7 minute abs. 4 day work weeks. Everything in life is being condensed, concentrated, shrunk down into bite sized bits. Turns out that this is better for us. In fact, it makes us more productive and happier. It can keep us from hating our job. Using some top productivity apps can’t hurt either.
This was the finding of The Energy Project, which published a piece in the New York Times titled “Why You Hate Work.” It, along with Harvard Business Review, showed that we as employees (whether we’re Partner a firm or Production Assistant just starting out) are happier when 4 key needs are met. They are:
[list][item icon=”icon-check”]Physical – through opportunities to regularly renew and recharge at work[/item][item icon=”icon-check”]Emotional – by feeling valued and appreciated for their contributions[/item][item icon=”icon-check”]Mental – chances to get focus on their most important tasks and define where and when they get work done[/item][item icon=”icon-check”]Spiritual – doing more of what they do best and enjoy and feeling connected to a higher purpose[/item][/list]
I interviewed the The Energy Project’s CEO, Tony Schwartz, about real life steps we can take to stop hating work. In the video he tells me that the first step to having happier work life is to start working in 90 minute intervals. Take a 15 minute break after each 90 minutes and then a 1 hour break in the day. You’ll be more productive and happier as a result.
2 of my favorite productivity apps to make technology work for you.
1. IFTTT
IFTTT = If This Then That. Basically lets you create rules – or recipes – for your phone to do things automatically that you would manually do.
IF you do this [for example, add a photo on Instagram], THEN do that [automatically upload to Dropbox]
More possibilities:
- When you post to Facebook, then Tweet your Facebook status update
- When your alarm goes off, then have weather information delivered to you
- When you add a Contact, then automatically back it up in a Google Spreadsheet
Get inspired with a list of the best “recipes” here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2424081,00.as
Get it here: ifttt.com
2. Enroll Me
Gets rid of all that unwanted spam, unread newsletters and junk mail that you have grown accustomed to just ignoring instead of dealing with. Simply sign up with Unroll.me (you have to give it your username and passwords) – and email management system – and in ONE MOVE, purge yourself of everything you want to ban forever from your email inbox.
After unsubscribing and becoming junk free, go back and combine the newsletters and subscriptions you DO want into a daily digest delivered to your inbox at 7am. 7 minute abs ain’t got nuthin’ on 1 RollUp
Get it here: unroll.me
