Someone recently asked me “What do you collect?”.
“Nothing,” I said.
My dinner companion – a Seattle tech entrepreneur and gadget guru – buys every gadget as soon as it hits the market (sometimes before). He was unsatisfied with my answer.
“No. Really,” he said.
Here’s the thing: For better or worse, I hate clutter.
I love a few beautiful things, but I don’t love lots of stuff. I’m not a natural collector (although I did have a sticker collection in grade school ;).
So I was stumped.
After a thoughtful pause, I answered “Experiences. I collect experiences.”
More accurately, I collect information… about an especially broad list of topics.
According to the Values in Action Survey of Character Strengths developed at the University of Pennsylvania, one of my “signature strengths” is “Curiosity and interest in the world.”
“You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.”
Yep. That pretty much sums it up.
Why am I telling you this?
Because it occurs to me that some of the random information I collect might help YOU live a healthier, happier, more satisfying, more extraordinary life – as it has done for me and my clients.
So this week – and probably in weeks to come – I’ll pick a topic and share a random selection of (hopefully) useful info about that topic from my “collection.”
Links to articles or books I’ve read.
Recipes and healthy treats I love.
Apps that help me stay organized, productive, and on the go.
Workouts that keep me motivated.
Interesting people I’ve met/worked with/read about.
Quotations that inspire me. (I’m a quotation junkie.)
Pretty much anything is fair game. As my “signature strength” makes clear, I find all things fascinating. (Except for professional wrestling. I have zero interest in learning more about professional wrestling.)
I’ve been thinking a lot about productivity and efficiency, so let’s start with that.
I could NOT live without Evernote.
This little app is the single most useful tool in my efficiency tool kit. In fact, I’m using it now to write this blog post.
I use it to keep lists, client notes, recipes – you can clip them right into Evernote from your browser – business planning notes and brilliant ideas that come to me on the go.
Evernote is with me nearly every minute of the day – on my phone, tablet or computer desktop – so I never forget my grocery list.
Major stress reliever + productivity booster.
Daily Burn and Yogaglo have changed the way I fit exercise into my day.
Moving my body is a top priority for me. With exercise, I’m focused and productive. Without it, I’m grumpy, unmotivated and useless.
Most days, I only have 30 minutes to dedicate to exercise – sometimes less. And getting in my car to trek to the gym or yoga studio just isn’t gonna happen. (I haven’t set foot in a gym in…oh…10 years.)
Daily Burn and Yogaglo offer workouts as short as 10 minutes and as long as 90 minutes, right in your living room. And there’s enough variety to keep even an exercise addict like me happy.
I’m a cardio junkie, so my default exercise is running. Cardio is great, but strength training helps your body burn fat more efficiently, and I still have a few pounds of holiday weight to lose (!). Daily Burn’s strength and weight training has been an especially great addition to my workout routine.
Oh, and did I mention that Daily Burn and Yogaglo each cost less than $20 a month?
One of my favorite quotes is from best-selling author, entrepreneur, and marketer Seth Godin. It somehow seems relevant to productivity.
You don’t need more time. You just need to decide. – Seth Godin
Go. Do. Have fun. 🙂
xo,
