Organize IT recap for 28th December 2007.

• Hope everybody had a good Christmas! Now we only have the excesses of new year celebrations to get through then we can all get back down to serious work (or not…). Unlike Christmas, deciding what to do for the new year has always been a tricky issue for me as it usually ends up being a big letdown. What do you guys do to bring in the new year?
• As it was just before Christmas, my invite to view my new profile at LinkedIn probably passed a few of you by so I will just repeat it again. If any readers are signed up to LinkedIn be sure to add me to your network!
• Lifehack.org has done its year in review. While it doesn’t provide any practical advice per se, I thought it was worth mentioning for explaining the background of lifehacking and why it is such a big deal right now.
• John Place has a great article up about self acceptance. In a previous post I dismissed the concept of being yourself, which caused some debate. However the self acceptance idea pretty much sums up the alternative mindset you should adopt.

Organize IT recap for 21st December 2007.

• After asking for reader opinions on social networking sites I coincidently got an invite to join LinkedIn. I’m not sure yet what advantages or benefits it will bring to me or the blog, but it does look potentially more suitable for my needs than Facebook. You can view my profile here, be sure to add me to your network if you have an account!
• With the new year getting ever closer, it’s only natural that I will take a look over the past twelve months on Organize IT. I’m not quite sure what format that will take yet, but I would really like it if you all left a quick comment sharing what you considered to be the best and most useful posts. It might give me a good idea of what direction to go in in 2008.
• I’m not really a fan of software and web apps for organizing my life. I don’t like to rely too much on a computer and an internet connection, and I figure I spend enough time on my PC anyway. Do any of you guys feel the same way or it that not a problem for you? If you are into we apps though, Lifehack.org has a good look at eleven of the best releases from 2007.
• What is a priority? What is not a priority? How do you even work it out? Rolf of Evomend, a regular here at Organize IT, has written an extensive guide to priorities covering a number of way to assess importance.

Organize IT recap for 14th December 2007.

• What better way to learn about productivity in the higher echelons of business than to hear the inside story of Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger? While the article doesn’t go into great detail, it does raise some interesting points, especially about putting history to work.
• In what sounds like quite a refreshing, alternative way of thinking about your work, Steve Pavlina suggests you view yourself as self employed even if you an employee of a company. If you view your work and home lives as separate entities and need a different perspective to revive your career ambitions, this could be it.
• In preparation for a revised look at tracking roles and responsibilities in your life, I posed an open question to all my readers, asking how you go about implementing the approach into your productivity systems. I’m still keen to hear your thoughts so if you haven’t left a comment yet please do!
• Lifehack.org has taken a look at how to quit a bad habit by asking four questions. It poses some very good points including whether you really want to change and if now is the right time to do it. Combined with my post covering how to lay the foundations of habit building, you have a pretty definitive guide on the topic.

Organize IT recap for 07th December 2007.

• I wish I had a productivity system like GTD when I was at university. Study Hacks has a very comprehensive look at how you can implement Getting Things Done for college students. Even if you have no prior knowledge of the subject, the article gives explanations of all the basics.
• If you haven’t already read it yet, do check out my first guest post for another blog. It covers how to make a smooth transition to a new job and can be found at Executive Assistant’s Toolbox.
• I found this article to be a fascinating read. It details seven dumb reasons why smart people settle for terrible jobs. If you feel you are stuck in a terrible job or going nowhere in a lowly career, this post might give you some inspiration to make a move. Don’t settle for less!
• The new year is approaching and it’s around this time that our focus turns to wiping the slate clean and getting organized. Dumb Little Man suggests nine ways to get yourself organized by year’s end. What measures are you to get yourself sorted out?

Organized IT recap for 30th November 2007.

• I’ve always been a fan of Firefox browser ever since I originally tried it out. I don’t think I could ever use anything else now. It’s much more streamlined than Internet Explorer but isn’t a completely different experience like some other browsers can be. This article is an interesting read covering the changes in the upcoming Firefox 3. What’s your favorite browser?
• Is exercise the miracle antidepressant drug? The article takes an interesting look at a recent experiment which hinted that exercise was just as effective as common antidepressant drugs. I know when I am feeling down, getting active (not just exercise) can lift me back up again.
• I don’t use programs for managing my time and work because I don’t like to be tied to a computer any more than necessary. However occasionally I get emails from developers of such software asking me to check their products out. One of these products is uOrganized. The author seemed to have put a bit of time into the email so I thought I would mention it. Have any readers tried it or use it? Share your thoughts on it in the comments!
• The NY Times recently posted an interesting piece covering productivity in the workplace. While it doesn’t cover any specifics it raises some intriguing points, such as blocking internet access when working. Do you agree with what the article says or do you think it’s encouraging an oppressive work environment?