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Master your tools and learn to love them

Over the past few weeks, I have noticed how much has changed in WordPress since I initially started. The most embarrassing thought is that I didn’t really keep up. Shame on me!

No longer! For the next 3 months, I’ll learn for 20 minutes a day to become better at it and master all the ins and outs of this powerful tool. After all, it will save me time in the long run. I’m certain it will also reduce my stress levels when I need get something done within a short period of time and I just don’t know how to go about it.

I wonder what other tools I’m using like am amateur?

Possibly that’s where I should start: a gap analysis. I need to find out which tools I use regularly and how well I use them. Once I have a better overview where I can save time, I will be in a better situation to compare where to spend my time learning and improving.

Which areas in life or which tools would you like to improve upon? Data analytics tools to get through the regular reports at work faster? Finding the movie for tonight quicker? Using the new multi function pressure cooker?

Whatever it is, there is plenty of evidence that mastery of tools you use every day will pay off. It’s not only the time and stress saved but also the positive that comes from knowing you have control over your tools and with that you have control over your life. How does that sound to you? Having full control over your life. That would be great.

Craftsman makes pottery

So I will start with small actions towards learning how to use WordPress and over the weekend I’ll be doing a skills audit. By end of this year, I’d like to have closed all the gaping holes that there may be (read: that there will be) so I can start next year in a better place.

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Building strength the easy way

This year, I want to get into better shape! This is what many people think around this time of year and I am one of them. Possibly, I am one of a few who starts half way through January when some others start to fizzle out already. Who knows. I want to look and feel better – ideally immediately.

Given my (middle-ish) age, I’m supposed to do weight training two times a week or more often. This way, my muscles stay strong to give my body what it needs to weather the storm of old age. It also means my body would use more calories at rest and I can have more fruit (I am one of those strange creatures who doesn’t like the taste of sugar) or 85% chocolate.

Unfortunately, COVID is still a thing (or is that again?) and last time I walked past the local gym, masks were worn around the neck and most certainly not covering mouth and nose. So that won’t be an option for me.

A few years ago, I was the only person to turn up to a really early gym class and since then I know that individual classes may not be my jam either. The pressure to perform when the spotlight is on me is just too much.

What would you do in my situation?

Yes, exactly! Yoga to the rescue. Yoga counts as resistance aka body weight training and therefore gives me what I need from it. Furthermore, recent research suggests that stretching such as done in Yoga benefits the blood vessels and muscles alike giving you an all round fantastic workout. Best of all, there are plenty of YouTube classes available which I can follow from the privacy of my own bedroom.

Initially, I will start with small steps and try to fit in one workout for a couple of week to see how I like it and when the best time of day is. Then I thought of doing two weeks with two sessions, followed by three weeks with three sessions… You get the idea.

Will you join me and work out too?

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Preparing early for a successful Tax Day

Last year, I promised myself to get on top of my finances. Whilst I have sorted out some of the bigger issues already, there is a lot more to do. The problem is that there is not always more motivation to do it – or time.

That’s why I decided to turn every action that’s needed to reach my goal into small actions which I can tick of as I go along. My thinking is that one small action every working day should get me to my goal by my summer time.

First and foremost, I will prepare for my tax return so that I can submit it ahead of time and with none of the usual pressure and anxiety if the postal service will get my forms there on time.

Before diving in though, my small task for this week is to set up a solid filing system. For the task at hand, I focus on digital filing. I scan all documents which I receive in the post and download my statements. This means I won’t think that much about my paper documents at this point and keep that task for post tax day.

I’m certain that this is the main step that will make all the following task and activities so much easier. That is why I’m spreading this one action over a whole week. Once my filing system is set up, it’s literally one small task of looking at one account a day and saving the necessary statements and files into the filing system. Easy! Stress free! Successful!

What is your way of going about the yearly tax filing? Are you thinking of starting early this year?

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Clean your desk

Imgur ran a campaign asking people to clean their desks and the results are amazing!

What an inspiration. I’m a big fan of having a tidy desk since it gives me the head space to work efficiently. There are a number of studies looking at how clutter including desk clutter impacts people and they are worth while looking into since the topic is more intricate than it appears on the surface.

How about it? Want to join in the clean desk group?

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The great resignation

During COVID, a lot of people started thinking about the meaning of life, the universe and everything. The result is what some call the “great resignation” and many people starting new roles in completely different fields as before.

What can we make of this? Are you still in your old job or have you started a new one? What was your motivation or final thought before the big step?

For me, I have taken a year out in 2021 to deal with health issues (not COVID!) but mainly to re-focus on what I want to do with the next section of my life. According to official life expectancy numbers right now, I am about half way through my life… well, possibly a bit more. So, what I should I do with it?

For one, I want to keep learning new things. So I got myself a subscription to a learning platform and will continue learning languages.

More importantly though, I wonder if sitting for 8 to 12 hours in a chair in an impersonal office is right for me. Don’t get me wrong. I have had a lot of good years of showing up in person in a large company, learning a lot of skills and I met a lot of great people there. Looking forward though, I’m not sure it’s for me.

The challenge is though that I still need to earn a living and this is where the rubber hits the road. What should I do to keep myself fed and clothed and under a roof?

After a long time thinking about it, I decided that my next small actions is to redo my CV and apply for jobs in which I can use my existing knowledge and would continue to learn new things.

Ideally I this next role would be remote. This would allow me to carry it out in new locations so I can experience different ways of living and possibly learn another language in my spare time. Most importantly, I wouldn’t want to be bound to a single country anymore. The COVID crisis has shown how governments treat their residents and not all of these ways are to my liking.

In addition, I have started to learn more about art, poetry, music and try it out myself. With trying it out myself I mean to really give it a chance over a couple of months. If I am not that into it though, I won’t be crying over it because it’s may not for be me. For example, I know that I’m unlikely to continue with water colours. I tried it, went to a class and it doesn’t make me as happy as some of my other activities. So I stopped doing it. Who knows, one of these may be my big passion and is just waiting to be discovered.

It’s all about taking good decisions. It’s all about having meaning in your life. It’s all about taking small actions that matter which bring you closer to your ideal life.