It is Trouble Tuesday, but I have to say there hasn't been much trouble with me lately. I am getting back into my groove slowly and weighed in for the first time to find out I am down two pounds since Dec. 12 which is a HUGE accomplishment. I had Christmas, New Year's Eve, drinks with friends, bad food, good food and only a few workouts and that happened. It makes me very excited for the future.
I believe the only trouble I can think of is the lack of time...I wanted to set a goal of 27 pounds by my 27 birthday, but that is only 12 weeks away and losing 2+ pounds a week is almost impossible. So now that I have counted it out I would like to do 12 pounds in 12 weeks. I think I can do that.
Time is a funny thing because we never seem to have enough of it, but I normally sit on my couch on Monday and Tuesday nights (my only nights off) from like 6:30 until I go to bed around 11. I feel like I could be doing so much, but those are my nights. Other nights I am in class or I am still working and I hardly get a whole weekend to myself any more. Working on Saturday or Sunday is pretty common in my job.
So even though we say we don't have enough time-- we probably do.
Well short and simple tonight.
Tomorrow is Weight Watcher Wednesday.
Until then,
-A
Showing posts with label busy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label busy. Show all posts
11/15/11
Travel and Technology
Well I guess I have been a little slacking in the blog department, but I guess I hope my microblog could be looked at as a whole blog from time to time.
I get to go on my first trip with GVSU athletics tomorrow morning beginning at 4:45 a.m. I am heading to Denver/Golden, Colo. for the NCAA Regional Final game with women's soccer. Should be a good trip.
Through all of the planning and preparation I have decided to talk about technology and travel because in truth, technology has simplified travel. Or has it?
Going with the pro technology (more or less internet, computer-based technology) and travel I will say that I would much rather book a flight, hotel, car, etc. through a website than talking to a human. 1)Because it is all in front of me. The info, the prices, disclaimers, etc. right there on my screen for me to read instead of listening to someone (who normally is not a native English speaker) rattle off things that may or may not impact me throughout my trip planning. 2) It is easy. End of story. and 3) I HATE being on the phone with any company for more than five minutes. Half of the time the operator doesn't under stand your question and the other half you are punching a combination of at least 12 numbers in order to reach someone to really give you an answer.
Then there are the other things while traveling that are great. Wi-Fi (on flight, in airports and sometimes on buses), Cell phone chargers in the airport and now in some airplanes and the ability to get non-stop updates about flight changes, hotel information, etc. right on your phone.
Now to the bad side. With booking I really don't think there are a lot of negatives, though I really wish they would allow you to cancel and rebook a ticket online. Many carriers still do not allow this. Sometimes travel, even though its work related sometimes allows you to get away, but with all of this connectivity though, you are expected to constantly be updating this, sending that and doing this. Add in a two-hour time difference and you could be getting up well before your normal time in your current time zone just to keep up with the demands of your native time zone. EXHAUSTING!
Plus I have two computers: a desktop and a laptop. One I do all of my design work on and notes, etc. and the laptop is basically for word, and stat crew (the program we used to update athletic stats). So now I have to think about everything I may need on my MAC desktop and hook it up with my PC laptop.
And get this: I googled technology and travel tips and more than 300,000 results popped up. Now relevancy beside that is still a lot of information. So here are my own personal tips:
1) Get your stuff together - cords, chargers, batteries, etc. and make sure you really need all of them.
2) Make your laptop EASILY accessible to get out of your bag for security (one of my biggest pet peeves).
3) Download apps if you can that include Flight Tracking, Weather Updates, Flight check-in and even some for pure entertainment...I personally love angry birds.
4) Take the time during the travel to relax, even if for only 20 minutes, but turn everything off and just be. (Yes this is really zen, but I think it gives a refreshing take on the rest of your trip.
5) Bring "old-fashioned" technology such as a book or magazine and get into that instead of reading on your Kindle or iPad.
and finally...6) Sit back and enjoy the flight.
Until next time...
I think its GradGirl 7.0
I get to go on my first trip with GVSU athletics tomorrow morning beginning at 4:45 a.m. I am heading to Denver/Golden, Colo. for the NCAA Regional Final game with women's soccer. Should be a good trip.
Through all of the planning and preparation I have decided to talk about technology and travel because in truth, technology has simplified travel. Or has it?
Going with the pro technology (more or less internet, computer-based technology) and travel I will say that I would much rather book a flight, hotel, car, etc. through a website than talking to a human. 1)Because it is all in front of me. The info, the prices, disclaimers, etc. right there on my screen for me to read instead of listening to someone (who normally is not a native English speaker) rattle off things that may or may not impact me throughout my trip planning. 2) It is easy. End of story. and 3) I HATE being on the phone with any company for more than five minutes. Half of the time the operator doesn't under stand your question and the other half you are punching a combination of at least 12 numbers in order to reach someone to really give you an answer.
Then there are the other things while traveling that are great. Wi-Fi (on flight, in airports and sometimes on buses), Cell phone chargers in the airport and now in some airplanes and the ability to get non-stop updates about flight changes, hotel information, etc. right on your phone.
Now to the bad side. With booking I really don't think there are a lot of negatives, though I really wish they would allow you to cancel and rebook a ticket online. Many carriers still do not allow this. Sometimes travel, even though its work related sometimes allows you to get away, but with all of this connectivity though, you are expected to constantly be updating this, sending that and doing this. Add in a two-hour time difference and you could be getting up well before your normal time in your current time zone just to keep up with the demands of your native time zone. EXHAUSTING!
Plus I have two computers: a desktop and a laptop. One I do all of my design work on and notes, etc. and the laptop is basically for word, and stat crew (the program we used to update athletic stats). So now I have to think about everything I may need on my MAC desktop and hook it up with my PC laptop.
And get this: I googled technology and travel tips and more than 300,000 results popped up. Now relevancy beside that is still a lot of information. So here are my own personal tips:
1) Get your stuff together - cords, chargers, batteries, etc. and make sure you really need all of them.
2) Make your laptop EASILY accessible to get out of your bag for security (one of my biggest pet peeves).
3) Download apps if you can that include Flight Tracking, Weather Updates, Flight check-in and even some for pure entertainment...I personally love angry birds.
4) Take the time during the travel to relax, even if for only 20 minutes, but turn everything off and just be. (Yes this is really zen, but I think it gives a refreshing take on the rest of your trip.
5) Bring "old-fashioned" technology such as a book or magazine and get into that instead of reading on your Kindle or iPad.
and finally...6) Sit back and enjoy the flight.
Until next time...
I think its GradGirl 7.0
10/4/11
Maybe Multitasking Isn't the most effective...
So here we go again...a full month into the wonderful world of grad school and as I delve deeper I find myself relying more and more on technology both to keep me in my current overbooked world and using it to take myself away for the hour or two.
My blog is named Murph Multitasking - basically because that is what I do all day, every day. Is it a habit? Oh yes. Am I good at it? Most of the time. Is it beneficial? According to studies, not one bit.
Take this article from 2008 and a quote from it: "People can't multitask very well, and when people say they can, they're deluding themselves," said neuroscientist Earl Miller. And, he said, "The brain is very good at deluding itself."
I am one of the deluded.
In my job, I multitask. I have my cell phone next to me (though it doesn't get service in my office), a computer in front of me with at MINIMUM three web browser tabs open and papers around me that I need to grab information from or will read to fill me in on something. And that isn't even on game day.
On game day, I have to do stats, which for those who don't know requires using special keystrokes and inputting what is happening on the field, court, etc. into a program, update Twitter and/or Facebook, slowly generate a story in my head or on paper and do whatever else is required while I am in the press box. Every one of those things may seem to appear to be able to be completed and then move on, but that isn't the case. Again, is it effective? I'm not sure, but it is what I HAVE to do. No choice. Must. Complete. All.
The next thing is that while I am at work I am chatting with friends on GMail, playing Words with Friends on Facebook all while writing bios for athletes. Some days I do these all seamlessly without losing my train of thought or getting sidetracked on to a different task or random e-mail. Other days, I can barely complete a sentence to my friend, let alone make sense of what happened last season for an athlete.
For me a lot of how productive I am while multitasking is based on a) the task, b) how rested I am and c) the desire I have to actually do the tasks.
Surprisingly, when I made myself a detailed list of hour-by-hour tasks, it was what I would call the most effective use of my time in a long time. The reason I did this though was internally motivated, I wanted to leave work by 1:30ish in order to get to the east side of the state for a special event. I LITERALLY put a timer on for 10 minutes while I check Facebook and responded on Twitter. Then I worked on something for an hour and gave myself another 10 minutes of the mindless stuff. It worked.
The downside of this is that I do not know what is going to be on my agenda every single day. Most days I know, but sometimes people come into my office and need something and it takes 20-30 minutes away from the time I dedicated to a project.
So I guess what I take away from all of this is that maybe an hour-by-hour to do list every day is an effective way of managing my time and therefore can make me more efficient. Now if I could just break this multitasking habit...
Another good article on multitasking: Instant Productivity Booster
Until next time...
Grad Girl 5.0 out.
My blog is named Murph Multitasking - basically because that is what I do all day, every day. Is it a habit? Oh yes. Am I good at it? Most of the time. Is it beneficial? According to studies, not one bit.
Take this article from 2008 and a quote from it: "People can't multitask very well, and when people say they can, they're deluding themselves," said neuroscientist Earl Miller. And, he said, "The brain is very good at deluding itself."
 |
| Graphic from: Instant Productivity Booster: Quit Multitasking by Eva Rykr |
In my job, I multitask. I have my cell phone next to me (though it doesn't get service in my office), a computer in front of me with at MINIMUM three web browser tabs open and papers around me that I need to grab information from or will read to fill me in on something. And that isn't even on game day.
On game day, I have to do stats, which for those who don't know requires using special keystrokes and inputting what is happening on the field, court, etc. into a program, update Twitter and/or Facebook, slowly generate a story in my head or on paper and do whatever else is required while I am in the press box. Every one of those things may seem to appear to be able to be completed and then move on, but that isn't the case. Again, is it effective? I'm not sure, but it is what I HAVE to do. No choice. Must. Complete. All.
The next thing is that while I am at work I am chatting with friends on GMail, playing Words with Friends on Facebook all while writing bios for athletes. Some days I do these all seamlessly without losing my train of thought or getting sidetracked on to a different task or random e-mail. Other days, I can barely complete a sentence to my friend, let alone make sense of what happened last season for an athlete.
For me a lot of how productive I am while multitasking is based on a) the task, b) how rested I am and c) the desire I have to actually do the tasks.
Surprisingly, when I made myself a detailed list of hour-by-hour tasks, it was what I would call the most effective use of my time in a long time. The reason I did this though was internally motivated, I wanted to leave work by 1:30ish in order to get to the east side of the state for a special event. I LITERALLY put a timer on for 10 minutes while I check Facebook and responded on Twitter. Then I worked on something for an hour and gave myself another 10 minutes of the mindless stuff. It worked.
The downside of this is that I do not know what is going to be on my agenda every single day. Most days I know, but sometimes people come into my office and need something and it takes 20-30 minutes away from the time I dedicated to a project.
So I guess what I take away from all of this is that maybe an hour-by-hour to do list every day is an effective way of managing my time and therefore can make me more efficient. Now if I could just break this multitasking habit...
Another good article on multitasking: Instant Productivity Booster
Until next time...
Grad Girl 5.0 out.
3/9/11
Back at it.
Not like any one noticed, but I have neglected this blog for exactly a month. Let me tell you in that month what happened. My parents visited Feb. 11-13 then we had the opening weekend of hell fall upon us. 15 softball games over the first weekend and then an extra basketball game on the following Monday to cap it off. Then the weekend started again with a basketball game on Thursday followed by 17 softball games through Sunday to close out February. Oh yeah and in that stretch my grandparents come to visit on Tuesday-Wednesday so that was nice.
Now opening March with a doubleheader on Wednesday and then 14 games of softball through Sunday. Now though, it is all over and it is quiet over here. No home games for me until next Wednesday on the 16th. THANK GOD.
The purpose is of all of that is spelling out that I had no time or energy to even try to work out and I feel like a complete schlub (is this really a word?). Oh, and in the midst of all of this I have had some serious stomach issues included nausea and not so other nice things. I went to the doctor, but we are kind of stuck as to what is going on.
So to get back into it, I am starting by trying to eat very plain food. BRAT - Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast (toast is not really my thing so I go with saltines) to begin and trying to limit my pop and sweet tea in take. We will see how this goes. Next I am giving myself one full week of nothing besides work. I work 9-5 at FGCU and then had/have three days at my other job. This weekend is all about me! minus the fact I have to write softball recaps at night.
Beginning on Monday its back into working out four times a week minimum. I set goals for myself at the beginning of the year but it has fallen by the wayside and I need to get back to meeting them.
So that's an update, that is where I am right now and we shall see how it goes. Hopefully we can figure out the stomach thing because I really did like the way things were going before.
Until then peace out!
-Murph
Now opening March with a doubleheader on Wednesday and then 14 games of softball through Sunday. Now though, it is all over and it is quiet over here. No home games for me until next Wednesday on the 16th. THANK GOD.
The purpose is of all of that is spelling out that I had no time or energy to even try to work out and I feel like a complete schlub (is this really a word?). Oh, and in the midst of all of this I have had some serious stomach issues included nausea and not so other nice things. I went to the doctor, but we are kind of stuck as to what is going on.
So to get back into it, I am starting by trying to eat very plain food. BRAT - Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast (toast is not really my thing so I go with saltines) to begin and trying to limit my pop and sweet tea in take. We will see how this goes. Next I am giving myself one full week of nothing besides work. I work 9-5 at FGCU and then had/have three days at my other job. This weekend is all about me! minus the fact I have to write softball recaps at night.
Beginning on Monday its back into working out four times a week minimum. I set goals for myself at the beginning of the year but it has fallen by the wayside and I need to get back to meeting them.
So that's an update, that is where I am right now and we shall see how it goes. Hopefully we can figure out the stomach thing because I really did like the way things were going before.
Until then peace out!
-Murph
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