Self Distraction

Self Distraction

Weekend Wear: Grammatically correct clothing

Posted by

0

The Contently website has gathered several teeshirts that are made by various companies but all speak to the things that most make us twitch. Here’s my favourite.

2. Misuse of “Literally” Makes Me Figuratively Insane ($20, Snorg Tees)

IMG_0995.JPG

Society’s lexicon of words is constantly evolving and changing, and within the last decade or so, the word “literally” has become the new “like.” Thanks for your contribution to the English language, Rachel Zoe. School those word miscreants with a shirt that is equal parts sarcastic and educational.

7 T-Shirts All English Majors Should Own – Shelby Deering, Contently (7 January 2015

Read the full piece.

Weekend read: Autocorrect apocalypse

Posted by

0

There was the time I was concerned about a friend’s dog, but ended up asking about my former boyfriend (“How’s the Pete?”). (My iPhone remembered, whereas I wanted to forget.) There was the friend, a cocktail lover, who texted her pediatrician to inquire if she should switch her 2-year-old from “1 percent milk to ‘whiskey.” (He said yes, definitely, she should.) And Allyson Downey, a New York entrepreneur whose frequent response to something she liked — “Love ‘em!” — always seemed to read “Love me.”

“It makes me look horribly needy,” Ms. Downey said.

When Autocorrect Goes Wrong (and So, So Right) – Jessica Bennett, NYTimes.com (9 January 2015)

Read the full piece.

National Clean off Your Desk Day

Posted by

0

I kid you not. Next Monday is the National Clean Off Your Desk Day. I might as well be kidding as it’s definitely solely an American idea and certainly not officially adopted by whoever adopts these things, plus you’re not going to do it anyway.

But the second Monday in January is, seriously, National Clean Off Your Desk Day and what the hell? Why not? I usually only clean off my desk when I’ve been fired but I’m going to fight those bad memories and do it. Wait. I’ve a meeting next Monday. Okay, next Tuesday. National Clean Off Your Desk Day +1.

Actually, I’m sitting here now in a pit of 2014’s work and papers and electronics. I suddenly really get why this is a good idea and I know that it will help me get on more with work as soon as it’s done.

Though I am obliged, I feel, to tell you that Monday 12 January 2015 is also National Pharmacist Day. And National Marzipan Day. And National Curried Chicken Day.

And Tuesday 13 January is National Rubber Duckie Day.

National Clean off Your Desk Day

Posted by

0

I kid you not. Next Monday is the National Clean Off Your Desk Day. I might as well be kidding as it’s definitely solely an American idea and certainly not officially adopted by whoever adopts these things, plus you’re not going to do it anyway.

But the second Monday in January is, seriously, National Clean Off Your Desk Day and what the hell? Why not? I usually only clean off my desk when I’ve been fired but I’m going to fight those bad memories and do it. Wait. I’ve a meeting next Monday. Okay, next Tuesday. National Clean Off Your Desk Day +1.

Actually, I’m sitting here now in a pit of 2014’s work and papers and electronics. I suddenly really get why this is a good idea and I know that it will help me get on more with work as soon as it’s done.

Though I am obliged, I feel, to tell you that Monday 12 January 2015 is also National Pharmacist Day. And National Marzipan Day. And National Curried Chicken Day.

And Tuesday 13 January is National Rubber Duckie Day.

New favourite word: Mudita

Posted by

0

There’s no direct translation:

Mudita is word from Sanskrit and Pali that has no counterpart in English. It means sympathetic or unselfish joy, or joy in the good fortune of others.

Defining mudita, we might consider its opposites. One of those is jealousy. Another is schadenfreude, a word frequently borrowed from German that means taking pleasure in the misfortune of others. Obviously, both of these emotions are marked by selfishness and malice. Cultivating mudita is the antidote to both.

Mudita: the Buddhist Practice of Sympathetic Joy – Barbara O’Brien, buddhism.about.com (undated)

We could all use this but especially writers, right?

Hat tip to buddhism.about.com for the definition but a bow to Swiss Miss for spotting it.

 

 

How do you even pronounce ‘productivity’?

Posted by

0

There’s a new podcast from the productivity site Asian Efficiency which I had a listen to on my morning walk. (This is a new thing. A morning walk at 5am. This is a new stupid thing.) And the podcast is fine, I’ll listen to more before I know whether I want to urge you to try it, but the very first sentence made me stop in my tracks.

Frankly, anything can stop me in my tracks when I’m walking at that time of day.

But it was how they introduced the topic of productivity and pronounced the word as if it were pro-ductivity. And I realised then that I always say it as prod-uctivity.

Maybe that means they’re more professional about it and I’m the type who needs a good shove to get going. I’m okay with that.

Who makes this stuff up? Annual Clean Off Your Desk Day

Posted by

0

It’s a thing. Apparently. The second Monday of January is Clean Off Your Desk Day and I’m prepared to call that utter bollocks but for how I was thinking of cleaning off my desk just about around then.

I learnt about this just now on ProductivitySOS since I am coping with a sluggish day by reading productivity advice. I see the irony. And, I see the irony.

(I’m reading instead of doing and I’m also running a productivity site, so.)

Mind you, last year the same day coincided with National Rubber Duckie Day and I wish I were kidding.

Clickhole: Benjamin Franklin’s Daily Schedule Will Make You Feel Worthless

Posted by

0

Oh, enough already.

Think you’ve got it together? Well, you might want to take a look at this before you start congratulating yourself on being productive and having your life in order. We transcribed this page of Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule from 1776. Just look at all the stuff the famous inventor and Founding Father managed to get done in a single day!

June 16, 1776:

2:00 AM: Wake up early, as is the Benjamin Franklin way.

2:00 AM-2:15 AM: Invent shower.

2:15 AM-2:30 AM: Shower.

Benjamin Franklin’s Daily Schedule Will Make You … | ClickHole

There is much more. Much more. Read the full piece.

Rubbing it in

Posted by

0

I didn’t get up at 5am this morning. I’ve got a speaking engagement late afternoon/early evening and decided that it would be sensible for me to appear conscious while talking.

Unfortunately, I then spent most of 5am to 7am thinking about this so I’m not sure I got any benefit and I am sure that I’ve started the day of wobbily. I nearly forgot to put the bins out – had a few thrilling moments racing as big trucks with flashing yellow lights got nearer and nearer – and in general I’m just struggling to get going.

Then I read this email:

Your morning routine sets the stage for the rest of the day.

Think of it as the most precious 60 minutes you have every day.

Out of all 24 hours you have, the first hour after waking up is THE most important. This is where it gets determined whether you’ll be productive – or not.

We have noticed ourselves that whenever we don’t follow our morning routine, we just aren’t as productive as we know we can be.

We never get “in the zone”. Things don’t flow. Everything takes a little longer to complete. Procrastination kicks in.

Overall, it’s not a good look.

Stick to your morning routine as much as possible. It functions like a catalyst for your productivity. Get it up and running, and you’ll be off to the races.

“Your Hour of Power” email – Asian Efficiency (6 January 2015)

Asian Efficiency is a very good outfit that normally I can’t praise too much. But this morning, it’s like they peeked into my soul and I want to go back to bed, please.