Author | Lightnews

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · 2d

Bold statements about getting rid of stress sells well. Nuance is tougher even if it's the proper path. I really hope people give it thought. 😊

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · 2d

Misuse of the Pareto Principle: https://posts.rsidneysmith.com/2025/10/30/misuse-of-the-pareto-principle.html

Misunderstanding the Pareto Principle often leads to oversimplified time management strategies that falter once one becomes well-organized.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · 3d

From Minimalism to Optimalism: Rethinking the Pursuit of Less: https://posts.rsidneysmith.com/2025/10/30/from-minimalism-to-optimalism-rethinking.html

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · 4d

Hot take: You don’t need a digital detox. You have great control of your devices' settings. Limit notifications, manage screen time, delete distracting apps, and focus on creating over consuming. If it’s addiction, seek professional help; don’t fall for “detox” gimmicks from self-proclaimed experts.

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Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · 6d

We’re not meant to look at others to see how we measure up.

The real growth happens when we look in the mirror, when we compare who we are today with who we were yesterday.

Progress isn’t about others. It’s about being a little better than your present self, one day at a time.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · 10d

This buries the lede; the main takeaway is that finding a balance between tidiness and creativity/messiness is key for a productive and healthy work life.

hbr.org/2019/03/the-...

Reposted by Ray Sidney-Smith

CNN @cnn.com · Oct 1

Jane Goodall, a conservationist who broke barriers for women and revolutionized the study of primates, has died at 91. https://cnn.it/4o44cxf

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Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Oct 1

My coauthor Steve Orr and I released "Podcasting for Small Business" for preorder - amzn.to/4q2SuVs - Release for hardcover and paperback are on December 2nd as well!

Book cover for Podcasting for Small Business by Ray Sidney-Smith featuring a Main Street with a large retro microphone rising up from the foreground of the image.

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Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Aug 29

In life and work, resist two traps:
1) Don’t take one moment and make it a universal truth.
2) Don’t treat general truths like they apply without exception.

Wisdom (and productivity and even peace of mind) lives between the general and the specific. That’s where agency begins.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jul 31

It is even more complicated when the truth is nuanced. You are infrequently only correct or wrong, but partially so. We need more of the "yes and" approach to thoughtful disagreement. The productivity gains are a huge opportunity.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jul 12

Some really good suggestions for when you can't get to sleep. Also, a good reminder about good sleep hygiene.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

I Can’t Sleep. Now What?

It’s the middle of the night — and you’re wide awake. We asked sleep experts for tips to help you get some rest.

www.nytimes.com

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 30

Personal productivity doesn’t start with efficiency. It starts with curiosity. When we lead with curiosity, we deepen empathy, foster connection, and tap into a quiet resolve that turns our wishlists into task lists. That’s where mastery begins.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 26

Join us in Personal Productivity Club for an upcoming session, Using Time Tracking to Improve Focus and Productivity, with rize.io 's Macgill Davis ! www.personalproductivity.club/events/using...

#free #events

Personal Productivity Club

Build better systems, manage your time, and reach your goals—together with people who care about getting things done. Founded by a personal productivity enthusiast, podcaster, and technology coach, Personal Productivity Club's mission is to help you connect with other personal productivity enthusiasts so that you can learn, share, and grow in your personal and professional, productive lives.

www.personalproductivity.club

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 24

Check out our upcoming GTD Café virtual Meetup: www.meetup.com/gtd-dc/event...

GTD|REFRESH: Choosing the Best In-Tray for You, Tue, Jul 8, 2025, 6:00 PM | Meetup

Join us for GTD Café on July 8, 2025, as we dive into one of the most foundational (and often overlooked) components of a solid Getting Things Done® practice—the in-tray. W

www.meetup.com

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 24

Check out the upcoming WordPress Pittsburgh Social Mixer: www.meetup.com/pittsburgh-w...

WordPress Pittsburgh Social Mixer, Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 6:00 PM | Meetup

Join us on Pittsburgh's South Side for an evening of WordPress networking and collaboration! Whether you're a designer, blogger, developer, or WordPress enthusiast, or just

www.meetup.com

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 20

🌟 Happy #WorldProductivityDay! 🌟 Today, we celebrate the many ways we can be productive, both at work and in life. Remember, productivity is not just about getting things done, but also about finding balance and making time for rest. Let’s make the most of what we have!

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 16

July 2 is coming soon...and it marks the halfway point of 2025. If your goals stalled or never left the runway, now’s your moment to reassess. Do they still matter? What small step can you take today? Research shows steady progress beats grand plans. Midyear is not too late.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 12

I'm not worried about AI becoming conscious. I'm concerned that we will use it and erode our best human productivity. Use AI for mundane tasks, free your mind for creative, strategic and complex thought.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 11

Fear can spark urgency, but it's a short-term fuel. It doesn't spark growth; it limits it. For sustainable growth and next-level productivity, shift from survival mode to a mindset of empathy and compassion. That's where true time mastery and lasting progress live.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 9

Bounce lets you move from Bluesky to Mastodon without losing followers www.theverge.com/news/678928/...

Bounce lets you move from Bluesky to Mastodon without losing followers

If you want to expand your reach, this seems like a simple way to do it.

www.theverge.com

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Jun 4

I taught my first GenAI for Small Business full-day workshop (online/in-person hybrid). I definitely find it more difficult having half the class virtual and not visible/off-camera. At the same time, I was really pleased that their answers during exercises were cogent and engaged.

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Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Apr 26

As Dr. Edward de Bono showed through the Six Thinking Hats, we can all learn to look at challenges from new angles.

Insight doesn’t always follow a straight line. Sometimes it finds those willing to change their perspective — and wear a different hat.

Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Apr 26

We often assume that counterintuitive ideas are too hard to understand.
But to lateral thinkers, the unexpected feels natural.

The good news? Lateral thinking isn’t just a gift — it’s a skill.

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Ray Sidney-Smith @rsidneysmith.com · Apr 14

I feel seen! 🎧🎧🎧😆

The Best Time to Buy Headphones www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/m...

The Best Time to Buy Headphones

Headphones and earbuds are often on sale, but the very best prices appear only a few times a year. Here’s when.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Ray Sidney-Smith

Harvard Business Review @hbr.org · Apr 10

Next time you travel for work, interact with the locals, avoid getting online, and take a day to do nothing but explore.

How to Make Any Business Trip Less Boring

Too many of us treat business travel as a curse. Unfortunately, most business travel advice goes something like this: Hunt for Wi-Fi like it’s water, stick to your itinerary, stay in a safe (read:…

buff.ly

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