Quickly and accurately targeting a priority allows for more time to deal with it. The million dollar question then would be “How do you know what the real priorities are?”

In order to know the real priorities an end goal must be held in mind. With this future situation in mind think of the activity you need to do. Does it really matter to the achievement of the end goal? Or is it a extraneous time eater you can do without?

This simple technique can save much wasted effort, and help one achieve far more with far less.

Often not. We have self limiting actions that set ourselves up for failure.

We know we know, and we know the likely outcome of our actions.

Before making a self limiting choice it helps to remind ourselves of the positive outcome and also that, in the words of that glib ad, “you’re worth it”. Each correct choice strengthens our positive decision making abilities, our self-discipline.

Need to be creative? Classical music is the one to listen to.

Need to relax from a stressful situation? Classical music is a great reliever.

Need inspiration? Listen to classical music.

It is instructive to note that you don’t hear classical music blasting out of a low ride convertible during a summer evening. You may however hear it in the background of a millionaire’s garden party. I don’t know the reason, but I know it works to affect the mind beneficially.

I’ve listened to all types of music, rock, rap, etcetera.  Each has an effect on the thoughts of the mind. Of them all I’ve found classical to be the most beneficial. For example, drinking enough water and sleeping with classical music playing I have discovered can make five hours of sleep feel more refreshing than eight hours of sleep.

Not knowing what to do in an emergency situation can be debilitating. Learning first aid gives reassurance during times of high stress. Knowing a set of actions, and steps, to take to alleviate the situation and to bring about a positive conclusion to the events is a great aid – First aid.

Lightning reflexes are a useful ability to maintain as the years go by. Thankfully there is a entire industry devoted to it.There are many computer games that have been created to assist in rapid eye tracking and muscle motor response. This has extended over the years to games that help maintain and improve fitness, stability, and other aspects.

So looking after your health, and in particular maintaining cat like reflexes can be immense fun.

Obviously because they would not want to harm their lungs with the deadly pollutants. Strangely, we often do the equivalent and far worse to ourselves.

We pollute our minds. We feed our mind on thoughts which are harmful, and continually ‘smoke’ ideas that do our lives no good whatsoever. What kinds of thoughts?

Negative ones.

We may smoke “can’t do”, instead of drinking “how can I do?” water, or draw on a pipe of “it’s no use” instead of downing a refreshing glass of  ”I’ll find a way”.

The neighbour of Negativity is one to move far away from. Replacing the negative inputs with positive ones, and ‘smoking’ these positive ideas many times daily will burn in a long lasting beneficial effect on the mind.

(* ‘smoking’ positive thoughts is good for your mental health)

For some, I may as well have said slay your first born,  as its too scary a concept to consider.

Speaking to a group of friends generally would cause no issues, yet to give voice to an equal number of  people when they are thought of as an “audience” fills people with fear.

Therein lies a key, seeing the “audience” as friends does assuage the fear factor, and the key of being prepared eliminates it entirely.

Having experience of being on radio, as well as speaking to audiences in the thousands it’s still rare that I’d ad lib. Preparation is the key, and often the preparation takes longer than the faultless delivery you practised for.

This is even more true in the current information age in which we live. The fabric of our interactions is tearing and stitching together in complex ways with many new threads sewn in place.

Re-skill, add skill, complement skills, whichever is most suited to your desired end, it’s all good.

At the least you’ll make yourself feel a tiny bit better, and as long as no one sees you grinning at the screen while reading this they wont think you’re crazy either.

I’m smiling as I write, but I don’t know if it will affect / infect you through the digital ether.

Smiling is free, it is pleasant, and you can share it with everyone you know, and even some you don’t.

Hang your smile on someone else’s face. Share it!

One example for myself is in eating more fruit. I know that I know about its goodness, yet I know I don’t fully realise that goodness in my diet.

So this Life Hack is more of a Sensible Hack. After all, it makes sense to do what we know will get good results in the long term.

It has now become a morning ritual to start off the day with at least one fruit. So with breakfast done, I’m at least part way through this Sensible Hack of the day.