Compartmentalisation
Being offline from the internet was surprisingly a struggle initially. Only when you don't have something, do you realise how much you use it. However, some good things have come from the deprivation.
I some ways my life has changed, but in reality not by much. I've moved house, and am now renting instead of paying off a mortgage. That doesn't change much on a day to day basis. The move wasn't far. Only 4km. I still have access to familiar running trails, but the different starting and access points are making for some interesting things. I am hitting the books once again and am enjoying have a plan of study again. There are other things, but the gist is my life is changing, but it isn't all that different from a month ago.
What has changed is my approach. Over the last few years a subtly, but progressive style has crept into everything I do. It took moving house and no internet to realise this. I had become efficient under the guise of multitasking. Most of the time I was always doing at least two things at once. On the computer there were always more than one application running, and I would do a bit of one, move to the next, change something, move to the next, and so on. Cooking would be interspersed with other tasks. At times eating breakfast with my daughter I would have the TV on to check the news or have the laptop open. I am far from a fan of that practice. This all should save time. It doesn't.
The change is I had been forced to allocate time constraints to tasks. Study is the perfect example. Taking an hour in the evening to only do study makes for some very effective learning. Having the time with family and just doing that without dabbling in other so-called pressing needs has immediately taken away stress levels and has me feeling much happier about where I am in life.
It is an approach I have taken from working as paramedic. A simple concept:
I some ways my life has changed, but in reality not by much. I've moved house, and am now renting instead of paying off a mortgage. That doesn't change much on a day to day basis. The move wasn't far. Only 4km. I still have access to familiar running trails, but the different starting and access points are making for some interesting things. I am hitting the books once again and am enjoying have a plan of study again. There are other things, but the gist is my life is changing, but it isn't all that different from a month ago.
What has changed is my approach. Over the last few years a subtly, but progressive style has crept into everything I do. It took moving house and no internet to realise this. I had become efficient under the guise of multitasking. Most of the time I was always doing at least two things at once. On the computer there were always more than one application running, and I would do a bit of one, move to the next, change something, move to the next, and so on. Cooking would be interspersed with other tasks. At times eating breakfast with my daughter I would have the TV on to check the news or have the laptop open. I am far from a fan of that practice. This all should save time. It doesn't.
The change is I had been forced to allocate time constraints to tasks. Study is the perfect example. Taking an hour in the evening to only do study makes for some very effective learning. Having the time with family and just doing that without dabbling in other so-called pressing needs has immediately taken away stress levels and has me feeling much happier about where I am in life.
It is an approach I have taken from working as paramedic. A simple concept:
- Identify problems
- Prioritise problems
- Fix most important problem
- Move to next problem
It's straight-forward. It keeps you focused on what really needs to be done.
I like systematic approaches. I have always been that way inclined. As a result I just don't do as well in most endeavours by going with the flow or having plenty of spare time. Stress and work is good if I put in systems. I have found that system again. Naturally life is busy with plenty of demands, but whose isn't? Plans change, but I will always have plans. It simplifies things.
Right now running is going okay with a bit over a week of consistency. I'm only looking as far ahead as the Run For The Kids 14.6.km in a few weeks, with a 10km run beforehand. Seeing how I perform there will allow me to develop a better idea of where next I am going to take my running.
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