Sten Vesterli's Blog

Making IT Live up to its Promise

Category: Spiritual Programmer

Stop Your Tech from Distracting You

Spiritual Programmer,

To create something, you need focus. I take meeting notes on paper because a sheet of paper won’t suddenly interrupt me with an unimportant message. When I am in focus mode, I have notification off on my phone and my computer. When writing on the computer, I use the “focus” mode in Word that removes all the menus and covers everything on my screen but the document.

You need to bend your technology to your will. Spend a moment investigating the “focus” features on your laptop and various devices and activate the ones that make sense for you.

Why isn’t This a Bitcoin Moment?

Spiritual Programmer

This was supposed to be Bitcoin’s finest hour. We have inflation, war, sanctions and economic turmoil. Since Bitcoin is supposed to be kinda like digital gold, you would expect the laggards to see the point and pile into Bitcoin in these uncertain times. But they don’t.

If cryptocurrencies don’t have their moment now, they will remain a fringe speculation object and never replace fiat currencies. If you hold crypto, I think a large part of your proposition has been disproven.

Make a Useful Contribution

Spiritual Programmer

There are good and bad ways to contribute. When watching what is happening in Ukraine, we of course want to help. IT professionals with cybersecurity skills can contribute directly. For the rest of us, the right way to contribute is with money.

Don’t contribute a used overcoat or an old phone. Charities are drowning in these. Give money to a reputable organization like the International Red Cross. Money can be used for whatever is necessary, and the brave people on the ground know if the highest need is for food, medicine, shelter, or transportation. Make a contribution, but make it a useful one.

Winter is Over. Get Outside

Spiritual Programmer, ,

The calendar tells us winter is over. If you have been hibernating, now is the time to get out of your cave.

Fresh air, daylight, and exercise are crucial elements of your physical and mental well-being. You have to get outside. No matter how fast you pedal on your Peloton bike, it is not enough. Your body needs to see daylight and breath fresh air. Make an appointment with yourself on your calendar to take a walk outside tomorrow.

Compliment Someone

Spiritual Programmer, ,

Did you compliment anyone today? I’m not talking about your colleagues’ looks – don’t enter that minefield. But remember to appreciate your co-workers and team members when they do good work.

Complimenting other people is an under-utilized superpower. It costs nothing and makes both you and the receiver feel better. Today is #WorldComplimentDay. Be part of the movement 😉

Are You Prepared?

Spiritual Programmer,

This morning, the citizens of Ukraine woke up to the sound of a Russian invasion. After weeks of saber-rattling, some people were prepared and some were not. You might not live in a place where a Russian invasion is likely, but you can still be affected by natural and man-made disasters. Even if you are not consciously thinking about it, your unconscious mind is continually evaluating your risk.

The better prepared you are for the unexpected, the more your mind will be is at ease. The events of today are a reminder to find out how to prepare yourself. In Sweden, every household recently received a 20-page folder called “If crisis or war comes.” Find the official recommendation for emergency preparedness from your local authorities and prepare yourself a little better. It will calm your mind.

Single Tasking Day

Spiritual Programmer, ,

Today 2/22 is “Single Tasking Day.” You might think you are able to multi-task, but that is an illusion. You are simply emulating multitasking with your single-processor brain by task switching. And just like a computer, you lose a little (or a lot) of time before you are productive on the new task.

Celebrate Single Tasking Day by selecting one task from your long list of half-finished tasks, and work on that one until it is complete. Every incomplete task takes up valuable RAM in your mind. Notice how you feel more in control of your life once you can cross that task completely off your list. #SingleTaskingDay

How Much Time do you Have?

Spiritual Programmer, ,

You never know when it’s your time. Last year, a woman in Canada awoke to a loud noise in the middle of the night. Jumping out of bed, she turned on the light and saw a hole in her ceiling right above the bed. And on the bed was a 3-pound meteorite that had punched right through her roof, missing her head by inches.

It is exceedingly rare for people to get killed by space rocks. But disease and mundane accidents also strike without warning. Make sure you use every day well. How will you have improved your life or the world at the end of today?