Featured Posts in Change

DIY Exact Change Card

In Diy, Money, Change, Personal Finance, / 31 December 2011 / 0 comments

Several years ago we covered the minimum number of coins you'd need to produce exact change for any occasion (10 coins), but we didn't have any great suggestions of how to carry them, but thanks to Instructables, you can cut a credit-card sized piece of cardboard to hold all ten coins in just a few minutes.
Instructables user RTourn found that standard shipping-box cardboard is thick enough to hold two coins by friction. He cut out a credit-card sized piece of cardboard and cut openings for each of the four types of coins.

Once this is done you'll have a simple and free way to carry exact change wherever you go. If rocking a cardboard cutout is too ghetto for you and you have access to a 3D printer, you can print out a plastic version of this change card.

Always have Correct Change in your wallet | Instructables via MakeZine
"Everyone Wants Better. No One Wants Change"

In Quotables, Change, Work, Hard Work, Stress, Quotes, / 23 June 2011 / 0 comments

Jonathan Fields points out that often times we're only interested in the result and want to ignore the hard work it takes to get it. The internet has created a culture based on immediacy, and that is good in many ways, but sometimes the hard way is better. Being healthy and happy isn't just a decision to make. It takes concentrated, ongoing effort. It's easy to see the hard stuff as bad, but it rarely is. Even positive change may be stressful, but it's going to be better.
Photo by Yuri Arcurs

Everyone Wants Better. No One Wants Change | Jonathan Fields

You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook. Twitter's the best way to contact him, too.
Why Too Much Self-Control Breeds Aggression (and What to Do About It)

In Change, Behavior, Psychology, Anger, Aggression, Habits, / 22 March 2011 / 0 comments

We know that we have a limited supply of willpower, but what happens when you exert too much willpower? According to The Journal of Consumer Behavior, it leads to aggression.

Photo by Lara604
Studies were conducted on people who did and did not restrain themselves to see how they would react to things categorized as angry and not angry. The majority of people who restricted themselves in some way preferred the anger:

The researchers studied different types of self-control and the subjects' subsequent behavior. For instance, participants who carefully controlled their spending of a gift certificate were more interested in looking at angry faces than fearful ones. Dieters preferred public service ads that were framed in threats, such as "if funds are not increased for police training, more criminals will escape prison. Subjects who picked an apple over chocolate were more irritated by ads that used words like "you ought to" or "need to," which sound controlling. They were also more likely to choose to watch a movie with a theme of hostility over other options.

Next time you're dieting, spending less, quitting a bad habit, or controlling your behavior in some other way, make sure to pay attention to your levels of frustration. We often try to rush changes in our behavior and it can be very frustrating. To avoid becoming a really angry person, try limiting your self-control to smaller things and add new ones as you adjust. If you overdo it, you might just end up severely frustrated without really realizing it. Associating that frustration with a change you're trying to make is ultimately going to make you think that change is making you unhappy. In reality, there's a good chance you're simply trying to change too fast and that's what is making you unhappy. If you need to make a change in your life, make it slowly or you might end up doing more harm than good.

Self-Constraint Leads Us to Prefer Aggression | Scientific American

You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook. If you'd like to contact him, Twitter is the most effective means of doing so.
Brainwash Your Way to Change

In Resolutions, Habits, Productivity, Change, Aggression, Habits, / 10 March 2008 / 0 comments

Weblog Unclutterer recognizes the difficulties in changing long-standing habits, suggesting that the best ways to inspire personal change may be to employ techniques commonly associated with brainwashing. For example:

People are more susceptible to programming when they're exhausted. If you're going to listen to motivational tapes or talk yourself into being self-disciplined enough to do work, you should do it right before bed after a long day of physical and mental activity.
Most of the observations in the post come from a book called How to Work the Competition into the Ground and Have Fun Doing It, and while the idea of using brainwashing techniques on yourself may sound a bit extreme, if it's all about making changes you want, the idea makes sense. If you've ever tried similar techniques, let's hear how they've worked for you in the comments.
Brainwash your way to a clutter-free life? [Unclutterer]

DIY Exact Change Card

"Everyone Wants Better. No One Wants Change"

Why Too Much Self-Control Breeds Aggression (and What to Do About It)

Brainwash Your Way to Change

Turn an Old Cellphone Into a Super Cheap Home Automation System

Words to Avoid Online If You Don’t Want to Join the Government’s Watch List

The Priority Pyramid Tells You Which Financial Goals to Tackle Now

Turn a Soda Bottle into a Worry-Free Self-Watering Planter

Perfectly Prune Your Notifications to Stop Your Phone from Constantly Bugging You

Turn an Old Cellphone Into a Super Cheap Home Automation System

Words to Avoid Online If You Don’t Want to Join the Government’s Watch List

The Priority Pyramid Tells You Which Financial Goals to Tackle Now

Turn a Soda Bottle into a Worry-Free Self-Watering Planter

Perfectly Prune Your Notifications to Stop Your Phone from Constantly Bugging You

Keep Shaving Lather Warm by Storing It in a Sink Full of Hot Water

Pig Toolbox Adds Gesture Controls, YouTube Tools, Mail Checking, and More to Chrome with One Extension

Velcro Remote Controls to a Coffee Table for Easy, Uncluttered Access

Force YouTube Links on iPhone to Open Up in Safari

Senti Wayk for Android Wakes You Gently, Quiets Down When You Say Snooze

How Do You Stay Productive After Work?

Use a Garlic Press to Juice Key Limes

How to Get Out Of Your Cell Phone Contract Without Paying Termination Fees

Perfectly Prune Your Notifications to Stop Your Phone from Constantly Bugging You

Keep Shaving Lather Warm by Storing It in a Sink Full of Hot Water

Outline Your "Definition Of Done" to Avoid the Perfection Bug

Cortex Camera Takes Great Low Light iPhone Photos

Use A Popcorn Bag’s Vent to Filter Out Kernels