Magical Number 12 (Revisited)

The 12-Minute Series was originally posted in 2012.

We’ve decided to republish it integrally because we believe it can still help as everyone aspires to make things better.

Let’s hope it stirs up the discussion and stimulates you to change the world 12-Minute at a time!

This article was originally posted on October 12, 2012

The more we look at it, the more Number 12 appears Magical!

In its original stages, our research revolved more around number 15.

But, as soon as we dug deeper, 12 evidently became the front running candidate. 

For one thing, a dozen always fits way better in a box!

More seriously, remarkable Twelve as deep roots throughout History; 
it even has some kind of mystical character associated to it.

The Number of Nature

Improving Email Management

Six or seven years ago, I was wasting a lot of precious time processing emails. It also seemed like I was often loss in a huge pile of information.

On top of numerous directives from my superiors, my inbox was flooded by system alerts and client requests…I was always afraid to miss something important.

I had to do something to organize myself better but didn’t have a clue where to start.

Being Productive with Less Stress

Then, I stumbled upon the Getting Things Done (GTD) methods by David Allen.

I won’t go into details of GTD here but let’s just say it provides great methods to relieve pressure and prioritize.

Inspired by GTD and using the same basic concepts, I adapted it to my context and needs. With time, I was then able to build my own system. I now consider myself virtually stress-free.

Easy Vacation Saving Tips

This week, booking our summer vacations reminded me of some easy saving tips.

Comparing seems to be our common theme. It sure can be profitable for you also!

1- Book two separate one-way flights instead of a roundtrip one

We’ve been doing this for a while. We look up flights using roundtrip information but book it separately or at least, compare it to the roundtrip fares.

We usually save 40-50$ per vacationer. Airport fees are quite expensive up here; that may be why we save so much when we book it the other way.

2- Book directly with the hotel

Again, we use specialized sites to look for our preferable hotel but book directly on the hotel’s website or sometimes, even call the hotel on the phone.

That way, it’s often easier to get access to additional discounts or to make special requests tailored to your needs.