Do you ever have any awesome trick that keep you productive or make your work more efficient? Every creative and intelligent person I’ve met always has some kind of “magic trick” to keep them productive and efficient.
####Lifehack
Danny O’Brien coined the word “lifehack” for this kind of trick. Since then a lot of website picked up the word and as viral as it went, created another “cult” of lifehacker. Here are some great websites about lifehack:
While most lifehacks seems so obviously simple, some of them are actually ingenious. For example one of my favorite is using podcast and audiobook to boost productivity.
####Podcast
I own an iPod. An old one, the 10GB 2nd generation, nothing fancy. I’ve been using it mostly for, obviously, music and quite content with it until I discovered podcast. Listening to podcast change my way to receive information. While I still depend on the web to keep up with rapid information about life, the universe and everything, sometime I found it could be a big time waster. That’s why I depend on RSS Feed to keep up with my daily information intake because I have more than 200 feed subscription and because I don’t have internet connection at home, I use podcast to catch up with more information on the go.
The beauty of podcast lies on its portability. I could listen to them anywhere while I am cleaning my apartment, walking home, jogging and exercising, cooking and just before sleep. Most of my subscribed podcasts are technology oriented but I do have quite a few music oriented and everyday life thingy podcasts. Here are my current rotation:
#####Must listen:
- Daily Source Code: Podcast by the Podfather, Adam Curry. Talking about everything about podcast world in general.
#####Tech Podcast:
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this WEEK in TECH: If you miss “Call for Help” on TechTV then this is your cure. Leo Laporte, Yoshi, Kevin Rose and lots of those guys.
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MacCast: I am a Mac Geek and this show is for Mac Geeks, by Mac Geeks.
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Geek News Central: Todd Cochrane amazing geek news and he is publishing a book
about podcasting!
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IT Conversation: Just to keep up with IT trends.
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MAKE Podcast: Like Make Magazine? Like to build, hack and tinker stuff? This is your podcast then.
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Digital Experience Podcast: Better than Roy’s e-lifestyle. Guaranteed. Hi Roy™.
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The Wizards of Technology: Geek stuff, you’ll love it.
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This Week In Science: All scientific news you can digest.
#####Music related
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Coverville: A MUST if you love good music. A thrice-weekly voyage into the world of cover songs.
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Podcast NYC: Podsafe music, no legal issue here. Grab what you like and enjoy.
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Mashup Town: Love Mashup? You will love this show.
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De-Fi Radio: Another Podsafe music.
And believe me when I said: “There is no such thing as ‘Information Overload’, your brain is capable to process much information at once. Trust your brain, it could do wonder.”
####Audiobook
While podcast is feeding me with information, listening to audiobook is proving to be very rewarding. The same reason applied to audiobook as to podcast. While I enjoyed sit comfortably and read a good book, sometimes it also make time flies so quickly. I often hear people complain that they don’t have time to read because they are just too busy. My advice, get a portable audio player, digital is preferred, and get audiobooks. Then you could listen to them while you are driving, jogging, exercising, cleaning or doing things that normally would not give you a chance to read.
It may feel awkward for the first time and may not even work for some, but if it is your cup of tea then great! You just become more productive while being entertained or learned.
####Enjoy your life
There is nothing more enjoyable than life itself. Instead of juggling with dozen of things at hand, wouldn’t be nice to have some free time to enjoy your life?
So while it is great to lifehack your life, please do keep in mind that there are more out there than just things to get done.
Have a fun life and enjoy!