Lifehack just put up “Five Productivity Ideas I’m Not Buying (Yet?)“. It’s an interesting read, but I have to say that I don’t necessarily agree.

Mind Mapping tops the list. I think that mind mapping can be an effective tool for some circumstances. When trying to brainstorm ideas or solutions, mind mapping can be useful. If I’m trying to come up with 100 new topics for blog posts, I’ll sometimes start a mind map. But, I don’t break out the colored pencils, I don’t spend hours making it “pretty”, and I generally turn it into a list when I’m finished. If I feel like being creative, I might take a highlighter to it when I’m finished to make certain parts stand out. Overall, mind mapping is great for creativity, not so much for productivity.

The 80/20 Rule is next. This is one that I have to say I disagree with Lifehack. The 80/20 rule is all about eliminating the majority of things so that you can focus on the things that give you the most rewards. They claim that it’s too restrictive, and it’s not really quantifiable. They’re looking at it too narrowly. Instead of looking at what percentage of a particular activity or task is positive or negative, look at what entire activities are a waste of time or beneficial. If you like painting and it brings you joy, then that’s part of the 20%. If you dread accounting, then that’s part of the 80% - outsource it! Use it for people too; eliminate the 80% of people in your life (including clients) that are just dragging you down, and invest your time in the 20% that make you happy!

The Power of Brand You. This one I have to agree with. Being your own personal salesperson isn’t going to make you more productive, and could greatly complicate your life. If you’re the go-to person for your field, if you’re absolutely on top, then you’re going to be a lot more likely to have too many people coming at you from too many directions. While it might make your life easier if you’re self-employed and have to bring in your own clients, you also have to spend a lot of time weeding through the less-desirable clients, or spend more time dealing with them. Not necessarily the end of the world, but it’s probably not going to help your productivity. Plus, you spend so much time building and maintaining your “image” and “brand” that you have less time for more important things.

Making Productivity a Habit is probably the one that I do support the most. Certain things lend themselves well to habit. Things like daily exercise and other repetitive tasks (blog writing, etc.) are easiest to do when you get in the habit of doing them. Not everything should be a habit, but the more repetitive tasks you establish as habits for yourself, the less time you’ll have to spend thinking about doing them.

Visualizing Success. This one is going to hit a nerve with some people. Fans of manifestation and the power of positive thinking are probably going to be offended. While positive thinking can make a positive difference in your life (if nothing else, it does tend to put you in a better mood) it is too often used as an excuse for not acting. Believing that something is just going to “come to you” and that you shouldn’t have to work your ass off for things, is kind of a cop out. Most people who have used positive thinking to get them to where they are, also worked like crazy to get there. Visualizing your goal is fine, as long as you’re also willing to put some elbow grease into it (and so many people aren’t). Visualization can be a great motivator, but you also have to learn from mistakes that you make.

What are your thoughts on the above? Any other techniques that you don’t think work?

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So, we’re taking a trip to IKEA today with my niece and her boyfriend. This will be their first time to IKEA (this will be an eye-opening experience), and our third trip (but the first to the store we’re going to).

For anyone who hasn’t been to IKEA, it is a completely different experience than virtually any other shopping experience. Once you’re in an IKEA, there’s really no way out unless you follow the predetermined route. There are a few shortcuts, but it’s usually better to stick to the main route, or you may find yourself four sections back instead of four sections forward. I will also say that the “maps” of the store that they give you are virtually useless, and for anyone who actually knows how to read a real map, they’re impossible to follow.

But IKEA immerses you. You lose track of time and space while inside. You have no perception of how close or far away you are from any other point in the store, or the outside for that matter.

IKEA can be scary for first-timers (always bring a friend who’s already been, especially if on your first trip you’re getting enough kitchen-cabinets for redoing your entire kitchen). It’s foreign to anyone who hasn’t been there before. But at the same time, it’s a model of efficiency and productivity. And if you embrace the system, you can actually get through the store quite quickly.

Here are some keys to a successful IKEA trip:

1. Make a list ahead of time. Organize by the area/room that different things belong in. This will make finding those things and not missing anything on your list much easier. GTD fans will do very well with this one.
2. Don’t try to fight the established system. Go with the flow. Follow the arrows on the floor. Trying to fight the system and do things your own way can waste a lot more time than you think it will save. Beware of “shortcuts” also, as they can end up setting you back if you’re not careful.
3. Ask for help. IKEA is a completely different experience. Ask for help and tell the employees it’s your first time there, and they’ll be even more helpful.

If you follow these steps at IKEA (and in a lot of other things you do), you should have an enjoyable and fun experience. Now, these rules don’t apply everywhere, and in some places you can take shortcuts and think outside the box. But sometimes you need to conform. The tricky part is figuring out which situation you’re in.

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I currently keep the RSS feeds I read on a daily basis on my iGoogle homepage. I organize them with tabs. I have a blogging tab, a real estate tab, a lifestyle & productivity tab, and a business tab. I thought I would share the lifestyle & productivity tab with my readers, as there may be some gems on there that some of you may not be familiar with. So, here goes:

Slacker Manager. Absolute must-read if you’re in a management position…or not.

Dumb Little Man. Great tips on a variety of topics.

Zen Habits. Habits can be the key to productivity success, and Zen Habits covers them all.

Productivity501. A very interesting new addition to my iGoogle.

43 Folders. I got into this after reading their post on Moleskine Hacks. Plus, Merlin Mann is, well, The Man.

LifeClever. This blog is very gadget-friendly, and features some great products.

Steve Pavlina. Excellent articles on a variety of self-improvement topics, but just make sure you’ve got a while to read, as the articles tend to be quite lengthy.

Pick The Brain. Great in depth productivity posts.

LifeDev. Great for personal development, and they have hilarious “Casual Friday Videos”.

Get Rich Slowly. Awesome personal finance blog, with lots of real-world advice.

Life Hacker. Tons of great resources for your life with a definite tech focus.

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