Awesome Links #20: Evil Apps, Halloween Playlists, DIY House Decoration

Welcome to the special Halloween edition of awesome links. Happy Halloween!

5 Free Halloween Music Playlists for Your Monster Bash
Searching for some spooky tunes to add fun to your Halloween bash? Looking for music that puts you in the festive mood? Mashable has a list of five free music playlists specifically created for Halloween. The playlists are from top online music services like Slacker Radio and Pandora, so you don’t have to worry about the quality. Just hit play and enjoy!

10+ Awesome Geeky Halloween DIY House Decoration Ideas
Here’s a cool article by the MakeUseOf blog on Do it Yourself (DIY) house decoration for Halloween. The collection has a mix of scary and geeky stuff like sensor control, sound displays, scary paths etc.

The Best “Evil” Apps for iPhone
Halloween is the time to break the rules and let loose your evil side. So why stick to the rules that Apple made for the iPhone? If you’re an iPhone user then this Lifehacker article will show you some apps that could break certain restrictions imposed by Apple on iPhone users, and hence add more cool functions to this awesome device. Check them out!

The Best “Evil” Apps for Android
There’s no reasons why Android users can’t be playfully evil with their phones when iPhone users can. There are plenty of cool apps, some still under the radar, which can add absolutely amazing features to your Android device. And Halloween is the best time to make use of them. This article, again by Lifehacker, has all the information you need.

7 Tips to Help Protect Children from Halloween Food Allergies
And finally, on a serious note (just a bit ), here is some advice on protecting children vulnerable to food allergies during this festive occasion. This in-depth article by Psychology Today talks about various steps, like educating children about food allergies, having an adult by their side when they are partying and other such useful information to take care of your kids while they enjoy Halloween.

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Free and Online Photo Editing Software

While Adobe Photoshop is pretty much the standard software for the photo industry, you don’t need to go out and buy it for yourself if you want to manipulate your own images—especially if you’re not a professional photographer. There are handfuls of free and online photo editing software out there floating around the world wide web to choose from. I’ve created a short list of some of the best below.

Aviary Image Editor. This is the poor man’s solution to the Adobe creative suite. Aviary is good if you don’t want to download anything. You can upload and edit your photos online, which is great when you want to edit photos when you’re on someone else’s computer. Plus you don’t take up room on your hard drive, which is always a bonus.

GIMP. This image editing software must be downloaded onto your computer—either a Mac or a PC. The interface looks a lot like Adobe Photoshop, making it one of the most popular open-source photo editors out there. Plus the website has lots of information on how to use the product for those of you who need a little hand holding.

PhotoScape. This is an easy program that you must download  on your computer to run. It’s so easy a monkey could use it. Or my mom. It allows you to do all sorts of things besides the simple cropping, resizing, color correcting, and changing your color photos to black and white. You can also add funny balloons, use cool filters (my favorite is the vignetting filter), and adding frames.

Photo Pos Pro. This picture editing software used to sell for about $60—but now it’s free! It has a cool interface and seems to be targeting the more advanced photo editor. From their website: “If you are an experienced user, you will probably be amazed to discover the infinite possibilities which the program has to offer in the fields of Digital Image Enhancement and Computer Graphics. Advanced users will discover advanced editing and creating possibilities; they will find all they need to work in an efficient manner in the professional Help system which comes with the program.” Depending on your skill level, this might—or might not—be the perfect product for you.

What do you think? Is there an online, free or open-source photo editor out there that you particularly like?

(Image courtesy of Shermeee under a Creative Commons 2.0 license.)

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Go to Meetings Prepared: 4 Survival Tips

The best way to go to meetings is to be prepared. No, I’m not talking about reading the agenda, doing “homework” or writing reports. I’m talking about some simple steps that will keep you in the game and save your sanity if the meeting goes bad.

I call these practices for effective meetings Carl’s Rules of Order:

Bring your own coffee

Or juice. Or water. Or whatever it is that you need to survive being trapped in enclosed spaces with people you really don’t want to be with.

I don’t care what the agenda says about coffee and treats. What if they forget the coffee? Or they have plenty of blue-packet sweetener but no yellow?

Don’t rely on someone else to provide basic sustenance for you. Be prepared

Bring a notebook

It doesn’t matter if you’re a good notetaker or not. On the off chance someone says something that you’re going to need to remember, you want to be able to write it down.

If this is so not worth your time, at least you can work on some other pressing issues. Like your grocery shopping list. Or prioritize tasks for the project you can’t work on because you’re in this meeting.

Yes, I’m writing this blog post while in a marketing prioritization meeting.

Think before you speak

This is tricky territory. Keeping quiet in hopes no one will notice you or because you’re afraid you will sound stupid is a bad strategy. It could draw attention to you because you’re not contributing or someone will think you’re stupid.

Then again, speaking could be interpreted as volunteering for a project you can’t fit into your schdule. The best way to fix that is to follow up with the task assigner after the meeting and see what you can rearrange to make things work.

Practice your phoney skills

I call this the nuclear option. Only to be used when all else fails. This is tricky because I don’t know what the culture is in your company regarding cell phones in meetings. Generally, no one wants to be interrupted by a ringtone based upon music from your formative years. But can you use a “phone call” to get out of the meeting?

Thanks to vibrate mode, you don’t need to schedule an incoming fake call. Act surprised at something only you can feel and fish your phone out of your pocket. This is where rehearsal comes in handy.

  • Keep your one way conversation simple and terse.
  • Silently say “Sorry” to the rest of the room.
  • Purposefully exit while asking “the caller” to hold on for a couple of seconds.
  • Come up with a good excuse.

These are my rules of order — let me know yours in the comments.

(Image courtesy of Office Now under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 generic license.)

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Online Job Recruitment with Social Media

So we’ve laid the groundwork for finding a job online. But are you going online to find the right people to work for your company? Of course you know how to post to job Internet boards, Google candidates’ names and check out social media profiles. But there’s more you can do for online job recruitment.

Ask your marketing people about how social media could help you find the right person for key positions in your company. Here are some things they may tell you:

Be active with social media

Gathering fans and friends isn’t just for marketing. Not only are these people potential customers but they’re potential employees. Yes they need to be qualified. But what’s wrong with recruiting from a pool of people who want to work for your company?

Pick the right job board

Some job boards are full of fake opportunities. Or some companies constantly repost ads so that yours falls into obscurity quickly (Job seekers are notorious for not looking beyond the first two screens). So look around for boards (ahem, like the job board at our sister site, FreelanceSwitch) that are read by qualified candidates and give your ad prominence.

More is more

Speaking of job boards, pick one that doesn’t limit your word count. Include everything you can about your company and position in the ad. The more you have to offer, the more candidates can use to determine if your company is right for them or not.

It may be who you know

Networking may have migrated to the Internet but it’s not that different from the old days. You can reach out to your friends and connections to see who knows someone who may be a good fit for your company. LinkedIn is built for this. Contacting your network about openings could be the start of a viral campaign.

(Image courtesy of M0Rt3s under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 generic license.)

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True Time Tracker is Dead Simple Time Tracking Software

If you have been avoiding software time tracking tools because many of them take up too much time setting up, then you could consider using True Time Tracker. This free time tracking software can help you manage your time quite effectively.

Once you start it up, it hides in your system tray and tracks time without causing distraction. It will show the time you spend on different tools as well on various websites you visit during the course of a day. It can generate detailed reports that could be exported as a PDF file, and also has a built-in project management tool. The only (possible) drawback: it’s Windows only at the moment.

True Time Tracker

(Image courtesy of bogenfreund under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.)

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Productive Kitchen Gadgets #4: Food Processor

For those of you out there who like fresh produce, there is one kitchen gadget that you should not be without. That gadget is the food processor. If you grow your own vegetables, and end up having a bumper crop, the last thing you want to do is waste any of that produce. So, what are your options? Bring them to work and supply your coworkers with an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Drop by your neighbors’ houses and give them your excess produce before they start to rot. There is something very giving about these options but don’t you really want to consume the produce that you spent the past summer cultivating and nurturing?

My suggestion is that you buy yourself a food processor and puree and freeze those vegetables that are about to go bad. My wife and I planted 26 tomato plants back in May. Fortunately it has been a tremendous year for tomatoes and we have been eating them every day for the past month or so. But, within the past few weeks our tomatoes have been ripening so fast and furious that we haven’t been able to consume them fast enough. That is where the food processor comes in. On a recent Sunday morning I spent about an hour pureeing roughly 50 tomatoes which ended up filling 5 one-gallon freezer bags. If I had to cut them up manually I would’ve been at it for about 10 hours. The time savings utilizing a food processor to puree fresh vegetables is remarkable. Apart from the time savings just think of the money you are saving by not having to buy tomato sauce or canned tomatoes. And you don’t have to worry about the quality of what you are eating since it came straight from your own garden. The best part is that during those dark, cold winter months we will be able to enjoy fresh tomato sauce for our pasta, pizza, or any other dish that calls for tomatoes. You can even make your own ketchup if you’re so motivated.

I haven’t even mentioned the other uses for a food processor such as using it for making dips, appetizers, or even soups. Hummus and salsa are great appetizers that you can whip up quickly with a food processor. If you want to increase your productivity in the kitchen and eat well at the same time, consider purchasing the best food processor you can afford. It’s well worth the investment.

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How to Use LinkedIn to Find a New Job

So you’re looking for a new job? Good for you.

Before you make an appointment with a headhunter or waste too much time searching online job boards, check out LinkedIn. Really. It’s more than just another social network. It’s a powerful job-search tool. They have a pretty good section on how to find a job with LinkedIn. Here are a few features that will help you:

  1. Job Seeker account. This is a premium account that may give you an edge for finding jobs and contacting the the people who are looking for new hires. For $29.95 a month, you get top listing in job searches, access to hiring professionals, and a job seeker badge that tells everyone you’re looking for a job (do you really want that?)
  2. JobsInsider toolbar. You can attach it to your web browser and use it when viewing an ad on another site. The toolbar will help you find LinkedIn profiles of people already working for the company the company
  3. Companies. This section allows you to follow companies. It shows you profiles of people who work for the company, get hired and leave the company

A lot of these features are based upon letting you know who is working for companies you may want as your next employer. These people could end up as sources of information about the company or recommendations. At least being able to monitor the turnover of employees offers some insight.

Here are more things you can do to find a job in LinkedIn:

Research companies industries

LinkedIn can be a rich source of information. Use the tools to find people who work where you want to work. Connect to them so you can ask questions. The Companies profiles are worth reading too.

Join groups and answer questions

These are opportunities to interact with people in your industry who aren’t connected to you. Groups are simply what the name implies. They are created by anyone for people interested in a topic – many times they are virtual professional associations. Answers is a forum that lets anyone ask a question that anyone can answer.

  • Ask questions about companies and industries. You will learn something and maybe put yourself on a hiring manager’s radar.
  • Answering questions help establish your expertise and can lead to connections with key people in companies.

Complete your profile.

Profiles that LinkedIn considers 100 percent complete at the top of search results. This can give you an edge when hiring managers are searching for prospects. Also complete profiles give you more credibility and opportunity to impress hiring managers.

Don’t forget your photo

Your profile photo is 5 percent of a complete LinkedIn profile. It’s an easy way to complete your profile and create a friendly image. But make sure it projects the image that fits the company’s image. You can find that out by asking your connections already working there. So dress and groom for the photo like you would if you had a face-to-face interview.

Ask for recommendations and introductions

Reach out to your connections and ask for recommendations. This is the time to be assertive but polite. This can help you build a reputation that will impress potential employers. If you don’t know someone well enough to ask for a recommendation, ask if they can introduce you to someone at the company.

Pay it forward

Recommend someone who does good work. Don’t do this lightly. Mean it. This will help them advance their careers – which may encourage them to help them when you need it. But it also makes you look good by showing your writing and that you are connected to quality people.

By the way, you’re going to see a lot of job postings that aren’t right for you. But maybe you know someone who would be a good fit for it. So forward the job listing to them.

Create your Reading List

I recommend this cautiously. It can be used deceptively. But if you’re really reading books about your industry, use the feature to list it. It shows you’re willing to learn and keep current with the industry. Don’t treat it as a bookcase stocked simply to impress people. Be honest and ready to discuss it if someone asks about it.

Don’t link Twitter

There’s the ability to connect your Twitter account to LinkedIn. So you can send an update to Twitter and have it show in LinkedIn too. How’s that for efficiency? Not so good. Twitter is a different animal with different audiences. Your Twitter updates will appear out of context in LinkedIn and not promote your image as a professional – unless you are strictly professional on Twitter.

Even so, there isn’t a lot of respect for Twitter among people in LinkedIn. They don’t seem to like Facebook or not. Whether the beliefs are valid or not doesn’t matter. If you want to connect to someone on LinkedIn, it’s very likely that they believe they’re using a professional service that reflects their professionalism. Don’t give them an excuse to dismiss you.

Respect your privacy

If you’re already employed, you probably don’t want your boss to know you’re looking for a job. So don’t connect to anyone who you don’t want to see your activity. Also, there is an option in your profile that you can use to tell everyone that you’re seeking new career employment opportunities. Don’t check that if you’re employed.

(Image courtesy of nan palmero under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.)

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Everybody knows as a matter of reference, that worker bees need to be motivated. Since days of old, psychologists and behaviorists have theorized, hypothesized, and studied the effects of workplace productivity and why we do what we do. Not to mention, there must be hundreds of books devoted to this timely topic.

Of course it doesn’t take “rocket science” to realize that most folks respond well to rewards, positive feedback and perks. That’s a given.

But what many fail to recognize is that leaders need to be motivated too! That’s right: those that pat others on the back occasionally need a little “stroking” too.

I can say this with confidence as someone who has “managed,” led, directed, and served as an overseer on everything from a home, to a business, to work projects, to a successful creative organization for artists.

After doing more than my share of “rah, rah, rah go team go” I’m running out of steam!
And I imagine that other folks that share my life’s walk also share my point of view.

Think about it.

When was the last time you shared a word of encouragement or appreciation with your boss, pastor, Girl Scout Troop Leader, Block Club President, Editor, or the Captain of your car pool?

Heck, even God loves praise!

And in the world of work it’s even more crucial. The reason? The better your boss feels, the more likely he is to be energized, empowered, engaged and inclined to top performance and bottom line objectives.
And from where I’m sitting that’s a win-win situation all the way around.

With this being said, here are five ways to motivate and “incentivize” your boss.

1. Show appreciation. Let’s face it. Unless your boss is a real schmuck, it takes a lot of effort, time, and business savvy to lead. Every now and then say thank you with a card, gift, smile, or quick Email. Treat folks how you would like to be treated. Possessions and position only go so far in the way of perks.

2. Value our time. One thing that really frosts my “cupcakes” is having someone to waste my time. You know the culprits…people who are chronically late without regard or apology. Folks who are no-shows for meetings, people who don’t R.S.V.P., and those who don’t return phone calls or messages. Get a clue! My time is valuable too. Hello? Here’s a case in point. A few weeks ago, I called a meeting for one of my organizations to discuss important matters that required input to move forward and make related decisions. I broke my neck to get there, didn’t eat, and found that I was the only one there on time. Later, three folks straggled in anywhere from 30 minutes to almost two hours late. One person was M.I.A. after sending an Email to say she would come. Don’t get me wrong, no matter how well we plan our days, Murphy’s Law can throw a curve ball in things. I get that. But to not call, to blow things off, and to tie up other folks is really rude. Really.

3. Don’t be a part of the problem, be a part of the solution. These days everybody’s a critic. Why not bring something else to the table? Perhaps you can detect a flaw in your system that the big guy can’t see. Or you have an idea on how to boost declining sales, or you know how to fix the whatchamacallit at work. You’ll save the company time, money, and be the hero for the day!

4.“R-E-S-P-E-C-T” find out what it means to me. When soul singer Aretha Franklin released this hit song many moons ago, it became the mantra for women everywhere. But, it also applies to professional relationships as well. Nobody is saying that you have to bow down or brown nose, or even like your boss. Just make sure to show that you recognize his role of authority and adhere to his requests when possible. Trust me; it won’t kill you.

5. Realize we’re human too. Don’t hold us to ridiculous standards, undue scrutiny, and unrealistic expectations. Please note that we bleed, cry, suffer, get ill, have doubts, family issues, financial woes, crazy relatives, clueless mates, challenges, pet peeves, obligations and problems of our own.

To put it mildly, we don’t need for you to add to our “real life soap opera”. Consider this a public service message, or the simple rantings of a leader who is long overdue for a little T.L.C. or a vacation to the Bahamas.

(Image courtesy of under Creative Commons

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How to Improve Concentration with 50-Minute Focus Sessions

Earlier this summer, The Wealthy Freelancer introduced me to the idea of a 50 minute focus, which is a great way to learn how to improve concentration for better productivity. It’s a simple concept: spend 50 minutes intensively focused on one task, then you give yourself a 20 break and move onto the next item.

I tried it, and while it’s harder than I anticipated, it really does work. I spent 50 minutes focused on writing blog posts for a client, a task that could have stretched through most of the morning if I’d let myself check email or Facebook or send a few tweets in between blog posts. This way I got three short, yet meaty posts written in 50 minutes so I could move on to the next item.

I set the oven timer so I didn’t even waste time checking the clock, because I knew the time would alert me when 50 minutes had elapsed. Blogging is tricky, because you can’t disable your internet, and I briefly got distracted by another link on one of the web pages where I was doing research. Instead of letting that link lead me on a tangent to the Land of Procrastination, I forced myself to close the tab and refocus for the rest of the 50 minutes, which passed more quickly than at the beginning.

At first I was skeptical about how much I could accomplish in just 50 minutes, but without bouncing between browser windows and other distractions, I managed to produce quite a bit of copy.

Have you tried a 50 minute focus? What other tricks for improving concentration work when you really need results?

(Image courtesy of eschipul under a Creative Commons 2.0 Attribution–ShareAlike generic license.)

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5 Sleep Tips for Enhanced Productivity

Sleep is an important factor to consider if you intend to enhance your overall productivity. A good night’s sleep can ensure that you remain energetic throughout the day.

Here are five sleep tips to get more out of your time while you’re awake:

1. Power Naps Work

A power nap of 15 to 20 minutes during the day is great for recharging your mind and body. Read more about how napping can increase brain power.

2. Know How Much Sleep You Need

For some, a sleep of 6 hours is enough while people like me need to sleep 8 hours in order to stay productive. The bottom line — it’s important to know how much sleep you need before you can start working on your sleep pattern.

3. Get to Sleep Faster

People often complain that sleep for them usually arrives an hour after they hit the bed. This is not an uncommon problem. To get rid of this problem, you need to try out things that might help you get to sleep faster. Like reading a book before going to sleep, listening to music or taking a shower.

4. Follow a Sleep Routine

An erratic sleep pattern could be the reason why you suffer from sleeplessness. Try to follow a sleep routine that includes a fixed time when you hit the hay and a fixed time when you rise and shine.

5. Comfort Ensures Better Sleep

A crumpled bed or sleeping in jeans isn’t a great idea if you want to sleep well. So make sure you’ve got a well-made bed (you could make your bed immediately after you wake up) and be sure to change into cozy pajamas before you hit the sack.

(Image courtesy of kaibara87 under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.)

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