Productive Muslim

What’s Holding You Back from Effective Listening?

Yusra Ibrahim — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:37:35 +0000

It’s pretty easy to ramble on; the challenge is often how to become an effective listener. Find out about the barriers holding you back from productive listening and how to conquer such barriers.

People speak a lot. As children we are taught how to speak. Then, as adults we are encouraged to become strong public speakers. Listening, however, isn’t something we learn from school since there is no formal instruction for it. This actually explains why most of us aren’t really good at it, and why people get bored while listening to a friend, while attending a conference or a even a khutbah.

Why is listening neglected in our society? Maybe if we were aware of its importance and the productivity that comes with it, our stance on listening would change.

Through listening, you get to know more about people whom you’re listening to; you get to discover their vision and perspective about life and how they react according to situations.

”Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.” – Doug Larson.

Benefits of Being an Active Listener

1. Learning subjectivity: This will help give your own opinion and advice a special value. You’ll definitely remark that people will tend to care more about you as a person and won’t take your opinion for granted. It is because you listen attentively to them, and they will return the favor.

2. Acquiring wisdom: Another benefit from listening is the fact that you will become someone who speaks wisely and with reason which refers us what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ”Whoever believes in Allah and the last day should speak a good word or remain silent“.

6 Barriers to Productive Listening

1. Thinking about to say instead of listening to the speaker: We usually tend to think about what to answer the person who is talking, as opposed to listening thoroughly to their words. How many times have you begun to formulate a response even before the person finished?

2. Giving our personal view without being asked: Sometimes the speaker doesn’t want you to give him a solution or hear what you think personally. She/he just wants you to listen without getting involved.

3. Preconceived expectations: During the conversation, we try to predict what the speaker will say and we end up interrupting saying: “Oh I know what you are going to say“. Sometimes we are totally wrong.

4. Prejudice/judgment: If we don’t agree with what the speaker thinks or believes in, we shouldn’t turn the conversation in to an argument. Instead, respect people’s thoughts and remember that only Allah (glorified and exalted be He) judges.

5. Interrupting: By either changing the subject or turning the conversation toward yourself, you encounter problems and experiences. All this demonstrates a lack of concern for the other person.

6. Comprehend first: We forget that comprehension comes first and that agreement is a second level. If the speaker is seeking our agreement, we don’t concentrate on what he/she truly means first and automatically move to agree or not.

9 Steps to Productive Listening

1. Make the objectives of listening to a conversation for two reasons: To gain information and to understand something about the speaker. And make sure your listening is intended by heart and mind.

2. Focus while listening: Don’t get distracted, keep your feelings and thoughts apart, especially if you are related to the person (close friend or relative).

3. Respect your interlocutor and be aware of the position they’re giving you while you’re listening to them.

4. Try not to get bored and, if you do, don’t show it to the speaker. It is hard in the beginning, but with time you’ll get through it.

5. Do not interrupt: Listening is a commitment and interrupting breaks it. Sometimes you think you understand it all, until the speaker says something that changes the concept. And if you don’t understand something, or would like more explanations, wait until the speaker finishes then ask him/her about it. Also to make sure you understood a particular point said by the speaker, reflect it back to him/her to see their reaction about it.

6. Don’t rush to fill the silence if the speaker stops talking. Maybe he/she is thinking about what to say, how to explain or is organizing their thoughts. Be patient and give others the time they need to express themselves.

7. Avoid negative physical movements such as playing with something in your hands (keys, pencil, etc.), continually looking at the clock, moving your eyes. Sit calmly and comfortably, and keep the eye contact; one’s eyes are what one pays attention with.

8. Visually encourage the speaker: Mild head nodding, oral expressions like: “ I see , I understand, oh ok, yes”, and smile – it’s sunnah! The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) once said: “When you smile to your brother’s face, it’s charity”. It can also help the speaker feel at ease.

9. Know when to stop to listening: You’re human so it’s normal for you to get tired if the conversation takes too long. Sometimes, the conversation moves from a subject to another and, if you’re not willing to get involved in another topic, then make it clear.

All in all, communication isn’t only about speaking and sharing how you feel, it is also opening the door for others to express themselves. Insha Allah you’ll find these tips and advice helpful.

About the Author

Yusra Ibrahim is a first year student in Business Administration, majoring in Management science. She belongs to a global leadership organization that aims to develop youth potential so as to make an impact on society. She’s also among the executive board of a female Islamic youth club that spreads Islamic awareness.

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The Different Masks of Laziness (Part 2)

Abu Productive — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:32:12 +0000

How to Cure Laziness

In the first part of this series, we learnt about the definition of laziness and the different faces of laziness in our lives. Today, we’ll attempt to list a prescriptive cure to laziness that would help us attack this diease once and for all.

1. Turning to Allah (swt) often and asking Him for protection from laziness and lethargy. Repeat this dua often:

‘O Allaah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.’ [For Arabic click here]

Sometimes when I feel lazy and bored/tired, I simply make this dua sincerely and I immediately feel a dose of energy enter into me. Seek refuge in Allah (glorified and exalted be He) from laziness just like you seek refuge from Shaytaan and bad things happening to you because if Allah (glorified and exalted be He) blesses you with an active lifestyle, you’ll achieve so much insha Allah.

2. Seek help with patience and salah: Allah (glorified and exalted be He) says in the Qur’an: [And seek help in patience and as-salat (the prayer) and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for al-khashi’un [i.e. the true believers in Allah – those who obey Allah with full submission, fear much from His Punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise) and in His Warnings (Hell)]. [2:45]

Start your day with Fajr salah in the masjid and adhere to all the five daily prayers. Manage your time around your salah times and not the other way around. Make salah your energy boosting pit stops of the day.

3. Keep remembering Allah (glorified and exalted be He) often as this is the best of deeds and it dispels anxiety, worry, boredom and laziness. Know that might, power and help is from Allah (glorified and exalted be He) alone. So continuously say “La hawla wa la quota illa billa”. Ibn Al-Qayim says about this specific remembrance: ”It has a powerful effect on difficult tasks and being able to bear difficult assignments…”

4. Have high aspirations and noble intentions and think BIG. If you have high goals, you’ll be charged towards achieving them and you won’t feel lazy.

5. Read the biographies of great men and women of history (Muslim and Non-Muslim) as this will increase your determination and set your aspirations high and charge you.

6. Spend time with those who have high aspirations and not with time wasterswho want you to be like them. Be careful of who you befriend and choose your friends wisely.

7. Feel responsible for your self, your body, your mind, your family, your work, your community and your Ummah. When you feel responsible and feel that you’ll be taken to account for what you do, this will increase your purposefulness and decrease your laziness.

8. Fill your idle time as much as possible with activities such as reading, watching beneficial documentaries, exercise, spending time in the countryside. etc. Don’t sit bored with nothing to do; that’s a trap of Shaytaan.

9. Find out what excites you and what you enjoy doing and work hard at it. If you love starting a business or running a blog or any hobby that you enjoy doing, spend your time on this activity and excel in it until you become an expert in your field.

And one last tip, keep visiting ProductiveMuslim.com or, even better, sign up to our mailing list below. We’ll always keep you on your toes with our weekly productivity tips!

We value your thoughts! Tell us how you tackle laziness or if any of the above tips worked with you. Share below on how you fight off laziness. As always, let us help and learn from one another.

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The Different Masks of Laziness (Part 1)

Abu Productive — Sat, 12 May 2012 05:31:18 +0000

When we think about laziness, we normally think of personal laziness; the feeling of not wanting to do something even though you should be doing it. However, laziness as a concept has many faces and wears many masks. In this article, we’ll aim to uncover these masks so that we’re aware of them insha Allah.

Definition of Laziness

Before we expose the masks of laziness, let us first define it.

According to Imam Al-Ragheb, laziness is “lack of energy and enthusiasm of doing something that you should not lack energy/enthusiasm for”.

For example, you should not lack energy/enthusiasm to perform your prayers, or to go to work, or to study and improve yourself, but if you do then that’s laziness.

Laziness in the Qur’an and Sunnah

The term laziness or “Kasal” in Arabic only appeared twice in the Qur’an, describing the hypocrites and their state of prayer:

”Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little. [Al-Nisa, verse 142]

”And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), and that they came not to As-Salat (the prayer) except in a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly.” [Al-Tawbah, verse 54]

And in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) (Peace be upon him) it was mentioned in the following hadeeth:

Narrated Abu Huraira Allah’s Apostle said, “Satan puts three knots at the back of the head of any of you if he is asleep. On every knot he reads and exhales the following words, ‘The night is long, so stay asleep.’ When one wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets up energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up lazy and with a mischievous heart.” (Bukhari, Book #21, Hadith #243)

And if you contemplate the above sources, you’d notice that laziness is associated with salah because salah is the most difficult of the daily obligations that a Muslim must complete since it has to be done every day, 5 times a day, without fail. An interesting point to make here is that whoever is lazy in their salah will be lazy in other acts of worship and whoever is NOT lazy in their salah, he/she won’t be lazy in other aspects of his/her life.

It’s obvious from the above sources that laziness is not something to be taken lightly and needs to be addressed. In fact, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) used to seek refuge in Allah (glorified and exalted be He) from laziness that he used to mention it daily in this dua:

‘O Allaah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.’

In this article, let’s look at ways that laziness may appear in our lives and, in a follow up article, we’ll look at how we can tackle laziness insha Allah.

Community Laziness:
The community is made of individuals and if individuals in the community are lazy than the community at large will become lazy. The signs of community laziness is the low civic role it plays to solve its own problems, over-reliance on government for solutions, low community cohesion, increase in crime and disputes, and poverty & unemployment afflicting the entire community. Moreover, community laziness also appears in the people’s lack of forbidding the evil and enjoining the good, which has detrimental consequences.Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “The example of the person abiding by Allah’s order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, ‘Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe.” (Bukhari, Book #44, Hadith #673)
Educational Laziness:
This is the laziness of learning and developing ourselves and growing our body of knowledge. As Muslims, during the Golden age of the Islamic civilization, we were pioneers in all sciences, but when we became lazy and loved the comforts of this world, others took the torch of knowledge from us and continued the journey of discovery to impressive results. It is shameful for the Ummah of “Iqraa” (read) to have stopped reading, and it is embarrassing for the Ummah that had kings send their children to our cities to do the opposite nowadays.
Family Laziness:
The family is the unit of the community, so if it is sound, the community would be sound, and if it’s not stable, then community is at risk. If the family is lazy, then proper upbringing would not be fulfilled; the parents would be lazy to fulfill their duties towards their children and the children would be lazy to fulfill their duties towards their parents and homes. And if every member of the family does not have that love and care which drives them to fight laziness and go the extra mile for their family, then you’ll find weak family relationships and even more concerning a broken Islamic home.Sometimes we seem to have forgotten the hadeeth where the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband’s house and children and is responsible for them; a slave (‘Abu) is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges.” (Bukhari, Book #46, Hadith #730)
Physical Laziness:
This is the common one that we all think about when we think of laziness and it manifests itself in laziness towards exercising and moving our bodies for physical activities. Unfortunately, such laziness comes with a high health bill as most doctors agree that most of the diseases of the 21st century are due to our sedentary lifestyle.
Financial Laziness:
This is laziness from seeking the different doors of sustenance. Many people nowadays simply want the “secure job” the one that pays “regular paychecks” and nothing more. We’ve forgotten that 9/10ths of sustenance is in business as mentioned in a hadeeth and we’ve stalled from setting up companies and businesses and becoming entrepreneurs. If we look at our prophets, they were role models in that they each had a trade: Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) was a carpenter, Prophet Idrees (peace be upon him) was a tailor, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) was a shepherd and then he became a trader. They earned their living from their own hands and did not rely on government paychecks or employment benefits.
Narrated Abu Huraira : Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “By Him in Whose Hand my life is, it is better for anyone of you to take a rope and cut the wood (from the forest) and carry it over his back and sell it (as a means of earning his living) rather than to ask a person for something and that person may give him or not.” (Bukhari, Book #24, Hadith #549).
This is the spirit of the Muslim. He doesn’t succumb to unemployment but moves and hustles through life to secure his financial position.
Another form of financial laziness is laziness in spending the money we have in the way of charity. There are so many charity organizations, so many needy people around us, but we rarely actively give and give and we make empty promises to ourselves but rarely fulfill them.
Employment Laziness:
This is the one that destroys many companies where employees are lazy from fulfilling their duties, hence hurting suppliers, customers, investors and all those involved. Laziness by wasting time, not performing the task properly, turning up late, trying to ‘trick’ the system, or simply accepting bribery to ‘fast-track’ certain tasks at the expense of others. Employment laziness also can be in the form of not working hard enough, or competing for promotions or for special assignments. Employment laziness sometimes comes after retirement as well when the retiree simply succumbs to a sedentary lifestyle, consuming his/her penison and waiting for death.
Religious Laziness:
This is laziness from acts of worship such as praying, fasting, reciting Qur’an, etc. This is the source of all laziness as those who are lazy from worshipping Allah (glorified and exalted be He), Allah (glorified and exalted be He) will make them lazy in other aspects of their lives. These are the people that pray quickly (if at all) or recite little of Qur’an, and remember Allah (glorified and exalted be He) little. They are the last to enter to the mosque and the first to get out, no aspiration to improve their spirituality or get closer to Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Night prayer is not even on their “wish-list” and fasting only takes place in Ramadan.

There are many more forms of laziness but I thought I would expose the big ones for now.

Laziness is truly a disease that destroys aspiration and determination and breaks the Ummah’s back. It is the source of our weakness and defeat as an Ummah and the source of our humility. It is time to make serious effort to fight it, in my next post, we’ll discover how to address this disease insha Allah.

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6 Steps to Get You Closer to Allah (SWT)

Reham Ibrahim — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:42:18 +0000

“…for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Surah Al-Rad, 13:28)

To be close to our Creator is a fundamental need of every human being and striving to achieve it can be the healing for our chaotic inner selves which, in turn, leads to:

Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) love
Greater productivity
Confidence
Satisfaction and joy

Therefore, it is essential to exert effort in seeking closeness to your Creator. To begin with, the prescription to getting closer to Allah requires a few things from you:

Strong intention to get closer to Allah (glorified and exalted be He)
Patience
Consistency
Avoid doing nothing

Let’s first consider our worth to Allah (glorified and exalted be He). If you want to know your worth to Allah (glorified and exalted be He), then see what you are doing with your life. Are you pleasing Allah (glorified and exalted be He) or disappointing Him?

Don’t like your answer?

Well, there is good news. The fact that you are seeking closeness to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) means He wants you to remember Him. Being productive is very important as a Muslim. It is a sign of Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) mercy that you have come to seek beneficial knowledge from websites like this one. A righteous deed is like a pearl necklace – when it breaks, all the pearls follow one another quickly.

Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said that Allah (glorified and exalted be He), the Exalted and Glorious said, “I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.” (Sahih Muslim).

We need to struggle to achieve great things. The harder the struggle is, the better the outcome becomes. Getting close to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) takes time. We cannot expect everything to magically fall into place by doing a righteous deed. You need to depend on Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and trust that what He has planned for you is the best you can have, for this life and the hereafter.

Here are some tips to achieve closeness to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He):

1. Dua’a (Supplication)

We forget that we need Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) help and strength to guide us. When we get too caught up with dunya (this life) we often think we can do it on our own without His help. We have to know that nothing changes without the strength and power of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). We need to ask Him for His help, even if it is to get closer to Him, or become better at worshiping Him. We need to seek refuge in Allah (glorified and exalted be He) in everything. It could be negative thoughts we have, our lack of productivity or even our lack of faith. We need to ask Allah (glorified and exalted be He) to help us and guide us to the Straight Path. Allah (glorified and exalted be He) says in the Qur’an:

”And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided”(2:186).

2. Stay Away from Poisons

You need to get any poisons out of your life. Poison has many forms. Fix your heart, by staying away from anything that Allah (glorified and exalted be He) doesn’t love. If you are around friends that make you sin and make you disappoint Allah (glorified and exalted be He), then you need to get them out of your life.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

3. Get to Know Allah [SWT] Through His 99 Beautiful Names

How can you love Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and want to get closer to Him if you don’t know Him that well? We fall in love with people as we get to know them more and realize that they have a lot of beautiful qualities and characteristics. Of course Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is above any analogy, but you need know Him more. Wanting to get closer alone won’t do you any good without falling in love with your Creator. Start with the name of Al-Wadud, the Ever-Loving. Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) love for you is unconditional. He does not need or want anything from you in return. He loves you so He keeps giving you even if you disobey Him. Ask Allah (glorified and exalted be He) with His 99 Names.

If you want to get closer to Him, pray with His name Al-Qareeb (The Close One) and ask Him to bring you closer to Him. And with Al-Wadud ask Him to love you more and make you love Him more. It’s as simple as that. We tend to overthink stuff and forget that if we seek refuge in Allah (glorified and exalted be He), He will make everything easier on us.

Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the Prophet [SAW] said, “If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, ‘Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.’ Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

4. Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah (glorified and exalted be He))

Remembering Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is essential in achieving closeness to Him. You can remember him by engaging in dhikr (remembrance) and tasbeeh (praise).

Say Astaghfirullah a lot to erase your sins.

Say Alhamdulillah so Allah will give you more.

Look outside your window and say Subhan-Allah about His beautiful creations.

The most elegant form of remembering Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is by looking at His creations. When you are in between tasks like driving or walking, remember Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Listen to Islamic lectures or Islamic poetry that talk about Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) glory. Surround yourself with people who remind you of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Attend halaqas or religious circles in masjids or you can even create your own gathering of remembrance. The more you remember Allah (glorified and exalted be He), the more He will remember you. See what happens when you are sitting in a gathering that is filled with Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) remembrance.

Allah’s Messenger [SAW] said:

“Whenever some people gather in one of Allah’s houses (mosques) to recite the book of Allah and study it among themselves – then calmness (tranquility) descends upon them, the angels surround them, mercy covers them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.” (Sahih Muslim)

5. Follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him)

By following the Sunnah of our prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) we will gain the love of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). When you gain the love of Allah (glorified and exalted be He), you will get closer to him. Following the sunnah of the Prophet makes you a better person. You will have better manners and ethics. Read more about the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him); fall in love with your Messenger. After all, he was a mercy to all mankind. Allah says so in the Qu’ran:

“Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (3:31)”.

6. Stay Connected to the Qur’an

Reading or memorizing the Qur’an alone is not enough. Understand it and act upon it. Try your best to act the way we were asked to in the Qur’an. Strive for the best. Reflect on its meanings; it will give you answers to your daily life’s complications. When you read the Qur’an and understand it more you will be more likely to reach the level of ihsan. You will want to do everything right. In the form of a man, Gabriel/Jibreel (peace be upon him) once entered a gathering where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) was sitting. One of the questions the angel asked was to elaborate on the term “ihsan”, Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “That you worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you don’t see Him then truly He sees you.”(Bukhari and Muslim)

Wrapping It All Up

Be productive, seek knowledge and take action. The more you love Allah (glorified and exalted be He), the more you will do to get closer to Him. The more you get closer to Him, the more He will get closer to you. The more you will want to learn about the sunnah and the Qur’an and want to get even closer to Him, the closer you will become to reaching the level of ihsan. When you reach that level you will feel Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) love and you will be satisfied with everything He gives you. You will be productive because you won’t want to waste time without pleasing Allah (glorified and exalted be He). You will be confident in anything that you do in your life, because you will have full trust in Allah (glorified and exalted be He). May Allah (glorified and exalted be He) guide us to the path that takes us closer to Him. Ameen.

About the Author

Reham Ibrahim is of Egyptian origin, born in Kuwait, raised in both Kuwait and Canada and now lives in Houston, TX. She holds a BA from the American University of Kuwait in Advertising and is currently pursuing a Master’s certificate from the University of San Francisco in Internet Marketing. She has been passionate about volunteering and serving the community from a very young age. Currently, she serves as Senior Marketing Director at Amaanah Refugee services is also involved in MAS Houston chapter. Reham’s dream is to inspire the world and be the change she wants to see in the world by being a global person who is productive and kind.

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Our Content Team is Hiring!

Abu Productive — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:20:21 +0000

This post is now closed. JazakAllah khair for your applications. The successful candidates will be contacted for an interview soon, inshaAllah.

The Research and Content team is looking for candidates who can fulfil the following roles.

1. Assistant Editor

Job Description

Aim

To assist in developing content, editing articles for publication and support the Head of Research and Content in outsourcing content.

Responsibilities

To undertake editing of articles, to liaise with contributors on topics and do any other task assigned by the Head of R&C to create sustainable and consistent content. To be acting Head of R&C in the absence of the Editor.

Salary

Unpaid, voluntary position

Training

Step by step guide to 37Signals, Podio, and Guide to Research and Content Team.

Benefits

Helping to serve the Ummah and benefit other Muslims
Improve your knowledge of productivity and editorial skills
Develop yourself personally, through managing time effectively and strengthening organisational
Learn how to work in a global team on various projects

Person Specification

High level of English (proficiency, understanding of grammar rules, clarity etc.) -Essential
Strong written and verbal communication skills to communicate with team members and contributors -Essential
Ability to learn quickly (for various projects) – Essential
Computer literate - Essential
Have a critical eye and attention to detail for editing -Desirable
Creativity and flair for content topics/ideas - Desirable
Previous editorial experience - Desirable
Confident user of internet and Microsoft applications - Essential
Excellent organisational skills - Essential
Be willing and enthusiastic to support senior members of staff - Essential
Committed to the ProductiveMuslim.com vision and values - Desirable
Willing to undertake tasks as set by Head of Content and Research or other members of team - Desirable

2. Research and Content Assistant (Intern) x 4

Job Description

Aim

To assist the Research and Content team in processing research results, editing articles, liaise with contributors for ProductiveRamadan.com content and undertake tasks as needed by the team relating to content and research.

Responsibilities

Process and summarise survey results
Assist the Researcher and Assistant Researcher in producing research reports
Edit articles as required to ensure high quality
Liaise with contributors for the website on ProductiveRamadan.com content
Attend online Skype meetings with the Research and Content team as and when scheduled
Undertake other tasks as indicated by Head of Research and Content or other members of team

Length

May 15th – 30th August 2012, approximately 7-10 hours a week

Salary

Unpaid, voluntary position

Training

Online training induction session

Benefits

Develop ability to work with a global online team using project management tools
Personal development opportunities through interaction with team members
Reference available upon successful completion of internship

Person Specification

Previous editorial experience - Essential

Excellent organisational and communication skills - Essential

Knowledge of online management tools - Desirable

Ability to work in a team and independently using own initiative - Essential

Strong written communication skills - Essential

Shared vision for ProductiveMuslim.com - Desirable

Committed and hardworking attitude - Essential

Able to meet deadlines - Essential

Willing to undertake tasks as set by Head of Content and Research or other members of team - Essential

Computer literate and quick learner - Essential

Good knowledge of issues faced by Muslim community through work in another Islamic organisation - Desirable

Application Process

If you are interested in applying for either one of the positions above, please send a cover letter outlining why you’d like to work for ProductiveMuslim.com, how you meet the person specification (no longer than 1 page) and send your CV by 10th May 2012 to nafla@ProductiveMuslim.com. Please indicate the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Interviews will be held online via Skype from 11th-13th May 2012. Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and appreciate the time taken to apply.

If you have any further queries please contact the Head of Research and Content at nafla@ProductiveMuslim.com

Related posts:

Here’s what we heard…

Abu Productive — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:10:34 +0000

ProductiveMuslim.com wonderful website ! check it out ! <3 — Aisha.M.AlQasimi (@AshAlQ) May 4, 2012

@AbuProductive Thank you very much for this. You guys really should get an award for the outstanding work you are doing! God bless. — Hussein¬King¬Hussein (@KingHu55ein) May 3, 2012

Just so happened to see them today,really made me smile@AbuProductive‘s “ProductiveMuslim” animations in Danube!! twitter.com/ali_salwa/stat… — Salwa Ali (@ali_salwa) May 1, 2012

@AbuProductive my 4 yr old loves your animations! He plays the ‘just do it’ one over and over again! — Muslimah تسنيم (@Mrs_muslimah) April 30, 2012

@AbuProductive I check it every single day(becoming a geek) lol anyway May Allah reward you & thank u for working “towards a productive uma” — SALMA BROWN R2I  (@Hisse_Lame) April 28, 2012

Productive Muslim mails are useful mashaAllah .. wish activities like this spread more than that .. — منة الله(@Mennatullah_A) April 28, 2012

Everyone must check out productivemuslim.comGreatest advices ever.Thanks @AbuProductive !! — Ridwan (@Rid_Waaan) April 28, 2012

Recommend this website to any/all young Muslims looking for some help. productivemuslim.com. Great effort @AbuProductive Jzakom Allah 5eir — عهد نيازي(@Ahd_HN) April 27, 2012

@AbuProductive amazing website Mashallah. It really helps me get closer to my deen and makes me a more productive Muslim jazakallah khairan — mahaamk (@mahaamk) April 20, 2012

If you’re having trouble with organization or procrastination here are some Great tips to help –> productivemuslim.com/ten-fabulous-t… — Student of Knowledge (@Striving4Akhira) April 10, 2012

If you are not following @AbuProductive Then get following him right now — Manzur Choudhury (@Mani_E_C) April 12, 2012

I love @AbuProductive ! you’re motivating me everyday to become a better person :D thank you :) may allah bless you for everything you do :) — Hijabi’s Voice (@hijabisvoice) April 14, 2012

@AbuProductive I love #ProductiveMuslim MayAllah reward you and your team, you have influenced me. I honestly look-up to guys Masha’allah. — ♥Umm Yusra♥ (@MaamaSoso) May 5, 2012

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Productive Professions – Interview with a Journalist

Tasnim Nazeer — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:29:37 +0000

Welcome to the Productive Professions interview with Sister Tasnim Nazeer. Throughout the Productive Professions series we hope to inspire our readers to pursue professions that are beneficial to the Ummah, and to cultivate skills that are useful in society. Enjoy!

Sr. Tasnim is a freelance journalist/reporter for BMG’s Global Islamic Finance Magazine. She has written for a variety of print and online publications including The Muslim News, CNN, The Huffington Post, How-To Books and writes her own column on Aaila, The Muslim Family Magazine. Her work has brought her nominations for the Asian Woman of Achievement Award 2012 and also for the Muslim News Award for Excellence. She is also a mother of three children, masha Allah!

1. Assalam alaikum Sr. Tasnim. Please tell us what motivated you to enter the journalism and writing field, and how you made your entrance. What were your first experiences as a new Muslim journalist/writer?

From an early age I have always enjoyed writing a variety of texts from articles, stories and poetry and this love of writing spurred me to eventually study Journalism at university. My main motivation for entering into a career in Journalism was because I wanted to give a voice to those who often felt unheard and dispel myths surrounding Muslims within the media.

I first started out by writing human interest articles for local papers and getting as much work experience within the media industry as I could by submitting articles to various print and online media. I began writing for a Sri Lankan International newspaper and went to Sri Lanka personally to visit the victims of the tsunami who had still not received aid and were inflicted with hardship. It was both an emotional and rewarding experience which motivated me to continue until this day. I soon began to realize how the pen has the ability to raise awareness about an important issue and hopefully create a positive change.

After building up my profile of published articles within a variety of print and online publications I then got a job as a Freelance Journalist for Business Media Group’s Global Islamic Finance Magazine by the grace of Allah (swt). I have been working there now for a few years whilst being married and managing a young family and also continue to write for many Islamic and international publications on the topics of Islam, human rights, parenting and world news.

2. How long have you been in this field and how has the journey been so far? Please share some of the highlights with us.

At the age of 15 I had my first article published in a local newspaper and seeing my name in the paper really made me and my family happy. Ten years later at 25 I am still inspired to write especially on the topics of Islam, Alhamdulillah. Some of the main highlights of my career so far have been being nominated for the Young Journalist of the Year 2011 at the Muslim Writers Awards, as I was really surprised to be shortlisted. I then was nominated by American Muslim Magazine MB Muslima as the 40 under 40 inspirational Muslims which was another major highlight in addition to being shortlisted at the Asian Woman of Achievement Awards 2012, Alhamdulillah.

I think that seeking the praise from Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and writing with good intentions in order to portray the positivity and peace that Islam promotes would be better than any highlight of my career.

3. What are the challenges you faced as you were moving along and what tips would you provide to all those who are hoping to join this field? How would a Productive Muslim go about it?

One of the main challenges that I found when writing for mainstream publications is that there will be some editors who are under the perception that Muslim journalists would be delivering biased reports. As a journalist, neutral reporting is part of the job and ensures professionalism. Journalists, regardless of their faith, know what is required of them. I believe in giving a fair report portraying both sides of the story, after all being truthful is part of our emaan.

Many people from socially diverse backgrounds often find that they are misrepresented within the media and that is why there is a need for more varied reporting of issues surrounding the communities at large. Portrayals of Muslim women have the potential to impact discrimination and rights of the community and this can only be done if there are more writers from diverse backgrounds.

I would encourage Muslims who are interested in journalism to go for their goals as it is an extremely rewarding line of work and it offers the opportunity to nourish your writing skills, and report on a variety of issues around the world. I never thought that I could get this far by being a journalist but by hard work and sheer perseverance I have tried to build a place for myself in this competitive industry.

If you are interested in getting into journalism try to get on a course either at university or if you are in college it may be helpful to study subjects such as English or Media Studies. Work experience can introduce you to the practicalities and discipline of the job and so I would recommend trying to get your foot in the door. The more experience you have with writing can really help to build up a solid portfolio and showcase your writing abilities. I wish all budding journalists the best of luck!

4.What kinds of skills do you develop as a writer and journalist, and how have they helped you outside your profession?

There are a variety of skills that you develop as a journalist and writer which can be utilized in every day life. Time management skills and staying organized is very important for a journalist as it helps to meet deadlines and stay on top of things. Effective time management is something that we can all utilize in daily life and is especially beneficial when we want to stay organized.

It is worthwhile having good listening and communication skills. I think it is important in life to be able to listen to others, as well as express your own views which shows mutual respect.

It can also help to have good preparation skills just like how we wake up for Fajr we have to be disciplined to get up early in order to wake up in time, and that means preparing ourselves either by keeping an alarm or some type of reminder to wake us up.

Developing writing skills further and widening your reading is a skill that can be adapted to use every day and it is one of the skills I have developed throughout my career.

5. For someone who is considering this field, what’s a typical day in the life of a journalist/writer like?

As I am a Freelance Journalist I primarily work from home and occasionally go into the office but I have worked in such an environment before and it has been very hectic meeting deadlines, interviewing and writing up reports however it can also be extremely rewarding.

You often find that after you have written an article you will feel a sense of accomplishment meeting the deadline and voicing a worthwhile story. Some of my main duties throughout the day would be researching for a story, preparing the news or a feature article, writing up press releases, editing and proofreading, uploading and selecting images to go with articles and perhaps one or two short interviews in a single day.

My typical day as a journalist is coupled with looking after the kids and husband, as I am at home, so that means lots of nights staying up till the early hours and lots of early morning research long before Fajr! However, by the grace of Almighty Allah (glorified and exalted be He) it is a very nice experience to write especially if you enjoy it and if you have the support from husband and family, it is a great career and can enhance each day with Allah (glorified and exalted be He)’s blessings.

6. There are many women out there who are interested in pursuing a career while raising a family. Are there any experiences or tips you’d like to share with women, especially mothers, who aspire to do what you have done?

Every Muslim woman has a talent of their own and I think that they can most definitely balance family and a career especially with Journalism and writing as you can easily freelance from home. I think the key to raising a family whilst pursuing a career is by effectively managing your time and knowing your limits to work. For me, my husband and children come first and then my work because I cannot neglect the responsibilities of the home and I want that time to spend with them. Having time with the family and pursuing a career in Journalism is not impossible as you can work during children’s nap times, when they are asleep, when they are busy wanting their own ‘me’ time or any other time that is best suited to you. In addition you can choose which publications you want to apply for and they may be flexible on deadlines so you know when you have to get your work done and therefore make time for it.

I started out small working very hard to publish in print media then went from print to online and then onto some major international papers. Contact editors and send them an email outlining your experience in writing and your unique writing style and who knows this could be the start of a successful writing career, inshallah!

It can be very rewarding pursuing a worthwhile career from home and managing the family so I would encourage anyone who is interested to go for it and if you do need any advice please contact me via my website www.tasnimnazeer.com and I will be more than happy to help.

7. In a more general sense, how do you maintain balance between the different aspects of your life productively?

In order to create a balance between the many aspects of my life such as family and work I think it is first important to realize the purpose of this life which is to work towards Al Akhirah and pleasing Allah (glorified and exalted be He) in everything we do. I always start the day remembering that any sustenance or any hardship is from Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and this helps me to prioritize and organize my day effectively to ensure that I conduct my time effectively working, and with the family in order to achieve a balance.

Praying Salah really helps obtain the balance in life as most of my work is centered around prayer. I wake up early before Fajr doing work and after Fajr and I tend to think of the prayer times and relate them to what I am going to do. Again what I am trying to convey is that although I am very active as a Journalist I do not want to neglect the most important part of life which we have to be productive in and that is pleasing Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Due to this I think that I have been able to achieve more and I think any mother, wife or husband can achieve and create a balance between work and the family.

I think that Muslim women can work and raise a family effectively especially with creative industries such as writing. I have written voluntarily for many Islamic print and online publications and this is very rewarding. I think by utilizing our time for da’wah work such as writing on the topics of Islam is doing something constructive that will please Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and also helping us to further achieve in life.

8. What are the most significant productivity lessons that you have learned through your career?

Some of the most significant productivity lessons which I have learned through my career have to be effective time management. As a journalist and writer you have countless deadlines and in order to get everything done within a certain time frame it is imperative to stay organized.

I think it is a good thing to know how to utilize time and stay concentrated. As journalist I have learned to stay disciplined in sticking to deadlines and ensuring that they are met. In addition, preparation is also key to getting tasks completed and I think it is a skill that we can all adapt in our everyday lives.

It also helps to get up early for Fajr as this provides the best start to the day and can also help you refresh and energize yourself so you are ready for the day ahead.

Mainly, if we use our time productively we can fit in time for all the important aspects of our life and ensure a good balance and that is the key to being productive in this life and working towards the next permanent life.

9. Do you have any message or values that you’d like to share with our readers?

I would like to encourage anyone who is interested in writing and Journalism to go for their goals and it would be especially beneficial if you write on topics which can have some benefit such as Islam. I believe that Allah (glorified and exalted be He) provides our sustenance and we can achieve anything Allah (glorified and exalted be He) wishes us to. Sometimes there are hurdles and sometimes things are made easy but that is how life is.

It is important to recognize your talents and see how you can utilize those talents for the sake of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). I never thought that I was a good writer and I still think I should improve to this day, despite my husband encouraging me that I am good. However, I wanted to write about topics such as Islam in addition to other human interest stories which can benefit Muslims and creative a positive image of Islam within the media. Insha Allah I hope that Allah (glorified and exalted be He) keeps the Ummah united and keeps us sincere in our intentions to productively achieve, for the sake of our faith.

For more information contact me on my website: www.tasnimnazeer.com.

P.S: Upcoming Coaching Call

Discover the secrets of developing your life goals that are beneficial for your dunya as well as your akhira inshaAllah! Register NOW:http://productivemuslim.com/life-goals“

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The Ramadan Early Bird Series! (Part 2)

Yacoob Manjoo — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:22:25 +0000

While last month’s Early Bird Series post focused on salaah – which is spiritual – this month’s post focuses on something worldly, yet still extremely important. This month, we’ll be tackling our unhealthy, time-consuming habits – you know: Facebook, Twitter, BB addiction, and the like.

It may be painful to face up to, and the exercise may take a while to do, but if you succeed, insha-Allah you’ll make giant strides in bettering your own self and your relationship with Allah (glorified and exalted be He).

Progress = Happiness?

Compared to the previous eras, modern technology makes our lives easier and saves us great amounts of time. For example, whereas laundry was a whole day job 200 years ago, today you can get it done and dried in a couple of hours – with minimal effort on your part.

But with so much time freed up, shouldn’t we be happier – since we have more time to do what we want?

Compare the level of happiness and contentment in previous generations to ours, and you’ll most likely find the answer to be a resounding “no”.

The paradox of today’s world is that even with all our time-saving gadgets and convenience, more than ever, we feel like we don’t have free time. We’re under more pressure and we always seem to need more hours in the day (or night) to finish our tasks. Add to that the entertainment we consume to ‘relax’ and ‘unwind’ from the stresses of life, and then the relatively new phenomenon of always being ‘connected’ to the world and your friends via technology, and you can see how we’re busier than ever before.

For many people, today’s life is filled with e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, mobile phone messages, and a never-ending stream of information: breaking news, alerts, updates, and other bits of information we think we need. The information flood is so rampant that some people seem to spend more time in the virtual world than they do in the real, physical world (shades of ‘The Matrix’, perhaps?).

Whether we pursue these things or they pursue us, it seems that many of us have become slaves to the technology and leisure-time activities we love so much.

The Vessel

But we know that any extreme is unhealthy. So by consuming and being involved in this much information, communication, and entertainment, we’re bound to suffer negative consequences at some point – whether it’s mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual.

American scholar Shaykh Abdullah Adhami sums up the danger in this beautifully simple yet profound quote:

“Every vessel – every container – will only pour out what is contained in it, and that’s very obvious…Your tongue is your ability to express what lies in your spirit: television, the movies, the friends you hang out with, the music you listen to. Everything around you is environmental forces that shape how your being is and how your heart is. And when you open your mouth to speak it’s like your heart is a sponge that absorbs all of this material from around you. Essentially what you’re doing is squeezing what is in you and what comes out is going to be what has been compiled in your mind and in your memory. Obviously you can only express in your heart what has been placed in it. And so in order for the outcome and the output from the tongue to be positive, the input in that needs to be positive: in spirit, in silence, in talking…and throughout our lives.”

Basically, what we consume (other than just food and drink) is what will fill our hearts, and ultimately that’s what we’ll express. So if we fill our time with habits that are poisonous – or not beneficial – those poisons will corrupt our inner beings.

As others have pointed out, the human brain only has a limited capacity – it can only hold so much information. And if we keep filling it with things that aren’t actually important, there won’t be much space left for the things that really are important.

Kicking the Habit – the Early Bird Way

You may already know that you have a Facebook problem, or a Twitter addiction, or that you obsessively check your email every few minutes. Whatever your habits, if you’ve gone to an extreme, you already know you should take some kind of action to bring back the balance. But living in the environment you live in, it’s not easy to disconnect completely and be free of your poisons.

So, as explained in Part 1, our approach in this series is to follow a five-step process to gradually solve the problem:

1. Selection of an area

For this month, the topic is ‘Unhealthy habits’.

2. Diagnosis

Analyse your current condition and list your weaknesses.

Using the accompanying worksheet, ask yourself:

What technologies and websites do I use most in my personal life?
How do I entertain myself?
What communication habits fill my time?
How many times do I use it per day?
On average, how long do I spend on it per day?

Now for each item on your list, ask yourself the following questions:

Whose resources do I use for this? If it’s someone else’s, am I allowed to be using their resources for this?
Why do I do it as often as I do?
When I use it, why do I spend this amount of time on it?
How does using it make me feel? And how long does that feeling last?
Do I neglect loved ones / people that are right in front of me while I do this? Do these things cause me to spend less quality time with them?
What time do I switch these things off for the day?
For the entertainment-related items, what is the main message of the music / movies / games? And is this something admirable or meaningful?
What are the benefits of this thing? (Break this up into worldly and Hereafter categories)
What are the risks / dangers of this thing? (Break this up into worldly and Hereafter categories)
Does this harm my acts of worship and relationship with Allah (glorified and exalted be He)?

Use the worksheet to think through each question and record your answers. Be honest with yourself – and do this either completely in private, without sharing it with anyone (if you prefer it that way), or with someone else (if you think that’s more beneficial).

3. Root cause analysis

Get to the root of your weaknesses / problems.

First, consider your answers and then identify and list your weaknesses or problems you feel you need to address.
Next, write down each issue’s outward symptoms that you notice, and try to find the root causes of the issue by interrogating it. Look at the issue or the symptoms and ask yourself “why?” Keep asking “why?” of each answer until you get to the root cause.

4. Solutions

Come up with practical methods to overcome those root causes.

With the problems diagnosed, the symptoms identified, and root causes found, now think of practical ways to solve those problems from the root. Brainstorm and list practical ways to solve the issues from the root. While doing this, consider the following questions to help you come up with solutions:

If I give up / reduce my usage, what benefits could I gain?
What would I like to achieve in life that I haven’t / haven’t tried – because I feel I don’t have the time?
What small steps could I take towards fulfilling those ambitions, if I were to have more free time?
What safety mechanisms and physical steps can I take to cut down on my habits?
Can I arrange my time to be more self-disciplined in these habits?
Can I use any technology applications to block my usage of websites I’d like to leave?
Can I set aside a day or two per month to live completely without these things?

For example, in question 4 (safety mechanisms / physical steps), when you need to do something important, you could move your computer / other distractions to somewhere not so accessible. And in step 5 (time management), you could set specific times in the day when you’ll check email – and stick to it. Or set times each day where you ban yourself from using the Internet / the medium of distraction.

5. Planning and implementation

Set up a realistic plan of action to implement those solutions gradually in the coming months, then at a higher pace in Ramadan.

With solutions identified, now analyse what your life is like at this moment, and come up with a realistic plan of how you can implement the solutions over a period of time. Remember to keep the plans realistic and achievable – what you can manage, even if it means baby steps over a long period. Doing things gradually – in small and consistent steps – is the best way to achieve sustainable, permanent solutions.

Also include, in your plan, the ways you’d like to intensify your efforts when Ramadan comes.

If, after a while, you find that you’ve incorrectly estimated your ability to follow the plan, simply make adjustments as needed. The goal for this month, and the four that follow, is to implement steps that are realistic for you – what you can manage, and not what will overburden you.

Worksheet

To help with this month’s exercise, you can download and use the following document: RamadanEarlyBirdworksheet.

Resources

To help you with this month’s focus, check out the following:
• Article: From Facebook to God’s book
• Technology blockers: To block sites you want to avoid, use LeechBlock for FireFox; StayFocusd for Google Chrome; or in Internet Explorer just add the in your blocking-settings.

And remember that the most important resources of all are the right intentions, sincere dua asking for success in this venture, and then consistent effort to do your best.

Your contribution

If you know of any good Islamic resources (e.g. lectures, applications) that are freely available online, please suggest them in the comments section.

About the Author

Yacoob Manjoo is a writer, blogger, husband, and father of a very busy toddler. Writing is his passion, and sharing beneficial knowledge and insights has been a pillar of his life for the last decade. He blogs regularly at dreamlife.wordpress.com and Ramadan.co.za during Ramadan.

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Coaching Call with Abu Productive – How to Develop Life Goals

Abu Productive — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:40:12 +0000

For a very limited time..

Discover the secrets of developing your life goals that are beneficial for your dunya as well as your akhira inshaAllah!

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KNOW YOUR TIME: Time-Tracking Experiment

Abu Productive — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:24:24 +0000

Umar Bin Al-Khattab, may Allah (glorified and exalted be He) be pleased with him said “Take yourself to account before you’re taken to account”.

As Muslims who believe that we’ll be judged for every minute we spent on this earth, it is sometimes quite useful to track how we spend our time in order to accurately measure how well we’re living our lives according to the purpose we’ve been created for.

About two years ago, I ran a time tracking experiment on myself for a few days to help me measure exactly how I spend my time in different activities. The results of this experiment were astonishing! It made me realize how much I was wasting my time and helped me take drastic measures to improve my productivity.

Here’s how you can run your own time tracking experiment with a few, free simple tools.

THE EXPERIMENT

As with every successful experiment, you need the right measuring tools and apparatus to accurately measure the data and draw the most useful conclusions. This can be challenging if you’re trying to record what you do every minute of your day, since you’ll either forget to record what you do, OR be biased in your recording to show that you were productive when in reality you weren’t.

To overcome this problem, you need to divide your time tracking experiment into two parts:

1. Recording the time spent online/on a computer

Since the majority of our time these days is spent on the computer and online, you can start by recording what you do on them. Thankfully, there’s a great application for that!

RescueTime (Free)

One of the best time tracking tools online today is RescueTime; a web-based time recording and analytical tool that sits quietly in the background of your computer and measures which application, website or document you’re currently actively using.

At the end of each week, RescueTime will send you beautiful (or scary) result graphs showing exactly what percentage of your time online/on the computer is spent on “Productive Tasks” (e.g. Word document, online research, presentations..etc) vs. “Unproductive Tasks” (e.g. social media, personal e-mails, etc). (Note: you can choose which applications/documents RescueTime should classify as “productive” vs. “unproductive”).

Another great feature of RescueTime is that if you’re away from your computer for more than 5 to 10 minutes, it will ask you to write down where you went and what you did, again giving you visibility of how you spend your time during your breaks away from your computer. (E.g. in one day, I realized I spent 5 hours at meetings!)

2. Recording the time spent offline/off a computer

Now that you have an accurate recording of your time spent online or on the computer (and even during short breaks between your working day), it’s time to measure how you spend your time offline, especially when you’re away from your laptop for long stretches, or at home.

To record your time offline, I highly recommend the techniques used by accountants and auditors who need to record their time for billing purposes where they simply record what they are doing every 20m. There are a couple of ways to do this accurately:

You could keep a buzzer next to you and set the timer for 20 minutes or 1 hour. Every time the buzzer goes off, you record exactly what you’re doing on a piece of paper.
You can ask a friend, spouse, child, or someone else who’s close to you to simply record what you’re doing every 20 minutes.

That’s it! At the end of the week, you’ll have a pretty accurate picture of how you spend your time.

Finally, a word of caution: recording your time is a painful and tedious experiment and it can be very tempting to skip some steps, or record how you think you spent your time at the end of your day, but that will defeat the purpose! You need to be as objective as possible and avoid relying on your memory to remember what you did at certain times.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE RESULTS?

Once you have an accurate measure of your time (both online/offline), you need to compare the results with the results you’d like to achieve as a Productive Muslim – a person who achieves success both in this life and in the Hereafter. If the results of your experiment show that you’re wasting a lot of your time, then you know you have to do something about it as the results won’t improve by themselves.

Here are 3 practical things you can do to improve your time management:

Limit time-wasting activities: If you find that you spend a big chunk of your time on social media, TV or aimlessly surfing the Internet, try to limit these activities by allocating specific times for them during the day.
Compress your work time into large work chunks: If you find that you work in bursts of 10-20 minutes throughout the day, try to compress all your work time into large chunks of at least 45 to 90 minutes. This will allow you to work more productively and achieve greater results.
Manage your time actively: Instead of managing your time reactively and fire-fighting your way through your days, try your best to actively manage your time by planning each day the night before, using our ProductiveMuslim Taskinator and completing at least 3 to 5 of the Most Important Tasks (M.I.Ts) early in the morning. Moreover, such active management of time would help you avoid the common pitfall of “heedlessness” from Allah’s commands and allows you to truly develop a balanced lifestyle that doesn’t forget the akhira and works hard in this dunya.

Once you’ve adopted some of the above changes and you feel that your time management has improved, re-run the time tracking experiment again and let the results speak for themselves.

Related posts:

Productive Muslim

What’s Holding You Back from Effective Listening?

Benefits of Being an Active Listener

6 Barriers to Productive Listening

9 Steps to Productive Listening

The Different Masks of Laziness (Part 2)

How to Cure Laziness

The Different Masks of Laziness (Part 1)

Definition of Laziness

Laziness in the Qur’an and Sunnah

6 Steps to Get You Closer to Allah (SWT)

1. Dua’a (Supplication)

2. Stay Away from Poisons

3. Get to Know Allah [SWT] Through His 99 Beautiful Names

4. Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah (glorified and exalted be He))

5. Follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him)

6. Stay Connected to the Qur’an

Wrapping It All Up

Our Content Team is Hiring!

This post is now closed. JazakAllah khair for your applications. The successful candidates will be contacted for an interview soon, inshaAllah.

1. Assistant Editor

2. Research and Content Assistant (Intern) x 4

Application Process

Here’s what we heard…

Productive Professions – Interview with a Journalist

P.S: **Upcoming Coaching Call**

Discover the secrets of developing your life goals that are beneficial for your dunya as well as your akhira inshaAllah! Register NOW:http://productivemuslim.com/life-goals“

The Ramadan Early Bird Series! (Part 2)

Progress = Happiness?

The Vessel

Kicking the Habit – the Early Bird Way

Coaching Call with Abu Productive – How to Develop Life Goals

For a very limited time..

KNOW YOUR TIME: Time-Tracking Experiment

1. Recording the time spent online/on a computer

2. Recording the time spent offline/off a computer

P.S: Upcoming Coaching Call