• Don’t try to dodge the recession with Grad School: Some of us scanners/eclectics/renaissance souls already know this – but there are those of us (count me in as one of ‘em) that think Grad School is a really good thing. Turns out unless you’re independently wealthy and going for self-enrichment, Grad School isn’t such a brilliant idea.
• Along with that, Seven Reasons why Graduate School is Outdated is a good read too. As I said before, unless you’ve got the cash and nothing else to do with your time, skip it.


photo by woodsy (http://www.sxc.hu/profile/woodsy)

• Another way of getting things done: Mark Forester’s AutoFocus System. Although I’ve yet to put it into practice (I’ve made my initial list), it seems like a low-stress way to get things done. You essentially write a huge to-do list, scan it and pick the one thing that jumps out at you. If you finish the task, cross it off. If not – add it to the end and cross the original entry off. Watch the video for the system in action. Looks like a good way for more intuitive eclectics to get their sh*t done.
• I know that with all the productivity blather going on ’round the internets, it’s hard not to get caught up in it all. Johnathan at The Illuminated Mind writes a pointed article called “Why Trying to be Productive is a Huge Waste of Time” shows why productivity and time management ends up doing the opposite of what it intended (killing time instead of giving us more time to be productive).

That’s all for now. Have a fantastic weekend!!

Pundits like me are constantly talking about Facebook, Twitter, blogs and humor sites, not to mention old standbys like e-mail and IM. One gets the impression that we should be “following” these things all day long, and many do. So when does the work get done?

Those who can control their attention and not get sidetracked by the blabbing on the social media networks (not to mention every phone call, email and “urgent” task) are the ones with the power. As he states later on in the article, the one who is most productive isn’t the gal who spends 12 hours at the office “multi-tasking,” but the one who’s working “six hours a day with total focus.”

No one is discounting hard work, but hard work at everything but the most important tasks (work, your goals, dreams, etc) doesn’t lead to much.

I definitely need to find a way to focus my own attention. I get sidetracked by just about everything: my blogs, Twitter, Plurk, Facebook, my RSS feeds, email. It’s no wonder I leave everything to the last minute and never seem to get anywhere. There have been Tweets and blog posts about selecting a few words or a phrase to be a sort of guiding thought for the year. I think at least one of mine will be Attention or Focus. Maybe both.

Times sidetracked by a shiny new Tweet, Plurk or other web dealie while writing this blog post: 5

I’ll forgo the apologies and just say that my typical scanner/renaissance soul self tugged me in a different direction and time for blogging has been short.

Here’s a new Reading List to keep you entertained for a while… Visit these folks & subscribe to their blogs, too – they always deliver thoughtful and entertaining posts!

Darren is a creative guy who runs a blog called !maginality. One of his most recent posts, How to be Creative on Demand has a few quick tips on how to get your creative juices flowing when you don’t have much of a choice.

I’m really liking the new direction Merlin Mann is taking on his blog 43Folders. His post called Photography, and the Tolerance for Courageous Sucking reminds us that in order to get at the really good stuff we KNOW is within us, we have to wade through the crap that comes before. Don’t be afraid to suck. It does pay off.

Lastly, a new (to me) blog has some great interviews with folks in creative careers as well as other resources for “Empowering Creative People” called LifeDev. They’re also looking for guest bloggers.

photo by woodsy (http://www.sxc.hu/profile/woodsy)

I thought I’d kick off this week with some recommended reading:

• Goals: Ryan Adams’ Success Secret: Anne Lamott would be proud. Song by song, page by page, bird by bird.
• The Cult of Productivity & the Art of Purposeless Living: does productivity really lead to happiness?
• The importance of dreamtime in your creative routine: prevent burnout from all that productivity.
• The dangers of positive thinking: Dave Navarro (not the rock star) goes head-to-head with the cultish  positive thinking going around these days.
• Why the Law of Attraction Seems to Work… Sometimes: and the same guy explains why The Secret works occasionally, and dispels the magic that sometimes accompanies it all.

Have you read anything lately that’s helped you on your way to becoming a fully realized Scanner or Renaissance Soul (or a fully realized you — however you define yourself)? Leave a comment & I’ll include your links in the next Reading List.