Useful Tips Category

Creativity is often seen as an innate talent — something you either have or don’t. But successful entrepreneurs know that it can (and should) be trained like a muscle. This is especially true for those trying to stand out in an increasingly crowded and competitive market.

Here’s a game-changer: training your brain doesn’t have to be dull or technical. Online games, like the New York Times’ famous Wordle or free Sudoku puzzles, are surprisingly effective tools for sharpening focus, mental agility, and even aesthetic sense—all essential skills for creative entrepreneurs.

Suppose you’re like me and use both a computer and creativity as your main work tools; your coffee break can become a high-impact brain training session. I want to share how certain games can directly enhance your creative and strategic thinking.

Why Creative Entrepreneurs Need Cognitive Stimulation
Entrepreneurs are constantly making decisions. Designers, too — color palettes, visual compositions, typography, branding, trends, and of course, client preferences. To handle all this, your brain needs to stay sharp and your eyes well-trained. That’s where online games, when used in moderation, come into play. They can:

Improve lateral thinking — helpful for finding unexpected creative solutions.
Strengthen working memory — vital for juggling multiple visual ideas and references
Boost focus and mindfulness — key for producing consistent, high-quality work.
Speed up decision-making — crucial when dealing with tight deadlines and briefings.

Here’s a curated list of online games (free or with affordable versions) that are great for building these skills:

1. Woodoku
A mobile game that blends classic Sudoku with block puzzles (think wooden Tetris). You play on a 9×9 board, placing variously shaped wooden blocks. Complete a row, column, or 3×3 square, and those blocks disappear, making room for more. The game ends when there’s no space left to place new blocks.

Why I find it useful:
Trains spatial reasoning because you need to plan every move strategically. It develops foresight by anticipating how future pieces will fit. This is a calm game, but it demands sustained attention, i.e., it encourages focus. Finally reinforces patience and decision-making under visual constraints, much like a designer’s daily life. I like this game a lot.

2. Sudoku
This is a number-based logic game played on a 9×9 grid divided into 3×3 subgrids. The goal is to fill all cells with numbers from 1 to 9, without repeating any number in the same row, column, or subgrid. The game starts with some cells already filled in. The player deduces the missing numbers using logical reasoning while following the game’s rules. 

Why I find it good:
Sudoku stimulates logical intelligence, attention, working memory, and creativity, as it requires new strategies and approaches to solve different puzzle configurations. You will find countless websites available to play Sudoku online for free.

3. Wordle
A word game from the New York Times where you have six chances to guess a five-letter English word.

Why it’s valuable:
It exercises logical thinking, pattern recognition, and cognitive economy. It’s also great for building vocabulary for non-native English speakers.

4. Quick, Draw!
A Google game that prompts you to draw something in 20 seconds so the AI can guess what it is.

Why it helps:
Sharpens visual synthesis — training you to express ideas quickly and clearly, which is essential for icon and logo design. You don’t need to be an artist; rough sketches are enough to communicate the concept.

5. Kleki
A minimalist, free digital drawing and painting platform.

Why it’s great:
Perfect for practicing composition, color balance, and freehand sketching—without the pressure of perfection. It’s mentally relaxing. It´s like a visual brainstorming. Take 10 minutes a day to draw anything without judgment. It helps unlock your experimental side.

6. Patterned
Available on Apple Arcade (paid), it’s a pattern-filling game where you match visual pieces into rhythmic, symmetrical designs. Think puzzle meets design harmony.

Why it’s effective:
Enhances sensitivity to patterns, repetition, and composition—key in surface design, packaging, and UI work.

7. friv.com
A readily accessible and largely ad-free platform for casual, browser-based gaming, Friv.com can be appealing to those seeking quick, simple, and free entertainment. Its commitment to family-friendly content and its vast library of games provide a safe and varied—if somewhat basic—gaming environment. However, while Friv.com boasts a large number of games, these are generally simple, casual titles, often originating from the Flash era or being HTML5 equivalents, which may consequently lack the depth and sophisticated narrative structures that some gamers actively seek and appreciate in their interactive entertainment.   

Why it’s fun:
The platform hosts an extensive collection of browser-based games that can be launched instantly on a multitude of devices. I like that it offers quick, fun gameplay during work breaks, commutes, or leisure moments, without the need for lengthy downloads or installations.

Turning Games into Creative Tools
Now that you’ve discovered some great games, here are a few practical ways to incorporate them into your creative routine:

Use games as part of your warm-up.
Play for 5–10 minutes before jumping into design work. It primes your brain to think visually.

Translate game ideas into design prompts.
If you play a word game (like Wordle), take the word of the day and turn it into a visual concept: a logo, color palette, or layout.

Capture insights in a creative notebook.
Jot down ideas that emerge during gameplay—even if they seem random. Many great ideas are born from creative chaos.

At the end of the day, you don’t need to be in front of Illustrator or Figma 24/7 to train as a designer. Creativity thrives in moments of playful idleness, and well-chosen games are a powerful shortcut to get there.

By weaving a few of these games into your routine, with moderation, you’re not just having fun. You’re actively building skills that can significantly elevate your creative output. Your downtime becomes a creative lab.

 

How to lose weight when you work in an office? It may seem like an uphill battle. Everyone tells me that I am a naturally blessed guy: I can eat anything and not gain weight. I sit in front of my computer for hours and my figure remains like Shaggy Rogers from Scooby Doo. But for many people, the reality is not quite the same. Long hours spent sitting, combined with limited physical activity, often lead to weight gain and decreased energy levels.

However, it is entirely possible to lose weight and stay healthy even if your job requires you to sit most of the day. By adopting intentional habits, you can overcome the challenges of a sedentary lifestyle. Let’s explore practical strategies to help you achieve your weight-loss goals while thriving at your desk job.

Understanding the Challenges of a Sedentary Job. According to doctors, modern office work often involves prolonged sitting, which can slow your metabolism, decrease calorie burn, and lead to muscle imbalances. Common challenges include:

Low Activity Levels: Sitting for extended periods reduces opportunities to burn calories.

Mindless Eating: Office snacks and stress-induced eating contribute to excess calorie intake.

Poor Posture: Slouching can weaken core muscles and hinder physical performance.

Time Constraints: Busy schedules make prioritizing exercise and meal preparation difficult.

Acknowledging these challenges is the first step to overcoming them.

Incorporate Movement into Your Day. Even with a desk job, you can find creative ways to stay active:

Take Micro-Breaks: Stand, stretch, or walk for a few minutes every hour. Set an alarm to remind. For example, I use the Pomodoro technique, which sets up blocks of time with 25 minutes of work and a short five-minute break.

Use the Stairs: My office is on the third floor, and I opt for the stairs instead of the elevator. Why not do the same whenever possible?

Desk Exercises: Try seated leg raises and shoulder rolls. I also like to do chair sit-ups: For a minute or two, with your hands resting behind your head, lean your torso forward while lifting your knees alternately. It’s simple and painless, but consistency is key.

Walking Meetings: Suggest walking meetings for brainstorming sessions or casual discussions. It also works if you are a solo entrepreneur, where you get together with yourself, letting ideas flow during a walk in the fresh air.

Walking Alone: If you’re wondering, ‘Can walking help you lose weight?’ — the answer is yes. Walking is one of the most underrated fat-loss tools. It’s simple, effective, and sustainable. For example, a person weighing around 155 lbs burns approximately 140–150 calories by walking briskly for 30 minutes (at about 3.5 mph).

Optimize Your Diet. Weight loss is largely influenced by diet. Adopt these tips to manage your calorie intake:

Meal Prep: Prepare healthy meals in advance to avoid relying on fast food or vending machine snacks.

Mindful Eating: Eat slowly, savor your food, and avoid distractions like smartphones while you eat. I’ve learned not to be a hostage to the WhatsApp notifications. If it rings while I’m eating, I ignore it. The message can wait.

Healthy Snacks: Stock up on nutritious options like nuts, yogurt, and fresh fruits. These are particularly important to me, as I come from a tropical country, meaning we love fruits.

Hydration: Will drinking water help you lose weight? Well, water itself doesn’t burn fat directly, but it reduces appetite. Drinking water before meals can help you feel fuller, leading to a reduction in calories consumed. Studies suggest drinking ~500 ml (about 17 oz) before eating may reduce intake. Moreover, it replaces High-Calorie Drinks. Choosing water instead of soda, juice, or sweetened coffee can help reduce calorie intake.

Portion Control: Use smaller plates when eating. If humans are a product of their environment, so is your food. Be mindful of portion sizes, and don’t eat with your eyes.

Prioritize Regular Exercise. A sedentary job doesn’t mean you can’t exercise. Schedule workouts to boost your metabolism and build strength:

Morning or Evening Workouts: Dedicate 20-30 minutes to jogging, cycling, or strength training activities. If you ask me if I like it, I’ll say no. It’s like taking bitter medicine. Just hold your nose and do what needs to be done.

Home Workouts: Follow online fitness videos if you’re short on time or prefer staying home

Weekend Activities: Use weekends to engage in longer workouts or outdoor activities.

Strength Training: Focus on building muscle, which helps burn calories even at rest.

Leverage Technology. Modern tools can support your weight-loss journey:

Fitness Trackers: Use devices to monitor steps, calories burned, and activity levels.

Apps: Explore nutrition and workout apps to track progress and stay motivated.

Standing Desks: Invest in a standing desk or an adjustable desk converter to alternate between sitting and standing.

Manage Stress and Sleep. Stress and inadequate sleep can derail your weight-loss efforts by affecting hormones that regulate hunger and metabolism:

Stress Management: Practice mindfulness, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises to manage stress.

Sleep Hygiene: Aim for at least seven hours of quality sleep each night. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and create a restful environment.

Other Tips

Avoid snacking mindlessly: Keep unhealthy snacks out of reach and replace them with pre-portioned healthy options. Drinking water and chewing gum can also curb cravings.

Short bursts of exercise can make a difference: Even 10-minute physical activity sessions, such as brisk walking or stretching, can boost your overall calorie burn and improve your health. Additionally, as a designer, they also help stimulate my creativity.

No time to cook? Focus on simple, nutritious meals with minimal preparation, like salads, wraps, or smoothies. Meal delivery services offering healthy options can also be helpful.

Ultimately, losing weight with a sedentary job is far from impossible, but achievable with the right strategies. You can create a sustainable lifestyle that supports weight loss by integrating more movement into your day, making healthier food choices, doing some exercise, leveraging technology, and managing stress and sleep. Remember: small, consistent changes often lead to the best results. Start today, and enjoy the benefits of a healthier, more energetic you.

If you’re looking for a clear and structured path to complement your efforts, a reliable dietary framework can make a world of difference. That’s where a well-crafted, protein-focused approach can help you stay full longer, curb unnecessary snacking, and support fat loss—all without sacrificing energy levels throughout your workday.

One resource I highly recommend is The New Turbo Protein DIET by Dieter Markert. Not only is it based on sound nutritional science, but it’s also practical for those of us juggling busy, sedentary jobs. The plan emphasizes high-quality protein intake to kickstart fat metabolism while preserving muscle mass—a crucial combination when you’re sitting most of the day. Plus, I personally designed the cover for this edition, so it’s a project I’m proud to stand behind on multiple levels.

If you’re ready to take your weight loss journey to the next level with a proven plan, this book is a great place to start. Enjoy a copy of Markert´s book by clicking the button below, and begin to help transforming your routine today.

I once read about a storm in 2020 in the US, which created a “mega-flash” of lightning spanning an area almost 500 miles long and 100 miles wide. It set a new world record. And it lasted for over 15 seconds. In other words, the people in Mississippi who saw that flash didn’t realize it wouldn’t end until it reached Texas.

It’s one of those phenomena that, for it to happen, requires extraordinarily perfect conditions.

Just like a video, a photo, or a text we post on social media, it’s just a spark. But depending on the moment, it can spread, just like that lightning in Mississippi did.

Instagram, for example, is one of the most influential platforms in the digital age, boasting over 1.4 billion active users worldwide. I am from the time of Orkut, the Google social network that was a craze in Brazil. Shortly after, Facebook came along. It was there that not only an area to connect friends and share moments emerged, but also an ecosystem for various businesses. Over time, Facebook’s hair started turning gray, and its reign was taken over by Instagram.

Thus, migrating to Instagram became a natural move, no matter what your professional field is. For businesses, influencers, and content creators, reaching the right audience is critical, and timing plays a major role in maximizing engagement. Posting at the right time can mean the difference between your content thriving or disappearing in the sea of posts.

And that’s because Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes content that it believes users will engage with. Factors like likes, comments, shares, and saves influence what content is shown first in users’ feeds. If you post when your audience is most active, the chances of engagement are higher, signaling the algorithm to promote your post further.

Here’s why timing is crucial:

a) Higher Engagement Rates: Posting when your audience is online increases the likelihood of immediate interaction.
b) Boosted Visibility: Early engagement signals Instagram to push your post to more people.
c) Optimized Resource Use: Tailoring your posting schedule ensures you’re putting effort where it matters most.

And what would be the best times to post on Instagram? While optimal posting times can vary depending on your audience and niche, studies have provided general guidelines:

Best Days: Wednesdays and Thursdays are considered the best days to post.
Best Time Slots:
6:00 AM – 8:00 AM. Users often check their phones first thing in the morning.
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Lunchtime browsing is common.
(7:00 PM – 9:00 PM. People unwind and scroll through social media after work.
Avoid: Late-night posts (10:00 PM – 4:00 AM) when engagement tends to be the lowest.

These general patterns serve as a starting point, but you’ll need to dive deeper into your specific audience data for tailored success.

If your followers are global, consider time zones. Use Instagram Insights to see where your audience is located and adjust your schedule. Instagram Insights is a powerful tool that helps to determine when your followers are most active. Here’s how to use it:

a) Switch to a professional account (if you haven’t already).
b) Navigate to the Insights section in your profile.
c) Go to the “Audience” tab and scroll to “Most Active Times” to analyze your audience activity.
d) Review data for the days and hours when your audience is online.
e) Use this information to test and adjust different posting times.
f) Monitor the performance of posts published during peak activity hours.

The best time to post on Instagram isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. However, consistency, high-quality content, and timely posting are the pillars of Instagram’s success. By leveraging these strategies, you’ll increase engagement and build stronger connections with your audience.

Finally, once the spark has been created and the “weather conditions” on the web have been verified, it’s time to see (or not) how far the value of your content can go.

I once heard about a guy who went to a rock concert. When he was leaving, he saw a huge line to pay for parking. Instead of waiting, he approached two big guys who were almost at the front of the line and asked them:

“Can I skip ahead? It´s because I really hate waiting in lines.”

To his surprise, they said yes. The simple fact that he gave a reason, even if it was completely absurd, worked in his favor and let him cut in line.

This highlights a principle that marketing professionals have known for a long time: giving a reason when asking for something can make a big difference.

I often say that the customer isn’t king; the customer is a partner. If they have a problem and you have the solution, it’s a perfect match: they buy your product or service, you get paid, and everyone’s happy.

But sometimes, customers hesitate, delay, or avoid payment altogether. This can be especially tricky when the relationship isn’t contractual.

Take designers, for instance. They often provide services without any formal safeguards, but neither you nor I are a bank.

For two months, I had to keep reminding a client to pay for a small project I had completed and delivered. It wasn’t a large amount, but it was a real hassle to get paid.

Finally, one day, I wrote to her and explained why I was asking for the payment. Miraculously, the money appeared in my account shortly after.

Of course, not everything works out this perfectly every time. But generally speaking, there’s no need to shout or throw a tantrum. Sometimes, all it takes is a brief explanation—no matter how unusual it may seem—to get what we want.

And now, since you’ve read this far, could you please do me a favor? Comment on this post.

It´s because I really hate waiting in lines.

Creativity is something critical for all of us. How many times have I found myself blocked in front of a blank page, not knowing where to begin?

Perhaps you have also encountered that situation where you imagine what you want, to the point of visualizing the finished work. You just don’t know how to get there.

It’s not like that story of Michelangelo, who, when asked how he sculpted his nearly five-meter-high David, simply replied that it was easy, that he spent a good amount of time staring at the block of marble until he saw the man who had slain the giant Goliath in it. Then, all he had to do was pick up his tools and remove everything that wasn’t David. It’s perhaps an artistic case of reverse engineering.

The good news is that we are not Michelangelo. We don’t need to reach that level of hallucination.

But regardless of your profession, at some point, you rely on creativity.

However, ideas don’t fall from the sky or magically appear out of thin air. First and foremost, you need to create an environment for them to flourish and grow.

The fact is that over these years, I’ve realized that intuitively there are ways for us to seek inspiration when it refuses to appear.

Here, I mention eight of them. But, of course, there are many others (by the way, if you know of one, please let me know):

1. You know who fights with your brain. Creativity is like a tide—it ebbs and flows. It doesn’t announce its arrival or follow a schedule. An entrepreneur may expect an employee to complete a task at a specific time, but they can’t demand that a great idea strikes precisely at 9:12 in the morning. So, stop tormenting yourself and give yourself some time.

2. Go for a walk. Take a walk along the beach, in the park, through the streets for at least half an hour. Taking a breather, and changing your environment, even if only for a short time, has a powerful effect on the creative process.

3. Carry a notepad. Put away your iPhone, your iPad, and other gadgets, and have a pencil and paper on hand. Manual sketching, doodling, drawing, jotting down anything that comes to mind, it’s all unique and valuable.

4. Do something similar. We learn by copying others. Copy and replicate the style of an artist or a text from a great writer. See what you can assimilate from there. Starting from what already exists, you can create something new. Few things in this world are truly original.

5. Do something different. If you’re a designer, write a text (I’m providing an example right now). If you’re a writer or a journalist, for instance, create drawings. If you’re a professional in the exact sciences, paint pictures. Explore a less familiar territory in your daily life. Take up a new hobby or skill. And how about reading books from different genres?

6. Change your environment. Your surroundings significantly impact your creativity. A dull or repetitive environment can hinder fresh ideas, while a new and stimulating setting can boost inspiration. Break the monotony by changing the place where you usually work. If it’s at home, try moving to a different room for a while. If your activity is in an office, find another room or desk. Go to a library. Step into a bookstore. Remember, you don’t have to enter a café just for the coffee.

7. Brainstorming. This is already a well-known method for generating ideas. But it works. Just jot down everything that comes to mind, without censorship, without filtering or refining the sketch. Anything goes here. Just knowing that much of what you do will be discarded and thrown away already relieves a lot of pressure to create and produce something final.

8. Keep calm. We live in a world of inputs – there’s so much information entering our heads all the time through WhatsApp, the internet, emails, TV, music, newspapers, advertisements, you name it. It can be overwhelming to find space for creative thinking. That’s why I occasionally disconnect from it all, take a break from the outside world, and meditate in my inner world. Fifteen minutes of silence and deep breathing is worth its weight in gold.

All of this ends up being actions that, in some way, nourish our brains. Images take shape. We feel inspired. It’s the time when we are finally ready to be brilliant and create something memorable.

The bad news is that we are not Michelangelo.