best-life-hacks-on

[best-life-hacks-on]

I Have 15 ideas To Change Your Life. Do you Have 5 Minutes?

I’m the last person to say that life is easy. I don’t think that’s the case at all. But there’s one thing I’ve learned in recent years that changed everything.

The way you THINK determines the outcome of your life. But thinking is hard. That’s why we don’t do it often enough. Helen Keller said it best:

“People don’t like to think, if one thinks, one must reachconclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.”

I’ll show you 15 thoughts about life that will forever transform the way you live. Ready? Let’s go.

1: Think big, act small

Want to build a big company? Change people’s lives? Make a contribution to the world? Earn a million bucks?

Never let anything hold you back when you think of ideas.

“It’s too difficult.”

“Other people are already doing it.”

So what? You might as well aim high. You’ve got nothing to lose. Just make sure you act small. Put in the work and stay practical. All you need is one big win anyway. But when you aim low, the outcome is always low.

2: Problems are unanswered questions

I don’t get why people freak out when they encounter a problem. “This is the worst thing ever!” Every time you experience stress over a problem, you’re basically sabotaging your life. It’s completely unnecessary to ever freak out.

Remember this: A problem is nothing but an unanswered question. So stay calm. And figure out the answer.

3: Build relationships on a firm foundation

Here are some wrong reasons to be in a relationship: Money, fear of being alone, abuse, needing attention. If your relationship sucks, and you’ve tried to improve it multiple times, it’s time to move on.

Love has no opposite. When you love someone, you can’t hate them at the same time. The foundation of all relationships should be based on: Love,respect, support, trust, patience, good company, laughter, sadness, and more support.

4: Nothing in life is free

No matter how you spin it, you always pay for something with money, time (the most valuable thing you have), or other resources.

Life is business. And smart business people spend their resources wisely. How? Be calculated. Never waste resources (especially time).

5: Never be afraid of making decisions

You might think that making no decision at all can do no harm, but you’re wrong. The worst thing about making decisions is when you don’t pull the trigger.

Waiting, postponing, doubting, researching too much — it’s all not useful. Get your act together, and decide firmly whenever you have to make one. And when you made the wrong decision, apologize, and make another decision.

6: Decide to become a leader today

Sometimes you’re a leader, sometimes you’re a follower. You can be a leader at work, and a follower at home. There’s nothing wrong with that. And being a leader also has nothing to do with your title.

You know what is wrong? When everyone looks at each other because no one wants to take responsibility. Decide that you will take responsibility. There you go: You’re a leader now.

7: Productivity yields results

There’s only one thing that helps you to go from nothing to something: Work.I don’t care how smart you work, you still have to put in the work.

Just make sure you value effectiveness over everything. Results matter. Get things done and move on to the next thing.

8: See yourself as a salesperson

Everyone is a salesperson. When you’re dating, you’re selling yourself. Same is true when you’re applying for a job.

When you sell, be transparent, honest, and to the point. Don’t waste your time on people who don’t like you anyway. Sales is not about how many people don’t want you or your product. It’s about finding the people who do.

9: If you want to improve your self-confidence, improve your skills

If you don’t believe in yourself, don’t try to search for it in motivational posts, talks, or books.

You only improve your self-confidence by becoming good at something. How do you get good? By learning, doing, seeing results, and repeating that process for years. Your confidence will grow slowly every day.

10: Value your friends

We’re social animals. When we’re alone, we die early. You might think you don’t need friends, but you do. So be nice to each other. And respect that your friends also have lives of their own.

Especially when you grow older, and have more responsibilities (and less time). Things change. People also change. But the connection stays.

11: Don’t believe everything you see

We live in a “Look at me! Look at me!” world. Everyone wants to be famous and they do everything to keep up appearances.

Don’t believe all the success stories you see everywhere. YouTubers, Instagram models, millionaire entrepreneurs: They seem perfect. But you only see the outside. You don’t have to be a cynic. Just don’t take appearances for facts.

12: Learn to love criticism

When someone takes the time to give you criticism, you should be thankful.Why? It’s fuel for you.

You can use criticism to improve yourself, your product, or your service. Or, if the criticism makes no sense, it can make you angry, which is also a good thing. That type of anger is useful. “I’ll show them!”

Never be a wimp. Take criticism like a champ.

13: If you can’t take care of your body, you can’t take care of anything

Whether you like it or not, you don’t fully control your health. You can only influence it by eating healthy, exercising, and not using your body as a toilet.

Just get off your ass and get moving, you lazy mofo. And I’m not talking about keeping it up for a few days. No, do it every single day of your healthy life.Because if you can’t do that, what can you do? See it as practice for the difficult times of life because the stronger you are, the better.

14: Happiness is a choice

You control your thoughts. That means you decide what you do with your life.If you’re unsatisfied, angry, or frustrated, that’s all you.

I always thought: “I can never be happy. I need to be rich, own a fancy car, and buy a big house.”

But I was thinking all wrong. You can be happy with your current life. All it takes is a decision. And when it improves, you’ll still be happy.

15: Create something

When you create something (doesn’t matter what it is), you’re actively doing something. You either solve a problem or entertain people.

So instead of consuming so much information, products, and entertainment from others, spend a fraction of that time on creating something yourself. You don’t have to create something by yourself, you can also do it with others.

No matter what you do: Make yourself useful.

So don’t just sit there and read another article; go out and do something.

What are you still doing here anyway? Go on already!

source:  Darius Foroux

[best-life-hacks-on]

10 WAYS TO BEAT PROCRASTINATION AND GET THINGS DONE

From time to time, even the most conscientious and productive professionals procrastinate. For some, pushing off a deadline is a rare and anxiety-inducing situation; other people thrive best under the pressure of waiting until the eleventh hour. However, when your tendency to procrastinate is starting to make your overall quality of work and life suffer, it’s time to do a reality check and break yourself of the habit.

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10 SCIENTIFIC REASONS WHY COFFEE MAKES YOU AMAZING

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5 RULES FOR A MORE TRUSTWORTHY RELATIONSHIP

Expert advice for setting boundaries in the digital age.

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[best-life-hacks-on]

This Map Shows What People Hate The Most In Each State

People in Illinois *really* don’t like biting into string cheese.

According to the App Hater,  the data collected indicates through their “few hundred thousand” users in the United States, people in different states hate very different things. 

This is what people on the East Coast hate:

And here’s what people hate in the Midwest and the South:

The West Coast absolutely hates all this stuff:

And here is what Hawaii and Alaska don’t like:

Behold, the United States of Hating as a whole:

via huffingtonpost.com

[best-life-hacks-on]

10 Ways To Beat Procrastination And Get Things Done

[best-life-hacks-on]

12 Dozen Places To Educate Yourself Online At No Cost

“All education is self-education.  Period.“

It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting in a college classroom or a coffee shop. We don’t learn anything we don’t want to learn.

Those people who take the time and initiative to pursue knowledge on their own are the only ones who earn a real education in this world.  Take a look at any widely acclaimed scholar, entrepreneur or historical figure you can think of.

Formal education or not, you’ll find that he or she is a product of continuous self-education.

If you’re interested in learning something new, this article is for you.  Broken down by subject and/or category, here are several top-notch self-education resources I have bookmarked online over the past few years.

Note that some of the sources overlap between various subjects of education.  Therefore, each has been placed under a specific subject based on the majority focus of the source’s content.

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[best-life-hacks-on]

There’s a lot of compelling research being done lately about how the way we grew up affects our behavior as adults. Studies have linked childhood trauma, for example, to increased levels of alcoholism and depression in adults.

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How To Protect Your Eyes If You Stare At Screens All Day

If you work in front of a computer all day, Here are four easy-to-implement tips that will make a huge difference:

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19 Incredibly Useful Websites You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier

here are 19 awesome places to learn the critical skills that will change your life:

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20 Life-Changing Books

If you want to change your body, change what you eat and how you exercise. If you want to change your outlook on life, change what you read and put it into practice.

Listed below are twenty life-changing books. Unless you are determined to be miserable (which, strangely enough, some people are), these books will change your life for the better. Click on the titles to order a copy for yourself, then mark them up and put them into practice.

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30 Behaviors That Will Make You Unstoppable

A lot of people are good at what they do. Some are even elite. A select few are completely unstoppable. Those who are unstoppable are in their own world. They don’t compete with anyone but themselves. You never know what they will do — only that you will be forced to respond. Even though they don’t compete with you, they make you compete with them. 

Are you unstoppable? By the end of this post you will be. Let’s get started:

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15 Things People With Anxiety Shouldn't Feel Ashamed To Do Behind Closed Doors

If you have a few habits caused by anxiety — things you might only do while home alone, such as talking to yourself, pacing around, or avoiding looking at your phone — know that you’re not the only one who has these quirks. And you’re definitely not “weird,” either.

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5 Things I Wish I Knew In My Twenties

It’s up to you to live the life you want to lead.

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Top 5 relationship problems for Each Zodiac Signs

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INTERESTING AND FUN ZODIAC FACTS FOR EACH SIGN BELOW:

Aries  | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra 

Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces

26 Things Adults Do Who Have Experienced Childhood Emotional Abuse

[best-life-hacks-on]

250+ Top Self-Help Books

28 Best Books for Changing Habits

20 Personal Development Books

20 “Must Read” Books about Achieving Success

10 Daily Habit and Routine Books

27 Best Books on Productivity and Time Management

20 Best Mindfulness Books to Help You Find Peace in a Crazy World

11 Learn and Study Habit Books

15 Simplicity, De-Clutter and Organization Books

13 Financial and Money Habit Books

22 Best Personal Finance Books

12 Best Budgeting & Frugal Living Books

16 Best Real Estate Investment Books

33 Best Entrepreneur Books

18 Happiness Books

15 Best Books on Procrastination.

7 Travel and Lifestyle Books

13 Fitness and Exercise Books

12 Weight Loss and Healthy Living Books

11 Best Books to Overcome Anxiety

16 Stress Relief Books

39 Best Adult Coloring Books to Help Relieve Stress and Anxiety

24 Best Relationship Books Every Couple Should Read Together

5 Books to Change Your Mind (and Sense of Reality)

13 Writing and Publishing Books

via developgoodhabits.com

[best-life-hacks-on]

19 Incredibly Useful Websites You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier

We tend to think of learning a new skill or “going back to school” as something you’d do when looking to change careers, or to upgrade within your current one.

But lifelong learning has incredible benefits, both personal and professional,say researchers. It makes communities more productive and innovative, and gives employees the ability to cope with constantly changing workplaces.

Lifelong learning helps us stay sharp as we age, and is also important for a successful economy.

It helps us communicate better, socialize more effectively, and achieve greater success.

Whether you’re looking to learn how to code, build leadership skills, or otherwise improve yourself, 

here are 19 awesome places to learn the critical skills that will change your life:

1.

Reddit Lectures

This crowdsourced collection of top lectures from professionals, academia, governments, and leaders of all stripes is unique in that the resources are upvoted or downvoted by users, in typical Reddit fashion.

2.

Library of Congress

Most of our national library’s texts are now available online. Whatever skill it is you want to learn, you can read up on it there.

3.

Boundless

Remember taking on a second part-time job just to pay for your college textbooks? Boundless is shaking up the textbook industry by offering textbooks online, for free.

4.

Inc.edu

Inc.’s own educational site is an amazing resource for entrepreneurs looking to build the skills most likely to help them succeed. These real-time, live workshops led by all-star entrepreneurs are the best way to cut the learning curve and connect with people who really have the experience to lead by example.

5. 

Universities

Most universities now offer online learning courses in addition to the on-campus lifelong learning programs. Some have established entire online schools, like Colorado State’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. If you’re looking for a more traditional educational experience, check out what the universities are offering.

6.

Google World Wonders

Explore the ancient and modern worlds in an incredible online resource powered by Google’s Street View and mapping technology.

7. 

TED Talks

TED is another fantastic place to find actionable advice and learning opportunities created by genuine, experienced people. I’ve curated my favorite TED Talks for entrepreneurs, leadership training and creativity in business — check them out for yourself. You can also visit TED Ed for its own selection of great lessons.

8.

Lifehacker

One of my favorite sites on the planet, Lifehacker is the place to learn how to do just about anything better, faster, and smarter.

9.

UReddit

Speaking of Reddit, the forum site has its own University of Reddit, with dozens of courses in the arts, computer science, language, math and statistics, and more.

10.

Internet Sacred Text Archive

It’s the largest archive of free books on religion and spirituality on the internet. Read up on mythology, religion, folklore, alchemy, parapsychology, and more.

11.

MeetUp

See what’s happening in your area and meet up with like minds to learn new skills, often free of charge. Meetups are a great way to trade experiences and learn new perspectives.

12.

Trivium Education

Critical thinking is an incredibly important skill, but it’s not often taught in public school curriculum. Brush up on your rhetoric, grammar, and logic with Trivium’s free resources.

13. 

HubSpot Academy

HubSpot, that online marketing software giant out of Boston, offers comprehensive, user-friendly digital marketing courses. Understanding marketing is critical for any entrepreneur, whether it’s a function of your daily duties or not. HubSpot Academy was one of my own top five digital marketing course picks.

14.

University of the People

Billing itself as the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online American university, UoPEOPLE offers degree programs in Business Administration, Computer Science and Health Studies.

15.

PBS Video

Watch well-researched, in-depth documentaries from PBS, free of charge online.

16.

Project Gutenberg

Study classic literature for free with over 50,000 titles available to download from the Project Gutenberg library.

17. 

MIT Open Courseware

The iconic university offers totally free programming courses, including anintroduction to computer programming course that’s fantastic for entrepreneurs and beginners. It was my top choice among the nine best places to learn how to code for free.

18. 

iCONIC Tour

Inc.com and CNBC put together iCONIC, a three-part conference series that’s visiting my own hometown of Boston on September 22, 2016, after its first stops in Seattle and Denver. On top of the excellent speakers, the networking is an incredibly effective way to learn what’s truly working for dynamic businesses across the country.

19.

FutureLearn

Packed with free online courses from over 40 universities, FutureLearn is a U.K. site that serves over 3.6 million learners worldwide.

Check out our Infographic illustrating these free online resources:

Be a Unicorn in a Sea of Donkeys

Get my very best Unicorn marketing & entrepreneurship growth hacks:

1. Sign up to have them sent to your email directly

2. Sign up for occasional Facebook Messenger Marketing news & tips via Facebook Messenger.

About the Author

Larry Kim is the CEO of MobileMonkey — provider of the World’s Best Facebook Messenger Marketing Platform. He’s also the founder of WordStream.

You can connect with him on Facebook Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram.

Originally published on Inc.com

[best-life-hacks-on]

20 Life-Changing Books!

By Seth Adam Smith

If you want to change your body, change what you eat and how you exercise. If you want to change your outlook on life, change what you read and put it into practice.

Listed below are twenty life-changing books. Unless you are determined to be miserable (which, strangely enough, some people are), these books will change your life for the better. Click on the titles to order a copy for yourself, then mark them up and put them into practice.

1. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl - In this book, the author details his experiences in an Auschwitz concentration camp, while simultaneously sharing his perspective on living a meaningful life. The book has sold well over 10 million copies and has been consistently listed as one of the most influential books ever written. From the book: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

2. As A Man Thinketh by James Allen - Although you could probably finish this little booklet in less than an hour or two, its words are powerful and profound. Words like these: “A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”

3. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown - In this book, the author addresses how to find deep personal worth while living in a world that is constantly bombarded by messages of who, what, and how we should be. From the book: “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”

4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - This is a fantastic, beautiful narrative about finding out who we are and fearlessly chasing our own “personal legend.” In this book, Coelho says: “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

5. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo - Does this book really need any explaining? It follows the life of reformed convict, Jean Valjean, and illustrates the power and beauty of redemption. From the book: “To love another person is to see the face of God.”

6. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - Diagnosed with terminal, pancreatic cancer, professor Randy Pausch delivered his “last lecture” at Carnegie Mellon in September of 2007. His lecture was structured around the hypothetical question: “What wisdom would you try to impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?” The book fleshes out the ideas presented in the last lecture and was co-authored and approved by Pausch before he died. From the book: “The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have.”

7. To Kill a Mockingbird - To put it simply, Atticus Finch is one of the best, noblest characters ever written into existence. From the book: “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”

8. The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck - Where do I start? This book is honestly one of my absolute favorite books of all time. It is packed with incredible insight and solutions for confronting and solving some of life’s greatest problems. For example, consider this: “Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and wisdom.”

9. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson - This book helps you overcome “the small stuff” that can drive you crazy. It is filled with supportive and thoughtful suggestions on how to live a more peaceful life. From the book: “...when you let go of your expectations, when you accept life as it is, you’re free.To hold on is to be serious and uptight. To let go is to lighten up.”

10. The Seven Paths by the Anasazi Foundation - This poetic, evocative story presents the meditations of an ancient Anasazi tribesman who learns that the point of life’s walk is how one is moved in the heart. He walks seven paths, each teaching a lesson symbolized by an element of the natural world: light, wind, water, stone, plants, animals, and, finally, the unity of all beings with the Creator.

11. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne - In this bestselling book, various individuals share their insight and experience with “The Secret” (the law of attraction). While this book can get a little mystical, it does a really good job at explaining how our mental outlook can affect all areas of our lives (for you business types, I would also recommend Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill).

12. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey - This book is consistently listed as one of the most inspiring books ever written and has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. From the book: “But until a person can say deeply and honestly, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,” that person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.”

13. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis - If you’d like to read some more inspirational fiction, check out these classics by C. S. Lewis. Not only are they entertaining, but they’re also filled with timeless wisdom about addiction, sin, guilt, and the nature of man. Plus, the seventh book is quite possibly one of the most beautiful fiction books I’ve ever read. From the book: “Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

14. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - I’m a fairly introverted person, so I’m not exactly going out of my way to meet new people. But this book provides some great, practical advice on working with and helping people. I’m a big believer in finding happiness. From the book: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

15. The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino - This book probably isn’t what you think it is, but I won’t spoil the surprise. From the book: “Wealth, my son, should never be your goal in life. Your words are eloquent but they are mere words. True wealth is of the heart, not of the purse.”

16. The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis - In this allegorical story, a busload of sinners leave the depths of hell to see what heaven might be like. When they get there, they are told that they can stay in heaven if they can give up the sins that are holding them back. Through an array of characters struggling with different vices, C. S. Lewis masterfully illustrates that, more often than not, we are the very things that are holding ourselves back.

17. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I don’t even know how to describe this book. It’s beautiful, heart-breaking, yet very comforting—all at the same time. It tells the story of a little girl growing up in Germany during World War II. There is one scene in the book (which was left out of the movie) that is absolutely astounding—reading that one scene is worth every minute spent reading the whole book.

18. The Shack by William P. Young - After his youngest daughter is murdered by a serial killer, Mackenzie Allen Phillips receives a mysterious note—apparently from God—telling him to return to “the shack,” the scene of the crime. What happens next is a spiritual journey of love and forgiveness that forever changes his life. From the book: “[...] love is much stronger than your fault could ever be.”

19. The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett - This book is a massive collection of some of the greatest stories ever told. I actually have a copy of it on the corner of my desk right now—one of the stories in that book changed my life.

20. Sacred Writings - I don’t know if you’re a religious person or not, so this one is entirely up to you. But I believe that many religions contain incredible, invaluable, time-tested truths—and we would be foolish to simply ignore them. At the very least, there’s something to be said of getting in touch with your religious/cultural roots.

If you like any of these books, please be sure to check out my own book “Your Life Isn’t For You.” In it, I draw upon inspirational stories from history and literature to illustrate my deep conviction that the only way you can truly find and live your life is to give it away to others.

Follow Seth Adam Smith on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/SethAdamSmith

[best-life-hacks-on]

How to Become An Insanely Good Writer, According to Stephen King

See how you can use the tips and tricks that helped Stephen King sell over 350 million books.

New research by Harvard has found that writing is one of the most overlooked, yet vital skills in business. Harnessing the power of good writing can accomplish everything from boosting your productivity to improving your leadership (not to mention it will help you create awesome stories).

Luckily, there are some ways to easily improve. Stephen King, one of the world’s most successful authors, isn’t shy about sharing the tricks and tools that helped him sell over 350 million books.

But don’t sell yourself short — these tips can apply to so much more than a pen and paper (or keyboard):

Stop watching TV — instead, read as much as possible.

Television is “poisonous to creativity,” King said. Instead, “you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

King isn’t alone in this sentiment. Studies have found that 1,200 of the world’s wealthiest individuals like to read extensively. And mega-moguls like Warren Buffett and Mark Cuban have found reading to be vital to their success.

You don’t have to completely give up TV right away, but consider replacing at least one show daily with time spent reading instead. Your writing skills and overall success are worth it.

Don’t be pretentious.

“One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you’re maybe a little bit ashamed of your short ones,” Stephen King says.

The iconic businessman and original “Mad Man” David Ogilvy agrees. He once wrote a memo to all his employees saying, “Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.”

If you’re trying to impress a higher-up or get more eyeballs on your blog by using overly complex words, just stop. Your readers will be more impressed and thankful if you get to the point as quickly as possible.

Write with leadership.

If you’re in a position of leadership, you are often trying to convince others of something. So whether you’re trying to sell a new product to a major client, or assuring your team that their six-month project will take the company in a positive direction, your writing needs to be convincing and convey strong leadership.

That’s why King suggests you be bold with your writing. “I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing,” he said.

He suggests you tackle this by using the active voice as much as possible, and avoiding the passive voice (think: “the letter was mailed by Susan” versus “Susan mailed the letter”).

Passive speech comes across as watery and unsure of itself. Active voice communicates decisive leadership and clear instruction and direction. It’s a style of writing that people want to follow.

Be consistent.

“Once I start work on a project, I don’t stop, and I don’t slow down unless I absolutely have to,” says King. “If I don’t write every day, the characters begin to stale off in my mind… I begin to lose my hold on the story’s plot and pace.”

Just like any other skill, writing isn’t something you’re born with, or that you will become good at overnight. So pencil in some time to practice it daily, and have patience knowing that you won’t immediately improve, but you will improve eventually.

This applies to much more than writing, however: New endeavors can be overwhelming, especially when it seems the end is not in sight. Chip away at a little piece one day at a time, and eventually, you will get there. As King puts it, “one word at a time.”

Give your mind a break.

When a runner finishes a marathon they do not wake up the next morning and go for a long run; they give their body a rest, allowing the muscles to repair and recover.

In 2017, between work, smartphones, computers and television, we rarelygive our brains a rest. King suggests that after completing a major project (or book in his case) you should take the time to step back and recuperate. This allows your mind to think clearly and to truly assess the work you’ve completed.

“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.”

Additionally, you are bound to find mistakes — this is a natural part of the process. By stepping back, and reviewing your work yourself (or with others, as I recommend), you’ll be able to grow and improve by noticing your mistakes.

Most importantly, be resilient.

“Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure” — Stephen King.

It is a tough world out there — whether you are working in corporate America, building a startup or writing a novel, the criticism you will receive as a successful leader from yourself and others can be overwhelming. People probably will doubt you and they will talk behind your back — it almost comes along naturally with success.

Remember, “no” is just someone’s opinion, nothing more. You’ll face plenty of rejections — writing or otherwise — but they’re just one person’s (often flawed) viewpoint. By staying resilient, you’ll learn to tune out the negative noise and bounce back from setbacks stronger than ever.

via the mission

[best-life-hacks-on]

5 Things I Wish I Knew In My Twenties

It’s up to you to live the life you want to lead.

In your early twenties, it’s realistic to think that you have 10 years of freedom to pursue your goals before ‘settling down’, getting a real job, buying a house and starting a family (if that’s what you choose to do).

The average age of a first-time parent in Australia is 30 (and rising). The average age of a first-time homeowner in the United States is 33.

With these stats in mind, it’s obvious that your twenties are a unique time in your life. Want to see the world? You can. Want to study for 10 years? You can. Want to start your own business? You can. Want to do nothing? You can.

I’m not saying it’s impossible to pursue your goals after your 30th birthday. It just gets harder. There are more external factors that influence both your time and your decisions.

When I reflect on my twenties, I spent the first half of it failing university and having an incredible time at college.

Would I have done things differently? Yes and no. Yes, I could have pursued my goal — of starting a business — sooner and with more focus. No, because I made life long friendships that I wouldn’t change for a second.

The second half of my twenties was spent working incredibly hard building a business. I absolutely loved working towards my goal.

Now 30, with a beautiful wife, gorgeous child and moderate mortgage, here is a list of 5 things I wish I knew when I turned 20…

1. You will never have more free time in your life (until you retire).

“Time is our most precious asset. Use it wisely.” ~ Unknown

Apart from study and work that may take up to 8 hours a day, the rest of your time is yours to do as you please.

No children, maybe no partner, your time is there for the taking. Having this much time means that it is incredibly important to use it wisely. It’s also incredibly easy to waste.

Determine what you truly want, and employ your time in pursuit of that cause.

With your goal in mind, use your time with purpose.

If time is your most valuable asset, then your twenties isn’t a time to waste it.

2. It’s your chance to be selfish.

Based on the stats, you likely won’t have a mortgage or children.

Having a mortgage instantly means that the financial noose is tightened. You have repayments due whether you like it or not. Having children means that your time and focus shifts to their wellbeing (as it should!).

When you have no real commitments, aside from maybe a job or study, you are free to explore other endeavours. Now is the time to chase your goals with a level of energy and commitment you never knew existed. You are in total control of your life. You answer only to yourself.

It’s your chance to be selfish and pursue your goals with pure single-mindedness.

Embrace it and chase it!

3. You can take risks.

When you’re not constrained by debt and don’t have people depending on you to survive, you are freer to take risks.

In truth, most perceived risks aren’t that risky at all.

Humans are conservative by nature. It’s how we have survived and thrived for millennia. However, we now live in a world that is incredibly different to that of our distant ancestors. Those risk averse biological traits that saved us from lions, generally do not apply. If you’re not at risk of physical harm, then what is the worst that could happen?

Take a good hard look at the downside.

Weigh up your current situation and determine the worst case scenario. How bad could things get if you take that risk and fail?

Could you lose all you money? Perhaps. But remember, money isn’t a finite resource. It can be accumulated again.

Could you lose time? Definitely — so make sure you learn something valuable in the process, regardless of success.

And the big one; regret. Will you regret not taking the risk?

Take a good hard look at the upside.

All going to plan, what’s the best case scenario? How good could things get if you take that risk and succeed?

Could starting your own business help you achieve financial freedom?

Could you enrich your life by travelling the world?

Could changing jobs lead to a new opportunity?

It’s common to hear the saying, ‘the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward’.

Often this is true. However, in your twenties, the downside is so insignificant in the grand scheme of your life, that it’s almost riskier to stand still and do nothing.

You can harm your future simply through inaction.

Take the time to assess the risk’s merits. Are you being reasonable and rational? Are others’ opinions holding you back? What is stopping you?

If you’re still struggling, begin with working out how you can minimise (or internalise and accept) the downside. This will help you to feel more confident to work towards your goal.

This is your time to take the jump!

4. You can work harder than you ever have.

Most goals require time and effort. Using time effectively and applying effort requires discipline.

When you combine discipline with free time, magic happens.

Instead of wasting time, maximise it.

In your early twenties, commitments are minimal and time is there to use. This gives you the platform to work harder than you ever have in your young life.

If your goal is to gain a promotion, work longer, harder and with more focus. If your goal is to start a business, dedicate yourself to it. If your goal is to travel, determine how you can work hard to fund it.

Turn off the TV and get it done.

5. You can decide what you want to do.

When you’re at school, your parents, the government and the education system generally decide what you do each day. Once you’re on your own in your twenties, out in the world, the decisions are yours.

This tremendous freedom can be a blessing and a curse. Without direction and goals, it is easy to switch on autopilot.

It is incredibly important to reflect on what you are doing, and question ‘why?’.

It’s easy to simply go through the motions. Goals are merely dreams. You begin thinking ‘I wish’ instead of ‘I am’.

‘I wish I had a better job’, instead of, ‘I am working towards a better job’.

“Think and act, instead of think and dream.”

Too often, we drift through life doing things that are ingrained in us, that we think are expected of us, or that we have always done.

You need to become critical of your life.

Ask ‘why’, and ensure the answer aligns with your true self.

After all, you’re the one living your life — not your parents, friends, bosses, co-workers, relatives or strangers.

It’s incredibly liberating working towards your goals. Not someone else’s.

It’s up to you to live the life you want to lead.

[best-life-hacks-on]

101 Places to Find Freelance Writing Work

Finding freelance work and connecting with legit clients that pay well can sometimes be a struggle - especially when you’re just starting out.

That’s why we’ve put together this handy list of 101 places to find freelance writing job.

1. All Indie Writers

This job board has been around since 2006. Writers can search for jobs based on date or pay range in a variety of categories. You can subscribe to feed readers like Feedly so that you never miss out on a gig. The site also produces content that shares tips on finances and productivity for freelance writers.

2. Be a Freelance Blogger

You can use this job board to find higher paying writing gigs, $50 or more to be exact. The exception is that you have to be student in the Freelance Blogger’s Client Hunting Masterclass.

3. Blogging Pro

Here you can find daily freelance writing jobs, paid blogging jobs, and copywriting jobs. Besides the job board, this site is a great resource for writers who want to start promoting their services since it’s blog is full of marketing tips and tools for writers to utilize.

4. Craigslist

Don’t write-off Craigslist just yet. There are actually legit, and well-paying, writing jobs on here if you look. Just trust your gut when reading an ad. For example, if it’s full of typos, then you should be a little weary about that client.

5. Due

You can make between $50 to $100 for writing invoicing and payments guides.

6. Findeavor

This is another microjob site where can find writing jobs, such as writing blog posts to translating documents, ranging from $5 to $35.

7. Fiverr

Fiverr is a popular freelance marketplace where you can find a variety of writing opportunities from blog posts to press releases to research to legal writing. On the downside, gigs don’t usually pay much here - typically $5-$10.

8. FlexJobs

FlexJobs is another popular marketplace where writers can find both full-time and part-time gigs in specific categories, such as gaming, financial or medical writing.

9. Fourerr

This micro job site allows clients to find writers for customized projects. Fourerr also bills itself as “the ONLY Marketplace where you earn rewards as you buy, sell, and connect with our vibrant community.”

10. Freedom With Writing

This site pays $100 for list articles, depending on length or $30 to $150 for how-to articles, essays, and other content.

11. Freelanced

Freelanced is actually a freelancer social network where you can search for job and share your portfolio.

12. Freelancer

Freelancer claims that it’s the largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace in the world. With over 24,060,770 employers and freelancers, it’s hard to dispute that claim.

13. Freelance Writing Gigs

Here you can find content jobs, editing jobs, blogger jobs, publishing jobs, telecommuting jobs, and flexible jobs. Also sign-up for their newsletter so that you can get the latest job openings. The site also has a blog containing valuable writing tips.

14. Freelance Writing Jobs

If you’re a freelance writer residing in Canada, then you can use this site to find gigs, post your profile, and find expert advice on improving your freelance writing business.

15. Genuine Jobs

This is one of the leading sites to find work from home jobs. When you find a writing job that interests you, just click “Apply Now.” Best of all? It’s free.

16. Gigblasters

Gigblasters is a microjob site where you search for writing gigs by date, popularity, rating, or price.

17. Gigbucks

There’s no shortage of writing gigs on this site in a variety of categories. But, since more appear to be express gigs, expect to make only $5 per job.

18. Gigbux

Another freelance site where you can make $5, $10, or $20 for your services.

19. Gigdollars

Yet another marketplace where writers can find jobs ranging from composing articles, translating documents into a different language, or proofreading.

20. Government Bids

Local, State, and the Federal government will contract writers for anything from composing proposals to reports for government agencies.

21. Greatlance

This is another site to land a writing gig, but there’s also a blog, tools, and freelancer guide to help get your freelancer career up-and-running.

22. Guru

With more than 1.5 million members worldwide, you shouldn’t have a problem finding a writing gig. Just know that you have pay Guru fees based on your membership status

23. Indeed

A leading website to find and post jobs based on category or location.

Related: The 5 Skills You Need to Become a Successful Content Writer

24. Journalism Jobs

Are you looking for a job in print, broadcast or digital media? Then look no further.

25. Krop

Here you can find a ton of creative copywriting gigs from high profile clients.

26. LinkedIn Jobs

If you have a LinkedIn profile (and you really should), then this is the ideal place to network with a potential client. Remember, networking goes a long way in the freelance world.

27. Mechanical Turk

Amazon’s marketplace is a great place to find jobs like ecommerce content writing, general articles, or lengthy instructional guides.

28. MediaBistro

In the freelance section you can search for jobs from industries like TV, PR/marketing, magazine and book publishing, and social media.

29. Morning Coffee Newsletter 

This weekly e-newsletter provides a varied collection of freelance writing and editing jobs in all shapes and sizes with competitive pay rates.

30. Online Writing Jobs

Becoming a member can connect you with well-paying jobs from quality contents. In fact, you can get paid up-to $50 per article.

31. Paid to Blog

This job board is the brainchild of veteran freelance blogger Thomas Ewer that specializes in helping writers find blogging gigs. You do have to become a monthly member which will set you back $30.

32. People Per Hour

Here you can create your own “hourlies” for writing. You can also respond to others so that you can ask for a down payment.

33. Problogger Jobs

Created by Darren Rowse, this has become one of the main authority sites on blogging, so you can bet that any jobs listed here are only from quality employers who know the value in freelance writers.

34. RedGage

RedCage isn’t a job board or marketplace. Instead, they can monetize your existing web content their social activity. It’s an option of you have your own blog. Plus, it could put your content in the eyes of a prospective client.

35. Scribendi

This site focuses mainly on editors and proofreaders searching for work.

36. Short Task

Short Task is simply an online meeting place for workers and job providers. Since it’s smaller than most other marketplaces, you have a good shot of finding more quality gigs.

37. Simply Hired

Simply Hired is another marketplace where you can search for jobs by category or location. You can sign-up for their email to receive daily updates.

38. Smashing Jobs

Smashing Jobs is a freelance job board that’s been hooking creatives up with high-profile clients since 2008.

39. Sologig

Sologig is a jobs board for professionals, specifically in the IT and engineering industries.

40. Student Freelancing

If you’re student looking for some extra cash, then this is the marketplace designed just for you.

41. Task Army

While Task Army appears to be just another marketplace, it actually protects you and clients since payments are placed in escrow until the job has been approved.

42. Taskr

Located in India, Taskr connects entrepreneurs with freelancers to help them get more work done.

43. The Write Life

This is more of a resource, and a quire good one at that, to help you get your freelance writing business started. You can write for the website too.

44. Upwork

Probably the most well-known freelance marketplace where you can find gigs quickly. But, competition can be brutal.

45. We Work Remotely

While not extremely deep, there are some writing opportunities for freelancers from high-profile clients.

46. Work at Home Adventures

A website that lists online, virtual jobs. Sign Up to their newsletter to receive new job listings.

47. Work from Home Happiness

This site posts daily remote job listings. If there aren’t any writing jobs, there’s also a list of other websites to find work.

48. Workhoppers

Designed for clients looking to hire local and talented freelancers.

49. Writer Bay

After applying, you can search for writing jobs in your respective field while receiving a competitive salary.

50. WriteJobs

A wide-range of niche writing opportunities, such as blog posts, essays, magazines, and stories for video games.

51. Writers Weekly

Another resource dedicated to helping freelance writers find work, as well as tips on how to stay productive or how to make money selling your short stories.

52. YunoJuno

This is a community comprised of award-winning freelancers. So you can be certain that only high profile clients are posting jobs here.

53. Zeerk

With this microjob site you can find a wide range of freelance writing services that go from $3 to $200.

Content Mills

If you’re just starting out as a freelance writer, then you may want to consider writing for a content mill. Content mills hire a lot of writers to churn a ton of content. While this could lead to steady work, they don’t don’t pay as much as a high-profile or quality clients does.

54. About.com

This site hires people to write online content and are paid on the number of articles written. Compensation is based on the popularity of the page.

55. Article Document

Here is a community of experienced content writers that are hired as either ghost or by-line writers. There is a fee for submitting content.

56. BKA Content

This site focuses on creating content for a wide-range of industries. Since they handpick their writers for their clients possessing strong writing skills and a work ethic are a must.

57. BlogMutt

This site looks for writers who are familiar with business and marketing.

58. Blue Mountains Arts

This greeting card company is looking for poets and content that involves friendship and love.

59. Boost CTR

Writers are hired to create ads for Google Adwords, Microsoft, retailers, and other companies. You can sign-up quickly with your social media account.

60. ChaCha

Cha Cha pays between $3 to $9 per hour for each answer.

61. ClearVoice

After applying, you’re matched with brands based on your experience and interests.

62. Constant Content

Brands looking to purchase existing content or order custom content in a variety of categories can find them here. Writers have to apply in order to join.

63. Contently

You can use Contently to build your portfolio, as well as apply for jobs in your niche.

64. Content Gather

You can use either the marketplace or get hired for custom writing gigs.

65. Content Runner

You can set your own rates while building personal relationships with clients.

66. Copypress

This is a community where clients are looking for quality article writers.

67. Demand Studios

After applying, you can attract clients by generating original content that is high quality and rich in keywords.

68. Damongo

Damongo claims that it’s the “#1 Website For Micro Jobs Online” where writers can find gigs ranging from $5, $10, $20, and $50.

69. Domainite

You’ll have to write a sample and if it’s something that clients are interested, you’ll land a gig.

70. Ebyline

Here you can showcase your experience and pitch ideas to publishers from around the country.

71. EssayTown.com

If you have a degree in various academic disciplines you can make $21 a page for essays, research papers, term papers, or book reports.

Related: 7 Tips to Enhance Freelance Profitability

72. Great Content

Here you can connect with 1,000s of clients looking for custom content.

73. Green Light Articles

This company takes care of finding customers, collecting the money, arranging the order and the keywords, and payments for you.

74. Hire Writers

After joining for free, you can earn $20 per article.

75. iWriter

This site can help you land writing gigs for articles, blog posts, press releases, cover letters, and eBooks.

76. London Brokers

Here you can find a variety of freelance writing jobs. Unlike other sites, you get paid upfront.

77. Listller.com

You can submit original content, find work, or locate a guest blog directory.

78. Love To Know

You can make anywhere from $15 to $50 for articles covering a variety of topics.

79. OneSpace

Once you join you’re trained and tested so that you’re matched with writing gigs that you’re qualified for.

80. Need an Article

Another site where writers are hired to create tailor-made content.

81. Passive Solutions

This is a content-for-demand site that expects the article to be completed within 48 hours.

82. Pure Content

Writers are paid monthly for the articles that they write or edit.

83. Scripted

This is site is geared more towards experienced writers. You can make around $20-$35.

84. Suntrader

You can find both freelance and in-house writing opportunities after submitting a sample.

85. TextBroker

Yet another network where you’re matched with a client in need of fresh and unique content.

86. The Content Authority

This site is looking for quality writers to create blog posts, eBooks, press releases, or social engagement to boost search engine rankings for clients.

87. WriterAccess

You can connect with around 25,000 businesses searching for top notch written content.

88. WritersDomain

After registering, and sending in a sample, you can get hired to write content in different categories.

89. Words of Worth

Another site that’s in need of writers in a variety of topics.

90. ZenContent (Now IZEA)

Another network where you’re connected with global brands, publishers, and ecommerce companies who want custom content.

Everything In Between

Still can’t find a writing job? Check out these niche sites that hire freelance writers.

91. Bless This List

If your 1,500 words/10 items minimum list-style article is accepted, you’ll get paid $100 via PayPal.

92. BabyFit

Owned and operated by SparkPeople, this site pays contributors between $25 and $90 for their expertise in parenting.

93. CollegeHumor

You can get paid anywhere from $35 to $50 per accepted article that’s related to college life and funny things

94. Cosmopolitan

You’ll can make $100 for an article that’s 8,000 words or less.

95. P.S. Greetings Inc.

This division of Fantus Paper Products is looking for writers to compose greeting cards.

96. Glimmer Train

Since 1990 Glimmer Train has been on the lookout for new writers. You can make around $700 for first publication rights for accepted stories.

97. Income Diary

This website covers a variety of topics and is willing to negotiate rates with freelance writers.

98. Listverse

This site pays $100 per accepted article that’s more on the humorous side.

99. Money Pantry

You don’t need writing experience, but you should be familiar with money and saving. Pays between $30 and $150 per accepted article.

100. Starting Business

If you have experience with starting or maintaining a business you can get paid $50 per article for sharing your knowledge.

101. The Secret Place

This is a quarterly devotional consisting exclusively of freelance writers who can make $20 per accepted 150-200 word article focused on meditation.

Final Words of Advice

While you can use sites like Upwork or Guru, especially when you’re building your portfolio, you should try to avoid them if possible since they are marketplaces where clients are looking for the highest bids.

Focus primarily on niche sites that you either have experience or knowledge with so that you can connect with more high-profile clients. It may take longer to snag a job, but your patience will pay-off when the money starts rolling-in.

To help get you started, or step-up your current freelance game, check out our Freelancer Guide. It has everything you need to become a successful freelancer.

[best-life-hacks-on]

Minimal Posters Depicting The Difference Between Successful And Unsuccessful People

Everyone wants to get successful in life. But, everyone certainly does not know what it takes to be successful.

Successful people are leaders. They motivate others to become one. They hate drama and take responsibility for their failures. They learn and grow every day and accept nothing but perfection. They love discuss to ideas rather than discussing people and hate to hold grudges against anyone.

Go ahead and decide which one do you want to become.

Help others to grow and you will grow even more.

Change and taking risks is good.

Start motivating and stop criticizing without any reason.

Discussing people will not take you anywhere.

Stay a learner all your life.

Successful leaders often forgive and forget.

Be responsible enough to step ahead and accept failures.

Loved this? Spread it out then

[best-life-hacks-on]

How To Remember 90% Of Everything You Learn

via 

Wish you could learn faster?

Whether you’re learning a new language, a new instrument, or a new sport, we could all benefit from accelerated learning. But the problem is, there’s only so much time in the day.

The key to accelerated learning is not just putting in more hours, but maximizing the effectiveness of the time spent learning.

The Bucket And Water Analogy

Let’s say you were to fill up a bucket with water. Most buckets should not have any problem retaining the water inside, until it starts overflowing at the top.

But in reality, this isn’t how our brains function. In fact, most of the information that enters our brain leaks out eventually. Instead of looking at our brain’s memory as a bucket that retains everything, we should treat it for what it is: a leaking bucket.

While the leaky bucket analogy may sound like a negative connotation, it’s perfectly normal. Unless you were born with a photographic memory, our brains weren’t designed to remember every fact, information, or experience that we go through in our lives.

How To Remember 90% Of Everything You Learn

The development of the Learning Pyramid in the 1960’s — widely attributed to the NTL Institute in Bethel, Maine— outlined how humans learn.

As research shows, it turns out that humans remember:

5% of what they learn when they’ve learned from a lecture (i.e. university/college lectures) 10% of what they learn when they’ve learned from reading (i.e. books, articles) 20% of what they learn from audio-visual (i.e. apps, videos) 30% of what they learn when they see a demonstration 50% of what they learn when engaged in a group discussion. 75% of what they learn when they practice what they learned. 90% of what they learn when they use immediately (or teach others)

Yet how do most of us learn?

Books, classroom lectures, videos — non-interactive learning methods that results in 80-95% of information going in one ear and leaking out the other.

The point here is that instead of forcing our brains on how to remember more information with “passive” methods, we should focus our time, energy, and resources on “participatory” methods that have proven to deliver more effective results, in less time.

This means that:

If you want to learn how to speak a foreign language, you should focus on speaking with native speakers and gain immediate feedback (instead of mobile apps)

If you want to get in shape, you should work with a personal fitness trainer (instead of watching Youtube workout videos)

If you want to learn a new instrument, hire a local music teacher in your city

Ultimately, it comes down to this…

Time Or Money?

How many times have you heard someone say, “I don’t have time to do X…”

I’m certainly guilty of this myself, as I’ve made excuse after excuse about the lack of time I have in my life.

But time is the greatest equalizer of all. No matter who we are, where we are in the world, or how much we strive for efficiency, there are only 24 hours in each day. Every single minute is unique, and once it’s gone, it can never be regained, unlike money.

“You May Delay, But Time Will Not.” ― Benjamin Franklin

So if we all have 24 hours in a day, how do we explain the success stories of young millionaires that started from nothing, or a full-time student going from beginner to conversation fluency in Spanish after just 3.5 months? They learned how to maximize for effectiveness instead of only efficiency.

Let’s say person A spent one hour learning a language and retained 90% of what they learned. And person B spent nine hours learning and retained 10% of what they learned. Doing simple math, person B spent 9x more time learning than person A, only to retain the same amount of information (A: 1 * 0.9 = B: 9 * 0.1).

While the exact numbers can be debated, the lesson is clear. The way to have more time is not to go for small wins, like watching 5-minute YouTube tutorials instead of 15-minutes, but to go for big wins, like choosing the most effective method from the beginning. Or constantly relying on free alternatives, when investing in a premium solution can shave off months, if not years, worth of struggles, mistakes, and most importantly, time.

It’s making the most out of the limited time we have by focusing on solutions that deliver the most impact, and saying no to everything else.

The ability to retain more knowledge in an age of infinite access to information and countless distractions is a powerful skill to achieve any goal we have faster.

By learning how to remember more information everyday, we can spend less time re-learning old knowledge, and focus on acquiring new ones.

We’re all running out of time, and today is the youngest you’ll ever be. The question is: how will you best spend it?

[best-life-hacks-on]

How To Protect Your Eyes If You Stare At Screens All Day

If you work in front of a computer all day, you're familiar with that irritated, fuzzy, and tired feeling your eyes have by the end of the afternoon. Everything starts to get a little blurry and sometimes your head aches. This cluster of symptoms is known as eye strain or computer vision syndrome, and it's a unique malady of our modern era, one that more than 60% of Americans experience.

It doesn't take long to start experiencing eye strain symptoms — just two hours in front of a screen starts to put people at risk, an amount of time that's incredibly easy to hit when you combine computer work, smartphone usage, television, tablets, and other screens. It almost seems inevitable.

Fortunately, there are a few things that experts say you can do to minimize the discomfort and potential damage of staring at a glowing screen all day. Here are four easy-to-implement tips that will make a huge difference:

Enlarge Text

Staring at small text can make you squint and put your face closer to a screen, leading to fatigue and headaches, among other issues – so boost text size and color contrast to make things easier to read.

Blink

When we stare at screens, we forget to blink, which dries out our eyes. It’s hard to remember, but trying to make sure you keep blinking can help. Eye drops are another simple and useful way to keep eyes from getting too dry.

Adjust Brightness

Screen glare can cause eye strain and headaches. Adjust your brightness to avoid reflections on your screen or consider getting an anti-glare film.

The 20-20-20 rule

After 20 minutes of work, take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away. Your eyes have muscles that help them move and focus on different objects, but if we stare at a screen the same distance away for hours at a time, those muscles have a hard time adjusting once we move again.