tell me what it is
that brings joy into your life?
fill your days with that
May your day fill you with delight and joy.
Good Morning, Everyone
Category: Productivity & Effectiveness
As a long-time executive assistant and project coordinator, I continually search for ways to eek the most out of my time. This is my collection of tips and tools to master your time.
Quote of the day: everyone’s contribution is important
One thing that I need to do better: value my contributions. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of “my work does nothing”. This mindset sucks life away. Contributes to depressing destructiveness.
Remember: you have value. Your work matters. Your life matters.
My Plan
As we approach the middle of February, and the middle of Winter Quarter, I think it’s a good time to talk about plans.
I have one more quarter: spring 2022. My goal is to land a new role promptly after that. More specifically, late June/early July. I intend to focus on project manager/coordinator or systems analyst roles. Though I’ve spent the past two years focused on learning web development, I see my greatest value add is in the convergence of that with my project and team coordination history. I know the language of the different project stakeholders, from financial to operational to technical. Being able to keep disparate groups of people engaged, on the proverbial “same page”, is something of a superpower. One that I’m looking forward to using.
Skill Acquisition
I was chatting with one of the baristas at my favorite local coffee shop earlier today. I like how she described her current, I guess I’d call it “focus”: the acquisition of skills. She’s gained barista skills, store manager skills, she’s now working on hair-dressing skills. There was far more to that, but you get the drift.
This describes much of my career life. I’ve loved learning, new skills, new business types, new business functions (you can see the range of work I’ve done over on my resume). I relish breadth of knowledge. However, I did get to a point where I wanted depth, to become an expert in something. Much of my mental effort over the past few years has been seeking that something.
As I love so much, and focus requires denying, saying “no”, this has been a painful challenge for me. But I’m making progress. I do have something of a focus now. Something.
When I started down this web-development path, I assumed that at the end I’d be good at making websites and, well, then I’d make websites. Oh, my goodness, no…it’s been far more than that. I’ve studied data systems, systems analysis and design, graphic design, programming, project managment…so many things, and I would argue I have explored databases and system analysis in more depth than I have HTML, CSS and JavaScript. So, even while refining my focus, my opportunities have expanded.
Back to my friend, and to anyone else out there in a similar place: there’s value in focus. Maybe, to start, just start compiling a list of what you want to study/learn. First, having a list is the first step in a plan. And having a written list makes it much more likely to happen. Also, you’ll start to see patterns. Within that will be the first inklings of a focus.
I’m working on the same. I’ve started journaling on paper again (I’m using a Leuchtturm 1917, if you’re interested). And that’s where I’m working on this sort of thing. Paper engages the brain differently, which I find important. It also slows me down (I type pretty darn fast). Right now, I’m focusing on the kinds of work I want to do. Do I want to code? Do I want to design? Do I want to dig into data? Manage projects? Figuring out these elements, I can then craft a plan to achieve them and build the next phase of my career.
Have you done anything like this? What do you think of this notion? Let me know!
A Cloudy Summer’s Day
cloud's gentleness hints of healing rain summer's respite
I took this photo this morning after hearing of the possibility of rain. Haven’t seen any yet.
I decided to experiment with animated text. This was created with Canva. What do you think?
Valuable Coding and IT Tools
As an Information System student, there are a handful of tools recommended to me by my instructors that have been critical. Every one of the tools below is free. Anyway, here’s my list:
- Notepad ++: a richly powerful text editor. It’s what I’ve done most of my HTML and CSS in, and what I’ve done a lot of my JavaScript. I have shifted, though, back to Visual Studio, at least for now. I used Visual Studio for my Visual Basic class, so I’m pretty familiar with it.
- 7 Zip is a great Zip file tool.
- Agent Ransack, which boosts your PC’s search utility.
- Winmerge: a great tool for comparing files. It has helped me a few times to find that one damn character I was missing.
Anyway, what tools do you use? That you find indispensable?
Featured Image by Josh Sorenson from Pexels
Some Thoughts While Re-Organizing My Life
I finished my final final and turned in my final project for fall quarter yesterday. Now, I’m in the process of getting my feet back under me. I have a few hundred emails to go through, so will be spending some dedicated time go through them all.
As I work to process all the stuff, I read this gem: “Malcolm Gladwell’s 3-Word Reminder to Stop You from Overthinking“. Overthinking and analysis-paralysis are perpetual problems for me, but I continue to work on them. Articles like this help remind me of the importance of keeping my brain under control.
A few excerpts that I’m clipping/posting on my wall.
Nothing kills progress faster than indecision!
Uncertainty of the future shouldn’t freeze us but rather free us.
“This belief we have that the future is knowable is crazy. People need to have the freedom to take more chances.” — Malcolm Gladwell
I need to remind myself that the world rewards those who have the stones to keep moving forward regardless if they don’t know their destination
So, I, too, resolve to live by his last line: “Screw it, let’s go!”
Seth Godin: I Hate This Restaurant
I always appreciate Mr. Godin’s insights. Today’s blog post reminds me of something I’ve long thought about: understanding what you, and your business, offer the world. If you try to please all people, well, you aim for the middle and become a commodity. That only seems profitable by the large, mega-brands that can operate on huge scale. Most of us need to focus on the niche, on being unique. This requires creativity and insight. Those that master this space impress and inspire me.
Recommended Reading: Anti-maskers explain themselves
Emily Stewart, over at Vox.com, wrote up a good look at the anti-mask folks. It’s done respectfully and with taste, which I greatly appreciate in the current climate. I’ve been struggling to comprehend this mindset, so deeply appreciate such an article. With today’s environment of “gotcha journalism” and “pwning” your opponents, Ms. Stewart’s approach is refreshing. I’m reminded of Steven Covey’s principle of listening with the intent to understand. An uncommon yet critically needed approach.
Anti-maskers explain themselves
Om Malik: How Do We Look At The Present?
I always appreciate the wit and wisdom of Om Malik. Today he tweeted this, which gives me great pause:
I don’t know how to look at the present – 56 percent of 2020 is over or that 44 percent of 2020 is still left. What do you think?
— OM (@om) July 24, 2020
2020, a year of havoc and confusion, of transition and destruction, forcing to face our histories against our deepest resistance. Such a dramatic and violent reaction? Will we survive?
Half done or half over? Perhaps a question of optimism: half-full vs half-empty? In this time of pandemic, optimism seems myopic. But, I believe the opposite. Humanity holds what it needs to overcome our destructive tendencies. So I hold on to hope.