Have you ever found yourself driving completely out of your way to pick somebody up when it would have been better for both parties to drive themselves?

Have you ever spent your Saturday helping your sister’s boyfriend’s mother-in-law’s aunt with tedious yard work instead of heading to the ball game or working on your own yard?

In fact, if you’ve ever found yourself muttering or even screaming the words “Why I am doing this?” then this article is for you.

You are about to be let in on one of the best kept secrets of mankind: The ability to get what you want without asking. You will also learn how to be aware of when this is happening to you.

This is a 5-step process:

(1) Compliment: Compliment him on something he has done in the past. This is perhaps the most important step. This works best if you are complimenting him on something that relates to what you are going to get him to do. For example, if I want a buddy of mine to help me install a new pool filter, I might compliment him on his recent handiwork with Jacuzzi pump systems. The more you stress his skills and the more related the compliment is what you want, the higher the success rate.

(2) Explain What You Want: …but do not ask for anything. Just present your overall goal. At this point in the above example, I would say something like “Yeah, I’m looking at installing a new pool filter. The old one just crashed on me.” Short and sweet. State your goal, that’s it.

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I use more than one computer: I use my desktop computer for anything while I’m in the house, and my laptop for anything while I am out - usually for taking notes at a class.

If you are like me, an SSH Server on your desktop computer will make your life a lot easier.

Here’s what setting up an SSH server can do for you:

• Minimize the number of steps required to access “outside” data from my “inside” computer.
  • This means you can save time by getting to your work faster. Instead of throwing files on a USB drive, sending through email, or sharing a directory on a network, all your files will instantly be accessible.
• Minimize the amount of data actually stored on the “outside” laptop.
  • You’ll never have to worry about sensitive data on your laptop again. If your laptop is stolen, there will be relatively nothing valuable on it. It will all be on your SSH server.
• Maintain only one single copy of the data.
  • Find yourself rummaging through different versions of work because of all the copying that comes with working on two computers? A personal SSH server will keep one, and only one, copy of your data, so version control is no longer a necessity.

Here’s a How-To to get it running:

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Most people who have used dual monitors will immediately attest to the large productivity improvement they provide.

Most others, who have never had the opportunity to try out dual monitors, know a fellow or two that have doubled their desktop real-estate. These people have probably thought to themselves “Hmm… that’s a nifty setup, but is it really that useful?”

These days, setting up an additional monitor on a Windows system is easy-as-pie and there are thousands of tutorials to get it going with most Linux distributions. Just click here for a list of dual monitor setup tutorials for Windows and the more popular Linux distributions.

Since the time factor and difficulty factor of the setup of dual monitors have all but been eliminated, the only remaining barrier between you and the world of multi-monitors is money. Monitors are on sale all the time and for the amount of increased productivity you’ll achieve, the price can almost be considered negligible.

If you are still uncertain about how much productivity would really be gained from having an additional monitor, I’ve compiled some ways that dual monitors can increase productivity.

Action Screen & Reference Screen: This is how I refer to my screens while I’m working. Whether you are programming, writing a paper, responding to emails, or chatting with a co-worker about a current project, it is often necessary to have more than one window open. Of course, this is achievable with one monitor, but no one likes to resize, squeeze, and fit multiple pages on one monitor like some evil Microsoft jigsaw puzzle. Most of the productivity increases from dual monitors spawn from this “action” and “reference” screen mindset.

Dual monitors allow me to work on one screen and open reference materials, chats, or webpages on the other. Not only does this save the time involved with minimizing and maximizing various windows, but it also lets me focus. The work is always on my screen, always in my view. This leads me to…

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Time management is a skill that many of us seem to learn through necessity. The problem with learning a skill through necessity is that, more often than not, bad habits creep in and, although the skill may be useful in general, we do not use it to its full potential.

Taking the time to read up on improving your time management skills can lead to great rewards.

Some examples are:

• (The obvious one) An overall increase in time
• The elimination of procrastination and avoidance-of-tasks
• Easier, quicker, evaluation of your work and abilities
• Less worrying about deadlines
• More productivity
• More relaxation time

Time management is a skill that takes time to development and perfect. It also is a skill that is different for everyone. Your best bet is to try out the tips listed below and see which ones work best for you.

(1) Make Lists: Write as much down as you can. If you don’t carry a planner or notebook already, start. Personally, I’ve always preferred a small, simple, white-lined notebook because you aren’t restricted by the various boxes and lines of the average planner.

A simple To Do List is often a huge help to anyone, but I can attest gleefully to the 3 Lists of 3 Method more than any other.

Perform frequent, shoot for daily, recycles of your list. Move things around, remove things no longer applicable. Prioritize. You’re goal is to avoid a list that reaches outrageous length and is overwhelming to even look at.

(2) Make Use of Down Time: Using walking, driving, showering, or otherwise “dead” times to plan. Think about what your goals are for that day or the next. Which goals are most important? Prioritization is the key.

(3) Reward Yourself: Whenever you accomplish something, especially the important things, make sure to take the time to reward yourself. A Clockwork Orange author Anthony Burgess’ uses the “Martini Method” to get things done. Burgess set a goal of 1000 words per day. When he finished his word count, he’d relax with a martini and take the day off. Maybe a martini isn’t the ideal reward for some of us, but the method stands useful.

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