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i’m always looking for interesting reads and new ways to improve and understand the things i do and in particular improve the way i think. i ran across these critical thinking mini-lessons via del.icio.us. of particular interest is a practical guide to critical thinking and chapter 01 of becoming a critical thinker. i may just have to buy the book.

why am i here?
what am i looking for out of life?
what will make me happy in 20 years that i can work on today?
if my obituary was written today what would someone write about me? what would i like to have written about me?
am i happy with my current job?
where do i see myself in 2 years? 5 years?
what changes can i make to be healthier?
how can i be more financially secure?
how can i be a better husband?
what motivates me?

some of the questions i’m trying to answer while reading getting things done. i’ve organized most of our crap at home (still have some things to conquer), started keeping track of ideas and todos in lists, changed my approach to managing at work, and in general i try to stay on top of things more.

still plenty to do and lots of questions to ask. for a quick fix on cringe-busting your todo list check out 43 folders.

some of the changes i’ve made recently are to convert to a more low-tech solution for managing my life. these little black books are the definition of low-tech. these beauties are portable and have an oilcloth bound cover with acid free paper pages that are thread bound. they have an elastic closure strap which is convenient for keeping it closed in your bag. it also has a simple inner pocket perfect for business or index cards. finally, they have a built in bookmark in the binding for quickly jumping to your current lists. in short, nerd-friendly in features and life-friendly in simplicity.

after reading getting things done (more on that later) and waking up to the hipster pda revolution, i’ve been turned on to low-tech. now don’t get me wrong, i’m not going to be throwing my powerbook away any time soon. i am however no longer relying on my brain to take notes. gone are the random stickies and papers on my desk to manage my work and personal life.

i have one pocket moleskine for my work lists and notes and one for my home lists and notes. i also have some larger books for ideas and brainstorming, but i mostly just carry around the 2 primary pocket moleskines.

the whole concept behind the lists and managing my “stuff” is central to getting things done. needless to say part of getting things done is taking control of the random “stuff” in your life. it’s as simple as putting actions around “stuff”, archiving “stuff”, or just getting rid of “stuff”. obviously there is a bit more to it, but honestly it boils down to being just that simple.

i plan on posting more about getting things done at a later time. i did however want to share some of the new happenings in my life with my fellow bloggers (in case i happen to have any readers lurking around). this is one of the bigger changes i’m making in my life along with taking control of my health & fitness again.