car (leaving me without a phone) when I go to the beach, for a jog, etc.

Yes, it can be used as a mini tablet, but the screen is too small to make it comfortable to do so. You have to spend too much time scrolling back and forth on the screen.

So yesterday I shut off my iPhone and am back with a regular cell phone. This time I went real simple and my bill is a third of what it was. That will easily save me enough to save up for a tablet in a few months if I choose to do so.

My new cell phone isn’t amazing, but it does something great that my iPhone never did that well: it works as a cell phone.

When it comes to organization, I am a bit of a conflicted soul. It really bugs me when things are out place, but I am often not as well organized as I would like.

This feeling of disorganization is further enforced with all the time we spend on the computer. We have personal files, music files, photos, work files, bookmarks, favorites, videos, and all kinds of other stuff we need to keep track of. Now that I also do most of my work online, this has compounded even more.

The thing is, I know what causes the disorganization. Correcting the problem however, isn’t quite so easy.

The problem comes from bad planning or no planning at all.

The bigger problem is that once a system is in place it’s not easy to change. If you are like me, then maybe you have bookmarks in several places, photos on multiple hard drives, and in my case, different kinds of files among different types of operating systems. Finding all of those files and then organizing them is a much bigger project than properly organizing them in the first place.  Because of this, most of us just keep using the messed up system that we have.

However, chances to start over can come in unusual forms.

In my case, that was my main computer’s power chord breaking. It was also the fact that I needed to use one of my external hard drives for a different purpose. This forced my to get rid of a lot of documents I didn’t need and consolidate the rest into one place. I also have a new computer on the way that will allow me to keep everything in one place

Getting Organized Online

Now I am by no means an organization guru. However, I try to learn from my mistakes, and have done a few things that allow me to stay better organized.

Email- Over the years I have used a lot of e-mail programs and tried a lot of different e-mail accounts. I like having all of my e-mail available regardless of the computer or location, so I have gone online with that. I have had an MSN account from years and years, but I mostly use Gmail.

Online bookmarks- I have moved all of my bookmarks from my browser to an online bookmarking service. That way I can have my bookmarks no matter what computer I am on. Do be careful however, as I have seen a lot of start up companies shut down, and you don’t want to loose your bookmarks. I use Delicious.

Documents- Word documents, excel sheets, ect are all other things I have brought online. There are several services available, but I use Google Docs since I also have a gmail account.

Photos/videos- This is one I still have difficulty with. I use Picasa to view them, but i keep my pics stored on an external hard drive marked by event and date. I would like to move them online, but I am not sure if I am willing to pay for a service to host my pictures. Companies like Flicker/Picasa Web offer free storage, but only up to a certain limit. Any recommendations? I came across this blog in my search which has a pretty good list of photo sites: photo sites.

Readers- If you are like me, then you are probably subscribed to many blogs. Keeping up on them all can be difficult. Using an RSS reader makes it much easier. I have been using Google Reader for the last several years and I am happy with it. The one thing I recommend is to delete blogs that you no longer read. This will help from the “unread” numbers getting to overwhelming.

Calendar- This is something that I just reviewed recently as I was looking for a better option. I have been using Google Calendar, but since I use it for my classes, I never wanted to let it get cluttered up with daily tasks.  I also felt the tasks tab didn’t work well. However, after looking at other options I decided to stay with Google Calendar and use it slightly different. For my daily tasks time doesn’t really matter. So I mark them as “all-day” and they show up at the very top of the page. I only use the tasks bar for things I need to consider or think about.

Planning out your organization

My new computer should be arriving sometime next week or the week after. How well I implement the system I have created will depend on how well I have planned it out. I have spent countless hours trying to change bad planned organization, so spending a few to make a better system from scratch is time well spent.

Mind Mapping Software

At the moment I am creating two systems. One is how I organize information and data on my computer. The other is my work flow. Mind mapping software is a great option for this because it allows you to put everything down where you can see it and think out the process. However, it isn’t necessary. You can always use a pen and paper as well. For those who are interested in the software, check out this page.

Update: After writing this I tried free mind, and found it to be a bit difficult to use. I finally gave up on it, and then tried bubbl.us. It’s real easy to use and free. It doesn’t have a ton of features, but it gets the job done.

How do you stay organized?

I would love to get your feedback and hear your stories of success (or horror). Let me know what programs you use, and what system you have found best. Do you prefer the way of technology or do you like keeping things on paper?

Lately, I am finally starting to learn how to do both. I am really excited with the content I have planned for this blog, and I think you will enjoy it.

Lately, I am really getting into video and editing and I have been wanting to do more with this on the blog. My camera was flooded on a snorkeling trip, but I have a new HD camera on the way and figured what better way to tell you about the new plans for the website than make a video. The camera hasn’t arrived yet and neither has my new computer (I am typing this on a 6 year old laptop). But, I figured rather than wait, I would get started and use what I have.

This was shot on my iphone and edited using a free program on my 6 year old laptop. Let me know what you think, and please leave comments and subscribe (you can find a subscribe button on the sidebar) to my YouTube account. I will have many more vids on the way.

The ability to have two or three tabs open at one time is great. You can compare products, use it to copy and paste, find out information from one site while using it for another, etc. It is much easier than having to switch between pages and requires less work by your computer. However, if you are like me, and commonly have 5+ pages open on a regular basis, then you are probably wasting more time than you are gaining.

The reason is that it takes more time to find what you want. Each time you switch tabs, you will have to search for the one you want. Not to mention that as you open more tabs, they get smaller, making it more difficult to tell what each one is. It also makes it easier to get side-tracked. You may accidentally open a tab you forgot about and start reading it, loosing track of what you were doing in the first place.

While the solution is simple (don’t open so many tabs), actually applying it is more difficult. I think you have to create a rule/habit. Make a rule that you won’t open more than 2-4 tabs at any one time. If you need to save something, then bookmark it and close the page. You will be able to work much more efficiently if you don’t have a bunch of pages to distract you.

I have closed all but two of my pages, and will try to keep it that way. Can you break the addition?

I am curious to everyone’s experience with browser tabs. How many do you keep open on average?

As I sit here writing this I am laying in the sun on Maehama beach in Miakojima, Japan. The picture above is the location just after getting out of the car. Am I sending you this from my vacation? No. Technically, I’m working.

For those who have been following this blog for a while know that I gave up my job in Tokyo, got rid of all my stuff, and moved to the beautiful island of Miyakojima to do Internet marketing. For those interested in doing something similar, check out the 4 hour work week.

Today, I actually want to talk about how important it is to get out of the office and especially, away from the computer.

Regardless of the job, it seems that most of us spend a lot of time punching away at a keyboard. It has become so common we don’t even consider working somewhere there isn’t a computer. Unfortunately, working on the computer isn’t always efficient or creative. It can also be quite distracting.

If you are using a computer, then there are a lot of distractions. It can be difficult to focus on work, when a failblog video is just a couple of clicks away. This of course is after you read through the endless unimportant email. And even when you do get to work, you switch between several tabs and projects. What is it that computers actually help us do again.

So what can you do? Get away from the computer. Turn it off. Remember what you did before you had a computer? A lot of projects we do on the computer can be done ( better and more creative) another way. This works especially well for projects that have several parts. Most projects have a part you need to think about and create. If you do that away from the computer and in a place you like it doesn’t feel like work.

Lastly, consider substitutes. Today’s smart phones can do quite a bit. If you have to be in front of a “computer” take it with you. I say this as i am typing on my Iphone. Work doesn’t seem like work if you are sitting on a beach.

And with that I think it is time to end this post. The sun is getting kind of bright.

How many of us have done this. I have done it so many times I can’t even count. I come up with a new plan, a new workout schedule, study schedule, and get all excited about it. I run through all the details and actions in my head and plan it all out. I can’t wait to get started. And yet, I never do.  Even though I am so excited to start whatever it is I am thinking about, I never do.

If you also have this problem, then I have a simple trick that might work for you. Take the first step now! The first step doesn’t have to be huge. It just has to be enough to get your feet moving in the right direction. If you want to join a new club, it may be the first phone call just to get information. A new workout program could start with you doing your first 5 minute walk right now.  It can even be something as simple as writing down the thing you are thinking about and how you will accomplish it. I often do this if I am thinking about something before I go to sleep. If I write it down there is a good chance I will start and finish it. If I don’t I will usually forget by morning.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Just taking that first step sets the wheels turning and the steps after that just seem to fall into place.

Get started now!

Think of that one thing you have wanted to start or need to get done and write it down how to get started.

I would love to hear how this method works for you and what methods you use that you have found helpful.

In the last few posts I have been talking a lot about starting new things and being successful at them. I discussed how important it is to limit your focus so you can spend more time at each thing you attempt. Something that is just as important, is to clearly understand your purpose and goals with whatever activity your try.

This idea may seem may seem a little weird at first. You are starting something because it looks fun or maybe because it will help your career right? Those are certainly good reasons to start something new. Unfortunately, they are too vague to push you up the steep learning curve of starting something you have never done before.

I believe there are really two distinct points you should consider when starting something new.

Motivation: Why are you pursuing this activity? What’s driving you to learn? The stronger and more clear your reason(s), the more likely you will be to to get over the learning curve and enjoy the benefits of the activity.

What is your goal: What level of mastery do you plan to get in this new activity. The better you understand this, the easier it is to plan out your method of learning and know how much work is ahead of you.

Saying, “I want to learn Spanish” gives you a basic understanding of some of the activities and studying you will need to do. However, it doesn’t set a goal line. Saying, “I want to learn conversational Spanish” gives you a idea of the amount of words you will need to know and also what those words might be. It also let’s you know where your goal line is. You have learned enough Spanish once you can communicate comfortably in basic Spanish conversations.

As you can see, the larger your goal, the stronger your motivation will need to be. Should your goal be to learn to speak fluently in Spanish, you would need to spend a lot more time learning.

Clearly understanding the amount of work it will take to learn something isn’t designed to stop you from trying something new, but it should help you choose and achieve the things that matter most to you.

Similar Posts

• Simple is Better, and More Efficient
• Learning the Sanshin
• Finding the Time vs Making the Time
• Learning Something New

What is really important to you? What matters the most in your life? This is a question we often hear, and most people tend to have very similar answers. My family, my friends,  and my health are probably the three answers I hear the most. And I truly believe this is what’s important to most people. Unfortunately, a lot of the time our actions often don’t reflect this. We get too caught up in work, the pursuit of money, houses, toys, etc, and forget about what really matters. So how do  we make sure we are working towards the things that are really important? Keep it simple.

I have realized that I can’t do everything. But I can do a few things very well if I focus all my energy on them. Limiting my focus to only a few things also keeps my life very simple and clear. I know what my goals are and that makes them easier to achieve. It also makes it very easy to break up my day into allotted time spots.

Since there are only a few things I need to do each day I have very few distractions. I can work towards the things that are important to me more efficiently. I don’t have to remember a large number of tasks and I don’t have to worry about not finishing everything.

Now I know a lot of people think this is impossible for there lifestyle. And if you are unwilling to change and give up things that are less important to you for ones that are more important, then they are probably right. But give it a try for just a week. Choose four things that are the most important to you and only allow time for those 4 things. Cut everything else out. Try it for just one week and see what happens!

A few days ago a wrote an article titled Learning Something New about pursuing the things you want to do and not being put off by the fact that they might take a long time to learn. To get good at something you will need to put in quite a bit of time, and I am guessing that your schedule is probably already pretty full. So to try something new you are going to need to “find” some more time or better yet, “make” some time.

The big difference between “finding the time” and “making the time” is basically a mindset. I have a number of friends who have goals and things they want to do, but those things always seem to be off in the near future somewhere because they are still trying to “find the time”. If you are serious about doing something, then you should decide to do it and then make the time.

Two Simple Ways to Make Time in Your Schedule

Efficiency and Effectiveness

This method doesn’t require that you give up any of your activities in your time schedule. Only that you do them more effective and efficiently. Maybe you are spending an hour at a gym three times a week to keep in shape. However, by changing your workout routine to a more effective one you can get the same results in only 30 minutes. You have just created an extra hour and 30 minutes a week in your schedule.

Remove Wasted Time

This method is really more a part of becoming more efficient and effective. The essential point is to stop doing things that don’t give you the benefit or result you are seeking. This can be anything from cutting down the number of times you read your e-mail at work, cutting down your TV watching and internet viewing, or quitting activities you are no longer interested in. If you are not sure which activities to get rid of, simply start considering any activity you do because you are bored or because you are avoiding something else.

Some ideas for making more time in your schedule

• Plan further in advance to reduce the amount of time/number of times you go shopping
• Group errands by location to minimize your driving time
• Reduce/remove TV/Internet time
• Group like tasks
• Focus on one thing at a time
• Stop doing things you no longer enjoy

This is just a shor t list of ideas. Please feel free to add more.