How I Work

David Kelly, inspired by a Lifehacker series, is promoting "How I Work".  Keep an eye on David's Blog as he links to others in this series. For now here's how I roll ...errr I mean work.

Location: Syracuse, NY

Current Gig: Manager, Corporate Training

Current mobile device: iPhone 4s

Current computer: Dell Latitude (sigh)

One word that best describes how you work: Creatively

What apps/software/tools can't you live without? 

Evernote, Tweetbot, Zite, Google Docs, Mailbox, MapMyRun, Kindle

What's your workspace like? Home: Dining Room Table overlooking back yard Office: Desk with too many sticky notes

Home Office

What's your best time-saving trick?  One step back to take two steps forward. Walk away from the work for a bit. Its amazing how even a 30 minute break accelerates my progress. 

What's your favorite to-do list manager? My wife and orange sticky notes

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without? iPad Mini

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else? Mowing the lawn. I'm meticulous. Nothing more therapeutic too in my opinion. 

What do you listen to while you work? Beatles and Podcasts: Shift, NPR, 60 Second Mind, On Being, Radio Lab, TED, Tayloring It, 

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? Yes. Hate labels. Depends on situation, environment. More outward going I guess

What's your sleep routine like? Down by 10pm, up by 4:45am

Fill in the blank. I'd love to see ______ answer these same questions. Me in 10 years

What's the best advice you've ever received? Love yourself.  Not in a narcissistic way but a patient, forgiving one. Thanks Mom.

So... How do you work?

Cycle Learning: Acceleration and Power

This morning I got out for my first ride of the spring.  Its been a long winter and so some of my mechanics and cadence were off and I forgot my riding glasses but it didn't take too long to comeback (it's like riding a bike...heh).

If you do cycling at all then your probably familiar with clip-less pedals; ones where you use special shoes to lock yourself onto the bike pedal and with a quick jerk you can release.  The obvious advantage is that you are locked into your machine, you have double the power; pushing down on the pedal and pulling up as it cycles around. Pushing is the desired action for acceleration on downhills and flat road. Pulling is advantageous for the tough hills, where you need power. Pulling takes thought however, its not as inherently obvious to novice cyclists as it is to push.

Of course a ride in the quite morning allowed my thoughts to wander and in this case make connections. Cycling is work. And like our work, when we look to ramp up our performance, (especially during the less demanding crunch times) we can afford to engage in "push" or formal learning. These deeper learning dives; classes, courses, seminars, workshops, etc (when appropriate and well designed) can accelerate our knowledge and skill development. However we can't afford to turn to "push" during our work. In our task driven days when milestones loom like mountains we must turn to a different action; our ability to "pull" or leverage informal and social learning. No harder than push and not necessarily more important, pull learning is a key to success at a different time; during the metaphoric inclines. Pull is having focused networks to tap into coupled with Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) to draw upon ideas and resources that help us muscle through the tough spells. Pull is also our being cognizant of the work and learning through our mistakes.

Inclines, welcomed or not, (in cycling and in our work) come in a variety of gradations and frequencies. Those who work smarter, maximizes all opportunities for power and acceleration and turn mountains into mole hills.