Home › Amir's Lifestream

When you sit down and turn on your computer, do you know exactly what you are about to do or are you just turning on your computer because it is something to do? I constantly find myself sitting down at my computer without a clear agenda and goal in mind only to end up checking everything online that can possibly be checked. My email, my website analytics, my stock portfolio, my social networks, and anything else that may pop into my head at the time. What I find is that I end up using wasting a ton of time because I don’t have any agenda or plan to follow. I could probably get away with checking my email three times per day and checking my analytics and portfolios once or twice per month. I use social networks for a few reasons so the frequency of my using them would depend on the situation. I use them to stay in touch with people, to network, to promote myself and to learn about new features and applications. The point is that myself, along with much of the rest of the world gets lazy when we are in front of a computer.

Productivity is not Measured by Hours Some people feel productive if they sit in front of a computer all day long and answer a few emails. A great day would be when you participated in a long chain of emails that came to a conclusion. In reality, that “productive” day could have been accomplished in a fraction of the time it took but so much time was wasted between each check of the email that it seems like you never stopped working.

Productivity is measured by accomplishments For me, a productive day is a day where I waste as little time as possible and accomplish something that will bring me closer to a goal. Sometimes that goal is finishing a project or a major piece of a project for a client or securing a new client altogether. Sometimes it’s doing something to promote myself or my business. No matter what it is, it is measured in accomplishments, not time spent on my computer or number of emails answered. The same can be applied to your personal time. When you come home from work, do you turn on the TV? Do you go online to surf the net? I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with doing either of these activities but I am saying that you should know what you are getting into. For example, instead of just turning on the TV, consciously decide “I need to relax so I’ll watch 2 shows”. Instead of just going online, decide “I’ll check the news and then see who’s online to talk to for the next 30 minutes”.

Unless….. Unless… you just want to “waste time”. But, if you’re reading this blog, you probably don’t want to waste time. This blog is about getting lucky and finding opportunity in everything that we do. You can’t find opportunity when you keep doing the same thing over and over. As the Albert Einstein so eloquently put it, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. When we turn on the TV, we end up watching the same types of shows, often while zoning out. When we spend time on social networks, we end up spending time with the same friends and sharing the same type of content with each other. If you want to get lucky online, participate in new conversations on open networks like Twitter or finding new types of content through sites like StumbleUpon. Just make sure that before you log on, that you decide what you will be doing and for how long you will be doing it. Otherwise you just get sucked in. If you have an agenda before starting something, even as simple as checking your email, you will end up saving yourself a lot of time that otherwise would have been wasted. Then you can squeeze more activities into your day, be more productive, accomplish much more and get really lucky. Pic: Grahambones Similar Posts:

Get Lucky by Working Towards a Four Hour Work Week Get Lucky with your Social Network Write Your E-mails Backwards Get Lucky by Taking Baby Steps Changing Places: How a Move can Increase your Luck

Subscribe to the comments for this post?

Share this on del.icio.us

Digg this!

Share this on Facebook

Post on Google Buzz

Share this on Reddit

Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon

Share this on Technorati

Tweet This!

Similar Posts:Get Lucky by Working Towards a Four Hour Work Week

Get Lucky with your Social Network

Get Lucky by Taking Baby Steps

The 2009 New Year’s Resolution Goal System

Write Your E-mails Backwards

19 Hours, 29 Minutes ago | Comments »

I posted to twitter.com

Google Develops a Facebook Rival - WSJ.com: http://bit.ly/9hCDoF

http://twitter.com/flid2/statuses/19823146773

July 29 2010, 8:50am | Comments »

I posted to twitter.com

Blackberry likely to announce new iphone rival http://bit.ly/a2RYh3

http://twitter.com/flid2/statuses/19821810232

July 29 2010, 8:28am | Comments »

I posted to twitter.com

over 1/5 of facebook user's data leaked (it was public anyway) http://bit.ly/9NZpje does it make u want to change ur privacy settings?

http://twitter.com/flid2/statuses/19821569340

July 29 2010, 8:24am | Comments »

I posted to twitter.com

Google figures it could make $10/year/user for its eventual billion mobile users. http://bit.ly/b0iUkO I'd settle for $1 but that's just me.

http://twitter.com/flid2/statuses/19821043691

July 29 2010, 8:15am | Comments »

Amir's Lifestream

What r ur thoughts on the #iphoneincanada so far? any problems? dropped calls? experiences? I'd love to know.

New Get Lucky Post: Never Turn on your Computer Again Without an Agenda http://ow.ly/18lJmR

Ive had a 3g 4 18 mnths on #rogers and it may cost the same to upgrade as it would to buy it unlocked #iphoneincanada

#porn industry 1, Jobs, #apple and #iphone 0 http://bit.ly/a3LARO

Never Turn on your Computer Again Without an Agenda

Google Develops a Facebook Rival - WSJ.com: http://bit.ly/9hCDoF

Blackberry likely to announce new iphone rival http://bit.ly/a2RYh3

over 1/5 of facebook user's data leaked (it was public anyway) http://bit.ly/9NZpje does it make u want to change ur privacy settings?

Google figures it could make $10/year/user for its eventual billion mobile users. http://bit.ly/b0iUkO I'd settle for $1 but that's just me.

Esso Cavendish And Mackle

After traveling today, these stickers can come in handy http://bit.ly/bE3P8p

Feels great to be back home but the air conditioners need to warm up first

Back in #mtl it was nice seeing many of you in #yeg over the last while.

Aéroport International Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau de Montréal (YUL) ✈

On my way back to #yul from #yeg #mtl

On my way back to #yul from #yeg #mtl

Gate 18 Yeg

Hudson News

Edmonton International Airport (YEG) ✈

Beth Israel Synagogue

Jamie Platz YMCA

Ma Me O Beach

Second Cup

Hudsons Canadian Tap House

Aerie

cafe levi

American Eagle Outfitters / Aerie

Galaxyland

Galaxy Land

Second Cup

Jamie Platz YMCA

Jamie Platz YMCA

Starbucks

cafe levi

World Waterpark West Edmonton Mall

RT @ezrabutler: My father is now on @FourCoconuts. This is going to be fun. [it always is]

WTF Rogers. Why are Telus and Bell releasing the iphone on July 30th while you are still "coming soon". http://bit.ly/arpAce

Beth Israel Synagogue

Please don't use comic sans... http://bit.ly/dc9oGE

New Get Lucky Post: Get Lucky Because You Have Nothing Better to Do! http://ow.ly/18evy0

This kid turned an old cell phone into a Porsche http://bit.ly/dumhz3 Another red paper clip success story.

RT @mastermaq: Hey look, TMZ in #yeg! RT @ctvedmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz enters #yegcc #yegarena http://twitpic.com/27d9pv #idhaves ...

Get Lucky and Live because you have nothing better to do http://bit.ly/azpnJG #live #luck #nothingbettertodo

i'm guessing that @flipboard is similar to my6sense and uses a rec engine to give you stories u care about?

Get Lucky Because You Have Nothing Better to Do!

Anyone know if u can use #netflix streaming in Canada on a US account or is it blocked like #hulu and other sites? #yeg #mtl #yyz

If you're a new follower of mine, please introduce yourself so i can get to know you (and that you're not a spambot)

Top 10 reviews of the Bible on Amazon... "Almost preachy in tone..." http://bit.ly/adVKEJ

Beth Israel Synagogue

my 1st girlfriend told me she was saving herself 4 marriage. Turns out she was saving herself for the varsity lacross team via @MosheLehrer

Popular Tags

Search