The mind is linked to the physical, so tweaking our mind energy as well as our physical energy levels will give you a double boost. So without further ado here is:

101 Ways to Boost Your Energy Levels

1. Drink Plenty Water

Water really is the elixir of life and we need to drink plenty of water to keep the cells in our body regulated. Water’s essential for the body’s growth and maintenance, as it’s involved in a number of processes. For example, it helps get rid of waste and regulates temperature, and it provides a medium for biological reactions to occur in the body.

2. Go For A Brisk Walk

Walking has to be the cheapest and best exercise to get you feeling fit and more energized. There is no need to join a gym. It is low impact but can strengthen the density of our bones as it is a weight bearing activity.

3. Meet Up With Your Friends

Sometimes your busy work schedule completely wears you out. You usually get into the habit of attending to your daily chores and take out no time for yourself. This could lead to a feeling of isolation which in turn makes you depressed and reduces your energy levels. Meeting up with friends on a regular basis is a good idea to boost your energy levels and to stimulate your brain.

4. Communicate

Bottled up emotions could act as energy drainers. If something’s bothering you, a relationship problem or work problems; it’s very important that you communicate with someone you trust.

5. Revitalize Yourself

One of the simplest ways to get rid of the lazy and lethargic feeling is by freshening up. If you’re feeling really tired and lazy, the easiest way to kick the lethargy is splashing ice cold water on your face, the chilled water will quickly rejuvenate you.

6. Consume Enough Iron

Deficiency of iron is one of the major reasons for lack of concentration. Do you find your mind wavering off at many occasions? Or do you tend to get lethargic very easily? You could be suffering from Anemia, i.e. deficiency of iron in your body. Iron leads to the production of hemoglobin in your body, these blood sells are responsible transportation of oxygen in your body. Lack of hemoglobin leads to low oxygen levels, which makes you tired, lazy and very low on energy.

7. Chew Peppermint Or Spearmint Gum

This is probably the easiest way to perk yourself up if you’re feeling tired in the middle of the day.

8. Analyze Your Relationships

We all have relationships in our lives that seem to drag us down. Go through your list of friends and colleagues who are negative and avoid them if you can. We are talking about people who are negative by nature and not people who have had something happen to them recently as that is different altogether.

9. Get Your Thyroid Checked

If you tend to get tired quite quickly in the mornings, or suffer from chronic depression or are low on energy levels on an everyday basis, then you should get your Thyroid checked. Thyroid disease a very common disorder and is more likely to affect women.

10. Make A To-Do List

Every month make a list of the things you need to do, for example list out all the bills that you need to pay and when you plan to pay them or plan out which all friends you want to meet up with in the coming weeks or you can chalk out a few point you need to finish at work. This way you’re organizing your life and building up anticipation.

11. Stretch

A simple stretch can boost your energy in no time! Stand up and go on your toes, with your hands stretched upwards. Try to reach as high as you can with your fingertips stretched towards the ceiling. Keep this posture for a few seconds.

12. A Glass Of Lemonade

If you’re feeling drained or have very low energy levels, a good way to snap out of it is a chilled glass of sweet lemonade. It instantly snaps you out of the lethargy due to the quick sugar rush your body gets.

13. Eat a Bit of Chocolate

Even though this is a scary option for all you waist watchers out there, chocolate is one of the best anti depressants (not to mention that it’s the tastiest one too!). Chocolate acts as an effective anti depressant because it consists of a neurotransmitter called ‘serotonin’, which acts as a great anti depressant. Its also has several stimulants like theobromine and phenylethylamine which lift your mood up in no time.

14. Laugh

Every time you laugh or giggle your brain releases a substance called Endorphins. Endorphins are substances that make you feel good, awake and energetic. Laughing has many other advantages as well! The endorphin produced improves your immune system, reduces the risk of chronic depression and also helps in preventing heart diseases. A good comedy or a night out with friends will boost your energy.

15. Smells Good

Many different scents are known to increase your concentration levels and to make you more attentive. One of the best examples of this is to cut a nice juicy lemon. It’ll immediately make you more attentive. Other smells that can instantly perk you up are: rosemary, mint, peppermint and spearmint. These scents are known to vitalize your senses, hence making you more alert.

16. Tai Chi

Tai chi is a very ancient art form practiced in many different parts of the world. One of the basic steps in tai chi is also known as ‘the beginning’. It’s a very effective way to calm your mind, increase your blood circulation and as a result feel energized.

17. Make Time For Yourself

The lifestyle followed by people today is very unhealthy. A lot of people tend to suffer from chronic stress. You’re usually occupied with work and the daily chores and tend to forget your own needs. Sometimes, spending some alone time can be very effective and much needed.

18. Quit Smoking

Smoking is a very dangerous energy draining habit. It has many ill effects. The nicotine acts as a relaxing agent as well as a stimulant.

19. Healthy Breakfast

As the name breakfast suggests, it means to break your fast after a long duration. So it is important to begin your day with the right kind of meal, for it has a direct impact on your energy levels throughout the day. Having a good breakfast keeps you energized for the mornings and helps you avoid the carbohydrates and the fats in the afternoon.

20. Lose A Little Weight

Losing the extra pounds not only makes you feel better, it also helps your body in more ways than one. All the things that you can do to lose weight have a direst impact on your health and energy levels.

21. Be Presentable

To stay energetic all day long means you have to feel good from within. Paying attention to the way you dress will have a direct impact on your confidence and the way other people see you.

22. Avoid Alcohol Before Sleeping

Alcohol is not advisable before going to bed because it affects your sleep pattern in more ways than one. Making you feel more irritated the next day and leads to low energy levels.

23. Get Enough Sleep

The number of hours you sleep is directly related to your energy levels. Your body requires adequate amount of sleep to work properly the next day. Working overtime or sleeping in irregular patterns or not getting enough number of hours for sleep can affect your body’s energy levels and mood swings.

24. Take Small Breaks

If you’re too involved with work for long hours then a very simple way to get energized is by taking small breaks. For example, if you’re working for 7 to 8 hours non stop, then make sure you take a small ten minute break every 2 hours.

25. Concentrate On Your Breathing

A lot of times when we’re too tired or stressed out we tend to take small, shallow breaths. Sometimes when you’re concentrating really hard or you’re tensed about something, you stop breathing for a few seconds without actually consciously realizing that you’re doing it. Taking time to take long, slow, deep breaths will help re-energize you.

26. Sing Loudly

A great way to lift your mood up on a boring work afternoon is by singing one of your all time favorite rock songs loudly. Start singing out loudly with full enthusiasm and you’ll find your energy levels rising up in no time.

27. Have A Small Snack For Lunch

The key to being healthy lies in a having a good breakfast and a light lunch. Keep the lunch as a small power snack which gives you a spurt of energy.

28. Wear Vibrant Colors

Wearing bright colors can actually boost your energy according to some psychologists. Color therapists believe the color of clothes we wear have a direct impact on our mood and how others treat us.

29. Lavender Scent

Lavender is a sweet smelling plant. It’s is known that some scents invigorate your senses. Lavender scent is one such scent that makes you more alert and attentive.

30. Play Minesweeper

Boost your energy levels with a quick game of minesweeper on your computer or other games loaded into your computer software. A quick ten minute game will revive your lagging energy levels.

31. Eat Six Small Meals

Eating small quantities is a healthier option plus it gives you a jump start on the energy levels. On the other hand, eating large quantities fills you up and makes you more sluggish and tired.

32. Go On A Vacation

A great way to rejuvenate yourself and bring out the best in you is by going on a vacation. Taking a short break from your stressed out schedule can do wonders for you.

33. Be Cautious About What You Eat:

Even if it’s a small sweet or a large burger, make it a point to always check what you eat and when. Before ordering in a restaurant or before you fix a meal for yourself, think about how healthy that particular item is, and how it will affect your energy levels.

34. Listen To Music:

It is a well known fact that listening to music helps you unwind. Music invigorates the pleasure senses in your brain; hence making you feel more light headed and happy.

35. Don’t Drink During The Daytime:

A mid day drink, however small it may be, is not advisable. Alcohol has several adverse effects, as it is a depressant it depresses your whole immune system and feels you feel a little sleepy. Even 1 pint of beer can make you feel tired and sluggish throughout the day.

36. Do More Cardio:

The sedentary lifestyle followed by many today completely burns us out. By the end of the day, you may have back pains because of sitting in one chair all day, and your shoulder muscles are stiff because of constantly working on the computer. Doing cardio exercises has the exactly opposite effect. It improves your circulation, and exercises your muscles making you feel more energetic.

37. Practice Yoga

Yoga is a very ancient art form of self development. All the things involved in yoga have an extremely positive impact on your energy levels and your body.

38. Consume More Ginseng

Ginseng had active ingredients called ‘Ginsenosides’, which can improve your stamina and can help control low blood sugar.

39. Keep A Track Of The Caffeine

Quite a few of us have a hot mug of coffee to snap out of the laziness. Caffeine temporarily increases your body’s energy levels, followed by an immediate fall in the energy level, due to low blood sugars.

40. Soak Up Some Vitamin D

One simple way of gathering energy in your body is by soaking up some warm sun in the morning. It’s enriched with vitamin D and gives you energy. Make it a point to go out in the sun for sometime everyday.

41. Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B complex is a very important part of your diet. B complex helps in combating a lot of medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Chrone’s disease. It also helps in overcoming anxiety, depression and fatigue.

42. Practice A 10 Minute Power Nap:

A power nap is usually not more than 10 minutes. If you tend to get sluggish and tired after lunch then try having power naps. A power nap is a ten minute nap that helps in restoring your energy levels.

43. Avoid Negative Environments

Try your best to avoid any kind of negativity in your life. You can start by avoiding people who have a negative attitude or avoid negative conversations or thoughts. Keep yourself pre occupied with other things instead. It is a known fact that you tend to get affected by the people you spend time with.

44. Be Enthusiastic

It is important to be enthusiastic in everything you do. Always remember that there are better chances of you having a good day at work if you’re all excited and happy about it. This might sound a bit too simplistic, but going to work dreading the day ahead will definitely not boast your energy levels. Find something good about your work and focus on that.

45. Meditate

Meditation has an immense impact on your mind and body. It’s a method by which you can combat anxiety and pressure thereby increasing your energy levels. This is a known, scientific fact yet so many people still don’t practice it.

46. Conserve Energy And Use It In The Right Places

A lot of times we subconsciously waste a lot of energy on things that don’t require attention in the first place. For example; arguing with someone, not only do you waste your energy over a conversation that you didn’t need to pursue in the first place, but you also get angry and crash your energy levels.

47. Drink 1 Glass Of Milk

Milk is a rich combination of all the nutrients, minerals, fats and proteins required by our body. In order to have a healthy diet, try drinking at least one glass of milk in the day.

48. Practice A Healthy Lifestyle

Much more than following extra tips from here and there, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle. You don’t need to be Einstein to figure out that you can be more energetic if you quit smoking, drink less frequently , eat healthy and sleep regularly.

49. Read Food Labels

Reading the food labels is a good habit that everyone should inculcate. It makes you conscious about what you’re eating, even if it’s a simple packet of chips or a bar of chocolate. This way you can keep a track of how many carbohydrates and fats you’re taking in.

50. Adrenalin

When adrenalin is produced in the body due to certain situations, it needs to affect the secondary organs. In all the situations when the Adrenalin does not create an effect, it needs to be flushed out of the body. This requires many nutrients and high energy levels. Except for the situations when you need to be defensive or you need to attack, all the other times, adrenalin is bad for our bodies. Its stops digestion, increases heart beat and produces extremely high energy levels followed quickly by a drop in energy. This can happen when we are stressed out.

51. Stop Worrying

Easy to say, harder to do. A lot of people, especially women, tend to worry too much over the simplest things. Worrying over something is never useful; either you go and set things right and if you cant do so, then you might as well stop fretting over it. Worrying over petty things that can’t be helped just robs you of energy.

52. Control Your Temper

If you’re someone with a short temper who kicks off at the tiniest of the things then this one’s for you. Getting angry is a major energy drainer. Every time you lose your temper at somebody your energy levels drops suddenly. Practicing meditation daily can help with this or go to an anger management class.

53. Analize Your Energy Levels

Everyone has their energy highs and lows. For example if you’re someone used to attending meetings every alternate evening then your concentration is at an all time high around that time. Likewise, some people feel lethargic after having lunch, so this could be the low time on your energy chart. Analyze your day and find out when your energy levels are at their peak and when they’re at their lowest.

54. Don’t Be Monotonous

The same, monotonous routine can be very boring. This leads to lethargy and low energy levels. The alternative to this problem is to be spontaneous. Learn to be unconventional! Go out and do different things every now and then.

55. Yeast Infection

Get yourself checked for a yeast infection. The presence of a yeast infection can drastically lower your energy levels by attacking the immune system.

56. Fish Oil Supplements

Fish oil supplements are one of the most important ones, for the simple reason that they’re not usually present in our diet unless you eat a lot of fish. And these fish oils are essential in combating cardiovascular diseases. Fish oils also act as mood regulators. Most of the advantages of fish oils such as its ability to combat Alzheimer’s, high cholesterol, depression and anxiety can be attributed to the Omega 3 fatty acids present in it.

57. Get A Pet

Getting a pet is one of the easiest ways to unwind and get rid of the stress. A dog or a cat can help you unwind at the end of the day simply by petting them and feel the unconditional love that pets can give us.

58. Set Goals And Rewards

This is another simple way of increasing your energy and enthusiastic on an daily basis. Make a list of the things you need to finish or achieve, and set a deadline for each. Set a reward for each, this helps in finishing the job on time as well as feeling content on doing it.

59. Eat Plenty Of Berries

Berries are a rich source of vitamin C. They also contain small amounts of magnesium, potassium and other elements. Eating berries has a number of advantages such as; clear vision and helps in combating some types of cancer. It is also found that the darker the color of the berries, the more benefits they have.

60. Stop The Gossip

Gossip can increase energy levels, however the negativity can leave us feeling drained negating the peak we feel at the start of a gossiping session.

61. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a simple method in which subtle sweet smelling substances are used to help you feel relaxed and calm. It’s a rejuvenating process that revives you from within.

62. Follow Your Body Clock

Maintain a regular time of going to bed and waking up. You body clock gets used to sleeping and waking up at a particular time. Changing this time can lead to a disturbed sleep which results in low energy levels and exhaustion.

63. More Fiber

Fiber is one of the most important components of our diet. It is filling and does not add calories and is a good food source for dieting. Soluble fiber is known to help in leveling out blood sugar.

64. Have Tea

Tea is a commonly consumed beverage with a number of advantages such as; anti-cancer properties and prevention of blood clotting. Tea is also an antioxidant and thus helps prevent cardiovascular diseases. Obviously, too much tea is not good for you but everything in moderation. Green teas, especially, are good for you.

65. Combat Stress

Completely removing stress from your life is an impossible task. So the best you can try to do is remove the major chunk of it. Analyze your life and spot the stressful areas, like a stressful relationship or your work etc. Now, think about the reasons why things are not working out correctly in all of these fields and try working on them to help you feel less stressed.

66. Prioritize Your To-Do List

It’s horrible to wake up in the morning and see a to-do list that is almost impossible to finish. This is a very demoralizing factor for the entire day, so make a ‘finish-able’ to-do list, something that you can finish comfortably. This will keep you more enthusiastic and help boost your energy to complete the tasks.

67. Treat Yourself To A Massage

Pampering yourself can be one of the best ways to feel revitalized and fresh. So the weekend’s coming up and your full body’s aching because of sitting in that one chair all the time. It’s time to treat yourself to a massage, either professionally or by your partner.

68. Eat Yoghurt

Yoghurt is very nutritious, with a lot of additional health benefits. It is delicious with fruits at the base and is extremely rich in calcium and protein. Yoghurt also helps in preventing Osteoporosis to some extent. It is highly rich in potassium, which improves the immune system. All this leads to increased energy levels over time.

69. Eat More Eggs

Eggs are a very good source of nutrition. Having eggs for breakfast is good as it is very rich in proteins, the perfect way to start a day. The protein makes you feel fuller and as a result you tend to eat less for lunch. Eggs are also a rich source of vitamin A and E, which are required for growth and protection against foreign bodies.

70. Switch Off The TV

TV is an energy drainer. Watching a lot of soaps lets you experience the emotions and turmoil that it’s characters are in, therefore draining you of energy. Try not watching soaps for 1 week and observe how much your energy levels rise in the evening.

71. Skip The Energy Drink

Energy drinks basically consist of large amount Caffeine that stimulates the brain with a feeling of extreme amount of energy. As a result, snapping out off the feeling of sluggishness and laziness. However this is just the induced feeling, and is nowhere related to the actual energy you have. These drinks maybe okay occasionally, however the other chemicals they have in them will make you feel less than energetic in the long run.

72. Get Enough Vitamin C

We’ve all heard the benefits of vitamin C to boost our immune system and keep the cold and flu away. It also helps to increase out energy levels.

73. Get Your Blood Pressure Checked

Low blood pressure is also called ‘hypotension’ and leads to a decreased rate in the functioning of the heart. Low blood pressure could be another reason for lack of energy and lack of concentration.

74. Go Nuts!

Nuts are very rich source of protein, vitamin E, phytonutrients and many other nutrients. They are also rich in soluble fiber. This makes them a healthy and a tasty source of nutrition.

75. Give Your Pet A Separate Bed

Most pet owners complain of disturbed sleep. Those people who sleep with their pets in the same room get disturbed at least 4 to 5 times in the night. Pets are known to cause disturbance while sleeping on the same bed. The first requirement of having good energy levels throughout the day is getting quality, undisturbed sleep for enough hours in the day. Yes it’s great having a pet, but not sleeping on the same bed as you.

76. Chia Seed

Chia seeds are very high it all kind of nutrients and minerals. Because of their gelling action they’re also used for dieting. They help in balancing blood sugar levels and helps in maintaining good energy levels throughout the day.

77. Do Pranayama

Whether you actually do yoga or not, a few postures or ‘aasans’ in yoga are an could be beneficial for you. One such exercise is the pranayama, it’s a breathing exercise which is usually done in the beginning of the day and whenever you need to calm down or relax. Although it’s easy enough It is better explained at this Pranayama site

78. Walk Barefoot

Simply walking around barefoot in the pristine beauty of nature can be a very energizing experience. You can simply walk in your backyard or the lawn in the garden or the warm sand on the beach or even when you go out to an exotic place for a vacation.

79. Clear Out The Clutter

In many cultures it is believed that positive energies don’t flow through clutter. So if you’re someone who believes in it then you should keep clearing your clutter from time to time. I am a firm believer in clean house, clean mind, so clearing out the clutter definitely increases mind energy.

80. Pray

A lot of people find praying helpful at various times throughout the day. If you don’t believe in God or have your own deity then pray to yourself, ask your self for forgiveness, ask yourself what you should do in your hour of need, ask yourself to give you strength.

81. Get Motivated

One of the best ways to feel energetic is to have goals and keep motivated to reach your goals.

82. Smile:

Smiling is a very simple gesture that could mean many things all together. Beginning your day with a smile on your face creates a positive atmosphere. Be positive and begin on a good note. Smiling also improves your health and reduces your stress levels as well.

83. Lean Protein

Lean protein is a very important component of a healthy diet. It is also an excellent diet food source. It is very filling and adds no calories to your meal. Any kind of white meat is rich in lean protein, like; chicken and turkey. While selecting the white meat try to take the lightest shade of meat for the least amount of calories. Fish is also a rich source of lean protein.

84. Do Good Deeds

A lot of times you can feel very energized by doing good deeds without expecting anything in return. Like buying a small gift for someone you love or donating money or by simply helping someone when they need it.

85. Liquorice

Liquorice is very good herb for people who suffer from fatigue. It’s great for improving immune health. But make sure you consult your physician before you try Liquorice or any other herbs. If it’s recommended by the physician then you can have half a tablespoon of it everyday for about 2 months. However,Liquorice isn’t a tasty alternative so another herb that can be used in its place is Schisandra. Just like licorice it improves the immune system and helps people who suffer from fatigue. Both licorice and Schisandra are herbal alternatives in overcoming fatigue.

86. Passionate Living

The first and the foremost thing about living an energetic life is to feel that way about it. And the best way to do so is by doing what you love. It’s the simplest way of making yourself content from within and thus bringing out y0ur energy and the enthusiasm.

87. Do Things

The number 1 reason why people lack energy today is because they don’t do anything. Today’s lifestyle means we can be sitting in front of a computer screen all day and come home to a TV screen to unwind. The best alternative for this is to get up and start doing things and moving about in the office ore, going for a walk, go to the gym, anything that gets you moving.

88. Exercise

Exercising is the ultimate way to have more energy and stamina. Every time you exercise you can actually feel an instantaneous change in your body. You can feel your muscles stronger and more efficient. This is because exercising gives immediate results.

89. Eat Dry Fruits

Dry fruits are a rich source of various vitamins and minerals. They are usually easy to digest and clean your internal system. Dry fruits are a must have every morning, because they perk you up with all the essential vitamins, minerals, and acids. They’re also rich in protein and fiber.

90. Eat Bananas

Bananas are rich in calcium, potassium as well as carbohydrates. Calcium is required in our body for the development of bones and teeth and potassium is required by our body to maintain constant blood pressure. Carbohydrates are anyway the basic source of energy.

91. Water Therapy

Take a nice long shower and perhaps a scented shower gel. This will make you feel energized and fresh from within. It’s one of the simplest ways to rejuvenate yourself. The temperature of water is not crucial; however most people find better results with hot water, but I must admit to feeling much more awake with a cold shower.

92. Consume Less Salt

Too much salt can lead to many problems such as; high blood pressure and over eating. Consuming too much of salt can also make you dehydrated. Consume only the bare minimum amount of salt. Any amount in excess has ill effects. For example; with age, the sense of taste becomes very diluted as compared to what it was, as a result people start consuming more salt. More salt leads to a kind of sweet craving in your body which accounts for the increasing weight.

93. Check For Allergies

If you’ve suddenly started feeling lethargic and exhausted all the time, then it’s possible that you may have developed an allergy. Allergies are energy drainers and make your energy chart dip much lower than usual. It’s easy to get this checked at your local health store or pharmacy.

94. Visualization

I find visualization a fantastic way to boost my energy. Visualize your day the way you want it to go, talk to the people you need to, make sales, get work done. This works on so many levels and is one of my favourite mind hacks.

95. Deal With It

Let’s face facts; you can’t always be buzzing with energy. All of us get tired and worn out at some or another. But if you’re at work, then there’s no alternative but to put up with it. Keep the tedious jobs for the time when your energy levels are high again. As of now, do something easy, that’s finishes in a small amount of time. This way you admit that your body has ups and downs. All you need to do is manage your time well. So remember, no one’s perfect. You have to accept your body’s ways and try to improve them in the long term.

96. Don’t Be Stuck To The Net

The internet is a fabtastic thing. But let’s accept that all of us have something better to do, unless our job is related to internet or computer work. Try and cut down on internet time. A lot of us have a habit of sitting online when there’s nothing better to do. Try and find other hobbies such as; gardening, reading, painting and many more.

97. Do Something Out-Of-The-Box

Do something totally different for a change. Try something that you haven’t thought of before, learn a new language, learn a new skill, anything that will keep your brain alive. If you do the same things day in day out your subconscious mind takes over and you stop thinking about the things you do. Mixing it up a little creates more mind energy.

98. Ask The Physician

If you feel that despite following a healthy lifestyle and good diet, your energy levels are still low, try consulting your doctor. There could be plenty of reasons for low energy levels and it’s worth getting it checked out.

99. Eat Brain Food

Some foods have a direct impact on the functioning of your brain. Make a list of all the brain food and have them regularly to help keep yourself attentive. Egg yolks, peanuts, cheese, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, fish, meat, milk products, soy products, nuts, pasta and bread are a few examples of brain food. Eat adequate amount of omega 3 fatty acids.

100. Play A Competitive Sport

It’s important to play any sport that has healthy competition. There are many such sports like; squash, tennis, swimming, football, cricket, badminton and many more. Sports teach you how to work as a team and more importantly they teach you that the important part is participating and not just winning or losing. Apart from all these advantages, a sport builds a person’s stamina and energy levels.

101. Develop The Right Attitude

Having the right attitude in life is the key to an upbeat and enthusiastic life. Be positive about your work and your relationships. If you’re someone who despises their job, remember it’s only a temporary job and you want to do the best you can, for yourself. If you’re optimistic and wake up every morning with a little enthusiasm towards your work you’re sure to find the energy in you to keep your mind and body going.

Conclusion

There are many ways to gain more energy and I certainly wouldn’t advocate doing all 101 ways listed above, they are kind of like a pick ‘n’ mix: try different ways until you find the ones you like.

Your challenge: can you think of any more way to increase your energy?

Until a few years ago I had to keep my geekiness to myself. Then all of a sudden it seems that the geeks have inherited the Earth! Here are a few areas where being a geek helps me in both business and in life…

Systems

After all those years of programming, I have started to think in terms of systems. This means I look for the cause and effect in whatever I am doing, and try to create repeatable approaches. Why is this a benefit? I can show other people how I do stuff, which comes in handy with teaching but also with outsourcing, plus I can improve results because I go through steps consciously. These systems help me to plan, and failing to plan is like planning to fail.

Testing and Measurement

Following on from the previous item, I am constantly testing and measuring. I don’t just hope for the best but observe the inputs and outputs and can track my progress. This means when I tweak my systems I can tell if the tweak was successful or not. As the saying goes, what you measure you get more of!

Productivity Software

It’s not just a systems approach but my geeky nature leads me to use computer systems to automate and improve. Geeks are not lazy, they just outsource to their computer what they don’t want to do or do not have time for.

Doodling is Good for You

I love doodling. Lucky for me because doodles, in the form of Mind Maps, are a great productivity and memory aid! Check out my post on productivity mindmapping with software.

Social Networking

While face to face networking is brilliant, I can network online more efficiently. Using social media tools I have gained access to people I could have only dreamed of in the days before I fired up that ancient 9600 baud modem all those years ago. I love you internet!

The Internet

Talking of the internet, I shudder when I think of what I did before I got online. Telephone directory sized computer manuals, telephone directories, stacks of magazine subscriptions, encyclopedias, sending memos, having to go to the library, no e-commerce … ewwwwwwww!

Are you a geek or do you have one in your life? How does geekiness help you? Please share in the comments.

Today’s guest post comes to us from Chris Garrett, co-author of Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.

Check out his blog for more insights into blogging and how it can benefit your personal life and/or your business.

The muse doesn’t go anywhere, we just have to find the spark that will ignite the muse back into action and keep us writing.  There is no need to ever run out of ideas for articles or blog posts, you could write 100 posts per day and still never run out of ideas.  However, if you ever feel like your head has been emptied and you have no more ideas left, just take a look at some of these tips and you will be sure to connect with your muse again.

100 Ways to Find Ideas for Your Blog Posts

1. Read Within Your Niche

Pretty obvious one that, but one you might have forgotten.  Get Google Reader and subscribe to blogs and websites within your niche.  Scan the headlines every day and this will generate your own ideas.  Some great ideas have come from sites like zenhabits.net dumblittleman.com lifehack.org or 4hourworkweek.com

2. Your Local Newsagent

Scan the magazines in your local newsagent, not just in your niche but in similar niches.  Often ideas will come from reading an article from outside your niche.

3. Ask Your Readers

If you have a popular blog why not ask the readers what they want to read about on your blog. Darren Rowse of Problogger.net does this a lot and it’s a great way to get social feedback before your article is written.

4. Look For Questions

Great articles come from great questions.  Search the net for questions in your niche.  Sites such as wikianswers.com answers.yahoo.com and ask.com are a great way to look for article ideas, but don’t get stuck on the sites you could be there for hours.  You can literally find hundreds of questions on forums in your niche, or use your readers for their questions and find out what they want to know.

5. Imagine Having Written A Great Article

This might sound a little strange.  I sometimes imagine I have written a fantastic article and it’s gone viral, I try and hone in, in my minds eye, and see what the article was and what everyone is talking about.  You’ll be surprised what comes up.

6. Visit Forums

This is a great way to find out what people are talking about and what’s hot.  It’s also good for finding out what people need to know.  If they need to know it you need to write it.  Great forums in the personal development niche are stevepavlina.com zenhabits.net and shamoublog.com and one of my favorites at the moment is a blogging forum over at www.problogger.com

7. Visit Article Directories

Another great tool.  Visiting sites such as ezinearticle.com finding articles in your niche and getting ideas.  Sometimes the article will already be written you just have to expand upon it.

8. Use Your Search Time

Whenever you search something on the internet you can be pretty sure that someone else has searched for the same thing as you.  Use this search data to write an article. A look at what others have written, or the potential related searches on some Google searches can be a goldmine for spinning out new ideas.

9. Use Keyword Searches

If you use tools such as wordtracker.com you can find out what people are searching for.  The free version is great for those on a budget.  Type a word in your niche e.g. “dogs”, wordtracker will list the top 100 searches in that niche, this is a great way for generating ideas and it gives you an idea of how hot your proposed topic is.

10. Read The News

Reading the news is a great way to generate ideas for your articles.  Having a topical person in your headline will do your search engine rankings a power of good e.g. right now the www.google.com/trends/hottrends is Jesse Eisenberg so having a headline like ‘How To Succeed Like Jesse Eisenberg’ would help your search engine rankings and bring in traffic.

11. Look At Your Stats

If you have a stats package such as www.mybloglog.com or awastats.com or google.com/analytics on your site/blog you will see what readers are clicking on the most, or what they are searching for the most.  Use this information to expand on previous articles.

12. Revamp Your Old Posts

Remember when you first started your blog, you were full of enthusiasm and you just wrote to get stuff out there, and weren’t too bothered about the quality.  Well revamping your old posts gives you ready made posts which just need a tidy up or expanded upon.

13. Revamp Old Posts From Other Blogs

A lot of bloggers don’t go back to their old posts, which is a shame.  However, if there is a blog that has a lot of traffic and subscribers, chances are their old blog posts will not have been revamped, you therefore have a plethora of ideas just waiting for you.  Never plagiarize, just take the idea and make it your own.

14. Interview Someone

Readers love to listen to interviews.  Why not use a site like BlogTalkRadio.com to host your own interviews with celebrities from your niche.

15. Use Amazon As Your Source

Amazon.com is a great way to research what kind of books people are reading, and what is popular just now.

16. Visit Ted.com

Ted.com is an amazing site for keeping up to date with the latest trends in Technology, Entertainment and Design.

17. Free Association Thinking

Get a piece of paper, have your subject heading in the middle e.g. ‘Ideas for Article’ and then let your unconscious mind take over and think of every possible article heading you can think of without stopping to think about it, just write like a demon.  There will come a point after a few minutes when you just cannot thinking of any more.  Stop for a few moments, let it go and another idea will come to you which will spark of the train again.  keep doing this until nothing else comes out.

18.  Use PLR Articles

PLR stands for Private Label Rights which means you buy a set of articles in your niche for a few dollars and then change that article to suit you writing style.  A good place to start is master-resale-rights.com or theplrstore.com

19. Listening To Music

If you are a lyrics listener, when listening to music, a lot of good lyrics can inspire good ideas for your articles.

20. Free Thinking

Take your mind for a wander and let it go where it wants to go, you’ll be surprised where free thinking can take you and the ideas it can throw up.  Simply take a piece of paper and a pen and write down whatever comes to mind whenever you are thinking about new articles.

21. Visit A Quote Site

Quote sites are excellent for writers as there are quotes in every field of interest.  Some good quote sites are: ThinkExist.com and BrainyQuote.com

22. Ask Friends And Family

You’ll be surprised what your friends and family come up with if you ask the question ‘If I was to write an article what question would you love to have answered?’, yes you’ll get some funny answers but you’ll also get some gems.

23. Letting Go

Sometimes writers try too hard to come up with ideas, and nothing will come to mind.  I don’t believe in writers block however I do believe in mind blockages.  When we let go of an outcome to something we will often find the answers we are seeking.  For example when we are trying desperately to remember someone’s name or the name of a film and we give up, almost immediately the answer comes to us.  Letting go of finding ideas can often bring up ideas.

24. Meditation

This might sound a strange one, but mediating can help clear the mind of unwanted distractions.  The less distractions you have the more you will be able to concentrate on your work when required. Meditation is a mental shower  for both mind and body.  There is no special technique for meditation.  You can sit with your eyes closed and concentrate on your breathing, that’s how simple it can be.

25. Use Google Wonder Wheel

The Google Wonder Wheel is an amazing tool which can spin ideas out of nothing.  Simply go to to www.googlewonderwheel.com/, type in a phrase of your subject and google wheel will come up with similar phrases of your subject.

26. Check Out The Trending Hash Tags And Topics On Twitter

Twitter is one of the true phenomenon’s of the decade and there are thousands of uses for it.  Gaining ideas by looking at the trending hashtags on the homepage is a great way to look for blog post ideas.  You can also use another site such as HashTags.org for a more detailed look at hashtags.

27. Do Something You Wouldn’t Normally Do

A lot of us are stuck in a comfort zone that we haven’t even thought about expanding.  Bloggers need to expand their comfort zone in order to keep the muse fresh and find something interesting to write about.

28. Read A Book

Another great way to get hundreds of ideas is to read books inside and outside your niche.  My niche is self help and I read a lot of books on the subject.  A lot of the time I get fantastic ideas from little snippets of information the author provides in the book.  It might not necessarily be on the topic of the book, it’s just a phrase that sometimes triggers off an article idea.  reading is also a great way to hone your writing skills, the more you read the more you learn.

29. Play A Game

Playing games, any type of game, can often throw up unusual, but interesting, blog post ideas.  e.g. Jenny Fenig wrote a post on her blog at ZenJenny about how her video games obsession taught her about life

30. Talk To Children

“Out of the mouths of babes” is so relevant when it comes to bloggers who are looking for inspiration.  Children speak the truth without fear and it’s great looking at the world from a child’s perspective again, it throws up some strange and wonderful ideas. Speak to your own children, nephews and nieces, god children etc.

31. Go For A Walk Or Exercise

Any type of exercise is good for the brain and a good way to keep your brain active in order to keep it working for you when you need the inspiration the most.  Bloggers have to exercise to you know, sitting on your two lumps will not inspire you to think of new article ideas.  When we exercise, in any way, we are pumping more oxygenated blood through the brain which keeps it working to it’s optimal performance.

32. Build Something

If you have started a project which invloves you building something, why not write about it and give your blog readers progress reports.  e.g. if you are building an extension on to your house, blog about it and give preogress reports once per week, readers might love this.

33. Go To School

Going back to school is a great way for coming up with ideas for blog posts.  You are not only getting an education but you are meeting with others who can potentially provide you with hundreds of blog posts.  Remember everything you see and hear is a potential blog post, so school is a perfect place to get ideas.

34. Join A Mastermind Group

Many bloggers are joining mastermind groups for lots of different reasons.  It’s a great way to come up with ideas for your blog posts and to improve your blog  in general.  You will get to see the types of posts that work for others in your niche, you will also be able to network and use the collective group effect to bring in more traffic for your posts.

35. Visit Some Educational Sites

The Internet is filled with fantastic sites willing to teach you anything and everything.  You can get some great ideas from sites like lynda.com and totaltraining.com

36. Reflect On Your Own Life

Our lives are filled with meaning, and an event which has importance to you might be of interest to other readers.  You will see it in posts life: What my children taught me, How a Robin Redbreast taught me the meaning of life, you get the picture.

37. Use Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping is an excellent way to generate ideas for blog posts.  If you haven’t heard of mind mapping you can check out a great post at problogger.com

38. Always Keep A Notebook Close By

Any writer worth their salt, and let’s face it, you are a writer and you  will need a decent notebook to carry around with them.  You’ll get used to carrying a notebook around with you if you are serious about blogging and writing.  I carry a small notebook in my pocket and transfer my ideas into a moleskin notebook later on.  Try and collate all your ideas in one place so you are not searching for that piece of paper with the brilliant idea you had earlier on in the day.

39. Seminars

If you attend seminars of any kind, writing about it can be a few weeks worth of content for your blog.  You can also write a review of the seminar.

40. Get Off Your Backside

You might find lots of great ideas on the internet for articles however it’s good to get off your backside once in a while and take a walk about your local town.  There always something interesting to spark an idea for an article.

41. Your Life Is A Series Of Articles

You already have some great articles within you, simply because you have life experience.  Are you a parent? some great articles there; Are you a woman? some brilliant article material there; Are you a writer? you get the picture here. Readers don’t want to hear your life story but they want to hear your experiences.

42. Seasonal Writing

There are lots of different holidays that readers celebrate throughout the year.  Use this to your advantage and write an article based around the holiday coming up e.g. I wrote an article 3 years ago called 10 Tips to Stay Sane This Christmas, it was my first year of blogging and the article is not great but sure enough around the end of November that post regularly pulls in thousands of visitors.

43. Do Case Studies

Look at areas in your blogging where you can help people and pick areas you get a lot of questions on, then develop a case study to share with you other readers.  Show them how you helped solve a problem in a particular area with a client or a reader.  You could even make it viral by packaging it up as an ebook and audio and allow others to share it and contact others in your niche.

44.  Do A Regular Feature

Regular features on your blog are a good way to get readers to come to your blog every week.  For example Yaro Starak of entrepreneurs-journey.com has a series of interviews he does via telephone, and more recently via video on Skype This is one of the reasons I keep going back to his blog, to listen to and to watch his interviews.

45. List The Influential Bloggers In Your Niche

Doing a ‘Top 50′ post on the influential bloggers in your niche will not only be another blog post idea for you however it will get you noticed by 50 bloggers in your niche.  Bloggers love to check their stats and find out where their traffic is coming from, if they see a link from you they will come over and briefly check out your site and may even leave a comment on your blog post.

46. Make A Gallery

You can start you own gallery of images pertaining to your niche using images from Flickr under the creative commons license.  Not only will your gallery grow in size it will attract readers.  Stumbleupon readers love gallery images as they are quick and easy to stumble and comment on.  This way you get lots of traffic.

47. Digg Your Way Into A Post

Digg.com is a great place to look for inspiration for blog posts.  You can even try your hand at getting on the front page of Digg, which is very difficult nowadays.  The good thing about Digg is that it lets you know what type of posts readers are making popular.

48. Start A Weekly Roundup

If you use Google reader, as mentioned before, you could subscribe to all the top blogs in your niche and every few days pick out some great posts.  At the end of the week have a weekly roundup of great blog posts in your niche.  This will get you noticed by other bloggers and you will always have at least one post idea for the week.

49. Write A Controversial Post

This has been done many times in the past.  Basically you can write a not so good review of a top bloggers site and tell your readers why you are not impressed.  It’s an idea for a blog post but I wouldn’t write too many reviews like this.  You can also write something that goes against the grain and give your opinions as to why you think a particular way.  It is your blog so find your own voice and don’t be afraid to do something different.

50.  Write About What Improvement Could Be Made

Depending on your niche you could write posts about what improvement could be made in your area.  There are lots of things that can be improved in any niche, why not use the faults as blog post ideas.

51. Give Progress Reports To You Readers.

I remember when Caroline Middlebrook was first starting her blog she caught everyone’s attention by showing all her readers her stats for the month.  She also got attention as she quit her job to blog full time with very little experience.  She still shows readers her monthly stats and I believe her last earnings were $3000 for the month.

52. Write A Top 10 List

This is always a great idea for a blog post, however be careful that you don’t write too many of these. I would say concentrate on quality and use a list as filler content for your blog.

53. Help Your Readers

You would be surprised at just how much knowledge you have inside you within your niche.You can always teach what you have learned so far. Do this by posting articles for newbies.

54. Review A Book

There are thousands of books within any niche. Pick some of your favorites and review them. This way you can also make money by selling as an affiliate.

55. Pay Attention To Your Emails

A lot of readers write to bloggers with lots of different questions. When you start to get a few subscribers you will get the same. Start thinking about every email you get from readers and how you can help them and possibly use their questions and advice in your blog posts.  When you become really popular you might not be able to handle all the emails but they are a goldmine of ideas and it’s something you should be using.

56. Browse Your Bookmarks

We save lots of different sites to our bookmarks and sites like Delicious.Go through your old bookmarks for inspiration to write new posts.

57. Write About Myths In Your Niche

Every niche has a lot of myths within in it, why not use these as posts. You could look at a few myths and debunk them. this makes you look more like an expert in your field and you have yet another post on your blog.

58. Get Some Guest Bloggers In

Why do all the work yourself. Look for other bloggers in your niche and write to them asking if they would like to write for your blog, giving them exposure. Better yet doa post exchange, you write for their blog and they write for yours. This is a great way to get you noticed by readers who might not have known you otherwise.

59. Highlight Female Bloggers In Your Niche

I hate to say it but it’s still a man’s world and we men think we dominate the online world.  There are some fantastic female bloggers out there and highlighting them can be a traffic puller in itself.

60. Visit A Blog Carnival

When you are starting out as a blogger these are essential to get your name know, however, they can be a great way to get some ideas for your own blog.  Check out the biggest at blogcarnival.com

61. Announce A Challenge

Many bloggers like to challenge themselves and blog about it to get some extra encouragement from their readers.  So you can announce a challenge and get readers to join in, then a few weeks or months later you could report the results of your challenge. Leo Babuata has a monthly challenge on his forums and some personal challenges he announces.

62. Use Content From Around The Net

You don’t have to be thinking up brand new posts every day of the week.  Leverage the power of the internet by linking to other sites.  Using videos from youtube is a great idea for your blog, it get’s readers talking and you have minimal work to do.

63. Make Your Own Video

Readers like to see the bloggers they are reading so making a video is another post idea and it let’s you interact with readers in a new way

64. Take A Break

When I first sat down to write this post I thought 1 full day would be enough to finish it.  However it has taken two weeks to complete this with the help of the editor David Peralty Some posts are meant as back burners and can take a while to write, so don’t try and write a ‘pillar post’ in one sitting, take regular breaks and even leave it for a few weeks and ideas will come to you at unexpected times.

65. Niche Events

Most niches will have events which highlights speakers and new information within that niche.  Going along to events such as BlogWorldExpo an be a great way to network and to get ideas for your blog.

66. Use Your Dreams

It’s amazing how many dreams have helped shape the world as we know it today.  Use you dreamtime to look for article ideas.  I practice something called Lucid Dreaming and I have found a good few articles from talking to my dream characters.

67. Check Out Affiliate Sites

Affiliate sites like Clickbank,  paydotcom have thousands of products that vendors are selling.  Check out the top rated ones to see what affiliates are promoting and what’s selling like crazy.

68. Check Out The Dummies Guide

Dummies.com has over 1400 titles in its stable and they are some of the biggest selling books on the market.  Check out their titles and see what you could use.

69.  Check Out eBay.com

Ebay.com have some great tools to let you know the hottest selling items and what the most searched for items.  This can give you some great ideas for articles and if they are a hot topic chances are you could get a lot of organic traffic if you write your article the correct way.

70. Editorial Calendars

Magazines have calendars giving freelancers a rough idea of what topic they want written about and their deadline.  This can be a goldmine for bloggers.  You can ask the magazine for a media kit or an advertisers pack which should give you all the info.

71. Old Is Coming Back Into Fashion

Looking at old written material from the past is fast becoming mainstream again.  I am thinking of books like ‘Think and Grow Rich’ and ‘As a man Thinketh’ These books are old classics in the field of personal development but they have been dping the rounds on the internet for the last few years.  Look at old books like this that have been made into eBook and use them in your posts.

72. Watch Oprah

One of the biggest influencers of our world has got to be the media and one of the biggest celebrities in the media is Oprah Winfrey.  Watching shows like Oprah and Dr Phil is a great way to get ideas for your posts, you can be sure that a book recommended by Oprah will be a bestseller within a few weeks, take advantage of what she speaks about and write about it.

73. What Are Your Fears?

I have seen some great posts where bloggers write about their fears and how they overcame them. A notable ones : Kate Freiling overcoming fear of public speaking

74. Have You Taken A Course

If you have taken a course recently, wither online or at college or university why not write about your experience. This could be on ongoing series if it becomes popular.

75. Look At Statistics

Looking at statistics the government and other official bodies produce can inspire some great articles for your blog. Look up your countries Office of Statistics, here are some to get you going (In no particular order):

UK Office of National Statistics

USA Fed Stats

Ireland Central Statistics

Canada Statistics

Australian Bureau of Statistics

76. Fill In The Blanks

Here are some great headlines  from Chris Garret which he has given me permission to use for LifeSnips readers:

1. 10 Money/Time Saving Tips for ______

2. The Secret of Getting the Best Price for Your _______

3. How to Find the Best _____ Deals on the Web

4. Top Gadgets for _____

5. Are _____ Worth the Money?

6. Everything You Need to Know About Getting Cheaper _____

7. Top 10 Tips For Hassle Free ______

8. Best ____ For Under [Price]

9. Unusual but Achievable ____

10. 5 Ways to Boost Your ____ Without Spending More _____

Chris Garret has written an excellent free report which you can download 102 Headline Writing Formulas

77. The TV Guide To ___________

You can write an article from the perspective of popular TV shows, even better, upcoming shows that you think will be popular. I recently wrote a piece entitled ‘What was Your FlashForward’ as I knew the show was going to be huge and people were already starting to talk about it. So you could write a piece like ‘The Nip/Tuck Guide To Plastic Surgery’ , ‘The Numbers Guide to Using Your Brain’, ‘The Gossip Girl Guide To Fashion’

78. What Are The Celebrities Talking About

If the celebrities are talking about it then it will be a hot topic soon. Anybody remember the viral video by Sarah Silverman the one about Matt Damon, well that was all over the net and celebrities were twittering about it and the follow up by Jimmy Kimmel was brilliant. Pay attention to what the celebrities are talking about on twitter and you might just get a scoop.

79. Sign Up For Your A Newsletter

Look for top bloggers in your niche and sign up for their newsletter.  They are not the top bloggers in your niche without reason so find out what they are writing about, it will give you some great ideas as well as teaching you something at the same time.

80. Look Into The Future

Depending on your niche you can predict what might happen in the future.  For example if you run a blog about share dealing you can predict what might happen in the markets in 3 months time.

81. Use Fables

This is a great way to freshen up your blog posts as well as give you, potentially, hundreds of post ideas.  Look at old fables and relate them to your niche.  A good example of this is two Bloggers Nik Karlil and Jonathan Wells in their fable related story, the Tortoise and the Hare,  and related it to  Self development.

82. The Best Of

If you are truly stuck, and there’s no reason you should be, but if you are you can make a top 10 list of your best posts.  You could also make a practice to do this every six months, which will help with deep linking and is good for Google juice.

83. Definitive Resource List

Every niche could benefit from a top resource list.  You could write a post giving a huge resource list.  You might think this is pointing people in the direction of your competitors however, you become someone who helps others and a place for readers to come to get great information.  Check out this post from Freelance Switch The Monster List Of Freelancing Websites You could also make the list into an ebook and let readers download it for free and have your links in the ebook.

84.Respond To Criticism

If a reporter has criticized your niche why not use your blog to respond to that.

85. The Best Of Your Competition

As before in number 82 you can make a ‘best of’ post, but this time make it ‘the best of’ and write the top 10 or 20 posts from a top blogger in your niche.  This way you get your name known to the top blogger and you have another post for you blog without too much work.  Don’t do this too often as you will look like you don’t have too many quality posts to write yourself, however, everynow and agin is okay.

86. Look At The Advice Columns

Most niche magazines have a feature in them where readers write in with their problems and the editor answers them.  reading these features can produce lots of article ideas.

87. Keep Up To Date With Microtrends

Check out sites like Springwise.com and Trendhunter.com to keep up to date with the latest trends in your niche.

88. People Watch

There is nothing better than grabbing a coffee and a giant cookie at Borders and just sitting back and watching the world go by. Let your imagination run wild and see what ideas come up for articles.

89. Write About Something Outside Your Niche

The phrase ‘write about what you know’ is not always best. Sometimes you want to write about what you would like to know. Pick a subject you’d like to know about and treat it like an homework assignment, and you have to research and write an essay on something you don’t know a lot about.

90. Brainstorm Your Way To New Articles

Getting together with a group of people and brainstorming with some mind maps can throw up some interesting post ideas. To find out more about brainstorming read this article from USnews and to get some free mind mapping tools from Bubble.us and Mindmesiter.com

91. Compile A List Of Definitions

Every niche has it’s own jargon that is used. Why not compile a list of words and phrases in your niche and give their definition.

92. Use Press Releases For Inspiration

Sites like PRWeb.com are great for finding ideas for your blog posts. If you visit the site you will find a search box. Type in a search term and you can view the press releases for your search term.

93. Recommend A Product

Recommend a product in your niche and make some money along the way. This should not be done too often as you will come across as a money grabber. Only recommend products you really liked and give an unbiased opinion on it.

94. Write A How To… Post

Readers want to know how things work, why not be that person to show them. The beauty of this type of post is that you can go outside your niche to an area that a lot of your readers will know about, for example the lifehacker post Top 10 Obscure Google Search Tricks

95. Take A Look At Greeting Cards

A trip down to your local Hallmark can often inspire ideas for articles. You’d be surprised what people celebrate and commiserate.

96. Open Up The Encyclopedia

Start reading your encyclopedia with a writers hat on and you will find some gems in there. You can also use the online encyclopedia such as Enclyclopedia.com which collates all the online encyclopedias.

97. Set Up A Google Alert

Google alerts is a fantastic way to get ideas delivered directly to your inbox. Go to Google.com/Alerts and type in your keywords and Google will deliver anybody writing about that topic to your email.

98. Stop Thinking About What To Write About

As strange as this may sound, we sometimes try too hard to look for something and can block out the idea making process. Take time away from writing and enjoy another activity. when you do this you will find your creative juices flowing in the background and you will come back to writing refreshed and have a plethora of topics to write about.

99. Write About Upcoming Changes

If you have been blogging for some time chances are you will have gone through many changes and have had many facelifts. Write a few posts about it; how to do it, where to get the tools from, what the results of the changes have been etc.

100. Write A List Of 100

It might seem like a mammoth task to do this, and it is, however if you write a list of 100 article ideas in one sitting or spread over a few days it means you have 100 articles ready to be written and they posts will take you through to next year depending on your blogging schedule.

Do you have any ideas to add to this list?

What about you, do you have any ideas to add to this list? if so why not leave a comment and add your ideas or just leave a comment to say what your favorite tips were.

As we rely on computers and the Internet more and more with our precious data, password security is only going to rise in importance. Many sites have long since enacted basic checks on passwords to limit the chance of a possible security breach. You’ve seen these systems in place before as they ask you for longer passwords, or to include certain types of characters.

They want you to use passwords that look like !qD7_8aC but you’ll never remember that. So how do you create passwords that aren’t easy to guess, simple to figure out and that you won’t have to write down to remember? Well, first we need to look at why passwords like the example above are so secure.

Weak Passwords: Dictionary Attack

Crackers (commonly labelled Hackers) will use a long text file with thousands of dictionary words most commonly used as passwords. Software will run through this list of words to see if your password matches. If it does, the Cracker will have easily, quickly and efficiently gained access to your data.

This is why we need to make sure we aren’t using words or names that can simply be found out by this type of software.

Words like password, school, and even psychologist are bad passwords. The length of the word doesn’t matter in this type of attack, so using longer words, or even combining two words may not keep your data safe from this type of attack.

Weak Passwords: Brute Force Attack

Another technique that Crackers will use is a system called brute force, and it is how it sounds. The software or system will go through all common permutations of letters until it hits on your password. Usually, the Cracker will check what the lower and upper limit for passwords are in a given website or computer system, as many set their minimum password length to 3, 5 or 8 characters, with a maximum length usually around 15 characters long.

Then the software will start at that length, with all “a’s” and continuing on until it gets to “zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz” and so even if your password is “ccradsae”, the top password crackers can break that in less than five minutes. Overall though, Brute Force cracking types of attack usually takes longer than dictionary attacks, but are also more likely to find a positive result, and this is where the majority of our modern password security techniques come into play.

Secure Passwords

With the example I gave above, !qD7_8aC, it isn’t a dictionary word or phrase, and so only a brute force method (given a limitation of the two tactics of course) would work in finding this password. But thanks to the capital letters, the numbers and the symbols, the number of characters the Brute Force Cracking software would have to go through in various permutations is so large that the person attempting to gain access would have to wait a very long time before the computer would come up with this set of characters, thus, we have security thanks to the high time required.

As computer systems get faster, it becomes more and more difficult to keep these passwords secure, and so many companies are looking for a better way of managing user security, but until that happens, we need to protect ourselves.

Making a Secure, Easy to Remember Password

Coming up with a fairly secure and easy to remember password might seem difficult, but there are some easy things you can do to improve it.

First: The more characters the better. Take one or two words. (simplepassword)
Second: Use both uppercase and lowercase letters (SimplePassWorD)
Third: Replace vowels with numbers (S1mpl3P4ssW0rD)
Forth: Add symbols to replace letters or to insert between words ($1mpl3!P4ssW0rD)

From what I’ve read, a password like $1mpl3!P4ssW0rD would take a minimum of three months using a super computer to crack through brute force methods used today. With computers getting faster and smarter, I have a feeling, even a few years from now, a password like this would still take weeks or months to crack.

NOTE: You can’t just use one of the above mentioned techniques. PassWorD is not a secure password, neither is p@ssword or p4ssw0rd. It is the combination of the above techniques that help create a more secure password.

Changing Your Password Often

This of course brings me to my next point, if you are smart, you’ll change your password fairly regularly. It doesn’t take much to take one or two important words or a short phrase, and convert them through replacement to become much more secure while remaining memorable, but even with all the previous steps, if you give a person enough reason to make the attempt, and they are persistent, then they’ll eventually find your password and gain entry.

But, if you change your password in the midst of their cracking attempt, you are basically putting them back to square one, and they have to start over again.

Different Passwords for Different Sites/Computer/Services

The last thing that people should be concerned about is the use of the same password on multiple sites. Not all sites, computers and services secure your information as well as others. This leads to the possibility that one site may accidentally give your password out to the wrong person. If this happens, and you use the same password everywhere, you’ve instantly gave that person access to everything you have protected under that password, and using the information they gleam from various sites and services, they may be able to get more passwords on other sites and services.

Trying to figure out an easy way to make new passwords for each site? Try adding a unique identifier. For Gmail, add gM to the start or end of your chosen strong password. For Twitter, add tw33t or t!. Then you’ll be able to have one main secure password with different identifiers based on the site.

So a password like: My#p4s$ becomes My#p4s$gM for Gmail, and My#p4s$t! for Twitter. Be aware of the upper limitations of the sites you use, as if you are limited to 16 characters, you can’t use something like $1mpl3!P4ssW0rD as the prefix for your identifiers as $1mpl3!P4ssW0rDgM is too long.

Some Good Password Examples

Just looking around at various objects, it can be very easy to create a password that is secure and easy to use.

Pr!ngl3sC4nn (Pringles Can)
d13tC0c4^c0l4 (Diet Coca Cola)
St4rG4t3& (Stargate)
c3lL#pH0n3 (Cell Phone)

Conclusion

Be aware that selling your data online and from your computer is big business, and it is up to you to protect yourself.

In the end, you need to select strong passwords, change them often, use different ones on different sites, and stay apprised of security issues with the sites, services and computers that you use. I hope you all take the time to beef up your password security and are able to stay safe.

About Me

My name is David Peralty, and I’ve been a blogger for a very long time, and for the last four years, I’ve been blogging full time on various sites. I’ve run a large number of successful sites, and have always been interested in lifestyle tricks and tips.

At one point, I owned and ran LifeSpy.com before selling it to Bloggy Network, a company I worked for as the Director of Communications.

That was over two years ago now, and I’ve learned a great deal since then. I’ve learned that building a hugely successful site is as much about content as anything else, and will be looking for the best content in the life tips niche for publication here on LifeSnips.com.

Who Will Write Here?

Other than myself, I hope to hire some amazing writers to be staff writers for this blog. I recently put up an advertisement on the Problogger Job Board, and have been receiving a great response towards it.

I will be announcing new writers as they get hired, so that you can all get a better understanding of their backgrounds, writing styles and what they’ll be bringing to this site.

Want to Write for LifeSnips?

While I am hiring staff writers to bring consistent, valuable content to this site, I am always going to be looking for guest columnists, and other writers. The pay per approved submission is $50 via Paypal.

Any submission that isn’t approved is yours to publish wherever you like. If your submission is approved, you agree to grant unique publishing rights to LifeSnips.com.