Where to Begin ?

So far all I seem to have been able to do is collect other people's websites and 'wise ??? words'. I don't know where to get started. Maybe the beginning... only where is that ? Or maybe 'here and now' ? No point going over old stuff ? Or getting to the roots of it all ?

When I work with other people, I start by assessing them, to identify their current strengths and weaknesses. This means that I...

a) Know what they are currently doing

b) Have them identify their long-term goal

c) Try to see how what they are currently doing relates to getting them to their long-term goal

d) have a start point from which to measure any progress they make

e) can identify any gaps in their knowledge, so that I can plan their learning

f) know what they already know

g) know what they can bring to their own learning process

h) see where they might need extra support

I guess then that is where I should start with myself too ?

Trouble is, when it comes to myself I have so many aspects I want to work on. It's all so big and unweildy and daunting. So what would my advice be ? To identify the thing that you are most concerned about and look at how to start addressing that one thing... set SMART targets and work toward it, through a structured, multisensory approach...

Can you guess what my work role is ? *LOL*

Procrastination 2

Another one from PsyBlog:

http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/01/how-to-avoid-procrastination-think.php

Summary: how to get things done

Here's a summary of the main conclusions from all the studies discussed:

1. To avoid procrastinating on a task, focus on its details and use self-imposed deadlines.
2. To stick to a task, while actually carrying it out, now it is beneficial to keep the ultimate, abstract goal in mind.
3. When evaluating progress on a hard task, when the chance of failure is high, stay focused on the details of the task.
4. Once tasks are easier or the end is in sight, a more abstract, goal focus is once again the psychological approach to choose.

18 Ways Attention Goes Wrong

This is a precis of information found here:

http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/04/18-ways-attention-goes-wrong.php

1. Utilisation behaviour
...patients find themselves unable to resist the routine actions suggested by objects around them.

2. Spatial neglect
...fail to pay full attention to things they see on their left (because of the way the brain is wired, the right hemisphere processes information about the left-visual-field).

3. The rubber gloves illusion
...information from the visual system can override attention to tactile sensation (or lack thereof) from the hands, to create an apparently impossible sensation.

4. Pain
...pain is the ultimate attention-grabber...Pain pulls sufferers' attention away from task demands and forces them to continually re-focus to achieve their goal.

5. The cocktail party problem
...ability to tune our auditory attention to just one voice at a party. Unfortunately for those with hearing loss this can become the cocktail party problem, a difficulty in separating one voice from all the others.

6. Alcohol myopia
...long-term consequences of actions are ignored in favour of short-term impulses.

7. Errors of automaticity
When our attention is distracted we carry out highly practised behaviours automatically, occasionally at inappropriate times...One person reported unwrapping a sweet, throwing the sweet away and putting the wrapper in his mouth...

8. Inattentional & choice blindness
...changes people will miss when they're distracted.

9. Ironic processes of control
Sometimes too much attention is just as detrimental as too little.

10. Insomnia
...insomniacs keep themselves awake by focusing too much on the bodily sensations associated with sleep and any environmental noises that might be keeping them awake.

11. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

12. Anxiety
...a person continually thinking about themselves in social situations is bound to become more self-concious.

13. Panic attacks
Paying too much attention to bodily processes is a strong feature of those who experience panic attacks....people who experience panic attacks are hypervigilant to somatic sensations.

14. Hypochondriasis
...hypochondriacs tend to be hypersensitive to odd twinges.

15. Eating disorders
...people with eating disorders like anorexia nervosa seem to have attentional biases around body image.

16. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Excessive attention towards anxiety-inducing thoughts...

17. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
...flashbacks, nightmares and the feeling of losing control...PTSD sufferers are especially attracted to and vigilant for negative stimuli in the environment

18. Depression
...enhanced processing for negative stimuli...One important maintaining process in depression is thought to be rumination. Individuals who are more prone to going over negative experiences again and again are more susceptible to developing clinical depression.

How to Live Life

This comes to us from
http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/04/13/how-to-live-life/
I've added some comments in itallics where I felt it necessary to respond or invite discussion of the validity of the statement offered.

It is not length of life, but depth of life.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Because there is a big difference between living and merely existing…

* Educate yourself until the day you die. – The time and energy you invest in your education will change your life. You are a product of what you know. The more knowledge you acquire, the more control you have over your life.

I agree that Education is a lifelong and impoortant quest, but is control an essential in my life ? Or yours?

* Take good care of your body. – Your body is the greatest tool you’ll ever own. It impacts every step you take and every move you make. Nourish it, exercise it, and rest it.

* Spend as much time as possible with the people you love. – Human beings are emotional creatures. Family and close friends makeup the core of your emotional support system. The more you nurture them, the more they will nurture you.

It's true, but should you nurture someone just in order to be nurtured in return ? I feel not.

* Be a part of something you believe in. – This could be anything. Some people take an active role in their local city council, some find refuge in religious faith, some join social clubs supporting causes they believe in, and others find passion in their careers. In each case the psychological outcome is the same. They engage themselves in something they strongly believe in. This engagement brings happiness and meaning into their lives.

* Excel at what you do. – There’s no point in doing something if you aren’t going to do it right. Excel at your work and excel at your hobbies. Develop a reputation for yourself, a reputation for consistent excellence.

My experience says that putting that level of demand on yourself can be pyschologically harmful. I'm not going to be acting on this one in the manner suggested.

* Live below your means. – Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one. Do not spend to impress others. Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects. Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you. Always live well below your means.

* Be self-sufficient. – Freedom is the greatest gift. Self-sufficiency is the greatest freedom.

Is this truly achieveable or realistic if you are living a real,modern life in the West ? I'd love to do it, but the amount of time and energy it would involve just doesn't seem to make it a viable way for me to spend my limited time on this Earth. I wonder if the original authir has managed to achieve this goal ? Has anyone ?

* Build a comfortable, loving household. – Home is where the heart is. Your home should be comfortable and lined with love. It should be a place that brings the whole family together.

* Always be honest with yourself and others. – Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless.

* Respect elders. Respect minors. Respect everyone. – There are no boundaries or classes that define a group of people that deserve to be respected. Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.

* Mix it up. Try different things. – Seek as many new life experiences as possible and be sure to share them with the people you love. After all, your life’s story is simply a string of experiences. The more experiences you have, the more interesting your story gets.

* Take full ownership of your actions. – Either you own up to your actions or your actions will ultimately own you.

* Over-deliver on all your promises. – Some people habitually make promises they are just barely able to fulfill. They promise perfection and deliver mediocrity. If you want to boost your personal value, do the exact opposite. Slightly under-sell your capabilities so that you’re always able to over-deliver. It will seem to others like you’re habitually going above and beyond the call of duty.

* Listen more. Talk less. – The more you listen and the less you talk, the more you will learn and the less you will miss.

* Focus more on less. – Think in terms of Karate: A black belt seems far more impressive than a brown belt. But does a brown belt really seem any more impressive than a red belt? Probably not to most people. Remember that society elevates experts high onto a pedestal. Hard work matters, but not if it’s scattered in diverse directions. Focus on less and master it all.

* Exploit the resources you do have access to. – The average person is usually astonished when they see a physically handicap person show intense signs of emotional happiness. How could someone in such a restricted physical state be so happy? The answer rests in how they use the resources they do have. Stevie Wonder couldn’t see, so he exploited his sense of hearing into a passion for music, and he now has 25 Grammy Awards to prove it.

* Savor the natural joys of simple pleasures. – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best things in life are free. They come in the form of simple pleasures and they appear right in front of you at various locations and arbitrary times. They are governed by Mother Nature and situational circumstance and captured by mindful awareness. It’s all about taking a moment to notice the orange and pink sunset reflecting off the pond water as you hold hands with someone you love. Noticing these moments and taking part in them regularly will bring unpredictable bursts of happiness into your life.

* Reflect on your goals and direction. – Not doing so is committing to wasteful misdirection. The process of self reflection helps maintain a conscious awareness of where you’ve been and where you intend to go, giving you the ability to realign your trajectory when necessary.

* Leave time for spontaneous excursions. – Sometimes opportunity knocks at unexpected times. Make sure you have enough flexibility in your schedule to respond accordingly.

* Be here now. – Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. Don’t miss it.

Advice from a Friend

My best friend sent me this as part pof a chain letter. I don't do chain letters, but I liked this so I'm adding it here.


Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Dance like nobody's watching.

Sing like nobody's listening...

Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

Seven Productivity Tips...

From: http://zenhabits.net/2009/04/seven-productivity-tips-for-people-that-hate-gtd/#more-2999

1. Create a “to stop” list. If you’re not getting the results you want, chances are you don’t care much about the things you’re doing. The best way to change this is to create a “To-Stop” list. We often spend lots of time creating lists for the things we need to do, but rarely do we reflect on the things that aren’t working. So create a list of all the things that are sucking away your energy and are wasting your time. Figure out which of those things is having the biggest negative impact on you doing the stuff you really want to do. Tackle that thing head on each day.
2. Focus on short bursts. It’s a bit sad when you realize that the reason most dreams die is because of a lack of focused action. If you’re constantly distracted by the television, surfing the internet, reading blogs, or whatever it is, you’re just dragging your heels. Yet, we think that high levels of focus is something only super-humans can attain. But mental focus is akin to building muscle; it’s something that must be trained with resistance. So figure out how much “mental weight” you can lift, and start from there. Elect to focus for 50 minutes on your most important task, then take a 10 minute break to do whatever you want. Then repeat. If you can’t “lift” 50 minutes, try 20 minutes, or even 10 minutes. Gradually increase your “resistance” (the amount of time you focus) each week.
3. Define your daily ass-kicking. What is your Something Amazing? Take the time to clearly define your deep reason for moving toward that goal. Now make a post-it note of out of it, or schedule a daily reminder of that deep reason on your email program.
4. Allow yourself to suck. One of the biggest reasons we avoid doing what we love is that we’re afraid we’re going to fall flat on our face, in front of everyone. And then they’ll laugh or think we’re not amazing and all our theories about how we’re not really a genius will be true. Here’s some good news: You probably won’t be as bad as you thought you were. Here’s some bad news: You’ll never be great unless you first allow yourself to suck. So embrace your suckiness. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from doing what you love.
5. Focus on the Three C’s. When it comes down to it, there are three major groups of things we need to do to succeed at whatever it is we want to do. We need to Create, we need to Connect, and we need to Consume. Or in other words, we need to produce/share, build and nurture relationships, and keep ourselves savvy in our field. An imbalance in these areas will stagnate our progress. If we’re always consuming, but never getting our ideas out there, we won’t make any progress toward our goals. If we’re connecting without creating, we’ll have nothing of value to share. And if we’re creating without continually learning, we’ll become outdated. Defining a focus of one of the Three C’s helps us stay focused on our purpose for the day. It also helps us realize that spending time on Twitter and socializing is just as important as creating. It’s all about balance.
6. Stop caring about things that don’t matter. This advice seems so simple, but it bears repeating. It’s easy to get caught up in obsessing about little tasks and trivialities that aren’t really important. The best way to overcome this habit is to start thinking in terms of long term impact. Every time you start obsessing over the little details, ask yourself how long the results of those tasks will last. If you’re always spending the majority of your time doing tasks that will have little impact after a week or month, you’re always going to be stuck in the same position. Be ruthless about not caring about all the stuff that’s not important. Your life depends on it.
7. Make it stupidly simple. If you’re struggling to make headway on the stuff you really care about, maybe you’re making it too complicated. Try making a really simple commitment, like working on that “thing you love” for an hour a day. One hour, every day. Don’t commit to finishing it or making it perfect. Just commit to doing that One Thing You Love every day for one hour, for 30 days.

Complex productivity systems aren’t for everyone, and they don’t need to be. Don’t worry if GTD scares you or hurts your brain. You can still get the things done that really matter to you.

Acceptance of our Angry Self

Is anger an unwanted visitor, or a friend who needs an ear ?

http://www.spiritualsisters.com/bailey1.htm

Spiritual Sisters of the Internet Cafe