So, this last reading was more of an application/practicality reading. As stated in my last two blogs, I kind of felt that maybe there wasn't enough work in my life! At home, my stacks of things are generally up-to-date and those that are not, take about an hour of my time. For my things at the church, I spent a day listening and planning the next five months. I listened to choral selections and put them on my worship calendar. I also made a "back-up-and-punt" list of favorite octavos "just-in-case" selections weren't learn as fast as I thought they should be or (in the case of the severe weather a few weeks ago) if we had to miss a rehearsal. Because my pastor doesn't plan his sermons according to a lectionary, choral anthems are sometimes a "hit-and-miss" with regards to his sermons. And I'm finding that oftentimes, since he knows my intended selections, he'll base his sermon off my selection! (Yes, backwards I suppose!)
The one thing that this section of reading did make me want to accomplish was to go through the former minister of music's file drawer to purge any outdated materials. As for my house, with this current move, things were drastically purged and things refiled in proper places.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Through 38% of "Getting Things Done"
Again, while I felt like I was reading a commentary on a corporate workplace, I was able to find some "nuggets" that I felt could be applied to my place of work. (It was though I felt like I'm the blue collar reading about the white collar worker.)
He mentions at the beginning of Chapter 3 that "the key ingredients of relaxed control are (1) clearly defined outcomes (projects) and the next actions required to move them toward closure, and (2) reminders place in a trusted system that is reviewed regularly. For me the reminders being in the trusted place has been implemented some time ago; however, the "next actions" idea was new for me. As an interim minister of music without a formal secretary, I do rely on the volunteers and other secretaries to help me accomplish some tasks. I think that this week I'll try to not just list the goal, but the "actions required to move them toward closure."
Other "nuggets" I found were:
"But as a general rule, you can be pretty creative with nothing more than an envelope and a pencil."
"In my experience, when people do more planning, more informally and naturally, they relieve a great deal of stress and obtain better results."
"Have you envisioned wild success lately?" I love this one. This goes hand-in-hand with another statement he made, "You often need to make it up in your mind before you can make it happen in your life." It actually reminds me of a phrase my pastor used to have the church say as we were preparing a massive building project of a 1,000 seat sanctuary: "If you don't see it before you see it, you'll never see it."
While I remember brainstorming in high school as a part of a class project, it's not been something that I've implemented much in my life. Don't know why! As I read his thoughts on it, I found myself eager to try that again in terms of worship planning.
Because I spend MUCH time in the car (driving to each concert venue), I have a lot of ideas that pop in my head -- concerning many areas of my life -- and often times they're gone by the time I get home because I don't have anything with which to capture them. Allen states, "You increase your productivity and creativity exponentially when you think about the right things at the right time and have the tools to capture your value-added thinking."
His dialogue on setting up an office space was, again, one of those things that I read, but felt didn't necessary apply to me -- at least not entirely. There were good suggestions, but many of the things he suggested are not tools that I need (or want to need) in my day-to-day routine. However, I loved his comment on the Brother labeler as I have one on my desk to simply label my filing cabinet folders wherein I keep my bills. Good call!
He also busted me on the suggestion of keeping extra folders on hand -- and yes -- I'm still using HANGING folders! ;-) But I do run out a little more frequently than I should and things get piled. So, score one more for Allen!
Let's see if he gets any more in the next chapters!
He mentions at the beginning of Chapter 3 that "the key ingredients of relaxed control are (1) clearly defined outcomes (projects) and the next actions required to move them toward closure, and (2) reminders place in a trusted system that is reviewed regularly. For me the reminders being in the trusted place has been implemented some time ago; however, the "next actions" idea was new for me. As an interim minister of music without a formal secretary, I do rely on the volunteers and other secretaries to help me accomplish some tasks. I think that this week I'll try to not just list the goal, but the "actions required to move them toward closure."
Other "nuggets" I found were:
"But as a general rule, you can be pretty creative with nothing more than an envelope and a pencil."
"In my experience, when people do more planning, more informally and naturally, they relieve a great deal of stress and obtain better results."
"Have you envisioned wild success lately?" I love this one. This goes hand-in-hand with another statement he made, "You often need to make it up in your mind before you can make it happen in your life." It actually reminds me of a phrase my pastor used to have the church say as we were preparing a massive building project of a 1,000 seat sanctuary: "If you don't see it before you see it, you'll never see it."
While I remember brainstorming in high school as a part of a class project, it's not been something that I've implemented much in my life. Don't know why! As I read his thoughts on it, I found myself eager to try that again in terms of worship planning.
Because I spend MUCH time in the car (driving to each concert venue), I have a lot of ideas that pop in my head -- concerning many areas of my life -- and often times they're gone by the time I get home because I don't have anything with which to capture them. Allen states, "You increase your productivity and creativity exponentially when you think about the right things at the right time and have the tools to capture your value-added thinking."
His dialogue on setting up an office space was, again, one of those things that I read, but felt didn't necessary apply to me -- at least not entirely. There were good suggestions, but many of the things he suggested are not tools that I need (or want to need) in my day-to-day routine. However, I loved his comment on the Brother labeler as I have one on my desk to simply label my filing cabinet folders wherein I keep my bills. Good call!
He also busted me on the suggestion of keeping extra folders on hand -- and yes -- I'm still using HANGING folders! ;-) But I do run out a little more frequently than I should and things get piled. So, score one more for Allen!
Let's see if he gets any more in the next chapters!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
First 21% of "Getting Things Done.."
In earlier years, my "stuff" was pretty easy to manage. My schedule was the same everyday and responsibilities weren't as demanding. To top that off, my memory used to be like a steel trap! I suppose that with more years of living and more events, memories, and future plans, there's more to track?!
My former professor became a very close friend of mine. I used to tease her about all the lists she kept around the house.... and now I find myself relying on my lists!!
Mr. Allen discusses these lists and their importance, but he goes beyond just the shopping cart type of list. While my "business" of being a student, interim minister of music, and concert artist (in addition to keeping up my home and relationships) don't seem as involved as the corporate person he appears to be defining, I still find myself agonizing over things that I may or may not have forgotten to do.
He makes a statement, "You don't actually do a project; you can only do action steps related to it." I loved this way of thinking! I think sometimes that I tend to procrastinate a project because of the time it'll take to complete it. If I understand Allen, my biggest concern should only be the next step in completing it -- not the finished work."
I also loved his analogy of the human brain to RAM on a computer! How often my mind gets 'filled' to capacity with the small junk! It's at that point that I find myself walking around in circles not knowing where to go next! I actually made the statement yesterday at my church office, "There's so much to be done, I don't even know where to start!" It was at that point that I began making a list of things that were crowding my mind and even distracting my mind.
Was a bit apprehensive about this book, but am getting some useful information and reassurance (hope) that I can be productive!
My former professor became a very close friend of mine. I used to tease her about all the lists she kept around the house.... and now I find myself relying on my lists!!
Mr. Allen discusses these lists and their importance, but he goes beyond just the shopping cart type of list. While my "business" of being a student, interim minister of music, and concert artist (in addition to keeping up my home and relationships) don't seem as involved as the corporate person he appears to be defining, I still find myself agonizing over things that I may or may not have forgotten to do.
He makes a statement, "You don't actually do a project; you can only do action steps related to it." I loved this way of thinking! I think sometimes that I tend to procrastinate a project because of the time it'll take to complete it. If I understand Allen, my biggest concern should only be the next step in completing it -- not the finished work."
I also loved his analogy of the human brain to RAM on a computer! How often my mind gets 'filled' to capacity with the small junk! It's at that point that I find myself walking around in circles not knowing where to go next! I actually made the statement yesterday at my church office, "There's so much to be done, I don't even know where to start!" It was at that point that I began making a list of things that were crowding my mind and even distracting my mind.
Was a bit apprehensive about this book, but am getting some useful information and reassurance (hope) that I can be productive!
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