I’ve owned and used a Mac for about 6 years, and yesterday was the first time something really unexpected happened. There have been no failure of any kind, no windows like problems at all. It’s been like living in computer heaven, well, until yesterday.

When I hit the power button, I just received a white screen. Nothing happened, OSX didn’t boot at all. I tried several times, nothing happened, except for the white screen.

Since I was sort of in a hurry, I just had to do a quick search on Google, and found out that what I experienced had an interesting and sort of disturbing name: White Screen of Death. I also discovered that it could be fairly serious damages to my iMac.

It could be everything from just hitting a few keys while booting, to having to change the harddrive, the Ram and so on. I was actually sort of petrified just by the thought of what I had to go through when I got home.

A few minutes later I was walking to visit a few of my friends, and since I just couldn’t get this white screen out of my head, I thought I’d send out a tweet. Just a few minutes later I received a possible and fairly easy solution (thanks Jeremiah Smith). He told me I should reset my memory by doing the following.

Resetting PRAM and NVRAM

1. Shut down the computer (by holding the power button).

2. Turn on the computer. Wait until I hear the boot sound.

3. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys (simultenously).

4. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.

5. Release the keys.

I did this, and it looked like it worked. Maybe it was because the computer actually restarted and I didn’t see a white screen at first. But then, seconds later, I was back to the white screen.

Now, I was more than frustrated. I started believing that I had to do some major upgrading on my iMac, and that it would not only be expensive, but take a lot of time (time I didn’t have). Luckily, I have several computers and Google. I did another search, and found another easy solution to the problem.

I read that I should try to reset the System Management Controller (SMC). I still don’t know what the SMC is, but I didn’t care. What I did was the following.

Reset the System Management Controller

1. Shut down the computer (well, it was already off)

2. Unplugged all cables from the computer, including the power cord and any display cables.

3. Waited at least fifteen seconds. I waited several minutes.

4. Plugged the power cord back in, making sure the power button was not being pressed at the time.

5. Reconnected my keyboard and mouse to the computer.

6. Pressed the power button to start up your computer.

… and then, guess what happened next?

Everything was back to normal. It was like I never had a problem in the first place. I’m not sure if resetting the memory had any impact or not, or if I could just have unplugged all the cables and removed the power cord?

My frustration is finally over. I’m back on track, and hopefully it’s the last time I’ve seen the White Screen of Death.

I have been using diaries for years. The reason I have been using one, is in order to organize my work, my writing, my chores and all my daily priorities. It’s all part of my time management. The more control I have, the easier it is to manage my time.

Finally, I’m in control

A while ago, when I decided to use a diary to help keep track of my various needs and assignments took journaling to a whole new level. Not only did it help me by means of personal development, it provided me with a breath of fresh air. It was great to finally feel that I was in control.

I’m not talking about a specific type of diary. There are many styles and sizes available, which can give you the look of professionalism while helping the creative side of you.

Types of diaries

I’ve been using both paper and digital diaries. It doesn’t really matter which type you decide to go with, the important part is that you’re comfortable with it. You should be able to use it in order to keep track at the frequency you need. It’s a place for your daily reference to mind-mapping exercises in regards to your newest project.

Why is the diary so important?

I’ve had many awesome ideas at moments when there hasn’t been a pen or a piece of paper around. I’ve then spent the next couple of hours trying to remember what that idea was. A diary is perfect for not only keeping track of deadlines and appointments, but also for taking notes and keeping everything in perspective. 

Personal development

I’m alos using my diary as a tool for personal development. I’m using it to keep focus on my aims and goals, both personally and regarding my work. Everything I need, from my contact list to various costs, can be entered into my diary. 

Career diary

Usually, I use my diary to keep records of upcoming events, track ideas, blow off some steam, and countless other opportunities in between, my diary is the best choice for keeping it all together..

The tool to use

I am using a computer software as my diary, but there are no limitations in your chosen tool for a diary. It can be a notebook or software – as long as you actually use it, the possibilities are in fact endless. One main consideration is whether or not it needs to be professional looking or not. 

If you need to use your diary at business meetings, it may not quite look professional to the others if all of your invaluable business data is housed in a folder with teddy bears. This is where you may wish to spend the extra few dollars to invest in something a little more appropriate. But that’s only if you need it to look professional, if not, you might want to consider the folder with teddy bears.

The primary goal of using a diary for organizing your business, is to choose a method of tracking all aspects mentioned above easily and effectively. Never choose a means of keeping a diary that you won’t use. I’ve tested a lot of various stuff, trying out more than one is better than not trying one at all. In the end, you’ll end up with one way to keep your diary. It might take you a while, but that’s ok.

By the way, I’m using Things, a software available for Mac and iPhone.

It’s really not that hard to get more things done. I’ve discovered that I have to be planning what I want to get done, and I have to be able to see what I have been planning.

That’s the two major points in what I am doing.

1. Planning
2. Visibility

I have  been planning all along, sometimes more and sometimes less, but I have been planning for years. What I have been fairly miserable at, is a way to keep everything I have been planning visible. If it’s not visible, I forget what I have to be doing. I forget all the tasks.

I am currently using a software called Things. It’s awesome, the only problem, is that everything I have been planning is only visible when I am using the computer. Therefore, I have the same software on my iPhone. This way, I can view my tasks and projects whenever I’m using my iPhone or my computer. But the problem still remains, I’m not using my iPhone and computer all the time. Using devices to help me remember works, but it’s sort of like having to plan to use the device to remember stuff.

It would be a lot easier if I could just see everything I have been planning, without hardly any efforts.

The solution might be a lot simpler than you think.

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Interruptions can really hurt your productivity, and to me, it seems that a lot of people don’t realize how much time they actually consume. 

Think about it. You might only spend five minutes on the phone, or talking to a co-worker, but then it takes you another minute to get back to your desk, get comfortable, get yourself concentrating and back on track. Even if it’s not a lot of extra time, all those little interruptions can add up to a big loss of productivity throughout the day.

I’m the first to admit that I have too many short interruptions during a regular day at work.

Phone calls and emails

Does your work have a policy on answering phones and emails? If you’re not required to pick up the phone right away or respond to emails immediately, then don’t.  By not answering, you’ll save that little bit of time it took to check your email and scan your inbox, or the time it took to refocus after a call. 

In addition to refocusing, you’ll likely add another task to your already full to-do list and you’ll be thinking about that instead of the task at hand. While it may seem like it’s just a little extra time here and there, all those little bits of time can add up to a huge loss.

If you have the option, save phone calls and emails until certain parts of the day. Set aside chunks of time to answer all your voicemails and emails at once.  This will keep you brain focused on what you’re doing.  Plus if you’re calling into your voicemail less, or using form emails you can quickly copy and paste, you’ll save even more time by doing these things two of three times instead of twenty.

Interruptsion from Co-workers

Unlike phone and email, you can’t just ignore a co-worker who stops by your office to chat, and hope they will go away.  This may make them harder to deal with, but itís still possible to cut down on the distraction.  

The easiest way to do this is to shut your door.  This way, you don’t have to be rude, but people still know that you’re trying to concentrate and want to be left alone.  It also helps cut out conversations and other noise coming from outside the office that could steal your attention.

Remove distractions

Another way to cut down on distractions is to remove them from your office space. Everyone has the picture of their loved ones on their desk, but many times “personalizing” your area can go too far. Soon, the stress balls, posters, and other clutter can go from cute to just plain annoying.  These things not only give you a smaller work area, they can also distract your attention just long enough to derail a hot streak.

Your expectations

Don’t expect to be able to do this all at once and suddenly be more productive. It takes time to develop new habits and to make a real difference; you may have to develop lots of new habits. Try closing your door one day, then cutting down on answering emails once you’ve gotten used to that.

Soon, you might have a lot of extra time on your hands.

I feel that I know all there is to know about meetings. I have to admit, they are an essential part of work. Sometimes they are where ideas are generated and goals are set. But believe me when I say that, meetings can also waste a whole lot of time and leave people more confused than before the meeting started. I’ve been to hundreds of meetings like that. The answer to this problem is to streamline all the meetings to ensure they are useful and productive.

Meetings are not always necessary

While meetings can be a great way to set goals and figure out what needs to be done, they’re not always necessary.  If you are in the middle of an ongoing project, having a meeting for everyone to say “this is what I was supposed to be doing, I’m doing it” is pretty much a waste of everyoneís time. Before you have a meeting, look at your goals and priorities and see if it’s really needed.  You may be able to get by with a phone call or an email to ask how everyone is doing on their goals.  

Stick to your agenda

Set an agenda, make sure everyone knows it, then stick to it. In large meetings, especially brainstorming sessions, it’s easy for one person to go off on a tangent and pull everyone else along with them. While there is a chance you’ll come up with a decent idea, you’ll also end up wasting a lot of time.

When planning a meeting, set a clear agenda of what needs to be covered; feel free to be very specific and detailed. Put your agenda in writing and make sure everyone has a copy and knows what is going on. If something comes up that isn’t on the agenda, write it down and tell them that it’s a good idea and will be discussed later, but right now you must stick to what’s on the paper.  

Look out for dead weight

When setting up a meeting, it’s common to want to include people. It may be that you want to expand your pool of ideas and viewpoints, or you want to include new or less utilized office members. It could also be to include other organizations. While this can have benefits, it can also lead to meetings that drag on and could even turn into a battleground for conflicting viewpoints.  Before you send out a reminder for a meeting, make sure everyone is needed and will not simply be dead weight.

The biggest time-waster

The biggest time-waster at meetings is usually in the very beginning. Often people are late or want to chat and socialize. The best way to get rid of time-waste in a meeting is to ensure that it starts on time. If people want to socialize, they can come early. Also, don’t wait for late people to show up. This will help save time and encourage them to be prompt in the future.  

After the meeting

After the meeting, make sure everyone gets a copy of what went on at the meeting. This ensures everyone is aware of what the goal is, and what their part is on the overall picture.  This will also help those people catch up who showed up late or couldn’t make the meeting.  In addition, it’s something you can use to inform people who didn’t need to be included in the meeting, but need to know what is going on.

By streamlining your meetings, you can not only save time, but also increase productivity.  If everyone knows what’s expected and what they’re doing, they’re going to be more effective workers.

If you are anything like me, you could probably use a little help to achieve your goals and improving your productivity. The key to doing this is to figure out what you want and make a list of your priorities.

Set your goals and use to-do lists

The first step in accomplishing your goals is to set them. A long-term goal is essential, but also include steps you need to achieve that goal. This way, you not only have small goals to help monitor your progress and motivate yourself with your achievements, but you also have a built-in way of knowing that you’ve thought in depth about what you’re doing and are acting wisely. Once you have your steps, turn them into to-do lists. It may help to have daily lists, along with weekly and monthly ones as well.

Stick with it

Once you’ve set your priorities and made your to do lists, you need to stick with it. Sure, if things change, you may need to do some tweaking here and there, but you should put a lot of thought into your lists and you need to trust your own judgment. If you keep backtracking and reprioritizing, you’re never going to get anything done.

Making the list

I believe that it’s easier to make a list and then pick and choose which things I’d like to do off the list. The problem with this is that something you like doing more may not be as urgent, and the more important items will be put off until the last minute when you absolutely have to get them done.

A better idea is to look at your list and pick the one thing that you’re dreading doing. Sure, it might take you a while to get it done, but once you do, you’ll not only be less likely to procrastinate, you’ll also have a sense of accomplishment and momentum to get through the rest of your work.

Be realistic

A key part of time management is being realistic. Many people think that if they set lofty goals, they’ll get that extra push from the perceived time crunch and actually meet them. The truth is, if you set unrealistic goals, you’re rarely going to meet them. If you continue to not meet your goals, you’re going to become discouraged and actually lower productivity and work quality.

Take responsibility

One of the most important steps in time management is taking responsibility for your actions and how you manage what you do during your days. When we fail to meet a deadline, many of us blame it on other things, like a distracting co-worker or a great show that was on TV. This leads us to believe that there is nothing we can do about meeting deadlines, which just isn’t true. You need to own your own time. If you don’t meet a deadline, figure out what you did wrong and what you can do better next time to fix it.

At the moment, I am working an a fairly large project at work. The project is going to be finished on August 18, and that’s the final deadline. But untill then, we have several other deadlines, and I am also working on several other projects, with several other deadlines. It can be rather confusing, and it can be a lot of stress.

You probably know what it’s like to have a deadline looming over your head. You spend most of your time feeling like you’re being pushed, often unwillingly, toward the goal line of one project or another. You also know what it’s like to miss a deadline. However, with time and effort you can reduce your stress and meet deadlines more efficiently.

I’ll tell you all about my experience, and how I am dealing with deadlines.

Setting your goals

The first part of meeting your goals is setting them. This part is far more important than it seems. When setting goals, you need to be realistic. Not only with whether or not you can meet a timeline, but also with whether or not you have the ability to get the job done.

Once you have an overall goal, set smaller goals and a calendar for achieving them. Assign specific goals and duties and make sure everyone not only knows their part, but everyone else’s as well.

Plan the attack

Even if you’re setting realistic goals and deadlines, that doesn’t mean you’ll always meet them. When setting up your plan of attack, it’s important to realize that sometimes things go wrong. One of your co-workers may call in sick, the copier might break down in the middle of a large print job, or bad weather might trap your supplier out of town.

You can’t prepare for every eventuality, but you can set up a Plan B in case of common problems. This is often as simple as having alternate companies’ phone numbers on hand or making sure someone knows how to do a task if someone else is sick. Occasionally, something is going to happen and you won’t meet a deadline, but you can still make this a rare occasion.

Managing a team

When managing a team, always set their deadlines well before the deadline for the final project. Even if someone does exceptional work, you may end up with a bad final product because you were in a rush to get everything together. If the people you work with spend a lot of time procrastinating, you may just want to set a deadline they need to have it done by and leave it at that. If they don’t know the final project deadline, it may get their part to you sooner.

For a team to meet a deadline, the leader needs to be involved in the entire process. No, they don’t need to check up on everyone every step of the way, but they do need to see if everyone is on schedule and if they have any problems. Often people will try to handle it themselves when they hit a snag, delaying their part and possibly the whole project.

Rewards

When you’ve met a big deadline, reward yourself and your team with some kind of treat. Depending on your options and on the importance of the deadline, it could be something big, like a group outing, or something small liking bringing in bagels one morning. If you have something to look forward to, you’ll be more likely to get things done on time. Plus, this will give everyone the energy boost to get started on your next big project.

As I wrote a couple of days ago, I consider time management to be very important in order to have success; both at work, and when it comes to time spent with my family.

I believe that time management is one of the biggest challenges modern workers face. New technologies have given us more freedom to have flexible schedules and many more opportunities to slack off.

Here are 6 tips that should help you to become more productive.

1. Write a to do list and keep it in a prominent place. It’s also a good idea to prioritize your list and do it in (or close to) that order so you know the most important things are getting done. Or, if you know when you’re most productive during the day, do the #1 item during that time.

2. Once you’re done making your list and putting it in order, cross off everything below #5. If something is #8 on your list, it’s probably not going to get done that day. And if it’s not important enough to be high on the list, you probably don’t need to do it that day. It will probably just sit there, looming on your to do list, making you feel unaccomplished. Besides, if you get everything done on your list, you can always make a new one later in the day.

3. Take care of your most difficult task first. Often we spend a lot of our day coming up with ways to avoid tasks we don’t want to do. We may do this by getting other tasks done, or we may just play solitaire on the computer instead. If you get your worst task done first, you’ll not only get to your other tasks rather than avoiding them, but you’ll also have a sense of accomplishment to help motivate you through the rest of your day.

4. It’s always been accepted that you should keep your mind on your work and not let other things distract you or you won’t get any work done. However, recent research has shown that this isn’t true. In fact, it’s the opposite of the truth.

Taking short breaks by doing something you really like doing actually increases your productivity when you get back to work. The problem with this is that many people have problems getting back to work at the end of their break. If you do take short breaks, you should set a specific time limit and stick to it. You should also pick your activities carefully and stay away from those you know you won’t be able to stop doing once break time is done.

5. While it’s great to take breaks, you need to work in order to keep working time as working time (and not part of your spear time). This means clearing your desk (and computer desktop) of distracting things. If multitasking helps you get stuff done, then go ahead and work on several projects at a time, but don’t multitask between a project and an internet conversation or reading a funny website. Keep your fun time away from your work time. Otherwise you’ll find you have very little actual work time.

6. If you are multitasking different projects, watch what things you do together. While working on a supply list and a budget at the same time might be useful, constantly interrupting your work to answer the phone or respond to emails is only going to slow you down. Save things like phone calls, emails, and checking on projects with co-workers for a few times a day. This way you can get your work done without interrupting your workflow.

What I am saying is, that by just making a few small adjustments, you can drastically increase your productivity.

I’ve read the amazing book from Randy Pausch called The Last Lecture. If you haven’t read it, you have to.

Today, the topic is different though.

As I am writing about time management, I discovered an amazing video on YouTube of a lecture that Randy Pausch did on time management at University of Virginia in November 2007. And when I write amazing, that’s exactly how I would describe this lecture.

The lecture is fairly long, 1 hour and 16 minutes. But I enjoyed every second of it, and my guess is that you’ll do that to.

I am currently working at a college in Norway, I am a blogger, I have a wife and two kids, I try to exercise at least three times a week, and I try to keep in touch with my friends. Therefore, being a good manager of my time is important.

In a series of articles, I’ll try to give you an aspect of what I believe to be important in order to manage my time, and how to get things done. I want to be able to plan my day effectively to accomplish what needs to be done, it’s important in order to ensure that no important details are forgotten.

Working outside of your home

If you are like me, and you are working outside of your home, you’re probably armed with a day planner or agenda of some kind. You know when you need to be in meetings or when the best time is to make phone calls. You know when your co-workers need you the most, and when you can take your lunch break and run quick errands.

Parents

As a parent, I try to keep everyones activities and appointments marked on a calendar in a public location (our kitchen). This permits planning around various sport practice and orthodontist appointments. Our routine is to set chores and errands. This way, we know when it’s best for planning outside activities. We know when the kids get home from kindergarten/school and when the baby needs her nap (well, at the moment both our kids are in kindergarten).

Working from your home

If your office is in your home, time management takes on a whole new meaning. Not only do the previous tasks apply, you now need to use some time management skills to find that perfect balance between work and household tasks, caring for children, maintaining a relationship with your partner and at some point in the mix you need to take care of yourself.

Here are five tips to help you manage your time

By considering some effective time management skills, you can have them lead you through your day. You will have the knowledge you need to keep you from forgetting children at soccer practice and showing up for a dentist appointment two hours earlier than needed. Here are some tips:

Set a schedule – By creating a schedule you have the most important item already taken care of. Knowing in a glance what you need to accomplish is the most important thing you can do to keep track of your family while remaining as productive as possible.

Choose office hours, and spread the word – This is a great way to prevent family and friends from wanting your time when it’s not ideal for you. Let them know they are important to you, but outside of your office hours is best for you.

Schedule your day with the kids in mind – When your children are young enough to be taking naps, this becomes your prime work period. Chores such as dishes or sweeping the floors can be done when little ones are awake. Get as much work done as possible during naptime. Learn to multitask by throwing a load of clothes in the dryer or getting supper started too.

Schedule regular breaks and spend some time with the children – It is important not only for your children but for you as well. Go for a walk, or sit and play at the sandbox with little ones. Show them that although you work from home, they are still most important.

Write a to-do list – Put the most urgent items at the top of the list and work down from there. The important business work will be done first, and cleaning your closet can be done another day.

Take time for yourself. You’re still only one person. Life happens whether your work is done or not. Take a bath, grab a good book or just sit with your wife for a bit. After all she’s the one you are going to receive the most help and encouragement from, so these little gestures will let her know how much you appreciate it.