I took a class at CU called “School and Society.” We discussed home schooling and how the largest argument against the kids being anti-social is the fact they spend time with others in the community.. ie: Spelling Bees. This interesting video encompasses a lot of what I’ve thought about home schooled children: 1) they don’t know how to be social, 2) they believe they are better than other kids, and 3) they think competing with peers is suitable interaction. The best part? It’s not really their fault. I think a lot of parents are doing their children a huge disservice. When you raise kids they believe what you say; they see what you show them and learn what you teach them. Education, religion, values… wow. It’s not until many many years later you get to decide this stuff for yourself. That was a fun realization.
Tag Archives: Antiquated
The best online greeting cards
My friend sent me a thoughtful card yesterday. Online, of course. This is perhaps the funniest collection of sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek, witty and all-out hilarious cards:
Hey, you’re still here? Cool!
It’s so good to see you! Last time you stopped by I was an undergraduate–now I’m an alumnus! Needless to say, the last few weeks have been busy. I just haven’t found the time to do any writing. But, I promise, I’m here, I’ve got things to say and appreciate you hanging around…
College career posts
I know I haven’t been here very much lately. But, I have posted over at some of my favorite blogs. I wrote about my post-college career decision over at Employee Evolution. I also wrote at OkDork about how I think companies should recruit college grads. Check them out.
Morning routines rock
Not a morning person? That’s fine, most people aren’t. Though, have you ever noticed that some of the most productive (and successful) people you know are early-risers? Sure, there are exceptions to this rule but in general, those that get up early use those first few hours to get their day started the right way.
So what’s the point of getting up early? It’s simple, really…
Mornings are distraction-less
I remember an article in FastCompany (can’t find it, though) that outlined a number of executives’ daily routines. Each of them were waking up early and taking care of things before the day got hectic:
- Working out
- Eating a healthy breakfast
- Catching up on email
- Reading and watching the morning news
- etc…
By waking up at 6, 5, or even 4am they were able to hit the day running without interruption. That’s the key to productivity: removing the distractions. Waking up early does that for you.
You get a head-start on everyone
An obvious benefit to getting up early is the fact you’re up and starting your day before everyone else. By the time they get into the office they’ve already got your email in their inbox, you’ve already had your cup of coffee and are ready start producing results.
You can’t put things off
Waking up early means you’ve accomplished things that may have been scheduled later. For example, I used to budget time in the evening to go to the gym. I realized that things always come up in the evening. It’s too easy to put things off later in the day. If you do them in the morning before distractions and interruptions can occur, you’re bound to always get them done.
My experiences
Now that you understand some of the benefits of getting up early I’ll describe my routine:
- 6:00am – Wake up and go to gym
- 7:00am – Return home, make breakfast, read WSJ
- 7:45am – Shower, get dressed
- 8:00am – Either go to work (2 days) or read before school (2 days)
It’s a simple schedule but it’s dramatically changed things for me. First, I’m actually going to the gym as often as I’d like to. As soon as I wake up I put on my shoes and head out the door. No excuses, no delay, it just happens. After working out, a few minutes in the jacuzzi mean I can collect my thoughts before the day starts. I already have a mental plan by 7am.
Second, I eat a good breakfast every morning. I rarely ate breakfast in the past but now it’s a simple gesture every morning. While I’m eating I also read the paper and enjoy some silence as the sun comes up.
Third, I’m not rushed in the morning. I always have time to collect my thoughts. I never forget to bring anything to school. I never go out the door without some snack packed for the day. By waking up early and having more time I essentially slow down my morning.
What do you do?
If I haven’t convinced you yet, try getting up early every day for a week. As it becomes a habit it becomes easier. It’s obviously a great way to be productive and start your day right. But, I’m curious, what’s your morning routine?
Before I started writing this I hadn’t even realized David Seah had begun a similar experiment. Check out David’s (excellent) productivity blog for a detailed look at his morning routine.
The Walamu Story
Rohail Rizvi introduced me to a website he has been working on while in college: Walamu. Walamu is posed to become a successful college marketplace with classifieds and textbook sales (local to universities). Rohail is a student at Rutgers and a member of a very neat young entrepreneur group called Mind Petals. I liked his story enough to look into Walamu a bit more…
Monday Mystery
I want each and every one of you to help me solve this one:
Seriously, I’m curious as to what made it better.
Monday Musing
I’ve done some polling, a little bit of research and the evidence is overwhelming. The worst thing about Super Bowl XLI was:
Bonus musing: Why do we allow car companies to create commercials?
Things to do during a blizzard
If you missed it, Denver was hit by a nice little blizzard on Wednesday. My house had over 20 inches of accumulation. Other places around the state had four feet. I’m just glad the power stayed on- I got a lot accomplished as far as Playstation 2 games is concerned. But, after a few hours in the house it’s pretty fun to go outside. Here’s a few ways we kept ourselves occupied.
Sleeping at work
While I’m nearly through with finals I’ve not quite crossed the finish line yet. This means there’s been a lot of studying lately. For many that means a lot less sleep. Well, if you’re like me and still working 15 hours a week you’ll probably wonder how you can get away with sleeping at work.