Here’s a great article on how to make sure you keep those ideas and actually act on them.

Organize Your Ideas…
and Then Start Implementing Them
by Maria Gracia

Do you have so many ideas floating around in your head that you are having trouble keeping track of them? Are you having trouble knowing where to start? Here are some ideas to take away the feeling of chaos and help you to organize and implement the wealth of ideas you have.

1. The first thing we need to do is get all of these ideas out of our head and onto paper. Don’t worry about organizing it yet, just do what is called a `brain dump’. Write down every idea–don’t try to do more than get them out of your brain and onto paper.
2. Once you have gotten your ideas down on paper, it’s time to start to categorize them. Your categories will be specific to you and your situation but could include home decorating, home improvements, craft projects, social activities, family vacations, business projects, and so on. Don’t try to do anything more than brainstorm categories for now.
3. Now that you’ve listed your categories, use different colored highlighters to mark each category a different color. Once you have a different color for each category, it’s time to start going through your list of ideas. Decide which category you think each idea fits into, and then highlight it with the corresponding color. Don’t worry if you have ideas that don’t fit any of your categories. We’ll deal with that next.
4. For those ideas that don’t fit your existing categories, let them be your guide for additional categories. Some additional categories might include self-improvement, health goals, etc. Self-improvement may include continuing education, learning a new skill or hobby or completing a college degree. You can make your categories as broad or as narrow as you choose. Making them a bit broader eliminates having too many categories.
5. Your categories can now be transferred to a notebook, index cards, folders in your file cabinet, or on your computer or PDA. With the color coding on your original brain dump page you should have no trouble listing the ideas in the correct category. Remember that this is for you–so make it work for you.
6. Now that you’ve categorized your ideas, it’s time to start implementing them. Some of your ideas can be moved to a daily or weekly `TA-DA’ list. Now you’ll notice that it is a TA-DA list not a To-Do list. TA-DA is what we say when we complete something. It’s a simple way to change the way we think. The connotation of To-Do is undone. The connotation of TA-DA is DONE!
7. Are some of your ideas a bit more complex? For example, if one of your ideas is to redecorate your bedroom, you will need several steps to complete it. It may seem a bit overwhelming, but if you break these ideas down into small steps, you’ll have every one of them on your TA-DA list before you know it!
8. Are some of your ideas longer term goals like completing your degree? Start by not only listing the steps required to complete them, AND include a time line for completion. Many times we put off doing something like this because we want to wait for available time. Something will fill that time regardless, you might as well fill it with something that will help you to accomplish your goals. Decide that it is important, and do it.
9. As you work through your list of ideas in each category, don’t cross them out as you complete them. Instead, highlight each one as it is completed. When we look at a list of crossed out items, it makes it hard to see what we have completed and what is left to be completed. A list that has some items highlighted however is an instant upbeat and bright note of TA-DA items.
10. Think of your categories as living documents. As living documents they will change as you complete items and as you add new ones. You are also able to adapt your category system to best suit your personality and your personal organizing style. This is your document, make it work for you.

Although I was feeling much better last weekend, I wasn’t really up for doing much. I wasn’t mentally and physically exhausted but I wasn’t motivated either.

So I threw cautions to the wind and did nothing for 48 hours.

Well, when I say nothing, I mean nothing work related.

I stayed at home as my husband was away on business. I helped in the kitchen on Saturday, watched an old film on television with the family -– just basically spending time with them.

On Sunday, my fever returned for a bit and I whiled away my time watching a reality tv programme featuring members of SHINee, a Korean pop group, on YouTube and learning one of their old hit songs in Japanese (because the pronunciation is much simpler than Korean). I also put away the laundry and cleared up the living area of my room.

Doing absolutely nothing (work related) -– on a weekend, mind you – is absolutely difficult for me. It consumes me with guilt.

I always have this idea that spending a few hours on work in the weekend will help me strike off more items on my to-do list quickly.

But focusing on work on a weekend doesn’t give me “peace of mind” either. I would also have a nagging feeling that I shouldn’t have to work on my days off.

I try to complete my tasks during the work week but it’s not always possible. There will always be new deadlines, phone calls, interruptions, meetings, training etc

It’s tempting for me to work on the weekends because there are less distractions. More often than not, I do get a lot done.

But there is a danger in this too. For one thing, your mind never gets a break from work which will lead to burn out, no matter how much rest/sleep you get.

It’s tough to be creative – and a lot of jobs require creativity – when you’re constantly “producing”. When you don’t let your mind have a proper break, you will no doubt produce results but they might start to look the same.

When you’re constantly “producing” seven days a week, your product will be as creative as something churned out of a production line.

I felt better about “wasting away” my weekend after reading this post titled The power of doing absolutely nothing.

Although I feel a little guilty for indulging in 48 hours of “me” time, I would be lying if I said it didn’t feel good. Frankly, I feel refreshed, inspired, brand new. I’m not completely well physically – I’m still coughing from the flu and fever earlier last week – but I feel mentally clear.

The fact that I’m blogging again after MONTHS(!) means I’m inspired to go back to doing things that I love doing but “felt like a waste of time”.

I’m glad the last 48 hours of “doing nothing” has allowed me to reconnect with my true self.

I might not have another full 48 hours to spend “doing nothing” in the future but I will remember to “lose myself in the moment” more without feeling guilty of the endless to-do list.

Try it! Who knows, you might rediscover yourself again.

The office.

Well, technically my husband’s office. We’re both going on leave tomorrow — technically today because it’s already midnight — and he has to finish some work.

Things that we have to do to have a “peaceful” leave!

Something came up and I couldn’t go but I told her that I could at least see her somewhere in Subang Jaya.

She told me that I don’t have to go out if I don’t need to because she has a friend with her.

I was already dressed at the time and contemplated going to the mall in SJ anyway.

But in the end, I changed my mind and decided to stay at home, re-watching the parts in Winter’s Bone which I missed because I dozed off last night.

Staying at home yet again on a weekend is such an achievement for me. Why? It’s because I have consciously tried to stay away from shopping arcades for a while now.

I have a few reasons for doing so. Financial is definitely the most compelling one.

I believe it’s impossible not to spend when you are at a shopping centre. Your spending begins the moment you start the car engine (think burning fuel) or take any other mode of transportation to get there (think bus or cab fare).

If you drive there, you are likely to park your car. While some department stores offer free parking, most charge you.

Once you’re at the mall, you are bound to spend on something. If you’re not going to buy a new pair of ________, you are most likely going to have a meal there.

If you’re watching a movie, you’ll be paying for the tickets and the snacks too.

That’s all well and good — IF you spend on things you REALLY need. Scratch that. IF you actually need to buy something!

If you’re anything like me, you treat a shopping mall as a hang out joint. After all, you favourite cafe, restaurant or book shop is IN a mall.

Freelance journalist Clarissa Tan said it best in her article To Shop, or Not? (Reader’s Digest, Nov 2010, pages 15-16): “it seems that our default venue for every activity (nowadays) is the mall — it’s where we shop, eat, watch movies, bowl, arrange to meet friends, have a romantic date or just generally lounge around”.

So no wonder it is so hard for us to avoid frequenting malls!

But who says you have to go out AND spend money to hang out?

I know it seems much “cooler” to be seen with your laptop or iPad, sipping or nursing a cup of java at that gourmet coffee shop.

But would you be less cool or have less fun hanging out with your friends at your apartment, cooking lunch or dinner together and ending the day with a movie in your own living room?

How about a gossip session with a friend over a strenuous power-walking session? You can have breakfast/tea after and then go home and get a nap or something. (You do need to catch up on your sleep!)

Ever thought of going to the library to borrow a book or curl up with your own book on your weekend?

I had to go to my local library on a Sunday morning for work once and I saw people at the library, reading, doing homework and studying BEFORE 10am! On a SUNDAY!

I was so inspired that I vowed to wake up early on Sunday to go to the library! (Of course that has yet to happen… but “it’s the thought that counts”)

My point is, we don’t HAVE to go to the mall to have an eventful weekend. We don’t need to REWARD ourselves for our five or six days of hard work, with a trip to the mall. Because, let’s face it, most of us consider going shopping as a “treat”.

It’s fine to reward yourself now and again, but EVERY weekend? REALLY??

I think we would all be much happier if we avoided the malls more.

For one thing, we won’t feel bad for ourselves for not being able to afford product A because it’s not staring at our faces. We would also save money and time — finding parking is such a waste of time!

So the next time you have a strong urge to go to the mall “because there is nothing else to do”, take a deep breathe and ask yourself, is there anything else you can do to fill your time?

Do you have a book that you’ve been meaning to finish? How about that long-lost friend you have been meaning to call? Does your closet need rearranging?

If you really have so much time in your hands, let this girl give you a few ideas on how to kill your time. She’s a real inspiration. I’ll leave you here with this video. Watch and be inspired!

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you like what you just read, feel free to share it on Facebook or Twitter. You might also like to check out my older stuff and my other blog. Thank you so much and see you soon!

It’s a little bit special because it’s a mashup of Grammy winner Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now and Taio Cruz’s chart-topper Dynamite. Well, we tried anyway

A country song and a dance tune combo? You betcha!

Click on the video below to hear it for yourself. Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you like what you just read, feel free to share it on Facebook or Twitter. You might also like to check out my older stuff and my other blog. Thank you so much and see you soon!

This blog is featured on WordPress’ Postaweek2011 tag’s page (see picture below)

This blog was featured! (Feb 18)

Thanks to the site stats feature on WordPress, I was able to tell that some visitors have popped by the blog via the postaweek2011 page.

I noticed the link on my site stats for a couple of days but it didn’t occur to me to click on the link until just now.

It turns out my entire blog has been featured — along with links to a few of my recent posts which I tagged with postaweek2011 and postaday2011! Wow, what an honour!

So I’d like to thank WordPress for “putting my blog on the pimp spot” (as many of my favourite American Idol bloggers would put it). It means a lot to me — a small-time blogger with not much of a following

This has definitely motivated me to come up with not only regular but better content. My goal is to have readers leaving my blog with something new to learn, to talk about or to inspire them.

So thanks again WordPress! And to new readers, hope to see you again!

Here’s to better posts from The truth and nothing but the truth!

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you like what you just read, feel free to share it on Facebook or Twitter. You might also like to check out my older stuff and my other blog. Thank you so much and see you soon!

I think I began uploading videos of myself singing cover versions circa 2007. At the time, I had my favourite Nokia phone which had two cameras and recorded quality videos and audio — but I dropped it in front of the office without realising it one day and it was gone

My channel went on a hiatus for a while after that because I couldn’t find a good camera to record with. I ruled out web cams because they are horrible for recording YouTube videos. The visual and audio quality is unpredictable; you just don’t know how your videos are going to turn out.

It’s a good thing that my husband and I got the Sony Nex5 recently because it is not only a good digital slr camera but also an excellent video recorder as it records in High Definition.

And this time around, I have my husband to play the guitar for me so that I don’t need to rely on instrumental/minus one and have more room to add my interpretation to a popular song.

My channel doesn’t have thousands of subscribers yet. Sure, one video has had close to 3,000 views — only because I linked it to a popular video and it has been there for three years.

But getting thousands of views was not my aim when I set up the channel. It’s all just for fun; something that my husband and I can do together in our spare time.

I don’t want to say much because I’d rather the music speak for itself. So I’ll leave you with one of the videos that we recently recorded. Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you like what you just read, feel free to share it on Facebook or Twitter. You might also like to check out my older stuff and my other blog. Thank you so much and see you soon!

I’ve seen my husband use our Samsung lcd tv at home as an alternative monitor, in place of the 11 inch one on his Toshiba netbook.

He connects the mini laptop to the screen with a cable that would normally connect a cpu to a monitor, shuts the netbook and use an external keyboard to type.

We’ve been surfing the Net and watching YouTube videos this way for some time now. We’ve also been recording cover versions of pop songs and uploading them to his channel and mine.

My husband plays the guitar while I sing, my eyes fixed to the lcd screen reading out the words and the trusted Sony Nex5 records it all on HD. (More on this in another post!)

Two days ago, he took the Dell monitor that has gathered dust outside the room and placed it near my “home office” and hooked it up to my Mini HP.

He taught me how to set it up myself and voilà, the next morning at work I was doing it all on my own!

I might blog about this again and create a tutorial on it in my future Tools of the trade blog.

So you might wonder why I would need a second monitor.

Two monitors can be one giant, seamless screen

Well, I’ve found it useful when I’m writing, editing and proof-reading.

It’s really convenient to have the Oxford dictionary on one screen and the Word document on another. When I need to look up facts, I would minimise the dictionary and have the web browser on the screen. It’s really handy when you need to compare text.

I dare say that I save time with two monitors. For one, I don’t waste time dragging the mouse to the bottom of the page to pick a window because I can’t fit two of them in one screen.

I like the fact that combining two monitors gives me one big and seamless screen. I can open two web browsers like Firefox and Chrome, each on a separate monitor. No more having to minimise one window to view the other.

It might not sound like much but if you have tried it, you’ll notice the difference that introducing a second monitor brings.

Having two screens have given me an excuse to practise the keyboard shortcut command alt+tab.

Sometimes when you have too many windows open, it’s inconvenient to go back to the panel bar and click your desired window.

Pressing alt+tab eliminates your dependence on the mouse and is perfect for the two or more monitors situation.

So do try it yourself on your own desktop at home or the office. It takes less than five minutes to set up. So have fun with it!

Have you tried connecting a computer monitor to your laptop to create one giant and seamless screen? How has that improved your productivity? Let me know in the comment box!

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you like what you just read, feel free to share it on Facebook or Twitter. You might also like to check out my older stuff and my other blog. Thank you so much and see you soon!

My new blog would be about the tools of the writing/reporting “trade”. The idea came from two blog posts that I read over the Chinese New Year holidays about improving your writing and editing skills. My recent Sony recorder purchase also gave me an idea about some of the “tools” that I could review along the way.

This blog would be a good way to celebrate my 10th year as a reporter — officially this April. What better way to do that than to document some of the tips and tricks that I have learned in the last decade?

While I’m excited about it, I’m also a bit reluctant to open “yet another blog”. Do I really NEED another blog? Can’t I just write those posts here and tag them appropriately for easy reference?

Obviously, I have to think this through. The idea is not even a day old, so I could have a change of heart tomorrow for all you know.

But I would really like to commemorate my decade in journalism with my own “social responsibility” project.

Maybe this year I will have my non-work related project to brag about in my personal mid-year, year-end review as an accomplishment.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you like what you just read, feel free to share it on Facebook or Twitter. You might also like to check out my older stuff and my other blog. Thank you so much and see you soon!

We are here with his cousins, uncle and aunt as well as my in-laws having a small family gathering/getaway for the Chinese New Year break.

I can’t recall if I have written about this place in this blog. I may have.

But for the benefit of new readers, it’s in a secluded area where you have to pass some rubber trees and a small inner road to get to the house.

Once you get there, the view is sight for sore eyes. It’s lush and green with a river running not too far behind the house. There’s a small pool filled with water from the river which is perfect for swimming in especially if it rains outside.

When we’re here, all we do is eat, swim, play the guitar, sing, play cards, watch dvds, chat, nap and all those things you do when you don’t have a care in the world.

It’s a good place to think and clear the mind, recharge and reconnect with the important people in our lives.

Celcom has the strongest coverage here but even then it’s just Edge. But I can still receive my emails, tweet and blog on my phone. But full on surfing using the laptop and broadband is not possible as the line is not stable.

That’s great for weaning yourself off the Internet for a few days. It makes it a bit hard to do work. Besides with all the fun things to do, you wouldn’t even be in the mood for work.

Right now I’m blogging while watching Terminator 4, a movie I would otherwise be too distracted to watch at home because I have high-speed Internet.

But here, we’re forced to entertain ourselves when bored. I think we all need that now and then.

The view is a sight for sore eyes

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