The Column
Motto: Tangent
Systems analysis - that’s got to be a passtime of mine. I like taking apart different systems to learn about how they work. Taking apart machines to see how they run. Analyzing workflows to find inefficiencies. Looking at a set of logical processes to and finding ways to reduce their complexity. I like all of these things. So, for a long time I’ve wished I had some sort of example or set of examples for “how to live a successful and happy life: an up to date guide”. It’s this fundamental desire that drove me to obsess over note-taking systems, do a several-week-long time analysis project, build a Aaron’s Life Reference guide, and create the Life Tracker 1.0 & 2.0… but think about how much easier this would have all been with some examples! I’m talking about something like a series of tutorials & how-tos. A reference guide to everything from “making, keeping, and tracking a budget” to “how to exercise effectively and efficiently” to “how to manage projects”. Sometime I should write down my methodologies for the use of individuals who have felt similar struggles. These reference guides would use everything I do as example. “Okay folks, here’s how I manage XYZ”. So often, you don’t know what you don’t know. Now that I’ve pushed through several years of successfully managing “adult life”, maybe I’m worthy of writing this how-to. Then again, I’ve got zero kids. No house. I’ve got an awfully long way to go before I could really package up “Life: The Reference Guide”. Whatever. Here’s what it would look like: Page 1: Introduction Good things are good. Bad things are bad. Good things are better than bad things. You should maximize the number of good things in your life and minimize the number of bad things. This will make you happy. Happiness is good. Here’s a list of other good things… Life Play Physical Fitness Resource management Time management Money management Music Cleanliness … Page 50: (still on the list of good things) … clear sinus passages Spatial awareness Sanity Active listening practices Concise speech Carrots Respect Simple machines … Page 77: (end of list of good things and beginning of section 1) … Appropriate volume levels Education Pullups (the exercise, not the diapers) Fishing and Four leaf clovers Section 1: the Fundamentals
So, that list of good things was good (note to self: add “list of good things” to the list), but where should I START? Let’s take a look at Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs and answer that question… If you want more, buy the book. It comes out in the year 2035.
This was a weird post.
Top 5: Systems for Which I Wish I had a Good (Fully Fleshed Out) Example 5. Kindergarten through retirement - a guide to success at school and employment 4. Exercise efficiency, planning, tracking, and sustainability 3. Budget tracking, how do you incorporate big, weird, and infrequent expenses in a budget? 2. Food: What to Get, Where to Get It, and What to Do with It. 1. “Life: The Notebook” - WHY CAN’T THIS EXIST (no, Evernote, you don’t count until you SHOW me you count)
Quote:
“In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”
- From the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the original book about everything -