The Right Productivity Tool
I am becoming increasingly convinced that the reason someone’s not as productive as they want to be is not because they haven’t found the right stuff to organize their life. It’s because they keep getting more stuff to organize their life. Because here’s the problem: any productivity tool will have flaws. So if you’re looking for the “right” productivity tool, whatever tool you choose, its flaws will […]
Minimalism vs. Frugality
Most of us need to control our spending. Many people at some point realize that their finances are, well, not where they should be. Many of them respond with a focus on frugality, and look for cheaper cell phone plans, coupons, combined internet and cable plans, and streaming services. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with reining in your spending, and psychologically you may need to start with simple […]
The Power of the Scanner
We still receive a lot of paper. People hand us receipts and flyers. We get bills and statements in the mail. I don’t keep all of these, of course, but all my life, I dutifully kept mortgage statements, credit card statements, any unusual financial notices, etc. I’ve gone paperless with as many bills as I can, but some places are still old-school. I told myself I’d sort through them all. I honestly […]
Pursuing Minimalism
August 3, 2017: the day my copy of Fumio Sasaki’s Goodbye, Things arrived on my doorstep. Sasaki’s earned a reputation as one of Japan’s leading bloggers about minimalism, documenting his 5-year journey towards reducing his possessions. My curiosity got the better of me, and since Japanese self-help writers tend to be less aggressive than their Western counterparts, I figured I’d see what he had to write on the subject. I devoured the book in 2 […]