[Writer Post] Organized Forward Progress
Oh, look, it’s December. ‘Tis the season for Day Job Training. I’m going to be at my desk for a sum total of about 16 – 18 of my 40 hours this week. Not to mention all last week when I was in Maryland. Most of what I’m doing this week has no direct correlation to what I did last week (except for what we’re doing Friday). But hey, isn’t there a famous quote about if you’re not learning, you’re dying? Well, NOT DEAD YET! But ow. I’m very grateful for the opportunities my department allows me, but I think in the future I’ll try to space ’em out better.
This does mean I’m back to being CRAZY BUSY – so I’m adjusting to some new normal with the day job, but that means honing the Mad Time Management Skillz. Currently I’m researching planners – though some of that is asking what folks like on social media. I’m looking for low tech ones – I do well enough with Outlook Calendars, but I also like having paper. If you have a good recommendation, send it on.
There’s been a lot to think about from my classes lately. One was a question today. What’s the difference between Creativity and Innovation? The simple answer to this highly complex and esoteric concept is IMPLEMENTATION. Actually DOING SOMETHING, or as NIKE says, “Just Do It!”
This is the time of year where I start looking at where I am – which is never where I think I should be – and what I want to focus on next year – AKA THE GIANT TO DO LIST. There is going to be ORGANIZATION darn it. Because there will have to be or I won’t make it. I will continue with Forward Progress because that’s a “forever” goal – like postage stamps (go with it). But I declare 2017 to be ORGANIZED FORWARD PROGRESS. Lofty, huh?
The most immediate goal is to finish up resources and talking points (see, I can haz jargon) for my Nerd Year’s Eve panels. I have the outlines, just have to do the polish. That’s coming up faster than I realize. If you don’t have your tickets yet, why not? It’s going to be awesome! Then it’s cataloging a bunch of crap on my pit of a desk and dealing with THAT. Then it’s onward and upward with all these new skills I’m learning at work.
Because when it all comes down to it, what I have here is a whole set of new TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS. That’s what every experience, every training, everything is to a writer. Transferrable skills. The more we know, the more real our characters and plots and stories can be. The details are richer. The tapestry woven tighter. HOPEFULLY, some of the non-communications stuff will help with project management and overall writing processes. Because yes, I’m learning some manufacturing theories.
In my now eclectic (because that’s the way I roll) quiver of training, I have public information training (communications) and I’m about to go up for my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt interview – did Yellow Belt today. These two things rarely go together – but hey, if it helps with ORGANIZED FORWARD PROCESS, it’s all good.