I think I’ve spent the past week or so avoiding big projects lying around my computer. (It’s probably been more like two, but I’m trying to ignore that.) Nothing is being written. Nothing is being produced. There is no troubleshooting going on.
It’s not like me to go like this. I blame work-related stress for eating up both my time and energy. Why not? It’s an easy target.
Before you judge me too harshly, I’ve used the time to get a lot done around here. I’m slowly organizing all my photos and graphic design projects. I’m pulling all my writing into one spot and condensing my files by making use of versioning. I’m experimenting with micro-blogging as a possible alternative to my Notebook. I’ve reviewed my to-do lists and organized into projects with timelines.
I’m even finally looking into developing my portfolio. (Any suggestions on this are most welcome.)
So, I may not be getting the big projects done, but I’m still doing some fairly useful things around here. Things that will, in the long run, make things run a lot more smoothly around here.
For more tips on how to be productive, even when you’re dodging actual work, check out this article.
Posted by Rebecca as Responsibility, Organizing at 7:42 AM EDT
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A couple of weeks ago, Lorelle on WordPress posted a blogging challenge to promote your blog as a movie. I chose to attempt it with my personal blog because I can’t really see any of the blogs here making any sort of screenplay. (I couldn’t actually see it with my personal blog, either, which turned out to be fine. Lorelle thought it could try its hand at being a television series.)
I thought about that for a bit. What would my personal blog look like as a television series? I didn’t think about it too long, because another question came up very quickly: What kind of main character would I be? As the author of my personal blog, I’d have to be the main character. My inner writer mulled over that for a bit.
To be a good main character, the character must have a goal and an obstacle to work around. I’m still trying to define both for myself (I’m in a transition stage.), except what I’m trying to define is a career direction and what’s keeping me from getting where I want to be (my obstacles).
If you’re trying to change jobs or career, do you notice a similar pattern in your life? Interesting, huh?
What makes characters so interesting is that they can parallel life so well at times. I’m now trying to give some thought to developing myself as a character to help clarify my goals and obstacles. I’m not trying to fictionalize myself, just trying to honestly appraise my situation through an unusual tool. Try it yourself. Let me know how it goes.
Posted by Rebecca as Changing careers, self-analysis at 8:16 AM EDT
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I have a problem. I think, because I’m smart and multi-talented, that I should be able to do everything. It’s kind of a funny problem, actually. It leads to my learning how to use things I may only use once.
Take, for example, Inkscape. I can’t draw to save my life. I can create composite images and basic pictures in GIMP, Photoshop, and PSP. But then I started working on the first Dead Bunny tutorial. I was bound and determined to do the entire thing myself. I taught myself how to use Impress (OpenOffice’s version of PowerPoint) through a really great PowerPoint book. I taught myself how to write a storyboard and a script. I tried to troubleshoot a problem in Impress too big for me to troubleshoot at my current level of knowledge. Then, I turned my attention to trying to create the few images I still needed for the tutorial.
I checked out a couple of books on Illustrator and armed myself with Inkscape’s tutorials and user manual. I then created a few very disturbing outlines of something pretending to be a bunny. (It turned out to be a cute alien…but I scrapped the little green man idea over a year ago!)
Needless to say, I probably need to find someone who is actually skilled at art to handle all my image needs so I can focus on planning and writing, my strengths. (I wonder if I can find an artist who would barter with me…)O
A week ago, I’d have felt bad for admitting that, but something over the weekend changed my mind. Fabienne Frederickson’s latest newsletter focuses on growing your own strengths and outsourcing your weaknesses. It’s really a win-win situation for both you and the person you convince to work with you, plus you build a partnership that can lead to further collaborations. She recommends making a list of your strengths and weaknesses, and going from there.
It’s okay to admit you can’t do something, but it’s not okay to let that stop you from doing what you want.
Posted by Rebecca as Skill building at 8:10 AM EDT
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I’ve avoided using reminders for the better part of a decade now. I figured if I had an agenda and a to-do list I could see, that would be enough.
By and large, it has been enough. But I have a bad habit of getting deeply involved in a project and losing all track of time, so I’m starting to set reminders for myself to remind me to do basic things like eat and take time to relax and de-stress. I’m even thinking about setting reminders to nudge me fifteen minutes before I have to leave for work to remind me that it’s almost time to go to work. (I’ve nearly been late several times in the past month because I’ve been working on something.)
How about you? Do you use reminders? Do you use them to just alert you to appointments (mine are so rote that I don’t need to do this), or do you use them to help you live your life?
Posted by Rebecca as Organizing at 8:12 AM EDT
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