| Sam Young Newsletter |
Issue 26, June 2001
Hi guys,
Files all reorganised? Office sorted? Or are you still a procrastinator? Well, if you are mucking about, at least have some fun while you are doing it...
Perhaps you need to introduce some change into your life: in the words of the chap who wrote the book "Who Moved My Cheese" you need to anticipate change and move the cheese yourself. Go buy a copy of this book. It is a simple parable, but surprisingly effective in reminding us that we need to evolve. It takes more energy to be unbending (and probably break) than to flex with the storm. See the review.
Don't forget, if you want to be taken off my mailing list, click here to send me a reply e-mail and I will remove your name.
| And We'll Have Fun, Fun, Fun |
There is a wave of change taking place throughout the world; a change in the way we do business with our staff and with our external customers. And what is that change? Fun. Having fun at - and in - our work.
People like doing business with people who like doing business. People who mix fun with effectiveness.
Creating a workplace that thrives on "playful professionalism" decreases absenteeism, sickness, staff turnover and stress while increasing morale, teamwork and creativity, leading to increased productivity.... and profit. And job security.
This fun-ky <groan> (and that was my pun, not theirs) little "key" idea comes from Gail Howerton, the CEO of Fun*cilitators in the USA.
<> F1
Function. what is yours? What is your function in life? Studies show that those who have a purpose and are actively working towards achieving their goals are happier and wealthier than those who just show up for life each day. Set goals, change them, and actively work on them
<> Ctrl
Control your life and your immediate environment. Take control of your immediate circle of influence. Realize you have the power to control your state of mind and reactions to whatever life hands you. You can also control your immediate physical environment such as your office.Give yourself an energy boost by hanging up photos which cheer you up or putting a candy dish on your desk, having a nice rug under your feet, playing soft instrumental music to soothe your nerves
<> Space
Ask yourself these questions;
<> Shift
Shift tasks to increase energy. Adults - in our infinite wisdom - say that children have short attention spans, but they are just shifting to a task which brings them more energy when they are getting drained from the task at hand. Shift from left brain tasks such as budgeting to a right-brain task such as reading your mail or watering your plants. Your productivity will increase and your mind will feel refreshed.
<> Delete
Delete internal & external clutter Have you ever known somebody who could just light up a room..... when they left? Do you have any of these people in your life? Just delete them! They will sap the life energy right out of you. External clutter is anything around you that "bugs" you such as dusting, unread newspapers and catalogues piling up, the lamp you got in the divorce, or the tacky souvenir your neighbour brought you. Internal clutter is such things as dishonesty, secrets, emotional stress, miscommunications, or any other "messalanea" which is clogging up your circuits to think freely and be charged up.
<> Insert
Energy inserts and toys for the playful professional. Fill your day with energy inserts, toys, and playful items which speak to you. Studies show that using coloured pens, stickers, and getting creative will cause you to look forward to your daily planning sessions. Turn your Day Timer into an adult version of a colouring book. Professionalism can be playful - remember to mix fun and effectiveness and bring your sense of humour to work.
| Who Moved My Cheese |
Book Review: Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
What can you do in half an hour? You can check in for a flight (on time - yeehah!). You can watch Holmes or Shortland Street (yes, well.). You can play a game of Touch. Or you can rip through this little book "Who Moved My Cheese".
I happen to think that reading "Who Moved My Cheese" will do you far more good than the other things mentioned above.
"So get to the point and tell us what it is about!" I hear you say. This is a wee parable about a maze. And in the maze live four little beings: two mice called Sniff and Scurry, and two "littlepeople" called Hem and Haw. They each go into the maze each day to find cheese. They find cheese regularly. In the same place. Cheese Station "C". Day after day. Like the sun coming up.
Until one day there is no more cheese in Cheese Station C. This wee story looks at how Sniff and Scurry and Hem and Haw deal with the "no cheese" factor in their lives.
And no matter how smart we think we are, we can all learn some things from this story. Please read it. I have lent the book to a few of you already (and whoever has it now, please be snappy as there is a waiting list!).
| Rename4u |
Tired of files with misleading or uninformative names?
Rename4u is a free program that lets you rename files with ease. It has various methods that include search/replace, renumbering, and prefixes/suffixes. It includes a mode that lets you test your combinations before you finalise renaming.
You can select multiple files or a whole directory, apply sequential numbers, and change the case of file names.
| TLAs for SMEs |
Here are this newsletter's TLAs for you;
- IP, Internet Protocol. I know that we have had these before, but I was asked tonight what that was and couldn't remember! Processes and systems to govern how the net works
- SSL, Secure Sockets Layer. Netscape Communications protocol enabling encrypted, authenticated Internet communications like credit card transactions. URLs that begin with “https” indicate that an SSL connection. When you see that, look for the padlock on the bottom right-ish of your Explorer window
- Suffix (and I realise this is not a TLA, but the actual suffixes are!). The end of your web address. There are quite a cluster of them now in the US through NetworkSolutions(not available in NZ as yet);
.com = Commercial
.edu = Educational
.int = International
.gov = Government
.mil = Military
.net = Network
.org = Organisation
.tv = TV show site (this one is not in the approval process yet but is being campaigned vigorously)
.aero = Aero Clubs, Airlines, CAAs etc
.museum = Museum site
.name = Personal & family name sites
.coop = Co-operative sites
.pro = Professional
.info = Information
.biz = Business
Please feel free to email me with any TLAs that you want to get the bottom (meaning!) of.
| Short+Hot Keys... and now tips |
We're going to look at Function keys for a bit - all you can do in MS programmes with a single click of that one function key. I've decided to start at the end of the line with a straight F12.
- Access - Brings up the "Save As" dialogue box for whatever table, query, form, report or macro is open or, in f11 view (see next newsletter for details on F11 or give it a try), whatever tab and item your cursor is on
- Word & Excel - Brings up the "Save As" dialogue box for the active document
- Outlook 2000 - Brings up the "Save As" dialogue box for whatever email, contact, calendar item or task your cursor is on
- F12 has no straight function in Windows, Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer, Publisher, FrontPage or PowerPoint.
| Hot Linx |
For more Internet Explorer tips check out http://coverage.cnet.com/Content/Features/Howto/IE4tips/tip067.html
Starting your own business? Go to http://bzone.co.nz/start_up/0,,1982-270012,00.html
Hungry? Thirsty? Rabid foodie? You must go see Cuisine's site at http://www.cuisine.co.nz/
Those of you who watch the Beeb World Service overnight probably only just watch the news. However, there are a whole heap of other things there. Check out http://www.bbcworld.com/content/home/home.asp
Catch you again soon!! E-mail your suggestions to me here
