One warning is perhaps in order—-this territory we are entering can become a fantastic time-sink. Hours can slip by, people can come and go, and you’ll be locked into Cyberspace. Remember to do your work!

That really hits home, doesn’t it? More than fifteen years later we’re fully immersed in the information age and those prophetic words have never been truer. We are overloaded with information, so much so that it becomes distracting, harms our ability to select and digest knowledge that matters the most, and ends up killing our focus and productivity.

Humans are not multitasking machines, because there really wasn’t a strong evolutionary reason for us to be. We perform better when focusing on a single task, it’s hard-wired in our individual brains, and the context switching required to jump from one task to another is far too “expensive” for our minds to continually deal with.

The solution is to put yourself on an information diet. These are a few strategies that can really help to limit your daily information intake, simplify your life and get things done.

1. Limit recreational Internet surfing

Sites like StumbleUpon, Digg, Reddit, Facebook and Twitter can be fun, interesting, informative and even teach you many useful things, but they are time-sinks. If you aren’t careful, several hours of your personal time can end up being wasted, when perhaps you’d like to put them to better use. Decide what the amount of time is that you’d like to spend on such sites, and stick to it. One hour of your personal time is usually a generous compromise. Remember that you can use RescueTime or similar tools to keep track of how much time you spend browsing and using certain applications.

2. Syndication is your friend

There are information sources that truly matter to you and rightfully, that’s fair, we each have our favorite areas of interest. Rather than checking them regularly and getting lost in the Internet in the process, use a good RSS feed reader. It will make your life much easier, allow you to follow the type of content that you really need or want to read more closely, and prevent you from jumping from site to site in boredom. Read your feeds once or twice a day, and then get on with your life.

If you are using a Mac OS X I suggest the excellent NetNewsWire, while Windows users should take a look at FeedDemon. If you prefer to use your browser, as opposed to a standalone desktop application, Google Reader is definitely worth a try.

If you already use a feed reader, don’t forget to put it on a diet as well. Do you really have time to read hundreds of regularly updated feeds?

3. Don’t obsess over your email

Check your email inbox two (or three times maximum) during the day. Some people tend to frenetically hit “refresh” while waiting for new emails to show up or they check every email notification that appears in programs like Outlook, Lotus Notes or Thunderbird. Unless you work in customer service relations, disable pop up notifications, blip sounds, and only check your email every few hours. You can read Inbox Zen with the three folder email system to learn more about a good system I use to stay on top of emails without stressing over them.

4. Limit IM chats

Instant Messaging is a very immediate form of communication and it’s rapidly taking over the use of emails, even in the workplace. My suggestion is to limit its usage though, because you can easily end up wasting both yours and other people’s time. The easiest way to accomplish this is to put yourself in “Do not disturb” mode. If it’s truly an emergency, you’ll get contacted regardless of your status. But you’ll also avoid all those “So what’s up, Tony?” type of chats. Note that I’m not advocating getting rid of social interaction. On the contrary, I’m suggesting more social interaction when appropriate (in the form of taking to someone in person). Most people will agree though that being interrupted by IM messages when you are in the middle of working on something brain-intensive is a surefire way to lose focus.

5. Skip unnecessary meetings

There are meetings you don’t really need to participate in. So why are you still going? If your presence at a given meeting doesn’t benefit either yourself or your company, I’d argue that your time is much better spent on actual work. Of course, I’m not advocating that you stop attending meetings all of a sudden, that’s a good way to get fired. Rather I’m suggesting that you discuss with your manager about whether or not your participation in a meeting is required and of any actual advantage to the company. Meetings can be very useful, but let’s be frank, many of them aren’t.

6. Keep it short on the phone

Don’t chit-chat on the phone. Get to the point quickly and politely and always encourage the person on the other side to skip ahead to the real reason behind their call. If a follow up is required, try to see if this can be arranged by email instead.

7. Cut the number of hours in front of the TV

Try to limit the amount of time that you spend watching TV. If you read the news online, you don’t really need to view it again in the living room. I don’t dislike TV, there are a few interesting programs that I feel are really worth watching, but if you’re not careful, TV can become a big source of information overload and equate to time spent in a less than productive manner.

Some people watch 4 hours of TV a day. Is that too much? Too little? I like to think in terms of percentage of one’s over-all life. On average, we have 16 waking hours a day. If you consistently spend 4 hours watching TV every day, then TV ends up “wasting” a quarter of your adult life. Is it a waste? It depends, on your deathbed would you regret having spent a quarter of your life watching TV? I know I would.

Enjoy your free time

These 7 tips for reducing the information overload outlined above are a mix of things that can be applied to your personal and professional life. They’re not intend to be a guide for making you a productive, unstoppable machine. Productivity and focus at work are the main effects of these techniques, but there is more to them than that.

What would you do if you had 16 extra hours a week that could be obtained by eliminating unnecessary, time-sink types of activities? You could hang out more with the people you care about, take up a hobby, get a dog, go out more or work towards your goals. Regardless of how you choose to spend your newly obtained time, your life will likely be much better off because of it.

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An ever-increasing stack of neatly arranged boxes stare back at me as I gaze up from the computer, well into the throws of packing for our upcoming move, I can’t help but think of some of the useful lessons I’ve learned from the many I’ve moves I’ve made throughout my life.

From across town to across an ocean, I’ve moved houses quite a fair number of times, and with each new journey towards another stage in my life, I’ve gathered firsthand knowledge of what it takes to make a move – any move – more successful, straightforward, and yes, perhaps even enjoyable. Here are twenty useful moving tips that have served me well through several moves.

1. Plan! This might sound blatantly obvious, but as soon as you know with any shred of certainty that you’ll be moving, start planning as many steps as you possibly can. Write out (on paper or online) everything and anything that you think may be important. Remember the milk and Ta-da Lists are two terrific sites which can help make the task of keeping everything straight a whole lot easier. Update your list often and make sure that everyone whose involved with the move (aka, family members who live with you) are all on the same page when it comes to knowing about what’s going on regarding the move.




2. If you rent (lease) and are required to give a certain period of notice (of your intent to move) to your landlord, ensure that you do so. The amount of time that a person is legally required to adhere to when giving notice varies slightly from state to state (or province to province), but generally it is 1-2 months before the exact date that you plan to vacate your current premises (this information should be included on your lease or rental agreement). When submitting your written notice to your landlord (and/or property management office) ensure that you date it, sign it in your own handwriting (as opposed to just typing or printing out your name), and make a copy or photocopy for yourself.




3. Know your budget and try to stick to it. Will your new monthly rent or mortgage be more or less than your current one? Do you need to hire a moving truck/rent a van? Will you need to allot funds for airline travel, gas, railway tickets, hotel accommodations? Can you source boxes easily or do you need to purchase them? Draw up a realistic budget based on your current income and/or financial situation.

   Remember to account for expenses such as any fees that you might incur for canceling and/or hooking up (or in same cases transferring) services such as utilities, phone, cable and internet, a new insurance policy (be it renter’s insurance or homeowner’s insurance), temporary storage (if you’re going to need to house a substantial chunk of your belongings before moving them into your need home), and the cost of hiring professional movers or renting a vehicle, if you’re transporting your items yourself.

   It’s always wise to set aside a percentage of your budget for ‘miscellaneous expenses’ (such as last minute cab fares, buying maps, laying in for some extra cleaning supplies to ensure that you get your damage deposit back, etc) and another for ‘emergency expenses’ (those sorts of things that no one ever plans for, but which often seem to spring up at the most inopportune times). To help ensure your budget stays on track try using an online system such as Buxfer or Mint. On the day of your move, make sure that you have cash and personal cheques on hand, and that you know exactly where all your credit and debit cards are.




4. Learn as much about your new property/home as possible. If you are buying, chances are that your realtor will have told you a fair bit about your new home, but even if they have, it never hurts to ask about anything that you may be curious about. If you’re renting, make sure that you find out up front if things like utilities, cable and parking are included in the monthly rent, if the property has any sort of security system (alarm system, close circuit TV, doorman, etc), if your unit/suite/house/etc has fire alarms in place (as it legally should), what kind of laundry facilities are offered, what the policies are regarding subletting, if you need to provide your own garbage/recycling bins, and where the nearest public transit stops, grocery stores and hospitals are – amongst other things.




5. Check the fine-print on your utilities bills as soon as you know you’re moving to ensure that you call to cancel or redirect utility services well in advance (companies often ask that you call at least 30 days in advance of the date that you want the changes/cancellation to commence).




6. If you’re using a moving company, it’s always a good idea to book as far in advance as possible, especially if you’ll be relocating on a common moving day, such as the first or last day of the month. Call around before settling on a company to find out what services and extras (such as complimentary boxes) they offer, as well as their rates (and what their payment methods are). Always try to go with a company that is licensed and insured. If you have a bit of flexibility in terms of what day you’re able to move on, you may find it easier to get a mover that’s available during the week (as opposed to on the weekend).




7. Keep, toss, sell. If you’ve ever watched the TLC show Clean Sweep then you may be familiar with the “keep, toss, sell” method of organizing one’s worldly possessions. Essentially what “KTS” means is that as you’re organizing your belongings in preparation for your move, you take a moment and decide for each item whether you should keep, toss (aka, throw away), or sell (or donate) it. Moving is truly the ideal time to help rid your home of excess clutter, unwanted junk and anything that’s broken/no longer used.

   If time and your circumstances permit, a yard (garage) sale can be a fantastic way to help unload some of your old goods and rake in a little extra cash. If that’s not possible, then you may want to consider donating any items which are still in good condition to a local charity such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Just think, the less you own, the less you have to pack and unpack ?




8. Give out your new address and redirect your mail. As soon as you have your new address, take a few minutes (I usually find that an hour – during a weekday – is enough time, unless you’re on hold a lot) to call up important services that you use such as banks, credit card companies, insurers, utility companies, schools, doctors offices/pharmacies, lawyer’s offices, and anyplace else where it’s vital that they have your correct address.

   Just to veer on the side of caution, you may also wish to have your mail redirected from your current address to your new one at the post office (if you’re going to be living someplace temporarily between your old and your new house, you might want to have the post office hold your mail temporarily for you, as well). Email, call or write to friends and relatives before the move occurs, so that they’ll always have your correct address as well. Likewise, remember to cancel or redirect any newspapers and magazines that you subscribe to in advance.




9. Source your boxes – lots of boxes! If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the many moves I’ve made over the years, it’s that it is all too easy to underestimate the number of boxes that you’re actually going to end up needing. What seems like “just a little bit of stuff” can quickly fill more boxes than you might expect.

   In many larger cities, there are companies who specialize in selling sturdy boxes (often including wardrobe and mirror boxes) and other packing supplies. Such companies often delivery and can quickly provide you with clean, new boxes for a very reasonable fee. If this isn’t an option for you, boxes can sometimes be purchased from moving and moving/transport van rental companies.

   Alternatively, you can sometimes find boxes at places like grocery, liquor and furniture stores. Another handy alternative is to join your local Freecycle group and write a post asking for clean, strong moving boxes. In addition to boxes try to make sure that you have lots of packing tape, newspaper or packing paper, bubble wrap, blankets (for larger and highly fragile items), zip-lock bags (for sorting smaller items together), garbage bags (I’ve found GLAD ForceFlex bags to be immensely handy when moving), scissors/utility knives, and permanent markers on hand . If you’re going to be carrying your own boxes and furniture, good quality work gloves are a must!




10. Pack with a plan. Even before you have your moving boxes, you can begin organizing (see “Keep, toss, sell” above) your possessions. Once you have boxes, start packing up items ahead of time, leaving out only the most necessary of objects for the last minute. While a small household can (ambitiously) be packed up from top to bottom in a couple of days (assuming you don’t have a ton of possessions), going that route is both mentally and physically draining. It’s best to start packing 2-4 weeks in advance of your move date, if at all possible.

    By getting an early start on things, you’ll also be better able to judge ahead of time if you have enough boxes (trust me, one “last minute”, middle of the night back alley box hunt is all it takes to teach you the hard way that it’s best to start packing early on). While packing, try to keep like with like and avoid putting overly heavy items with smaller, more delicate pieces (in other words, don’t pack the fine china with the bowling balls).




11. Pack creatively. Make the most of your items and put them to work doing double duty, where applicable. Linens and bedding (including pillows) can be used to wrap up breakable items; suitcases, tote boxes, empty tins/decretive boxes, backpacks, duffel bags, sports equipment bags, laundry hampers (and laundry baskets), and (clean) garbage cans/bins can all be used as potential spots to pack items. While packing up, remember to return any library books, rented DVDs, or items which belong to other people.




12. Label your boxes. While different people have different strategies when it comes to how they like to label their moving boxes, I personally like to include the following on each box: the name of the room where the box is to be placed in your new home, a brief description of the contents, my surname (just in case the movers misplace a box somewhere), and if applicable, the word “fragile”.




13. Keep the toolbox handy. For both your old and your new home, you never know when you’ll need a screwdriver, hammer or level, so have your toolkit (and/or tool belt) at the ready.




14. Make it sparkle. Let’s face it, no one wants to move into an overtly dirty house, yet many of us have been in that exact situation before. As such it’s always nice to give your old place a thorough once-over (vacuum and shampoo any carpets, wash the walls and windows, clean out and wipe down the fridge and any cupboards/drawers, defrost the freezer, make sure the yard is tidy, take out any trash, ensure all light bulbs work, leave all appliances in good working order, etc), that way the new tenants don’t have to move into someone else’s mess. If the same courtesy has not been extended to at your new house, you’ll also need to clean there as well.

    Try to have a good arsenal of basic cleaning supplies on hand (floor cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, furniture/wood polish, Windex, dish soap, a broom and dustpan, sponges/rags, a mop and bucket, polishing clothes, a duster, a bottle of vinegar and some fresh lemons, etc). Also remember to shut the windows and doors, turn off all the lights, air conditioning or heaters, unplug any applicable appliances, and dispose of any trash before leaving your old house for the last time.




15. Keep valuables and important items with you. Ok, you might not be able to carry great grandpa’s antique piano in your lap, but many smaller important pieces can travel with you in a suitcase or plastic storage tote. Such items will be highly personal to you, but could include things such as important papers, jewelry, silverware, irreplaceable childhood mementoes, cherished photographs and anything small that’s extremely fragile. If you’re concerned about the an important item getting damaged during the move, consider having it appraised and insured beforehand, if you’ve not already done so.




16. Remember the good old days. Even if you had some less than fantastic times in your old home, it rarely hurts to take a few moments to reflect on what that house meant to you and your family. You may wish to take pictures or video tape your house during the move and when all the rooms are empty, for both your own recollection and the sake of posterity.




17. Use it or eat it. A few weeks before your moving date, start dwindling down the food in your fridge, freezer, cupboards and pantry, this way you won’t have to move as much of it. If you’ve move will involve many hours or days worth of travel, you may wish to eat up everything (or at least all perishable items) or give your unopened food items to people you known or a local food bank/soup kitchen, that accepts donations. If you are moving with perishable food, use a cooler (with ice) to keep your edibles from spoiling before you reach your destination. Similarly, there’s little point in moving nearly empty items like cleaning supplies, toiletries and gardening products. Use up or discard of as many ‘almost finished’ items as possible, before moving day arrives.




18. Don’t forget about Fido, Fluffy, Flippy or Flappy. Arrange in advance to have someone watch your pets on the day (weekend, week, etc) of you move or board them with a kennel/pet hotel. If you are traveling to your new home with a pet, make sure that they’re wearing their tags (if applicable) and that you have their registration papers, vet files (paperwork), medications, a leash and collar, a clean blanket (and/or carrying case), plastic bags and some rags (for any accidents or pit stops), and plenty of clean water and food on hand with you.




19. Always do one last walk-through. No matter how thorough you’ve been in packing, it never hurts to do one finale walk-about of your old home before shutting the door for the last time (especially important if you’ll be handing over the keys to someone else, such a landlord, right then and there). Check all closets, storage spaces, sheds, the basement and attic, and inside the appliances (including the washing machine and dryer, if they’re not coming with you).




20. Last minute details. It’s the day of your move and with a little luck everything has gone pretty well so far. You’re organized (cell phone, laptop computer, wallet, camera, kids, pets, and important paper work? Check!), packed (did you remember to double check the bathroom cabinets and take any medications with you?), and rearing to go. Now is the time to ensure that you’ve got all sets of house and mailbox keys and garage door openers ready to handover/give back. Check the mailbox one last time, do your walk-through, take any last minute photos, and give yourself a highly deserved pat on the back for a move well done!

These are 20 important points that I always try to remember and put into action when I move. They have helped keep me sane and my move on track numerous times. What are some of your favorite moving tips, tricks and pieces of advice that we haven’t listed above?