Everyday Systems: everydaysystems: message 8 of 74

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Reinhard

thanks for that post. It has certainly got me thinking. I had read the names of these 
systems on the Everyday Systems Lab page and had puzzled a little over what they were 
all about, so it is interesting to find out more. Again you emphasise the simplicity, 
clarity, integration with normal life, minimal fuss and a memorable title.

Some initial comments:

Glass ceiling: great title and great concept.
Low smoking: fine if it works for you. I've never really smoked and don't really like 
it when those around me smoke, so I'll not try that one.
Weekend Luddite - fantastic system. It is so easy to have the internet absorb time 
that some structure around its use may be helpful. I'm going to think about this and 
some adaptations of it. however the pinciple could also apply to other things. In 
some ways I think I can et a bit obsessive compulsive (I get very interested in 
things and try to find out as much as possible about my current interest...and this 
sort of rule might moderate the excesses of that.
Audiodidact - smart name. I've tried similar things listening to audiobooks while 
walking to work, but have given up that recently because I found that I was missing 
out on the "thinking time" that comes with the walk. I was filling my head 
with other stuff rather than just enjoying the walk and using it to think things 
through.
The 7 thing - useful principle, but without the German heritage I'd struggle with the 
name! Again an adaptable one.

In terms of my own problems for which I'm thinkgin about "Everyday" style 
solutions, there are the following, a couple of which I mentioned in the earlier 
email:

Getting enough sleep! - this is sometimes a similar problem to the weekend Luddite 
issue - hey I'm writing this at 11.35 pm when I should be asleep, instead I'm 
checking the internet - but also there is a lack of discipline in simply getting out 
of bed in the morning when the alarm goes. Then the extra half hour in bed leaves me 
rushing round in the morning and feeling stressed and late and under pressure. I need 
some principles to buidl the habit of getting up in the morning.....

Moderating my purchasing / thrift type issues - there are some things I just like to 
buy - books, running shoes and hiking equipment really. Things that I don't always 
need, but still buy. It is not an issue in terms of money I never get in debt and can 
afford things, but sometimes I don't control the spend and coudl maybe plan the 
purchaes more wisely...

Clearing the decks - dejunking the apartment. Living in a small apartment there can 
be issues with storage. But sometimes "junk" builds up....getting rid of 
it, recycling it etc can be a chore .....any ideas to reduce/eliminate "junk 
build up"

Speed reading - this is a favourite with self improvement type courses, but there 
must be a balance. i like reading a novel slowly sometimes....yet if I have to read 
reports or research at work I want to get through it quickly while spotting the key 
points. One thing I sometimes do with a newspaper is read the first paragraph of all 
the news stories these are usually written (by trained journalists) as a summary of 
the whole story, so in a few minutes you can read the whole paper and get the general 
outline of the day's news.

Saving/investments - I've been thinking of some sort of Biblical tithing 
thing.


Anyway, lets keep talking, but I really need my bed now!

Cheers

Chris



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