Tag Archives: Google Reader

Recent top reads

Posted on by acrystelle
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It’s Friday night. I really need to chill. So I’m going to share my recent top 5 reads I’ve ‘starred’ in my google reader. I’ll admit they’re random. I guess you can’t say I don’t read widely. ;)
Apart from the home loan calculator and dream position descriptions, here are some top reads…

1. How to unstress and truly enjoy your vacation (The Positivity Blog) – hmmm, perhaps I’m looking for tips for the next time I go on holiday? Turns out I actually do a lot of these tips, but it’s difficult to stop the brain from ticking over.

2. Your career is a jungle gym, not a ladder (The Bamboo Project) – this article resonates with how I feel about my own career. I believe I can’t really aspire to have a particular job title or position description when it may not exist in 10 years time. Instead I seek meaningful engagement with my work and develop skills & knowledge I’m interested in as well as build core skills.

3. Occupy the Neolithic: Social Immobility in the Stone Age (Wired Science) – interesting look at movement between social classes in the Neolithic age.

4. 3 Photos I Took Just Seconds After Getting Out of Bed (Everything Everywhere) – a ‘must follow’ travel blog. These photos are simply stunning and serve as a reminder to seize the moment. Who cares you’re half awake, see the shot and take the damn photo!

5. Is now the time for librarians? (Digitisation 101) – a ‘must read’ for any new info pro.

Enjoy! Have a fabulous weekend!

Planning Session 3 – Clear out!

Posted on by acrystelle
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I can’t stand clutter. Organised desk, organised mind, I say. Clutter is almost a reflection of one’s state of mind. It certainly rang true for me last year. At a point of total chaos, my study area reflected much what I was thinking and feeling about the (more than) plateful I had going on.

Well, planning session three, for me, was to attack my study area with utmost brutality. I simply could not begin another year with remnants scattered about the place. I was determined to head into this year with increased clarity and freedom in my mind.

I can tell you it was liberating. I felt the weight of last year’s workload and items I had neglected come off my shoulders. Now I want to spend time in my study. I have set up my area with what I need handy, according to how I like to work.

I’m a big fan of ‘Getting Things Done’ and I highly recommend grabbing a copy of the book, or you can even download a bunch of helpful PDFs from David Allen’s website for free to get you started.

First of all, emptying inboxes had to begin with identifying all inboxes. Where do all the ideas, tasks, filing, readings, etc end up?
My inboxes: -

  • Google Reader (I have Instapaper too, but I’ve created an RSS feed from my ‘Unread’ folder to my Google Reader)
  • Evernote
  • (physical) In-Tray
  • Gmail
  • University (study) email
  • Task manager
  • Twitter favourites

Next, is to go through each of these inboxes and process EVERYTHING.

  1. Determine what the item is.
  2. Decide what needs to happen with it.
  3. If the item requires an action, or a series of actions, either enter into the task manager or write it down. Place a note on a post it and stick on the physical item.

DO NOT place anything back where it was before.

For physical items, such as scanning to do or statements to file, I grouped items into piles of similar tasks. I have a ‘To Action’ folder, a ‘To file’ folder and an ‘Inspiration’ folder on my project files rack for the physical items (courtesy of Kikki K). The key outcome of this process was each item’s next action was determined. When I go to my ‘To Action’ folder now, I don’t need to think about what items are or what needs to be done. I can just DO IT! A similar system can be applied to email inboxes and Evernote. I now ‘clip’ items directly to an ‘Inbox’ notebook and ‘empty’ this notebook on a weekly basis as part of my review. I also now use the task manager ‘Things’ and am finding the tagging function useful to apply contexts to my tasks. If a task doesn’t need to be completed immediately, I enter the task into my inbox in ‘Things’, then apply scheduling and tags, file into a project, at my weekly review. The most important thing here is the task’s entry into the system.

After the initial clear out, getting rid of stuff I didn’t require anymore (I must say a shredder was very helpful!), I then had a look at all the items needing to be actioned. As a general rule, if an action took less than two minutes, it got done right there.

I don’t employ every part of the GTD system, just bits and pieces integrated into my existing system of organising myself. Part of implementing GTD is being able to trust the system. If systems and consistent processes can be put into place, then I believe you can trust items to be captured and dealt with more effectively. When setting up a system, it is important inboxes are handy and easy to process.

Here are some other tips and hints to clearing out and planning: -
Getting Things Done FAQ by zenhabits
Get all inboxes to zero, and have fewer inboxes by zenhabits
5 Ways GTD helps you achieve your goals by zenhabits
7 Steps to achieving your goals by Alexandra Samuel

Audit Your Personal Learning Environment

Posted on by acrystelle
2

No doubt there are others like me who have signed up for, downloaded or acquired tools, applications and devices which make up our Personal Learning Environment. There is every intention to integrate these into our daily or weekly routines. Perhaps we just wanted to try them out, used them for a specific task or project or have used them only on an ad-hoc basis at most. It’s time to clean up!

In an earlier post, where I distinguished a PLN from a PLE, I hinted at my own definition of a Personal Learning Environment. There appears to be variations of a definition, yet two components stick out – tools and learning. Here’s my definition: -

A PLE consists of an individual, learner-oriented collection of tools, resources, services, and connections organised and used to gather and engage with information, reflect, and communicate and collaborate with others, in pursuit of continual learning and achievement of goals and objectives. 

The goal of a PLE audit (or mine) is to re-organise and co ordinate components to increase efficiency by minimising effort required to access and use each component. The outcome of this process is a more effective PLE, better suited to the achievement of learning goals and objectives.

I’ve taken three steps to audit and tidy up my Personal Learning Environment – stocktake, assess and organise.

Stocktake

  1. Gather all log in details for each tool, resource or service. I found this was the easiest way to identify what I’ve signed up to, tried, or use.
  2. Create a list of email subscriptions, web applications, wikis, software of your computer and devices. My list consisted of over 20 tools (!) including Gmail, Mindnode Pro (on my Mac), Dropbox, Twitter, Slideshare, Evernote and Skype.
  3. Divide a page into three columns – Tools/Devices/Resources, Use it?, What for?.
  4. Fill in the table as much as possible.

Assess

Go through each component and assess its role and contribution to your PLE. I created the diagram below to provide consistency and assist with the process.

(I understand the diagram can be hard to read. Click on the image to view a larger version)

Organise

Once you have identified the next steps required to re-organise your PLE components, ensure that you action them! If it will help, create a diagram or edit your list (created during ‘stocktake’) to show your newly designed PLE.  A visual reminds and assists me to see the ‘big picture’. I’m that sort of person, I guess.

Other Tips

  • Take stock of your PLE on a regular basis.
  • Include your online presence in this process. Which ‘presence’ (eg. LinkedIn, blog) is lagging, not being properly maintained that it’s potentially damaging your brand and identity?
  • Identify the role of each component by their function. For example, my Google Reader performs a collecting function and my blog is a thinking and contributing space.
  • Create (and stick with) consistent use of tags, vocabulary and folder structures across similar applications. For example, a project folder on my mac will resemble an arrangement of notebooks in Evernote.
  • If you use Instapaper, create an RSS feed for your “Unread” folder and add it to Google Reader. You’ll only need to look in one place for reading material and resources, not two.

The aim here was to prompt thinking about the effectiveness of a PLE and its components’ efficiency of use. The suggested audit process is intended to be a guide and is by no means exhaustive or absolute. I’m sure there are other ways to evaluate tools and ‘tweaking’ a PLE. This was just my approach. I hope it can be of use to others.

Resources for PLE definition: -

Attwell, G 2010, ‘Supporting Personal Learning in the Workplace’, The PLE Conference, ISSN 2077-9119.

McElvaney, J & Berge, Z 2009, ‘Weaving a Personal Web: Using online technologies to create customised, connected and dynamic learning environments‘, Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 35(2).

Educause 2009, ‘7 Things you should know about Personal Learning Environments‘.

A Pending Purchase

Posted on by acrystelle
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It’s about this time of year when I ponder and plan what I will do with my tax return. I’m expecting a decent one, as I have a lot of expenses to claim and I also have a feeling I’ve paid too much tax this financial year.

I’ve made a deal with myself that if I receive a return over X amount, I’d like to purchase an iPad. I’m a careful buyer of such purchases. I always try to make sure I receive the best value for my money. I make it my mission to squeeze out the most possible benefit and use from an item. I’m not saying I’m ‘tight’ by any means, just don’t like my hard-earned money go to waste.

Main reasons for using an iPad are: -

  • Take notes at conferences and similar events such as professional development workshops
  • Read articles, blogs and other items delivered to my Google Reader
  • Traveling – use Skype, Evernote and internet for notes, writing and contacting home while away (business or pleasure)
  • Hook it up to the network at work – if allowed to, ‘sweet talking’ required
  • Take notes in work meetings
  • Casual mind mapping
  • General internet browsing

 

Benefits include: -

  • Notes are input straight to Evernote. No need to transfer hand written notes after the event and can email notes to my work inbox if required
  • Minimise need to take my laptop from the study to the couch to only read items from Google Reader (Is that just lazy? I find it annoying to move a 15 inch laptop)
  • Make traveling luggage lighter by having little need to take my laptop
  • At work – I can become more ‘mobile’ if I’m able to answer library questions from anywhere in the hangar office. I have people ‘grab me for a minute’ when I walk around and I often need to either go to their desk or have them walk to mine.

 

Now, the all important question – to 3G or not to 3G?

I’m leaning towards doing without 3G, mostly because of the extra cost for a data plan. If the majority of my use will be while connected to wifi, I shouldn’t need it. My thinking is that if I urgently need to look for something using the internet while ‘on the go’, I can use my iPhone. I have home internet, plus my iPhone which has a data plan included. So to add another data cost will take my total bill over $100 a month. That’s a lot of data! And money

Another question – how big?

I’m undecided between the 16G and 32G. When I think about it, the iPad will be mostly a work and study device. My notes are in Evernote so the data is not stored on the iPad. I won’t be storing books for leisure reading as I (still) prefer hard copy. Music is stored on my iPhone and Macbook.

 

So over to you. I need some advice.

What do you use your iPad for? Why did you buy one?

Am I missing any possible uses?

Did you opt for 3G? Why? Why not?

How big did you go? Why? Why not?

Semester Goals and Task Management

Posted on by acrystelle
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This past week marked the first of Semester 1, 2011 of my Masters course in Library and Information Science at Queensland University of Technology. This is my third semester, completing the course part time. The main issue I’ve had in the past is expecting too much from myself. Since last semester I’ve realised I can’t do everything. Learning will continue far beyond my formal studies. I can only do what I can. 

A few weeks ago a member of my PLN on Twitter sent me a fabulous link to a blog post entitled “30 Habits that will Change your Life”. I highly recommend the read, for LIS students and established professionals alike. The habits outlined in the post have inspired me to implement Goals (& Rules) for my semester ahead. (I’ve since subscribed to the blog feed – Freestyle Mind.)

  • Maintain 7am – 3pm work days (The last few weeks I’ve managed 7.30am – 3.30pm. This is ok as I get home by 4pm)
  • Go to bed at 9.30pm during the week
  • Exercise for 30 minutes at least every second day
  • Check my email inbox only twice per day
  • One day off per week

By keeping an ‘early start, early finish’ at work (and I’m very grateful my hours are flexible) I can fit in two to three hours of study before my partner is due home. I have a rowing machine and I’ve booked in my skeletal/postural assessment to begin Pilates classes. These goals/rules are completely achievable.

Task Management

I can maximise outcomes by organising and prioritising tasks. Effective task management has always been a priority for me and it plays a key role in achieving productivity goals. I say “task management” instead of “time management” because by managing tasks efficiently and decisively, results in the best use of my time. In October, I stumbled across a wonderful web/desktop application called EasyTask. Then in December, discovered the book (and mastermind) behind the “Getting Things Done” methodologies and practices. A key tip I’ve gained from the book is to identify where all my ‘in trays’ were. Where do I place my thoughts and ideas? Where do I place my incoming mail to be processed? Where do I receive email? Save journal articles?

The following are a few tips I’ve incorporated into my day-to-day productivity: -  

Tip #1 Identify where all your inputs are gathered.

I have four email inboxes – Gmail, Work, Uni and Hotmail (which I’m trying to get rid of); Evernote for recording thoughts and ideas; Diigo for bookmarking; a physical tray for my mail; Google Reader for feeds; GoodReader app for documents opened on my iPhone. (I think I’m still working on this one)

Tip #2 Minimise the number of ‘in trays’.

By minimising the number of places you have to look for inputs to process, the more efficient you are at capturing everything you need to pay attention to and decide next actions. Make your applications work for you. For example, I’ve created an RSS feed from my Instapaper “Unread” folder to deliver straight to my Google Reader – one less ‘in tray’ I have to check.

Tip #3 Review and reassess your tasks and due dates regularly.

I was reminded of this by another member of my PLN. I have a habit of entering a task, setting a due date and priority level and expect I’ll have time to complete it on that day. This isn’t always possible, so I’ve tried limiting the number of tasks I set for myself per day and implement a weekly review of my upcoming tasks for the week. Pushing back due dates should not feel like failure.

Tip #4 Empty your ‘in trays’ on a regular basis. Action all ‘two minute’ tasks straight away. Any tasks which will take more than this, input into a task management application or diary.

Another valuable lesson from the “Getting Things Done” book. My Gmail inbox remains at zero. Fantastic, doesn’t feel so overwelming.

Tip #5 Never, ever place something back into your ‘in tray’.

If you’re undecided about what to do about an input, don’t place it back in the tray. You have to think about and process that item again at a later date. Time wasted right there.

Finally, I can’t put in all the hard work without rewards. Lucky for me football season starts this month. One motivator for me is attending Sunday afternoon games. If I can accomplish a reasonable amount of work before lunchtime Sunday, I allow myself the treat and go to a game. I guess we all have to find motivators for ourselves. Whether it be a little retail therapy, a hair cut, cooking, crafting, chilling out with friends or a book, whatever it may be.

Don’t forget your ‘me’ time.