Posts Tagged ‘GoogleReader’
August 17th, 2010
Photo by Laughing Squid
The stereotype is that geeks spend too much time sitting at home in front of a computer, and not enough time interacting with other people. But did you know that being a geek actually makes it easy to get out there and meet new friends?
Contrary to public opinion, geeks have many skills that translate well in the social arena. We’ll cover this in the next section.
Then in the following sections, we’ll get geeky about what relationships really are and how to create new friendships productively.
Embrace the 4 Geek Skills that Make for Great Socializing
1. Obsession: Geeks are obsessed about their PC’s and other gadgets. The general notion is that geeks would rather spend time with their toys than with actual people. But everyone is obsessive about something in their life. Maybe instead of iPhone apps it’s football, shoes, or scuba diving. Everyone has a passion whether they admit it or not. Geeks just embrace their passion more than the average person (which is why it’s viewed as obsession).
When you embrace your passions obsessively, it helps you connect with others who share your interests. It also helps you appreciate others’ passions. And it makes it easier for people to open up to you because they see how passionate you are about life.
2. Technical Savvy: Being technically oriented gives you an advantage in conversations. This is because technology is such a talked-about topic, as everyone has to use it at some point during the day. What’s more, people increasingly turn to their computers to accomplish things beyond work — staying in touch with others, socializing, and having fun.
Technology is often scary and confusing for the average person. But for you, it’s no big deal, and you can use that to your advantage. When you’re knowledgeable about technology, people ask you questions. You can help solve their problems and give them advice. You can recommend products and services, or educate them more about the bigger picture. All of this builds trust and likability.
3. Intellect: Intellect often intimidates people because they’re not used to being so engaged with their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. But intellect is just another form of passion — such that you think deeply about the things that matter to you (even if comes down to splitting hairs). People might not overtly aspire to be more intellectual, but deep down they do appreciate it and wish they could be more intellectual about the things that matter to them.
You can help other better articulate the things that they’re passionate about because it comes so easy for you. You can also use your intellectual nature to better understand social interaction and relationships, which we’ll get to in the following sections.
4. Introversion: Successful geeks have developed world-changing technologies and empires and received a lot of positive attention despite their shyness. But did you know that introversion is actually good for social interaction? Here’s how:
- Being alone gives you more time to know who you are. You need to know who you are, what you need, and what you can offer in a relationship in order to make the best of it.
- Solitude gives you the space to take care of yourself, and self-care is essential for any relationship with another person. If you don’t take good care of yourself, it’s unrealistic to expect that you can care for others. Or to expect others to care for you.
- Being shy is just a form of self-protection. It’s not healthy or ideal to open up to everyone you meet or trust people unconditionally. Friendships take time to grow; shyness is a natural way to avoid rushing things. In other words, being shy means that you don’t trust people too soon.
- Being shy means you have a sense of boundaries. You don’t impose yourself upon others when it’s inappropriate, and you get uncomfortable when others do so to you. For any relationship to thrive, each person needs to respect the other person’s boundaries so that they can find their common ground and form a healthy give and take (which is what relationships are all about).
Now that you have a better grasp of how your geek skills help you interact with others, let’s look at the six steps for applying these skills — to get out there and meet new people!
Step 1: Get Clear On What You’re Looking for in a Friend
Photo by Don Solo
It’s unproductive to meet new people for the sake of inflating your Facebook friend count or to simply pass the time. The whole point of getting out there and meeting new people is so that you can make good friends who enrich your life and remain an important part of it.
In order to make good friends, you have to know what to look for and what to avoid.
Utilize Your Obsession: The things you are obsessed about have a lot to do with what you value in life. Maybe you’re obsessed with WordPress because you like stating your mind for all to see. Maybe you’re obsessed with Chrome for its minimalism. Trace your obsessions back to what you truly value in life. Make a list if it helps. A good friend will probably have a similar list. At bare minimum, they will respect yours.
Utilize Your Technical Savvy: When people let technology take over their lives, they risk losing their most important relationships. In his essay The End of Solitude, William Deresiewicz talks about a major drawback of interconnectedness made possible by the web: lack of genuine connection. So be sure to use technology to genuinely connect to others.
Utilize Your Intellect: A good friend is someone you can really talk to. Someone who won’t make fun of you (maliciously, that is) for your geeky side, but will appreciate that part of you. A good friend is someone who can hold their own in a conversation with you..
Utilize Your Introversion: If you’re not completely sure of what you’re looking for in a friend, it’s best to admit this. Take your time to observe others and pay attention to what you appreciate in those around you. Also, it’s important to remember that as you change, what you look for in a friend might also change. Don’t be shy about this; it’s a natural part of life.
Step 2: Remain Confident
After you’ve gotten clear on what you’re looking for in a friend, it’s important to remember that you have a lot to offer in a friendship. Self-confidence is not something you attain; it’s a decision you make. You need to remain confident at all times if you are to leave a good impression and connect with others successfully.
Utilize Your Obsession: Pull up a text editor and create two columns with the right one slightly wider than the left. List all your obsessions in the left column. (Remember, these are just passions that you act on.) List out the benefits and/or value of each one, in the right column. Print out that list, and keep it close. Whenever you’re feeling down or uncertain about yourself, refer to that right column. It will remind you of your strengths and talents, and what makes you unique.
Utilize Your Technical Savvy: Your technical savvy is one of your obsessions. The next time you find yourself following the latest iPhone controversy, take a moment to note why the discussion is an important one. As well as why you’re knowledgeable/thoughtful/engaged/productive for staying up-to-date. Add this to the list that you created from above.
Utilize Your Intellect: Communication forms the basis of relationships. Good communication requires two core ingredients, intellect and honesty. Your intellect gets you halfway there.
Utilize Your Introversion: Solitude builds confidence because the more comfortable you are with yourself, the more comfortable you’ll be with others. So don’t be afraid to be alone, because it helps you relate to others.
Step 3: Scope Out Opportunities to Meet New People
Photo by Laughing Squid
It’s relatively easy to find new ways to met new people once you know (a) what you’re looking for, and (b) what you have to offer. The first opportunities to scope out ideally involve (a) people who would make good friends, and (b) activities that give you the chance to show what you have to offer.
Scoping out good opportunities also means crossing out the opportunities which are likely counter-productive to making new friends. People usually go to bars and dance clubs to hook up for a one-night encounter, not to make lasting connections. So when scoping out opportunities to meet new people, keep track of the dead-ends.
Utilize Your Obsession: Start out by visiting the places that you can’t wait to visit. Is there a video game convention in your city? Do you live by Comic-con? Is your local book store holding a book signing by your favorite sci-fi author? Enthusiasm is infectious. When you’re already in your element, people will gravitate toward you. And you’ll be comfortable and relaxed talking with others about the things you love.
Utilize Your Technical Savvy: A great way to find local events is through social networks, including meet-up sites. Keep tabs on your favorite websites’ Facebook and Twitter updates — their fans and some of the admins might be having a meet-up nearby. Browse your favorite forums for leads on local events, as well as member meet-ups. The web makes it easy for organizations and individuals to plan group events, which also makes it easy for you to join.
Utilize Your Intellect: After you’ve gone to several places that speak directly to your passions, it’s time to scope out secondary opportunities. They may not be as exciting but they can be just as rewarding, if not more.
Make a table with five columns and at least ten rows to start out with. Title: the first column, “Location/Event;” the second column, “Hosted by;” the third column, “Appeal;” the fourth column, “Mindset of Visitors,” and the fifth column, “What I Might Gain by Going.”
Then start to fill in the rows. You can start out with locations/events, or you can start from another column and work your way back to naming a location/event.
Here are some basic venues to start with:
- Community park events
- Museums
- Restaurant gatherings
- Wine tasting
- Concerts
- Book signings/readings/clubs
- Interest Clubs
- Volunteer organizations
- Conventions
- Demos
- Blow-out sales
- Lectures/seminars
- Fairs
- Swap-meets
- Cultural gatherings
- Community college classes
When you populate your list, be sure to compare and contrast. For instance, a concert is a place where people go to enjoy music and relax. It’s different from a Star Trek exhibit where people go to grok their favorite characters and learn more about the production. What both events have in common is that the people in attendance are open to new experience and receptive to meeting new people. When you get familiar with these nuances, you’ll be better prepared for what to expect and how to relate to others, given their mindset and what they’re interested in doing.
Utilize Your Introversion: If you’re shy about going to a new place or event, get in touch with that feeling. Figure out what makes you reluctant. Now imagine yourself at the venue. How could a stranger help break the ice? What would make you more comfortable warming up? What works for you might also work for other shy people in attendance. If you’re honest about your shyness, it actually helps you break the ice.
Step 4: Show Up Prepared And Show That You Care
When you decide on which venue to explore, be sure to bring your best game. First impressions leave a lasting mark because they’re usually accurate. If you show up to an event nervous and unsure of yourself, it’s likely because you don’t think people will like you or appreciate what you have to offer. And if you do lack that self-confidence, you will have less to offer in a friendship. So pay attention to the first impression you leave; it says a lot about what’s really going on.
To make a good first impression, you simply need to complete Steps #1-5 first. Once you do, you’ll naturally be confident and have a good idea of what to expect at the venue. Here are more tips on how to make a good impression and show that you really care.
Utilize Your Obsession: It’s good to talk about your obsessions when meeting new people — but only in the right context. Only mention your Battlestar Galactica trading card collection if it weaves naturally into the conversation. And only go into great detail about each card and how you obtained it if the other person asks and seems genuinely interested. If you talk about your obsessions when the other person isn’t receptive, it can backfire on your first impression.
Utilize Your Technical Savvy: Don’t be shy about sharing what you know about the technical set-up at a particular venue. Don’t be shy about answering someone’s question that you hear two feet away from where you’re standing. Do it with tact (and know when to back off), and it might spark an interesting conversation.
Utilize Your Intellect: It’s never a good idea to show off your intellect. In fact, it’s better to get the other person to show off theirs. People like to talk about themselves (especially the ladies) and know that others care to listen. Engage with people you’re interested in, but avoid making the conversation all about you and what you know. Plus, you might learn something new.
Utilize Your Introversion: Shyness is a form of courtesy; you don’t impose on others and only add to the conversation when it’s meaningful. The most basic tenet for meeting new people is courtesy, which is a form of respect, as well as the foundation for any lasting relationship. There are several ways to show courtesy when meeting new people, but the most basic is by not expecting anything from them. Don’t expect them to remember how to say your name, to ask for you email, or to be interested in what you have to say.
When you truly have self-confidence at all times, you won’t need anything from anyone. In fact, the people that could care less about what you’re talking about — you’ll know in an instant that they’re not worth it. Instead, you’ll spend your time looking for people who can’t wait to hear what you have to say next.
Step 5: Know When To Call It A Day or Night
A big part of meeting new people without expectations is to know when to call it a day, or call it a night. Don’t expect for the interaction to go on longer than it naturally does. Instead, head home when it feels time to end the activity or simply recharge.
The key to a balanced social life is not letting it take over other areas of your life. Socializing is something that enhances your life; it can’t take away from work or sleep and still be something good for you.
Utilize Your Obsession: It might seem counter-intuitive to call it a day or night when you’re having so much fun, but it makes sense to end an activity earlier rather than later. That’s because at the end of the day, you still have obligations at home. And you need to get back to work feeling refreshed and productive. While work can be boring, remember that the more productive you are at work, the more time you’ll have to socialize and meet new people.
Utilize Your Technical Savvy: When leaving a venue, transition into a smooth goodbye. Make the other person feel good about having spent some with you. Thank them for a good time, compliment them, or thank them for something more specific — like a good tip they gave you, some fresh perspective they offered, or a funny joke they shared.
Utilize Your Intellect: When you get home, recall the events of the day or night, and reflect on what you think went well, and if needed, what you think didn’t. Get some perspective on how you might do things differently next time. Meeting new people is an ongoing practice and you can always learn from the past to better prepare for new experiences.
Utilize Your Introversion: When you get back home, put the day or night’s events into perspective. Going out and meeting new people should ultimately improve your life in some way. It should ultimately renew your inspiration, motivate you stay true to your passions, and keep you focused on doing good work. It’s just as much about your personal development as it is about other people.
Make New Connections Regularly
Photo by thinkpanama
When you start to use your geek skills to get out there and meet new people, you’ll find that socializing comes easy. And instead of getting out there where other people are, you’ll notice that people naturally gravitate toward you.
Apply your geek skills to make new connections regularly throughout your day when the opportunity arises. In fact, the best way to meet new people is to get to know those you encounter in a normal day. Chances are that if you’re working in the same building, going to the same school, eating at the same restaurant, or seeing the same movie — you have a lot in common. Use that to your advantage.
Embrace Your Inner Geek And Have Some Fun
As a productive geek, all your hard work pays off when you get some vacation time, as well as more free time. So utilize your geek skills to build up a network of friends that you’ll want to spend time with. Overall, your life will be more rewarding.
August 14th, 2010
Spending on Gadgets seems to be the past-time of many men and boys.
I have dabble in my love for Gadgets for a long time since my secondary school days. Back then, money was really hard to come by and whenever I spend on such stuff, I feel a sense of guilt because although I am curious about how they work, spending on them means I will have to forgo something that matters to me.
After I started working, the budget constraints gets relaxed and while I can realistically buy an iPhone every month, it is ridiculous to do that.
1. Enjoying the process of researching/finding out about the Gadgets
I realize that the curiosity to identify how things work and the difference between each brands and trival details can be a form of experience that I grew to like. That is why I started a blog www.productiveorganizer.com to talk about mobile productivity and softwares in general.
I realize that much of the utility for a lot of people probably happens DURING the process of researching for it and gets reduced a lot after the anticipation, and the purchase have been carried out.
Knowing this, I controlled my urge to purchase much better and learn to maximize what increases my utility levels.
2. Assigning a budget per year for Tech Gadgets
Tech Gadgets should be treated as a hobby and as such, it would be best to assign a budget for it. Having a budget means it is likely that you are constraint to spend only this much on tech gadgets and when it runs out, you better not spend anymore.
For me, I budget SGD40 per month to spend on this hobby via Envelope Budgeting . If you are familiar with this realm, you will know that 40 bucks really buys shit in today’s world.
So this would mean that I only have 40 * 12 = 480 bucks to spend on my gadget hobby.
3. Sell Old Gadgets to finance for new ones
A lot of my friends doesn’t do this because of attachment to the gadget or the reluctance to part with the gadget because of the huge depreciation in gadget value.
Gadgets drop in value pretty fast and the only way that your gadgets can still maintain or even be of higher value then purchase is if you are shrewd enough to import from overseas at a cheaper price and sell it locally.
To this all I can say is: If you leave it lying in your house, it is likely that
- You will never look at it again
- The value can never be higher than what it was worth n-months ago
- You will eventually throw or give it away
So my rule of thumb is that if I deem that it has some sizable stored value, I will sell it away.
I bought my current iPod Touch 3G for SGD480 but essentially finance this by selling away my iPod Touch 2G for SGD230, which was bought at SGD330.
Another good friend of mine looks to spend quite a fair bit on his sound system. But turns out that he is pretty shrewd to import them from overseas and when he grew tired of them, the price he sold it was not far from his purchase price!
It pays to:
- Know the value of what you are playing with. Certain high price gadgets hold value better than those cheapo gadgets.
- Leverage on overseas opportunities.
- Sell it off the moment you think its not working out for you. There is a cost to procrastination.
August 13th, 2010
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August 10th, 2010
Photo by thelastminute
Anytime you work online, you risk productivity wipeout. With a world at your fingertips it’s hard to stop from clicking on links (upon links, upon links). Avoid throwing away your precious time by making every click of the mouse a purposeful one.
In The Matrix Reloaded, Agent Smith said:
“It is purpose that created us, purpose that connects us, purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drives us, that defines us, it is purpose that binds us.”
Purpose is key to productivity. It’s pretty powerful stuff. And the web is a pretty powerful place. Combine the two the right way and you can do some pretty powerful things.
Define Your Purpose
To make the best out of web surfing, you’ll need to start with some soul-searching. Otherwise, you’ll surf blindly and without reason.
Answer the following questions:
- What’s your purpose in life? (Hint: Your purpose is what you decide it is — not what someone else tells you.)
- What is it that you want to do with your life?
- What do you want to accomplish? By when?
- What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
Keep these questions in mind for the next section.
Write Out Actionable Steps For Fulfilling Your Purpose
Now that you’re clear on what your purpose is, brainstorm the ways in which you can take actionable steps to reach your goals.
- Do you want to have your first book published by next year?
- Are you hoping to save enough money to start your own freelancing business?
- Do you want to travel the world before you start a family?
- Would you like to start a nonprofit before you retire?
Each of these are long-term goals. In order to achieve them, you need to do two things well:
1. Plan ahead (and revise that plan as needed)
2. Take action now according to plan
So start writing your plan and list out as many actionable steps as you can. Think of it as your “Life Business Plan.” If you already have a plan in place, great! Pull it out and update it.
Go Onto The Web With Clear Purpose
Photo by Kevin N. Murphy
Once you have a working draft of your Life Business Plan, it’s almost safe to start web surfing. To ensure a productive session, do these three things before you log on:
1. State your purpose: Be specific about why you’re going on the web. Here are some motivations for logging on:
- Doing work
- Checking/responding to email
- Research
- Reading up on your favorite blogs
- Looking up something you heard about during the day
- Answering a question (such as, “What’s the best way to get from z to a?”)
- Unwinding/relaxing
- Passing the time because you’re bored
- Spending your free time
You might be logging on for a combination of reasons, or for a reason you don’t yet know. That’s okay, just be honest. You can still follow the next step.
2. Set a time limit: Based on your designated purpose, decide on how much time is reasonable for you to surf. Take into account your other obligations that may be work, family, or cat-care related. You can always renegotiate the allotted time; the important thing is to start out with a concrete limit.
3. Start the timer: Use an actual timer — it’s too easy to “forget” to look at the clock. Test it out first to make sure that the alarm goes off loud enough for you to hear and pay attention to.
4. Take a break when the timer goes off: After your time is up, physically remove yourself from the computer. Take a stretch break, rest your eyes, or get a drink of water.
5. Take a deep breath before going on to the next task: Then decide on what you’ll do next. Will you get back to work? Get ready for bed? Spend just five more minutes finishing that article? (And will you use the timer to make sure you follow through?) Take a deep breath and be purposeful in how you proceed with your next task, whether or not it has to do with the web.
Take Purposeful Action When Visiting Each New Link
Photo by mikebaird
During your web session, you need to make sure that each link you click on is the right one. Meaning, one that somehow relates back to your Life Business Plan. Keep in mind that while surfing the web for entertainment purposes, it’s perfectly fine to click on links that are interesting or amusing. Because ultimately they relate back to your purpose — of enjoying your hard-earned free time.
Make sure that after you click on the right link, that you follow up with some action. Remember those actionable steps you listed in your Life Business Plan? Well, it’s the same principle here. Determine what actionable steps you can take after clicking each new link in order to carry out your stated web-session purpose.
Here are some examples:
- If you’re looking for a good place to stay and you find a hotel that suits your needs and budget, bookmark it so that it’s easier to find again.
- If you read a news story that relates back to a discussion from work, email the link directly to your co-worker so that the next time you see him you can carry on the discussion.
- If you come across a comic strip that you’d like to share with your friends, post it on your Facebook. So everyone can see it.
- If you’re surfing the web to brainstorm new blog post ideas, print out the articles, discussion threads, or studies to refer back to them later on when you’re ready to write.
Anytime you come across a new link, you can respond to it productively by taking action, such as:
- Bookmarking the link
- Printing it out
- Sharing it with others through email, chat, text, or social network updates
- Adding to some organizational document you have stored elsewhere, like a list, chart, or calendar.
- Creating something new (e.g. blog post) in response to it
- Taking some kind of action (e.g. getting into your car to go from z to a)
The important thing is to take some action, no matter how big or small. Even if you just say out loud to yourself, “I completely disagree with this editorial and won’t be wasting my time reading the comment discussion that follows” — that’s action.
Ride the Big Waves Like a Pro
Photo by thelastminute
Productivity is all about acting with purpose. Action helps you move forward with purpose. Action helps you create closure. And move on from things that don’t ultimately increase your productivity in some way.
To successfully surf the web without wiping out, you need to not only start and and surf with purpose — you need to end the session with purpose too.
When you do, you’ll find that riding the big waves helps you take action toward your goals. Here’s to web surfing like a pro.
August 6th, 2010
Everyone hates the department of motor vehicles. Well, not everyone. In some states, like here in Massachusetts, we hate the RMV.
Here's an actual exchange between me and a DMV worker.
Me: I filled out this form.
DMV: YOU ARE AN IDIOT!
Ok, that didn't happen. But if I could read minds, it would have. And let's face it: I have no idea what is going on in the labyrinthine, soviet-style bureaucracy that is the DMV. I don't want to know. I just like to drive my car.
But imagine you are a DMV worker. It's your first day on the job. Someone asks you a question and you can see why they're confused. You're a bit confused yourself. You help them out.
But now it's your 1,000th day at the DMV. You've had 10,000 people ask you the same question. The answer, which used to seem a bit obscure, is SO OBVIOUS you want to throw up. You can't believe that these people don't know what they're supposed to do! You look at the customer and think: "You filled out Form 332b even though you have an RV and you're left handed?! You're an idiot."
Walking in someone else's shoes
Cognitive psychology is, in part, the study of biases. Here's a bias that's incredibly pervasive: People are terrible at taking each other's perspective. It's hard to walk in another person's shoes without literally following them around. We see things from our own perspective.
Research shows that we tend to explain our own behavior based on our external environment, but when we explain the behavior of others, we talk about their internal traits. For example, if I honk my car horn, it's because some cut me off; if you honk your car horn, it's because you're a jerk. This is not fair to you, but I don't see it from your perspective. I see it from my perspective.
People at the DMV can't sympathize with your confusion because they aren't confused. You haven't spent years learning how to get through their maze. They have. But it's only human for them to see things from their perspective, not yours. They know how the maze works; the people around them know how it works; therefore you should know how it works, too.
Of course, not knowing how to navigate the DMV doesn't make you stupid. But the employees have a built-in bias to think it does.
If you already knew that, then you know why you should be nice to people at the DMV. Because if you were in their shoes, you'd be influenced by the same biases as they are, and you'd be irritated too.
The Problem with Expertise
The DMV is a convenient punching bag, and some DMV employees are grumpy, but they can also be patient and understanding. But this problem is much broader than the DMV.
For example, lot's of people hate their IT (i.e., Information Technology) department. Well, maybe not as much as the DMV. But the problem is the same. What seems incredibly obvious to Mary, the IT whiz, is confusing to you. Mary gets frustrated when you can't understand what she's talking about, because it's so obvious--to her. Her bias prevents her from seeing that to you, it's not obvious at all, nor should it be.
But it's not just about computers, either. When I watch people try to juggle, which I happen to be able to do, I can't believe it's possible to be so bad at something so easy. Yet I was that bad when I started, too. And it's not easy.
All sorts of specialized knowledge can make experts see everybody around them as morons. If you're the expert on something, try to recognize that other people aren't experts and cut them some slack. And if you know an expert who gets frustrated when they have to field the same basic requests or questions again and again, cut them some slack, too.
My wife calls it the expertise bias: When you're an expert, and you have to explain the same thing again and again, you're naturally biased to think that everyone is stupid except you.
August 3rd, 2010
Time management is a common focus here, but something that is not often discussed is just what good is all this time that we are managing?
There are several reasons to be concerned about your use of time, and there are times when you should feel free to just “be”.
Here are five things for you to think about, as an exercise in investing your time:
- Time allows you to rest and recover – We all need downtime for recuperating from stress. Pushing yourself and overcoming challenges are excellent ways to invest time, resting is the best way to use some of the time you gain from your investment.
- Time allows you to increase your focus – Invest the time that you gain to think about bigger things, your 3-5 year goals, your Someday/Maybe list. What do you want to have time for doing later?
- Time allows you to gather the facts – Gaining a true understanding of your situation takes time. Investing time in this way creates a larger picture for you to evaluate.
- Time allows you to see how things turn out – Once you set a plan in motion there are frequently some variables beyond your control, and waiting is all that you can do. Invest this downtime to prepare for the next stage of your project.
- Time allows you to create balance in your life – All work and no play leads to a heart attack. Invest the time that you gain to be with your family and friends. Connecting with your circle is energizing and can be a link to discoveries you may not have expected.
How do you invest your time, and what do you do with the time that you gain?
August 2nd, 2010
Last month I was given the opportunity to get a sneak-peek at Laura Stack‘s new book “Super Competent” (to be released on 9 August).
I sat down with it a while back and started to read, keeping notes on the parts that struck me. I really enjoy reading business and personal development books, and there have been a few lately that were real stinkers, I didn’t bother to finish a couple of them.
This book is not like that, it has some very useful and actionable information.
The 6 Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best
“Success with come to those who can accomplish more in less time & consistently perform at their productive best. The people who achieve their fullest potential are not simply competent; they’re SuperCompetent.”
Stack defines what she calls the 6 key areas for achieving super competency:
- Activity – Determine what you should be working on
- Availability – Make time for it
- Attention – Focus on those tasks
- Accessibility – Organize the information needed to complete it
- Accountability – Be responsible for your results
- Attitude – Never give up
To anyone familiar with the principles of Getting Things Done (which most of you reading this should be after following this for 3 years!) these are the essential steps to accomplishing your tasks and goals.
Managing Your Activities
Crossing things off your list means that you actually need to sit down and do the things that need to get done. Stack calls this the Activity Key and recommends the following for your List Management:
- Start with your smallest key tasks
- Clean up your workspace
- Prioritize the rest of your tasks, focusing on valuable activities
- Delete the things you know that you are not going to do
- Preserve your energy for the things that advance your goals
I know that most of this is familiar territory, but it is interesting to see it arranged in this order. GTD tells us to clean up our workspace first, then move on to prioritizing ( In the workflow: Collect, Process, Organize), where Stack starts off by applying the “Two-minute Rule” (if it can be accomplished in two minutes, do it now) to those small key tasks. I am not sure that I agree with that, as quite a few people that I have spoken to about being productive complain about getting bogged down in those little Two-minute activities. Many actually spending a big chunk of their day on them and not having the energy to tackle the big stuff, which Stack leaves until last on the list. I think that you need to consider your energy levels earlier in the process.
Managing Your Attention
The strongest chapter in the book covers your “capacity to concentrate on what you are doing.” Stack covers all of the bases, including:
- Avoid multi-tasking
- Capture your thoughts on other topics that come up while you are working on something, then put them aside
- Pay closest attention to the tasks that have the greatest return on your investment of time
Accessibility or Having a Unified Filing System
Unfortunately, in her effort to make all six start with the letter “A”, she runs into a bit of a contextual problem with the chapter on Accessibility. Stack uses the term to describe your ability to access your information and archives, while the term has a different meaning for me that made this chapter difficult.
Accessibility, to me, has to do with managing the way that others can interact with you, gaining access to your attention. But this is a small quibble and I suppose simply my own weakness.
Organizing your filing system and having access to your data and archives is an essential part of your productivity practice, and Stack provides some useful tips on creating and maintaining such a system.
Not Just another Productivity System
Super Competent is not just another system that you have to learn in order to become wealthy and influential overnight. Stack builds on and explains how you can learn from other systems to find the right way for you to get done with your tasks and achieve your goals. When this book hits the shelves next Monday I recommend that you give it a look. It is well worth your investment of time.
Here are my hand-written notes that I took while reading the book, click on the thumbnail to see it full-sized:
[Editor's note to the FTC: I did receive a copy of this product for free in exchange for writing a review, no other compensation or expectation of a positive review was expressed or implied.]
July 28th, 2010
Routines are a simple method to guarantee that you do the same thing at the same time in the same way every day. Routines allow you to decide ahead of time what you are going to do, make the decision once, and then spend all of your effort executing rather than pondering what you should do next. Here are some examples of beneficial routines:
- Reading something helpful for your career for 15 minutes each day during your lunch break.
- Going for a 30 minute walk every evening.
- An hour first thing in the morning spent with 15 minutes organizing your desk, 15 minutes sending networking emails and 30 minutes writing for your blog,
Those are just some simple examples, but the point is to create habits that cause you to repeat productive behavior. You don’t want to allow yourself to decide over and over again whether or not you are going to do it. Most people brush their teeth as a routine. It isn’t something that they put any mental energy into trying to decide if they should do it or not. When you can take other beneficial habits and move them to the same type of position in your daily activities, you can dramatically increase the amount you accomplish.
Most people drastically underestimate how much time and effort goes into deciding what to do next. Time management systems are designed to help decrease the amount of time you spend on this activity. Routines help make sure you are making continual improvement toward your goals.
Just as positive routines are very valuable, negative routines can be extremely damaging. Here are some examples of regular activities that can have negative long-term results:
- Buying a soda and/or candy bar every afternoon.
- Channel surfing for hours everyday.
- Browsing the web for “five minutes” first thing in the morning.
- Staying up late watching TV instead of going to bed.
- Looping around the parking lot “just one more time” to try to find a closer parking space.
- Skipping your child’s baseball game.
Routines are the systems you use to run your life. Good systems will get you good results while bad systems will get you bad results. Pay attention to what you are doing on a regular basis and work to develop habits you will be proud of that will push you toward your goals instead of away from them.
photo by ella_marie
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