Happy Holidays from LifeClever

We are closing shop for the holidays from now until January 2nd, 2008. We wish everyone a safe, restful, and clever holiday.

Thank you for sticking with us, and see you in new year!

A Modest Proposal: Learn a New Skill This Holiday

I don’t look back on classes or homework or tests with misty-eyed nostalgia. (Actually, I try not to think about school at all, if possible.) But some of my fondest memories are of learning. The perfect mental engagement of figuring out how something works or how to do something new comes more and more infrequently […]

Unstuck Your Writing With an Email

Dear Reader,

I have friends who write effortlessly like superheroes. Crank 500 words in 2 seconds? No problem. Others sweat uncontrollably, hyperventilate, and tremble at the mere thought of writing.

If writing stirs a panic attack in you, try this: start with an email.

Instead of launching an imposing behemoth like Microsoft Word, call up your humble […]

How to Achieve Laser Focus and Sustained Flow

Productivity bloggers place a lot of emphasis on granularity. According to accepted wisdom, if a task squats on your list for a while, you probably haven’t sliced and diced it enough. Solution: Start carving until you’re left with a “next action” that you can effortlessly knock off in 10 minutes flat.

But some tasks simply don’t […]

What’s Your Morning Ritual?

In the movies, people wake up to happy birds chirping and the sweet smells of coffee brewing. In fantasyland, everyone is a perky morning person.

I’m not.

Far from the picturesque cereal commercial, my mornings are a blur. Get up, feed the kitties, bathroom, shower, dress, get to the bus. All in 30 minutes. No breakfast, no […]

How to See the Future with Netvibes

Let’s review the basics: Events go on your calendar. Tasks go on your to-do list. These two tools are the Batman and Boy Wonder of nitty-gritty productivity, but what about the long view?

Visualizing the Big Picture

In the world of publishing, we divide each year into three seasons: Winter (January through April), Spring/Summer (May through August), […]