Having to work on the road for a few days last week forced this desktop-bound, browser bookmark loving luddite into the arms of del.icio.us for the first time. I have to admit it was nice to be able to access my bookmarks while travelling, and I suspect once I’m familiar with the interface and features I’ll get a lot out of it.
The Web Worker Daily must’ve sensed my noobish-ness because they’ve published an article on how to become a del.icio.us power user. I liked the suggestion of using a ”review” tag to make sure you follow up on things, but I need to investigate what “bundles” are!
Become a Del.icio.us Power User [Web Worker Daily]
Watch your bottom line when attempting to justify that unnecessary purchase—Frugal for Life writes that “eventually, every little purchase will add up to something bigger.”
If you’ve ever tried to back up a trailer, you know how insanely difficult it can be. Popular Mechanics has a quick how-to that should make this process less crazymaking: If you’re doing this without a spotter, put your left hand at six o’clock on the steering wheel, and drape your right hand over the seatback. As you back up, move your steering hand in the direction you want the trailer to go.
Hopefully this will save a few curbs from being run over.
25 Skills Every Man Should Know [Popular Mechanics]Ten minutes of conversation can improve your memory as much or more than traditional memory boosting exercises, reports ScienceDaily: The higher the level of participants’ social interaction, researchers found, the better their cognitive functioning. This relationship was reliable for all age groups, from the youngest through the oldest.
On the flip side, social isolation can have a negative impact on memory, as well as emotional well-being. While you’re working on your memory skills, don’t forget to put your short term memory to the test.
Ten Minutes Of Talking Improves Memory And Test Performance [ScienceDaily]List all the drivers you’ve installed on your Windows machine by typing driverquery from the command line (start->Run->cmd->OK). This works under Windows XP, 2003, and Vista systems; WindowsVistaPlace states that there is even more information to glean from this simple program: remote system direction, output, and information about signed drivers, among others. Loving the power of that little black box? Get to know your friendly neighbourhood command line.
Generate a report of installed drivers [MS Windows Vista Compatible Software]“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” —John Bay
Those of us who are busy all the time can experience burnout, exhaustion and fatigue from spending long periods of time in focused concentration. I call this syndrome “Brain Drain.” I used to call it “SAT head” because many students report after taking the SAT tests, they feel an odd mental exhaustion caused by too much focused thinking. Brain drain, if gone unchecked, can result in depression, stress and even anger if you push after the drain has set in. So even though you need to keep your project going nonstop, you would be much more productive if at the first sign of brain drain, you took a break and did something about it.
All of us could probably do with a more productive workflow. Lifehack.org suggests applying Parkinson’s Law to our daily routine: Parkinson’s Law states that “work will fill the time available for its completion.” This is a side effect of focusing on doing work instead of getting projects completed. Give yourself strict deadlines and cultivate a desire to finish projects, not just check tasks off on a to-do list.
You could do this by setting a timer for a set amount of time to finish a project— once the timer sounds, you are done and must move on to something else; a similar method is working in 48 minute increments. 6 Rules to Work Less and Get More Accomplished [Lifehack.org]
Productivity blogger Scott H. Young points out the seven bad email habits you might have—and how to fix them.
