Most of us now have time to tackle all those things we wanted to “when we have time.” So why aren’t we? We’ll look at the causes and the cures today.
Deliberate Living
Doing A Media Fast
How much time per day do you spend consuming media? I’m talking about news, magazines, social media and websites. Has it increased with the pandemic? Is it doing you good? Or is it making you anxious and depressed?
A media fast can help us break the cycle that news has over us. At a time when we need to be focusing on personal circumstances, keeping up with the media can distract us, or even worse, derail us completely and offer us an unhealthy escape.
What You’re Not Changing You’re Choosing
I saw this phrase on Pinterest:
“What you’re not changing you’re choosing.”
That’s pretty powerful.
Changing Jobs: Let’s Do The Math
How do you know if a new job is the right way to go? If all other factors are equal, how do you know that you’re not actually taking a cut in pay?
I get asked this question – a lot – because people know I can do the math. (The price to pay of an engineering degree and a teaching license in math, I guess). So today I wanted to get the article out there so other people can see how to work through it.
Bear in mind that this is just the money numbers. There is a price tag on happiness and sanity, and the following article doesn’t take into account dysfunctional workplaces or job dissatisfaction.
Deliberate December
The holiday season is upon us. For most people, it hits like a blizzard tornado, and they find themselves spit out in January dazed, exhausted and bruised. And I understand, because I was like that for many years.
Now, with my focus on deliberate choices, I am looking at a different type of December. I will state outright here that I am not a traditionally religious person, but I view December, with its various snowy light-centered holidays, as a time of reflection, planning, and rest. The earth is asleep at this time as the darkness grows and then starts to wane.
So can one approach December’s holidays with a sense of deliberate action?
Boost Productivity by Simplifying Spaces
Many years ago I saw the effect of simplifying spaces in my home. By taking away the immediate choices my daughter had for activities, she was able to settle quicker and play longer.
I’ve used this principle in other areas of my life, always with the same result: a boost in productivity and creativity. Today we look at this and how I stumbled on it.
Building a Morning Routine That Matters
One of the things that I struggle with as I put together routines to support my life is meaning. It’s one thing to take another person’s routine and adopt it, but for me, this quickly turns sour if it doesn’t matter to my life.
I’m looking at this more closely as I rebuild routines. A few months ago I did a 30 day challenge to get up earlier and do my morning routine. And while I am still struggling with that, part of the reason is that my morning routine has items that don’t matter to me. I am not enthused about doing them because I don’t see the point, and it has a tendency to derail my entire intention.
Why I Am Grateful To My Worst Boss
It has now been four years since my very short excursion into the world of education. The wounds have skinned over enough for me to talk about it, and so I wanted to take today to talk about why I am grateful for the worst boss I ever had.
30 Day Challenge: Early Rising Wrap-up
The challenge to myself was to craft and implement an early-morning routine. This was created because I wanted to have consistent time to read non-fiction, write, and do some basic self-care activities like journaling and stretching every morning.
While I had some challenges in working with my natural rhythms, I accomplished much more than I expected and gained a sense of satisfaction of important tasks done, even on the busiest of days.
The Night Owl’s Guide to Early Productivity
To people who are night owls either by nature or circumstance, getting up to do a productive morning routine can seem impossible. But it’s possible to claim this quiet and uninterrupted time for yourself.
I am biologically wired to do better at night. I catch a second wind at about 9 pm, and then I am off to the races, mentally alert and ready to flex my creative muscles. If I give in to it, I will work until 1 or 2 am, at which point I force myself to go to bed because I know the consequences rather than because I’m tired.
I don’t allow this to happen often. After all, I am employed outside the home, and I adhere to my employer’s and client’s expectations that I will be in the office during business hours. Taking advantage of that second wind means that I am groggy, cranky and unproductive on the work site.
A good friend of mine is a musician and is forced to be a night owl. He often doesn’t get done with his paying job until 10, and then has to unwind before he can even consider going to bed.
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So whether you are a night owl by choice or circumstance, you can still do an early routine.