Podio, our project management system

There exist many interesting tools for organizational and project management, customer relationships, bug-tracking systems and actually everything that comes to your mind.

I have been an entrepreneur for 8 years and I have been searching for an ideal solution for 8 years. Now, already for a longer period of time, it looks like I have found what I was looking for. Using 10 different systems for 10 different agendas is maybe good at having all information for a certain segment but the interconnectedness is minimal. The user’s interface is in each system different and each month you will receive lot of invoices for these services. I have used Mantis, Basecamp, Highrise, GoPlan, ActiveCollab, SalesForce, SugarCRM, and various organizations’ intranets, blogs, twitter and many more. And what has been the result? At first sight an order in everythig, at second sight organized and disconnected chaos that is not fun to use.

I had a sceptical view on Podio as I had to other systems for project management and business operations systems. What can be different? I know too simple Basecamp, too complicated ActiveCollab, too simple Highrise CRM system and for small teams unsuitable SalesForce, so – WTF? After few hours when using Podio I was able to tweet and send invitations to all people I know who face the same problem – finding the right system. And what has been the result? After few months we switched from few systems to one – to Podio – and so far we are absolutely satisfied.

But why is Podio so interesting? It is a combination of simplicity of 37Signals applications – one application suitable for almost all fields.

The principle behind Podio is that each project has different needs and requirements. During the development process it is necessary to deal with milestones, tasks, errors, list of application’s functions, instructions etc. As a next step you need to sort out marketing – list of journalists’ contacts, presentations, marketing plan and other. With Podio you can sort out everything. You create so called “space”, in other words place for your project and in there you upload applications you need. For this purpose PodioAppStore can be used in which you will find tens of applications that are arranged in various categories (Management, Sales/CRM, Development, Intranet, HumanResources etc.). Select applications and insert them in your “space”.

In Podio, you can manage applications’ development, examine marketing issues and customer relationships or keep job applicants database and list of colleagues’ birthdays.

But that is not the end, any selected application can be “cloned” and own application can be created. Is there a business opportunities button missing in your application menu? Clone and create your own app without knowing any programming language. Everything can be created with simple clicks. Applications in Podio are very simple, don’t expect complicated computations and sophisticated functions; it is all about simple information databases. The power of Podio is not in the system itself but in its AppStore, as in case of iPhone.

We use Podio in MOREDAYS for managing our projects – both development and marketing projects, but also for managing company’s intranet or for monitoring results of NHL matches which we play on PlayStation. An application for iPhone or Android phones is available. Development of iPad application is in process.

The commercial model of Podio is also pleasant. All applications that you find (or create) in AppStore, are for free. The whole application is for free. You pay only in case you need more than 10 users or if you value elaborated system of access rights and of course technical support.

Certainly, I recommend you to try Podio. It is not for everyone but if you like simplicity and you prefer to have “all in one”…Try project management software by Podio.

How to manage time effectively and use “minimalism” concept as your main motto

Top 4 books that will change your life

There are many books concerned with time management. If you strive for improving your time managment skills and you are not sure which book to choose, read the following lines.

Here are the books that you can’t miss:

1. Tell Your Time (by Amy Lynn Andrews) – this book provides lots of tips and advice, introducing new method – envelopes of time according to determined purposes and priorities. Create these envelopes by yourself and try if they work!
2. Organizing Life as MOM (by Jessica Getskow Fisher) this book is full of useful advice that will help you stay on top of things as a busy mom. Planning pages, calendars, checklists and other tools. The author has a lot of experience as a mother of six children.
3. Simple Blogging (by Rachel Meeks) – how to combine busy life and be a successful blogger at the same time. Whether you are an experienced blooger or not, you will certainly enjoy this book.
4. Simplify (by Joshua Becker) – are you confused why simplicity is included in the topic of time management? The answer is simple. Determining priorities as well as selecting important tasks and eliminating unimportant tasks means simplification. The author redefines term minimalism and describes the advantages of taking a minimalistic approach towards stuff that controls your life. Reduce your duties.

If you are not satisfied with your time management skills, these ebooks will for sure be a source of inspiration for you. Reading instructions about how to be more time effective is one thing but how to put them into practise?

Try a modern version of a diary. Replace your physical diary.

An example of a successul note-taking platform is Evernote. It has recently celebrated 5 million users. There was a massive jump from 4 to 5 million users that happened only in 83 days. Popularity of Evernote among people is a sign of high quality. It has fulfilled consumers’ expectations and as a reward for Eevernote the number of users is increasing rapidly.

How To Be Successful – Business Advice From Donald Trump

Moredays provides you with a list of recommendations from one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time Donald Trump. We are inspired by such talented people and we want to share these ideas with you. These points were gathered from Donald Trump’s books. Get inspired by the business tips listed below!

• Dream big – What you dream is what you will do.
• Pride yourself for your ability to come out with creative solutions to tough problems.
• Find your passion and love what you do.
• Never take no for an answer.
• Hire the best people, but do not trust them.
• Get even with people who do you wrong.
• Know that passion conquers fear.
• Focus on the solution and not on the problem.
• Learn from your mistakes and do not let them take you down.
• The world does not owe you anything, everything needs to be deserved.
• Be open to new information and new ideas.
• Be willing to face new challenges.
• Always think positive and expect the best.
• Avoid negative thinking.
• Everyone wants to kill the fastest gun.
• Get some respect and do not give a damn if people like you.
• Know your stuff and you will command instant respect.
• Only hire people with positive attitudes and get rid of the bad apples fast.
• Value loyalty above everythig else.
• Never forgive a crook.
• Set high standard for people and expect they will fulfill them.
• If someone damages your reputation, take revenge that your enemy will never forget.
• Forgive good people, but never forgive someone who is bad.
• When somebody screws you, screw them back in spades.
• When somebody challenges you, fight back. Be brutal, be tough. Just go get them and they will never think about cheating on you again.
• If somone accepts that he/she has made a mistake and apologizes, forgive that person but never trust this person again.
• Never give up!
• Remember that there is never an easy way to success.
• Always take your work seriously.
• Always focus on what you enjoy doing even if you have to face some complications.
• Thinking big has led to human kind of all the great achievements.
• Focus on the top and you will get there.
• It is easier to do thing on the large scale.
• Always think of yourself as someone important.
• Speak out like a big thinker.
• Hang out with other big thinkers.

Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American business magnate, socialite, author and a celebrity. First he worked with his father for five years and later he became a Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization, a US-based real-estate developer. Trump is also the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts, which operates numerous casinos and hotels across the world. Trump’s extravagant lifestyle and confidence has made himself instantly recognizable wherever he goes. In 2004 he starred in his own reality TV program The Apprentice (where he serves as host and executive producer). Trump also owns part of the three largest beauty competitions in the world, consisting of Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

How To Reduce Stress?

Exhausted? Burnt-out? Are you tired and lethargic all the time? We are constantly under pressure feeling that all the tasks we should fulfill need to be finished on time and properly. Moreover, we are convinced that minimum of the tasks could be postponed. The main causes of stress and tension are work, school, family, money, and health. It is more than difficult to exclude any of these factors as they are all equally important to us.

Every day we face stressful situations and our body just needs to cope with it. Even though it has been working like that for many years you should not underestimate the moment when all the negative consequences of unbalanced lifestyle will start to occur.
Our body is expected to work as we demand. Often we forget to reward the body and relax for a while. Recovery of the system is a must. So don’t wait until you are stressed out and change your life for the better right now!

Imagine a busy day at work. You are running out of time with completing a task for your boss. You can’t postpone it anymore. What to do? Take a deep breath and stop working for a while. Before you start working on the task again you need to refresh your mind. You will not be focused on the task anyway when you are under extreme pressure.

Here are tips that will help you handle such a situation effectively and also prevent you from stress overload.

• Fresh air provides you with oxygen which is needed by your brain and every single cell of your body. Open the window in your office and breathe. If this is not possible, take short breaks throughout the day and walk outside.
• Warm and stale air encourages stagnation. It is cosy to keep your office warm, however if you need to work efficiently you should turn down the heating as your brain slows down when it gets too warm. It gets you ready for a nap more than for a successful completion of a task.
• Do you remember what did you have for breakfast? Do you carefully think about what your lunch will consist of? Nutrition plays an important role in your everyday life. It affects your concentration and it prevents you from feeling tired. During the day eat and drink regularly and try to avoid high carbs food, such as bread and pasta, that produce sleep inducing hormones which will result in lethargy and bloating in the afternoons.
• Get enough sleep. It is estimated that a typical adult needs an average of 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Most people function with a lot less hours of sleep. They try to extend the day time to have more time for work. There is nothing wrong about that unless you care about keeping the time limit mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph on a regular basis. It is not necessary to stick with this limit every day but few days a week you should have a chance to sleep a bit longer. Getting enough sleep makes you less stressed and you will definitely have more energy.
• Just take a second and think about your pace of life. Don’t push yourself over the limit. Your health is worth it. You don’t have to be a superman! Every human being has his or her own limits. Care about yourself and keep your lifestyle balanced and you will handle stressful situations much better.

3 Most Effective Strategies Against Procrastination

Have you ever heard about a term “procrastination”? Is it something completely new to you? Maybe the word sounds unfamiliar but believe me, when you find out what the expression means you will for sure agree that procrastination is also part of your life.
The term procrastination means willingly putting off something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness. It is a voluntary delay on an intended course of action despite its bad consequences.

So is procrastination a good thing? The answer is “not really”. There is a difference in postponing things for later. On one hand, you can put off something purposefully and at this point you are not trying to avoid the activity but you are just scheduling or prioritizing. That could be due to the fact that you are aware of being more motivated, working under pressure when you are doing it all at the last moment. On the other hand, you delay your tasks due to laziness when you just don’t feel like doing anything. You’re supposed to work and get things done, but lots of other things seem so much more interesting. This meaning of procrastination is much more common than the one mentioned first. Therefore it is necessary to find some way to eliminate the negative procrastination and practice the art of productive procrastination.

1. Make a To-Do List

It sounds like a cliché, but it really works. Of course it depends on the type of list you create for yourself. It could be to-do list with a plan for a week or a month, moreover you can choose whether to specify goals more in detail or whether you prefer more general description. In that case you briefly state tasks that need to be fulfilled and never forget to put down the deadlines! You can write down your goal, target and deadlines on your note book or a white board. This will serve as a visual reminder to you. Always reward yourself after finishing the task. For example go for a walk or treat yourself with a good meal or a fun night out.

2. Eliminate Distraction

Try to think of your work habits for a while. Are you able to fully concentrate on your work when you are logged in to Facebook or Twitter? Honestly, I don’t think it’s possible. It is way too distracting and the temptation to check your message box or chat with your friend is too strong. Therefore, close your email inbox and get yourself out of other social networking software. You should isolate yourself from these distractions completely and fully focus on your task.

3. Socialize & Network

Maybe this could sound like a distraction, however socilazing and networking to some extent increase your productivity. When you have a bad day, everything seems hopeless and the last thing you think about is your work. That is for sure not going to be one of your most productive days. A friendly chat with your colleague and a bit of fresh air together with lunch could recharge your batteries and you may go on with more energy. Also when you are struggling with your task and you feel like postponing it for later, ask your colleague for an advice. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. You get an inspiration and a different point of view. In return, always offer help when you see it might be needed.

Even though you still find it tough to avoid procrastination and manage your time effectively, you need to realize that sooner or later the work has to get done and it better be you who gets it done. In the meantime, when you just can’t find the energy, motivation, or inspiration to complete an annoying task, at least spend the time productively. Don’t waste your time! It is far too precious.