One of the primary reasons Hill Associates is stepping out into the world of podcasts and blogs is to provide a service to our student audience. We wander around the U.S., and various other corners of the world, teaching varying audiences about telecommunications in all of its forms: wired and wireless, data and voice (video too), packet and circuit, ancient and new. I have the greatest job in the world; I get to learn every day and then put it together and go out and report it to all of you.
One of the questions I am asked over and over in the classroom is "how on earth do you KNOW all of this stuff?" The last time I was asked that was when a student made a comment about the rumor that hotels place personal information on the magnetic card they give you for your room (which is pretty much confirmed to be a myth), and we got into a discussion of how the magnetic cards in your hotel work.
Staying current is a challenge for me, and is probably a challenge for anyone in the telecom field. There are a few rules that I use (and you may see some of my colleagues pitching in with a few tips of their own).
First, filter, skim, filter, skim, filter, skim, filter, skim. You can't read (or listen to) it all. Get those subscriptions (e-newsletter, paper periodicals, blogs, etc.) and skim them cover to cover. Don't waste time on things that add no value to what you do. When you find something of interest, read the first two, and last two, paragraphs. Usually the core point of the article is captured in these four paragraphs. If it's still interesting, then read the whole thing. If you have a subscription and you don't find much of anything interesting for a half-dozen issues, ditch it unless it is an "essential" periodical. An essential periodical is, to me, one that is directly linked to your work. If it's that essential, however, it's highly unlikely you will go a few issues without anything of interest.
Second, use a variety of formats. Have some printed publications, some electronic, some podcasts, some videocasts (vodcasts). The reason for having a variety is associated with the third rule...
Use "found time." Found time are those small nuggets of time in all of our lives that are "wasted" and can be put to use, or moments when we could multitask easily. Now don't get me wrong - we can't fill up ALL of our time with our professions. We need lives too. Sometimes you have to unplug. But there are amazing periods of time that can be harnessed if you have the right tools.
Keep a few unread periodicals in your briefcase or computer bag, and in well known found-time locations. You'll find moments when you are twiddling your thumbs and can do the skim/filter thing if you have the periodical handy. Your car is a found-time place. We often find ourselves waiting for our spouses or kids (shopping, etc.), stuck in traffic jams (be careful with that one), sitting in our car because we got to an appointment a bit early, waiting in doctor's offices, or those start-of-flight and end-of-flight moments when electronic devices are not permitted. Have your own periodical and you can use that time. Your nightstand is a found-time spot. An amazing amount of reading can happen in those last 20 minutes of the day. Yes, even the shelf next to the john is a found-time space! Keep magazines at hand in these locations.
Electronic publications help you take advantage of found time when your computer is handy. This is where email subscriptions and RSS feeds can be helpful (as long as your feed reader actually downloads the information into your system in case you are offline). Laptop found time includes time spent on airplanes and/or trains, cars (if someone else is driving) and at the office when you are taking short breaks (none of us can work continuously for 8 hours). If you are a traveler, evenings in hotel rooms are found time.
Podcasts and audio publications are very powerful. I just got podified (is that a word?) and I can't begin to tell you what it has done for my found time use. There are thousands of podcast feeds out there. You can find them at Podcast Alley or the iTunes Music Store (to name a few concentrators). You don't need an MP3 player or iPod to access these feeds or listen to podcasts, but if you have one you can synchronize the feeds with your MP3 player and go seriously mobile. Now I listen to technical podcasts (and a few not so technical ones) as I mow my lawn, do my gardening, work in my shop, drive to work, or travel (when the laptop cannot be used or the battery runs out). My found time has tripled with this awesome little device.
Finally, journaling is a good practice. I'm lucky because my job involves writing down and trying to articulate what I have learned and what I know. Writing it down uses a whole new set of brain cells and tends to cement the knowledge. If you read or hear something important to you, write it down somewhere. One simple technique for "trapping" the information is to write yourself an email about it. Make sure you use some important searchable keywords, and then drag/drop those emails (when you get them back) into a special journal folder. Many systems let you search that email folder (e.g., Google Desktop). Or start a blog. Or open a word document and keep adding to it.
Get connected. Filter. Skim. Be selective. Use a variety of formats. Leverage found time. Write it down. You'd be amazed how current you can stay.
By the way, this is a new blog site and a new podcast site. For us to be able to continue it we need to show the powers that be that it has value. If you're one of our readers, you can help. If you find this valuable - tell someone. Send them a link. Keep the viral growth ball rolling. And don't be afraid to add your comments. The true value will come not just from our opinions, but from your comments as well.
Catch you on the next post.
Michel