The internet has grown a lot in the past decade. Nowadays we are flooded with information and we are often overwhelmed by the sheer amount of it. On this page I plan to share a number of different websites and resources that I think are worth checking out.
Blogging tools
Note: Some of the resources that I am mentioning here are free, others are paid products and services. Some of the paid resources are affiliate products, meaning that if you buy them, I get a small commission at no cost for you. Just remember that I used or am using all of these resources and I highly recommend them.
Everyone who want to start a blog should know about and use the best tools available. I am going to create a general list of the software and tools I am using here. In case you think about starting your own blog, I got you covered in all or at least most of the areas with the right service or product.
Namecheap: The domain registrar and web hosting company I trust. I really like to have everything in one hand. The most important reason I recommend Namecheap is because of their special offers and their cheap hosting packages. At the time of registering this blog I was lucky to get the whole first year for about $10. Check them out!
WordPress: Old but gold. In my opinion WordPress is still one of the best if not the best blogging software out there. I have tried a variety of different blogging software and alternatives, but nothing was as easy to use as WordPress and at the same time provided as many customization options. I highly recommend a self-hosted WordPress blog.
Genesis Framework: The Genesis Framework is one of the best WordPress themes blogs about writing. There are a lot of free alternatives, bug Genesis comes with a lot of customization options to change any aspect of the theme as well as countless plugins, widgets and other tools.
Mailchimp: Pretty much the standard email marketing solution for everyone just starting out. The software is generally easy to use and provides you with an extensive knowledge database not only about how to use it, but also email marketing in general. It is generally highly recommended to create a newsletter and build an email list and you could do worse than using Mailchimp. The best part, it is completely free for the first 2000 subscribers.
Interesting blogs & websites
I am very interested in learning new things and to learn more about writing, literature, philosophy and many other topics. There are hundreds of thousands of blogs out there so I am going to provide here the ones I think everyone should check out and have a look at.
Highexistence: This is blog is one of the reasons that got me interested in self-improvement, eastern spirituality and a number of other topics. Their articles are generally very well written and often confront you with new ideas or concepts. I can’t recommend this one enough.
GoinsWriter: This is Jeff Goins’ blog about creative writing and motivation. Another highly recommended blog for anyone who is interested in writing and serious about it.
Litreactor: A blog about writing and writing courses. They have a lot of interesting articles and material for aspiring writers. I especially like that they focus a lot on the practical side of writing and feature tips and tricks by well-known writers.
Brainpickings: Another interesting blog that I discovered not too long ago. I mainly had a look at the high-quality articles on creative writing. Maria Popova, the creator of the blog talks about many other related topics as well.
Existential Comics: A great page for anyone interested in philosophy. The site often features humorous, funny, interesting and at times thought provoking comics about philosophical ideas and concepts.
Concentration & Brain exercises
It is very important to me to always keep my brain active and keep my concentration at its highest when I am doing my work. Here are a few websites and resources that are generally helpful in this aspect.
myNoise.net: This website is amazing. It is an online noise machine that provides you with a large number of different noises. They feature Synthetic Noises like White or Grey Noise, Tonal Drones, different Soundscapes and much more. I love listen to those when I am writing to help me concentrate and stay focused. My personal favorite: Saturn Rings.
Cambridge Brain Science: This is a website created by the University of Cambridge. It features a number of different exercises in the categories concentration, memory, reasoning and planning. I find it very interesting. I am not sure if they can actually help you train your brain, but they can definitely help you to get going in the morning.
Learning
In today’s time and age you learn almost anything online or freshen up your knowledge of things. Here are a few websites that I myself am using to learn new things or to find interesting courses.
Khan Academy: Probably the most well-known educational website on the internet. I use it mainly to freshen up my knowledge about math and solve some math exercises in the morning to keep my brain active. There is much more on the website though and you can learn about a variety of different fields, with a heavy focus on science.
Coursera: An amazing online learning platform that features a high number of courses almost any field. There are many free courses as well as paid when. The site features courses from some of the world’s best universities such as Stanford or the University of Michigan. The best part is that you can get a certificate in many of the courses, either free or paid. The site is definitely worth checking out if you plan on continuing your education in your spare time.
Podcasts
I like to go for a walk in the middle of the day and take a break from my work and writing to get some fresh air and sun. When I am doing that I really enjoy listening to podcasts about interesting topics. I am going to listen some of my favorites here.
History of Philosophy: The podcast I am listening to at the moment and probably will for some time. Peter Adamson has made it his goal to provide an overview of all the world’s philosophy. So far he has focused mainly on the western and the Arabic world, but recently also started to discuss Indian philosophy. The podcast is a great place for anyone with an interest in philosophy who either don’t know where to start or don’t have the time to read all the works.