Recent Finds – Productivity Resource Discoveries – TPW358

This week I'm sharing a few productivity resources I've found lately that you might find helpful.   A few new-to-me resources that might increase your everyday productivity This episode is inspired by feedback from the survey I've been asking you to weigh in on. A lot of people who've completed the survey have asked for more resource recommendations for books and other things. This time I thought I'd share some resources I’ve discovered in the last few months and/or haven't mentioned on the podcast before. The criteria for inclusion in this episode start with first, relevance to making a meaningfully productive life, and second, not having been discussed previously on the podcast. Caveat: I don’t necessarily agree with everything that’s said in these various resources, because I make a point of checking out a lot of different viewpoints, but I find something of value in each of these. As with anything (including this podcast) I encourage you to read or listen with an open but discerning mind and take what’s of value to you, discarding what’s not.  Books * Lightly: How to Live a Simple, Serene, and Stress-Free Life, by Francine Jay . Described as “a recipe book for minimalism”, this book offers a perspective on simplifying your life so you can be more peaceful and productive. The author offers lots of practical tips on decluttering, reorganizing, and simplifying your home, schedule, and life. I’m listening to the Audible version and plan to get a hard copy so I can go back through and re-read and ponder parts of it. What the Amazon listing says: “Do you ever feel like life is weighing you down? Like the stuff in your home, the to-dos in your schedule, the worries in your heart are too much? Make "lightly" your mantra, one lovely little word to live by, and transform your life.   There's no shortage of decluttering books on the market, but Lightly is different. It goes beyond decluttering - far beyond - to uplift your thoughts, your actions, every moment and aspect of your life.  Learn how to lighten:    Your stuff: create a serene space with your favorite things  Your step: consume less and live in harmony with the Earth  Your stress: be less busy and breeze through your days  Your spirit: clear emotional baggage from your mind and heart ” * I Really Needed This Today: Words to Live By, by Hoda Kotb (host of the Today show). This book has very short readings--a page for each day of the year, each featuring an inspirational, funny, or thought-provoking quote and a few sentences of her thoughts about it. Here are two quotes in particular that caught my attention: “Today I want you to think about all that you are instead of all that you are not.” “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” ~ Simone Weil * Successful Aging, by Daniel J. Levitin. Levitin is a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist, and bestselling author who also wrote the fascinating book I’ve mentioned before, The Organized Mind. Successful Aging explores the myths and science regarding how we age and what we can do to age well and remain healthier, active, and productive as we move into our later years. “The cost of sidelining the elderly is enormous in lost economic and artistic productivity, severed family connections, and diminished opportunities.