Merry Christmas
Wishing you Merry Christmas. I hope you have peace, happiness and abundance in your life and spread the cheer around.
I will be spending time with family, cooking up lunch and just lounging and you can find behind the scenes here
(Pic courtesy: Soma Bhattacharya via Canva)
Top 3 Books for 2016
Dec 22, 2016
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Book Review,
career,
creativity,
decision making,
Goals,
happiness at work,
Inspiration,
leadership,
lifestyle,
mindset,
productivity,
Stress Management,
team building,
thinking,
worklife
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comments
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If you have been with me reading the blog or checking tweets and
watching the occasional pop ups in Instagram, you will know that I read
for work and pleasure. This year has seen me get back to it more than the last
two years.
So, if you like to red or looking for a last minute gift idea, you can
check out these 3 books which I think have had the most impact on me.
· The 193 pg book focuses
on the benefits of maintaining a checklist through various industries.
· A surgeon from NY,
the book The Checklist is not about just to do lists. It’s a brief list that
helps critical decision making in sensitive situations like the operating room
by saving lives or during investment decisions or in aeronautical situation
(mid air crisis).
·
The reason I liked
the book is because:
§ It’s a simple idea that’s so well researched that it makes you think
that we should all implement more checklists in our work places and homes to
save ourselves from complications.
§ He talks about how the checklist that was created in John Hopkins
hospital that raised a possibility that people talking to each other a
minute before starting the operation was a strategy to foster team work
which lead to higher success rates.
§ It made me think that the basics of any project management should be
about certain checklist like its focused a lot in Agile with the ceremonies and
DOD (definition of done) and exit criteria’s all set to actually ensure that
everything is in its place and chances to miss it is reduced thereby ensuring
the quality of the potentially shippable product.
§ It’s a book that will make you think and has take away's that you can
actually implement in your work. It also provides you with enough case studies
that will allow you to make a strong case with the right set of data that you
will need to get buy in from your team or management to get the checklists
implemented.
If you need an awakening of your mind and soul, if you want to grow
more, need a way to organize your thoughts and dreams, want to be
happier....this is what you should be reading. It shook me up literally. ·It’s
a must read and will be my staple on the bedside table for the next few month
definitely.
- 223 pages excluding the
glossary and others, this book will help you understand your expectation
from life and how to get them. Book talks a lot about the realities that
the author faced as he tried to build his own business that thrives successfully
now.
- He gives example from his
own life and multitude of other people like Dalai Lama, Richard Branson, Arianna
Huffington and Tony Robbins on how they look at success.
- My favorite in the book is
chapter 5- where he talks about the structure that’s split into 8 sets of
qualities that we need from life and for me thinking the way he has laid
it down was life changing. I really knew the actions I had to take to grow
more personally and professionally.
- This is a book that helps
you look inside you, fix it... so you can fulfill your dreams outside.
· This was an impulsive buy in airport because I was looking to read
something while I was on vacation for my son’s 2 birthday this August. I don’t
think I have ever thought of sleep so much in my life till I started
reading this book. I will be honest, I am not much of a sleeper, I like to stay
awake more than I like sleeping. I have in the recent years also been very
sleep deprived; I call it the Rio Effect. The book surprised me with the health
benefits and the link to better decision making and yes now that I try to sleep
more I do see the payback myself.
- ·We all know sleeps
important, but the author breaks the modern myth of going sleepless and how cool it is especially
for youngsters and showing why and how it’s important to achieve our
goals.
- It talks about medications,
health issues, and extra cost to government dealing with health crisis
that can all be reduced just by sleeping.
- It also talks about how from
Warren Buffet to Satya Nadella all emphasize about sleeping and its bond
to good decision making and the effectiveness and efficiency.
- If you like informative and
well researched book like I do and the topic is something you can relate to- it’s a good
read.
For me I can connect
the dots of the take away of the 3 books- I think resting the mind to work and
function better in a structured way through checklists will make me happier and give me better value for the time invested in doing it. And
happiness will ensure I work through my challenges better and have the capacity
to fulfill the dreams.
Pic courtesy: Google and Soma Bhattacharya
Some of the links are Amazon affiliate links, you don't pay extra for it but it helps this site run. Thank you.
Some of the links are Amazon affiliate links, you don't pay extra for it but it helps this site run. Thank you.
The Art of Failing
I have failed a lot. That made me afraid of being a failure
.
And there have been quite a few times when I have been
called one. I have recently realized that my journey in life have been paved
through my failures and because I have failed I am doing what I do now.
Suddenly I have
realized that failure shouldn’t be negative and depressing. It’s part of
rethinking and making better decision.
Like I started this blog when I wasn’t sure what to do
career wise, I had a difficult time finding a job and I just wanted a space
where I could journal all my learning’s. I honestly never thought anyone other
than me would be reading it. I turned the blog into a routine which means I was
writing even during my worst of struggles and that kept me sane. It was a
positive energy for me when a lot of things weren’t.
If you have read about the Lizard brain, you will know we refrain ourselves from doing things that make us a success.
I am not a psychologist, however I can tell you that for me sometimes it’s
true. I feel the things I should be doing and then I don’t. I don’t know why.
For example, I have been thinking of writing about this for more than a week
and I haven’t written. I am not sure why.
I have been trying to
get back to reading and the last few purchases (of books) have been really life
changing and I wanted to share it with you. But then I thought, hey why not be
more satisfied with my work and try out another medium- vlogs. I would love to
bring you in my life and have a face to face conversation once in a while and
do I did vlog. It was an epic failure, the video was too long (around 15
minutes) and I wasn’t sure how to edit. By the way if you are curious I vlogged
about my 3 top favourite books in 2016. Anyways,
I don’t think I will be putting up that video which means I will have to re-record
it.
So, why this post? Its almost end of the year and I wanted
to check in with you and tell you that its okay to be where you are. I hope you
are happy with life, however just in case if you are struggling think what you
can do to get off the struggle. What will help you get there? Don’t get too
bogged down with bad days or failures. And always help someone whenever you
can.
And don’t get scared even when you fail, try to keep up with
your plan and keep at it! Everyone fails.
Here’s how Mary Higgin’s turned hers and what Macolm Gladwell thinks of the art of failure
(Pic courtesy: Pinterest)
December without Snow
Dec 5, 2016
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Books,
leadership,
lifestyle,
newbies,
project managers,
Stress Management
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0
comments
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I am in the mood to celebrate life and December is my
favorite month.
So, I have ordered a few more books and my Sundays are
mostly about trying to cut down the clutter and soaking up the sun.
I am trying to get
back to my original self, being more grateful, trying out new hobbies and
hoping that this month is where I get to be creative again.
Last month I traveled, planted some more plants in my tiny
balcony and started posting in Instagram. I also sprained my left ankle.
I have so much stuff coming for the blog and I am positive
that my new change of routines and way of working will ensure I actually can
get them done. So, it’s just not a concept running around wild in my head!
For some random links that I have been browsing recently:
- Let’s start with the gifts: click here
- How about unwinding for the year by doodling and learning about its benefits: click here
- Thinking about starting your own and finding out the latest in the tech world journalism: Click here
- If you follow a end of day or beauty routine, ever heard of the capsule format: click here
- Why Scrum is a scale free architecture: Click here
- How about some serious reading on how social media and mental health are connected: click here
Anyone interested in browsing through the top 50 project management blogs (By Feedspot). can look up here.
(Pic Courtesy: Pinterest)
Where is Project Management?
If that’s what you are wondering, you are
not alone.
If you look at my last 3 posts, there’s
nothing about project management really. However, all of them will hopefully
make you think about being a better professional and a project manager and
sustain it over period of time.
Because being a project manager is not a
onetime thing, you have to maintain your title, the success of your project and
your reputation.
Anyways, this space for me has always been
very personal. I have mostly written things that I have been going through in
real life. See my first blog post from eight years ago here . That’s what I read/research on and that’s what I mostly write about.
(Pic courtesy: pinterest)
Finding your Zone: What you Need to Learn from Winners
I have always wondered what it takes to
sustain the intensity of the work required to be successful. It can be easy to
be in a positive mind frame every day when you are living life.
In my search for finding successful people
I turned towards athletes. It must be a huge pressure to perform and ensure
failures and get back at it again. I learned that some athletes can learn to
trigger a feeling of success through smell and sound alone -- outside of
competitions. For example, when some athletes are feeling in a really strong,
powerful state during training, they smell lavender oil and listen to a certain
song. They then repeat these steps before competitions to bring back those
powerful feelings. "It can actually elicit quite strong emotions,"
said Fletcher, explaining how connecting to these neural pathways can help
trigger the unconscious brain, pushing the athlete into a really positive state
of mind.
Conditioning your brain is the secret to not only win Olympic medals
but also win in the race called Life. Top tennis player Andy Murray often leafs through a notebook during his tennis matches to remind him that he's prepared,
capable and ready to win.
Getting into the zone – also known as “being in a state of flow” –
usually happens when we are energized, in a good mood and doing things we enjoy
and have some level of skill that meets the demands of the task.
Will a checklist help? Perhaps.
If routine that is continually done and adapted with years and comfort
level- you might be able to recreate your zone over and over again. Sometimes
it can just be music or a song, sometimes the same setting/place, a perfume.
No matter what it takes, its something essential to continue doing
the good work and being you. And its’ not easy. So make the changes and see
what gets you in the zone and keep doing it. I don’t think I get into the zone on a regular basis but it helps a
lot when I do.
Few things I have been trying to do:
- Have a routine
- Repeat the routine during the same time everyday (till it becomes natural and just repeating it puts me in the mood- to relax or write or feel positive)
- For me sound, visuals and smell work great- I use songs, sometimes visual boards (my office has one) and perfume (I have set perfumes for days when I am not quite myself to make me be myself)
We are all humans and getting into the zone might end up being challenging but that’s what we should look at it- a challenge that needs constant work and adaption.
(Pic courtesy: Pinterest)
(Pic courtesy: Pinterest)
Whats in my Bedside Table- The Reading List
This is whats going on right now.
The last book I read was The Sleep Revolution.
Current Read- The Checklist Manifesto.
To read- The Talent Code.
To see why you should be reading these as well, check this space next week.
Whats in your bag?
(Pic Courtesy: Soma Bhattacharya)
The last book I read was The Sleep Revolution.
Current Read- The Checklist Manifesto.
To read- The Talent Code.
To see why you should be reading these as well, check this space next week.
Whats in your bag?
(Pic Courtesy: Soma Bhattacharya)
This is How I work- Laurens Bonnema
Oct 17, 2016
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communication,
creativity,
Goals,
lifestyle,
productivity,
this is how I work,
time management
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0
comments
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Laurens Bonnema is an Agile Management Consultant with Xebia and
an expert in sustainably aligning business and IT to improve the results of IT
projects. He also helps people (re)learn how to visualize their ideas
through sketchnoting, graphic recording, and videoscribing so they can
communicate those ideas more effectively, help each other to solve problems,
and have lots of fun.
For the past 17 years, Laurens has served in almost every role
in IT. Even Project Manager! More about Laurens’ work at Xebia can be found here. Want to know more about sketch-noting, graphic recording, and videoscribing? Hop on over to
www.bonnema.ink.
When do you wake up every day? What’s your alarm set to?
My alarm is set to 5:55.
Most of the time, that’s also when I wake up.
Tea or Coffee?
Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon.
Any rituals to set the tone for the day in the morning?
After I
wake up, I drink a glass of water and meditate for 10 minutes. When time
permits, I read a few newspapers on my iPhone before getting out of bed. If
not, I hit the shower, get dressed and go downstairs to grab some breakfast.
Over breakfast, I look at my calendar to get a feel for the day, and check my
Sprint Backlog to select the three most important things I want to get done
today.
When do you feel most productive?
I feel most productive in the morning. That’s when I get most of
my work done. After 12:00, my energy tapers off. I usually experience a small
burst of residual productivity around 21:00. But between 12:00 and 21:00, I’m mostly on
autopilot.
Where do you work?
Work is where the client is. For me, that’s usually in or near
one of the main cities in The Netherlands: Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Utrecht.
But I’ve done assignments in Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, and India as well.
Three must have items on your desk
If I could pick only
three items to have on my desk, it would be my Leuchtturm1917 Whitelines Link
notebook, Montblanc Meisterstück LeGrand fountain pen, and Apple Macbook Pro.
What do you listen to while working?
To concentrate on work, I listen to classical music. Mostly
Mozart. When I need less focus, I switch to podcasts. At the moment, the Tough
Girl Podcast by Sarah Williams is my favorite.
What are you reading currently?
I’ve just finished “Your Press Release is Breaking my Heart” by
Janet Murray and am currently reading “Verbaal Meesterschap (Verbal Mastery)”
by Remco Claassen. Remco is one of the most celebrated public speakers in The
Netherlands. Next up is “Ego is the Enemy” by Ryan Holiday.
How do you organize?
I use Scrum to stay organized and productive. I have a Product
Backlog spread out over several Trello boards. Every two weeks, I select items
from those boards and put them in Todoist. That’s my Sprint Backlog. Every day,
I select the three most important items to get done from Todoist. Some days I
do more, almost never less. I don’t distinguish between personal and client
items. When I did, the personal items never seemed to get done. Now, I have a
nice work-life-swirl going that suits me much better than work-life-balance.
Any hacks you prefer for work?
Learn something new! And
start teaching it to others as soon as you’re somewhat competent. It will keep
you engaged, fresh, and enthusiastic. That translates to all the other stuff
you do. Even the stuff you don’t like as much.
What are your favorite gadgets?
At the moment, my favorite gadget is my iPad Pro. I love it!
It’s a wonderful drawing tool that also functions as a powerful tablet. Highly
recommended for anyone getting into digital drawing!
What apps can you not live without?
It’s a bit of a list I’m
afraid, but I’ll try to keep it brief and limit myself to the eleven iPhone/iPad
apps I rely on the most that aren’t time-wasters: Mail, Trello, Todoist,
Calendar, Fantastical, Buffer, Overcast, OPTIMIZE, Headspace, Adobe Draw, and
Concepts.
Any new addition to your routines?
The newest addition to my routine is guided meditation with
Headspace. I’ve been meditating for years without guidance, and I love the way
Headspace makes it easy to stay focussed. I’m still a bit on the fence about it
though. Maybe in a few weeks I’ll discover I prefer unguided meditation after
all.
Also, I’m trying to make habits of exercise and writing. Mostly
failing at that so far. So tomorrow I’ll try again!
How do you recharge?
Reading. Nothing gets me relaxed faster than reading a great
novel. That, and sleep of course.
(Pic courtesy: Laurens Bonnema)