Focus Now, Play Later
Published on August 27th, 2009
Several people lately have asked me where I learn “stuff” from: ranging from technology info, to productivity, to the new primal diet I am on. I am quite honored that people would ask me this question. The quest for knowledge is important to me. I feel any day where I didn’t learn at least 3 new things, a let down.
So, inspired by a recent series of posts by my bud over at the Life of Jimmer, I thought I’d share some sources where I learn some of my “stuff” from. read on »
Published on August 18th, 2009
photo by jasonippolito
“The only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions.”
-Ellen Glasgow (Pulitzer Prize winning novelist)
We all have those moments in life where it feels nothing new is happening. We’re just going through the motions doing the bare necessities to survive. Things which we once enjoyed, have now fallen by the wayside. We wake up in the morning with no real reason for waking.
Put simpler, we’re “in a rut.” We have no drive or passion to complete anything, let alone discover something new. Being in a rut often leads to feelings of frustration and isolation, as it seems life is at a standstill. Life can feel boring and nothing really interests us.
There are many reasons one may fall into a rut. It could be an early symptom of depression. Sometimes we have so much to do, that we are afraid to start anything new, fearing it may not be the right thing to be working on. Whatever the cause, being in a rut can be destructive if you don’t take steps to get out of it.
Published on August 12th, 2009
Clutter is the bane of many people these days. During the tight economy, there has been a surge in the number of people looking to remove excess from their lives.
An often overlooked place where we tend to clutter “stuff” is on our computers. Many people have dozens of files on their desktop, lots of applets running in their menu bar, and thousands of files which will never be accessed again. I have recently discovered a great web site, Minimal Mac, dedicated to de-cluttering computers. Thought I’d share a few nuggets from this site, all of which are also applicable to Windows or even Linux environments.
My bare bones menu bar.
What are applets? These are the little icons that show up in the Menu Bar (os Start Bar in Windows.) Most of these little programs suck down memory (albeit a small amount,) are rarely used, and show annoying messages at the most inopportune times. Only keep the ones you absolutely need. Some of them can be removed by simply clicking on them and selecting quit. Others you may have to open the parent application to disable them. Fish around, it may take a little effort to get rid of the ones you don’t need.
Published on August 7th, 2009
photo by futureatlas.com
As a followup to my post on my efforts to kill information overload (4 Ways I’m Fighting Information Overload) I have gone exactly 1 week without listening to or reading “news.” This meant: no accessing my favorite news sites, no talk radio in the morning, and no watching TV news channels.
My solution, in order to get my “fix” for information, is to ask people I trust what is happening in the world and to observe what people are talking about on Facebook and Twitter. This is not a revolutionary idea by any means. Many people smarter than I have advocated limiting your intake of information as it often creates depression and/or anxiety. However, I was skeptical I could do it. Between my commute to work, time spent on the internet, and having the TV on, I probably spend close to 2 hours a day absorbing information.
Published on August 5th, 2009
Despite being an avid sports fan, I am usually not one to watch the “sappy” stories that became en vogue as part of the Olympics. Usually they are over produced, over glorified, and seem to be done to make the reporter look better than they really are. I’m not saying the stories aren’t stirring, but they are often times not for me.
However, there is a story which was recently shown on ESPN’s Outside the Lines, which I felt moved to share. The story is about 2 wrestlers who recently graduated from a Cleveland high school, each of whom has unique challenges. They share a bond which, I doubt any of us would understand, without spending a day in their shoes. And despite their challenges, they state point blank they don’t ask, nor do they want our pity or entitlement.
Their maturity and willingness to persevere should serve as inspiration to us all. I encourage you to take 15 minutes of your day, watch this, and share your thoughts. I hope you are moved as much as I was.
Published on July 31st, 2009
As of last month, I have been working for my current employer for 20 years. I started working for my organization one month after my 16th birthday (yes, this reveals my age.) We, like many others, are facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Our budget has dropped some 30% over the last several years, forcing our executive management to make some tough decisions.
The middle of this week was “d-day” as the action steps, designed to save jobs and preserve services to our customers, were announced. In an odd twist fate, I was unable to attend the meeting when staff, for the first time, would learn what was to become of them. I was dreading returning to work later that day, as I was sure “doom and gloom” would be the prevailing emotion.
To my astonishment, people were genuinely grateful, and dare I say some were even joyful at the announcements. Despite pay cuts and reduction in service hours, there would be no layoffs. It was simply amazing to see so many people, faced with such adversity, come together and proclaim they were thankful for working in an organization that placed such a high value on people. I have never been so proud to work with a group of people who were willing to give of themselves, to save the organization and their peer’s jobs.
A couple of things I have learned about people from this experience:
Published on July 27th, 2009
photo by jessicaflavin
I, like many people, am an information junkie. Whether it’s news, sports, or what’s happening in the technology world, I am obsessed with always being “in the know.” It seems I can’t go more than a few hours without checking my favorite news sources or checking out the hottest Twitter trend at the moment.
It’s great that we live in an era where information is so readily accessible. However, all this information causes us to waste time, increases our stress levels, and does little to improve our day-to-day lives. The constant flood of information can overwhelming to some.
I am beginning to realize the joys of going on an information diet (in large part inspired by Tim Ferris’s Low-Information Diet.) Over the last couple of weeks I have been steadily reducing my intake of worthless information, which I simply don’t need to know. This information wasn’t making me smarter nor contributing to my current priorities.
