Time Shift Your Day for Greater Productivity

One of the reasons I love technology so much is because it gives me greater control over how I allocate my time and attention.

Wait, what?

That doesn't sound right. Aren't I the guy constantly talking about how much of the technology we use today seems to be making us incapable of concentrating on anything and constantly pulling our attention to and fro? Doesn't the whole "productivity scene" generally admonish us to be careful about how we navigate this world of information overload and constant connection that is driving us to distraction and unhealthy work habits?

While it may be true that aspects of our society and the technology that pervades it can make it hard to focus and do truly high quality work, there are components of it that are excellent tools for improving how we use our time.

Time-shifting is probably most commonly discussed in terms of television and the growth of TiVo/DVR. It refers to the ability to record live television and then play it back at your convenience. However, this basic concept can be expanded beyond the realm of TV and the living room. I'm a huge proponent in time shifting everything I possibly can because it allows me to take control over what I give my attention to and at what time. Without it, I'd constantly be at the whim of other people -- people who don't necessarily care about my goals and dreams for the future and therefore wouldn't be making decisions based on what's best for me.

Additionally, time shifting everything I can allows me to save certain activities for certain energy levels. It's a complete mismatch and inefficient use of my mental resources to do something that doesn't require much creative thinking or mental power when I'm feeling energized and creative. On the flip side, it's equally a waste of time to be forced to do something that requires me to operate on a high mental level when my brain is just completely fried. Time shifting unlocks the puzzle pieces that allow me to fit everything together in a much more logical way.

Here's what I time shift:

1. Small tasks: I like to save up small tasks that are similar to each other instead of doing them throughout the day. For example, I'm constantly throwing ideas and snippets of thought into my task management software inbox throughout the day. I could immediately file them into the correct projects or Evernote notebooks but instead I choose to wait until the end of the day. It doesn't require a lot of thought to do this filing so I'd rather do it at the end of the day when I'm already tired instead of potentially interrupting myself doing something creative or difficult (like writing this article).
2. Most TV: I already don't watch a lot of TV but the little bit I do I use streaming services so I can watch at the most opportune time for me, not when the networks decide to air it. The idea of letting a television studio decide when my leisure time is going to be is pretty repulsive. Luckily, I don't care about seeing things the moment they come out so I'm comfortable being a little bit behind until I can catch something on my schedule.
3. Email: Email is usually a task that doesn't require deep thought or creative thinking so I'm careful to not let it creep into the times of day when I'm at my best. I want to save those times for writing, coaching, and other highly taxing tasks. Email can be saved for lower energy times. I also like to batch together emails I have to write and send them off together. In order to do this, I make sure I don't have any kind of notification active that alerts me to when new email comes in. I know I'll get to it in a couple hours and try to keep my focus on the work at hand.
4. Reading news: I use Instapaper to save articles from the internet that I'd like to read later. People are constantly suggesting different things I should read throughout the day and it wouldn't make sense for me to read all of them the moment they are recommended. By using a read-it-later service I can shift my article reading to a time that makes more sense. I usually do most of my reading with Instapaper on the weekend or during breaks in my work.
5. Social media: Instead of letting Facebook and Twitter notify me all day long I make it a point to only check them a couple times each day. That way I don't let them sneak into my most productive hours and I have something I can do when I'm feeling mentally fried. The idea that an acquaintance from high school could potentially interrupt my work with an update about what he had for lunch is insane. There is no reason to have notifications like that on.

Technology allows us to take the formerly static pieces of our day and adjust them more to our own liking. It allows us to personalize where and when our attention is shifted over the course of the day. Think carefully about whether you're making conscious decisions about when you do certain things or whether you're letting other people or companies decide where your attention is placed. Attention is the single most precious resource you have -- you're the one who should be in charge of it.

Photo by Stefan

Lessons on Work From Sushi, Video Games, and Television

Over the past three nights I've watched three documentaries that are directly relevant to the process of work. I didn't explicitly seek them out because of their topics but it seems like my subconscious was trying to tell me something about where my focus should be right now. Each documentary offers a different aspect of working meaningfully and working well. I'd like to explore each of these with you and maybe extract some useful nuggets for you (and definitely for me).

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

In Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) you're introduced to 85 year old Jiro Ono, a world-renowned master sushi chef. He runs a tiny restaurant that only sits ten people and he is recognized as quite possibly the greatest living sushi chef. Jiro approaches his working life with the utmost simplicity. A long time ago he decided he was going to be a sushi chef. Constantly improving and growing within his occupation is a given for him and since he's been doing this job for 75 years, he has had a lot of time to develop his skills. Once the occupation of sushi chef had been decided, the ancillary skills that allow someone to be a great chef were also decided. He dedicated himself to developing his sense of smell and taste. He dedicated himself to being able to identify and select only the very best fish. He dedicated himself to constantly pushing and developing his technique in the kitchen. The end result is somebody that oozes the value of craftsmanship. Creating sushi is not just a job -- it is an expression of how he has decided to live his life.

Indie Game: The Movie

In Indie Game: The Movie (2012) this documentary you meet a handful of independent video game developers. The movie follows most closely the developers of Super Meat Boy (Edward and Tommy), Fez (Phil), and Braid(Jonathan). Edward and Tommy are deep into "crunch time" as they rush to finish Super Meat Boy in time to be included in a marketing push by Microsoft. Phil, perhaps the most compelling storyline in the documentary, is mired in a 4 year development cycle for his game, Fez. After winning a major award for an early version of the game he has been struggling under personal and public expectations. Jonathan's game, Braid, has been out for a couple of years prior to this film and is considered to be one of the greatest video games ever created. While each of these developers is obviously very different from each other, there are fascinating similarities. The primary obsession with creating something that is true to their personal vision is inspiring. None of these guys are working for a big game studio that has analyzed the market and assigned a game to them to create. Each of these guys has an intimately personal reason for crafting the type of game they want to create. It seems that their very identities are tied to their games, for better or worse.

6 Days to Air

Finally, 6 Days to Air (2011) is the story of how the animated television show South Park is created. Despite being one of the most watched shows on TV, an episode of South Park is conceptualized, written, animated, and edited in 6 days. Like the other two documentaries, this one focuses on the process of how interesting work is created. I'm not sure how I envisioned famous creators working or how television shows were actually made, but I wasn't prepared for it to look like any brainstorming session I've had with a group of classmates. Creating something interesting doesn't suddenly become mysterious or complicated once you've found success. The time pressure of having to create a new episode that millions of people are going to watch, from scratch, seems incredible. Failure is not an option, ever. I'm going to think much more carefully the next time I feel like I'm under a time crunch.

Key Points

I'm obsessed with the process of work. These three documentaries gave me some great insight into how I work and how I can help my clients with the challenges they face in their own work. I think the first interesting thing to think about is why I felt compelled to watch these in the first place. Working in the knowledge economy as a coach and full-time student leaves a certain sense of tangible creation missing. I can work really, really hard on preparing for a coaching session, it can go really well, but I'm not left with anything to point at and say, "Yeah, this one was really hard to create but I'm super proud of it." Or, "Look at how bad I used to be at this." I think I'm craving the tangible aspect of creation that creating sushi, making a video game, or making a TV show allows. I'm not quite sure how to get that in the work I do. Obviously, my writing provides this feeling to a certain extent but is there more I should be doing? Should I develop a hobby that allows me to get this feeling of accomplishment? So much of my work is seemingly ephemeral -- coming up with ideas, conducting research, having coaching sessions -- and I think I crave the simplicity of making a piece of sushi. I imagine I'm not the only knowledge worker to feel that way and I suspect this is something I will pursue further in my ongoing research.

Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success... and is the key to being regarded honorably. - Jiro Ono

I loved this aspect of Jiro Dreams of Sushi. I think it also fits in line with what I really love about Cal Newport's approach to developing a passionate work life. Jiro doesn't think about what career he should be doing instead and whether or not making sushi is really his passion. He started making sushi 75 years ago, realized he enjoyed the process, and decided to dedicate himself to becoming the very best at he could possibly be. Making sushi seems like a simple enough occupation but Jiro shows how there is so much to consider, so many techniques to master, and so much to learn to do it well. He's been doing it for 75 years, his restaurant has a 3-star Michelin rating, and he still thinks he's not as good as he could be. We can take the same approach to our own work. What aspects of your job have you not mastered? How can you constantly be growing as a person and improving what you do for a living?

I will kill myself if I don't finish this game. - Phil Fish, creator of Fez

Indie Game: The Movie shows the dark and light sides of passion. These video game developers have a vision for the type of game they want to create and since they don't work for established video game companies nobody stands between them and their vision. Their identities are tied so intimately to the games they are creating they don't think twice about sacrificing their social lives, working insane amount of hours, or pushing themselves to the brink of physical and emotional wreckage. The end results are products that are financially successful and critically acclaimed. However, as the quote above shows, it's possible to take it to an extreme. I'm a huge advocate of people developing (notice, I didn't say "finding") passion for what they do for a living but it's equally important to have an identity separate from your work. You are not your work. Take a breath, take a break, rejuvenate.

There's a show on this Wednesday. We don't even know what it is. Even though that's the way we've always done it. There's this little thing going, 'Oh you're screwed.' - Trey Parker

If the creators of South Park can create a new episode from idea generation to airing in 6 days I can certainly do more than I expect. The power of deadlines can be a powerful motivator as any procrastinator knows. How can you use a deadline to push yourself to create something? There's a delicate balance between perfecting something and getting it to the point where it can be respectably released. Going up a few paragraphs it may seem like I'm actually disagreeing with the idea of craftsmanship and stressing the details. Maybe I am. Maybe being able to identify when something requires a touch of polish versus when it just needs to be sent out the door is something that comes with time and practice. Either way, try setting some insane deadlines for yourself and see what you're able to accomplish.

Develop simplicity and a dedication to personal growth like Jiro the master sushi chef. Cultivate obsession and passion, weigh the benefits and the risks, like the developers of Super Meat Boy, Fez, and Braid. Commit to focus and efficiency like the creators of South Park. Each of these documentaries offers something (and even more than I described here) for the modern worker. They're all available on Netflix and I'd love to hear what you learned from them in the comments below.

Achievement Unlocked: Master of Positive Developmental Psychology

The website has been a little quiet over the past few weeks.

I knew two weeks ago I was going to have to punt every non-academic commitment if I was going to successfully finish my semester and earn my Master's degree. In the past, I think I would've tried to keep my commitment to this website and other creative endeavors even while buried in important and time-sensitive assignments. The result would've been the same (i.e. nothing gets written here) but I would've felt much worse for "failing." I think I'm starting to understand myself and my limitations much better which is allowing me to bring my focus to bear on what really requires it in the moment.

Know Thyself

Knowing yourself and your true capabilities (not what you wish you could do or think you should be able to do) seems to be a key component of being happy with your work. I knew I couldn't do a good job on this website while also completing the academic assignments well. Instead of doing both in a half-assed fashion or feeling bad for neglecting one or the other I made the conscious choice that this website could take a backseat until after graduation. I thought I might feel badly for doing this but I actually discovered I felt the opposite. I felt like my attention was freed up to work on what needed to be done and I didn't feel upset about having to focus on academic work.

I think the key component was that I set a specific date to revisit my creative endeavors, including working on this website. In my task management software I assigned everything non-mission-critical to pop up and be reviewed on the Sunday after graduation. By doing this I knew I wouldn't lose anything to the void and that I wasn't making some sort of nebulous half-commitment to coming back to this. Instead, I knew that on the 19th of May everything I couldn't focus on right now would be there waiting for me and I could make decisions about how I wanted to move forward at that time. Until then, full steam ahead on the term papers!

Back in the Saddle

All of this is a bit of a roundabout way to say I finished all my assignments, walked across the stage last weekend, and now officially own a Master's degree in Positive Developmental Psychology. I'm certainly excited to have completed this phase of my journey. It was great to have my parents fly across the country to spend this time with me and I'm excited to start the next leg of my academic journey in the fall.

However, I'm most excited to dive back into my entrepreneurial and creative efforts. I have big plans for this website over the coming months. I'm taking on more coaching clients and I have ideas for all sorts of projects that may or may not ever see the light of day (but the thought of their future existence is exciting). An advanced degree could be seen as a nice ending point; a big slap on the back for a job well done. I disagree. I prefer to see it as a launching pad and I plan to use it to push forward the science of personal development and the art of working. I hope you'll stick around for the ride.

Better Restoration, Better Work

I'm becoming more and more convinced the key to being more productive and having a higher level of well-being at work and in general is learning how to restore yourself skillfully. I first learned about this idea in the excellent book The Power of Full Engagementby Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr. They opened my eyes to the metaphor of viewing work as a series of sprints instead of a marathon. Most of us grew up hearing the story about the tortoise and the hare, right? Slow and steady wins the race. Instead, slow and steady leads to a grumpy, tired, and increasingly demoralized tortoise.

The Allure of the Lifehack

There's only so many ways you can tweak a workflow or utilize a new app to make yourself more productive. Lifehacks can be so alluring because the first couple you adopt have huge positive returns on your life with almost no cost. The problem is that you  quickly run into the problem of diminishing returns. It takes more and more effort to reach the same kind of benefit. Next thing you know you're cleaning your debit cards or creating a filing system for your socks. Trying to increase your productivity by actively focusing on your productivity is a path that will hit a dead end. Then what?

The Renewal Approach to Productivity

Attacking the problem from the other end, from a restoration viewpoint, opens up new avenues for growth. Systematic renewal builds up the raw material, the willpower, chutzpah, motivation, whatever you want to call it, to make things happen. To increase physical strength you introduce your muscles to stress. If you properly restore them by eating well and getting enough sleep you're rewarded with increased capacity to lift things. It works the same way with your ability to do things in general, too. You introduce yourself to stress by taking on scary projects, working under pressure, dealing with difficult clients or bosses, and pushing yourself to learn something every day. The part that most of us seem to forget, though, is that just like our fatigued muscles from going to the gym, we have to allow ourselves to renew after experiencing stress. If we do, then we will build our capacity to resist stress in the future. If we don't, we will quickly burn out.

Ideas For Becoming a Renewal Champion

Over the past few weeks I've been more mindful about the ways I renew. Here's a handful of my latest observations.

Create the Structural Framework

The first thing I noticed is that renewal is something I don't automatically think about. I have to build in reminders to my day otherwise I'll just fly from one activity to the next and then wonder why I'm exhausted by the end of the week. One structural thing I've done is utilize a timer and work in 25 minute blocks with 5 minute rest sessions (or the Pomodoro Technique, for you productivity nerds out there). The second thing is to leave my default meeting length in my calendar app at one hour. Most of my meetings don't last that long but by making it appear as though all my meetings each take up an hour block I usually have a few minutes to relax and recharge in between appointments.

Get Outside Your Context (and Literally Outside)

In addition to these two techniques, I've tried to spend more time outside. Research tends to show that spending time in nature is a great way to recharge your metaphorical batteries. Another thing I've learned is that it's important for me to get away from the context in which I've been working during my 5 minute renewal blocks throughout the day. Meaning, if I've been working at my computer then I shouldn't spend my 5 minutes of renewal also sitting at my computer. If I've been reading then I shouldn't flip over to another activity where I have to read, even if it's for my own enjoyment.

Set Limits (And Follow Them)

Finally, I've learned that perhaps the biggest key to building restoration into my day is setting, and sticking to, limits. The end of my workday shouldn't be when I've become so tired I can't keep my eyes open or my work is suffering terribly. Most days, I try to wrap up the main productive part of my day around 7 or 8 PM so I can eat dinner and ideally relax a little bit before going to bed. Granted, this isn't something I'm always successful with (considering it's 11:01 PM as I write this). However, I've definitely noticed the difference in my own energy levels when I'm the one in charge of deciding when my work is finished instead of my work deciding when I'm finished -- physically, mentally, and emotionally. This is something I think people with creative careers marked by longevity have usually mastered.

Conclusion

In a world of pervasive communication, 24-7 connection to work and entertainment, and a sometimes disturbingly masochistic attitude toward the sheer number of hours we should spend working, a healthy respect for restoration and renewal may help set you apart from the masses. Sure, feel free to keep tweaking your workflows and productive habits to improve the way you work. Just don't forget about the quieter counterpart to productivity, namely being quiet and taking a break.

Photo via me in my backyard

Bust a Rut By Doing Something Nuts

Everybody has to deal with getting stuck in a rut sometimes. The difference between remarkable people and the merely average is how quickly they can recognize they're in a rut and then do something to get out of it. Successful people have a toolbox full of reliable tactics to get themselves out of a rut. They've developed these tools with systematic exploration and experimentation. They've tried lots of different techniques and paid attention to how well they worked.

Let's assume you recognize that you're in a rut already. You feel like you're failing in one or more areas of your life and aren't making the progress you think you should. Instead of steadily getting better you've hit a plateau or are quickly sliding down the metaphorical hill. Here are a few techniques from my own arsenal that I'm happy to share with you:

1. Knock out the most annoying thing on your list: For whatever reason, seeing a hated task get scratched off my list, even if it's not super important, feels really good. It usually leads to a sense of momentum that I try to apply to the second and third most annoying tasks on my list. If I can suck it up and knock out a couple annoying tasks I've usually ended up feeling so much better I can naturally move out of the rut.

2. Stay up all night and work: I'm a huge proponent of making sure you get enough high-quality sleep every night to fully function. However, sometimes drastic times call for drastic measures (and obviously this only works if staying up all night isn't your modus operandi). When I'm feeling stuck sometimes I'll make an audacious to-do list, brew some good coffee (or hit my favorite 24/7 cafe), and put my nose to the grindstone. If you use the time wisely and get a lot of work done then you might be successful in snapping out of the rut. Being tired the next day is definitely worth being rut-free.

3. Go work somewhere completely new: This tip works similarly to the last one. By going somewhere completely different from your usual locations you can sometimes snap yourself out of your typical routine. Sometimes being in a rut is just a matter of falling into too much of a habit. Drive to a nearby city you never visit and find a library or coffee shop to work in, look up a coworking space and book a day to work there, or go hiking and take your school books with you for some adventure studying.

4. Step back from your work: A rut can form when you're constantly hammering away at your work for weeks on end without ever coming up for air. Instead of just continuing to chip away at a task list or project that has gone stale it can be worth a couple hours to step back and get perspective on your work again. Ask yourself some deeper questions about what you're working on, why you're working on it, and how it will help you professional or personally. Reading a book like David Allen's Making It All Work or another one that encourages you to look at your work from a holistic viewpoint can be incredibly helpful.

5. Axe something: The result of tip #4 might be identifying a project that is more trouble than it's worth. The best feeling of all is finding a project that has been weighing you down and just shaking it off for good. Obviously, you can't just throw away everything that's weighing you down all the time. However, if you've got a project that's thoroughly stuck it might be time to just leave it by the side of the road. What's the worst that can happen if you decide to stop working on a project? Where could that energy be better spent?

Ruts suck. However, they will always happen. It doesn't matter how productive or efficient or happy you are. You will eventually feel like you're not moving forward with work, personal fitness, personal growth -- with something. It's up to you to identify when that is happening and then apply the proper tool to snap out of it.

I'm always curious about the tactics other people use. Please share them with me on Twitter.

Photo by Creda's Hill

You're Probably Thinking About Your Work Too Much

If you're not doing some kind of weekly review you're probably thinking too hard about all the work you have to do. A bold statement, perhaps. Maybe even counterintuitive. How could setting aside an hour or two every Sunday to explicitly think about my work result in me thinking about my work less?

I think less about my work and spend more time actually doing it because of the time I set aside every Sunday. Instead of figuring out what my work is every day or every time I look at my to-do list, I think about it all ahead of time. Every Sunday I look at everything I have going on -- all the projects, areas of responsibility, and ongoing commitments I have -- and decide what "done" looks like. I make sure to think about the concrete steps it takes to get to that vision of done and I write them down in a place I trust. Monday through Friday I can focus on doing the work I gave myself on Sunday instead of constantly renegotiating with myself.

Everyone's weekly review looks different and there are lots of guides available online. I work through a checklist I'm constantly tweaking to reflect the way I work. You can see it here (but remember, it's highly specific to the way I work and the tools I use so it may not make the most sense to you).

It's a great feeling to know I've thought carefully about the work I've committed to doing and have already fleshed out what I need to do to reach a state of completion. On the flipside, it's also great to know that I'm 7 or less days away from stepping back from the grind of the work, reassessing what I have going on, and making smart decisions about moving forward. Separating these two tasks, the DECIDING and the DOING means I do both much, much better than I could otherwise.

How to Find More Flow In Your Work

Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has a story I've heard him tell on several occasions that illustrates the power of flow. Many years ago he went to visit a brother that he hadn't seen in a long, long time. When Mihaly got to his brother's apartment he was astounded with how many crystals and other geologic specimens were on display. It was like walking into a museum. Eagerly, Mihaly's brother beckoned him over to a microscope to show him his latest acquisition.

Being a dutiful brother, Mihaly looked through the microscope for a few seconds and agreed with his brother that it truly was a beautiful rock. His brother then told him that on the day he received this specimen he sat down at the microscope after breakfast to look at it. When he next looked up from the microscope, he noticed it was much darker outside. Thinking it must be getting ready to rain he got up to close the windows. Only then did he realize that it wasn't getting dark because it was about to rain -- it was getting dark because it was evening! He had sat at the microscope all day with nearly no sense of time elapsing. How is it that Mihaly had looked at the crystal for a few seconds and gotten all the enjoyment he could muster from it while his brother could look at it for hours and seemingly be enraptured with it?

The answer to that question is what I think makes flow such a valuable idea for work. Flow is the concept Dr. Csikszentmihalyi developed to explain the sense of optimal experience we get when doing something that causes us to lose track of time, feel fully engaged with what we're doing, and "lose ourselves" in an activity. To find flow in something you have to match up the amount of skill an activity takes and how much challenge it presents. Since Mihaly had no skill in understanding geology, the challenge presented by the crystal under the microscope was very low. However, for his brother (an expert on crystals) looking at the specimen under the microscope was like reading a book. He tried to determine where the crystal came from, how it was formed, how old it was, and probably countless other aspects of it I can't even fathom because my skill in geology is also nearly non-existent.

When it comes to being more engaged in your work, whether you work for yourself, a company, or just want to get involved with a creative hobby or outlet, learning how to find flow in it is key. Given this story, a great way to develop the ability to find flow is to become more knowledgeable about whatever it is you want to find flow in. The nice thing about flow is that it's a constantly growing target. As you experience flow in an activity you develop skills that upset the skills/challenge ratio which means you need to find greater challenge (which then means you need to develop greater skills to meet that challenge -- and so on).

Was Mihaly's brother in flow the entire time he was learning about geology to the point where he could spend an entire day looking at one rock under a microscope? Probably not. I think Cal Newport's critique of flow in the framework of deep work is fairly valid. Sometimes building knowledge requires you to step outside of flow, to be in a situation where the challenge outweighs your skill to the point of frustration. As you battle to build the skills to fix that ratio you will find yourself in flow more often.

In fact, being in flow is probably a better diagnostic tool than ultimate end-goal in itself. Being in flow means you're in a comfortable place between your skills and the challenge of your environment. In the case of a pleasant hobby then maybe that's enough. But in the context of work, spending too much time in flow might mean you aren't doing enough to push yourself forward. Use flow as a nice reward when it happens but be ready to step outside that comfort zone. Eventually, you'll be surprised by what you can do in the name of flow. What's the equivalent in your line of work of looking at one rock under a microscope all day and being thrilled with the choice to do so? How can you use flow to craft a meaningful career?

Photo by Machine Project

What's In Your Backpack?

This article originally appeared on my first blog, The Simpler Life, sometime in 2009. It has been updated and revised to be included on TheWorkologist.com.

In the movie Up in the Air, George Clooney's character is a motivational speaker that often gives a talk called, "What's In Your Backpack?" He talks about how each of us is carrying around a metaphorical backpack that contains all of our possessions and commitments. Our backpacks get heavier and heavier until they are so filled with "stuff" that it is nearly impossible to move. George Clooney's character argues that we should "set our backpacks on fire" and free ourselves from this burden. In terms of relationships, he makes the same argument but thankfully gives us permission to not set our backpacks full of family members, friends, and significant others on fire. Much like our backpack full of our possessions, our bag-o-relationships weighs us down and prevents us from being truly free and we should just walk away from it.

Up to a certain point, I was nodding right along with the talk as it was being given. I agree that we all carry around a metaphysical backpack with everything that weighs us down. Our possessions, commitments, relationships, responsibilities and our own goals overflow our backpacks until many of us have no chance of ever being able to move again. However, the point where I differ in philosophy from the movie is what we should do with our backpacks.

In my quest for simplicity and well-being, I am methodically removing everything from my backpack and asking myself if it is truly something I need to be carrying with me. In terms of physical items, this is why I am committed to living a more minimalist lifestyle with less, yet higher quality, possessions. I do not need the extra weight of a large wardrobe or a room full of video games. Most importantly, everything I decide to keep in my backpack is something I have consciously decided to keep around. I think many people have no idea what is in their backpack and yet wonder why it is so heavy.

In terms of relationships, I do not accept the philosophy of Clooney's character. He lives a life completely devoid of personal relationships because he thinks they tie him down. I prefer to fill my backpack with relationships that I care about-- to honestly ask myself what role they should play in my life. I'm not afraid to let friendships fizzle out that no longer make sense in maintaining. At the same time, I am fiercely committed to those relationships I deem worthwhile and important. I take the same approach to my relationships that I do my physical possessions; if I love it and it makes sense to keep, than I make it a point to cultivate it. If it is no longer important to me, then I let it go.

Think about the backpack you are carrying around every day. Have you consciously allowed everything you are carrying around to enter your life? If not, you might want to take a moment to stop, empty your backpack, and make some decisions about what you are going to put back in before you continue slowly killing yourself under the weight.

Making Footprints

This article originally appeared on my first website, The Simpler Life. I'm reintroducing some of the articles that didn't make the initial transition to TheWorkologist.com.

The Grand Canyon was created over thousands of years of gradual erosion. Mountains are created as gigantic and slow tectonic plates bump together. How many of us are trying to create majestic canyons and towering mountains in our lives with one herculean effort? How many changes in diet are left by the wayside after they fail to erase a lifetime of poor eating habits? How many half finished novels lie in drawers and the depths of our hard drives because writing a book ended up being more than a single burst of motivation could handle?

The concept of repeated effort and diligent practice was brought to my attention again after reading about Hua Chi, a 70 year-old Buddhist monk in Tongren, China. He has been praying at the same spot in his temple for so long and consistently that he has worn his footprints into the hardwood floor.

Consistency. Dedication. These are the words that will wear through hardwood floors and will push you toward great success in your own life.

WHERE ARE MY FOOTPRINTS?

This got me thinking about where I’m making “footprints” in my life. Where am I dedicating so much time and effort that the results will be seen forever? I’d like to think that my writing is becoming a footprint as I continuously and regularly make the "clackity noise". However, sometimes it feels like my footprint is being made in my desk chair as I check Twitter for the 7th time in 2 hours. I want my footprints to be evidence of my dedication and commitment to making the world a better place, not an insatiable desire to check my e-mail.

WHERE ARE YOUR FOOTPRINTS?

Think about what you do regularly. Where are you making footprints in your life? Are you literally making "footprints" in your recliner as you settle into your 3rd hour of Call of Duty for the day? Are you okay with that? Are you making footprints in the candy aisle at the grocery store? In your car as you drive 45 minutes each way to a job you hate? If you can make footprints there you can make footprints elsewhere. It's a matter of deciding where those footprints should be and taking the steps necessary to make them happen (which, admittedly, isn't always the simplest thing in the world). But it's only your own effort that can make them. I can't make footprints for you and your teachers can't make footprints for you. In the end, it's your call.

As Aristotle said (supposedly), “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” It can be easy to let one excellent act or project define us. That’s not how it works. Our lives must be built upon repeated acts of excellence, of dedication, and of commitment. This is what builds mountains and chisels canyons.

Only this will make footprints.

The Anatomy of a Failed Goal

If everything had gone according to plan I shouldn't be able to walk very well right now. I should be incredibly sore and spending my day relaxing but with an intense sense of accomplishment. You see, I signed up and paid for the LA Marathon that was held yesterday. But I did not run the LA Marathon.

This is the anatomy of a failure.

THE BEGINNING

At the end of last September I was flush with success and ambition. I had just pulled off a successful event (along with my team of volunteers) that took approximately a year to plan. It was an extreme stretch event -- I had never done anything like it. It was very stressful but in the end I was very, very proud of the work we had done. Still riding that wave of euphoria I decided I needed a new audacious goal to work toward.

I decided that new goal would be the LA Marathon in March.

THE INITIAL SUCCESS

At first, training went very well. I was motivated and sticking to a plan. However, the first week where I felt like I was truly going to be pushing myself into new territory (I believe my long run was 7 or 8 miles) I got injured. I wasn't too worried at first because injury is often part of the training process, especially for someone who doesn't run a ton and I realized I probably needed some new shoes. I took the following week off, bought some new shoes and tried to focus on the upcoming weeks.

Unfortunately, a combination of recurring pain in my ankle and a complete lack of planning on my part was the beginning of the end.

THE STING OF REALITY

Just as I was getting over my injury and back into the regular training groove the semester ended and I flew home to Michigan for the holidays. Somehow when I was making the decision to train for a marathon in March I completely missed the point where I'd be living in Michigan for about 4 weeks right in the heart of my most important training time. Michigan. In January. Cold.

I'm a terrible treadmill runner and I always have been. I'm not sure why but I'd rather run in freezing rain or 20 below than on a treadmill. However, at the same time, I had no cold weather running gear. I also didn't have the money to justify buying new cold weather gear when I spend the remaining 11 months of the year living in Southern California.

At this point I'm just over a month away from supposedly running this marathon and all I've been able to accomplish is hurting my ankle and then moving somewhere I can't safely train for 4 weeks. Things were starting to unravel.

THE SHIFTING OF GOALS

If you read the last section again it may look like I'm blaming my lack of marathon training success on treadmills and a lack of proper equipment. However, I know I could have easily fixed that problem if I wanted to. I could've gone out to a sporting goods store and picked up some running tights, a couple long sleeve shirts, and some cheap hats and gloves and toughed out my training in Michigan. I could have utilized some willpower to not overly indulge in the decadent holiday foods and festivities. The problem was with me and my motivation, not the equipment or weather.

For some reason the allure of running a marathon started to wane pretty quickly once I had made the goal. I had even made the conscious decision not to tell people about it because I had read some research that telling people about a longterm goal makes it less likely that you'll actually follow through.

However, by the time I flew back to California at the end of January I had officially dropped the marathon goal in favor of something else. I decided to just eat the registration fee instead of showing up at the race and trying to just gut my way through it. Part of me wanted to do just that. I mean, what's more audacious than basically not training for a marathon but just showing up and battling through it anyway? What would make for a better story?

That would have been the ultimate stupid icing on top of this whole ill-advised cake, though. The last thing I needed was to hurt myself doing something like that.

THE LESSONS

Now, I'm doing my best to learn from my mistakes. The first thing I learned is that making plans for the future when you're in an artificially elevated state (like I was just days after doing something awesome) may not be the best time to make those decisions. It's probably better to slow down and make a more careful decision about where I want to place my focus when I'm not so amped up.

Secondly, I've learned to not underestimate the effect of reality. For example, I should have realized that I was going to be going back to Michigan for a large chunk of my training and running would be difficult in the winter conditions there. Tied to that was the fact that I gave myself just under 6 months to prepare for this distance. That's not an impossible amount of time, but it definitely doesn't allow you any wiggle room if you have to deal with injury or a lackluster training week in general. Every time I fell short of my running goals I became more and more anxious because it felt like the day of the race was bearing down on me. Instead of using that as motivation I think it ultimately demotivated me. If I wanted to give myself a better chance at actually preparing properly for a marathon I should've picked one further away.

Finally, I realized that there's a big difference between doing something because you like the idea of having done it and doing something because you want to do it. I liked the idea of being a marathon runner. I like doing things that challenge my physical abilities. However, to do it right I should've built up the habit of running. I was starting from almost scratch and trying to both instill a new habit and push myself at the same time. I would've been much more successful if I had taken a couple weeks or months just building the habit of running every day. I couldn't worked out when the best time to run would be and then shifting into a training schedule wouldn't have been such a shock. Instead, I was trying to figure out when the best time to run would be and increas mileage all at the same time. I had no steady base to work from and the first time I faced adversity (i.e. injury & cold weather) I fell apart.

Luckily, it hasn't been all bad news. Ever since I decided to officially drop the goal of training for the marathon at the end of January I've been doing something else fitness related. I've never been as consistent or seen as much in the way of results as I have since the end of January and now. I think my success in this area (and I'll share it with you sometime in the near future) stems directly from what I learned from the failed marathon goal.

It's okay to fail at something as long as you take a moment to figure out why. If I had failed at training for this marathon and ultimately just sat around feeling sorry for myself or being mad at myself then it would've been a complete waste. Instead, I'm doing my best to learn what I can, make changes to the way I do things, and continue to grow as a person.

Photo via jk5854

A Week Without #1: Background Noise

Every once in awhile I'm going to conduct a one week self-experiment while sharing my reasons, insight and experiences as I do it. The idea behind this is to do things that would seem crazy if I were to commit to it for life, but might lead to a beneficial change in how I live if I were to just give it a chance. Forever is a long time -- but anybody can do anything for a week.

This week I'm committing to creating more quiet space in my life. Normally I listen to music or a podcast while I drive around, walk to and around campus, or exercise. Instead, I'm going to let myself do all of these activities in silence. Much of my future success as a PhD student relies on my ability to think deeply about tricky problems and I can't do that if I'm constantly consuming audio. I noticed when I was living back in Michigan and walking to and from my workspace every day (about a mile and a half walk) that when I didn't listen to anything I very often had good ideas for articles, projects, or developed new insights for things that were bothering me. Hopefully I can tap into that again.

A Week Without #1: Background Noise 

• No music or podcasts while driving, walking around, or working out.

(Hat tip to the apparently defunct Week Without tumblr for the inspiration.)

Learning to Work From a Sandwich Artist

I just finished having lunch at Subway near my campus and I have to share the experience. I don't usually go to Subway because of the overwhelmingly good service. I go because it's quick, easy, and really one of the only fast food options I have as a vegetarian. Most of the time the employees I interact with are understandably bored. They don't really seem like they want to be there, and to be honest, I don't really want to be there either. Just give me my sandwich and let us both carry on with our days.

Today's experience was completely different. Nina welcomed me to the store as soon as I entered (this seems to be corporate policy) but everything was different from that point on. I always get a toasted veggie sub. When she asked me about the type of cheese I wanted she reminded me I get double cheese as part of the sandwich and then asked me if I wanted two different kinds of cheese on the sandwich. Two cheeses?! I evidently hit the jackpot in Subway employees today.

What happened next, though, made me temporarily forget I was even at a Subway. "Would you like to put some veggies on the sandwich before I toast it? It really helps to draw the flavor out of them." "Uh, sure!" "Awesome, do you mind if I put some salt and olive oil on the bread too?" "Sounds good to me." She then proceeded to carefully place my toppings evenly across the sandwich and then massagedolive oil into the bread. Seriously. Massaged it. This sandwich was being transformed from a cookie-cutter and utterly forgettable experience into something borderline gourmet right before my eyes. While it was toasting she "made" me try one of the new sauces to see if it might be a good fit for my currently toasting sandwich. She put the final touches on the sandwich by hunching over the sandwich and applying the Chipotle Southwest sauce like she was plating the main course of Top Chef.

And, as you might expect, the sandwich was better than usual.

What's the point of even telling this story? So what if I got a good sandwich at Subway?

The way this woman approached her work was incredibly refreshing. It reminded me of two articles I've written recently. She brought a certain level of dignity to the process of working at Subway. I've always scoffed at the fact that Subway used to call their employees "Sandwich Artists" but this woman actually earned the title. Secondly, she reminded me of a craftsman (or craftswoman, I suppose) in the way she approached making this talent. She took the tools available to her and made the absolute best sandwich that she could. She wasn't getting paid any extra to offer me the option of having two different types of cheese or putting vegetables on the sandwich before toasting it, but she did it anyway. Why?

As I sit down with my computer in front of me and my belly filled with carefully constructed sandwich I'll strive to bring the same level of dignity and craftsmanship to what I'm doing. The final result was definitely better than what I normally get, but that's not even what impressed me the most. I was left in awe of her attention to the process of making that sandwich and I hope that's something I can learn to develop as well.

Photo via Kerri Lee Smith

Deliberately Tiny Steps

My original conceptualization of what it meant to be "good" at productivity looked something like this: I'd get up early and start working on a project that was important to me; I wouldn't be distracted and for 8 hours or more I would just crank away at this project -- making huge progress by the end of the day. Now that I'm wiser and older I realize this is a silly goal to have. First of all, how often do I get a complete day devoid of meetings, errands, and other commitments that draw me away from "being productive?" Almost none. Secondly, who ever just sits down and "does" a project? Most projects that really matter, that will make a difference in this world, are not so clear cut as to be obvious in their next steps. A very large percentage of our work is figuring out what our work actually is. In the past, I've neglected to think of this as important work when in actuality, nothing meaningful can be accomplished without it. No, instead I'm committed to taking deliberately small steps in my work -- and here's why.

Longevity

The occasional marathon work session feels great. Every once in awhile I just find that flow and 8 hours later (which generally feels like 2) I've done an incredible amount of work. That's great when it happens but I don't think I should expect that every time I sit down to do some work. In fact, even if I could accomplish that I think I'd be setting myself up for some kind of burnout down the road. Instead, I think a work life built around doing projects that matter -- but in very small steps -- sets you up for the longest term success. I'm much more interested in creating a lifetime of well-respected and meaningful work than flaming out after one or two major projects. As Steven Pressfield says, "A pro shows up and does the work." Deliberately small steps will let me continue showing up and doing the work for a long, long time.

Course Correction

Huge projects, the kind that people notice, tend to go through many iterations. The original plan turns out to be unfeasible or a better idea or tweak comes to mind as you're working on it. Working in deliberately small steps allows me to take advantage of those changes in direction when they are presented. It's helpful to come up for air every once in awhile and make sure everything is still heading on the right course. Or, maybe the climate around the project has changed and that requires some rethinking and retooling of the project itself? Either way, if I don't work in small and deliberate steps I may miss these needed changes. If my original idea is awesome and I put my head down and work hard until it's finished I may miss the signs that tell me something needs to be changed. There's certainly something to be said for ignoring distractions or sticking to my vision but I don't think that should be done to the exclusion of keeping an eye to everything else happening around me.

Breaking Ruts

It's easy to get stuck on a big project. Just their sheer size can be enough to intimidate me into never starting. Looking at my to-do list and seeing, "Start business," or "Write book," can be disheartening. When I find myself staring at my list of things to do and nothing jumps out at me as doable or enjoyable it's time to think about whether I've broken my projects into manageable chunks. When I'm breaking up my work, I try to aim for things that can be done in 20-25 minutes. If I can't figure out what the next step in a certain project is I'll generally make my next action something like, "Brainstorm X project for 20 minutes," or "Freewrite on X project for 20 minutes." Either way, I'm breaking something insurmountable into something that can be nudged along slowly. Eventually, with enough nudging, I'm usually surprised how much I accomplished.

What does this look like?

So you're with me up to this point. You like the idea of breaking work into small chunks. What does that actually look like, though? For me, this is where my Weekly Review and front-end decision making comes into play. Also, a healthy understanding of what can be done in what amount of time.

Weekly Review

My Weekly Review is the time I set aside every week to review what I've done in the past 7 days and look ahead to the next two weeks (and longer) to see what's coming up. Even more importantly, though, is taking the time to look at all my projects and make sure each one has at least one concrete, actionable, and small task assigned to it. Regardless of the scope or breadth or importance of the project, it must have a next action attached to it.

For example, one of my projects is a 15 page term paper due in May. It's a big project that is a long ways away. But, it has a next action attached to it ("write structured interview protocol" for the curious among you). I also have a project called "SamSpurlin.com Article" with a next action ("spend 20 minutes writing first draft") attached to it. This is a much smaller and more immediate project but the point is that once a week I sit down and really think about what my work is, regardless of how big the specific project is. Therefore, I can spend the rest of my week actually doing the work I've defined during my review. It may sound like a small step, but figuring out what my work actually is always requires more time and energy than I anticipate.

Using Your Gaps

The second aspect of working in deliberately smaller steps involves being more okay with using small blocks of time. It's tempting to say, "I can't work on this project until I have 2 hours of completely uninterrupted time!" That's great if you regularly have periods of time like that, but chances are you don't. It's important to not let the gravity of the project you're working on overly affect how much time you think you need to work on it.

I had a hard time breaking myself of this habit. I used to feel like I needed huge swaths of time to do anything meaningful. I eventually convinced myself that if I can't do good work in small blocks then what makes me think I can utilize large chunks effectively? The added bonus of doing the front end decision making I mention above is that you have a ready made list of tasks you can do in small chunks of time. Even the most audacious of projects has some sort of next action you can take that'll take you less than an hour to complete. Get comfortable using weird gaps in your schedule to move meaningful projects forward. Jotting down notes, brainstorming, following up with people -- these are all things that can be done while waiting around for a meeting to start, riding public transit, or just twiddling your thumbs.

Get tiny, get consistent, and see big results.

Photo by lindejesus

Early 2013 Productivity Tweaks

I'm constantly tweaking the way I do things. I think it's the scientist-in-training inside me that always wants to know if there's a better way to do something. When the new semester started near the end of January I had a small list of things I wanted to try to increase my productivity and decrease my stress. A few of them have worked out really well and I want to share them with you.

IDEAL WORK BLOCKS + AUTOMATIC REMINDERS

Before the semester began I sat down and tried to figure out what my week would look like if I scheduled "blocks" to do certain kinds of work. I knew I had a couple constraints such as classes, sleeping (unfortunately), eating meals, and I knew I wanted to be finished with my work by around 7 PM each day (as much as possible). So, I sat down and created a calendar that looks like this. Each of the blocks in the calendar have an alert set for their beginning time.

This has been helpful on two fronts. First, when I'm scheduling meetings or errands and in the day-to-day activities of my life. For example, I know that scheduling maintenance activities like picking up dry cleaning or going to the grocery store during my work blocks doesn't make a lot of sense. I'll try to schedule those during Meal blocks, Personal blocks, or the evening Misc. blocks. When I sat down and made this calendar I knew that my prime creative and productive time are in the morning and early afternoon (which is when my main Work blocks are scheduled) so I want to make sure I use those for the work that requires me to be at my best.

The other way this has been helpful is through reminding me where I should be in my day. For example, I receive a notification on my phone when I shift from one block to another. If I'm feeling kind of low energy or not really sure what I should be working on it can be helpful to get a notification on my phone that says, "Work Block #1 starting now." It's a simple little nudge, but sometimes it's enough to get me on the right track.

RENEWED FOCUS ON CLUSTERING SIMILAR ACTIVITIES

I've always known that clustering (or batching) activities was a good productivity trick. I try to sit down and do all my email at one time, or save all my receipts and input them once a week instead of doing them haphazardly. It struck me that I should be clustering other things as well. This semester I have classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesday and Thursday are basically commitment-free. I decided I would try to schedule all errands and meetings for the days I already have class. I have to come to campus anyway on those days so it makes more sense to try to keep my Tuesdays and Thursdays as pristine as possible. Knowing I have two days a week that are completely wide open is a great feeling. I know I can sit down on those days and work nearly without interruption for 8 or more hours. Much, much better than having a meeting I have to attend in the middle of my day. This results in my Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays generally being pretty long and tiring days but the reality seems to be that this is less tiring than having meetings scattered about my entire week.

WEEKLY + DAILY PLANNING IN JOURNAL

I've been doing a Weekly Review every weekend for well over the past two years. This is an integral part of my productivity system and something I will probably do for the rest of my life. However, this semester I've added a new wrinkle to my review that has really helped me out. I use software to manage all of my tasks and calendar so I'm essentially paperless in my day-to-day life. However, I do carry a notebook everywhere I go. I decided to add a step to my Weekly Review where I look ahead to my upcoming week, take a look at my appointments, meetings, and other commitments, and try to schedule 2-4 areas to focus on each day. I will then write this plan into my notebook. I don't try to slot them into specific times or anything -- they're just the domains of the tasks I want to finish to feel like I really accomplished what I set out to do.Weekly plan. Written out Sunday afternoon.

As I work through the week I'll move these tasks around as I do or don't finish them, thus resulting in a fresh daily plan every morning. For whatever reason, getting the plan onto paper and out of my computer has really helped keep me on task throughout the day.

FUTURE TWEAKS

Like seemingly most nerds I downloaded Mailbox and have been using it on my phone for the past few weeks. I'm still working it into my workflow but I think it's going to have a very positive impact.

I'm also thinking about trying to move my Weekly Review into Friday afternoon (as opposed to Sunday afternoon) so I can keep my weekends even more free of work than I do now. I at least want to see what my mindset is like going into the weekend completely reviewed as opposed to going into Monday morning completely reviewed.

I'll keep tweaking and will report back with any conclusions once they've been drawn. I'm always curious about how other people have done to improve the way they work. If you care to share, Twitter is the best way to reach me. Even better, write something up on your own blog and shoot me a link.

"Getting Things Done" and Empowerment

I recently had the pretty incredible opportunity to participate in a workshop that David Allen is piloting. I was fortunate enough to meet David when I invited him to speak at a conference I organized. Luckily, I happen to be located a mere two hour drive from the David Co. headquarters so I was within range when he invited me to the workshop. Anybody who knows me in real life or has followed my writing knows I'm unabashedly a huge Getting Things Done fan. I think David's contribution to how we think about work in the age of the knowledge economy is incredibly important. As I was sitting in the conference room last week watching David present this information I realized that GTD is about much more than keeping track of lists, label makers, or notebooks. I've always worried that to an outside observer who doesn't "get it", it all looks like obsession over the minutiae of being organized. However, I think GTD is so great because it's really about empowerment.

The Tyranny of the Big Project

GTD empowers you as an individual on two important planes. First, if you "get" GTD and have implemented it into your life in at least a semi-complete fashion then you have the tools to pick apart any project. Literally, any project. I'm talking about world changing, paradigm shifting, my-life's-work kind of projects. Everything from getting your oil changed to ending world hunger has some concrete next action that will take you one step closer to your vision. Every time I find myself getting mired in the sheer vastness of something I'm trying to accomplish I realize I've lost sight of really the only thing that matters -- the next concrete step I can take. Visions and mission statements are great but the lowly next action -- brainstorm for 10 minutes, call John, Google X, talk to Emily about Y -- is what creates change in the world. GTD's bottom up approach, from the tactical day-to-day concerns to the overarching strategic plan, shows an appreciation and respect for action.

Getting Above the Fray

Somewhat paradoxically, the other major empowering contribution of GTD is that it helps you get above the fray and analyze your work and life from a new perspective. Think of the difference between a foot soldier and a general. A foot soldier's overwhelming concern is with staying alive moment to moment. Dodge that axe, duck over there, run over here (evidently my conception of warfare is about two centuries behind). These actions are what keeps the foot soldier alive and they don't have the time or energy to stand back and think about the larger strategy of the battle or war. On the other hand, the commander is above the fray (figuratively and literally). His job is to coordinate the larger strategy of the battle. He needs to monitor what every unit is doing, what the enemy is doing, and make changes as necessary.

Unnecessarily violent metaphor aside, this is similar to how we work. It's very easy to get sucked into the moment by moment actions that keep you alive in a work-sense. Responding to emails, dealing with interruptions, fixing projects that have gone into emergency mode -- these are the actions that keep you afloat but also never let you take a step back. Having a good GTD system in place helps you elevate to the level of a commander from time to time. You can step away from the gritty day to day details and take stock of where your forces are, what's coming on the horizon, and make plans to meet upcoming challenges. Once the plans have been laid and adjustments made you can dive back into the foray content in the knowledge that you're on the right path and you're ready for the unexpected.

Beyond Organization

Without GTD large projects can seem like immovable boulders. Without GTD you can get locked into the small battles that may never coalesce into work you actually care about. Across these two planes of focus GTD empowers you to have greater impact and actually accomplish what you care about. To the outsider, GTD may look like nothing more than obsession over lists and organization for the sake of organization. It can be easy to fall into that trap if you're not careful (i.e. productivity porn) but the potential reward for understanding and carrying out your own GTD system is too great to ignore.

Have a thought you'd care to share? Find me on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of emdot

Mastering the Tools of Knowledge Work: A Craftsman's Approach

I received a great email from Jörn Meyer in response to my article on living with dignity in which he described living with dignity as doing your work to the very best of your ability, no matter what. Whether that means arguing a case in front of the Supreme Court or flipping burgers at McDonald's -- both jobs can be done with and without dignity. This ties in with the theme of Read & Trust's latest issue on craftsmanship. I'm fascinated by the idea of knowledge workers treating their work as craftsmen (and women). Is it even possible to be a craftsman when you aren't creating something physical like a piece of furniture or some other lovingly crafted physical object?

I think knowledge workers can approach their work in the same way a craftsman approaches theirs and it starts with the attitude taken toward tools. A craftsman's livelihood relies heavily on their tools. At the same time, a craftsman's livelihood does not rely on endlessly tinkering with their tools. There is a delicate balance between mastering tools and tinkering for the sake of tinkering. While I think most expert woodworkers understand that distinction pretty well, I wonder if the average knowledge worker has the same level of understanding? People have been crafting beautiful physical objects for hundreds of years but the phenomenon of knowledge work, or working with information instead of physical material, is a relatively new one. Perhaps the same ethos that drives craftsman has not yet reached its way to the knowledge workers' collective consciousness?

The Tools of Knowledge Work

Make no mistake about it, though, the tools knowledge workers use to do their job are just as complex and important as any traditional craftsman's. The effectiveness of the knowledge worker is limited by their understanding and skillful use of the tools at their disposal. Your tools may be different from mine depending on the nature of the work you do, but some examples probably include both software and hardware:

• Word processing software (like Open Office, or MS Word, or Write Room)

• Task management software and systems (like Things or OmniFocus)

• Reference management software (like Evernote)

• Email and other communication/scheduling (like Gmail or Mail.app or Skype)

• Project management (like Basecamp)

• Laptop/desktop/tablet

• Cell phone

• Desk chair

• Pens and notebooks

• Desk and other physical organizational components

These are the tools that allow us to do our work efficiently and effectively. However, how much time have you taken to truly master the tools you use for hours every day? Do you even like the tools you use?

Mastering your tools shows respect for the work you do because it allows your attention to transcend the actual using of the tools in favor of focusing on the true task at hand. A skilled woodworker does not focus on the plane when using it on a piece of wood. His utter familiarity and mastery of the tool allows him to focus on using the plane with full awareness on what he is trying to create. Are you familiar enough with the software and hardware you use every day to let it fade into the background?

A Thought Experiment

Let's run a quick thought experiment: Let's say you are working on typing up a memo and you have an idea for another project you're working on. What do you do? Do you try to hold it in your mind because you know it's annoying to have to find your task management software, click whatever button you need to click to add a new item, type in the item, and then get back to what you were originally working on? Or, even worse, can you not even really decide where that piece of information should go? This is an example of a lack of mastery of the tools at your disposal.

Since this is likely an occurrence that happens many times a day (let's face it, if you're a knowledge worker it behooves you to make sure you capture good ideas you have for other projects throughout the day) you need to be able to handle it in the swiftest way possible. True mastery would be able to recognize immediately where that information should go in your system, open the required software without ever having to take your hands off the keyboard, quickly type in the idea or piece of information, and return to your original task again without ever touching the mouse. With a minimum of effort and thought you have efficiently captured the idea to use later and returned to your original task. Like a master craftsman.

The Craftsman Knowledge Worker

Craftsmen take pride in their tools not because they are the flashiest or most expensive but because of what they allow them to create. They do the research necessary to make sure they have high quality tools but once that decision has been made there is a minimum of tinkering and fussing with alternatives. The ability to adeptly and skillfully use the tools at your disposal is much more valuable than constantly using the latest and greatest tool available. For a knowledge worker, that means not tinkering with every new list management app that's released or downloading yet another distraction free writing app. It's about picking one and learning its ins and outs to the point where you know everything about the app. Every keyboard shortcut, every feature and ability, and inevitably, every shortcoming (which then allows you to identify when you need a new tool to fill a specific gap).

You probably don't go into a workshop every day and it's unlikely that you're regularly producing beauitfully handmade objects for other people to enjoy at your day job (and if you are, you have a cool job). However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't approach your work with the same care and consideration as those who do. Learn keyboard shortcuts. Wipe down your computer screen every week. Make sure your software is up-to-date and you've learned how to use it as efficiently as possible. These seem like small tasks but they can truly make you feel more professional and more likely to produce better work.

The craftsman mindset is complex and multi-faceted, but I think it starts with a healthy respect and love for the tools that let you do your job. Taking pride in knowing how to use your tools as a knowledge worker and taking pride in the work they help you produce go hand-in-hand and are key ingredients in a happy and healthy professional life.

Photo via inhabitat

Motivation Isn't Worth It

Most of the advice I see pandered about on the internet treats motivation as the step zero of any kind of personal development. Motivational videos, articles, stories -- they all serve to push you into action. Undoubtedly, feeling motivated is awesome. When you're caught in the wave of motivation it feels like you can do anything and that you will do anything. When you feel motivated it usually seems like it won't ever go away. That this feeling is the new normal. But you know that it always fades. The motivation you felt to change your life last week quickly becomes a distant memory.

You cannot let such a fickle force be the difference between meaningful personal development and being unhappily stuck where you are. It's too unpredictable and too fleeting to be responsible for something so important. Instead, let's think of feeling motivated as a happy coincidence. Its presence isn't required to make the changes you want to see in your life, but if you happen to feel motivated then perhaps it will be a little bit easier for you.

With that change in mindset, your energy can be focused on developing the discipline and habits necessary to make the changes you want to see in your life and not on generating feelings of motivation. It's usually possible to generate increased feelings of motivation but I think it takes much more energy and time than just getting out there and doing what needs to get done. You can sit down and psych yourself up to go for a run, read some success stories, watch an inspirational video or two -- or you can just put your shoes on and do it.

It's very freeing in a way. No longer do you have to be on a constant search for motivation before you can do what you know needs to be done and you don't need to try to bottle it and save it for later. If you have it, great. If not, you were going to move forward on your goals anyway because that's what you do as somebody who cares about personal development.

You do not operate at the whims of motivation. You are not motivation's prisoner.

Photo via mjzitek

On Living With Dignity

A certain aspect of personal development has been rattling around my head for the better part of a couple weeks. The concept of carrying oneself with dignity isn't something I see written about very often.

In episode 60, "Writ in His Boots," of the podcast Roderick on the Line, John tells a story about a man he saw on a train in New York. The man (and the boots he was wearing) projected some sort of overwhelming sense of dignity (without ever saying a word) that left John speechless. This is largely a comedic podcast but any longtime listener will be able to discern the earnestness in John's voice while he tells this story. This man truly affected John in a pretty profound way. This leads into a discussion with Merlin about what it means to live with dignity.

I think part of the reason this won't leave my head is because I'm having a hard time operationalizing what dignity actually means. Before much can be done with a concept scientifically it must first be operationalized. Basically, there has to be a consensus about what, precisely, we mean when we say a certain word. Despite all my best efforts, "dignity" is evading my best efforts to operationalize it.

The obvious cop out answer is to see what Merriam Webster has to say about it, or, "Bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation." That's a good start, but I think it's so much more than that.

A helpful starting point may be laying out what dignity or living with dignity certainly isn't. My incomplete list includes:

• Stylishness

• Wealth

• Sarcasm

• Bravado

• Loudness

I think a misunderstanding of someone who has dignity would be equating it with some kind of swagger built around stylish clothes, a nice car, or other consumer goods. The dignity John talks about in the podcast and the kind that intrigues me so much has nothing to do with owning luxury (as far as consumerism goes) goods. While it's certainly possible to be dignified and wealthy (or any of these other characteristics), it would be a mistake to think living with dignity is some sort of amalgamation of these traits.

Unfortunately, describing what something is not isn't enough to really hone in on what it is. If dignity isn't any of those above words or ideas what gets us closer to a workable concept? What words come to mind when I think of someone who lives with dignity?

• Respect(ed)

• Quiet

• Confident

• Deep

• Kind

• Deliberate

• Wise

I think being dignified as having a quiet confidence about the way you interface with the world. It's not something you announce or attain after attending a class. You don't get a certificate after going through "dignity school." I think it's something that accumulates over time when the right decisions are made over and over (and enough bad ones are learned from). I think it represents a certain level of "skillfulness of being" that is slowly earned over time. Maybe that's why my default mental image of a dignified person is someone much older than me. While that may be my default I don't think it necessarily holds true that you have to be elderly to be dignified. I'm intrigued by the idea of living with dignity even as a 25 year old. It seems to me that living with dignity is a much more meaningful goal than productivity, efficiency, or any other favorite concept of personal development writers.

As a student of positive psychology I tend to lean toward the mindset that almost any ability can be developed with conscious effort and practice. Positive psychology has shown there are concrete things we can do to increase our happiness and well-being. Gratitude journals, mindfulness practices, and exercise have all been empirically shown to affect how we feel about ourselves and the world around us. But what is the equivalent intervention for developing the quiet dignity that will make someone sitting across from you on the bus think, "I don't know what it is... but something about that guy is awesome."

I don't know exactly what it is either but I can't help but think if we all had more of it the world might be a little bit better place.

Send me a link if you write a response on your own blog or send me a tweet with your thoughts. I welcome your ideas. This isn't a simple concept and I'd love to expand my understanding of what dignity really means.

Photo courtesy of United Nations Photo

The Practice of Work

I sit down and turn on my computer with no expectations of what the day will hold. Sure, I have work to do but I don't know if it's going to go well or go poorly (or if there is really even any difference). I try not to get caught up in predicting how people will react to what I've created. Will people retweet this article? Will I get any more coaching clients today? Will my professor like what I've written? None of these answers affect the reality of what I'm sitting down to do right now. Without thinking of the future I bring my hands to the keyboard and begin typing. I don't let the harsh criticism of my work yesterday, or last week, or last year affect what I'm doing in this moment.

I try to lose myself in the physical movement of my work. I'm not getting dirty, sweaty, or building anything concrete. However, there are still physical sensations that surround me. My fingers move across my keyboard and make a satisfying click every time I add another letter to this sentence. I pause from time to time to take a sip of hot coffee and crack my wrists. It's still quiet outside and there is a rare January rainstorm pounding the snow in the front yard. A cat brushes my bare feet and a candle burns just out of arm's reach.

I focus on the words I'm using to craft this email and try not to get caught up in the massiveness of this current project. This one email is the tiniest drop in a bucket. I try to focus on the fact that I'm communicating with another human being. Somebody I respect and I choose my words carefully while paradoxically not spending too much time worrying about the words I choose. It's not just an email, but a transmission of ideas, dreams, information, and emotion to another person. And I do this over and over. Building a project, building consensus, enlisting help one small email at a time.

I shift my attention to a new project and pick up a pen and my well-worn and well-loved notebook. I jot ideas, draw shapes and lines, smudge the ink with my hand by accident. This is the extent of physical dirt I experience as a knowledge worker so instead of being annoyed, I relish it. It's physical proof that I do wrestle with dirty and complicated and chaotic things all day long (albeit, largely ephemeral).

I try to remember that I'm not looking for specific results or massive enlightenment through my work. I'm just showing up and doing what I do the best way I know. The less I worry about myself, about others, and just continuously plunk away in the most creative, diligent, and dedicated way I know the better I'll be. The better my work will be.

And therein lays the strangest paradox.

Obsessing over the quality and content of my work always, always, results in sub-par work. But when I just lose myself in the physical sensations, the tiniest of decisions, the continuous improvement of the way I approach my work -- that's when incredible things happen. When I let go of the expectations of what this article should be, what my next article should be, how my career should develop, how my advisor should view me, and how I should craft the next email, everything goes better.

Anything worth doing well is worth practicing and difficult things must be practiced before any kind of positive results can surface.

My work is worth doing well and being a knowledge worker and student is one of the most difficult things I've done.

Therefore, every day is a chance to go to practice again. With an open mind, without expectations, and with the diligence needed to get better;

I turn on my computer. I open my notebook. I practice.

photo via highfireDANGER

2012 at SamSpurlin.com

I may be a little bit late on writing this article but nonetheless I'd like to take a second to go meta and discuss the previous year in terms of this website. October 2012 saw the third anniversary of my serious launch of writing online. SamSpurlin.com was originally TheSimplerLife.net before I made the switch sometime in 2011. A lot has happened in my life since starting that original website including the coming and going of serious relationships, graduating undergrad, teaching high school, coaching college hockey, and eventually starting graduate school in the fall of 2011. This website has been a constant through all of that and I'm happy to say I'm not planning on changing that fact any time soon.

THE HIGH POINTS

I think my writing continues to evolve and improve. 2012 saw some of what I consider my best articles I've ever written. A couple of my favorites in terms of quality include Harnessing Flow to Craft a Meaningful Career,Predictors of Success: Grit, and The Role of Curation in a True GTD System. I've intentionally been trying to challenge myself to write better researched and more nuanced articles than I have in the past. I'm still seeking the balance between research and ease-of-reading. I don't want to make this website a series of academic articles but I also pride myself on using my scientific training to write in ways many personal development websites don't.

2012 has also seen my coaching business grow much more than I had ever imagined. I obviously can't go into too much detail due to coach-client confidentiality but I've been adding clients at a decent rate throughout the year. I've been developing my coaching acumen and feel like I've been making a very positive contribution to many people's lives. I include this in my website review because my coaching business stems directly from the writing I do here. SamSpurlin.com is the largest driver of my coaching endeavors.

Finally, a high point in the past year has been developing my writing in a couple new locations on the internet. While I was in the Czech Republic I regularly wrote for the Locus Workspace blog and published my first couple articles about my thoughts on the state and future of coworking. I also started a personal blog called Process > Product that has received more writing over the past year than SamSpurlin.com has -- but of a different nature. Finally, I started Getting History Done, a fun repository for my collection of quotes about how interesting people get (or got) their work done.

THE LOW POINTS

The most obvious low point for me is simply the frequency at which I've been publishing here. Graduate school is an incredible time and energy suck that sometimes makes it very difficult to get writing finished. June, July, and August were my highest frequency months (as you might expect) but there were several months where I only had 1 or 2 articles published. Many popular websites publish at roughly this rate (Rands in Repose comes to mind) but I would like to be posting at least one top-notch article per week. I could obviously solve this problem by lowering my expectations for what an article should consist of but I decided awhile ago that one way I was going to try to distinguish my website from the crowd of personal development blogs was through high-quality and well-researched articles.

I've had a couple other endeavors related to the website fall by the wayside in the past few months as well. For awhile I was doing Weekly Video Updates and posting them on YouTube. I really enjoyed doing these but haven't done one in awhile. The monthly Conscious Living Newsletter was another thing that used to be a regular occurrence here at SamSpurlin.com but hasn't seen the light of day in a couple months.

LOOKING FORWARD

To start, I'm going to shift the Weekly Video Update to a Monthly Video Update that will probably be a tad longer and a little bit heavier on the content than it used to be. Doing it less frequently means I should be much less likely to blow it off and it should also fix the problem of feeling like nothing had happened in the past week to warrant another video. Similarly, the Newsletter will be re-instated but will be released quarterly instead of monthly. I think it will be filled with higher quality content and less redundancy if I don't try to put something together every month and instead have 3 months to pull together the very best content for subscribers.

In terms of posting frequency, I'm still undecided about the best path forward. I'm intrigued by the idea of potentially publishing  smaller articles that are in response to other things I read on the internet. These may be sprinkled in with my normal long form writing I've already been doing. There are a lot of things I read that I believe warrant a response or a comment but rarely do I have 1,000 words or more to spend on it. This may help me keep the website active during stressful times at school without relying solely on guest posts. Like I said, it's still something I'm toying with and will probably experiment with it in the near future.

I'm also becoming more and more interested in starting a podcast. The Weekly Video Updates have been kind of a trial run in this regard and I imagine 2013 will probably hold my first attempt at starting a true podcast. Once this semester ends in May I'll have a little bit more time to work on it and will hopefully have something going before the end of the summer. Details are sparse right now, but I have a rough idea of what it would look or sound like and am very excited to get moving on it.

THANK YOU

I'm always humbled by the people who take the time to reach out to me on Twitter or send me an email to ask a question or make a comment about something I've written. I would love for there to be more of this in 2013. When I decided to quit my fledgling teaching career to try my hand at something very scary and non-traditional I knew this website was going to be the cornerstone of everything I did in the future. I still have a long way to go to bring it to the level I envision it, but I'm on the right path and I'm certainly glad all of you are on this journey with me.

Here's to 2013.