10 Effective Ways To Make You A Faster Learner

The importance of learning cannot be underestimated. Learning empowers us to fulfill our ideas and realize our full potential. The speed of gaining new knowledge is practically as important as its volume. Who wouldn’t love to remember tons of information as quickly as possible? If you want to start learning faster, you need a new approach towards the process which would enable you to comprehend the essence of the matter and relate it with new concepts you encounter. The following 10 tips will help you do that.

1. Analyze your learning style.

Before you can start experimenting with different studying methods, you need to understand what type of learner you are.
● Is your memory associated to sound? Maybe you can remember what you were reading when a particular song was playing? If this is your case, then you fall into the category of auditory learners. If you want to start studying more efficiently, then it would be wise to record the lectures and listen to them instead of reading textbooks.
● Do you relate information to visual content? If you are a visual learner, you should implement images, graphs, charts, infographics, colorful lists, flashcards, and other types of visual content when you study.
● If your learning style is not auditory or visual, then you might be a physical learner. Some students have too much energy; they tap their feet or play with a pen during lectures. A walk before a lecture will calm your nerves down. You can try studying/listening to audio lectures during a walk. That will help you remember the information more quickly.

2. Use the right EdTech tools.

Technology has the power of making everything easier. There are plenty of websites, online tools, and smartphone/tablet apps that will boost your skills of planning, writing, time management, brainstorming, etc.
One way of improving your productivity is using flashcards. You can make your own cards, but you can also download pre-made kits online. StudyBlue is one of the best online destinations when it comes to creating and discovering flashcards from all areas of study. If you are looking for a tool that makes the process of brainstorming more effective, then you should try PapersGear. You also need the SelfControl app, which will eliminate all distractions when you need to stay focused. Quizlet is another website you should bookmark; it offers study tools that will transform the learning process into a fun activity. Notella is an app that will help you take quick notes at any time. Brainscape is an educational platform that makes complex subjects easy by relying on cognitive science. Finally, you should also try Dragon Dictation, especially if you are an audio learner.

3. Train your brain to accept new information.

Efficient studying is a habit. Your brain needs constant training if you want to improve your focus and complete complex tasks without taking breaks. One way to achieve this goal is to create a private learning space in your home. You’ll also need a specific time of day that you’ll devote to studying. That will make your brain ready to accept the information it gets, so you’ll notice you’re starting to learn much faster by the day.

4. Get some exercise.

You are aware of the fact that physical activity is good for your body, but your brain needs it too! Light exercise, such as yoga, can help you learn much faster. If you are inactive throughout the day, your body will want to move, so it will be difficult for you to stay focused. If, on the other hand, you canalize your energy through light training sessions, you will be ready to study productively.

5. Work on the ambiance.

If your roommate constantly invites friends over for a beer, you won’t be able to study no matter how hard you try. Students who want to learn quickly need a quiet, distraction-free environment that won’t disturb the mind in any way. Such a peaceful place will set you in learning mode as soon as you find yourself in it.

6. Take a lot of notes.

Only few people are capable of remembering information as they read it. If you don’t belong to this category of privileged learners, then you absolutely need to start taking notes. This simple learning method will force you to think about the essence of the material, but it will also give you a nice framework that will help you review the things you’ve learned.
Write down only the most important information. That will help you remember all the other things you’ve learned.

7. Make mind maps.

Mind maps are among the best tools to speed up the learning process. Your mind will process information effectively if you create a visual representation of the things you’re about to learn. You can create a nice mind map in the old-school way: take a large sheet of paper and organize all facts and explanations. Use pictures, note-cards, and other symbols you can think of. Group similar items together and connect them with colorful pens. Of course, you can also use an online mind mapping tool if you want to save yourself some time.

8. Experiment with memorization methods.

Memorizing is often misused in the process of studying. Some students memorize whole sentences, paragraphs and lectures without grasping their essence. However, memorization can also be useful when you need to learn definitions and classifications really quickly. Don’t avoid this technique if you want to fill your brain with information without wasting any time.

9. Find the right context.

Memorization works solely in times of urgency. If you want to learn in the most effective manner, then you need to have context for information. Find an aspect that’s interesting for you; try to research for related information, and you’ll discover the joys of learning. With time, this practice will make you a faster learner.

10. Study every day.

It will take some time before you get used to a daily studying routine, but your mind will eventually grasp the habit. The more frequently you study, the less time it will take for you to remember the things you read. If you start studying as soon as possible after you cover new concepts in class, it won’t take long at all for you to get ready for an exam. Now that sounds really good, doesn’t it?

Featured photo credit: GotCreddit via flickr.com

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10 Things Only Straight-A Students Will Understand

Ah, the typical straight-A student. If you felt a connection with Hermione Granger, Brian Johnson, or Carlton Banks, you know how it feels to be dedicated to maintaining your grades. As A students, we become brown-nosing, book-loving losers due to our unwavering dedication to earning top marks. Very rarely does excelling so brilliantly in other areas garner such widespread scorn. Here are 10 misconceptions about A-students that everyone with a 4.0 has certainly experienced.

1. People Think You Are Stuck-Up

When someone first learns that you are a good student, you probably see some wariness come over his expression. A-students are often perceived to have holier-than-thou attitudes, even if they remains genuinely friendly and helpful. A handful of vain, derisive geniuses seem to have ruined the reputation of straight-A students for good.

2. People Assume You Are Already Rich

If you have the time to study and earn A’s, you must not need to have a job to support yourself. Other students have a hard time believing that any person can effectively balance work and school to succeed at both. However, having a job doesn’t automatically disqualify a student from earning to marks. In fact, plenty of full-time workers are able to return to school — and excel! — by taking flexible specialized online programs that allow them to study while earning a salary.

3. People Think You Study Night and Day

According to other students, you should own hundreds of highlighters, keep organized binders of notes, and know all of the librarians by name. When you aren’t nose-deep in the course literature, you are flipping through flashcards and listening to your recorded lectures. The truth is no one can study that much and retain a 4.0 with any sanity intact.

4. People Also Think You Don’t Have to Try

Yet, even as people believe in your impossible studying standards, they do not believe that they can ever attain such excellent grades. To some students, your straight A’s are as mythical and elusive as a unicorn. No matter how often you explain that your grades come from dedication and moderation, most other students prefer to imagine that your smarts are absolutely innate.

5. People Expect You to Know Everything

Here’s a scenario you find all too familiar: A person wonders something aloud (“What are hiccups?”) and the entire group turns to you, expecting a thorough explanation. As a straight-A student, you should know the answers to every question — even if those questions fall well outside your sphere of knowledge. Worse, when you can’t immediately provide a satisfying solution, other students will inevitably mock your supposed intelligence.

6. People Don’t Believe You Have Other Interests

When you earn A’s in school, you immediately become one-dimensional; you are smart and studious, which means schoolwork must be your only hobby. However, most A-students harbor a wealth of interests outside what they study in school, including activities that aren’t commonly associated with 4.0s, like sports and music. Because A-students prioritize their academic effort above their other hobbies, other students may not know about their secret second lives as athletes and artists.

7. People Mark You as a Teacher’s Pet

People imagine the straight-A student as the one in the classroom with her hand waving high in the air. Other students often assume that the only way to get good grades is to suck up to the instructor in class and out, but most straight-A students let their work speak for itself. While you might ask the teacher the occasional question, you probably don’t need to go out of your way to garner a good reputation with your instructors.

8. People Think You Don’t Have a Social Life

The misconception goes like this: A-students have neither time nor energy (nor interest, nor ability) to attract and maintain friendships. While there is the occasional socially awkward A-student, most healthy 4.0s are awarded to students who know better than others how to manage their time. Even with 40 hours of work and 20 hours of studying, you have a full 52 waking hours to enjoy an active social life — and you probably do.

9. People Anticipate Your Nervous Breakdown

Every student feels the pressure of maintaining good grades, but straight-A students — who are often perfectionists seeking only the absolute best — can become even more stressed than most. You have undoubtedly experienced your share of anxiety and fear, and it is probable that you have let your tension show in your attitude, dress, or hygiene level. However, even when you are feeling most frazzled, you probably aren’t at risk for any dangerous mental episodes like those your fellow students eagerly look forward to.

10. People Expect You to Do Great Things After Graduation

Not every A-student is destined for a life of greatness, and pressure to excel after graduation can negatively impact an A-student’s performance. However, with any luck (and a firm understanding of who you are and what you want), this misconception will actually come true for you.

Featured photo credit: liquene via flickr.com

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How to be More Productive By Using the Eisenhower Box

Dwight Eisenhower lived one of the most productive lives you can imagine.

Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, serving two terms from 1953 to 1961. During his time in office, he launched programs that directly led to the development of the Interstate Highway System in the United States, the launch of the internet (DARPA), the exploration of space (NASA), and the peaceful use of alternative energy sources (Atomic Energy Act).

Before becoming president, Eisenhower was a five-star general in the United States Army, served as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II, and was responsible for planning and executing invasions of North Africa, France, and Germany.

At other points along the way, he served as President of Columbia University, became the first Supreme Commander of NATO, and somehow found time to pursue hobbies like golfing and oil painting.

Eisenhower had an incredible ability to sustain his productivity not just for weeks or months, but for decades. And for that reason, it is no surprise that his methods for time management, task management, and productivity have been studied by many people.

His most famous productivity strategy is known as the Eisenhower Box and it’s a simple decision-making tool that you can use right now. Let’s talk about how to be more productive and how Eisenhower’s strategy works.

The Eisenhower Box: How to be more productive

Eisenhower’s strategy for taking action and organizing tasks is simple. Using the decision matrix below, you will separate your actions based on four possibilities:

1. Urgent and important (tasks you will do immediately)
2. Important, but not urgent (tasks you will schedule to do later)
3. Urgent, but not important (tasks you will delegate to someone else)
4. Neither urgent nor important (tasks that you will eliminate)

The great thing about this matrix is that it can be used for broad productivity plans (“How should I spend my time each week?”) and for smaller, daily plans (“What should I do today?”).

Here is an example of what my Eisenhower Box looks like for today:

Note: I created a spreadsheet template of the Eisenhower Box. You can download that spreadsheet template for your own use at the bottom of this article.

The Difference between urgent and important

Urgent tasks are things that you feel you need to react to: emails, phone calls, texts, news stories. Meanwhile, in the words of Brett McKay, “Important tasks are things that contribute to our long-term mission, values, and goals.”

Separating these differences is simple enough to do once, but doing so continually can be tough. The reason I like Eisenhower’s method is that it provides a clear framework for making the decisions over and over again. And, like anything in life, consistency is the hard part.

Here are some other observations I’ve made from using this method.

Elimination before optimization

A few years ago, I was reading about computer programming when I came across an interesting quote by Kevlin Henney: “There is no code faster than no code.”

In other words, the fastest way to get something done—whether it is having a computer read a line of code or crossing a task off your to-do list—is to eliminate that task entirely. There is no faster way to do something than not doing it at all. That should not be seen as a reason to be lazy, but rather a suggestion to force yourself to make hard decisions and delete any task that does not lead you toward your mission, your values, and your goals.

Too often, we use productivity, time management, and optimization as an excuse to avoid the really difficult question: “Do I actually need to be doing this?” It is much easier to remain busy and tell yourself that you just need to be a little more efficient or to “work a little later tonight” than to endure the pain of eliminating a task that you are comfortable with doing, but that isn’t the best use of your time.

As Tim Ferriss says, “Being busy is a form of laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.”

I find that the Eisenhower Box is particularly useful because it pushes me to question whether an action is really necessary, which means I’m more likely to move tasks to the “Delete” quadrant rather than mindlessly repeating them. And to be honest, if you simply eliminated all of the things you waste time on each day then you probably wouldn’t need any tips on how to be more productive at the things that matter.

Does this help me accomplish my goal?

One final note: it can be hard to eliminate time wasting activities if you aren’t sure what you are working toward. In my experience, there are two questions that can help clarify the entire process behind the Eisenhower method:

1. What am I working toward?
2. What are the core values that drive my life?

These are questions that I have asked myself in my Annual Review and my Integrity Report. Answering these questions has helped me clarify the categories for certain tasks in my life. Deciding which tasks to do and which tasks to delete becomes much easier when you are clear about what is important to you.

The Eisenhower Box isn’t a perfect strategy, but I have found it to be a useful decision-making tool for increasing my productivity and eliminating the behaviors that take up mental energy, waste time, and rarely move me toward my goals. I hope you’ll find it useful too.

Free Download: I created a spreadsheet template of the Eisenhower Box that you can download and use whenever you want to improve your productivity and eliminate time wasting activities. Click here to download the spreadsheet now.

Sources

1. Thanks to Brett McKay at The Art of Manliness for his post on the Eisenhower Box.
2. The term “highest and best use” is a real estate concept for finding the most valuable use of a piece of property. My friend Mark Heckmann is a fan of using the phrase for personal time management and I like it too. Thanks Mark!
3. For other useful productivity tips, check out this article summarizing Scott Hansleman’s work.

This article was originally published on JamesClear.com.

Featured photo credit: U.S. Embassy New Delhi via flickr.com

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22 Reasons People with Creative Outlets are More Likely to be Successful

Did you know that having fun leads to greater success? Research at San Francisco State University shows that people who have creative outlets outside of work perform better at their jobs. And businesses based on personal pastimes are more likely to turn a profit.

In my workshops I’ve found that expressing ourselves creatively isn’t just about making art. It can also include such hobbies as gardening, fashion, cooking, running, playing hockey…whatever you tend to lose yourself in which brings joy and meaning to your life.

So prepare to be happy and thrive. Here are 22 reasons people with creative outlets are more likely to be successful and you can do it, too.

1. You’re refreshed and more productive

Who can afford to take breaks these days, we’re all so busy, right? But even billionaire Richard Branson, who is responsible for running over 400 companies under the Virgin brand, makes time for kite-boarding. A study shows that taking breaks leads to greater productivity and a higher quality of work. Artistic expressions such as writing and drawing also increase energy and focus. If you want to get more work done in less time, try picking up a surfboard or a paintbrush.

2. You’re happier and more engaged

Having creative outlets lowers stress, increases happiness, and gives us a sense of purpose, which makes us more effective at our jobs. We get better evaluations from managers and customers, and show more helpful behavior at work. That’s a pretty important finding given that only 13% of employees worldwide like their jobs. If you want to experience greater well-being and success in your career, put a date on your calendar to play soccer or practice your drums.

3. You come up with new ways to do things

In the early years of Microsoft, co-founder Paul Allen picked up his guitar at the end of marathon days of programming. He still plays in a rock band today. “It forces me to look beyond what currently exists and express myself in a new way.” The same is true for you. People with creative pastimes are more likely to come up with creative solutions to work-related problems. If you’re looking for inspiration, try doing something you love to unwind.

4. You make space for breakthroughs

Have you ever noticed how solutions to problems tend to pop into your mind out of nowhere when you’re engaged in your hobby? Albert Einstein is thought to have developed the theory of relativity while riding his bicycle. Research at Stanford shows that walking in particular boosts creative thinking. Will Ferrel, who ran marathons while he was part of the cast of Saturday Night Live, noted, “Whenever I’d run, I’d get these great ideas. I love what running does for your mind.” Carve out some space in your day for yoga, swimming, drawing…and watch the creative ideas flow effortlessly.

5. You discover and develop your unique talents

Walt Disney began drawing pictures at the age of four and kept refining his childhood love of doodling until it turned into a multi-billion dollar business that’s still thriving today. Like Walt, you have a unique gift. Sometimes your special abilities are hard to see, though, because they come so easily. How can you compare yourself to others to find out what talents are natural to you? Make a commitment to develop your innate potential and you will excel.

6. You know how to get in the zone

Meryl Streep knits “to clear her head” on set. By putting herself in the moment she’s able to access powerful acting impulses. What puts you in the groove? It could be sewing, dancing, playing sports—whatever makes time disappear for you. When you’re in flow you do your best work, and the positive effects spread to everything you do.

7. You overcome setbacks and obstacles

Having hobbies makes us more resilient in the face of adversity. Oracle founder Larry Ellison says that sailing competitions help him push through his limits and develop a winning mindset. Research shows that simply writing about your difficult experiences heals you physically and mentally and enables you to persevere. When you have a hobby, you’re more likely to find a way around roadblocks and keep going.

8. You carry your personal accomplishments to work

Side projects boost your self-confidence and give you greater life satisfaction. Whether it be finishing a painting, running a marathon, or finding another piece for your owl collection, you prove to yourself you can reach your goals and that sense of accomplishment carries over to work.

9. You trust your gut and act on it

After Apple founder Steve Jobs dropped out of Reed College, he stuck around to study calligraphy. It gave him an aesthetic sense that still distinguishes Apple products today. We all have powerful hunches, but we learn to censor them out of fear and the need to fit in. Following your passion helps you hear your intuition more clearly and act on it.

10. You see the world through fresh eyes

My friend Peggy Monahan, Creative Director at the New York Hall of Science, builds incredibly cool exhibits that draw huge crowds. She attributes her success to being forced to constantly learn new things, dubbing herself “a professional novice.” Next time you feel stuck, try learning something new, like playing guitar or handball. Or see your product or service through your customers’ eyes. You’ll come back to work with a fresh perspective and find new solutions to old problems.

11. You blur the line between work and play

Some of the best ideas come from fusing work and play. Chuck Hebestreit played guitar at night to unwind from his day working at Gore and Associates (best known for producing Gore-Tex). When he noticed finger oil deadened the strings, two coworkers helped him solve the problem by coating the strings with a polyweb (launching Elixir Strings). I’ve given many innovation workshops at high tech companies that initially hired me to do research. What passion would you bring into work if you could?

12. You recognize and seize opportunities

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for the next big idea, your hobby could give you a clue. Jim Jannard noticed the handlebars on his motorcycle got slippery when he sweated and designed a better grip. He founded Oakley, which today produces a wide variety of sports equipment and eyewear. What about you? Is there an everyday problem you encounter in your side project that could turn into a winning book, song, or product? Get deeply, intensely curious and see what you can cook up.

13. You see the bigger picture

Mistakes sometimes turn into popular products when we see the bigger picture. Spencer Silver tried to make a stronger glue at 3M but failed because his adhesive was weak. Four years later his colleague, Arthur Fry, had an “a-ha” moment while singing in church. Frustrated that the marker kept falling out of his hymnal, he realized his friend’s weak glue would solve the issue. Together they created Post-it Notes. Initially, penicillin and chocolate chip cookies were accidents, too. How does your life outside of work help you see possibilities that others don’t?

14. You believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

When you live in two worlds, you can bring them together in ways that spark cool ideas that are greater than the sum of its parts. Beto Perez was a fitness instructor in Columbia who forgot his aerobics music for class one day and ran back to his car to grab whatever music he could find from his personal collection, which was mostly merengue and salsa. This started the fitness craze we now know as Zumba. How can you merge your passion with your job to create a synergistic effect?

15. You become a solid team player

Many skills cross over from your creative outlets to your job. For example, according to Judd Hollas, CEO of EquityNet, “A football player and his fellow teammates sacrifice for each other for the common good of the team. Business is the same way. Teamwork and camaraderie are what drive success in business.” If you play on a sports team in your off-hours, you’ll naturally be a better team player at work.

16. You develop a good sense of timing

When you develop the ability to do things at exactly the right moment from your creative outlets, it transfers to your work. Scott Picken, CEO of Wealth Migrate, says kitesurfing is just like running a business because it gives you good timing. “You have to wait for the right time to launch. When you’re riding the waves, you must also be on a constant lookout for changes in the environment.” How does your passion project (e.g., fishing, playing bass, performing standup comedy) help you fine-tune your timing?

17. You learn to think on your feet

In my improv classes I learned to trust the first thoughts that pop into my mind and run with them, which makes me be a better speaker, performer and author. Peter Diamond, author of Amplify Your Career, says tennis helps you “to be fully present, able to think on your feet, and change tactics if needed. These same skills are necessary for running a successful business.” What about you? How does your side project help you improvise in other parts of your life and work when necessary?

18. You keep your mind sharp

Business magnate Warren Buffet stays sharp at age 84 by playing ukulele and online bridge. Research shows that having hobbies bolsters cognitive functioning, stems the advance of dementia, and allows us to live more vibrant lives by increasing our brain connectivity. What hobby can you engage in to keep you on top of your game? If you don’t have one yet, no worries. Constantly learning new things improves your brain health.

19. You are more vital, healthier, and live longer

Many successful people stay fit through physical activities such as swimming (Beyonce) and kitesurfing (Richard Branson). But artistic hobbies like writing and painting are also good for your physical health because they boost your immune system, reduce the symptoms of diseases, and increase longevity. You take fewer sick days and are more vital at work. So next time you’re too tired to play tennis or practice your violin, remember that not only will you feel better afterwards, but you’ll live a healthier and more successful life.

20. You inspire and support others

Oprah loves to read books because they inspire and challenge her, and then shares the books that make a difference to her with her audience. It’s a simple and powerful way to give back. Whenever I learn something new about innovation I always try to include that little tidbit in my next talk, workshop, or blog. What creative outlets do you have that could help others? Spreading joy is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your life.

21. You discover catalyzing career clues

If you’re ho-hum about your career, your hobby may provide clues about what you really want to do with your life. Terry Finley felt unfulfilled selling life insurance, but loved horses. In 1991 he bought his first horse, Sunbelt, for $5,000. He later attracted investors and eventually ended up with 55 horses and a revenue of $6.5 million annually. How can you turn your hobby into a job? Perhaps you can teach what you love to do, speak or write about your hobby, or repair cherished items.

22. You do it for the love

Businesses based on hobbies are more likely to turn a profit because these entrepreneurs don’t do it for the money. They persevere during tough times, even if they don’t make money initially, because they love what they do. Today more people are entrepreneurs than ever before. If that lifestyle also appeals to you, ask yourself how you can you turn your hobby into a business you love.

Don’t worry. Your hobby can stay a hobby. No matter whether you work a 9-to-5 job or you’re an entrepreneur, having a creative outlet feeds your soul and helps you stay fresh and inspired. When you do something you love you’re energized, happy, and focused, and it rolls back positively into your work and all aspects of your life, including your relationships. So the next time you’re afraid to take some time off to have fun and express your unique self because you think it’ll hurt your career, remember that the opposite is true. Start writing or running again, or learn something new. You’ll be happier, healthier, and more successful as a result.

Featured photo credit: smiling young woman using a camera to take photo outdoors at the park/michaeljung via shutterstock.com

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3 Built-In Tools for Managing Your Time and Relationships on Facebook

Facebook has three features that help you manage both time and relationships in your business. They are relatively new features that can completely transform the way you use Facebook.

These features are Search, Save, and Stop.

Business is about people, and your ability to find information about people who matter in your business is important. These features help you do exactly that.

1. The Save Feature

Have you ever been on your newsfeed reading something when all of a sudden, the newsfeed jumps as it updates, and you lost what you were reading? This happens to me daily, then I have to waste time scrolling to find that same post.

Have you ever seen a post in your newsfeed that you wanted to explore? Maybe it was a video or an article, but the timing wasn’t right to check it out.

The save feature can help in these two situations. With millions of posts being shared each day, it is often hard to consume what you want, when you want. But with the save feature, you can easily find and read any post. To use the feature, click the drop down arrow on the top right side of the post and select “Save”.

For example, let’s say I see an article like the one below that Leah shared and I want to read it but don’t have time. Let’s pretend Leah is a customer or prospect of mine, and paying attention to what she shares matters to me as a business owner because I want to interact more with her and support what she shares. But out of integrity, I don’t want to engage until I have read the whole article.

Once you have time in your day’s schedule, you can access all the items you saved on your Facebook homepage on the left of your profile (facebook.com/saved). You will be directed to another page where every piece of saved content is listed.

Once you’re done with a saved item, you can click the “x” in the corner and delete it from the list.

What can you do with these saved items? You can share this curated list with your own followers on your business or personal page, or you can engage in the original post by leaving a comment. Saving prevents you from getting lost down a rabbit hole and losing 30 minutes to Facebook when you really only logged in to reply to a message someone sent you.

Now that you have a great tool to collect and share content, you may run into another rabbit hole…the never-ending stream of Facebook notifications.

2. The Stop Feature

If you are part of any Facebook group that has a high level of activity, your engagement on a single post by commenting can risk you having handfuls upon handfuls of notifications on your profile, letting you know who else commented and what they had to say.

You may even find yourself asking if you really want to comment because of having to deal with all the notifications that come afterwards.

The stop feature allows you to stop notifications for a single post. Whether you post the content yourself or you commented on someone else’s post, you can click the drop down arrow and turn off notifications.

This will stop all notifications on that particular post so you no longer get emails or those little red notifications at the top of Facebook. If you really do want to know what people are saying, use the save feature and come back to it later.

3. The Search Feature

This feature is a little more advanced but very important for business owners using Facebook.

Imagine that your client, Joanne, posted an amazing article that you wanted to share, but when you go to her profile you realize that she is a content posting machine. You search and search her profile feed but you just cannot find what you are looking for. Yet you’re sure she posted it just a few days ago.

If you type in the word “Joanne” and a keyword that relates to the piece of content you are looking for into the search box, you can find that exact piece.

You can also use the search feature with just keywords to find people in your network who are actually looking for your services.

Facebook may very well become the new Google for finding the things that people you are connected to share!

How do you see Search and Save helping you to connect better with people?

Featured photo credit: Mans Hands Woking On Laptop And Smartphone With Coffee/Ed Gregory via stokpic.com

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14 Small Differences Between Ordinary People And Successful People

Successful people are the icing on the cake of any hot discussion. Success is inspiring and interesting to talk about.

The truth is, any successful individual is flesh and blood just like you. They are not born miracles, but it’s the small differences that help them stick out from the rest.

So, what are the key aspects that differentiate them from the crowd?

1. Ordinary people talk about other people, successful people talk about ideas.

Gossiping and bagging others are popular among ordinary folks. They just can’t help but talk about people, often with a vein of jealousy. What successful people do is discuss various ideas that could improve their lives.

Plans, goals, aspirations and innovations — these are all the aspects of discussions between successful individuals.

2. Ordinary people set goals, successful people set detailed plans of actions.

Your “Average Joe” will want to lose weight and give up smoking as a new year’s resolution. Though most likely, he won’t achieve either of these.

Successful people set their goals as well. More importantly, however, they create a detailed set of actions they need to perform in order to achieve their end goal.

Whereas ordinary people just set the goal, successful people determine the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly activities and habits which will lead to achieving their vision.

3. Ordinary people complain about life, successful people adapt to what life throws at them.

How many times did you hear somebody groaning about their problems instead of finally taking responsibility and dealing with their lives? Sometimes, fate can be unfair and brutal.

You see people living better than you, with more chances and doors just waiting to be opened. How you act regarding this fact determines whether you’re just another person in the street or a successful individual.

The fact is, everybody experiences difficulties. Both, people at the bottom as well as the ones at the top, struggle with something. You can’t control the obstacles life throws at you, but you can control the way you react to them.

Whereas ordinary folks simply wish life was easier, successful individuals accept the way it is and find an alternative path.

4. Ordinary people stick to social norms, successful people create their own norms.

Social norms were made to control the masses, not to help them. Normal people will be afraid to diverge from popular patterns. Often times, the only thing that stops them is the need for the approval of others. A successful person doesn’t seek that.

The fact is, if there would be a recipe for success, everyone could easily replicate it. In reality, however, creating and testing your own rules is required to walk an extraordinary path. It’s a path full of ups and downs, but more often than not, it’s the undiscovered route which leads to the superior results.

5. Ordinary people dream of a better future, successful people create a better future.

We all want to live a better life: more happiness, more freedom, better health and more financial independence count to the most desired goals. To some degree, everyone tries to work on achieving them.

However, the average person will focus on dreaming ,while the successful one spares no effort to create that dreamy future. One step at a time: that person knows that acting, and not just dreaming, is what makes he fantasy a reality.

6. Ordinary people let their thoughts influence them, successful people influence their thoughts.

Everyone has doubts and negative thoughts once in a while. It’s just the human nature and the way our brains function. Many people accept these thoughts as ultimate truths and let them dictate their lives.

On the contrary, outstanding people are conscious of the impact their thoughts have, so they influence their thinking to make it work for, and not against them. You can just accept the presence of negative thoughts as a normal appearance, ignore it, and instead think about the more positive aspects.

7. Ordinary people prefer instant gratification, successful people choose long-term rewards.

Do you know anyone who hates to be rewarded? Neither do we. But there’s a difference in how people respond to gratification.

In the era in which we are taught to praise comfort over anything else, it’s easy to settle for instant pleasure. However, successful people recognize that oftentimes, you need to wait to experience the true pleasure.

While the typical person can even get addicted to the short-term reward (overeating, smoking, procrastinating), the successful individual will use the long-term reward as a driving force to achieve any goal.

8. Ordinary people praise overabundance, successful people praise limitation.

A typical person loves to accumulate possessions. The more they have, the happier they believe they will be. Eventually, though, their stuff owns them and not the other way around.

A fancy car they have to pay off, tons of possessions they need to clean, store and rearrange. Inability to set limitations leads to plethora, which distracts you from your goals.

One of the features of truly successful people is that they can limit a lot of things in order to focus on ones that are actually important. Limit unnecessary spending, limit wasting unnecessary time, and limit negative people and thoughts. By limiting, they create an environment in which they thrive.

9. Ordinary people see a half-empty glass, successful people see a half-full glass.

Your attitude undoubtedly influences your behavior. Seeing only the negative side of each thing is definitely a bad habit, but then again, it’s most people’s approach to life.

Plenty of them complain that they lack the determining factor which would make their lives better. Simply put, they believe the glass is half-empty.

When it comes to successful people, they always squeeze as much as possible from what they already have. In other words, they’ll work to find a joy in the half-full glass.

10. Ordinary people judge others, successful people only judge themselves.

Judging people is one of the most horrible habits people can have, yet many do that on a regular basis. As you can already guess, these are the average people. They waste their time judging others, instead of spending it by contributing value to the world.

It is true that successful humans judge as well, yes, they really do! However, they judge themselves — their behavior, their actions, and their attitude. They use judging as a tool to draw conclusions about themselves.

11. Ordinary people watch TV every day, successful people read every day.

The thing that both ordinary and successful people have in common is that they enjoy having some free time. The difference, however, is in the way they spend it.

According to a research, a typical person will spend nine years of their life watching television. The fact is, TV hardly adds any value to your life — hot news, controversial reality shows, and fictional stories.

Generalizing, these are the three kingpins of television. Not to mention the countless ads trying to sell you stuff you don’t need.

Books are on the other side of the spectrum. Reading adds immense value to your life — it widens your horizons and teaches you a lot. Whatever your problem is, there’s already at least one book discussing it. Since successful people constantly seek to improve, they prefer getting lost in reading in lieu of mindlessly staring at a screen.

12. Ordinary people buy things, successful people buy value.

Another similarity between the two discussed groups is obviously spending money — they both do. Special offers, extra discounts, and bonuses are all designed to trick the typical person into buying things they don’t actually need.

Most of these things will add some value to their lives for a few moments, but that soon fades away, lost in the pile of other possessions. And in turn, so does the money.

Successful folks would rather exchange their money for value. This doesn’t necessary have to be a physical thing. Commonly, it’s value in the form of experiences, new opportunities, long-term ROI, or adventures.

13. Ordinary people want to be better than others, successful people want to be a better self.

Oftentimes, people get lost in comparing themselves to others. As a result, they lose self-esteem and confidence. They base their wishes on other people’s achievements.

On the contrary, successful individuals pursue being a better person than they were yesterday. What’s more, they wish the same to others.

14. Ordinary people can’t say no, successful people often say no.

“No” is among the most powerful words you can use to accelerate your success. Nonetheless, lots of people underestimate the risk of not using it enough. They say “yes” to whatever situation is thrown at them. Consequently, they end up saying “no” to the things that matter the most.

From a short-term perspective, saying “no” can be scary. But then again, considering the long-term view, it’s better to say “no” now, rather than regret the subsequent consequences of saying “yes”.

You have to say “no” to bad eating habits, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle so you can say “yes” to being more healthy.

The successful individual takes the advantage of saying “no” on a daily basis, while the ordinary one underestimates the power of this seemingly simple two letter word.

Featured photo credit: Steve Wilson via flickr.com

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5 Reasons Why the Uberman Sleep Cycle Could Be Your Weapon to a More Productive Life!

Clocking an average of 6 to 8 hours of sleep ensures that you are well rested, ready to tackle the challenges the next day brings—usually, another 8 hours at work. Whether you are a student, working adult or even a stay-at-home mom, the truth is that we spend a third of our lives in bed, sleeping.

The majority of the world functions on a monophasic sleep cycle, where an estimated 30 percent of your day is dedicated to your bed and another third to work or school; it essentially leaves you with slightly less than 8 hours for everything else—travel, play, food, errands.

As you look into various ways of optimizing your time, the Uberman Sleep Cycle might be one to consider. Plus, it might just be the secret you need to a more productive life! While some may say that it is impractical and the toughest sleep pattern to adopt, it’s still worth looking into. Here are 5 reasons why the Uberman sleep cycle can make your life more efficient.

1. 3 Hours of Sleep

Being a polyphasic schedule, the Uberman sleep cycle offers you a chance to not only gain better quality sleep, but also to significantly increase the amount of time you have in a day.

Essentially, with six to eight 20 minute naps each day that amounts to a total of about 3 hours of sleep, this sleep pattern leaves you with a lot more time on your hands to pursue the things you’ve always had no time for. Just like having 5 small meals per day, having multiple short naps a day when properly executed, leaves you feeling alert and sharp when you’re awake.

2. Increased Creativity 

Scientific studies have concluded that a person’s creativity is directly related to the amount and quality of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep they have. In a normal course of monophasic sleep, a person can have anywhere between 3 to 5, sometimes 6 REM cycles.

With a polyphasic sleep schedule, you are guaranteed 6 to 8 REM cycles, which will in turn stimulate your creativity to a larger extent.

3. Mental Clarity

REM sleep is highly linked to mental clarity. Sleep studies have shown that even if you obtain 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night, if you are unable to enter REM cycles in your sleep, you will wake up feeling tired and exhausted; unable to focus or concentrate on anything. This is against the benefits of productivity that a good night of monophasic sleep can provide

In today’s world, it is often common that people go through this. Between stress, traffic noise, light pollution, technological gadgets such as your mobile and computer and more, a person’s sleep cycle can be easily interrupted, and they may not be able to obtain the required number of REM cycles needed for their body to recuperate and recover.

Just a thought—when was the last time you were awoken from sleep in the middle of the night? With the guaranteed REM cycles from the Uberman sleep schedule, you’ll be sure that you will have all your mental acuities ready to call on.

4. Energy

Of course, if we don’t sleep, we feel tired. If we continue to go about our day without sleeping at all, it might not even be our choice anymore when our body shuts down and we lose consciousness.

Energy is another factor that is closely linked to REM cycles. Essentially, the more REM cycles, the more energy you have, and in today’s context, you can always use more energy.

The Uberman sleep schedule ensures that you are refreshed and recharged after each power nap. And just when you’re feeling tired after that nap, it’s probably time for the next one. This allows for constant and timely rests throughout the day, keeping you going without the risk of exhaustion.

5. Alone Time

Throughout this whole article, we’ve been talking about the benefits of polyphasic sleep—how to get more time, more creativity, more energy and to have a sharper mind. However, there’s one more reason why you should strongly consider polyphasic sleep.

In today’s world, we owe our time to a lot of people—our parents, our spouses, our children, our bosses, the community, our friends, and so many more people and things that demand our attention and time. It’s easy to lose track of yourself in this busy world and we need our own alone time to be able to relax, meditate, and reflect.

Polyphasic sleep gives you exactly that. With the amount of time you’ll be awake when everyone is sleeping, you’ll have plenty of time to take care of yourself. Some polyphasic sleepers have reported suddenly taking on a hobby they’ve always wanted to do but never had time for, like painting, and not just painting one or two canvases, but over a hundred canvases in a matter of months. This is simply because they were now able to dedicate a good few hours every day to their craft.

In summary, polyphasic sleep has very clear benefits; however, it is also very important to mention the fact that taking it on is not for everyone. The initial adaptation cycle is tough, but if you are determined and persistent, the rewards can be very huge.

Featured photo credit: Sad man holding pillow/Vic via flickr.com

The post 5 Reasons Why the Uberman Sleep Cycle Could Be Your Weapon to a More Productive Life! appeared first on Lifehack.