These days, cell phones do a whole lot more than just making calls – yes, they still make calls. Of course, with apps that do everything from connect you to latest social network to addictive games that can keep you busy for hours, the fun can cancel out the productivity pretty quickly. I have an Android phone and I love it (for my iPhone friends, you may find that many of these apps are in the iTunes App store as well). And yes, I play lots of games on it. However, I have found some great applications that actually help me be productive. Here are my top five:

1. Evernote

You can do so much with this amazing online notebook. You can store and organize notes, voice recordings, pictures and more. The app is free, all you need is an Evernote account (also free) and you can start organizing your notes. The great thing about Evernote is that you can access it from your Phone (it supports iPhone as well as Android), PC (Windows & Mac) and via the web. While it offers a premium service at $45 per year, most people can make do with the free version.

2. Mint.Com

Like Evernote, this app links in to a web-based service (which is free) that is extremely helpful. Mint.com allows you to track all your financial data from credit cards to bank accounts to loans to investments and much more. While you can’t use it to pay bills, you can use it to quickly check transactions and make notes to any transactions that are made to any of your accounts. You can also see if payments cleared, check balances and see how you’re tracking within your budget. It takes a while to set up (you might need about half a day to collect all your information and register for access to your different accounts) but then after that, you’re good to go. It’s a must have for anyone who’s serious about their financial health.

3. Gentle Alarm :

Gone are the days of needing an alarm clock – most cell phones (even those without all the fancy bells & whistles) have alarms built into them. But this app takes things a couple steps forward. First, the volume of the alarm starts off low but than gradually increases, which helps you wake up in a more natural way. Another great feature is the pre-alarm, which goes off at a low volume before the regular alarm (default is 30 minutes, but you can adjust it) so if you’re partially awake, you’ll hear it and get up (if you’re so inclined). We’re all looking for more hours in the day and this app is a great way to get some (at least partial hours).

4. Juice Defender:

This app is essentially a tool that helps prolong your battery life by shutting off things that you’re not using. Smartphones are notorious for having short battery life so these types of utilities are essential. I’ve found that by using this app, I typically get a 75% increase in battery life, which is very helpful. You might be wondering how a battery saver makes you more productive. Well, if you’re not able to use your phone because your battery has run out (or you’re waiting for it to charge), then you have completely lost any productivity. Minimizing these types of situations will certainly help with productivity.

5. Business Calendar:

While the calendar included with Android is okay (and the one that the HTC Sense phones include is pretty nice), I’ve found this app to be helpful because of its display and it’s widget. Again, the calendar widget from HTC Sense is nice and scrolls a bit better, but the Business Calendar widget uses a smaller font so if you’re like me and keep your to do list in your calendar, then you can see a lot more entries right away without the need to scroll. It also comes preloaded with US holidays and lets you have multiple calendars (work, home, etc…) which you can turn their displays off and on.

So these are some of my favorite apps that I feel increase my productivity. As I discover more, I’ll be sure to add them to future posts. And if there are apps that you think I should know about, leave a comment below or contact me.

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I’ve been noticing more and more personal development “experts” knocking people that have jobs and pretty much calling them inferior. Some go as far as calling them slaves. A few years ago, I would have shared their opinion (but not nearly as strongly). However, two things have changed my mind. First, I’ve met a number of people that actually very happy with their jobs and the work-life balance that it gives them. But the big eye opener for me was when I taught my first Job Interview class a few years back – half the people in the room were business owners looking to get back into a nine to five position.

I was taken completely off-guard with this – every entrepreneur I had ever meet (and I had met a few hundred through the years) never looked back and would never consider working for someone else. After the class, I spoke to a few of them for a while and learned some interesting things. The first was that being a small business owner is a very tough career path – and just like a regular job, can take its toll on you. Anyone that has ever owned a small business knows this – in fact, in “Rich Dad, Poor Dad
” Robert Kiyosaki points out that many small business owners are as bad (and sometimes, worse) off than working stiffs. But the other thing was that they wanted more time with their families and friends. One gentleman told me he was sick of working 80+ hours a week while his kids were growing up and his parents were dying. It sure got me to think a little differently.

So while all this didn’t convince me that working for someone else is always better than working for yourself, I did get me to realize that the personal development folks are being a bit harsh and a bit out of touch with reality. Both the employed and the self-employed can be considered slaves or can be the ideal career for a given individual. Let’s take a closer look.

Slaves in the work place:

There’s no doubt that many (if not most) workers are unhappy with their current work environment. Some of the factors that contribute to this unease may include:

• Bad boss.
• Low pay and poor benefits.
• Few or no opportunities for advancement.
• Office politics.
• Fear of job loss through downsizing.
• High stress.

As someone who has experienced all of these points, you certainly can feel like a slave to the daily grind or a rat in the proverbial “rat race”. Having the infamous “boss from hell” can certainly affect your self-esteem and make you feel worthless. Low pay and sub-par benefits can make you depressed, as can constantly being passed over for promotions. Office politics and tight deadlines lead to stress, anxiety and can destroy your self worth. And nothing keeps you up at night more than wondering if tomorrow will be the day you’re downsized.

But work isn’t bad for everyone. For many, it’s a place where they can be social, have freedom to put their skills and creativity to work and challenge themselves in a healthy way. And some simply like being able to work a fixed set of hours each week for a steady paycheck. For people who want to spend nights, weekends and holidays with their families, this isn’t a bad option – provided you have a job you like. For others, you may get free perks like travel, training and other benefits most business owners couldn’t even imagine.

Of course, many people simply lack the desire or ability to run a business. While one can take courses to learn skills to help run a business, they may not have the desire to work the hours, perform all the necessary duties or keep up with the latest trends.

Slaves to their business

It’s hard to think of business owners as slaves (unless you’ve run a small business). After all, some of the freedoms and benefits that you get when you own your own business include:

• You don’t need to answer to a boss and can make your own decisions.
• You can choose what projects to work on, what services to offer, where to work out of and which hours to work.
• If a client gives you too much trouble, you can stop doing business with them.
• When you work hard, you’re the one that benefits from your efforts.
• Your advancement is limited only by your own skills and abilities, as opposed to someone above you on the food chain.

If freedom to do what you want to do is your number one priority in a career, then you won’t be happy unless you have your own business. For many entrepreneurs, the mere thought of having to “report to” someone strikes fear in their hearts. And there’s nothing wrong with this – small businesses are important to the growth of our economy

But does having a business mean that you’re no longer a slave? Well, some people with businesses are just as enslaved as their working stiff counterparts. Consider the following:

• You don’t have a boss but you have clients and customers.
• You can set your own hours but if you don’t work, you don’t make money.
• Yes, some clients can be miserable but if they account for a big chunk of you’re income, they are essentially like having a boss as you must meet their needs.
• When you own a business, you’re on call 24/7.
• Running a business takes more than the skills needed to do your craft. You need to do accounting, taxes, marketing, customer service and manage your finances (especially your cash flow) among other things.

So is a business a lot of work? Absolutely. Is it worth it? It depends. The fact that you control your own destiny is a big plus. But keep in mind that there’s some statistic that 60% of small businesses fail in the first five years, many small business owners sacrifice personal relationships (and have a higher divorce rate) and a single event can be a game changer (either for better or for worse). Again, it takes a certain type of person to run a business. I see a number of people at networking events trying to push a multi-level marketing or network marketing business figuring they’ll make easy money. A business can be exponentially more rewarding than working for someone else, but it’s also exponentially more work.

People in denial

Something I’ve found interesting is the stubbornness of many folks that both in the workforce or self-employed. They are clearly not happy with what they’re doing yet try to pretend that everything is fine. I’ve know people that have both the skills and ability to be a successful entrepreneur yet say things like “I’m happy with my job” even though they’re college educated yet take home the equivalent of minimum wage because of all the overtime they work. I also know small business owners that keep telling themselves that all their efforts are worth it, even though they constantly complain about their lack of a social life due to their schedule.

I personally feel that those who work for others run the greater risk. It seems like every event where employed adults are present (networking-can-be-a-complete-waste-of-time/”>whether it’s a business or social event) I hear at least one person say “at least I have a job.” This mentality lowers your standards. If you think this way, you’re more likely to accept a boss (or company) that’s bullying you, a request to do more for less and accept pay cuts and/or fewer benefits for the “security” of keeping your job. More astute employees are appreciative to have a job, but recognize when their employer is taking advantage of them – and most importantly, do something about it.

On the flip side, working for yourself when it’s not the best thing for you can be just as bad. Yes, the freedom of not having a boss is great. But it gets tough when you see the weeks, months and years pass you by but your standard of living is not improving. The thing that always sticks out in my mind was one person saying to me that if he could go back in time, he would not have started his business because he missed seeing his kids growing up. He practically broke down while telling me about the look in his son’s eyes when he was confronted about not attending any of his little league games.

The bottom line

There are pros and cons for both working for yourself and for working for someone else so it really boils down to your goals. While there’s no shame in working for someone else (despite what these so-called gurus try to tell you) you can go a lot farther with your own business. I sometimes speak to groups of college students and get asked what I think is a better option. I recommend that if they want to start a business, go for it right after graduation (or get a head start while you’re still in school). It’s a lot easier to deal with the demands of a business before you have a spouse, kids and/or a mortgage. Plus, you have the energy to work the hours you need to.

For others, a hybrid approach is more appropriate. Start a side business while working – just make sure you’re not doing anything that could be considered a conflict of interest with your employer. There’s an advantage to this approach as you get to do everything on a small scale so you get to learn about all aspects of running a business – from taxes to marketing to dealing with clients. And if the business fails, you still have your day jobs.

On the flip side, many business owners get a part-time job to supplement their business. Some do it to get benefits and/or a steady stream of income while others use it to gain access to potential clients. I once met a guy who owned a business that offered tours to the various Disney theme parks. He met most of his clients through his part time job at the Disney Store.

The key to a successful career is doing what makes you happy and not caring about what others think is best for you. So take a moment to figure out what’s best for you and don’t be afraid to go for it.

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Disney is doing something cool with their latest park promotion. This year, they are rewarding people who donate a day of service to one of several charities with a free pass to one of their theme parks. While some have criticized this as a marketing ploy, I feel that it’s a good thing and that we can all learn from it.

First, let’s address the criticism. The big complaint is it’s a marketing ploy to lure people in with a free pass. After all, if you don’t live near the parks, it means you need to travel there and then potentially stay at one of their hotels. And if you’re making the trip, you’ll probably want to stay for more than just one day and visit their other parks (the pass is good for a single park, not all four in Orlando or both in Anaheim). Plus you’ll probably want to buy some food and/or souvenirs. And also, the free pass is only good through December of this year.

While these complaints are valid to some extent, Disney did something interesting and actually addressed them. I frequently visit their Orlando, Florida resort which has four separate parks so when I travel there (from the northeast), I like to spend at least week there so I can see everything. A single day pass does very little for me because the way their ticket media works, it costs less than $20 for me to buy another day’s access to all four theme parks. This is the case for most people that travel to Disney.

But Disney is smart because they offer three alternatives. The first is that they give you the option to exchange it for special Fastpasses (passes that allow you to bypass lines at popular attractions). This is of great value to most people that visit their parks because you’re not spending the whole day waiting in lines. The second option is a special set of collectable trading pins – again, another great option for hardcore Disney fans. But the last suggestion they offer is my favorite – that you can donate your free pass to a charity or non-profit.

I think this program will encourage a good amount of people to donate their time. I wonder if Disney will release the actual numbers of passes they give out with program because it would be interesting to see. But I can see people on a budget (especially those within driving distance of the parks) taking part in this program as they could treat their kids to a Disney experience for very little cost.

It also raises awareness of service opportunities. I believe a number of people (and even entire families) will try out community service and learn how rewarding it is. A sincere “thank you” from someone you’ve helped or the satisfaction in knowing something you did will help someone in need is an incredible gift – it just feels very good. So I applaud Disney for this program and I hope other businesses will find creative ways like this to do well by doing good.

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Last week, I provided a list of tips to help high school students make the most out of their years in school so now I’ve come up with a similar list for people in college. College is an interesting period for most people. Some go overboard with all the freedom they have and end up having a lot of issues. Others view it as a reboot of their lives from high school – they’re in a new place with new people and a clean slate. While others see it simply as the next step in the progression of programs that make up their lives and miss out on some of the opportunities.

To me, college was the best years of my life. Although I didn’t do everything I would have liked to, I created friendships that have lasted well over a decade and have many cherished memories. So here are some of the things you can do to get the most out of your years in college:

1: Sign up for social networking web sites:

The most important thing you can do in college is create a network. This means friends, professors, administrators, alumni and anyone that can help you find a job or start a business. Once you’ve created your network, you need to maintain it and that means keeping the contact information of the people in your network current.

When I was in college, I created a database to keep track of my friends’ contact info. We didn’t have cell phones back then (actually, I did, but I was the only one) so everyone had two phone numbers: one for when they were at school and one for when they were at home. Also, services like gmail either didn’t exist (although some people had AOL or hotmail) or weren’t widely used. And to make matters worse, many schools didn’t offer alumni permanent email addresses. So once you left campus after graduation, it was tough to keep up with people as they moved both physically and from job to job.

These days, we have social networks and free email services so people are much easier to find. But do yourself a favor, start adding people now as you get to know them. Even in college, a few semesters can seem like a long time. I can think of people that I hung out with as a freshman, didn’t see for two years and then when we were seniors acted like we were meeting for the first time. So adding these people and sending a note out to them every couple months helps you avoid that and stay in contact.

2. Attend an alumni networking event.

The requirement here is at least one, but try to attend more if you’re able to. Some schools have “rules” about current students attending alumni events, but by asking the right people, you should be able to get yourself in. This alone is an excellent exercise and this skill can help you with sales prospecting later on in life.

Now why would you want to rub elbows with alumni? Many of these people are employed or own businesses so they are the people you’ll be seeking after graduation (especially if you find yourself out of work). These people can share stories, give you career advice, provide jobs, share their networks and help you connect with others that can help you. I often attend alumni events for my college and I always complement the current students (usually graduate students) that attend them. One important tip, bring business cards (you can either print them yourself or order them online) and resumes.

3. Learn how to follow up:

I’ve gone back to my college a number of times where I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with current undergraduate students. A number of my friends and associates have also had these opportunities yet we all have noticed an interesting trend – very few of the students we meet take the initiative to follow up.

At a typical event that I attend, I’ll often come in contact with 50-100 students. I include my contact info in my presentations as I’m always willing to help those that I can, yet I typically only get one or two people that make that effort. I usually present with one or two other people, and they typically get the same result.

Thinking back to when I was in college, I have to admit that I often wanted to contact many of the alumni that presented but was often too intimidated to do so. It wasn’t that the person was being intimidating so much as that I was shy. It wasn’t until I was in graduate school that I learned to stop being shy and started connecting with these folks.

4. Go on an informational interview

Before you’re at the stage where you’re looking for a full-time job or even an internship, it’s helpful to go on one or more informational interviews to find out what life is really like in your desired field after college. This is especially helpful if you’re goal is to start a business as you can gain some real world knowledge about your industry.

An informational interview differs from a job interview in many ways. First of all you’re there to learn, not to go through the hiring process so it’s less formal. Second, you ask most of the questions. You can set up an informational interview with anyone in your desired field that’s willing to meet with you. You can meet with them in person (which I recommend as you get the full effect), by phone or even through an online chat.

The more people you meet with, the more perspectives you’ll get. Keep in mind that each company has its own unique culture and that cultures can be different even within the same organization. But getting out there and meeting people will help you get a better understanding for what you’re in for as well as establish some contacts for jobs and advice when it’s time to begin your job search.

5. Travel

College is the ideal time to see the world around you. Life is a whirlwind for most people after graduation because before you know it, you’re immersed in a job with two weeks of vacation (or a business where you have even less leisure time) and then finding yourself getting married, starting a family and preparing to send someone else to college.

Spring break is perhaps one of the most missed opportunities to get out and see the world. In the United States, college students flock to the beaches in Florida or Cancun for a week of things that make their parents cringe. I wasted my spring breaks working a part-time job but did get to experience it firsthand a couple years after I graduated when my brother and I took trip to Florida that coincided with spring break. We ran into a lot of folks that were having fun – although I suspect few of them will actually remember anything that happens.

A better alternative is to visit a major city that you’ve always wanted to. Get a group of friends together, plan a trip and go. Most major cities have a decent nightlife so you can get some partying in, but instead of wasting your week in a drunken stupor, you’ll expand your horizons and possibly find a place that you’ll either want to visit again or even relocate to. Los Angeles, Orlando, Nashville, D.C. and Las Vegas are all exciting cities with decent weather during spring break. New York, Boston, Seattle and Chicago make lack the good climate, but make up for it in culture and night life.

Outside of spring break, take some time during your winter break to go skiing or visit somewhere tropical. Also, give yourself a few weeks either at the beginning or end of your summer vacation for a trip – this is an excellent time to visit some of the cities in cooler climates.

If you aren’t able to travel while in college, give yourself a month after graduation to see the world (or at least the country). You’d be surprised what you can cram in, even if you’re on a budget.

In part two of this article, we’ll cover some other ideas that can help you enjoy your college years, create memories, and prepare you for the road ahead.

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