work life

How to Be

I paid a visit to a book store the other day, where I came across an intriguing book written by poet Tommy Taberman and Dr. Jussi Koski. It was called “How to Be” ^(*.  I liked part of the insights in it, so I thought I would share some of them with you.

The book consists of random facts, poems and citations. The concept was smart, even if it made it hard to identify original sources.

How does this relate to time management? Well, good books induce thought. This is a good start, as the only way to start being more aware and conscious in life is by independent thinking. Consciousness will lead you to your goals faster.

Nevertheless, here are some random picks:

On Work Life

To which group do You belong to?

Three things that wake you up at night:

1. My job is boring. I know it too well. It cannot offer me any challenges. I am stuck. I do not learn, grow, nor develop.
2. My job is too requiring. I cannot control this situation. Too much is expected of me. I have went too far.
3. I have a perfectly interesting, inspiring, and appropriately challenging job. But it has stolen me from myslelf, my close ones and my hobbies. I do not have anything else anymore.

Wipe your sweat:

1. When you meet a stranger, do not ask him what he does for a living. Instead, ask him what he enjoys the most: a flower, a  book, birds singing, silence. If he gets confused and does not know what to answer, you have met someone infected with work.
2. When you suddenly call what you do work, stop doing it.
3. The difference between a passionate person and a workaholic is that a passionate person might just as well just stop doing something and start dancing on a table.

This is a fact:

1. The UN organization for work is called ILO (=  JOY in English)

On Three Kinds of Persons

The authors also had one page on three groups of persons. Do You recognize yourself?

1. The numb person (90% of the population) is not fully aware of life. He does not have original ideas, nor does he actively look for possibilities to develop himself. He is just one in the masses.
2. The fundamentalist (9% of the population) takes a set of ready beliefs, clings to them like they would be his life blood. Once the direction is set the fundamentalist cannot really adapt beyond those beliefs. He is rigid, even if he himself often experiences a strong feeling of control.
3. The thinker (1% of the population) studies, synthesizes and tailors himself a personal view of the world. He is ready to change as a person, when needed also his opinions.

Quotations

Do you think this is the way to do it?

As men are not able to fight against death, misery, ignorance, they have taken it into their heads, in order to be happy, not to think of them at all.
- Blaise Pascal, mathematician, philosopher

What about this one?

Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.
- Oscar Wilde, Irish poet, novelist, critic

Bottom line

You should never stop developing and start clinging to the past. Strive for higher consciousness. This will also help you with your time management, as you will find and achieve your true goals faster.

Time Management Solutions – Main Page. Learn different time management solutions and be more efficient in everything you do. Increase your personal productivity and discover more free time!

^{*) = the original title is “Kuinka olla” and all translations (including the title) from Finnish to English have been made freely by me}

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