Kourosh Dini's Blog, page 9

Waiting for a Deadline to Begin…

Whether preparing taxes, preparing a report, or taking out the garbage, we might find ourselves waiting “until it’s really important.”

Why do something that’s not important now? It’ll be important later.

The logic seems fairly solid. The trouble is most things are not about straight logic.

What we are truly doing is waiting for the emotion of urgency to overwhelm our “I don’t wanna feelings”. We are helpless to act in either state and have instead opted to leverage one against the other.

The co...

3 Major Components of a Working Task System

We cannot do everything we wish. Such is the human condition.

But we can create structures, whether in words, lists, gadgets, and more, to hold things aside while we focus on the moment.

Any system we use to manage our work or play should be able to reliably hold the answer to these three questions…

What options have I considered for this moment?Where would I like to be in this moment?Where would I like to be beyond this moment?

To this end, I encourage the following three practices:

Using ...

The Seduction of Goals, the Strength of Guides

When writing a list of things to do, we look into the future. We write things like:

“Do report”“Clean gutters”…

The implication is that if we make it through our list, we will have completed the report and cleaned the gutters.

Obvious, no?

Tasks can Create a Force-Based System

What is not so obvious is a process of enslavement. It is a part of a force-based system.

We imagine a world we want, something that would address our desires, worries, and the like, enshrine it in the form of tasks an...

The Joys of Avoiding Notes and AI

Note takers, makers, apps, and shakers have been quite the rage in recent days. With a promised ease of writing, can we create simply by resting on the notes we’ve naturally squirreled away?

Or perhaps we can turn to AI. From a carefully crafted prompt or two, we can have the makings of a wonderful idea, ready for likes, bells, and subscription buttons hit with gusto .

Certainly, such tools bring great utility. They can smooth processes and present interesting unconsidered paths, all in interest...

Will it Ever End? … The Work of Work

It never ends, does it?

If you write out your projects — work, school, personal, or otherwise — you’ll quickly discover a never-ending sea of things to do.

Further, you now need to juggle your options. How do you figure out which is the most pressing, while hoping the rest will patiently wait?

And of course, new inputs come in. Whether a new project arrives at work, the dog ate something they shouldn’t have, or there’s a new comedy special (that’ll just take a minute to watch the beginning of…)

...

Creativity as Discovery

“When will it be done?”

Many of us have to answer this question, whether it’s a work environment asking for estimate of time for a project or even from ourselves when trying to decide what to do next.

Of course, it can be notoriously difficult to measure time, whether the scale is a matter of hours or weeks.

First, the measures of time by seconds, minutes, and hours is only an agreed upon standard. It doesn’t actually reflect the motions of mind as it drifts through time. The clock clicks along ...

The Visit and Reaching the Edge of Action

Forcing ourselves to get started, through deadlines, shame, or asking others to push us can leave us feeling exhausted.

But when we use a Visit-Based approach, rather than one based in force, we support ourselves. Many of my students have described a sense of relief and amazement at how they get more done and still have energy at the end of the day using it.

What is a Visit?

A visit is probably something you’ve done before and not even realized. But once you become conscious of its components, i...

Force-Based Systems and the Fickle Fuel of Fear

Stuck

Those of us who feel like we cannot work unless we are interested in something or are fueled by some impending deadline, can simply feel stuck.

We can neither fake interest, nor can we fake deadlines.

So, what do we do?

Unfortunately, feelings of helplessness can creep in, as we cannot help ourselves. Important matters feel impossible to get to. Even enjoyable endeavors can sit there while motivation to do anything wanes.

Shame, guilt, anger and the like often follow.

And when we cannot h...

The Pain of Potential

I could do this! I can do that! But, I need to this! But, but… I really want to do that!

One of the powers and frustrations of a wandering mind is the number of things that we can do at any one time.

What’s even more frustrating is fully knowing that if we committed to one direction or another, we could very likely do it well. But, in focusing on one path over another, we can easily feel many others closing off.

What if I’m making a mistake? What if one of the other paths is better?

All the whil...

The Vital Need for Play in Work

When feeling dependent on deadlines, feeling that we can only things we are interested in, Forcing ourselves to work by some means can seem to be the only choice.

However, it might be only have been a default choice.  It may have never occurred to you that alternative non-force based methods exist and can in fact be practiced.

But, I’m guessing you’ve been there.

When Things Go Well

When the conditions are right, you’re sailing, getting more done in a shorter time than most. Creative insights s...