In Part 1 of this series, I focused on information overload in the YouTube Culture, and steps you can take to manage this. In this part, you will read more about how to be selective in what you watch, and what else you can do to get the best out of watching online videos.
So Many Trees in the Forest
In Part 1 of this series, I talked about how easy it is to become overloaded with information these days and the negative impact this has on your productivity. There is no doubt that you must seek knowledge, and the immediate availability of YouTube videos definitely makes that easier. Maybe too easy sometimes. Whatever topic or medium of information you choose, you should always ask yourself whether you’re really benefitting or just passively taking in information. Continue reading →
When you have your plate full, keeping focused isn’t always easy. And when we can’t give our full attention to a task, we can’t give it our best. This can start a cycle of demotivation and non-productivity, unless we pull in the reins and turn it around.
It takes a strong resolve to focus, good motivation, and working smartly to beat distractions. Here are some ways to hone your ability to focus and stay focused on the task at hand:
1. Planned productivity
Reserve time for daily tasks according to how your personal productivity and attention levels vary throughout the day. Continue reading →
![[Productivity Ninja] Your Second Brain - Productive Muslim](http://productivemuslim.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Second_brain.jpg "[Productivity Ninja] Your Second Brain - Productive Muslim")
A Productivity Ninja is not a superhero. None of us have superhero brains, either. We also know – usually from our own painful experience – that we’re all too capable of forgetting important things, making bad decisions because we’re swamped with other things to think about or just not finding the time to focus on the important stuff. It’s time to change all that.
We’re going to use the CORD model and the Organise and Review habits in particular here to develop a ‘second brain’. Your second brain is designed to replace your real brain when it comes to memory (our woeful short-term memory is a major driver of stress and unproductive behaviour). Your second brain is also designed to support the good decision-making – intelligence and intuition – that our real brain is really good at already, but which we perhaps aren’t currently using to its full potential or aren’t as able to do unless we’re in periods of proactive attention.
What Does a Second Brain Look Like?
The second brain is, of course, a metaphor! I’m not going to ask you to go out and kill someone and put their brain in a jar. The second brain is made up of the following basic elements: Continue reading →
I am concerned that in the age of eHow, wiki, evidence-based, best practice and performance management, some readers may interpret this article as a blueprint to raise productive children. It is not. Children are dynamic and unique individuals.
As such this article is about me sharing my experience. Although I cherish my children’s academic achievements and winning international awards for various science and innovation competitions, I love them unconditionally. Needless to say, my children are not geniuses. I just wish to see them happy and healthy, embracing Islam fully. Below are just some of the steps I have taken in raising them: Continue reading →
Making du’aa and engaging in the remembrance of Allah is one of the ways of gaining barakah (divine blessings) in our lives.
When we analyse the lives of the productive Muslims in the past, such as those of the pious predecessors, we notice that they made the habit of engaging in dhikr (remembrance of Allah (glorified and exalted be He)) and making du’aa an integral part of their life: as a result, they moved mountains and achieved so much within the same short lifespan that people of our time live through!
It was this barakah, this divine blessing from Allah (glorified and exalted be He) that aided them and allowed them to achieve more in their lives.
By taking on this productive habit ourselves and making it a part of our lives, we too can increase in our productivity, accomplish more in our time and move mountains by Allah’s permission. Continue reading →
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