When we first conceived Jane’s List, I felt it was important for the site to be a source for clever lifehacks. What’s a lifehack, you ask? Well, Wiktionary.org defines it as “any process or technique that reduces the chaos in one’s life and makes it easier to manage, or more convenient.” I first started seeking out lifehacks I love when my husband deployed for the first time last year. These tips helped me to get my life organized and made me realize the need to stay organized even after my husband returned!
Sure, I’ve seen it in the aisle of the grocery store. I wrote it off as another “Ladies Home Journal,” or “Redbook,” ultimately not essential to my lifestyle. But, last summer I picked up a four-month old copy that had been discarded in a North Carolina beach rental where I was vacationing. The next day, after traveling home I subscribed before I even unpacked my clothes!
Real Simple is a real great source for household how-tos. Not only is it chock full of yummy recipes, but it also offers very essential organization and lifestyle tips. Plus, I’ve never run into another source that instructs you to repair a run in your panty hose with clear nail polish.
Lifehacker.com is where I find all my favorite technology tips to make my life easier. I first recognized the major need to integrate technology into my life when I got my Blackberry last year. So when I came across this website in the Gawker network for “tips and downloads for getting things done,” I knew I was in the right place. In the last year, Lifehacker has turned me on to virtual personal assistants, Gmail Labs that keep my email organized, Blackberry applications that help me stay connected and the newest Browser upgrades to keep me current. Today, I give Lifehacker.com all the credit for keeping me on the edge – if not the cutting edge – of the tech upgrades that upgrade my life.
Far and away my favorite productivity blog, Zen Habits merges a philosophical and practical approaches to achieve as they call it, “simple productivity.” Always erring on the side of simplicity (which I need more of in my life!) Zen Habits covers Productivity & Organization, Finance & Family, Happiness , Health and almost every subject in between. Some of my favorite posts to help get you started on the habit-forming site:
- Top 50 productivity blogs
- 21 strategies for creating an emergency fund
- 75 simple pleasures to brighten your day
- Top 42 exercise hacks
- 20 ways to reduce stress in your life
Mom
My mom is a woman who will create a personal travel diary to share with friends who visit some of her favorite destinations and will recreate a meal she loved in a restaurant to share the recipe on her blog. When my life gets out of control, I can count on her, as she has 20 years on me, to give me some simple tips to make my life easier. If you’re not lucky enough to have a mom like this, I’m sure you know at least person who has this kind of influence in your life. Utilize their advice and always let them know how much you appreciate them!
