Category: Media

The Productivityist Podcast

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I recently came across an engaging podcast from a company called the Productivityist.  According to their web site, they are:

“A company built with the quest to help people stop “doing” productive and start “being” productive through developing practical and tactical approaches to their work and lives.”

productivityistThe host is Mike Vardy, the President of the company.  So, what exactly is a productivityist?  Mike offers us this description:

“A productivityist is a productivity enthusiast. They are someone who studies productivity, be it the tools or habits. They dive deeper into the realm than most people. Just like a comedian looks at the world differently, so does the productivityist. Productivityists, like other enthusiasts, like to go further in their craft and push boundaries. They like to explore new processes, new ideas, new ways to get things done.”

The podcast is worth a listen and it can be found on the Productivityist web site or through the Apple Podcast app.  In future blog posts, I’ll explore the thoughts and ideas of some of the podcast’s unique guests.

 

WorkLife with Adam Grant: A TED original podcast

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How come every office environment seems to run in the same routine patterns?  Is there any innovation out there designed to make our work lives more rewarding and enjoyable?  There certainly is! I have been listening to a very entertaining podcast that explores the  horizons made possible when people re-imagine the office.  It is presented by Professor Adam Grant, bestselling author of Originals and Give & Take.  The podcast is called WorkLife and it mission is as follows:

AdamGrant_2016-headshot_preview“You spend a quarter of your life at work, so shouldn’t you enjoy it? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside some of the world’s most unusual workplaces to discover the keys to better work. Whether you’re learning how to love criticism or trust a co-worker you can’t stand, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again.”

In brisk episodes of about 30 minutes in length, Grant’s podcast made for easy and inviting listening.  In particular I enjoyed the episode exploring how introverts and extroverts can function successfully in the workplace, which featured an interview with Susan Cain, author of Quiet.  Visit the TED website to learn more about the series and download episodes.

New Guidelines on Passwords

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Passwords are an unfortunate reality of our online lives. With the average person having multiple accounts for everything from email, credit cards, shopping sites, and more, and each one requiring a different password to protect it. In the past, the guidelines for passwords instructed people to string together complex sets of characters that were often hard to remember on the assumption that it would be more secure. However, new research shows otherwise. A recent NPR story explains why:

“The traditional guidance is actually producing passwords that are easy for bad guys and hard for legitimate users,” says Paul Grassi, senior standards and technology adviser at NIST, who led the new revision of guidelines.

The organization suggests keeping passwords simple, long and memorable. Phrases, lowercase letters and typical English words work well, Grassi tells NPR’s Audie Cornish. Experts no longer suggest special characters and a mixture of lower and uppercase letters. And passwords never need to expire.”

Read the full article on the NPR web site. Then create a new project titled “simplify my passwords” to start making better, safer passwords for yourself.

The Terrifying Cost of “Free” Websites

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adamruinsfacebookHave you ever wondered how Facebook can provide you with free services just by signing up?  Or how Google can afford to run the world’s largest search engine without you ever directly paying them a dime?  In a hilarious yet scary video homage to the Matrix movies, comedian Adam Conover dispels widespread misconceptions about the real cost of “free” online services in his popular series “Adam Ruins Everything.”

If that video scared you, I am proud to share that the public library is one of the few institutions that works hard to protect your privacy.  You may not know that Florida State Statute 257.261 protects your borrowing record from prying eyes.  Librarians as a profession protect our member’s confidentiality so that you can borrow any item you wish without anyone else knowing.

Of course, if you want to post photos of books you are reading to Instagram, we won’t stop you …