January 24, 2017

12-Minute Ways to Have a Better Day (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 July 12, 2012



Here are some simple 12-Minute Ideas to help things go smoothly; to have a brighter and merrier day.

Sometimes, 12-Minute it’s all it takes!

1-Wake Up 12-Minute Earlier

This will allow you to take time to smell the roses and relax before you start your morning routine or
to take a little more time before you embark in a busy work day.  

2-Take 12-Minute to Breathe

Take a break during an hectic day and just breathe!

3-Invest 12-Minute to Plan Your Day

Plan you day early in the morning or the next one late at night.

January 18, 2017

New Year and Dividend Income Update 2017


As usual, figures have been added on several pages of our blog to reflect last year’s results.

These pages have been updated:



We are especially proud that on top of the 100K$ we invested over the years in our DIY Portfolio, it also grew up by an additional 100K$. In fact, we achieved that significant and motivating milestone back on December 16th 2016. 


January 12, 2017

Preparing for Extensive Time Off

As 2017 is only a couple days old, I already believe it will be a great year, or at least, it will be a great one for me. Forgive my selfishness but I especially look forward to this brand new year as I will be able to enjoy my second 6-month leave of absence from work. 

So my big project this year: to have time and to enjoy the freedom it can give me!

All this began to truly take shape back in 2015 as I Signed Up on a 2-Year Program that will end with a 6-Month Leave. Despite the fact we are a couple months away from the actual time off, it’s just around the corner, I’m starting to feel it and can’t wait to taste it for real.

This is the second occasion I took advantage of that type of leave. In my 2012 leave, among many ventures, Our Exciting 24-Day Trip to Italy is surely what marked me the most!

Meanwhile, with still a lot of on-going and new projects boiling in my mind, I am ironically lacking what I will have plenty of by the middle of the year: precious time!

Luckily, I can rely on the 12-Minute Approach to help pace myself, effectively materializing many of those ideas while maintaining a relatively healthy balance in my life.

Plan Not to Over-Plan

December 30, 2016

Holiday Hope Wishes



On this beautiful yet cold winter day, I’m using a few words to wish all of you a happy holiday season. I hope everyone has the chance to enjoy good times and cherish quality moments with family and friends.

Have Faith and Maintain Hope

With all that’s happening in the world, I understand it could be natural to fall apart and give in to despair.

Even though I really like poutine (the French fries, cheese and gravy meal), it can be hazardous to your health if you eat it too often. And at this point in human history, the potentially explosive Poutine-Trump combination really gets me worried.

So this year, for all our sakes, I will hope for a kinder, gentler world.

December 24, 2016

12-Minute Meetings (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 June 12, 2012


Sometimes, meetings can be a drag, especially when your boss likes to listen to himself for endless and countless hours. Furthermore, he’ll probably be upset afterwards because you missed some of his points and you lacked time to complete all your work.

Maybe someone could introduce him to the 12-Minute Segment Rule.

Use The 12-Minute Segment Rule

During a meeting, each speech or presentation should be limited to 12-Minute segments because for most people, the optimum concentration period is only 12 minutes. Beyond that, the average person won’t be able to focus and follow explanations.  

December 18, 2016

Wacky Golf Fact – Getting Lost in a Bunker

Everyone has heard about getting lost in the desert. In some countries, it’s even considered a common occurrence, especially when a violent sand storm is raging.

But have your ever heard about getting lost in a bunker (or on the beach as some say)? Not in a military bunker but rather a golf bunker a.k.a. a good old sand trap!

Many clumsy or impatient golfers lose a lot of strokes in them...but actually losing your ball in a bunker is rare.

Beware these special bunkers that seem to act like quicksand and swallow your ball.

Multiple Attempts to Get Out of the Trap

It almost happened to a fellow competitor once. In a tournament, he had to hack out 3 different balls from the same bunker before finally getting his own out of the hazard.