The secret to happiness: make it a project! (via @deuxciel)

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Posted on 26 February 2010 by Kristina in reflections

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Definitely something worth checking out. I like the mix of influences that the author draws on.

Oh and look. I just happen to have an Amazon gift certificate :-)

The Happiness Project book

The Happiness Project
is one of the most thoughtful works on happiness to have emerged from
the recent explosion of interest in the subject. Rubin weaves together
philosophy, scientific research, history, analysis, and real-life experiences
as she explains what worked for her—and what didn’t. Her conclusions
are sometimes counter-intuitive – for example, she finds that money
can
buy happiness, when spent correctly – but they resonate with
readers of all backgrounds.

Filled with practical advice,
sharp insight, charm, and humor, The Happiness Project manages
to be illuminating yet entertaining, profound yet compulsively readable.
But The Happiness Project isn’t just an engaging and provocative
book. Gretchen’s passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading
a few chapters of this book will inspire you to start your own happiness
project.

Read more at www.happiness-project.com

 

Are you multitasking or are you juggling? One can be productive, the other is not (via @bhallresearch)

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Posted on 26 February 2010 by Kristina in reflections

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There is a reason why sometimes I work with my door closed. It is not to be mean, it is not to be anti social. It is because I need to think. While I’m all for spontaneous meetings when needed, people need to be more respectful of people’s work space.

Gina Trapani gets to the heart of the matter in this article and the video included in this article really hits the nail on the head as well.

About a year ago, I turned off all messaging services on my computer except for Skype where I’m Offline and I’ve put all alerts on my BB on mute, except for call from my boss when he’s travelling. I find my productivity went up in spades.

When we get down to it, it’s really a question of avoiding cognitive overload.

Clipped from www.fastcompany.com

Work Smart: Stop Multitasking and Start Doing One Thing Really Well

When your brain switches its attention from one task to another, it takes time to get into a new train of thought. You lose any momentum you had on the first task, which costs you on the next switch. On the internet or in an office where distractions abound, switching tasks can cost hours. A recent study showed that office employees who were interrupted while they worked took an average of 25 minutes to get back to what they started.

When it comes to splitting your attention between tasks, remember the difference between multitasking and juggling. When you have the choice, stop juggling and get things done faster–one at a time. Read more at www.fastcompany.com
 

Are we using the term social learning too loosely? (via @jclarey)

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Posted on 26 February 2010 by Kristina in reflections

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I’m glad that the always thought provoking Janet brought this up. There comes a time when we need to really look at what the activity of learning really is. It is nice to find a new model every day that explains what X might be but unless we are truly analysing these models, implementing them, testing them, juxtaposing them, really, all we are doing is surfing the Web.

And as a side note, very few people I know have the chutzpah to title their blogpost “The clusterfuck known as social learning” ;-)

Clipped from janetclarey.com
“learning through the use of social media is a set of implicit assumptions that if people are using something called “social media”, then “social learning” must be taking place. This is a confusion of the means with the ends.”
Gary Woodill
I think, when it comes to the new social learning crowd, we’ve got us a case of groupthink. I’ll be the first to say I’ve been part of the problem. However, I think we’ve got to slow down before we flood search engines with models that are not models and definitions grounded in little more than what someone else said.Read more at janetclarey.com
 

McDermott and Archibald publish new study on health and impact of Communities of Practice (@harvardbiz)

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Posted on 25 February 2010 by Kristina in reflections

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From 2 of the leading researchers and writers on Communities of Practice comes this new study that studies the health and impact of online communities.

I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on this research!

Clipped from hbr.org

Harnessing Your Staff’s Informal Networks

Though in-house networks of experts—or “communities of practice”—were once entirely unofficial, today they are increasingly integrated into companies’ formal management structures.
Today they’re an actively managed part of the organization, with specific goals, explicit accountability, and clear executive oversight. To get experts to dedicate time to them, companies have to make sure that communities contribute meaningfully to the organization and operate efficiently.
We’ve observed this shift in our consulting work and in our research.
To examine the health and impact of communities, we did a quantitative study of 52 communities in 10 industries, and a qualitative assessment of more than 140 communities in a dozen organizations, consisting of interviews with support staff, leaders, community members, and senior management.Read more at hbr.org