(ak) + (ai)

While I was bloghopping, I found this interesting entry by Jon from On Money Making. While some of the tips given are very radical that might not be suitable for us  Malaysians ( yes… we Malaysians are very proud of our hospitality), some others are, I find it, very useful. Among m favourites are

 6. Plan the new year - Forget resolutions. Instead, create a handful of major milestones that you can break into action items and then measure as you progress through the year. 

 I especially like this one and I think it is very useful. Most, if not all, of us will have a new year resolution this time around. If you don’t have one people might look at you differently. But if you are like most people, and I am, by the end of next year, when it is time for another resolution, chances are your resolution will still remain the same. You haven’t done anything much for the whole year.  So why not try milestones instead.  How to do it? Instead of having a general resolution say like “I want to lose some weight this year and get back in shape”, use a very specific milestone like “I want to lose 3kg by February, another 3 by April and another 3 by June and I’m back in shape”. And don’t forget to track them. This way you’ll be able to track your progress through out the year. 

  

7. Write - While you might not be able to write a book in a week, you could easily finish your book proposal. Or, you could write 5-6 articles that demonstrate your expertise and submit them to magazines/blogs at the beginning of the year.

 

8. Read - The holidays are a great time to catch up on your reading. Not only is it relaxing, but if you’re reading nonfiction, you can start the New Year with a fresh perspective.

 I find this very true. It is quite difficult to find time to read when you’re so busy with work. Although I try and discipline myself to a certain reading regime, I find that most of the time it is difficult to adhere by it. Hence this is the time to buck up. What am I reading now? Hopefully I’ll finish Blink; The Power of Thinking without Thinking and Fooled by Randomness during this holiday break (see my virtual bookshelf at my Facebook). 

  

9. Clean/Organize - In a busy year, it’s easy to collect an enormous amount of clutter. Use the holidays as an opportunity to empty your e-mail box, clean off your desk, and sift through old files for things you can throw away.

 Well this goes without saying I guess. And coincidentally Falah cleaned up our office just before we took our break. Boy is it nice to have a clean office.  For the full article from Jon, please read it here.