“Order marches with weighty and measured strides; disorder is always in a hurry.” ~Napoleon Bonaparte [Thinkexist.com]
Today’s guest author is Shashi Bellamkonda, otherwise known as the Social Media Swami. He shares the three key strategies he uses to manage his very busy schedule.
In my work as Director of Social Media for Network Solutions (my business card title is Social Media Swami), I oversee four blogs and a fifth one is coming soon. Between work and personal email, speaking at local and national conferences on small business topics, and organizing 6+ events annually, I have to find the time to follow my passion of writing guest posts like this one, and also my column at Examiner.com. Did I mention I have 3 personal blogs and a ever growing Flickr feed?
Technology can be a boon and a curse depending on who is the master. The ease at which you can create information and spread it across a large network of people carries a responsibility, not only for your time, but also the time it takes for the recipients of your message to open and read the message.
Here are some tips that have helped me manage my time and technology:
1) Writing Down Tasks: I used to pride myself in having the ability to remember everything I had to do. By experience, I realized that it is smarter to use task lists which you can create in an email program like Outlook. Be sure also to block time off your calendar for actually doing these tasks that many folks forget to do. If you prefer, I would advise even a small notebook to actually jot the tasks down. A task written down is executed better than any in your head.
2) Using Email Filters: If email is overwhelming you, use labels and filters to mark emails that require some action. As you sort through your email, you realize how important subject lines are and you can use this knowledge when you compose your emails. Feel free to unsubscribe to emails you never read. Make sure you read emails from companies you do business with, like banks. You can do this by using labels and filters.
3) Prioritizing: Often the most important task is neither the easiest, nor the most interesting thing to do. You should have a clear method of prioritization. Use the measurement of your time and value of tasks and combine them with the value of return. Remember, I am not talking about money alone here. You may value the time you spend volunteering or attending an offline event, like a seminar or a conference, differently than a happy hour.
Some times in the interest of time it may be prudent to use the subject line of an email to send the message or ask the question instead of repeating the same information in the email. Social networks are very useful but if time spent on them is not scheduled or controlled they can be a distraction. Your option maybe to shut down those browser windows if you find the stream distracting.
What do you do to manage your time ?
About The Author
Shashi Bellamkonda is Director and Social Media & Social Media Swami of Network Solutions, a company that works together to help small businesses succeed online with web hosting, do-it-yourself website builder software, online marketing tools, and domain names. Shashi is also a regular contributor to the DC Examiner and Tech Cocktail. This article contains the opinions and observations of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of Network Solutions or its clients or partners.
Connect with Shashi: Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook
- Network Solutions Website Packages Now Include File Sharing Capabilities (prweb.com)
- Improved Productivity: A 12-Step Program ((how to, workflow, tutorial)) (menson.wordpress.com)
We all know what it’s like to procrastinate. You know, those times that we find a hundred things to do except the ONE thing that we are REALLY supposed to be doing. Student, John Kelly, got creative and put together a short, animated film about the human tendency to put things off.
The film will make you chuckle, especially if you’re, well, procrastinating by watching it. =) Some of the things described as procrastination in the video are things that can make you happy and productive…except when you should be working on something else.
Have look and let me know what you think. Did John Kelly get it right? Do you do some of the things he mentions?
“Procrastination is rearranging your furniture. It’s playing computer games. It’s playing imaginary computer games with your furniture! Procrastination is spending 30 minutes looking for the right pen. It’s spending 10 minutes getting the right pen to work!”
Procrastination from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.
Related Articles
- The Case for Procrastination (dallisonlee.com)
- About Putting Things Off…and Getting Over the Hump (apartmenttherapy.com)
- What is Procrastination? (geeksaresexy.net)
- Procrastination (artnewsblog.com)
- Are you a procrastinator or an incubator? (positivesharing.com)
Greetings, readers. I hope this post finds you in good spirits all around. I took the kids to Family Engineering Day 2010 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC this past weekend. A good time was had by all, but while this post is not about the trip itself, it jogged my memory about the topic of this post.
When I first moved to the DC Metro area, I took the metro to many places besides work. While I rarely do it now, it reminded of the long commuting times I experienced and what I used to primarily do during those times. It was a chance to learn about the different interests I had, like enhancing my skill sets in music production, musicianship, web design, etc. The knowledge feeding frenzy came via reading magazine articles and user forum printouts from my favorite websites, and that sufficed very well then, as it does now.
Enter stage left: various portable video players, iPod, iPod Touch, PSP, Gameboy Advance, etc..
Enter stage right: popular sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Veoh, to name a few.
Image via CrunchBase
My player of choice is the iPod Touch, which incidentally, I use for video playing, net access (when an open wi-fi spot is available), a contacts manager, portable Bible, Twitter, and a few other things. Since I’m a fiend for YouTube content and I keep my iPod Touch on my hip pretty much all day, I find opportunities during daily work breaks, lunch, etc. to catch up my video watching and for further education.
Here are a few tips on capturing video content when you’re on the go.
1. RSS Feeds. If your player is continually connected to the net (or even if it’s not), you can connect to RSS feeds on your favorite site. I’ll use YouTube as an example. It offers several RSS feeds for categorized groups of videos (such as recently uploaded, top viewed, etc.) as well as customized feeds for users and tags. If your player is an iPod Touch, you can download the Google Mobile app which includes Google Reader to get your videos that way. The iPod Touch comes with a native YouTube app, so anytime you’re connected to the net, YouTube is in the palm of your hands.
2. Bookmarks. Bookmark – or physically download your videos – and sync them to your player. Even the smallest 1st gen iPod Touch with 8 GB contains plenty of space for videos, even full length movies.
3. Direct Download. Use kickyoutube.com to download videos directly to your computer and sync (or load) them to your video player. I usually download them as mp4′s (the only format that kickyoutube seems to offer currently) which works perfectly with the iPod Touch as well as the Sony PSP (which I occasionally use as well).
4. Headphones. Is public transportation your primary mode to and from work? As said above, that’s the perfect time to catch up on video watching, and if your player is small, I would suggest (as I do also) carrying a set of nice in-ear headphones…easy to conceal and convenient if your carry your player around like I do.
With a myriad of video content out there, especially instructional ones, this is a great way to use travel or break time to “learn on the go.” There are a few video formats out there to contend with. I use the Mac platform, but since I usually deal with video conversion for my own needs, I’d be glad to answer questions on apps for both PC and Mac. I’d also be interested to hear if there are Linux and other platform users that have apps of choice.
Until next time, wishing you productivity and great surprises of free time you thought you didn’t have. Enjoy the rest of your week!
If you have an important (and/or old) document or letter that you’d like to keep, make a copy of it on high quality paper. Frame and mount the copy, and store the original away from light, in a cool, dry place (i.e., not your basement). If you don’t think it’s worth it to do this, then it’s perhaps not that important to you. Give the document to a friend, family member, or organization who will appreciate it. It will be one less piece of paper for you to worry about and you can quickly cross it off your to do list.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Recently, I watched an interview with Melissa Rivers, Joan Rivers’ daughter. She mentioned that her mother gives her lists all the time. I was a little surprised – not by the fact that she uses lists – but the reason for the lists.
Here’s what Melissa said…
“She always makes lists…[Joan says] ‘so when I die, I don’t want you to accidentally auction off the wrong stuff.’ So, I’m always getting lists from her…’this is good, this a is reproduction.’ A little twisted, but I understand it completely.”
I thought this was pretty interesting. It’s definitely not the way I use a list. Usually, I have reminders to return phone calls, finish a blog post, put oil in the car, etc. In this case, Joan uses a list to remind her daughter to keep the good stuff!
I love this “new” take on an old way of staying on top of things. It’s also a bit of a precursor, as well as a complement, to one of the most important documents you will ever own – a will. Did you know that 58% of adults do not have a will?1 No one wants to have to deal with the death of a loved one, but when that person has a will, it makes the process go a little easier, at least from an administrative standpoint.
The key to having a will is that your wishes will be carried out. If you care who gets any properties you own, you need a will. If you have children, you need a will. If you care who gets guardianship of your (young) children, you need a will. That said, once you do get one, you have to sign it. I know it sounds obvious, but sometimes it’s the simplest things that we overlook. If it’s not signed, then it’s like not having a will at all.
Two last things:
1. Make copies of your signed will.
2. Put one copy – along with copies of your insurance policies – in your in home file and keep the originals in your safe or safe deposit box. If you use a safe deposit box, be sure it is not in your name only.2 Alternate option: give the original to your attorney.
Remember…
“Wills are not just for the rich. Regardless of how much or how little money you have, a will ensures that whatever personal belongings and assets you do have will go to family or beneficiaries you designate. Without a will, the court makes these decisions.” ~About.com
1 Why You Need a Will · Forbes.com
2 If the safe deposit box is in your name only, it will be sealed upon your death, which could delay the process. · What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Put in a Safe Deposit Box · Mint.com
Get More Information
“In a recent survey of Vancouverites, Montrealers and Torontonians, 31% of the urbanites polled claimed they felt more satisfied after reorganizing their closet than after having sex. If given the choice, the majority of those surveyed said they would choose more closet space (30%) over a bigger kitchen (17%) or an extra bathroom (11%).”
Read More:
Not Tonight Dear, I’m Cleaning the Closet | RealtyTimes.com | 3.14.2000
One of my 2010 goals (not resolutions, for past experience has proven I know not how to keep those) is to get my recipes in order. I have countless magazines that I have kept for a few recipes contained inside, along with a huge photo box of recipes cut out over the years. And I can say with great certainty, as the box is overflowing, less than a third have actually been tried. They’re all in one place, and I know where to look when I need something, but I’d hardly call them organized.
So, I was looking for a way to streamline my recipes, and while I am at it, implement the creating of a weekly “menu”, so my grocery shopping can be a bit more efficient as well. I have heard of people doing the whole menu planning thing, and while it sounded like a good idea, it always seemed to get put on the “list of to dos” and pushed to the bottom, as I realized there was nothing to feed my family and a shopping trip needed to happen yesterday. While I really enjoy cooking, sometimes the task of figuring out what to cook for dinner, when a house with 3 “boys” is STARVING, can be quite daunting. A plan would sure be helpful.
It wasn’t until I was over a friend’s house and saw her system first hand, that I was inspired. It was at that moment I said I was going to commit to implementing this plan. It’s so easy. Just get yourself a large binder, and put dividers separating the sections into categories, i.e. appetizer, soup, desserts, main course, whatever works for you. Every time you make a new recipe, clip it or print it, and put it into your binder. That is, of course, as long as it is something worth making again. If you have recipes you have yet to try, put them in a separate section, and move them into the proper section once you have made it.
Brilliant, right? It may take a little time to build up your recipes inside, but if you are like me and try new recipes weekly, your collection will build up in no time. Then, when it is time to plan your menu, and grocery list for the week, you look through your binder, pick out your recipes, and all the ingredients you need are contained right there. You can even post a menu on the fridge, so when the little (or big) people in your house want to know “what’s for dinner”, you can tell them to read the menu. Who knows, they may even give you a tip at the end of the meal!
Happy Cooking!
Image Credit: DietsinReview.com
The following takes place between 12 am and 11:15 pm on Monday, February 16th.
Greetings readers…
I hope your week went well and if you celebrate Valentine’s Day, I hope it was all you hoped for. My particular weekend, for once, was actually quiet from Friday night through Sunday evening (shudders!). Where it became hectic was from THIS morning up until a particular point this evening (and Deb Lee knows why!).
I spent a great deal of time on Twitter, I have often said that it’s the best social media site I have EVER been on in the 10 years of participating on such sites. Just like last week, I came across (ironically) a tweet this evening which DEFINITIZES just how my evening has been going so far:
“I wanna write a blog but I don’t wanna write b/c I have so much reading to do. Why can’t I just make a multiple of myself? I’d be so productive.”
I know, AND BELIEVE, that cloning is unethical, but I tell you, if there was ever a night to be cloned, this would be a good one! What is so ironically funny about this tweet is I *FORGOT* (yes, me) that my contribution to Deb’s wonderful OTR Blog is *weekly*, not *monthly*! The moment Deb so pleasantly sent me a message asking if I forgot about my submission, I started freaking out!
All day long my Blackberry reminded me of calendar events I put in for today and later on this week. I looked at reminders in my planner to call a fellow musician who’s asked me to play on his next CD, as well as schedule a recording session here in two weeks. Oh yeah, the kids honor assemblies are two days this week! I came home to my Mac here in the studio and iCal similarly popped reminders up in front of me.
When I got Deb’s message, I had just started helping to flesh out a presentation for my 2nd grade son to give in class, my daughter (at my request BEFORE Deb’s message) brought her 8th grade math homework for me to check, and I promised to deliver a track to a new vocalist I am producing (and yes…iCal is STILL popping up MORE reminders at the same time!) This began to remind me of the candy factory bit in “I Love Lucy” when Ethel and Lucy lost control of their candy wrapping and boxing skills as the conveyor belt started moving faster and faster.
Prioritization skills to the rescue! I looked at the amount of time left to meet Deb’s deadline. I got the presentation done and this blog post done. Next will be to check my daughter’s math problems and finally record one small part to complete this track to send to my vocalist! Voila. Oh, one more thing. I need to place a recurring date entry on my Google Calendar, use Google Sync to place it on my Blackberry wirelessly, and then sync my Mac’s iCal calendar to receive the same. That entry – don’t forget your blog post for OTR! (smile)
Google Calender, iCal, and my Blackberry Calendar all do a good job of handling tasks, but I’d love for them to keep track of scheduled events. I’ll explore the various ways of how they can help me grab the most time efficiently and share my findings in the near future.
Have a great and productive week (without the cloning!).
All the best!
- Paper & Tech Team Up to Catch Time (dallisonlee.com/blog)
- Smart Use of Google Calendar (andreavascellari.com)
Recipes. Web pages. Schedules. Articles. Instructions. There are a myriad of docs that are printed on any given day because we “might need them someday.” Before you hit the print button, ask yourself these questions first:
- Do I need to print this or can I read/use it on screen?
- If I need portability, can I get the same information on my smartphone?
- How difficult will it be find the information if I need it in the future?
- If I print it, will I put it in a place that I can refer back to it again AND not print it again?
Make a practice of asking yourself these questions before printing and you’ll cut back on your paper clutter (and save a few trees, too).
Get More Information
Loading ...
