A long time ago, I put in an order for a Pebble watch which bills itself as an "E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android."  If you're not familiar with this, this was a Kickstarter success story.  They initially appealed to the public for funding and got $10.2 million in about a month - pretty impressive. 

They've sold somewhere north of 75,000 watches and are scurrying to catch up with their backorders.  They started shipping in March and I was somewhere in the low 40,000's and got my watch two weeks ago - in my opinion, they are making good progress. 

My Observations So Far

As I mention in the title, I've had this watch for a couple of weeks (I got the black one) and I'm pretty happy with it.  Some observations based on my brief experience:

Look and Feel

• The watch is well-made and looks nice.  It is a bit on the large size, which suits me fine as I have big wrists, but I'd be interested in hearing how people with smaller wrists feel about the size (this is a unisex, one-size watch at the current time).
• It does fine with random exposure to water, and lives up to the water-resistant claims (showers, dishwashing, etc. - haven't tried swimming with it yet). 
• The look is sleek and clean.  My only concern with the design is the durability of the "glass" screen.  It feels like a tough plastic, and I'm thinking it will probably scratch over time so I plan to be careful where I wear this watch.
• I have gotten a lot of comments and compliments on the watch, as it looks very striking.   I think the watch faces have a lot to do with this - they are very clean, readable, and can be changed to match your style or mood (you can have quite a few watch faces loaded on the watch, and cycle through them with the watch buttons).  My favorite watch face is one of the "built-in" faces - the one that shows the time in words, as you can see in the picture above.

Connectivity

• The watch syncs easily with my phone (an HTC One) via Bluetooth, and automatically connects and disconnects when I'm out of range, with no intervention from me. 
• I travel a lot, and the watch adjusts automatically to my local time zone, which I like very much. 
• It is easy to download new watch faces using the browser on my phone.  Once I download a watch face, it syncs to my watch and becomes available immediately.  My favorite site for Pebble watch faces is AllPebble.
  
• It's also easy to download apps for the watch, though there aren't many of them yet.  Pebble just opened up their SDK for developers, so expect we'll see a lot more apps soon (I'm hoping for one that acts as a pedometer and sleep monitor - the watch has the sensors to do it, it just needs the software.
• One of the coolest aspects of connectivity is the built-in music control.  I can use my watch to start & stop music, and go to the next and previous tracks.  I didn't think I'd use this very much but it has been a great way to control music while I'm driving without taking my eyes off the road.  Another cool side benefit of the music controller app is that it will show the name and artist of the song on your watch face. 

Alerts and Notifications

• Since it's paired with your phone, you can use the Pebble as a remote display for app notifications, SMS, email alerts, and things like that.  This is pretty configurable - for example, I only use the watch for text messages, WhatsApp! alerts, and meeting reminders.
• The Pebble has a vibrating alarm, which is very nice - it is a non-jarring way to wake up, and I can set an early morning alarm without waking up my wife.   Also, you can set the alarm directly on the watch, which means you can adjust alarm settings even when you don't have your phone or it's in Airplane mode.
• The watch warns you when it's running low on battery, and you have about half a day to charge it once the alerts start. 

Battery life

• Battery life has been very good.  Pebble claims you'll get 4 to 7 days out of a charge, and I've been getting about 5 or 6, so the claims seem accurate.  The variability is mainly a factor of 1) how many alarms and alerts cause the phone to vibrate every day; and 2) how much you use the backlight (you can have it come on automatically when you shake your wrist, or when you push a button).
• Charging is easy - the charging cable works on any USB port or USB wall charger, and has a magnetic charging "plug" that attaches to the side of the watch.  The watch charges in an hour or two, depending on how low the power level was when you started the charge cycle.  Be careful with your charging cable, by the way - they aren't selling extras until after they fill the full backlog of watch orders. 

In short, I'm very happy with the Pebble watch so far and can't wait to see what apps become available for it in the future. 

A week or so back, I was in Amsterdam and my phone was stolen from my pocket on the street.  I'm usually very cautious, wary, etc. when I'm in an area known for pickpockets, but I let me guard down for a few minutes and paid the price. 

With that in mind, here are some good general tips to protect yourself from pickpockets. 

1. Be an informed visitor.  You can usually find out if the city you're going to is known for pickpockets with a quick search of the internet. Searching for "pickpockets <city name>" will usually let you know pretty quickly.  I already knew Amsterdam was known for pickpockets, since I used to live in The Netherlands.  Other cities that are infamous for this are Rome, Barcelona, Prague, Madrid, Paris, and Florence.
2. When you go out, only take what you need.  Leave your passport, spare credit cards, and other belongings in the hotel safe.  I usually only take some cash, and an "emergency" credit card with me and lock the rest away (along with my iPad, computer, camera, etc.)
3.  Put the things you do take with you in a front pocket or a hidden pocket.  It is much harder to get things out of your front pocket without you noticing.  Also, if you just have the cards and some cash in your front pocket, it is much less conspicuous.
4. Avoid walking into or through crowds.  This one can be a challenge sometimes, but avoid crowds where you can - inside a crowd, people can rub up against you easily, and you can't tell what they are doing.
5.  Try to blend in.  Pickpockets are on the lookout for people who look like they are lost, unfamiliar with the area, etc. so avoid looking at maps, wandering around in a confused or disoriented way, or other things that would indicate you are a tourist.  This includes trying to dress in a way that is consistent with the locals, if at all possible.
6. Don't talk to strangers.  If someone approaches you to engage with you, be very wary - they may be trying to distract you so that an accomplice can grab your goodies while you aren't paying attention.
7. Consider carrying a "decoy wallet."  I have a friend who carries an old wallet in his back pocket with some old hotel room keys (they look kind of like credit cards) and a few $1 bills in it.  He keeps this in his back pocket as bait for a pickpocket, and follows the guidelines above.  I don't know if it works or not, but it seems like a plausible idea.
8. Know what you have, and have a backup if you can.  Make sure you have an accurate inventory of what you've taken with you, even if you plan to lock it in your room safe.   I have scans of the front and back of my credit cards, my passport, and my drivers license in an encrypted file on cloud storage (I use 1Password for this) so I can get to it from anywhere.  This tells me what I've lost, what number to call, and provides me with a "punch list" of the things to cancel or have replaced in the event they get stolen.
   
   Along these lines, also make sure you have information on whatever electronics you're carrying - serial number, make & model, IMEI number if it's a phone, etc.  It is also a good idea to permanently mark your gadgets with your name if you're comfortable with doing that.

OK, OK...I knew all of this.  So what did I do wrong?  In hindsight, I violated rules 3, 5 and 6.  

• I violated rule 3 by letting my guard down and putting my phone in my outside jacket pocket for easier access.  
• I violated rule 5 by looking at my phone periodically to make sure I was on the right street using Google maps.  This probably made me stand out as a tourist. 
• I violated rule 6 by talking with someone who was asking me a bunch of questions, and I foolishly engaged with him (he turned out to have a couple of nearby accomplices that I didn't notice at first and who were smooth enough that I didn't think of them til later).

Rule 3 is probably what did me in, though.  Had I kept my phone in my right front pocket (as I usually do), I don't think they'd have gotten it without me noticing.  As it was, they got my phone, which I noticed about 5 minutes later but they were long gone by then.

By the way, as soon as I got to my hotel I called AT&T and reported the phone stolen and they blacklisted it on their network and disabled my account.  I'm sure glad my phone was locked with a password and had a short auto-lock timeout!

I'm also glad it wasn't my passport or anything else essential.  That reminds me - if you carry your phone with you, make sure you have copies of all your vital information from the phone, so you can re-provision it when you're done.  For iPhones, this means backing up regularly to iCloud or your computer; for Android phones, this means ensuring you're syncing with Google regularly, or using one of the many backup apps available in the Google Play store.

What about you?  Any tips to add or pickpocket stories to share? 

Over the years, I've done a lot of jobs.  One thing that's remained constant: Effective project management - especially in a team-oriented project - can mean the difference between success and failure.

Once the project and budget have been approved, the real work of project management begins. Tracking the project tasks and communicating with the team are ongoing efforts that every PM faces. For some time, a PM has had to rely on the same set of tools. With the latest cloud technology, software as a service (SaaS) solutions are available to help the PM stay more organized and connected with the team.

Netsuite

According to PR Newswire, Gartner research states that almost 50 percent of manufacturers will be using some form of SaaS by 2015. Netsuite is a cloud-based resource management system that provides leaner manufacturing and resource planning to stabilize your company. It gives you visibility across the business in real-time. With this level of visibility to the various processes, you have better manufacturing resource planning and management. You can pay close attention to forecasting and inventory management. Netsuite gives you demand planning capabilities to create a more finely tuned forecast. Using sales projections, trends, seasonal fluctuations and historical data, you can come closer to your on demand inventory needs.

Asana

This tool provides a lot of organizational flexibility. The PM has various ways of slicing-and-dicing multiple projects and teams to allow better collaboration and communication. The PM has control over how workspaces, projects and tasks are organized for visibility and easier tracking, according to lifehack.org. Workspaces are work areas that can contain one or more projects and tasks. They can be shared with multiple people. Multiple workspaces may be created to reflect different areas of focus. One workspace could be created for a new-product development effort and another for marketing campaigns for an existing product.

Projects are created within workspaces and can be either public or private. A public project may be accessed by everyone who has access to the workspace, like when you need the entire team to access smaller projects for only a subset access.

Tasks are the work units of a project and they also can be created as public or private. The comment system within tasks allow a greater collaboration between the team members without relying on email. A project history of task communication can be stored this way.

Once a project manager understands how to set up workspaces and projects in Asana, it can become a tool to make collaboration, communication and tracking easier for the PM.

Smartsheet

Smartsheet is structured like a spreadsheet with rows and columns and is flexible and customizable that integrates with Google Docs. This is a good choice for specific project management needs that other solutions don't offer. Spreadsheets can be organized in folders or workspaces. Each sheet can be shared with multiple people. The reporting capability is more than just formatted output. Reports can be made to be drilled-down into or used interactively, such as in what-if scenarios. Smartsheet is supported by a number of articles, videos and tutorials. There are webinars available to learn more about how to customize the product to meet your needs, according to reviews.com.

Google Docs

If you are on a limited budget, or if you need a minimal project and resource management system, Google Docs may have enough capabilities for you and your team. This is a hybrid office automation system with word processor, spreadsheet, graphics capabilities and the ability to collaborate on documents. While not organized specifically for the PM, the pieces manage a small project. Just don't expect automatic Gantt chart creation or resource leveling across tasks, according to lifehack.org.

Project managers have dealt with tools that came out 20 years ago or more. Even updated, they don't take advantage of the features that the cloud offers. These tools give the PM more flexibility and choices on how to set up and manage their projects.

Those are a few options, in a nutshell.  If you're using something different that you absolutely love, or you have real-world feedback on any of these options, please leave a note in the comments..

You see, I am tall, and have wide shoulders, so my jackets didn't fit inside the Pack-It folders very well.  I now use the method shown in the video below.

This method works very well and I use it all the time.  When you arrive at your hotel, simply unfold and hang the jacket in your closet, and it will look great the next morning.

This method has another advantage - if you decide you want to toss your jacket into your suitcase (to be more comfortable on the plane, for example), you simply fold it like this, open your suitcase, put the jacket inside on top of your other clothes, and carefully zip the suitcase shut.  Very simple.

As a frequent traveler, I want to share some packing tips that have helped me stay free of wrinkles. I have tried many methods including a classic method detailed on the Men’s Wearhouse site; steaming my clothes in the bathroom on arrival, voodoo, etc. None of these methods quite did the trick, even with wrinkle-resistant clothing (see my note at the end of this article).

My wrinkle-free status improved significantly recently, when I discovered Eagle Creek’s Pack-It Folders. These are phenomenal for keeping dress shirts, pants, and jackets wrinkle-free in your luggage (they also work with skirts, but I haven’t tried that).

Eagle Creek also offers Pack-It Cubes, which I use for general organization (you’ll see how it all works together to tidy up my suitcase, below).

 The Pack-It Folders come with a sturdy plastic folding board, which has detailed folding instructions printed on it. The diagrams on the board guide you through the folding process, and are very easy to follow.

Folding a dress shirt with the Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder 

Click thumbnails for larger view

• Start by buttoning a few buttons on the shirt (I button the top, third, and 6th buttons), smooth it out, and place it buttons-down on a flat surface. Then, fold the right sleeve across and fold the sleeve down at an angle, as shown in this picture.
  

• Next, fold the other sleeve across the folding board, then angle the sleeve down just like you did for the first – as shown here.

• Next, fold the tail of the shirt up to the collar (the board forces you to fold it in the right spot), then flip the shirt over, place it in the center of the Pack-It Folder, and remove the board. You now have one neatly folded shirt.

• You can fold several and stack a number of shirts (the number depends on the size Pack-It Folder you are using). When you’re done, you place the folding board on top of the whole stack to help keep everything flat.

• Next, fold the flaps closed on the Pack-It Folder to make a nice, tidy bundle.
  

The Pack-It Folder and the Pack-It Cubes work together to make a very tidy suitcase. And, when you reach your destination, you can unpack and things look almost as crisp and fresh as when you got them back from the cleaners. Click the image for a tagged version of what’s what in the picture.

Note: For maximum effectiveness, I recommend buying wrinkle-resistant dress shirts and pants. I prefer Lands’ End or Nordstroms' line of "Smart Care" shirts as they come in exact sizes and are fantastic when it comes to shedding wrinkles. As a bonus, they are also stain resistant!

Next time, I'll share how I deal with jackets (suit coats, sport coats, etc.)

In my line of work, I end up doing a lot of presentations.  I've also studied a lot of information on how to become a better presenter.  A long time ago, I took a class from Distinction Communication, a company that helps people develop more effective presentations (and presentation skills).  Since then, I've taken "refresher" courses from the same folks.  You can find a lot of free, helpful presentation tips and videos on the Distinction site, by the way.

Seeing what you don't see

One of the most effective techniques I learned was to videotape yourself presenting so you can see how you appear in front of an audience.

I must say, the feeling is both discomforting and extremely powerful.  Not only do you get to hear how clearly (or unclearly) you communicate, you also get to see the nervous habits you don't notice from inside your own body.

For example, you may notice you use a lot of filler words, like "Um" or "Uh."  You may find that you rock back & forth a lot, or don't make eye contact with your audience.  You may also find that you make strange gestures that distract from your content.

All of these sorts of things are normal but very hard to notice when you're actively presenting.

DIY presentation skills improvement

For a long time, the only time I ever had my presentations recorded was during these training / coaching sessions.  Last year, I realized I could do this kind of "presentation audit" myself pretty easily using tools that were readily available to me.

If you want to record your presentation, you can easily do it using your smartphone, tablet (iPad, Nexus 7, etc.), or the webcam on your computer.  Lately, I've been practicing my presentations the night before in my hotel room and using my recorded session to identify problems with my presentation.  I find it very helpful.

The key is to be in full "show mode" -- from a personal perspective, not just a PowerPoint perspective.  In other words, pretend you have a full audience and present as though it were the real deal, as this will provide the most useful data from which to improve your skills.

It's also kind of fun to keep some of these presentation audits so you can look back and see how your skills are evolving.

But what if your cloud app disappeared without any warning?

What are some things that can help you if a cloud application disappears out from under you?  Here are some things I thought of - if you have others, please leave them in the comments.

1. Openness: Applications that use open standards or output formats make it easier to move from one service to another.  
   
   For example, Google reader supports OPML (for input and output), making it easy to import and export feed lists from one program or service to another.  In many cases, data can be exported to CSV (Comma-Separated Value) format - not a fancy format, but very broadly supported.
   
   The main thing?  Figure out how you would move out before you move in.
   
2. Backups:  It's OK to rely on a cloud application, but don't be too trusting.  Periodically make copies of your data and store it in a safe place outside the cloud application.  The frequency, number of versions, etc. should be driven by the value of the data you're storing in the cloud app - the more valuable (or the harder to recreate), the more you need to increase the backup frequency, number of backup locations, and version depth.
    
3. Look for offline / "permanent" options, or hybrid solutions:  Some cloud applications have local clients that cache / synch data locally.  Often, this feature is present to allow offline access to the data, but it also provides security if the cloud app is unavailable, or goes out of existence.
    
4. Backups, backups, backups: I mentioned backups before, but I'm serious - having a backup is your best bet in case the unexpected happens.  You may even want to go as far as printing out some of the data (or printing it to a PDF) as an extra precaution.
    
5. Pay for your service:  These days, I am more open to paying for a service that I like under the naïve assumption that if I pay the vendor for their service, they are more likely to keep providing the service.  Even if there is a free option, I often pay for services that I find to be "indispensable" - Evernote is one such example.
    
   Of course, that isn't always a guarantee - I had a paid Premium subscription to Astrid, and they're still shutting down the service due to the Yahoo acquisition.  Of course, they'll be giving me a refund for the unused portion of the subscription, but I'd rather have the service.

Those are just a few tips that come to mind - any other lessons learned that you care to share?  If so, leave a comment. 

• Tom Andrus took his whole family around the world on a very reasonable budget, which you can read about on his  "Six In The World" site;
• Warren and Betsy Talbot not only did the same thing, they have written books about how to go about it, which you can find out more about via their "Married With Luggage" site.

When you think about international travel - even on a smaller scale than that of Tom, Warren, and Betsy - one of the big questions is how to travel affordably. After all, anyone who has been on vacation recently knows it can be an extremely pricey experience.

In order to see the world in a more budget-friendly way, many people are intrigued by the idea of embarking on a backpacking adventure. Instead of staying at hotels, urban backpacking trips typically involve staying in hostels, which can save travelers thousands of dollars. But before you call the airlines and book your flight to Europe or wherever your case of wanderlust inspires you to go, it’s a good idea to take a little time beforehand and consider how backpacking and hostel vacations are different from a suitcase and hotel excursion.

Traveling Suggestions

The first thing to decide is if you want to travel alone or with a group. While having the freedom to go where you want and see what you want is appealing, there's also safety in numbers. Speaking of which, travelers should make it a point to protect their identity while they're away; for example, signing up with Life Lock before heading on vacation is a good idea, as is investing in a money belt and keeping your passport well-protected.

Most hostels will have lockers, but it doesn't hurt to pack some security accessories. Pacsafe Locks both cover and secure your pack to keep it from being stolen or tampered with.

Packing a Backpack

Packing a backpack for a vacation takes time and preplanning. As an article on the Wild Backpacker website noted, the first order of business is to purchase a backpack that'll fit all of the clothing, supplies and other gear you'll need. Even if, you already have an older backpack that will hold a lot of items, the article suggests investing in a newer, more lightweight model that will still hold a ton of stuff while also saving your back.

In order to pack everything properly, travelers should lay out everything they intend to bring in one spot. For instance, if you're going outside of the United States, you’ll probably want to bring a travel adapter, as well as a headlamp, at least one pair of extremely comfortable yet sturdy shoes, and the correct kind of clothing, for the climate you’ll be visiting. Once you have everything you need gathered together, the Wild Backpacker article suggests loading your pack with the lightweight items at the bottom, than medium-weight, and then finally the heaviest items. Fill all empty spaces with your smaller items like a GPS, snack foods, bug spray and toiletries.

For anyone who is unsure about what to expect, an article that appeared in the Huffington Post offers a first-hand account about the many benefits of staying in such affordable accommodations. In the author’s experience, hostels are clean, welcoming and hospitable places to stay, filled with friendly staff and guests. Many hostels tend to have staff on-site 24 hours a day, which helps with security. Hostels are also extremely easy on the wallet, costing as little as a few dollars a night.

With a little preplanning and a sense of adventure, it's certainly possible to get out and see the world for far less than a typical vacation.

I generally try to avoid ranting here, but I'll do just a bit of that today.

In the past couple of years, there have been a lot of tragic acts of violence, such as the one this past week in Boston.  According to what we're told by the media, there is a thread between the perpetrators of violence:  they all had family problems or parental issues, and became bitter about something.

In dealing with some crises within my own family over the past few years, we've gotten some great advice from one of our doctors: spend more time together as a family; pay more attention to what your children are doing ("be nosy" is her description); and eat dinner together as a family.  It isn't so much the dinner itself, as the excuse to get together and talk about things in a casual but interested way.

This was hard and frustrating at first, and we felt very inadequate (especially for the first year).  In fact, we resorted to "Table Topics" cards in the beginning to help us figure out how to get the conversation going.  Surprisingly, the family dinners every night have made a huge difference in our ability to communicate.

It was tough to have good conversations in the beginning, but we learned to ask better questions and to stay away from emotional lightning rods.  We also learned to be better listeners without jumping right to judgment or attacks.

Slow and steady wins the race

We've been doing this consistently for a couple of years now, and it has made a marked difference in the strength of our family, the moods and outlook of our children, and the relationships between us.

We are by no means perfect, but we're better off than we were when we spent all our time running different directions and being "too busy to eat together."  

Of course, I travel a fair amount in my job so we aren't always together at dinner, but there is always one of us parents eating with the kids, talking with them, and keeping tabs on how they are doing.  I also call and text with my kids a lot from the road - which I didn't do in the past.

 The bottom line?  We thought we were paying attention as parents before - we've found out we were wrong.

Laws are no substitute for family

I bring this up because I see a lot of laws designed to prevent "the next senseless act of violence," and I don't believe laws will help.  I think we need to find ways for people to spend time with their families and build stronger connections, stronger values, and to provide outlets (safety valves?) for those with serious emotional or psychological stress, who may feel that nobody cares.  No law can do that.

Making a shift like this can be scary, since you may feel unprepared to have probing conversations with your children, or you may want to be their friend vs. their parent.  Or, you may not know how to deal with the anger and angst of a teenager.

The only way I know is to "just do it" and get some help from a counselor that can help you develop the skills, confidence, and techniques to get through to the other side.

It isn't easy, but it's worth it.  Start by doing it for your kids, but trust me - you'll get as much out of it as they will.

Maybe none of this would have prevented any of the recent acts of violence, but I don't think it would have made things worse.

</rant>

I have a few travel bags I like to use, and one of them is a backpack (it's the one at right - I like it because it has a laptop sleeve and an iPad slot).  The problem is, when I first started using it, I'd put my folders into my backpack, where they only fit in sideways and all my stuff would fall out and get all mixed up in the bottom of the bag.

A long time ago, I saw some backpack-friendly backpack folders, but I haven't been able to find them in the recent past. So, I decided to make my own.  I experimented with several approaches and thought I'd share what I learned with you.

Find the right folder

I tried several approaches:

1. Folder jackets:  These are essentially sleeves that you put your folders in or use as standalone pockets. They are slightly larger than normal folders, and only open on one side.  They worked OK, but I found I had to remove them from my backpack any time I wanted to put something in, or take something out.  I still use one of them for supplies (post-it notes, notecards, stamps, extra business cards, envelopes, pen refills, etc.) and it works fine for that purpose, as I don't have to get at those items very often.
2. Paper folders: These work OK, but don't last very long.  The seams give way much too soon for my tastes.
3. Plastic folders:  These are excellent.  The best I've found are the GTD folders from David Allen Company - they are heavy duty plastic and I've been using the same set for about 4 years now.  I tried other, lighter weight plastic folders from office supply stores but they weren't tough enough.  The David Allen folders are  color-coded, very sturdy, and come in both A4 and US Letter sizes.

Plug the leak

Once you have your folders, you need to "plug up" one side of them so they contain your papers, cards, etc. when they are put in your backpack sideways.  To do this, you simply close up one side with tape.  My first attempt was on my Inbox folder (at right) and I used duct tape - at the time, all I had was teal-colored tape.  This worked fine, but I have found that the duct tape tends to peel sometimes or stick to other things.

For the rest of my folders I used heavy-duty, clear packing tape, which is now my favorite.  This is the thicker variety of tape that feels more vinyl-like than plastic.  It lays down flat, and is very strong.   Cosmetically, the clear tape is more appealing - as you can see in the picture of my Receipts folder, below - the clear tape is on the right, and you can barely see it.

When you apply the tape, keep the edges of the folder together pretty tightly - if you leave a gap, you'll expose some adhesive and it will stick to your papers and attract dirt & paper dust.  

Label for easy filing

The final step is to add labels so you can tell which folder is which while they are safely tucked into your backpack.  I used my label maker to create small folder names (the names match the names on the "normal" folder tabs on the long edge.  I put them so I can read them while they are in my backpack and simply slip items into the proper folder without removing them - this is particularly handy for my Receipts folder and my Inbox folders.  See below for an example of how easy it is to read them from the end when you use this approach.

So, there you have it - easy, do-it-yourself folders for your backpack.  By the way, when I use my "normal" briefcase, I use these exact same folders.  They work just fine with one side taped up.

I have been fascinated by the enigmatic Sir Richard Branson for a long time.  He lives with a lot of flash, and seems to have his hands in all kinds of business (in a very interesting variety of areas) and I've discovered that he has a very interesting background and life philosophy.

Branson recently became the most followed LinkedIn Influencer with 1 million followers, passing President Obama.  He is founder of Virgin Group, a thrill-seeking adventurer and he loves his mum.  In fact, he says the best advice he ever received came from her: "Have no regrets."  In an interview with LinkedIn, Branson says his mother "starts more new projects in a week than most people do in a year."

In other words, don't waste time looking back on failed projects.  Spend that time developing new ideas.

In his recent book, "Screw Business as Usual," Branson sums up his formula for success with a few simple ideas that incorporate passion, belief (confidence), perseverance, listening and having fun.  Oh, and delegating—one of the hardest things for a leader to do.  Balance good work with a good life and you, too, could be sitting pretty on your very own Caribbean island.  Branson named his Necker Island. What will you name your island when you get it?

Big Ideas = Big Risks

Branson encourages you to dream so big you have to catch up with yourself. When you have developed a plan for your idea, follow through with it no matter what it takes. You can't succeed if you don't try—a simple statement that has enormous impact.

If your risk takes money that you don't have, cut costs whenever possible to make your idea happen.  Market online through social media, reuse paper, print business cards for less, eat your leftovers, recycle cans & bottles for the deposit, save your change.

Reputation is Everything

Being controversial isn't always a bad thing. Richard Branson signed the Sex Pistols to his Virgin Records label after the punk band was dropped by other labels for the members' mayhem and debauchery. When other businesses are fearful of taking risks, step in and cash in the opportunity. If it blows up in your face, move swiftly onward and learn from your mistakes. But don't look back with regret or Mum Branson will be disappointed.

Move Swiftly

Act big on your dreams. Branson never had a journalism degree, yet he started a magazine. He never took a business class, yet he's one of the most successful and influential businessmen in the world. "Forbes" reports he's the fourth wealthiest person in the U.K.

Give Back

Richard Branson recently joined the Giving Pledge, where the world's wealthiest people—a total of 105 families from nine countries—make an agreement to donate half of their wealth to charities around the world.  Branson and his wife Joan are quoted on the website saying they would like the Virgin Group to help make a difference in the world; to address issues that allow business, government and not-for profit companies to join together creating a healthy, equitable and peaceful world.

Team Spirit

Encouraging a sense of togetherness that resembles a "daytime family" is top priority in Branson's companies.  In the Mojave desert, the Virgin Galactic team is building spaceships on a mission to take people to the moon for $200,000 a ticket.  It's a delicate venture building aircraft for these missions.  But faith, family, dedication, good health, kindness and hard work prevail.

Never Give Up

There is always something big out there for you.  If a business opportunity doesn't turn out as you had hoped or planned, keep on the path toward one that does.  Never give up.

I was just reading an interesting article by Peter Bregman on the Harvard Business Review blogs, called "How to Use Temptation to Strengthen Your Willpower."  It first caught my eye because he was writing about a retreat at a place near where I live in Oregon.

But what really got my attention was the notion of "always wanting more" phenomenon (aka the Hedonic Treadmill) that he describes:

We relentlessly pursue things and experiences that we think will make us happier. But once we acquire them, we quickly return to our previous level of happiness. So then we look for the next thing.

This sounds familiar to me, as my love for gadgets is kind of like this, to name one of my "vices."  Another thing in his article resonated with me, as well:

Maybe getting the object of our desire isn't what we really desire. Maybe it's the desire itself which we desire. In other words, maybe it's more pleasurable to want things than to have them.

In other words, maybe the quest for what we want is worth more than getting it.  In some cases, I think that is certainly true, but we also need to obtain enough of our desired outcomes to drive our sense of progress, as well as to allow us allow us to move to the next phase of our journey.

The big question:  when does our questing become detrimental?  From my experience, there is a fine line between healthy focus and obsessive / compulsive pursuit, or even an addiction.  This is where I find that an objective coach or mentor can be a huge ally - whether it is a friend, coworker, roommate, spouse, or someone else you can trust to be straight with you (like a "sponsor" in a 12-step program).

The other aspect that I really liked about Bregman's article is the notion of using delayed gratification to make the experience more pleasant once you release the tension.  I encourage you to read what Bregman has to say - it is really good.

Moleskin to the rescue

Several years ago, I discovered that there was a great solution to this problem: Moleskin (not to be confused with the Moleskine notebooks - they are a completely different thing). Before discovering moleskin, I used Band Aids, but they just didn't stay on very well.

Moleskin is a felt-like fabric with an adhesive coating on one side.  You can find it at most pharmacies, or stores with pharmacies in them (such as many grocery stores and Target).  It is in the foot care section, along with show inserts, corn pads, and things like that.

To use it, simply cut a square that will cover your blister (or the red area where a blister or "hot spot" is developing), apply it directly to the skin over the blister, then put your socks and shoes back on.

If you already have a blister, it will still hurt, but it won't get worse, and it won't hurt as much.  If you don't have a blister yet, moleskin can keep one from developing.

Each day, replace the square with a fresh pad.  I find that the moleskin is easier to remove if I take it off after my shower - it's waterlogged anyway at that point, so it is a great time to apply a fresh pad.

Keep putting it on there until the blister is healed, or your shoes no longer hurt your feet.

Plan ahead for more pleasant travel

With moleskin, it can pay to plan ahead.  You see, moleskin is sold in larger sheets or rolls so you need to cut it -- that can be challenging these days, since it is difficult to travel with scissors.

I buy moleskin and cut it into small squares (roughly 1" square, or 2.5cm square) and put them into my laptop bag so I have some handy if my shoes begin to irritate my feet. This has helped me on at least 4 occasions I can remember, and I make sure moleskin is a permanent part of my travel gear.

I just found out that Google Reader will be discontinued July 1, 2013.  This is very disappointing news for me, as I've been a loyal Google Reader user for a very long time.

As someone who flits about from one gadget to another, I've been surprisingly unchanging when it comes to Google Reader - it just worked.  It also integrated with quite a number of other tools I'm attached to, such as Reeder and Buffer.  Reader was the center of my news watering hole universe, and one of the key ways I shared content with other people.

But, alas, Google Reader is going away.

I'm now looking for a solid alternative, preferably one that:

• works in a browser;
• works on my iOS devices;
• works on my lone Android device;
• integrates with Buffer; and
• *very important* - syncs across devices so I don't have to re-read stories I've already read.

If you have any good tools for news aggregation that you feel may fit the bill, please let me know.  I'll post about the ones I like most as I discover them.

Productivity — an overarching term, for sure, and your productivity can be increased or reduced by various internal and external forces. Whether it's an ambitious personality, lifestyle habits, elevated work expectations, or an innovative environment, the level of sustained work productivity is influenced by a lot of factors. For creative professionals such as writers and graphic design experts, maximizing creativity and improving productivity are essential for a successful career. The good news?  Changing your environment and breaking norms can help enhance your productivity and creativity.

Stand-Up Desks & Walking Stations

Most of us have experienced the fatigue of sitting at a desk in front of a monitor for a long time. Extensive studies confirm that a sedentary lifestyle is linked to a shorter lifespan and increased risk of certain diseases, high-cholesterol levels, blood clots and inflammation. Prolonged sitting is harsh on your body and exhaustive, and those of us who are slaves to desks and computers are reminded of the health risks.  So what can we do about it?

I've been thinking of replacing my traditional desk with an adjustable-height desk.  I think it would be a fun change of pace, but I've also been reading about some of the health benefits of standing desks.  For example, Dr. Ron Joine (vice president and medical director of GlaxoSmithKline's environmental health and safety group) says that standing while working stimulates the mind, increases energy levels and can burn up to 200 calories per day.

Change is good, too.  I've been reading that it is healthy to switch things up by using different ways of working, such as standing desks, traditional desks, walking stations (treadmill desks) and desks with yoga balls. The notion is that by moving around more, your productivity and efficiency will increase, which also boosts morale, optimizes health and sparks creativity.

For a long time, I've found that if I stand during conference calls I am more focused and the calls are not only more productive, they tend to wrap up more quickly - less wasted time, in other words.

Performance Norms & Habits

Sitting vs. standing is only one dimension of this - you can reduce periods of low productivity by breaking bad habits, revamping your routines, changing up norms and setting more aggressive goals for yourself.

As a leader of a team, raise "the bar of performance expectations by setting elevated goals" and measure performance progress, says Forbes.com contributor Jack Zenger, a strengths-based leadership development expert. You can start by assessing where you are -- give yourself an honest performance evaluation. How would you rate your ongoing level of productivity? Mike Myatt, Managing Director of N2grwoth, tells Forbes.com that he gives himself "hourly gut checks." For 20 years, Myatt asks himself every single hour, "am I doing the most productive thing possible at this point in time?" If the answer is no, change gears an focus on something productive. I think this is an interesting approach to make accountability a person habit.  If you want to do this, a timer (on your computer, or a kitchen timer) can help remind you to ask yourself this question.

Create new, productivity-enhancing norms such as:

• Fuel up in a healthy way and nourish your body with nutrient-rich foods. Focus on how superfoods make you feel. Eating sugary or fatty foods in large portions makes you feel sluggish and dulls the brain. Sharpen your mind and creativity with vitamin and nutrient-rich fuel.
• Maintain a productive workspace that's free of distractions and clutter. Keep your desk minimally decorated and you're less likely to "drift off" while you work. Is your desk optimized for work and focused intention?
• Make small changes to feel refreshed and eliminate the mundane. Recharge by changing anything from the type of coffee you drink and lunch you eat to the light and sounds of your surroundings. If you have the luxury to work from home, add some variety by occasionally working at the library or different coffee shops as a change of scenery.

What about you?  Do you any tips and tricks that help you feel more productive?  Have you switched to a standing desk?  I'd love to know what is working for you.

Limit your options to increase your leverage

For this technique, I continued with one of the tools from my last post:  index cards.  Here is how I used them for this technique:

Weekly:  Pick your targets for the week

• At the beginning of the week, do a quick and dirty review of your task list.  
• Decide no more than 10 things you feel your must get done this week - these should be items that create meaningful outcomes, or fulfill important commitments you have made.
• Grab an index card and write those items on the card.  This is your target list for the week.

Daily: Pick two priority outcomes

• At the beginning of the day, pick two things (ideally, outcomes - not granular tasks) on your weekly target card that you will focus on for the day.
• Write them down on a different index card.  This is the one card you'll carry with you all day and use to focus your attention.  Try not to exceed two - remember this is all about focus.

During the day: Focus yourself and manage the distractions

• Any time you have discretionary time, take out your card and decide on a next action you can take that will help you achieve your two targets for the day, and begin working that next action.
• If you find yourself working on another item, stop it if you can (I know there are emergencies you can't just say "no" to, but make sure it really is a non-optional item if you're going to do it).
• If you work on anything other than your "big two" for the day, write it on the back of the card so you can reflect on it later and determine if it was really necessary or not.

At the end of the week: Study how you did and learn from it.

• Repeat this process every day during the work week.  
• At the end of the week, look at what you've done, review the distractions you've noted on the back of your daily cards, and see what there is to learn.

I think you'll find you have either completed quite a few (if not all) of your "must do" items, renegotiated them, or decided they weren't really "must do" after all.  

I also think you'll have some good insight into the things that detract from your focus during a typical week.  What (or who) are your biggest distractions, and what can you do to overcome them?

Keep in mind, this is not a technique I use very week -  I just fall back to it when I feel overwhelmed by the choices in front of me.

What about you?  Do you have any good techniques that work for you?  I'd love to hear them.  I'd also like to know how the technique I describe works (or doesn't work) for you.

Time for an energy audit

With that in mind, I want to share a little trick to help you evaluate your energy "bank account."  For a week, walk around with an index card in your pocket and record the interactions you have with others. 

As you can see on the cards below, it's pretty simple.  One side of the card is the "plus" side and the other is the "minus" side; each side has a narrow column and a wide column.  When you have a significant interaction with someone, simply decide whether it added energy to your life or took energy away.

Write the person's name in the narrow column, on the appropriate side of the card.  Next to it, write a very short note to remind you what you talked about.

If you run out of space on the card, simply start a new one.

What's the net-net?

At the end of the week, study your cards and see if you've noted any meaningful trends. For example:

• Are there any people on the list that consistently drain energy from you?  If so, are there ways you can spend less time with them or take other actions to minimize their draining effect?  For example, are there specific topics that you should be avoiding?
• Are there any people (or even topics) that consistently energize you?  If so, what can you do to manipulate your time so that you spend more time with those people, or spend more time on those topics?

I do this periodically, and I find it helps.  On occasion, I identify a friend I want to "fire" and spend as little time with them as possible.  This does wonders for me.  If you can't get away from them entirely (if, for example, they are a coworker that you must work with, or a family member you just have to deal with) then try to come up with other coping mechanisms to limit their negative influence.

What are your MIT’s?

One key takeaway has been to move away from focusing only on tasks, projects – and even goals – and spending some of your time focusing on your roles and areas of responsibility.  Jason refers to these as MIT’s or “Most Important Things.”

For the past week, Jason has asked me to pick 3 MIT’s I want to focus on each morning, and try to deliberately engage in activities that help me improve in those areas.  Incidentally, this approach is also described in the book.

Earlier in the program, we began to achieve clarity about what our MIT’s were, so I already know what mine are (at least right now).

MIT’s drive focus

MIT’s can be things like “Thought Leader,” “Provider,” “Leader,” “Amazing Parent,”  or they can be even more tangible.  For example, Jason’s MIT’s for his business are Lifestyle, Revenue, Client List, and Products.

As you can see, however you define your MIT’s, they provide a lens to evaluate your tasks, commitments, projects, meeting, actions, and more – and to make sure you get what you want out of life.

If you're overwhelmed by stuff you could  do, maybe focusing on your MIT's will help with prioritization.  If you want to give it a try, check out Jason't book.

This book is not really about how to create a presentation (though there are some pointers for how to structure your story); instead, it focuses more on how to prepare yourself -- both mentally and physically -- to maximize your chances of delivering a compelling message, while overcoming fear, anxiety, and doubt.

Advice from someone who's been there

Greenward's guide is a "from the trenches" perspective on how to overcome some of the challenges of public speaking and presenting, particularly the aspects in which we tend to become our own worst enemies.

In this ebook, you'll find practical advice for how to become more comfortable in front of crowds, and tips and tricks to get some practice in before you actually stand up in front of the crowd.  I use a few of the techniques he describes (for example, "presenting" to myself during my commute), but I also learned a few new techniques from the book that I'm going to try.

One of the sections discusses how to get rid of stage fright (there's no silver bullet, but the tips he shares will help), and how to leverage your own personality and create a higher-impact presentation.  He also talks about how to get rid of things might be distracting, both in your voice and in your appearance - there is some good advice here, for sure.

More than just the presentation

One thing in this book was a bit different from other presentation books I've read:   Greenward's treatment of the Q&A session and how to prepare for success.  In particular, he discusses how to deal with adversarial audience members and how to deal with uncomfortable (and even unfair) questions.

If you consider yourself to be a shy or inexperienced public speaker, have a look at Greenward's site, where you'll find out more about this ebook as well as an ordering page.

The secret is simple: There is no secret. Most people we classify as successful will tell you there is no magic formula or golden ticket that has led them down the path to prosperity. To a large degree, it comes down to careful planning, smart choices and a great attitude.

Timeless lessons

If you browse the "books" category of my site, you'll notice that I review a lot of current (or at least recent) books on management, leadership, self-improvement, etc.  This week, I though it would be fun to jump into the "wayback machine" and take a look at some of the best self-improvement books from the past.  

There are plenty of well-known figures who have shared their strategies and tips for success, and we can increase our odds of success by reading and reflecting on their books. Famous motivational speakers like Tony Robbins, religious leaders like Joel Osteen and Ed Young and scholarly experts like David Schwartz have written books offering motivation, inspiration and sound advice to help anyone prosper.

The list of successful professionals who can offer significant insight into being successful and happy isn't limited to modern-day writers. If you're looking to change the trajectory of your life with regards to business, family, romantic relationships or spirituality, check out the advice from some of these gurus (by they way - each of the book titles below is a live link to the book on Amazon):

"Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins

You may have heard of Tony Robbins, or seen one of his infomercials on TV. In this book, he takes on mental, physical, emotional and financial health and gives us a lot to think about. Robbins is famous for laying out step-by-step plans to improve yourself, and this book is no different - the techniques are very good and practical.  This book is 30 years old, but I think it stands the test of time, and so does Robbins.  Now in his 50's, he has reached over 50 million people over his 30-year speaking career - that's about a million people per year of his life.  Not too shabby.

"In the Zone" by Ed Young

Ed Young shares biblical principles about what it means to live a productive and rewarding life. Young is the founding pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, and shares how and why we should avoid materialism, to increase the amount of hope and joy in our lives. "In the Zone" also gives actionable advice on escaping debt, achieving financial freedom and managing the resources we've been given.

"Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Kiyosaki's well-known personal finance book discusses money from the perspective of two fathers. The poor/middle class dad works for his money, bringing home paychecks to sustain his family. The rich dad's money works for him. Kiyosaki discusses the philosophies that allowed him to retire at 47 and reveals actions you can take now to reach financial security and freedom.  There are a bunch of interesting financial habits in this book, and you'll benefit even if you only apply a few of them.  Good stuff.

"The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale

Norman Vincent Peale's inspirational classic has been translated into 12 languages and reprinted for a global audience. First published in 1952, this book outlines how to achieve popularity, overcome defeat, develop confidence and more. Peale believes a life rooted in joyful faith and a positive outlook can lead to these and he gives specific examples of how simple changes in your mental attitude can improve your life.

"How To Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie

This one is a classic, for sure.  Since it was first published back in 1936, Dale Carnegie's legendary motivational book has sold more than 15 million copies. At the heart of the book is a reassuring assertion: that communication, not brilliant insight, is what leads to success. Carnegie describes how readers can get the job they want and improve the job they have. As one of the books that pioneered modern self-improvement books, this is a must-read.