1. Regular commenting on other blogs and saying something well beyond "Great post!".
2. Regular posting. Duh!
3. Regular guest posting—on your blog by others and by you on other people's blogs.
...as I've learnt... and not yet implemented.
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Power Blogging
...requires:
...as I've learnt... and not yet implemented.
...as I've learnt... and not yet implemented.
Nostalgia—OB Presentation
Back in the day we had a course called Organisational Behaviour/Organizational Behavior. (A course that has been life-altering. :))
Going through my Google Docs, I found a document that was the text of my presentation as part of the tutorial for the course. It was about a fifteen-minute speech on "Experiment". The starting idea comes from one of the best books ever: A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I also read quite a few blog posts from around the blogosphere for inspiration; thanks to all those writers.
Let's see if you think it's an interesting read.
P.S. "ICE Age" is the term our tutorial teacher used for the current times of Information, Communication and Entertainment.
Learning Comes Unexpectedly
Love Happens makes me think of learning coming unexpectedly. I started thinking of this during the last post, but the idea was larger than what would qualify as random. For those of you who don't know, this movie (And no, I'm not advertising.) has some great lessons. The name had made me imagine it as a chick-flick. Maybe it is, but it's more of a learning experience—like a manual for a happier life. Of course there are tons of those, but the difference lies in how the same ideologies are presented. And my web of thoughts forces me to say that that's the precise reason I like "Shivani Didi's" presentation of ideas that aren't necessarily her own. (Another blog post due for weeks now.)
Gosh... I have too much of a hangover from a post that intentionally shows bad writing. Bear with me as I try to correct that. I'll cut through the irrelevant parts and skip to the original point:
We never know what could be a source of knowledge and wisdom for us. Train your brain and senses to always be open to fresh ideas, a new perspective, a wild breakthrough. Be willing to receive... to accept... But of course, all in a positive sense. Mental filters have to be the most active part of the brain—always.
And now I don't know where to go with writing about this idea, so I guess I'll just leave it here. The movie's asking for more attention now too. I'm glad.
P.S. Words learnt from the movie: quidnunc, poppysmic, sesquipedalianist. :)
Gosh... I have too much of a hangover from a post that intentionally shows bad writing. Bear with me as I try to correct that. I'll cut through the irrelevant parts and skip to the original point:
We never know what could be a source of knowledge and wisdom for us. Train your brain and senses to always be open to fresh ideas, a new perspective, a wild breakthrough. Be willing to receive... to accept... But of course, all in a positive sense. Mental filters have to be the most active part of the brain—always.
And now I don't know where to go with writing about this idea, so I guess I'll just leave it here. The movie's asking for more attention now too. I'm glad.
P.S. Words learnt from the movie: quidnunc, poppysmic, sesquipedalianist. :)
No, I Don't Miss Wi-fi
For almost two years now, I've been used to living near a laptop, connected to the internet till eternity, with at least a couple of browser windows and some apps dancing around my screen when I press Win + Tab. (Yes, I'm a Windows person. Sigh)
And now suddenly, sitting in a cutely gorgeous house in Chandigarh, having been here for a month and intending to bug Uncle and Auntie for another half (at most), I'm actually relieved that my life is so offline.
I use the internet a few days a week for a few minutes. Well, not really my kinda internet—just blogger, google reader (only to mark all items as read), gmail and a few seconds on facebook.* And you know what? I was seriously, honestly satisfied with that. Now it is purely by choice that I almost avoid going online. Some of you who know me well might be giggling right now, mostly in disbelief. The others would think this is natural, or crazy or anything in between. Whatever it is, I'm totally serious here. There's suddenly so much more time. I still cling to this laptop a lot, but end up doing lots of offline stuff, invariably very productive or happiness-generating activities. I've been reading and writing a lot more than usual lately, and catching up with some movies.
And yes, I am missing out on truckloads of things that I enjoy doing, but those can wait. It's good to be relatively disconnected at times. Wonder if I can ever survive without a cell phone. (Now you must be laughing your heads off. :P)
*Although on my weekends home, it's hard to not go back to the same old routine.
Popcorn Kernels
I like popcorn kernels. Most people think it's time to toss the popcorn bag when the fluffy bits are gone; I think that's when the fun part begins. I love the challenge of having to exercise your teeth hard to extract taste from those hard grains.
Everyday inspiration! :D
Flabby Happy meets Skinny Smily
Here's a piece I wrote on the redundancy of perfection, primarily in body shape:
"Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable."
Lord Chesterfield must have been a wise man; who else could have given humanity a never-ending goal to strive for?
But maybe, just maybe, he didn't quite get it right. Why should we aim to hit perfection, knowing fully well that it is as unreal as mathematical infinity, or rather iota? Sure, it is a way of constantly reinventing yourself; sure it ensures you don't get complacent; definitely, it helps you reach zeniths of success you might never have acknowledged the possibility of... But there is a catch. A rather big one, actually. Of course, as opposed to "laziness", perfection is... let's just say a perfect option. But between the black and the white, there are quite a few rich shades of grey. After all, grey is the new black!
The pursuit of perfection carries around a transparent cloak of unrealness. While we deliberate, discuss, or debate, the cloak remains invisible. But when it comes to being in the real world, things change.
How many of us genuinely don't want a bikini-babe/ramp-hunk body? Yet how many of the rest have one? I could go on with the statistics now, but what are we getting to? Are we robo sapiens, expectedly crafted to perfection, all manufactured and quality-checked to ensure size-zeroes or eight-packs? In case anyone's waiting for an answer, go figure.
We frequently notice the flabby using the evergreen khaate-peete-khaandaan-ke-log as an argument-stopper. The ones far on the other side of the spectrum of course are assumed to be happy and satisfied.
This is where we get carried away into the wrong territory. Whoever started the idea of happiness coming from having things? True happiness and satisfaction are not outside-in phenomena. They're exactly 180 degrees away from that—inside-out. I'm happier with my few-extra-pounds than my next-door neighbour with enviably chiselled curves. And the reason is simply that body shape (or salary, or car brand, for that matter) is not the right yardstick to measure happiness.
It's actually interesting to wonder how the thought of desirability and body fat being inversely proportional originated... But who cares? Now is the time to question it! Don't get me wrong here; I'm not defending couch-potato behaviour or condoning sedentary lifestyles, and the bunch of grapes in my palm is perfectly sweet. I'm simply hoping to shake up some closed minds. It's not merely a matter of perspective: Researchers recently combined the best features of the faces of some of the world's sexiest women, including Kiera Knightly, Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox. And no goodies for guessing that the end result was a face just above average, at best. Irrelevant example, you may say, but the point is that literature accepts that the greatest perfection is imperfection.
There you go! With a reasonable and scientific proof against the real existence of perfection, a mere mortal doesn't even need to go on rambling about it.
And hence she stops.
"Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable."
Lord Chesterfield must have been a wise man; who else could have given humanity a never-ending goal to strive for?
But maybe, just maybe, he didn't quite get it right. Why should we aim to hit perfection, knowing fully well that it is as unreal as mathematical infinity, or rather iota? Sure, it is a way of constantly reinventing yourself; sure it ensures you don't get complacent; definitely, it helps you reach zeniths of success you might never have acknowledged the possibility of... But there is a catch. A rather big one, actually. Of course, as opposed to "laziness", perfection is... let's just say a perfect option. But between the black and the white, there are quite a few rich shades of grey. After all, grey is the new black!
The pursuit of perfection carries around a transparent cloak of unrealness. While we deliberate, discuss, or debate, the cloak remains invisible. But when it comes to being in the real world, things change.
How many of us genuinely don't want a bikini-babe/ramp-hunk body? Yet how many of the rest have one? I could go on with the statistics now, but what are we getting to? Are we robo sapiens, expectedly crafted to perfection, all manufactured and quality-checked to ensure size-zeroes or eight-packs? In case anyone's waiting for an answer, go figure.
We frequently notice the flabby using the evergreen khaate-peete-khaandaan-ke-log as an argument-stopper. The ones far on the other side of the spectrum of course are assumed to be happy and satisfied.
This is where we get carried away into the wrong territory. Whoever started the idea of happiness coming from having things? True happiness and satisfaction are not outside-in phenomena. They're exactly 180 degrees away from that—inside-out. I'm happier with my few-extra-pounds than my next-door neighbour with enviably chiselled curves. And the reason is simply that body shape (or salary, or car brand, for that matter) is not the right yardstick to measure happiness.
It's actually interesting to wonder how the thought of desirability and body fat being inversely proportional originated... But who cares? Now is the time to question it! Don't get me wrong here; I'm not defending couch-potato behaviour or condoning sedentary lifestyles, and the bunch of grapes in my palm is perfectly sweet. I'm simply hoping to shake up some closed minds. It's not merely a matter of perspective: Researchers recently combined the best features of the faces of some of the world's sexiest women, including Kiera Knightly, Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox. And no goodies for guessing that the end result was a face just above average, at best. Irrelevant example, you may say, but the point is that literature accepts that the greatest perfection is imperfection.
There you go! With a reasonable and scientific proof against the real existence of perfection, a mere mortal doesn't even need to go on rambling about it.
And hence she stops.
One-word Inspiration
Think. Dream. Be. Do. Act. Laugh. Create. Rise. Shine. Smile. Ideate. Begin. Energize. Stimulate. Ask. Engage. Appreciate. Compliment. Inspire. Enliven. Read. Write. Listen. Innovate. Rejuvenate. Love. Hug. Focus.
Transcending the "System"
Just entered my room after a quiz* and a lecture. I don't intend to raise a voice against anyone at all, but this is what happened in the last couple hours:
The quiz started almost at scheduled time, but only in some of the exam rooms—roughly for half of the test-takers. I was in this lot.
The questions were unfair at best. We hadn't covered at least 3 of the 10 questions. Yet, with a combination of intelligence, guess-work and copying, we managed. (Don't doubt my actions, though—this is about the general public.) We were asked to stay back after the quiz was over. The justification: "If you go outside, you'll text the answers to friends." Needless to mention, even within the classes, all cell phones were discreetly lit up, and fingers were moving at warp speed to ask for/give help.
The result was that the first lot of students didn't do too well, and the others did way better.
Fast forward to the lecture. An extra lecture scheduled to make sure the course gets covered before we call it a semester. Anyway, those three questions got covered—either within the lecture, or as part of the topics delegated as homework. Some people had heard the quiz has been cancelled, and that another one will be taken in lieu of it. I seriously doubt this rumour.
So that was what happened. My reactions:
Really really cross from start of quiz to end of lecture. Mentally using lots of not-very-nice words on the way back. And now thinking:
There are people who will blame their destiny, their circumstances, or more relevantly, the system. And there are people who will be so good, even the screwed-up (Pardon me.) system can't get them down.
JOIN THEM.
Lesson learnt.
*"Objective" tests typically lasting ten minutes and contributing 5-10% towards the total marks for a course. Particularly renowned for the usually effortless copying opportunities.
The quiz started almost at scheduled time, but only in some of the exam rooms—roughly for half of the test-takers. I was in this lot.
The questions were unfair at best. We hadn't covered at least 3 of the 10 questions. Yet, with a combination of intelligence, guess-work and copying, we managed. (Don't doubt my actions, though—this is about the general public.) We were asked to stay back after the quiz was over. The justification: "If you go outside, you'll text the answers to friends." Needless to mention, even within the classes, all cell phones were discreetly lit up, and fingers were moving at warp speed to ask for/give help.
The result was that the first lot of students didn't do too well, and the others did way better.
Fast forward to the lecture. An extra lecture scheduled to make sure the course gets covered before we call it a semester. Anyway, those three questions got covered—either within the lecture, or as part of the topics delegated as homework. Some people had heard the quiz has been cancelled, and that another one will be taken in lieu of it. I seriously doubt this rumour.
So that was what happened. My reactions:
Really really cross from start of quiz to end of lecture. Mentally using lots of not-very-nice words on the way back. And now thinking:
There are people who will blame their destiny, their circumstances, or more relevantly, the system. And there are people who will be so good, even the screwed-up (Pardon me.) system can't get them down.
JOIN THEM.
Lesson learnt.
*"Objective" tests typically lasting ten minutes and contributing 5-10% towards the total marks for a course. Particularly renowned for the usually effortless copying opportunities.
Top Ten Things to Do for a Loved One
I have no memory of how and when I fell into this thought trap, but fall I did for sure, so here are the results of being in the trap for several hours:
(These are not only for sweethearts, but also for friends, parents... Yeah basically, loved ones. Here's a bonus: most of them are easy on the pocket. :D)
10. Meet up, in a "Zero Technology Space-time"
The fancy term is grossly inaccurate, but it conveys the idea well, I think. This one is especially for people who don't get to share a lot of quality time with their loved ones. Make the time to meet, in a quiet place, and keep cell phones, laptops, televisions etc. totally away. (Mentally away is more important than physically.)
9. Work for a Cause Together
This can work extremely well if you both feel strongly about a certain issue. Help spread AIDS/cancer awareness, participate in an anti-corruption rally, or help spread the "Go Green" message.
8. Create Something Together—And it Doesn't Have to be a Baby :P
This can give you a very wide range of choices--paint your house, assemble a computer or do an art/craft project together. Create something tangible that will be a lasting symbol of your collective hard work. A baby actually fits into this pretty well, if that's applicable in your case. ;)
7. Give Them a Nickname
A friend of mine used to call me "Blossom" and it's one of the sweetest names I've ever had. Think of a name that's cute and sounds nice--but don't use it all of the time. “Sunshine” and “Cupcake” are my personal favourites, although I hate that they’re so hackneyed.
6. Take (Long) Walks Together
The utopian idea about this would be a long, slow walk after dinner, when it's not totally dark yet, with a scenic view around. Perfect for interesting and warm conversations, and exercise too. Long drives work too, but they're not really the same.
5. Make a Slideshow/Scrapbook of Your Shared Memories
Don't worry too much about putting the pictures together; just pick out your mutual favourites. Once you're done and satisfied, make sure you can have some uninterrupted and quiet time together to look at the slideshow/scrapbook. By the way, Windows Movie Maker, Animoto, Stupeflix, Picnik, Slide, etc. can be helpful apps.
4. Allow Them to Relax and Leave Things to You
Particularly if you live together: This is perfect for an evening during a busy week. Also a great background to a special dinner or some lazying together. I'll leave rest of the imagining to you. ;)
3. Surprise Them
Meet them where and when you're least expected; of course having double-checked that the plan won't backfire! Give some minutes to each other, tell them how special they are, and leave them with a flower or a small gift as a cute memory of the moment. Or just leave “Boo!” or “Gotcha!” or of course “Love You!” notes where they’d be least expected.
2. Gift Them an Experience
It could be a movie and dinner date, or a dance/cooking class together, but doesn't have to be that fancy. For me, coffee and breakfast in bed on a cold weekend morning is great too. (Aha!)
And finally, point # 1. (Thank you for the drum-roll!)
1. Keep It Real
Nothing expresses your love for a person better than truly, deeply loving them. Listen to them, genuinely care for them, and most of all, accept them for who they are. You wouldn't need much more if you can just do this well.
So those were my top ten. Let me know what yours are, and which ones of these you like best, and worst.
(These are not only for sweethearts, but also for friends, parents... Yeah basically, loved ones. Here's a bonus: most of them are easy on the pocket. :D)
10. Meet up, in a "Zero Technology Space-time"
The fancy term is grossly inaccurate, but it conveys the idea well, I think. This one is especially for people who don't get to share a lot of quality time with their loved ones. Make the time to meet, in a quiet place, and keep cell phones, laptops, televisions etc. totally away. (Mentally away is more important than physically.)
9. Work for a Cause Together
This can work extremely well if you both feel strongly about a certain issue. Help spread AIDS/cancer awareness, participate in an anti-corruption rally, or help spread the "Go Green" message.
8. Create Something Together—And it Doesn't Have to be a Baby :P
This can give you a very wide range of choices--paint your house, assemble a computer or do an art/craft project together. Create something tangible that will be a lasting symbol of your collective hard work. A baby actually fits into this pretty well, if that's applicable in your case. ;)
7. Give Them a Nickname
A friend of mine used to call me "Blossom" and it's one of the sweetest names I've ever had. Think of a name that's cute and sounds nice--but don't use it all of the time. “Sunshine” and “Cupcake” are my personal favourites, although I hate that they’re so hackneyed.
6. Take (Long) Walks Together
The utopian idea about this would be a long, slow walk after dinner, when it's not totally dark yet, with a scenic view around. Perfect for interesting and warm conversations, and exercise too. Long drives work too, but they're not really the same.
5. Make a Slideshow/Scrapbook of Your Shared Memories
Don't worry too much about putting the pictures together; just pick out your mutual favourites. Once you're done and satisfied, make sure you can have some uninterrupted and quiet time together to look at the slideshow/scrapbook. By the way, Windows Movie Maker, Animoto, Stupeflix, Picnik, Slide, etc. can be helpful apps.
4. Allow Them to Relax and Leave Things to You
Particularly if you live together: This is perfect for an evening during a busy week. Also a great background to a special dinner or some lazying together. I'll leave rest of the imagining to you. ;)
3. Surprise Them
Meet them where and when you're least expected; of course having double-checked that the plan won't backfire! Give some minutes to each other, tell them how special they are, and leave them with a flower or a small gift as a cute memory of the moment. Or just leave “Boo!” or “Gotcha!” or of course “Love You!” notes where they’d be least expected.
2. Gift Them an Experience
It could be a movie and dinner date, or a dance/cooking class together, but doesn't have to be that fancy. For me, coffee and breakfast in bed on a cold weekend morning is great too. (Aha!)
And finally, point # 1. (Thank you for the drum-roll!)
1. Keep It Real
Nothing expresses your love for a person better than truly, deeply loving them. Listen to them, genuinely care for them, and most of all, accept them for who they are. You wouldn't need much more if you can just do this well.
So those were my top ten. Let me know what yours are, and which ones of these you like best, and worst.
The Big Secret to Success
Okay... So the title's probably really got your attention. Good. So let's head off to the big secret, shall we?
But before that:
"There's some good news and some bad news...
The bad news is that there is no good news."
(From the Beau Peep comic strip in The Times of India many months back)
Disappointing for sure, and here's another one:
"The big secret of success is that there's no secret."
(From my crazy mind that's no good at comic strips)
I haven't done anything exceptional or achieved anything wondrous in my life yet. So I am nobody to be giving out success gyaan. But I do have some thoughts on success that I'd like to share. And I hope that one day I will have moved from Dream to Action and be moving from bigger dreams to better action.
That said, let's get back to the big secret, or rather the absence of it.
In whatever little success I have achieved so far, I've realized that it really was a direct result of focus, commitment, and hard work. So, my point in this post is that success isn't really that complicated. We tend to have the expectation of a shortcut, and waste a lot of time trying to find it, whereas the real need is to spend our time doing what we instinctually know. Really, my belief is that the actual basics reside deep within us--again, focus, commitment, hard work, and sometimes practice. And a big one--being consistent around your goals. Along with these, embracing failure as just a step towards success is also crucial. This might go against what we think, but is still a major part of nearly every success story. Unless we look at failure as something that has been sent our way to inflame us even more, we cannot succeed. I hate to use the cliché, but "Failure is the stepping stone to success."
Back to the instincts then: For students nothing is as important as sticking to the right path, and incessantly contributing towards achieving their (academic and other) goals. For a salesperson, I guess the biggest thing is to show empathy for the customer's needs and think from their perspective. And in case of entrepreneurs/managers, probably the biggest tip would be to treat the employees well and try to create a balance between concern for productivity and concern for people.
Nothing new, right? See! That exactly is my point. So, the bottom-line really is that success--personal, organizational, at virtually any level--mostly comes as a direct result of the things we know are its ingredients. And if possible, we need to garnish the dish with smart work (versus hard work), productivity tips, and life hacks. These are supposed to help; they can hardly do much just by themselves.
I hope you find this post inspirational. Hit back with comments sharing your thoughts on this, and your own little formulas for success.
But before that:
"There's some good news and some bad news...
The bad news is that there is no good news."
(From the Beau Peep comic strip in The Times of India many months back)
Disappointing for sure, and here's another one:
"The big secret of success is that there's no secret."
(From my crazy mind that's no good at comic strips)
I haven't done anything exceptional or achieved anything wondrous in my life yet. So I am nobody to be giving out success gyaan. But I do have some thoughts on success that I'd like to share. And I hope that one day I will have moved from Dream to Action and be moving from bigger dreams to better action.
That said, let's get back to the big secret, or rather the absence of it.
In whatever little success I have achieved so far, I've realized that it really was a direct result of focus, commitment, and hard work. So, my point in this post is that success isn't really that complicated. We tend to have the expectation of a shortcut, and waste a lot of time trying to find it, whereas the real need is to spend our time doing what we instinctually know. Really, my belief is that the actual basics reside deep within us--again, focus, commitment, hard work, and sometimes practice. And a big one--being consistent around your goals. Along with these, embracing failure as just a step towards success is also crucial. This might go against what we think, but is still a major part of nearly every success story. Unless we look at failure as something that has been sent our way to inflame us even more, we cannot succeed. I hate to use the cliché, but "Failure is the stepping stone to success."
Back to the instincts then: For students nothing is as important as sticking to the right path, and incessantly contributing towards achieving their (academic and other) goals. For a salesperson, I guess the biggest thing is to show empathy for the customer's needs and think from their perspective. And in case of entrepreneurs/managers, probably the biggest tip would be to treat the employees well and try to create a balance between concern for productivity and concern for people.
Nothing new, right? See! That exactly is my point. So, the bottom-line really is that success--personal, organizational, at virtually any level--mostly comes as a direct result of the things we know are its ingredients. And if possible, we need to garnish the dish with smart work (versus hard work), productivity tips, and life hacks. These are supposed to help; they can hardly do much just by themselves.
I hope you find this post inspirational. Hit back with comments sharing your thoughts on this, and your own little formulas for success.
My "Productivity System"
During the last many months I've been reading about productivity like crazy. Some of the great people around are coming up with highly effective systems for efficient time management and happiness. I'm lagging in the race and hardly know beyond the ABCs of Getting Things Done, Zen To Done, or Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Successful people. Recently I read an article on Stepcase Lifehack (one of my favourite blogs) on why you should learn a productivity system. The basic idea is that people who make these great productivity systems have loads of experience and knowledge to be sure their ideas are practically successful. This is what they do best, and we should leave this job to them.
The information overload on productivity was making me guilty somewhat, because I seem to be the only one not managing all my tasks according to a world-famous system. I'm still not perfectly convinced that this is a job best left to the experts. If something works for you, use it. If you can't decide what's best for you, the experts are always there to help. Makes sense to me! So yesterday I got thinking, and realized that, no matter how simple, I do have a productivity system after all. My very own! And here it is:
1. If you want it done, schedule it.
Every task that needs serious time and attention from me has to be planned. I don't have a fancy notebook or software that keeps track of these things. My to-do lists are usually in the form of a note to self on my cell phone, or as a new sticky, or penned down on a small scrap of paper that stays in my wallet. The idea is simply this: if something needs my time, it has to be scheduled. Maybe for "some time within this week" if I can't focus on the timing too well, but usually my to-do's are on a daily basis.
2. Acknowledge the importance of voids. (An idea originally Umberto Eco's.)
Even when I plan each hour or so of my day, there are always voids I keep in between. Rather than keeping time aside for relaxation, I use the voids. An example of this would be:
4-5.30 pm: Math
6-8 pm: Physics
9 pm: Revision
So after I'm done with math I know I have some time for a tea break. This also takes care of things that unexpectedly pop up, and there's some room for stretching in case math takes longer. Similarly, after physics I know I have enough time for dinner and walk and if I have time to spare it can be used for something unplanned.
3. Plan more than you know you will do.
My usual daily plan has about 110% of what I really want to achieve within the day. Goes with the idea of "Shoot for the moon, and you'll at least land among the stars." I make sure the more important tasks get higher priority, and at least those get done for sure. And sometimes I actually end up doing the extra tasks as well.
So this is how I (try to) stay organized. My system is far from perfect and I keep borrowing ideas from the experts to make it better. So far I'm managing just fine this way. If ever I think I'm overwhelmed, I know there's David Allen or Leo Babuata (among others) to help me out!
The information overload on productivity was making me guilty somewhat, because I seem to be the only one not managing all my tasks according to a world-famous system. I'm still not perfectly convinced that this is a job best left to the experts. If something works for you, use it. If you can't decide what's best for you, the experts are always there to help. Makes sense to me! So yesterday I got thinking, and realized that, no matter how simple, I do have a productivity system after all. My very own! And here it is:
1. If you want it done, schedule it.
Every task that needs serious time and attention from me has to be planned. I don't have a fancy notebook or software that keeps track of these things. My to-do lists are usually in the form of a note to self on my cell phone, or as a new sticky, or penned down on a small scrap of paper that stays in my wallet. The idea is simply this: if something needs my time, it has to be scheduled. Maybe for "some time within this week" if I can't focus on the timing too well, but usually my to-do's are on a daily basis.
2. Acknowledge the importance of voids. (An idea originally Umberto Eco's.)
Even when I plan each hour or so of my day, there are always voids I keep in between. Rather than keeping time aside for relaxation, I use the voids. An example of this would be:
4-5.30 pm: Math
6-8 pm: Physics
9 pm: Revision
So after I'm done with math I know I have some time for a tea break. This also takes care of things that unexpectedly pop up, and there's some room for stretching in case math takes longer. Similarly, after physics I know I have enough time for dinner and walk and if I have time to spare it can be used for something unplanned.
3. Plan more than you know you will do.
My usual daily plan has about 110% of what I really want to achieve within the day. Goes with the idea of "Shoot for the moon, and you'll at least land among the stars." I make sure the more important tasks get higher priority, and at least those get done for sure. And sometimes I actually end up doing the extra tasks as well.
So this is how I (try to) stay organized. My system is far from perfect and I keep borrowing ideas from the experts to make it better. So far I'm managing just fine this way. If ever I think I'm overwhelmed, I know there's David Allen or Leo Babuata (among others) to help me out!
Suicide Note 1.0 (Don't be alarmed!)
One of the most extreme things a human can do is to kill another. Take the level of craziness some notches higher and you have enough for suicide. I believe that in 99% of suicide cases the emotional upheaval veils a better solution. (Killing animals is extreme to me too, but it is an inseparable part of civilization by now.)
YET I've realized there's one powerful aspect of suicide—the suicide note. Yeah, right? Here's how:
Today somehow I started thinking of how I would write my suicide note if I ever had to. I made a mental list of the reasons that trouble me enough. And as I thought about each one I realized that most of these, partly or wholly, directly or indirectly, are self-created troubles. The remaining few might not be my fault, but then were they really significant? Not on the scale of a human life.
Thus the idea of suicide (so to speak) dissolved and I flexed my be-grateful-for-everything muscles.
The catch here is that I'm NOT even close to suicidal to begin with. Hardly a surprise then, that the reasons that were anyway not strong enough to drive me to suicide, didn't succeed (or should I say fail?). But what's relevant is not that I survived this activity, but that I felt better after it. By listing out my problems I realized that they are neither HUGE nor irreparable. The result: I felt more in control of my life and (more) grateful for all the good stuff—once you start counting it's a whole lot.
This time all of this happened and I just went with the flow; next time I'll drive the flow of thoughts: (Try this out.)
1. Grab a pen/cil and paper.
2. List out all the problems and reasons for unhappiness in your life.
3. Categorize them according to which ones you are responsible for, which ones don't have a solution (are you sure?), which ones don't deserve the attention, etc.
4. Write down what you can do about each one—try getting rid of it, work your way around it, stop bothering about it—whatever gives you power over the problem.
5. Read the whole list and start executing around the ideas you generated. Gratitude muscles twitching a little? Flex them and count your blessings.
Oh, and whenever you write* your Suicide Note 2.0 please give it a more positive name and let me know about it, and the whole experience.
*Make sure you write it out—2.0 is all about the written form. Your brain will also react better.
YET I've realized there's one powerful aspect of suicide—the suicide note. Yeah, right? Here's how:
Today somehow I started thinking of how I would write my suicide note if I ever had to. I made a mental list of the reasons that trouble me enough. And as I thought about each one I realized that most of these, partly or wholly, directly or indirectly, are self-created troubles. The remaining few might not be my fault, but then were they really significant? Not on the scale of a human life.
Thus the idea of suicide (so to speak) dissolved and I flexed my be-grateful-for-everything muscles.
The catch here is that I'm NOT even close to suicidal to begin with. Hardly a surprise then, that the reasons that were anyway not strong enough to drive me to suicide, didn't succeed (or should I say fail?). But what's relevant is not that I survived this activity, but that I felt better after it. By listing out my problems I realized that they are neither HUGE nor irreparable. The result: I felt more in control of my life and (more) grateful for all the good stuff—once you start counting it's a whole lot.
This time all of this happened and I just went with the flow; next time I'll drive the flow of thoughts: (Try this out.)
1. Grab a pen/cil and paper.
2. List out all the problems and reasons for unhappiness in your life.
3. Categorize them according to which ones you are responsible for, which ones don't have a solution (are you sure?), which ones don't deserve the attention, etc.
4. Write down what you can do about each one—try getting rid of it, work your way around it, stop bothering about it—whatever gives you power over the problem.
5. Read the whole list and start executing around the ideas you generated. Gratitude muscles twitching a little? Flex them and count your blessings.
Oh, and whenever you write* your Suicide Note 2.0 please give it a more positive name and let me know about it, and the whole experience.
*Make sure you write it out—2.0 is all about the written form. Your brain will also react better.
The Pleasure of Discipline
Every time I enter my room, a sign on the door stares me in the face and shouts out loud: "The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret." The price of discipline, or rather the reluctance to pay it, is the reason why so many of us do not reach the heights of our potential. Discipline is often the difference between being successful and being regretful.
However, I think a more relevant concept is that of the pleasure of discipline. If that sounds foreign to you, you're not alone. The first time I developed this idea, it took some time to put pleasure and discipline together.
Before getting up this morning I'd been lounging around in bed for some minutes. Then I said to myself, "You have two choices--continue with the bad routine, or get the discipline juices flowing. Put mind over mattress." That was enough to propel me out of bed. I almost sleep-walked to my washroom, and happened to look into the mirror. What I saw was a sleepy face, with a slight hint of reluctance and irritation. I hardly paid any attention and took a shower--something that would ordinarily happen hours later. I cursed myself as the cool water made me shiver. That lasted a couple seconds, and after stepping out, I saw myself in the same mirror again. Spontaneously and impulsively I gave one of my biggest, brightest smiles. It was big and bright and most importantly a genuinely happy smile. I was so happy with myself, feeling utter delight at having snapped out of a bad habit (or at least having started the journey). And the happiness was anything but short-lived.
After getting ready, I went to the Gurdwara, took a walk around the block, and came back home, feeling great. The next few hours were enthusiastically productive--there was some revision to do before I wrote an important exam later in the morning--and I enjoyed the studying way more than ever. Not only that, the exam was great, and now, hours later, I'm still excited and happy (and it's rubbing off on the ones around me), not tired at all, and smiling days worth of smiles sitting here.
AND it doesn't get close to ending here either! Tomorrow morning when I think about how great today was, I'll have another reason to shoot out of bed and give myself the same experience all over again. Again, it doesn't end there. The chain reaction this day will hopefully initiate, will keep getting bigger and better and bring more happiness and contentment into my life!
The moral of the story: Once you overcome the initial resistance of trying out something new, or developing a new habit, or shedding an old one, you can't help thanking yourself for it. The circumstances we've always lived in have a way of trying to pull us back when we try to escape. It's painful to resist, but once you pay the price of discipline and overcome the force of gravity, the investment pays off and the profit is all yours--The Pleasure of Discipline.
* "Put mind over mattress." and "The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret." are ideas from Robin Sharma. *
However, I think a more relevant concept is that of the pleasure of discipline. If that sounds foreign to you, you're not alone. The first time I developed this idea, it took some time to put pleasure and discipline together.
Before getting up this morning I'd been lounging around in bed for some minutes. Then I said to myself, "You have two choices--continue with the bad routine, or get the discipline juices flowing. Put mind over mattress." That was enough to propel me out of bed. I almost sleep-walked to my washroom, and happened to look into the mirror. What I saw was a sleepy face, with a slight hint of reluctance and irritation. I hardly paid any attention and took a shower--something that would ordinarily happen hours later. I cursed myself as the cool water made me shiver. That lasted a couple seconds, and after stepping out, I saw myself in the same mirror again. Spontaneously and impulsively I gave one of my biggest, brightest smiles. It was big and bright and most importantly a genuinely happy smile. I was so happy with myself, feeling utter delight at having snapped out of a bad habit (or at least having started the journey). And the happiness was anything but short-lived.
After getting ready, I went to the Gurdwara, took a walk around the block, and came back home, feeling great. The next few hours were enthusiastically productive--there was some revision to do before I wrote an important exam later in the morning--and I enjoyed the studying way more than ever. Not only that, the exam was great, and now, hours later, I'm still excited and happy (and it's rubbing off on the ones around me), not tired at all, and smiling days worth of smiles sitting here.
AND it doesn't get close to ending here either! Tomorrow morning when I think about how great today was, I'll have another reason to shoot out of bed and give myself the same experience all over again. Again, it doesn't end there. The chain reaction this day will hopefully initiate, will keep getting bigger and better and bring more happiness and contentment into my life!
The moral of the story: Once you overcome the initial resistance of trying out something new, or developing a new habit, or shedding an old one, you can't help thanking yourself for it. The circumstances we've always lived in have a way of trying to pull us back when we try to escape. It's painful to resist, but once you pay the price of discipline and overcome the force of gravity, the investment pays off and the profit is all yours--The Pleasure of Discipline.
* "Put mind over mattress." and "The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret." are ideas from Robin Sharma. *
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