life hacks

The Rise of Sleep Technologies

by guest
July 5, 2018July 5, 2018

Photo by Amy Treasure on Unsplash

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

Studies show that at least 70% of adolescents sleep with at least two electronic items in their bedroom, which is associated with short weekday sleep duration and wake lag on the weekend. The use of screens before bed keeps the mind active by stimulating electrical activity in the brain. Performing physical tasks such as sending texts also tightens the muscles and releases the hormone cortisol, which further prevents sleep. Finally, exposure to the light from screens inhibits the production of melatonin, which is required to regulate sleep-wake cycles.

How to Up Your Freelancing Game

by guest
April 19, 2018January 17, 2019

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Being a freelancer can be very rewarding work with a lot of benefits. You can sleep in, you can pick your clients and you’re your own boss. However, it can also be hard work and it takes a special level of dedication and commitment. Here are some ways you can maximise your chances of success as a freelancer, no matter the industry.

3 Great Financial Hacks To Try Today

by guest
January 15, 2018January 18, 2018

Photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash

By freelance writer/contributor Lucy Wyndham

Americans continue to live beyond their means. The average household has about $137,063 in debt. An estimated $16,883 of that is attributed to credit card debts. However, the median income per household in America stands at just above $59,000. With the cost of living rising faster than the incomes, we face increasing choices in how we spend our money. Being financially savvy is becoming much more important. Just as we should design a life plan and individual goals, this has never been truer when it comes to finances. Here are some great effective hacks to get you started.

4 Essential Hacks For An Affordable Work-Travel Lifestyle

by guest
December 14, 2017January 17, 2019

Photo by Florian Wehde on Unsplash

By freelance writer/contributor Lucy Wyndham

If you are able to work from home, you can work from anywhere in the world. Of course, there are a few exceptions. But, for the most part, you are blessed with the skills and the type of lifestyle that allows you to travel and work. The term for this is “digital nomad,” and there are a few hacks that can make this lifestyle more financially comfortable for you.

6 Ways To Overcome Failure

by cifanic
October 25, 2017June 14, 2019

I walked into the buzzing workspace with my head down. I paused to stand up a little straighter until I heard the familiar crack in my upper spine. It was time to shift gears into networking mode.

“Act intelligent,” I told myself. “Don’t tell them that your company failed. Don’t tell them any of it. And don’t forget to smile.”

Why It Pays To Be A Misfit

by cifanic
August 9, 2017June 14, 2019

About five years ago I attended a party that a friend was throwing in celebration of her new clothing store launch in downtown Los Angeles.

I spotted the host off to one side and walked over to say hello. As I approached, she looked around, then behind me.

“Did you come alone?” She asked in a high pitched voice, the end of the sentence curling up into an extra-squiggly question mark. “Yep,” I cheerfully replied, holding up a pair of neon-yellow drop crotch trousers to my waist. She grinned. “You’re such a lone wolf! I love it.” She touched my arm in a way that maybe she thought to be conspiratorial before turning to walk away.

The Introvert’s Guide to the Workplace

by cifanic
August 9, 2017June 14, 2019

I’ve been working in digital media for most of my career – building websites, doing marketing, graphic design, and even photography. But there came a time that if I wanted to advance in my career, I had to get out from behind my tantalizingly-oversized Apple monitor and lead actual meetings. It became critical for me to be present in the workplace not only as a project manager, but as someone who was able to successfully lead client meetings as well.

Goal Setting – Designing A Life Plan In 2017

by cifanic
January 4, 2017June 14, 2019

Photo: David Schap via Unsplash

One year ago I hired the talented Harper Spero to help me find the time to complete a creative project. My life was action-packed and I needed to figure out how to make quality time and space for my craft in order to ultimately reach my writing goals for the year.

What Harper helped me to understand was that it was everything around the project that needed to shift first. This shift was necessary to bring my best self to the table as a creative professional and burgeoning business owner.

Let me explain.

The process began by optimizing first for health. Getting the proper nutrition, the right amount of sleep, and regular exercise were key to functioning at a high level.

After that, I needed a support system in place. It was critical to surround myself with a steady stream of quality individuals and communities.

After that, I needed to make sure that all of my work — creative and otherwise — had meaning.

Becoming Antifragile – How To Gain From Disorder

by cifanic
July 20, 2016June 14, 2019

Image Credit: Andre Faria Gomes via Slideshare: Antifragile: Lessons Learned

“Wind extinguishes a candle and energizes fire. Likewise with randomness, uncertainty, chaos – you want to use them, not hide from them. You want to be the fire and wish for the wind.”

-Nassim Taleb

Last week I gave a talk at the monthly Catalysts Collective event here in San Francisco on the topic of antifragility. The following points are highlights from my talk.

To understand the premise of Antifragile – Things That Gain From Disorder there are three key areas to consider.

Getting To Inbox Zero In 3 Hours Or Less

by cifanic
April 1, 2016June 14, 2019

Photo Credit: Liane Metzler via Unsplash

I always thought “inbox zero” was an urban myth. How is it possible that one’s inbox could have literally no emails in it whatsoever?

The last time I checked there were around twenty-thousand messages. Incoming ones starred for later, bookmarked newsletters going back to the beginning of time begging for acknowledgement — the dutiful read, watch, response, purchase or listen that may or may not make our lives slightly more whole.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a hoarder of information. I’m pretty much obsessed with emailing myself several times daily — links to recipes, lengthy thought pieces, cute shoes — never to be opened at the fabled moment for where there’s actually time. Let’s face it, emails generate more work than pleasure. And if the case was in fact pleasure, my pocketbook surely wouldn’t be pleased.

8 Ways Minimalism Can Increase Your Productivity

by cifanic
March 25, 2016June 14, 2019

Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

I’ve moved a handful of times in the past few years. In order to make each transition go smoother than silk all efforts were made to donate or sell as much as humanly possible. (The word I used on repeat was “…catharsis!”)

In the end, it felt great to donate all those clothes I’d never wear again. I was initially sad to part with all the books I secretly knew I’d never read, knowing they’d find a better use in the end. The cooking supplies I’d barely use and stacks of house records I was holding onto for reasons only the vinyl gods know why — all of those things I simply didn’t need any more. They were a nice to have, but didn’t define or help me grow in any significant way within the present tense.

Nicole C. Lehmann-Haupt is an author and published writer whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in Hypertext Magazine, El Portal, Ignatian Literary Magazine, and Mulberry Literary, among others. In 2021 and 2024, Nicole's work was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She has also contributed to Thrive Global, Yahoo!, Indie Shuffle, and LAist. Driven by a passion for storytelling that resonates across ages, her stories feature misfits, underdogs, and weirdos stumbling upon the extraordinary in an ordinary world. She is currently at work on a short story collection.