Google's Online Flight Status

Google recently released a feature to track the status of a flight. All you have to do is go to Google and type in your airline and flight number into the search box. The search results will let you know if the flight is on schedule, departure location and time and arrival location and estimated time.

Better flight stats results [Official Google Blog]

We Want Wii

Have you been looking to purchase a Nintendo Wii for this holiday season? Didn't have any luck? Been using sites like iTrackr to locate your desired loot without any success? Don't break down and pay the scalper premiums. Instead, you can grab a raincheck Thursday and Friday at Gamestop.

Nintendo offers a raincheck for Wii shortage. [CNN Money]
Nintendo Wii Action Bundle [Gamestop]

Get Things Done by Slowing Down

David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, states that in order to get things done, one needs to get into a calm state of mind. Instead of trying to go a million miles an hour, the key is to slow relax and down-shift into a productive state of mind:

One of the most subtle ways the better aspect of us retreats is in busy-ness. Losing perspective in trying to control everything, finish it all, fix it all—all at once. Getting things done out of frustration instead of inspiration. Helping out of compulsion, not compassion.

Ok, this might sound a bit like a throwback to the 60's, but I think he has a point; to get to your best productive state he says to loosen your grip, quiet down, and give into a sense of surrender and acceptance. Three Cheers For Sloth, Indolence, And Procrastination! [The Huffington Post]

Time Management - Email

Do you sometimes feel as if you have too much to do, yet not enough time to do it all? You know, where one moment you're working on a critical project, the next dealing with a perceived emergency. Those times when you feel as if you're being pulled in a bunch of different directions. As a result you might sometimes feel as if you're not getting anything done! I came across a blog from New York Times blogger Marci Alboher. She describes the following:

• The system she uses for maintaining emails.
• To eliminate unnecessary meetings.
• To work when most productive.
• To set boundaries when necessary.
• To know when to say "no" at times when a "yes" will be counterproductive.
  

I certainly find the last two most challenging; setting boundaries and knowing when to say "no". What I'd also add to the list is how to delegate and leverage resources. Ultimately, I believe a win/win needs to be reached.

5 Time Management Tricks [NY Times Blog: Shifting Careers]
InBox Zero: Action Based Email [43 Folders]
-steve

Power Nap with Caffeine Boost

Have you ever found yourself starting to fade during an insanely busy day? You know, those days where it feels like you are sleep deprived? I came across an interesting article from Wired's How To Wiki:

Scientists say that a successful midday nap depends on two things: timing and (no kidding) caffeine consumption. Experiments performed at Loughborough University in the UK showed that the sleep-deprived need only a cup of coffee and 15 minutes of shut-eye to feel amazingly refreshed.

1. Right before you crash, down a cup of java. The caffeine has to travel through your gastro-intestinal tract, giving you time to nap before it kicks in.
2. Close your eyes and relax. Even if you only doze, you'll get what's known as effective microsleep, or momentary lapses of wakefulness.
3. Limit your nap to 15 minutes. A half hour can lead to sleep inertia, or the spinning down of the brain's prefrontal cortex, which handles functions like judgment. This gray matter can take 30 minutes to reboot.

I'm looking forward to my next siesta!

On a different note, but still on the subject of sleep, experts at the 2006 National Institute of Health Consensus Conference agreed on the following recommendations for obtaining optimum sleep value:

• Do not take sleeping pills. This includes over-the-counter pills and melatonin.
• Don't go to bed until you're sleepy. If you have trouble sleeping, try going to bed later or getting up earlier.
• Get up at the same time every morning, even after a bad night's sleep. The next night, you'll be sleepy at bedtime.
• If you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep, get out of bed and return only when you are sleepy.
• Avoid worrying, watching TV, reading scary books, and doing other things in bed besides sleeping and sex. If you worry, read thrillers or watch TV, do that in a chair that's not in the bedroom.
• Do not drink or eat anything caffeinated within six hours of bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol. It's relaxing at first but can lead to insomnia when it clears your system.
• Spend time outdoors. People exposed to daylight or bright light therapy sleep better.

Article: [Wired How To Wiki]
-steve