The Paradox of a 40 Hour Workweek
Friday, July 22nd, 2011
Photo Credit Mylla
Somewhere along the line it became standard for a work week to be 40 hours. I think I speak for most employees out there when I say that giving up 40 precious hours each week doesn’t leave nearly enough time for the important things, like enjoying life. And I also think I speak for most employers (except the conscious few out there who get it) when I say that being given 40 measly hours from each employee isn’t nearly enough time to get everything done that is necessary to compete in a growing global marketplace.
I won’t even go into the reasons why trading 40 hours of your life each week for a paycheck is far too much time to give up. Though I imagine if you’re reading this, you can understand why I desperately want to break free of this […]
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Sometimes keeping the 9 to 5 job is ok
Friday, June 24th, 2011I know this seems unlikely advice, especially coming from someone who’s made a clear intention to leave the office job in the (hopefully) forseeable future. While I am certainly not suggesting that you settle for an office job if it’s not what you want, I do think that marching into your boss’ office quitting is equally inadvisable. There is plenty of advice out there from self employed entrepeneurs and other free spirited creative types that says there is no better time than now to quit; that if you’re not following your heart, you should start doing so today. But sometimes a little prudence may be called for.
That said, what you should start doing today is thinking about what you want and where you would like to get to.
But for the time being, if you still have your day job, don’t despair. Not every unhappy employee out there is young and […]
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I didn’t attend the World Domination Summit, but I should have.
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011I had heard about the World Domination Summit that Chris Guillebeau and Co. were putting on many months back, but sort of just dismissed it.
In case you happen to be unfamiliar with Chris or the WDS, let me explain before I continue. The tagline for event, which just happens to be the coolest and most thought provoking description for an event that I’ve ever heard, is this:
In the face of overwhelming pressure to conform, how do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world?
As if you need to know more after reading that, here’s more from the WDS site:
The World Domination Summit is no ordinary event. It’s not a retreat and it’s not a business mixer. And most of all, it’s definitely not a convention. It’s an unconvention. The summit takes place in an art museum, a park, an independent bookstore, and all over the unconventional city of […]
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Why deadlines are a waste of time
Monday, June 6th, 2011In most companies, and in the world in general, there is a pretty big focus on deadlines. Personally, I think setting deadlines is a waste of time and only serves to create an environment where subpar performance is normal and incomplete or rushed final products are acceptable.
For the sake of argument, assume I’m talking about a corporate environment where someone is expected to work 40 hours per week. If a worker is a good, honest, and hardworking person, they will work on their task at a pace comfortable to them and it will be completed in a reasonable amount of time, at which point the final product would theorectically be at the level expected when tasking it.
If a deadline is set or agreed upon ahead of time, really it’s all based on assumption. And if it turns out that something unexpected comes up and the deadline is too short, in […]
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Personal development and positive energy
Friday, January 14th, 2011A few months back I mentioned that I was taking salsa classes. I did finish my 7 week course, and learned a few things, though I still far from being a good dancer. I was a little overwhelmed and frustrated with the course, so I didn’t continue, but I do expect to try it again in the future.
That doesn’t mean I’ve given up on trying new things though. Last night I had my first art class in over ten years. I enrolled for a basic drawing course at the Art Academy of San Diego. I actually had a really good time, the class had a laid back vibe, and it seems that it will be fun and I will learn a lot. I really hope to continue developing my creative skills, and hope this is something that is positive for me.
Also interesting is that I’ve had another potential business contact […]
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New Year’s Resolutions
Saturday, January 1st, 2011I am not usually big on New Year’s resolutions, but there are and have been a few changes I’ve been wanting to make, so what better time than at the start of a new year? I want to focus on my own personal development while getting myself to a place where I am happier, healthier, and more in control of my life and my future.
So without any further ado, here are some resolutions:
Personal life
Embrace spontaneity and be open to new opportunities
Become more confident with both myself and my decisions
Focus on positive actions and solutions instead of dwelling on negative ones
Stop wasting time on useless things, make better use of my free time
Continue to travel and see more of the world (hopefully Hawaii, Key West, Costa Rica and Cambodia/Vietnam this year; New Year’s in Palm Desert, and the following weekend in Santa Barbara … great start!)
Health
Improve my yoga by taking formal […] Read More…
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Feeling stagnant and lacking direction
Monday, November 8th, 2010There have been times during the years of keeping this blog that I have been literally bursting with ideas for things to write about. Sadly, this is not one of those times. At the moment I have an excuse, which is that I’ve been slammed with work since I’m back in an office and my company has had, in simple terms, a change in management. But prior to this, I didn’t have a whole lot going on, and was still at a loss for new ideas. Except for brief moments where great thoughts pop into my head (which typically fade into oblivion before I can get them out), I feel rather stagnant lately.
I suppose I feel like I am at a personal crossroads these days. Though I’ve said it before, and I’m not sure why it seems to be lasting so long. Something inside of me just seems to be […]
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Conquering my fear of dancing
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Salsa Dance – “Dance All Night” photo by ted.sali
Something I have never liked doing, nor been any good at, is dancing. Any time I go anywhere where there is dancing, whether it’s a wedding or a nightclub, I always get a little pit in my stomach, wondering if I will inevitably get dragged onto the dance floor. I have other irrational fears like this, but finally I am working on overcoming this one.
Yes, just this past week I started my first lesson of salsa dance classes. It was hard for me to make the decision to sign up, but I finally did it. I have actually considered it several times over the past few years, but fear always got the best of me. Finally this time I just decided to make it happen.
Interestingly, it wasn’t all my […]
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