Never shred the wrong document again.

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Last year, a vendor called me sheepishly and asked me to re-send the contract we had signed with them a few days prior. She couldn’t find it, and the only thing she could think happened to it was it went to the shredder in a pile of other papers destined for destruction. Has this ever happened to you?

Avoiding this pitfall is simple: tear the documents you intend to shred in half. If you consistently do this, you can safely put these in your outbox pile, and even mix them with papers to mail or file and not risk confusing the two.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

How to Build Confidence as a Computer User

I’m a geek and a tinkerer, but not much of a coder. While I used to actively code sites in high school and college, today I consider myself a power user. On an almost daily basis, I talk to people who are like most people — they have a general computer knowledge but are largely fearful of them, especially fearful of screwing something up.

Through these interactions, I’ve come to view these users in three basic categories:

• Lacking Confidence: These people need encouragement and to be stretched in their knowledge. Most average users I’ve met have fallen in this category. While explaining concepts may take a while, they really do want to understand how to use computers at least to the point where they aid in accomplishing daily tasks (My mom is one of these people; ten years ago I taught her the basics of Windows and she’s picked up the rest on her own). It’s rewarding to see the light bulb go off in these peoples’ heads as they become competent and confident.
• Willfully Ignorant: These people are almost proud that they know little to nothing about their computers. They lean on advanced users as if helpless and they make little attempt to grasp concepts as they are taught. This behavior soon exhausts the goodwill of all but the most patient advanced users.
• Explorative: This is the 20% group. Not all of these people become code ninjas or sysadmins, but they aren’t afraid to stretch themselves. They are consistently learning how to do things better and do a greater variety of tasks with their computers. These people range from the power user to development pioneers like David Heinemeier Hansson.

The only way to “help” the second group listed above is for them to change their attitude and cultivate a desire to learn. People in the first group are a pleasure to work with, they just need encouragement and prodding from time to time.

So, here’s my advice to el groupo uno: Tinker.

Computers probably feel like rocket science, but they aren’t. Maybe you want to get better at Word or Excel, or make your web browsing experience better (say, less popups and ads?). Or perhaps photo retouching is the next step so you can assemble the family scrapbook.

• Break down big concepts. Take what you want to learn and break the concepts down bit at a time. You can learn as you go. If you need help getting started, ask a power user friend. Believe me, we want to help (in fact we’re almost too enthusiastic to share).
• Test your assumptions. Don’t be afraid to screw something up. Click that icon, the one you have no idea what it does. There’s usually an ‘undo’ button (just remember the old adage; save early and often).
• Learn to take shortcuts. Find ways to do simple things like opening, saving, and printing without using the mouse and then move on to accomplishing bigger things the same way. No matter what program you are using, there’s likely a keyboard shortcut for most things you’ve always done by pointing and clicking. Lists of these commands are found in the help file under “keyboard shorcuts.” Do this and you’ll work faster and enjoy using your computer more.

Example: Editing Text
I edit what I write almost exclusively with the keyboard. Here are some common shortcuts to help:

• SHIFT + Arrow Keys highlights text from your cursor in the direction of the arrow you press.
• CTRL+SHIFT+Arrow Keys (Windows) or ALT+Shift+Arrow Keys (Mac) highlights in whole-word blocks.
• CTRL/CMD+X: Cut
• CTRL/CMD+C: Copy
• CTRL/CMD+V: Paste

You can do 90% of the editing necessary with these five simple keyboard commands. Use the first two to select your text, and the bottom three to manipulate it, just as you would with the Edit menu. Practice this and become proficient at it, and you’ll find yourself itching for other things you can do to make life easier using your keyboard.

I hope you find these tips helpful. I’m always up for sharing pointers on using computers (Windows or Mac), so don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions.

Happy Friday!

It’s Week 10: Are 20% of your 2008 goals accomplished?

This post is a serious self-check, and a bit more vulnerable and less polished than I planned when I started. Dear reader, I hope you are 100% on track for your goals, and if not, that you take my honesty as a kick in the butt to get on track. For me, this year is a year of no longer accepting excuses for my own laziness and no longer tolerating how my mouth doesn’t match my actions.

2008 is now 20% over. Now that most people have dropped their New Years’ resolutions and resumed life as before, it’s time to dust off the goals you set for yourself just two short months ago and review them. Below are a few of mine along with my status updates, here:

• Business: Attend and Present at 1 Conference: I’ll be bold and admit that I haven’t attended any conferences for a few years. Some seminars here and there, but no industry conferences. I’m looking to change that this year. While I’d like to attend more than one, I’m setting the goal there so I at least do that. Progress Report: Still looking for conferences to attend, likely in late 2nd quarter into 3rd quarter.
• Business/Relationships: Cultivate 5 solid relationships with local business leaders: I’m on track with this goal, as I have 2-3 relationships I’m nurturing that would qualify. I need to focus this goal and further define the type of relationship I’m looking to have, though I’m implying a pretty high bar by this. I’m looking at these relationships as potential mentors, influencers, or high-level referral partners.
• Relationships: Write handwritten notes: I’ve had stationery on my shopping list for a while now and will be buying some this week. People don’t write handwritten notes anymore and it’s a good way to differentiate yourself when you do. I was floored when I received one from Mike Maddaloni after meeting him at TechCocktail. While I might not take it that far for starters, Mike sure made an impression on me with that.
• Family: Spend one Sunday each month with my parents: My parents live just across town, and I want to make an effort to spend more time with them. While I haven’t hit the Sunday goal 100%, I have noted more time spent with them overall including impromptu stops there during the week. This is a good check, though, and I’ll work to focus this goal more.
• Fitness: 5k Run by May, 10k by September: In my own mind, I’m falling down on this goal. I actually took about 6 weeks off from going to the gym, and though I have elaborate excuses I’ll credit it to laziness. I’ve been more diligent as of late, and now it’s time to find a race, register and pay for it (so I’m mentally committed), and start training. (Side note: Several friends are running the Chicago Marathon, including two who need to lose a crapload of weight first. I’m still considering it given the mental barriers I’ll have to overcome, I’d love to because I know it would be life-changing).
• Nutrition: Overhaul my diet, eat more fresh vegetables, and learn to cook: My diet has consisted of pre-packaged Trader Joe’s meals, canned chili, and crackers/fresh salsa for as long as I can remember. The diet is heavy on carbs, and many sources including my chiropractor tell me what I already know, to cut out complex sugars and eat veggies. I like veggies, but old habits die hard. Progress? I’ve started to buy fresh greens more, and I do prep some cous cous (more carbs, meh). Next up: getting over my squeamishness of raw meat.
• Discipline: Go to bed consistently at 10pm, get up consistently before 6: My heart is so in this goal, and I’m excited for the success I’ve seen so far. I have to admit I’m still working on doing this consistently. The problem lies in how easily I get distracted in the evenings with reading or surfing, and using that as an excuse not to go to bed. This throws my wake-time off. Today was good: I was up at 5:15, made coffee, spent more time than usual with God, and now am writing this post. The goal behind this goal is to have an hour each morning to hone my writing skills and build presentation materials so I can start presenting.
• Fun/Life Goal: Save up and get my Private Pilot’s license: Ask anyone close enough to me and they’ll tell you how much my heart is in this one. I just ordered a book and have been gathering knowledge online for weeks. Financially I’m not yet on track for this as my car purchase last year has taken away the (nice) cushion I once had in my budget. I’m looking at ways to creatively shave my budget and increase income so I can at least get Sport Pilot certified or qualify for solo instruction this year, and finish the Private next year.

With that, I challenge you to write a similar post on your own blog and send me a note/comment with the link.

How not to frame your goals

Let’s take a few common goals/New Years’ resolutions:

• Lose weight
• Eat less junk food
• Exercise more
• Spend less and get out of debt
• Spend less time working and more time with family

What’s one big reason these don’t work? They’re all phrased in the NEGATIVE.

Don’t Phrase Your Goals in the Negative Phrase Your Goals in the Positive
Here are some good goal examples:

• My goal is to be a fit, toned, 180lbs
  My goal is to eat foods that make me feel good after I’ve eaten them (Ever notice that sickly feeling after pizza? Yeah you do.)
• My goal is to improve my effectiveness by focusing on one thing at a time.
• My goal is to get more work accomplished by using tools to track the amount of time I waste procrastinating online, and make the necessary corrections.
• My goal is to maintain a positive cashflow and feel good about my spending habits by sticking to my budget.

How this worked for me this week:
My weight fluxuates about 7lbs or so, like I imagine it does for just about everybody. My new-ish khaki’s shocked me on Monday when I put them on, there was no way I could wear them. I swear they’re shrinking, but that’s another story). That told me I had to be good this week because some of my dress pants and jeans are on the small side. Add some complexity: it was a week of business lunches, TechCocktail, and there was leftover Oberweis Chocolate Avalanche cake from Art’s birthday sitting in the freezer, spitting distance from my desk. I needed serious willpower to resist.

So, instead of saying to myself “I won’t eat cake, I won’t eat cake,” I let “I’m going to eat healthy, nutritious food” run through my head. Results:

• That client lunch on Tuesday at Portillo’s: Parmesean Chicken Caesar with dressing on the side (WOW was the chicken good).
• Wednesday’s Lunch: Another chicken caesar, not as good as Tuesday’s.
• Thursday dinner at John Barleycorn: YACCS (Yet Another Chicken Caesar Salad). It got old, but I rewarded myself on Friday with a piece of that cake AND a 5-alarm burger at Red Robin that night).

The proof is in the pudding, though. I just tried the khaki’s on. They’re still a little snug, but nothing like Monday. I’m going to employ a bit more of that positive reinforcement this weekend (and I seriously think they are shrinking–cold water from here on out).

How to think about making big changes

Hi, I’m Tim, and I’m a recovering perfectionist.

I’m on a journey towards taking more responsibility for the changes and improvements I can make and actually making them, and letting go of the things I can’t. Lately I’ve been learning to make small changes and celebrate the small improvements.

“How do you eat an elephant?,” my grandpa always asks; “one bite at a time.”

How to think about making big changes:

• Break big challenges down into small, manageable actions.
• Start implementing small changes.
• Acknowledge and accept that improved habits are more important than wholesale change.
• Once you’ve mastered the first step in a big change, move on to the next.

Personal Areas of Improvement

With that, here are a few simple areas I’m improving right now, step at a time:

• Kicking the multi-tasking habit - Do one thing at a time, then go on to the next thing. About a week ago I started making a concerted effort to clear the inbox at my desk. Before it was filled with trade publications, article clippings, and various bits of inspiration waiting to be acted upon. Now, one or two mornings a week, I walk away from my email and browser, review each item, and either create a to-do, add it to my calendar, file it for later, or throw it away. The GTD workflow has been a big help to me in learning how to handle this.
• Keeping up my filing system - I’m a neat person, and by that I mean neatly stacked piles of clutter, all arranged in straight rows. I tend to leave half-finished projects on my desk, cluttering my workspace as well as my mind. A couple weeks ago I had enough, commandeered one of the office label makers, set it on top of my filing cabinet, and put a bunch of spare manilla and hanging folders in my drawer. Now I have no excuse not to file, and I make new folders as necessary when clearing my inbox. My system isn’t perfect and my folders aren’t pretty, but that can come later. What matters is I’m getting in the filing habit.
• Writing everything down - One way or another, when an idea gets in my head, I capture it somehow. It’s not a perfect system, but I have a foundation I can improve upon. If I’m at home and an idea pops up for work, I send myself an email at my work address (and vice-versa). I use post-it notes, but only if I can’t get to a computer or my phone to send the email. I keep a journal at work and log action items as they come, and I’m starting to experiment with GTD programs like GhostAction and iGTD. Now that I’m in the habit of capturing things, I can work on refining the workflow.

Is there a twelve-step program to writing shorter emails?

So, I’m sitting here working today and I’m a little self-conscious about how long my emails can get. I don’t write novels, but if you know me, you know I tend to go overboard on information. On my most recent email, I really believe I needed to include all of the info; it totaled 300 words.

I want to be sensitive to people who get a lot of email and respect their time/attention. Years ago, I used to wear out my welcome from being too verbose. Even though I’m not that guy anymore, I can still improve in this area.

What’s your take?

• When is a long email appropriate?
• How do you know when it’s too long?
• What strategies do you use to decrease your email length, especially when you’re trying to get people on board with an idea or project?