Wednesday December 14, 2011

11.25 am Thursday

Thanks you for your continued and reliable thread starters, lennon.

Not doing so well today. Had a productive day at client's office yesterday, but then stayed up too late last night and, as you can all guess, am predictably tired today, slept in and wasted time. Today is broken up with appointments and social stuff, but I have made a list and now will try to do what I can.

Distracted by lots of undone tasks and the headlong rush of Christmas (well, that's how it feels!).

READING

"VIOLENCE" IN CARVING OUT PERIODS OF SPACE AND SILENCE IS SOMETIMES QUITE GOOD 

The "violence" in the words "time warrior" was intended. For although the work you do can be slow and easy, you must pull out your swword ahead of time to carve out periods of space and silence.

Devoted time.

It's your war against interruption and distraction. Because if you can bring gentle, sustained focus to a task, you'll never regret the results.

We often start something and then we stop. The recommendation: stop stopping.

The more space we open up for ourselves the more problems we solve. The faster we achieve our goals. The great philosopher Voltaire observed, "No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking."

The key word in Voltaire's observation is "sustained." We don't sustain. We don't take long, thoughtful, sustained walks. We don't sit quietly in space and solitude until a problem disappears (which it would) because we are too busy.

Or, we think we are, same thing.

We thing we're busy, especially today, with the way our "phones" hook us up to the whole nagging planet. We are so connected now. We never have to be alone again!

Is this good?

In most ways, it is. It's fun and exciting when I sit in my office and get an urgent text . . . The phone beeeps and I grab it and check it.

But what happens when I do that? I interrupt my meditative train of thought and it might have been a train that was taking me to a HUGE breakthrough solution to a major challenge. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! And I stop. I am on to something beautiful if I would only continue, but I stop.

Are you a good tennis player? No? But you took lessons, once, didn't you? Yes, What happened?

"I stopped."

Have you ever looked back at your life and wondered what would have happened if you hadn't stopped? Piano, foreign language, jobs, projects, anything.

Management and efficiency studies in the work place tell us that one hour of uninterrupted time is worth three hours of time that is constantly interrupted.

Or, as the old saying goes, winners focus, losers spray.

So the warrior element in how you relate to time is how "violent" a swordsman you are going to be before your day begins. How much uninterrupted time will you carve out for yourself? Will you be a true time warrior? Because if you will, you'll love  your timeless time. You'll be amazed at what you can create when time is not an issue.

Excerpt from Chapter 5 Time Warrior by Steve Chandler 

tracy-la

Slept in a lot!

Shouldn't have stayed up to read crime story.

To make up for it, I'll work until 9 pm (with several breaks)

To do (everything in red for "to do" list for tomorrow)

• Renew Rx. Go to drugstore and pick up with hd & tp
• Check email 12:30 pm & 4 pm 
• Call Marian
• Go for 1 hour walk in mid-afternoon & have coffee
• Call JW office and leave message
• Wash dishes (evening)
• Put laundry away (on short breaks)
• Hardboil eggs
• Email JC
• Call RM 
• Make egg salad (evening)
• Email marketing prospects (2 hours)
• Write emails (2 hours)
• Research and update SM sites (1 hour)
• Report back in late afternoon and before bed

Working from home today.  Yesterday was a very good day.   I was very busy with meetings all day but I used my time wisely between meetings and got some stuff done.   I also went out to lunch with a friend instead of eating a protein bar at my desk, which is what I really wanted to do.  So yay me.  

This morning I slept in a little bit, worked out with a video, chatted with my daughter on skype, and now it's time to get to work.   Making todo list now.   I think I'll post it here since I'm working from home as it helps keep me on track.   Back soonish.

Update 9:40 TDL

• os cert -.1-2 hours
• Interskill - 1 hour
• RH - 1 hour - didn't do this
• R Process - 1 hour
• team meeting - 1 hour
• upgrade website - just find info - 15 minutes
• post calendar - 15 minutes
• QT - 10 minutes
• Craig - 45 minutes started
• prep for work and gym Th and Fri - 30 minutes started
• find sc - 15 minutes
• make mammogram appt yuck! - 15 minutes
• Call F - 20 minutes
• dinner
• dishes
• laundry started
• exercise
• planning

Jo 

Be confident.  Stay focused.   One thing at a time.