Mom at planning desk at 8877 West Gull Lake Drive 1980s? |
Hi Mom,
I think a lot about productivity and work process. For instance, this blog entry is two days late because I had final grades due for CTU, which kept me pretty busy the last three days.
I had already planned this entry on productivity despite the fact that today is LORI'S BIRTHDAY, which you well know and remember. But more on that later.
Though I do not have a huge calendar map of the year for my check boxes, I do have a to do list with check boxes for Hey Mom. I have featured the to-do list on the blog before, but in case anyone needs to see it again, the picture is below.
According to my records, which are more or less accurate, this is my 222th week of to do lists in this form, which is over four years.
The content below on Seinfield's "chain" reminded me of my blog posts. Tomorrow will be the 400th Hey Mom post. Already this blog has more page views (45,807) than the T-shirt blog (42,627).
I had planned to end the Hey Mom feature's DAILY transmission after 365 posts, but my sister encouraged me to keep going. Though I am staring down a three day deficit right now (as it's Thursday 8/11 and this is the post for Tuesday 8/9), I have only ever been six days behind at a maximum and that was an extreme outlier (one time). Usually three days is about normal when final grades or some other work thing strikes.
But now, my blog hums along more efficiently with Monday devoted to music, Wednesday to poetry (or some creative writing thing), and Thursday dedicated to the talking and Throwback, I only have four days of other content to generate. Often this content is other people's re-posted. Sometimes I re-post t-shirt stuff (there are 365 of those after all and clearly fewer have been looked at than these posts). But I manage a fair amount of original content.
For now, I am chugging along for you, Mom. In tribute, in testimony, in memory, and in an active process of continuing our conversations. You listen politely and radiate your loving spirit.
I still feel you, Mom.
All the time.
the dread to-do list matrix |
Jerry Seinfeld's Productivity Secret
Editor: When software developer Brad Isaac told us he had productivity advice from Jerry Seinfeld, we couldn't turn down the chance to hear more. Read on for the whole story from Brad.
Years ago when Seinfeld was a new television show, Jerry Seinfeld was still a touring comic. At the time, I was hanging around clubs doing open mic nights and trying to learn the ropes. One night I was in the club where Seinfeld was working, and before he went on stage, I saw my chance. I had to ask Seinfeld if he had any tips for a young comic. What he told me was something that would benefit me a lifetime...
He said the way to be a better comic was to create better jokes and the way to create better jokes was to write every day. But his advice was better than that. He had a gem of a leverage technique he used on himself and you can use it to motivate yourself—even when you don't feel like it.
He revealed a unique calendar system he uses to pressure himself to write. Here's how it works.
He told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker.
He said for each day that I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day. "After a few days you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain."
"Don't break the chain," he said again for emphasis.
Over the years I've used his technique in many different areas. I've used it for exercise, to learn programming, to learn network administration, to build successful websites and build successful businesses.
It works because it isn't the one-shot pushes that get us where we want to go, it is the consistent daily action that builds extraordinary outcomes. You may have heard "inch by inch anything's a cinch." Inch by inch does work if you can move an inch every day.
Daily action builds habits. It gives you practice and will make you an expert in a short time. If you don't break the chain, you'll start to spot opportunities you otherwise wouldn't. Small improvements accumulate into large improvements rapidly because daily action provides "compounding interest."
Skipping one day makes it easier to skip the next.
I've often said I'd rather have someone who will take action—even if small—every day as opposed to someone who swings hard once or twice a week. Seinfeld understands that daily action yields greater benefits than sitting down and trying to knock out 1000 jokes in one day.
Think for a moment about what action would make the most profound impact on your life if you worked it every day. That is the action I recommend you put on your Seinfeld calendar. Start today and earn your big red X. And from here on out...
Don't break the chain!
Brad Isaac is a lead software programmer and blogger. You can read his motivational strategies every day on his goal setting blog, Achieve-IT!
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Reflect and connect.
Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.
I miss you so very much, Mom.
Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.
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- Days ago = 401 days ago
- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1608.09 - 10:10
NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.
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