Category: Quotes

Washing Dishes: Thich Nhat Hanh

“While washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes,

which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes.

…There are two ways to wash the dishes. The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second is to wash the dishes in order to wash the dishes. …If while washing the dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not “washing the dishes to wash the dishes.” What’s more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes.

…If we can’t wash the dishes, the chances are we won’t be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future – and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.”

—
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation Thich Nhat Hanh

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“26 Great Apps for ADD Minds” – Eric Tivers


In 26 Great Apps for ADHD Minds, Eric Tivers at ADDitude Magazine reviews apps he’s actually tried, and actually likes.

Tapping into apps didn’t cure my ADHD, just like taking that salmon-colored pill didn’t make my symptoms disappear. But using a range of apps has allowed me to evolve from tech geek to productivity geek. I have organized the list to address areas that challenge ADHDers the most: managing distractions; managing information; managing time; enhancing creativity; getting more sleep and being more productive.

Here’s his writeup on RescueTime:

1. RescueTime
(rescuetime.com; PC, Mac, Android, Linux; free to $9 per month, depending on the version)

I’ve used RescueTime for several months. I use the free version, which allows me to see how I spend my time on my computer. If you’re looking for ways to save time, you have to know how you’re spending it.

I have ADHD and I work with people with ADHD. We all need to improve our awareness of time. There is a difference in how long you think you spent doing something and how long you actually spent. While it runs in the background, the Rescue Time app quietly tracks all of your activities. You might be surprised, as I was, to realize that you looked at cat videos for two hours. It allows you to rate each activity from “Very Distracting” to “Very Productive.” You set goals and track your progress.

In the Premium version, which I have used for a month, I have limited my time on certain websites based on my day’s goals. If I want to be on Facebook for only 30 minutes a day, it will block Facebook after half an hour.

Posted on by Phil Marsosudiro 0

Best Career Advice: Fires and Followup

In Forbes, Kristi Hedges shares her top-ten tips in “Executive Coach Reveals Best Career Advice Ever”

By chance her first two tips are very relevant to executives with ADD.

Fortunately, our ADD makes first tip very easy for us to start:

1. If you see a fire, run into it.

…in chaos, there is opportunity. Most major career accelerations happen when someone steps into a mess and makes a difference. In the technology sector, people will remark that one year in a start-up is like five years in an established company. There’s ample opportunity to stretch your wings, wear many hats, and create a name for yourself when there’s not a set plan to follow. You can find the same opportunity in any organization, if you seek it.

Remember that you also need to create a good name for yourself. Run into the fire then do something useful.

Hedges’ second tip, alas, is a lot harder for people with ADD:

2. Follow up.

If, as Woody Allen made famous, 80% of life is showing up — then 90% of career success is following up. Our organizations are rife with lack of accountability, whether by intention or incompetence. Be the person who meets deadlines, holds others accountable, and heck, even remembers to say thanks when it’s due. Following through on your commitments is trust-building, and the opposite erodes it quickly and indelibly.

The good news is that we can learn to follow-up. That we can build systems (and use other staff) to help us do this “90%” success factor. It’s hard (and it requires us to make choices on how much we take on, as we learn to budget how much time it takes to do things completely). And we can do it.

———-

Want to read Hedges’ other eight tips? Check them out here.

Posted on by Phil Marsosudiro 0