Do you ever feel like just when you’ve finally got your act together, life throws you a curve ball? Whether it’s a hostile roommate, a sick parent, or just the demands of maintaining a healthy job/academic schedule/relationship, the shifts and changes of life can really throw a wrench in carefully laid plans.
Last week I shared some of my simple life-balancing secrets to success, and this week I want to share another one. Bear with me, because it sounds totally cheesy, but now that I’ve done it, I love it.
Man (or Woman) on a Mission
Let’s say you’re the CEO of Nabisco. You know you’d like to make some money, but you haven’t really planned out how you want to get that done–you just know there might be Oreos involved. You figure, you’ll just wing it. How’s that going to go for you?
Probably not so well.
One of the ways big companies stay big (and successful) companies is by defining what they want–exactly what they want–and then breaking it down into small pieces so they can get there.
(And I don’t actually know anything about Nabisco, so sorry, econ majors, if that was a poor example.)
You: a Definition
So now that I’ve hopefully talked you into doing this thing, it’s time to sit down and figure out what your mission statement is - in words. Start by visualizing where you want to be–in one year, five years, ten years. What do you want people to think about you? What do you want them to feel when they’re with you? How do you want to affect your family, your friends, your community, the world?
Basically, what do you want to DO with your life–NOT necessarily your CAREER–but your life.
Write it Down
Go ahead and roll your eyes (I probably would, too, if I hadn’t already done this) but when you’re done, write down your mission statement. It might take some finessing to get it right, but write down your mission statement. Google “mission statement” plus the names of some companies (or even your school) to get an idea of what yours might look like.
Apply It
So, once you’ve got your ultimate lifetime mission statement, what are you supposed to do with it?
Simply put, you apply it. Start looking at your day-to-day activities and tasks from the perspective of how it helps you reach your life mission–and think about that when you are tempted to waste time messing around on the internet or even staring at the ceiling (it has been known to happen!).
So if you felt your life mission was to effect political change, you might spend time researching, networking, volunteering with a political party, etc. If you want to make people happier, you might focus on smaller things like making a phone call to your lonely grandparent or holding open the door for someone at the caf. If you want to write a book, you might shift your classes to focus more on writing techniques, or spend time you used to spend blogging working on a manuscript.
Keep it in Check
That said, now that you’re looking at life with your mission statement in mind, remember that the mission isn’t everything. Your mission statement is not a ruling force of life, but instead a reminder of where your free time could be spent. Don’t give up your job, relationships, or, uh, stop washing your laundry… Just think about your mission statement when you’re building your week schedule, or find yourself with a few extra minutes.
In the end, its all about making the world a better place–and getting to your goals–one step at a time.
photo
November 2nd, 2009
Every time I’ve moved, even just going home for the summer, I find a bunch of stuff I don’t need. In fact last time I started packing up, I came across not one but TWO old cell phones, which I kept because I know you’re not supposed to throw them away (they’re hazardous) but I didn’t know how to recycle them.
Until now!
Drop it Off
Old PDAs, cell phones, batteries, and lots of other electronic accessories can be dropped off at:
Ship It Out
If you don’t feel like making a trip to the store, just make a trip to your mailbox. These retailers and groups have mail-in programs, too, and some offer free shipping.
Check out EPA.gov’s Wireless Recycling page (where I found some of these links) for more information and updates.
Do Some Good
The above recycling programs are a great start, but did you know that your old cell phone could actually help other people? Programs like Cell Phones for Soldiers (http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/) and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (http://www.ncadv.org/takeaction/DonateaPhone_129.html) have donation programs that put cell phones into the hands of people who need them. Also check out:
photo by erwinbacik
May 23rd, 2009
I’m on my laptop a lot, for work AND play, so I’m always looking for a way to make that time more efficient. One of the best ways to streamline your process is to learn the keyboard shortcuts so you don’t have to waste time searching through toolbars with your mouse!
So, in the hopes of helping you save a little of your time, I thought I’d collect a few of the most useful PC shortcuts for you. Enjoy! 
Navigation
- F1: Opens help
- ALT+TAB: Toggles between open programs
- Windows Logo+R: Opens the “Run” dialog box
- Windows Logo+M: Minimizes all
- SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
- Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
And of course the most basic shortcuts…
Basics
- CTRL+C: Copy
- CTRL+X: Cut
- CTRL+V: Paste
- CTRL+Z: Undo
- CTRL+B: Bold
- CTRL+U: Underline
- CTRL+I: Italic
Want more? Check out these handy shortcut lists:
April 7th, 2009
In college (and after, too) time is precious. Think what you could do if you had an extra thirty minutes every day. You could study so you know the answers to three more mid-term questions, take time to cook something more exotic than Easy-Mac, or schedule in that gym class you’ve been wanting to take.
So guess what? You probably have that extra 30-minutes around, you just need to find out where it is.
Time Tracking
I’ve mentioned RescueTime before (in a post along with a lot of other tips about getting productive)–it is a free software that helps you keep track of what you do with all the time you spend on the computer. (And just so you know, I’m writing this because I think it’s cool–they haven’t contacted me or paid me or anything).
How it Works
RescueTime is built on the idea that we could all trim a little time off our computer usage (*cough*Facebook*cough*) to have more time to spend studying, watching American Idol, or talking to the cute guy/girl across the hall.
It’s a pretty basic setup, too. You install a piece of software, sign up for an account at RescueTime.com, and then work as usual. RescueTime tracks what programs you use and sites you visit, and then graphs out your time for you in your online account. (If that seems to Big Brother for you, their privacy policy is here .)
In essence, the software helps you:
- Track time spent in different applications & on websites,
- Tag sites and apps,
- Track your efficiency,
- Set goals or limit the amount of time you spend using applications or on websites.
For example, if you want to limit your blog browsing to an hour, you can set a “goal” and RescueTime can alert you to your limit. The tag feature will allow you to tag certain sites and applications based on their use, like “Chem 6BL,” “goofing off,” “work,” and “social networking.”
I’ve just started using it, and I’m kind of exited to see how it goes. I’m sure I could spend a little less time facebooking and a little more time getting things done. 
image from Rescue Time
March 19th, 2009
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