The Gift of Time

We could all use a few more minutes in each day, a few more hours in each week, and a few more days in each month.  I haven’t discovered a way to add time to the calendar, but I have discovered some great apps that open up many hours per month for me by saving time on things I don’t have time for.  

Here are my top 10 time saving apps.  I hope you find some extra time in 2014 to spend with friends and family and doing the things you love best.

1. zirtual.com - For $17/hour you get a virtual assistant on demand. They handle all sorts of research and internet related items.

2. Google Calendar - Easiest way to coordinate meetings and eliminate scheduling misunderstandings. (“Oh, I thought next week meant the week after the coming week.  Did you mean Eastern or Mountain time?”).   

3. square.com/cash  -  Email money to anyone’s debit card… the babysitter, your bookie, your kids. No more stops at the ATM.  

4. refresh.io - Dossier on your meetings 10 minutes before. Wow them with your knowledge (but try not to look like a stalker) without lifting a finger.

5. uber.com - When you need a car to show up on demand, just click on the uber app on your smart phone. The gps will find your exact location and the nearest uber car right away, send the car to you, and charge your credit card, including tip!  All with one click.  

6. Apple TV - Watch whatever you want, whenever you want, with NO commercials.  Saves 30% of TV watching time, and avoids aggravation of the kids asking for every toy and cereal they see in the commercials.

7. taskrabbit.com - If you don’t have time to do it (organize family photos), don’t like to do it (assemble an Ikea item), or don’t know how to do it (set up the new wireless printer), list it on taskrabbit.com. You will have an eager taskrabbit on the job within minutes.  

8. contactually.com - Throw all of your contacts into this app, and it will remind you when you haven’t talked to someone for a bit.  No more combing through old emails or dropping the ball.  

9. opentable.com - What restaurant has a table available for 6 people at 7:00 tomorrow night in the West Village?  See the results in seconds, and make your reservation with just a few clicks. No more holding and spelling your name 3 times.

10. Hire the kid next door to teach you how to use 1 through 9.

GOALS

“If you’re bored with life - you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things - you don’t have enough goals.”  - Lou Holtz

I am goal oriented. VERY much so.  I need a goal to clean my apartment, a goal to run a race (and I love to run), a goal for everything. I know it’s not the most peaceful way to live, but it's me and I make the best of it. Goals have taken me far in life.  

I started setting goals in college. Every year around September 1st, I would make a list of accomplishments for the year and forward looking goals. I personally think it is very important to have goals and to always be striving towards them.

I raise my kids with this in mind, and so far I have seen amazing things with a goal focus. In our house the accomplishments have been as simple as no sweets for 30 days and as over the top as no TV for an entire year (which was indeed accomplished!).  We have kept the apartment spotless to my wife's utter amazement and have made great strides on personal issues.  

“Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.”  - Denis Waitley

Last month our youngest daughter Becca embarked on a huge challenge and made it happen. See, Becca is not a big reader and in 3rd grade reading is becoming very important. So our goal for her this month was to increase the amount of time spent reading by one additional minute every day for the entire month. So November 1st she read 31 minutes, and by the last day of the month she was reading 60 minutes. By any measure, this is a phenomenal improvement. We are very proud of her.

The technique she used of adding a minute a day was used by President Clinton during his initial campaign for President. His goal was to wake up 1 minute earlier each day of the campaign. Obviously it worked!

Please share some techniques you use to make your goals happen. Thanks.