Jeff Davidson's Blog, page 21
January 25, 2017
Traveling a Little Lighter
Plane travel tips for weary travelers:
* Ask for an aisle seat at the front of the plane so that you can to stand up with greater ease, stroll in the aisles, or simply stretch.
* It's easier to capture the attention of flight attendants for in-flight amenities from the front.
* Aisle seats are best for shorter flights, where you don't anticipate going to sleep.
* Travel with carry on bags only.
* Buy the roll-on carts to avoid toting your bags from the airport parking lot to the plane. Most tote systems are made to fit the airline aisles, the overhead seat compartments, or under the seats.
* Ask for an aisle seat at the front of the plane so that you can to stand up with greater ease, stroll in the aisles, or simply stretch.
* It's easier to capture the attention of flight attendants for in-flight amenities from the front.
* Aisle seats are best for shorter flights, where you don't anticipate going to sleep.
* Travel with carry on bags only.
* Buy the roll-on carts to avoid toting your bags from the airport parking lot to the plane. Most tote systems are made to fit the airline aisles, the overhead seat compartments, or under the seats.
January 12, 2017
Begin it Now
A wonderful new year message: On Beginning Now
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
January 11, 2017
When Less Is Better
A new year that perhaps merits an old perspective: In his The New Republic article, Tim Wu encapsulates what too many people fail to understand:
"If the old world of scarcity yielded a mass population that was hungry, bored, and impoverished, our current surpluses lead to a population that is fat, in debt, overwhelmed, and swamped with too much stuff."
"The miserable in Dickens’s times -- malnourished, impoverished, overworked -- had the right to blame social conditions and demand change. But in today’s richer world, if you are overweight, in debt, and overwhelmed, there is no one to blame but yourself. Go on a diet, stop watching cable, and pay off your credit card -- that’s the answer. In short, we think of scarcity problems as real, and surplus problems as matters of self-control."
"If the old world of scarcity yielded a mass population that was hungry, bored, and impoverished, our current surpluses lead to a population that is fat, in debt, overwhelmed, and swamped with too much stuff."
"The miserable in Dickens’s times -- malnourished, impoverished, overworked -- had the right to blame social conditions and demand change. But in today’s richer world, if you are overweight, in debt, and overwhelmed, there is no one to blame but yourself. Go on a diet, stop watching cable, and pay off your credit card -- that’s the answer. In short, we think of scarcity problems as real, and surplus problems as matters of self-control."
Spam Is Assault on Breathing Space
A study conducted by Commtouch indicates that most spam originates from websites hosted in countries outside the U.S.
Pharmaceutical drugs are most advertised. The recipients of these largely unwanted messages are nearly all in the U.S.
Meanwhile, despite filters and spaminators, the pace of spam is accelerating. The aggregate number of unique spam outbreaks per day has been rising for years. We need breathing space!
Pharmaceutical drugs are most advertised. The recipients of these largely unwanted messages are nearly all in the U.S.
Meanwhile, despite filters and spaminators, the pace of spam is accelerating. The aggregate number of unique spam outbreaks per day has been rising for years. We need breathing space!
January 4, 2017
When Less is Better
A new year that perhaps merits an old perspective: In his The New Republic article, Tim Wu encapsulates what too many people fail to understand:
"If the old world of scarcity yielded a mass population that was hungry, bored, and impoverished, our current surpluses lead to a population that is fat, in debt, overwhelmed, and swamped with too much stuff."
"The miserable in Dickens’s times -- malnourished, impoverished, overworked -- had the right to blame social conditions and demand change. But in today’s richer world, if you are overweight, in debt, and overwhelmed, there is no one to blame but yourself. Go on a diet, stop watching cable, and pay off your credit card -- that’s the answer. In short, we think of scarcity problems as real, and surplus problems as matters of self-control."
"If the old world of scarcity yielded a mass population that was hungry, bored, and impoverished, our current surpluses lead to a population that is fat, in debt, overwhelmed, and swamped with too much stuff."
"The miserable in Dickens’s times -- malnourished, impoverished, overworked -- had the right to blame social conditions and demand change. But in today’s richer world, if you are overweight, in debt, and overwhelmed, there is no one to blame but yourself. Go on a diet, stop watching cable, and pay off your credit card -- that’s the answer. In short, we think of scarcity problems as real, and surplus problems as matters of self-control."
December 29, 2016
2017: Leave Work Ready for Life
The new year approaches, and most people will be back at work. Does this mean an immediate return to old ways? When you consistently work longer hours or take work home from the office you begin to forget what it's like to have a free week night and eventually a free weekend.
To sustain the habit of leaving work on time, start with a small step. Leave without guilt. Hereafter decide that on, say, every Tuesday you will stop working on time and take no extra work home with you.
After freeing up Tuesdays for an entire month, perhaps add Thursdays. In another month add Mondays, and in the fourth month add Wednesdays.
To sustain the habit of leaving work on time, start with a small step. Leave without guilt. Hereafter decide that on, say, every Tuesday you will stop working on time and take no extra work home with you.
After freeing up Tuesdays for an entire month, perhaps add Thursdays. In another month add Mondays, and in the fourth month add Wednesdays.
December 22, 2016
Spam is Assault on Breathing Space
A study conducted by Commtouch indicates that most spam originates from websites hosted in countries outside the U.S.
Pharmaceutical drugs are most advertised. The recipients of these largely unwanted messages are nearly all in the U.S.
Meanwhile, despite filters and spaminators, the pace of spam is accelerating . The aggregate number of unique spam outbreaks per day has been rising for years. We need breathing space!
Pharmaceutical drugs are most advertised. The recipients of these largely unwanted messages are nearly all in the U.S.
Meanwhile, despite filters and spaminators, the pace of spam is accelerating . The aggregate number of unique spam outbreaks per day has been rising for years. We need breathing space!
December 16, 2016
Sustain a Positive Perspective
Martin Seligman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, offers seven essential traits for living a happy life:
* Love of learning-an interest in acquiring new skills.
* Creativity-trying new things just for fun and producing something surprising.
* Humility-recognizing your own abilities and appreciating those of others.
* Humor-being able to find something amusing even in difficult times, and helping others do so, too.
* Persistence-working through to a goal despite obstacles.
* Gratitude-being thankful for the things you have.
* Forgiveness-being able to let go of hurt and anger.
* Love of learning-an interest in acquiring new skills.
* Creativity-trying new things just for fun and producing something surprising.
* Humility-recognizing your own abilities and appreciating those of others.
* Humor-being able to find something amusing even in difficult times, and helping others do so, too.
* Persistence-working through to a goal despite obstacles.
* Gratitude-being thankful for the things you have.
* Forgiveness-being able to let go of hurt and anger.
December 10, 2016
Organizing, Versus Being Neat
Becoming and staying organized is desirable. Being organized, however, is not the same as being neat. Neatness is a virtue. Being organized is done for the practical purpose of creating breathing space. What good is information if you spend all morning looking for it?
The recurring problem with staying organized is holding on to pieces of the past. Overcollecting, or packratism, can create huge piles of junk at home and in your office. Reexamine what you retain and practice pro-active trashing.
If you must hold onto items you no longer need, put them in a special box and hide it in the attic or garage. If you can go two years without missing the items, then throw them out.
The recurring problem with staying organized is holding on to pieces of the past. Overcollecting, or packratism, can create huge piles of junk at home and in your office. Reexamine what you retain and practice pro-active trashing.
If you must hold onto items you no longer need, put them in a special box and hide it in the attic or garage. If you can go two years without missing the items, then throw them out.
December 4, 2016
Productivity, Interrupted
Paul Radde, Ph.D. author of Thrival says "Cell phone use is not just plain rude, it is mentally distracting and abusive to others. Cell phone use captures the brain's interest in completing the conversation, so whether the user is broadcasting or simply within earshot, the Zeigarnik effect kicks in. This is the same desire for closure that makes the effects of multi-tasking akin to the effects of post-traumatic stress."
The Zeigarnik effect is characterized by the tendency of people to remember interrupted tasks better than those that have been completed. "Once taken off one task, without completing the transaction," Radde observes, "the mind continues to seek closure. If you have a number of things going, but none of them to completion, you have these tensions tending toward completion -- and that is stress-provoking."
It's not that you can't get things done with the use of a cell phone; indeed, you can get a lot of things done. However, the nature of what you get done is highly skewed. Just as the man with only a hammer sees everything as nails, the incessant cell phone user accomplishes a variety of tasks, understandably enough, that accrue directly to having a cell phone. In other words whatever can be handled by a phone call is more likely to be tackled than say a problem that requires solitude and abstract reasoning.
Sometimes this get-it-done kind of individual overdoes this stay-in-touch aspect of what he's trying to accomplish. How often do you need to stay in touch with your office? Would every 60 minutes do it, or would 45 minutes be better, or 30 better still? What kinds of new tasks and new responsibilities at work are you creating for yourself and others as a result of the constant communication and, need I say it, over-communication?
The Zeigarnik effect is characterized by the tendency of people to remember interrupted tasks better than those that have been completed. "Once taken off one task, without completing the transaction," Radde observes, "the mind continues to seek closure. If you have a number of things going, but none of them to completion, you have these tensions tending toward completion -- and that is stress-provoking."
It's not that you can't get things done with the use of a cell phone; indeed, you can get a lot of things done. However, the nature of what you get done is highly skewed. Just as the man with only a hammer sees everything as nails, the incessant cell phone user accomplishes a variety of tasks, understandably enough, that accrue directly to having a cell phone. In other words whatever can be handled by a phone call is more likely to be tackled than say a problem that requires solitude and abstract reasoning.
Sometimes this get-it-done kind of individual overdoes this stay-in-touch aspect of what he's trying to accomplish. How often do you need to stay in touch with your office? Would every 60 minutes do it, or would 45 minutes be better, or 30 better still? What kinds of new tasks and new responsibilities at work are you creating for yourself and others as a result of the constant communication and, need I say it, over-communication?
