The Nerdist Way_ How to Reach the Next Level (In Real Life) - Chris Hardwick [70]
Once you have your goal in mind, use it as the framework of your law. Whenever you start doing something, check in with yourself to make sure that what you are about to do will take you in the direction of whatever goal you set. You’ll know on a very deep level if the answer is yes or “But . . . lobster porn!”
CHARACTERCIZE
What tangible thing do I really want?
What emotional thing do I really want?
What resources do I currently have that will help push me in that direction?
What resources would I need to bring these to fruition?
Do I actually already have what I want and don’t realize it? (This sometimes is true.)
KEEP A CALENDAR
I honestly don’t know how the hell I ever got anything done before I started keeping a calendar. I think maybe I didn’t exist before, like Buffy Summers’s whiny kid sister, Dawn. If you want to have even a prayer of streamlining your time management, you have to give your life a structure. Even if you feel like you have nothing worth scheduling, you will subconsciously seek out ways to fill your calendar. Currently, I use iCal and MobileMe to sync it. (Chill, PC Nerds. You can like your own thing, too.) Google Calendar is also pretty terrific, and if you’re running Android it will integrate the best. This is not going to be a long section because there’s no need to overcomplicate this simple process.
Set up a personal calendar and a work calendar (my “Personal” is blue, “Work” is green). I wouldn’t set up too many because most things will fall into one of those two categories. If you have more specifically recurring activities, then go ahead and add them as calendars (I have separate “Travel” and “Stand-up” calendars), but be careful not to overcategorize. You don’t want it to be messy with colors.
My friend Alex, in addition to having a great calendar setup, also has a corkboard with all of his current projects pinned on three-by-five note cards. This gives him a bird’s-eye view of pretty much everything that will absorb his attention in the present. (Corkulous is a great iPad app that will make a digital version of this for you.) It’s great because when he finishes working on a project, he never has to think, “Okayyyyy . . . what now?” He knows exactly what to pop over to next. Plus, it has the added bonus of showing you that you ARE involved in real projects. This is excellent for your self-esteem and motivation.
Once you get everything up, set up automatic sync for all of your devices. This has become probably the most important feature for the modern individual. To swiftly dart through your busy life, you need your data to be consistent. Rather than waste pages going through stuff you can easily find on the webs, just search “calendar sync” on your device and software. Chances are, you’re running iOS or Android, so MobileMe (more ’spensive but better for Apple devices) and Gcal (free and better for Android). If you run Outlook, Google also offers Google Calendar Sync to get you sorted out. You’re a Nerd, so you probably know all of this and probably have a decent system already with your specific device or platform configuration. Probably.
GOOD BUSY, BAD BUSY, AND FUN TIMES
I enjoy busy. I have not been busy at times in my life, and I did not enjoy those times. I think we’re designed to strive for busy because being busy usually signals progress. The problem is, Nerd minds typically don’t distinguish between “good” busy and “bad” busy, but if you want to be all productive and shit, you should. When trying to determine which value an activity falls under, use this handy guide. Cut it out of your book and tape it to your monitor if you have to:
Good Busy: Anything