As I’m typing this, I’m behind in my tasks for 3 days. I’ve not slept in 24 hours, and sounds are slightly dulled. I also may or may not be dying from an overdose of caffeine.

When I first started managing my own time (after leaving a 9-5 job), I was doing regular daylight hours without problem. But I noticed that as time passed by, I was working later and later. I decided to switch to a night-time schedule. I would wake up at around 3 in the evening, have what might be referred to as lunch, get some miscellaneous tasks done, and then start work at around 10 in the night, until about 6 the next morning, at which point I’d have myself a good breakfast, relax for a little bit, and then head to bed.

It was the perfect life. I was at the peak of my efficiency, even more so considering how few disturbances happen at 3 in the morning. I could avoid working during the hottest times of the day (it can get pretty bad here, and the abundance of concrete around my house isn’t helping), and work when it’s nice and cool and quiet. My perfect environment. Anyone I needed to talk to was an email away, and I could interact with my family during the evenings anyway.

Problem is, I could never maintain it for longer than a week. The weekend would come and there’d be some plan made for the morning, and I’d force myself to stay awake for longer than I usually do. I’d then end up looking like something the cat dragged in. The cycle would be utterly destroyed, and I’d lose a day or two worth of productivity.

It also doesn’t help that my workload is very fluid; there are times when I’m free enough to relax and curl up with a good book, and there are times when I don’t have time to breathe. Don’t get me wrong, I love the job. I love the adrenaline rush of the deadlines and the last-minute scrambles. It’s why I got into this line in the first place. But the fluidity of it makes it challenging to plan a routine, especially where sleep is concerned.

If you were reading this hoping to find some pointers on how to manage your own time, I’m going to have to disappoint you. It’d be hypocritical of me to give tips on scheduling when I’m still finding solid ground. I CAN, however, tell you a few things I’ve learned along the way:

• Give yourself breathing space. If your brain tells you ‘but you can do more on that day, I think you can schedule a few more tasks in’, do NOT listen to it.
• Accept that life is like a giant out-of-control machine that’s throwing wrenches all over the place, and that chances are one of those wrenches is going to destroy your perfect, shiny, schedule.
• What works for everyone else may not work for you. And what works for you may not be what everyone else approves of.
• If you schedule, schedule EVERYTHING. Work, fun, social activities, family, even periods of stillness. Otherwise you can be certain that some things are going to fall to the side.
• The act of delaying one scheduled task to make way for another is not something that should be done lightly. If you get into the habit of it, it’s as good as not having a schedule at all.
• If your work is not finished within the time you’ve allocated, it is not a failure. It is simply a lesson learnt. Make a note of it, schedule in some extra time down the road (maybe the next day) to finish it, and if you’re doing it again in the future, remember to schedule more time for it in the first place.

And for those of you who are new to the crazy world of scheduling, I have some sagely advice for you: you are going to make mistakes. You are going to overschedule. You are going to crash and burn. Repeatedly. And painfully. It’s part of the learning process, and you’ll emerge on the other side a better person for it. Trust me.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve some catching up to do.

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Don’t get me wrong, I love that you’re reading this. But if you’re anything like me, you love to read article after article on motivation, productivity, personal development, and other topics you’re interested in, instead of actually doing something related to those topics. We’d like to call it research, or motivation, but the truth is we’re just procrastinating. And sometimes we need someone else to tell us to get our butts out of that chair, and actually walk the talk. And that, my dear reader, is where I come in. So today, I want you to do at least one of these things:

Do one action to further one of your goals

Interested in improving your design skills? Stop reading design tutorials and actually DO one of them, right now. Been trying to save up? If you already have a account for those savings, transfer a small amount into there, right now. Want to get a better looking garden? Dig a hole, plant a seed. Yes, right now.

Those of you who are familiar with articles on motivation tips will no doubt realise that this is similar to the concept of “the first five minutes”, where you tell yourself to do the smallest beginning action (or time period, thus the name) of an otherwise daunting task, to get the momentum going. While this is of course a wonderful side benefit, my aim here is to just get you to do SOMETHING. Whether or not you continue to do the rest of the task is up to you, but it’s important that you don’t just sit around doing nothing but wishing about it.

Make a plan, and share it

Leo Babauta of Zenhabits (and many other bloggers) will no doubt agree that the best way to commit yourself to a goal is to tell someone about it. And when you step back and think about it, that’s actually a perfect first step. Simply telling someone something doesn’t require much effort, but once you’ve said it, you’ll realise that “Crap, there’s no backing down now. I have to do this.” And that kind of commitment is not something you can back away from or abandon easily. So in addition to the original reasons of why you’re pursuing this goal/plan, you now have an extra layer of motivation on top to get you going.

Do you have a plan that you’ve been mulling about recently? Do you have an idea that you want to pursue? Let me know about it in the comments, and you’ll be on the first step towards realizing your plan. Plus, there’s the bonus factor of me thinking that you’re awesome for being so brave.

Connect with the Moment

Hey, just because you have a few minutes doesn’t always mean you need to be running around conquering the world. Sometimes you can just indulge in the luxury of having a few moments to connect with the world around you. I’ve written about this before, and it’s moments like these that I find are the best to put this concept into practice. Don’t mistake it for doing nothing. Instead of passively sitting in your chair and letting information from this article (or your Facebook page, as I’m sure some of you are doing now) wash over your eyes and brain, I want you to actively pay attention to everything around you. Develop a sense of mindful awareness of the little things that are happening around you. I feel it’s good to do this every once in a while to keep a sense of perspective in your life.

Make these 3 things a natural reaction

I want you to bookmark this page, and read it every once in a while. Whenever you feel like you’re just reading an online article for the sake of reading, whether it’s this one, or any others, I want you to do one of these 3 things. These little actions will build up, and one day, you’ll be amazed at just how much you’ve accomplished by making this a habit.

Until then, off with you. Get to work on it!

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Productivity is a good thing. More productivity = better.

That’s what we’re taught. And here in this blog, I preach the same message. I talk about squeezing every possible minute out of your day, and about maintaining your peak efficiency for as long as possible to get as much done. I talk about keeping a clear view of your goals and objectives to motivate you through the hard days and prevent you from slacking.

Today I’m going to talk about why I stress so much on productivity. Growing up in an Asian country, it’s a common thing to see businessmen running around getting deals pushed, contracts made, and ideas sold. Sadly I’ve also noticed many times that these people are still working while gobbling down a quick dinner, or while they’re driving, or even while they’re half asleep.

I told myself when I grew up, I wasn’t going to be like that. I instead preferred to look at how the Buddhist monks view life. Every moment of life is precious, whether or not you gain something from it. Every breath you take is a miracle, whether or not you are aware of it. I found that on the occasional moments where I stopped to smell the roses, I was amazed at how beautiful the world is around me. And that’s what I aim for nowadays. I want to squeeze every last drop of productivity from my working hours, so that I can completely immerse myself into the moment when I’m not working. I want to slowly savour the flavours of the food I’m eating. I want to enjoy the sound of running water. I want to enjoy the company of the people around me, and truly listen to what they’re saying, and help them in any way I can.

And that is the point of my unusually short post today (this post sounds a little weird when I read it back to myself, but I think it’s partly because I’m not used to writing short articles. Hopefully this gets better soon). Connecting with the moment that you’re in is as important as getting everything done, because at the end of the day, life, and the living of it, should be your ultimate goal.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I shall go enjoy a nice relaxing nap.

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Look at your average day. When you add up your daily work routine, the miscellaneous errands to run, and everything else that you have to maintain in your life, 24 hours doesn’t seem NEARLY enough. But we’re painfully aware of people like Richard Branson or Steve Pavlina who manage to get so much done in their lives, without sacrificing their health, their family, or the simple pleasures of their lives.

And even if you think that these people can do it because they can make money work for them, I’m sure you’re familiar with at least one person who manages to get so much done in a day and yet go back and make dinner for the kids, etc. It’s not like they have a 25th hour in the day. These people are just very good at getting things done and controlling their routines.

But fear not! Time management is not a genetic trait, but rather a skill that can be learned, and honed to mastery. So today I’m going to show you the 5 rules of productivity that will help you become a productivity ninja, blasting through your to-do list with ruthless efficiency.

Rule #1: A Productivity Ninja must be Focused

No matter where you are, chances are that as soon as you sit down to work on something, you will be interrupted. If you’re at the office, it might be your colleague or a phone call from a client. If you’re at home, the doorbell might ring, or you could get a call from a friend instead.

Guess what? It happens to everyone. Yes, everyone. The trick is not in preventing it from happening, but in how you deal with it. Make it very clear to the outside world that you will tolerate no disruptions. Put a sticker on your door saying that you’re busy (you could even write a particular time that you’ll be free). If you are working at home and have kids, train your kids to obey certain rules. If they see that sticker on the door, they’re not allowed to disturb you unless it’s extremely important (this might take a few tries, but they’ll get the hang of it). Also, put your phones (both mobile and landlines) to silent / answering mode if applicable. 99% of calls that you get are probably non-urgent anyway. If you feel uneasy at missing that 1% of calls that might be urgent, change your ringtone to something very subtle, like a minor beep, and set your voice message to say “if you need to get in touch with me urgently, call repeatedly”. That way, if you hear multiple beeps, you know the call is urgent. That’s the system I use when driving, so I know that I have to pull over and take this call.

Another major step you can do is to pull the plug. No, I’m not asking you to kill anyone, I’m referring to your metaphorical internet cable. This is especially applicable if you’re doing something non-internet related, like writing a blog post (I’m actually doing this right now. It’s a little unnerving without all the email and chat beeps, but it means I’m more focused). How imperative is your Twitter feed anyway? You can certainly survive without the internet for an hour, and if it’s a minor task that you just need to focus on, that may be more than you need.

Finally, a special one for those of you working from home like myself. If you’re not expecting visitors or some sort of mail, ignore the doorbell. It’s probably just a serial killer anyway. Or even worse, a telemarketer.

Rule #2: A Productivity Ninja must be Prepared

Anyone who has cooked or baked before can attest to this: there’s nothing worse than running to the store for ingredients to make something for later that day, only to realise mid-recipe that you forgot one more ingredient. While your scenarios may not be as urgent, the fact remains that making a checklist can put you on an efficiency overdrive. In fact, I’ve talked about my adoration of checklists before. Lists help you establish a birds-eye view of the things that you have to accomplish before you actually get into the trenches. It can help you plan the most effective plan of action, and, if you’re particularly tight for time, can help you assess which tasks to postpone (or even cancel altogether). Tasks can also help you assess what materials you’ll require for your day. This is particularly useful if you’re doing a car-trip to various stops, and you need to bring certain items (like that broken watch that needs repairing, those DVDs that need to be returned, or some documents for the bank).

If you’re like me and carry your world in your smartphone, then there are some fantastic apps out there to manage your lists. Remember The Milk (RTM) is a well-known and well-lauded online system, with apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android OS, and even Blackberries. Personally, I like something a little more robust, so I go for ToodleDo. For other systems and apps, here’s a handy little list: 25 To Do Lists to Stay Productive.

Another essential skill for being prepared is time assessment. I will freely admit that I am an absolute disaster here (it’s actually one of my resolutions this year). Being able to estimate the amount of time taken for a task is a tricky cocktail of intuition, skill, and experience, topped with a considerable helping of sheer dumb luck. To help people like you and me get better at it, though, there are some fantastic systems and tools. First of all, eyeball a timeline for each task. You’re probably going to be way off the first few times, but you have to start somewhere.  The Pomodoro system is a good way of starting this. It divides your work time into chunks with breaks in between (by default, it’s a 30-minute work session followed by a 5 minute break). If it’s a big task, try and break it into minor tasks and assign it to multiple pomodoros (each section of work time is referred to as a pomodoro). If you have a bunch of minor tasks, group them into one pomodoro. Check the Pomodoro website for a bunch of apps and programs that allow you to track your time. Of course, you don’t have to use the Pomodoro system, but I find it’s a good system to start with, before you build on it to create a system that suits you.

Secondly, keep a log of your performance. Did you finish all your tasks under the estimated time? Or were they always overdue? Were there any particular factors that caused this? Log everything, and review your logs regularly. It will help you build an understanding of the way you work, from an external perspective. Also remember to reward yourself if you finish your tasks under the allotted time. It can be something as lavish as a shopping trip, or something as minor as 10 minutes with your favourite book. Scale it up or down according to the gravity of the task that you finished.

Stay tuned for the next post for the remaining three rules to become the ultimate productivity ninja. Until then, I wish you complete success in taking control of your day, ninja-style.

Have something to say? I’d love to hear about it. There are different kinds of ninjas from all over the world so I’m sure you’ll have your own techniques and rules. Share them with us and let us how amazing you are.

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Not today.

To those of you who have enjoyed my blog and wondered about the dearth of content for some time, I must apologize. I could spout the various financial, career, medical, and social reasons for why I’ve been absent, but suffice to say my life, my work, and myself have gone through a major overhaul in this past-half year and some.

I will freely admit that my time management and scheduling skills are far from sturdy. I get highly motivated by planning out my time, and for the first few days I manage to get things done perfectly. Then life steps in, with its blasted interruptions, and my fragile hold on my time shatters. I go through a period of scrambling to put the pieces together, then I abandon those tasks I planned earlier and I create a new set, freshly motivated once more. It’s not a cycle that I am proud of, but it is one that I have come to accept.

This time I’m getting back on the wagon with a slightly different approach. Doubtless I am still going to make those tasks, and naturally the world will toss some inevitable disruptions my way, but instead of fretting about it, I am going to take it one step at a time. And for me, that includes writing a completely unplanned, unresearched, and unpolished post every once in a while. Sitting here right now, it’s a somewhat unnerving feeling, as I’m not exactly sure what to write. But I do know this, and it’s something I want to share with anyone who has felt the depression that falling off the wagon will bring:

There is nothing wrong in failing. There is nothing wrong in hitting rock bottom. There is nothing wrong in falling off the wagon, and having your entire life crumble around you while the world speeds past you. What IS wrong is not trying again. What IS wrong is not getting up after you hit rock bottom. What IS wrong is not picking up the pieces and rebuilding your life.

You only lose when you stop trying to win. And because of this, I know that even though I haven’t won yet, I will never lose. And I hope that I’ve inspired you to never lose, either.

Here’s to another round on the wagon. Cheers.

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What is a design mindset?

Like many things in the design lexicon, ‘design mindset’ is a term that is very much open to interpretation. I can probably tell you that if you ask me what a design mindset is, I would give you a different answer 3 years ago than I would have today, and 3 years down the road my answer would be completely different again. Even while searching the web for some reading material while writing this post, I came across completely different ideas regarding design thinking and the design mindset. I can only hope to give you my version of it, and to hear yours.

A design mindset is a way of thinking that continuously evolves, changes, and adapts. It is based on a series of principles most commonly found and practiced in the design industry (thus earning it its name), but is not exclusive to the design industry. The main points of design thinking can be summarized as follows:

1) Practicing a methodology that involves identifying the problem, issue, or question at hand, and approaching it from various perspectives.

2) Allowing any idea, regardless of quality, to appear on the table before it is judged.

3) Taking risks with approaches and solutions that have never been applied or attempted before.

4) Continuously striving to improve upon a current situation or condition, in an endless cycle.

How is a design mindset important in my life?

An excellent question. In fact, promoting design thinking in daily life is one of the main reasons I started this blog. A design mindset is important in your life because your life is a product of your design. Just like your car, or your clothes, your life is the result of the various choices, improvements, and mistakes that you have made so far. But most people don’t realize this and allow their lives to run on autopilot, just leaving it as it is. But think about it: if Nike had let their products remain as they were, the World Cup would have been played in t-shirts and sandals. Implementing design thinking into your life will allow you to continuously improve your quality of life, as well as to critically and objectively analyze your life, to find areas in which you can become a better person.

So what principles of design thinking can be used in daily life? I’ve listed 8 that I try my best to live my life by, but take note that these are far from an exhaustive list, and even within these 8 I bet opinions are going to differ.

There is no limit to learning.

I’ve encountered it in hundreds of people, yet it still bewilders me each time I do so: meeting a person who thinks his/her learning days are over once he/she reaches a certain age. A person can spend his entire life learning new things, and yet he/she will never reach omniscience. Even more so when you consider the ever-changing nature of science and technology. Like how constantly updating your design knowledge will help your designs stay fresh and unique, opening yourself up to learning something new every day is great for your spiritual and mental health.

For every problem, there is a solution.

Repeat after me: There is NO SUCH THING as an unsolvable problem.

Design thinking has overcome the most challenging of problems in the past. Millions of pages worth of data stored in a tiny chip no bigger than a button? Done. A convenient way to fasten and unfasten fabric? Hello, zipper.

If a solution doesn’t exist for your problem, it just means that one hasn’t been created yet. If so, what are you waiting for?

And for every solution, there will be a problem.

How many times have you experienced this one? You have a major breakthrough at work, only to find that your solution created another problem further ahead. While sometimes the problem that appears may not be the direct result of the solution, it always seems like there’s one more obstacle in your way than you have the energy to overcome.

The key to controlling this is to understand that this is simply nature’s love of balance working here. Don’t think of it as new problems, but instead as new questions to ponder, and new challenges to conquer, and you’ll soon realize that every problem that crops up in your path only serves to motivate you further.

You are your loudest audience.

You are your biggest fan, and you are your strongest critic. The one person who will most appreciate your achievements will be you, as will the one person who is most critical and harsh regarding your failures or mistakes. It is a natural fact of life. The reason behind this is simple: the person who pays the most attention to you, is you. Understanding this and accepting this is a vital key in improving your self-confidence and personal image.

Don’t be afraid to try new things, or to do things that seem silly. It may seem like everybody would laugh at you, but in reality, they have much better things to do than to circle around you and wait for you to fall. In fact, they may be supportive of your risks, and you may even end up inspiring them to take some risks themselves. It’s your life, and what you want to do with it is what counts.

No one key works for every lock.

Bob the Colleague finds yoga to be his outlet. Since he started going for yoga classes, you find him to be happier, calmer, healthier, and much nicer to be around. So you try it yourself. After a few awkward balancing poses and muttered swears, you arrive at the office the next day with a snappy temper and a sore side. What happened?

It may seem obvious when you look at it from a third person’s perspective, but it’s not always so clear when you’re going through the problem yourself. What works for one person may not always work for you. It’s great that you’ve tried it out, and you’ve found that it isn’t helping. Accept that, and try something else. Perhaps pole-dancing would give you the same calmness that Bob gets from yoga. Hey, it’s worth a shot, right? Which brings me to my next point.

Judgment does not come before a trial.

The courtrooms have it right: don’t judge something before you try it. Pole-dancing may seem like a bizarre thing to try, and really, if you’re a guy, you’d probably rather be the pole that be wrapped around it.

But you’re never going to find out what it can do for you unless you try it yourself. You don’t have to commit to anything yet. If you’re taking a physical class like pole-dancing or yoga, try looking for an option to try one class, or even for a one-time workshop. Thinking of studying a language? Pick up a phrase book and start pronouncing the words, and think of how it makes you feel. And while there’s no workshop or trial option for a career change, perhaps you could take a few days off and experience aspects of your new career (like being a professional shopper, or an artist).

Prepare for these one-time experiences by telling yourself that you are going to accept every experience that happens to you during this time, good or bad. You are here to try something new, and with that comes the acceptance that it doesn’t always work out.

If you can’t see, try changing glasses.

Persistence is a virtue often praised. After all, if at first you don’t succeed, you are told to try and try again. But sometimes, it just doesn’t work, and it only results in frustration, and in certain cases you could even burn out.

Try tackling the issue from a different angle. See it from another person’s point of view. You’ll begin to notice aspects of this issue that you would have never seen otherwise. Again, an open mind is vital here, because if you keep insisting that your way is right, you’re never going to learn anything new.

This idea of different perspectives can also be applied when you have an idea. Even the most analytical of us will be biased to our own ideas. Forcing yourself to look at your own ideas from an external perspective will highlight flaws and points of improvement that you would have otherwise been oblivious to.

Enjoy the journey, and you will enjoy the destination.

In Robin Sharma’s book “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”, the main character asks his newly-enlightened friend regarding the final goal of this new, spiritually wholesome life. I forget the exact words the friend used to reply, but it was something like this: “If you keep one eye on the horizon, only one eye is enjoying the road.” Today, I was in a bookstore, flipping through a book on meditation, where they advise the reader to “meditate not for the benefits it can bring in the end, but for the benefits you get from each meditation.”

Both touch on the same meaning: in any journey, the destination only holds part of the value. There is real experience and value to be gained during the journey itself. And this is doubly important if you are doing something that involves long periods of effort or discipline, like getting fit or studying. It’s always good to focus on your final goal, but the truth is that most of us end up focusing on the entire stretch of road that is between us and that goal. Try instead to focus on the journey. Learn for the sake of learning. Pick up a musical instrument not because you want to wow your friends (although having that as a final goal is perfectly acceptable), but because you like the sound of the instrument, and because you want to try playing a particular piece of music. When you focus on the journey, your development and learning rate seems to accelerate rapidly, and pretty soon you’ll be amazing your friends with a world-class bongo drum performance.

Since this is an issue that I strongly relate to, I can probably go on for pages. However, I’d much rather hear your perspective (see what I did there?) about this. What are some of the things you do in your life that you think qualifies as ‘design thinking’?

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A campfire analogy would probably work best here. It takes some effort to start a campfire, but with the correct spark and a receptive bunch of kindling, you can get a good fire going. After that it’s just a matter of minor maintenance, and that fire will keep you warm without much effort on your part. Similarly, all you need to build up a long-term, consistent sense of motivation in yourself is three things.

1. The spark – do something that inspires you
2. The kindling – be open-minded about changes that happen in your life
3. The maintenance

The Spark

This is actually the easiest part of the whole thing. Doing something different, even if it’s a minor thing, opens your life up for changes that you could have never imagined. True, there are stories of people who suddenly quit their successful jobs to become artists or to work in the mountains, but don’t let that fool you; even small actions can bring big changes. Here are a few things that you can try:

1. Take a language class – ever felt like picking up Spanish? Or how about Chinese? An additional language is not only a practical and highly useful skill to have; it’s also a great way to see things from a completely different perspective. I especially like dissecting phrases and old sayings to see what life must have been like for the native speakers.
2. Dabble in the arts – Sure, you’re not going to be the next Picasso, and neither will Virgin Records bang on your door to sign a music contract, but picking up an instrument, or a paintbrush, or even a new dance move is a great way to shake the way you think up a little. And who knows? You might make a new friend along the way.
3. Spirituality and meditation – Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to preach religion here. Spirituality isn’t necessarily about God; it can also mean getting in touch with your soul. Whether the power that you want to connect to is above or inside you, or even somewhere else, taking the time to explore this side of you can often yield amazing results. It also provides a great platform for you to evaluate yourself and see if you’re who you want to be.
4. Voluntary work – this one is a no-brainer. Unless you chew puppies for breakfast, helping another person (especially someone who cannot help himself) is sure to make you feel better about yourself. And the great thing about voluntary work is that there are hundreds of ways you can do it. There’s no such thing as too many volunteers.
5. Do something different. Read a book you’d never read otherwise, listen to music that’s completely out of your genres. The idea is to try something different, and to pay attention to the difference.

The Kindling

This is where most people have trouble. Pushing yourself to do something different may be easy for some people, but the tendency to avoid and reject change is so common, it’s practically hardwired into our DNA as human beings.

Think about it: you can’t ignite stone. For inspiration to happen, you have to be open enough to accept change. It’s much easier said than done, I’ll admit. Unconsciously we balk at any changes inflicted upon our lives (job transfers, new neighbors, etc). Try this then; every time you try something different, mentally tell yourself that you are going to experience this to the fullest, because you are never going to do this again. Taking part in a play? Then give your very best, and hold nothing back, because chances are that it’s a one-time thing. You’ll find that you’re less likely to hold back, and more likely to open your mind and soul to whatever is waiting for you. And of course, the audience always loves an actor who gives his best.

The Maintenance

(Also known as The Occasional Poke.) Once you get the fire going, you’ve more or less won the battle. But even the best of fires will die if you don’t tend to them. Take some time every once in a while, like say one in two weeks. Think about yourself. Think about the motivation that you have and how it feeds into everything you do. What can you do to continue this feeling? Let’s say you get inspired by yoga. Perhaps you’ll build a stronger network of motivation by talking about your passion with other fans of yoga. You’ll also learn something new about yoga, which will definitely feed your motivation. Or perhaps you could try teaching yoga to a class. Actions based around what inspires and motivates you are your best options for continuously feeding your inner fire.

Now that you’ve got a good sense of inspiration and motivation going for you, you’ll feel like a new person. You’ll start the day brighter and bushier-tailed, and you’ll smile and laugh more often. Even during bad days, you’ll be able to face things with a smile, because you know that every day, there is something good happening in your life, and you’re becoming a better person for it.

At this point I’d like to point you to a website that you may already know, Stepcase Lifehack. If you aren’t already a regular visitor to that site, make it a point to read their articles. A large majority of the articles focus on various ways, both big and small, to improve your life. In particular, I find the articles written by Celestine Chua (who has a seven-part article series on finding your true purpose in life on her blog) to be very motivating when I need to remind myself what I’m aiming for in life. I highly suggest you give it a read.

What would you like to try to spark your motivation? If you’ve already got your fire going, what do you do to keep it going? Share it with us in the comments.

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While shaving milliseconds off of your daily routine may not sound like much, there are changes that you can make at home to save minutes and even hours. Read on for some ideas.

1. The night before, prepare some juice or milk in a sealable container, and put it in the fridge. In the morning, instead of running out with a biscuit in your mouth, grab the drink. You’ll get your morning perk, it’s healthy, and it’s cooling.

2. Get a tray by the door for all your keys. If you live with someone, consider a separate tray or maybe a hook for only your key bunches, so you can grab everything in one motion.

3. The standby – You can combine this with the key tray. Get a shelf, rack, or even a corner of the kitchen counter that has plug point access. When you come back home, immediately put your phone, music player, PDA, and any other gadget that you might have, on that counter. You don’t necessarily have to charge it (in fact, overcharging is not good for most gadgets), but it’s important that you make a habit of automatically putting your chargeables on that counter, and only then considering whether to charge them. Also make sure that the standby is in a convenient location on your way out so you’ll remember to grab everything in the morning.

4. Is your bathroom in one corner of the house, your towels in another corner, and your laundry basket in a third? You get where I’m going with this, right?

5. Invest in single-portion containers and no-brainer recipe books. On the weekend, cook up a batch each of two recipes (if you share a living space, this is a great ‘together’ activity, or you could even take turns surprising the others!) and store it in those containers. You now have instant fuss-free dinners that you can just heat up and enjoy. (Extra tip: some recipes can be varied with some herbs, garnishing, or seasoning. Experimenting will make you enjoy your food more.)

6. Take number 5 further by investing in a good rice cooker. I’m not sure how common it is in other parts of the world, but in Southeast Asia it’s a staple for most houses. Although most obviously known for cooking rice, the rice cooker can actually be used for a whole variety of dishes, and the best part is that it requires almost no management from you.

7. Stick a piece of paper to your fridge or pantry door, and jot down items as you notice your need for them. If you can, reduce your shopping to once per week, at off-peak hours, so you can get in and out with minimum delay. Also, before you make that trip, look at your list, and sort them by your aisles in the mall. (Bonus prep: The next trip you make to the mall, take a pen and paper and list down the categories in each aisle. You’ll be zipping through the aisles with a smirk on your face.)

8. Lists. They save time, tension, and temper. A list of things you usually pack on trips, a list of documents you need to makes copies of, or even a list of things your kid needs for his field trip. I usually take one weekend morning and make a list of chores and other tasks I need to do. In fact, I find this to be quite motivating.

9. A dry-erase board, or a whiteboard as it’s sometimes known, may be an odd thing to find around the house, but the advantage of having a space to combine grocery lists, to-do lists, birthdays, memos, and anything else, far outweighs the wall space it may take up. Just be sure to stick it in a place you’ll see.

10. Arrange your office clothing in advance. This tip may seem more geared towards women, but you’ll be surprised by the number of men who really wonder if that shirt and that tie go together. Setting aside even ten minutes on the weekend can really work wonders for those frantic mornings.

But can he walk the walk?

Those of you who know me will be surprised that I’m writing a post about time-management, since my own time management skills are less than impressive. However, I find that the best way to commit myself to these changes is to also spread word about them.

I have managed to practice some of these tips at home. All my keys are in a key holder that I cannot miss on my way down the stairs. Since my phone doubles as my alarm, my gadgets are always beside my bed. I’m naturally a list nazi, so I’ve got that covered. And while I don’t have any particular office clothing (ah, the sweet life of a designer), I do find that packing my gym bag the day before saves me a lot of rushing the next morning.

What time management methods do you practice around the house? Share your ideas in the comments section.

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