Few Work Related Tips - The 4-Hour Work Week

I'm being so unproductive, unfocused, and unmotivated (Summer started,  I took my vacation and now Ramadan). I decided to read this book after seeing it on the Amazon bestsellers list. The book is definitely fun to read. (still reading, finished 40%).

Here are some tips that I would like try:

1- Prepare a short to-do list one day ahead. use a small sticky note so you can't write more than 2-3 major items.

2- Try to check your email 2-3 times per day, preferably at 11 AM and again at 3 PM (if you work from 8-4). (Less Interruption).

3- Try to do step 2 with phone calls as well. (I'll definitely try but I know that I won't be able to that, end users will keep calling until I pickup or they'll just surprise me by coming to my office). 

4- Don't check email or news first thing in the morning. The first couple of hours in the morning are the best to finish major tasks.

5- Set shorter deadlines for your tasks. (Parkinson's Law).

6- Avoid Multitasking.

7- Avoid Meetings whenever possible (by using email).


Some of these tips are not new: true, but the author has included examples, tricks and tools that will help you apply those and many other tips as well.

Amazon Link

Question on Working Hours?

If you work 8 hours a day and you are able to finish your tasks in lets say half the time (by pressuring yourself, working harder, smarter and being super efficient). Is it ethical to use the time left for yourself?

If it's not ethical => Naturally you will finish the tasks in the 8 hours that you have ... you won't pressure yourself.

And even If it's ethical => You will end up with more tasks from your boss anyways.

What do you think?

Work Flow Products

I have been thinking about automating various processes at work for quite a while ... for example in our department there is a process for unblocking a website that you think its important for your work. the process goes like:

1- You print the PDF form, fill it with the required info and sign it.
2- Ask your supervisor to sign it.
3- Give it to IT, IT will evaluate and unblock the website.

this is only one example, we have plenty of forms in each department.

* Do you have automated/online processes at work?
If yes =>
* Are you using a "Work Flow" product? or
* Are you manually developing these processes?
if no =>
* are you considering having automated/online processes at work?


Finally, have a nice weekend :)

Employees!

There are some tasks (for example here in IT) that take 1 day only to finish. Some employees tend to give you the impression that these tasks need at least a week to finish and more over they tend to give you the impression that these tasks are highly complicated (rocket science)!

Employees who do that say:

1. By doing that you give the impression to the management that you are a very important employee who is needed and you will have a bigger chance to get a promotion.
   
2. By doing that you, you won't get pressured.
   
3. By doing that management won't take you for granted, and they won't underestimate you but they will appreciate what you do more.

What do you think? and do you have colleagues that do that at your work place?

Backup

I have this project that I have been working on for a month and finished it on our "testing server". now after I finished, the testing server has crashed. they are still trying to recover the data but it seems that ALL MY WORK has gone. Backup solution? it seems that they have forgot to add the testing server to the backup solution and I forgot to save my work on my PC too.

BUT it's okay! the purpose of this post is to advise you to back up your stuff yourself and never rely on any backup solution.

Back to Work

Why is it so hard for me to go to work every morning? Why can't I be happy?

1- I hate my job? No I love it.
2- I don't like the people I'm working with? No, they are all friendly, I like them.
3- Is my job boring? No.
4- Is it waking up so early in the morning? Maybe, what if work starts @ 10 am, will it make a difference? I don't think so. Will optional work hours solve the problem? I don't know.

What do I want exactly?

I wish I can once wake up in the morning feeling good and excited about going to work! it will never happen I know!

off the topic:

* Where did the rain go? I miss it ;(

Paperless (3) - Microsoft OneNote

If you have a weak memory and you tend to forget the tasks that you need to focus on, give Microsoft OneNote a shot. You can have multiple notebooks, in each notebook you can have sections and in each section you can have pages. You have the option of inserting date/time, tags, pictures, audio and video, you can also sync it with outlook. I've been using it for 2 days now and i like it! I'm sure there are more things I haven't discover yet.

I have created a notebook for my projects so I can keep track of the changes I'm making and later on convert my notes into a decent documentation.

If you are a student you can use it too to store lecture notes if any, research notes, ideas, thoughts, important articles ... etc.

Complete the current? or Create a new one?

There is this in-house budget application that was developed by an ex-developer (PL/SQL, 15,000 lines of codes).

The following year and 2 weeks before using the application, they came up with huge list of errors they have faced with application the year before. I was forced to modify the application (that i didn't develop) in only 2 weeks! and moreover they kept asking for new requests over the following 2 months. The application now consists of over 26,000 ugly lines of codes.

For version 3 this year, Do I cont. building on it? or do I take it from scratch?

1. Won't give up PL/SQL, althu the ugliest? but at the same time it's the fastest!
2. I'm seriously thinking of switching to APEX (Oracle Application Express).
3. I have Jan-Mar to build this.

I will still keep thinking ...

Paperless (2)

So I have started the "Paperless phase" at work and I have been using the sticky notes for over 2 months now. It's not enough anymore! here is what I want:

1. I want to keep the notes, store them to refer back to them anytime I want.
2. I want to include pictures, maybe audio, video with the notes.
3. I want to organize the notes based on defined tags.
4. I want to be able to search my notes.

Here is one option: (I really like the features that it offers):

• Microsoft OneNote, check the demo clip they have.

I want Google to create a smart online application for this (I don't like desktop applications).

Paperless!

2 months ago i decided to go Paperless ... and I managed to do the following:

1. I stopped using the printer. I stopped printing docs, I forced myself to read everything off the screen (or by using my future ebook reader). (why print docs that are already "digitalized" for you?). I also got rid of all physically stored documentations which are useless!
2. I stopped using sticky notes and used instead the e-sticky notes. its free and light. (check my current desktop pic)
3. Instead of using the colored physical folders to store my docs, I used iColorFolder. Again its free and with it you can really organize your folders, color them based on your defined categories. (check my current desktop pic).
4. When I go to meetings I either bring my laptop or bring nothing! (or my future ebook reader) No more papers!
5. When I need to write something I use notepad!

After 2 months now, I can say that I'm Paperless :) I have no physical docs in my office, no papers and no sticky notes.

my current desktop

Good things that can happen when you work in IT

I Tag all of you to write about the good stuff that can happen in your work environment.

This is my "good things that can happen when I'm in IT" list:

* I can go to the store pick any piece of hardware I like ... new monitor? RAM? keyboard? mouse? pc? ... etc "going to the store is always fun ;)"

* I get too see, check and "touch :p" latest tech stuff bought by my dept.

* I can download/install any software I like ... specially when it comes to certain type of software that I can't download.

* Regardless of any policies implemented at work, I can still surf the net fully.

* No formal stuff ...

* Server room is a good place to hide ...

Phone Numbers Update (2)

1. Check if the phone number doesn't contain any characters. (valid number)
2. Check if the area code is 965 or null (assumption).
3. Check if the phone number's length is 7 (6 for numbers that start with 8).

--------

1. MOC (add 20000000): 2, 3, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 500, 503, 504, 52, 53, 54, 551, 552, 553, 56, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577


2. ZAIN (add 90000000): 40, 44, 702, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 9


3. WATANIYA (add 60000000): 501, 502, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 51, 550, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 570, 578, 579, 58, 59, 6, 700, 701, 703, 704, 705, 706, 708, 709, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 778, 779


4. MOC-Buisness (add 1000000): 8

A simple update stmt will do!

When a service goes down ... :(

I was checking one of the online services that we provide to users (lesh????)

and I found out that its not available.

Request timed out.

Request timed out.

Request timed out.

Request timed out.

network issue? madri :(

aro7 asawelah restart wla asawy ro7y madri @@

What do you do in such a case? its not a critical service but at the same time users do use it ...

e 9a7 ... Happy Eid :)

Update: Windows sucks! When will our system admin realize this fact? :(

Watch Out @@

The reason for me to post this is because of some employees checking some X material at work. I'm not judging anyone! but please keep it at home because some one is watching you!! @@

In my case I can list some products of what I've seen:

1- WebSense: This product allows us to control the internet bandwidth thru setting various policies. I know for a fact that we bought this product in order to block the monster "YouYube" from eating our bandwidth but on the other hand this product gives you a complete statistics on what your employees are doing. What pages they are accessing, how much traffic they do generate and much more. (this how they checked employee X viewing X websites).

2- Last month, the system admin showed me a product where he can view any user's desktop! We tested it on a "geek" we have in office and he didnt feel anything!!! he was even chatting with his gf!!

I know its not ethical to check on users (privacy) and I really don't see any relation between productivity and prohibiting users from accessing what they want! kaifna!! I like to play games sometimes (helps my brain!) but it happens! they do check on us (even thu i dont care!).

Update: The whole point of this is to say that employees should be aware of such tools ...

Online Payment

why is it so scary to do the online payment thing :s

its simple ... lets state some facts:

* I'm not going to store any credit card info.

* I'm only sending the amount, order id to the payment gateway.

* The result will be either accepted or not accepted.

* Before updating the DB, I should check if its a double post (sometimes the payment gateway sends back the result more than once).

* DB connection entries are encrypted in the config file (ASP.NET).

What else ... ? isn't simple? is it scary because its simple or maybe because it involves money?

Have you ever developed something like that? I have already done everything but I keep reviewing the things I have done serveral times in my head ..

Phone numbers

I was asked to create a script to update all phone numbers in the DB to reflect the new changes but guess what?????????????
the phone number field accepts only 7 digits!! wow
and the area code is used for the international codes ... interesting
and thats it, no other fields. (yes one more for the extention)
I wonder how are other institutions in the world dealing with this? is 7 enough???

..........

An IT HelpDesk - true story

Things you must know when you're in IT

if you work in IT then you have to know everything about

1- Networking.
2- Databases.
3- Programming (system, web, .. etc).
4- Hardware (know how to fix all hardware issues).
5- Know all applications in the world.
6- You have to be an expert in Ms Office specifically.
7- Mobiles, basically any tech device.
8- the list goes on ..

basically you can't say I don't know, you have to have an answer for every question asked by the user ... if you said I don't know, you're not qualified ...

Nemo

sleepy at work

I'm sleepy at work :(