Congratulations, Online ZEN Participants!

I’ve been throwing stuff into the Cloud (Internet) for just over a year. The Online ZEN series is just a little bit about how I’m using the Cloud more efficiently to make my life in the physical realm easier. Thanks for joining me in unveiling my rhythm in the Cloud! =)

Here’s the Prezi I created for the 5-hour CMTE offered at the Western Regional American Music Therapy Conference in Long Beach yesterday. The participants were AWESOME! Everybody was on a different path along the journey, and we were able to cover the basics.

Topics included fun Facebook tricks, Tweetdeck in all its glory, the Blog-o-sphere, Advocacy- it’s about the conversation, Email emptiness = Email bliss, and more tools and links included in a MONSTER handout. Enjoy the video below, and tell me: How do you make the internet work for you?

I’ve been throwing stuff into the Cloud (Internet) only for a year. Online ZEN is just a little bit about how I’m using the Cloud more efficiently to make my life in the physical realm easier. Thanks for joining me in unveiling my rhythm in the Cloud! =)

In a brief portion of this beautifully-articulated presentation below, Amber Case describes how we have 2 selves now: our online self and our offline self. One thing these 2 selves have in common is the adolescent phase just before adulthood.

Just like in real life, when we first start tweeting, facebooking, youtubing, linkedining, and the like, we feel a bit awkward. We seem a bit unusual to the regular folk. We have a learning curve to get through before things are working smoothly. We have to learn certain manners and etiquette in order for others to connect with us as “adults.” And it all happens outwardly in public in front of your friends and colleagues.

When I first started social media a little over a year ago, I went through an awkward stage. At times I think I’m still going through it, actually. When I see new Twitter people tweet “I need a twitter tutor” I get it. I understand how they feel.

Here are the adolescent questions that have run through my mind before: Are people reading my posts? What if people quit following me on Twitter? What if nobody comments on my Facebook posts? Wonder how my gravatar looks?

Eventually, we have to let go of any expectations about the actions of others, and then we can focus instead on being our authentic selves both online and offline. (Well~ That sounds like a good general rule of thumb for life, too.) Fortunately, there are some awesome resources for etiquette and feeling good about what we put out there in the Cloud!

At the Online Zen CMTE I am offering at the Western Regional Conference in Long Beach on April 3, I’ll be offering some tips to accelerate that social media learning curve, and raise the participants into online adulthood as smoothly as possible.

In the meantime, Chris Brogan writes a fantastic list of social media etiquette.

Do you follow any social media etiquette? Do you ever feel like an online adolescent?

I’ve been throwing stuff into the Cloud (Internet) only for a year. Online ZEN is just a little bit about how I’m using the Cloud more efficiently to make my life in the physical realm easier. Thanks for joining me in unveiling my rhythm in the Cloud! =)

Sometimes I’m asked how I have time to do what I do here in the Cloud. I’m sure people wonder whether I actually have a life offline as well. Here’s the great news: I do have a fun social life, I go to parties, I exercise, I cook, I even paint (sort of! See ←). And I do not document all of my activities online. I could, but I choose not to. But I do see the Cloud as an excellent tool for connection, both personally and professionally. 3 ways to be more efficient online follow.

Kat's Latest Painting, Still in Progress

Here’s the Cluster Approach and how I have time for Cloud-jumping and online-businessing:

1. Save a little cluster of time every day or every other day for Cloud-jumping (or Internet-swimming, or whatever you’d like to call it). The time cluster can be 30 minutes, an hour, or five hours. Your choice. Just understand that 30 minutes per day will reap very slow results, and that’s ok. If you go with five hours, you become more likely to lose focus and perform less efficiently. Just be aware. Anything you choose is ok.

Also, make sure that the cluster is a tight, well thought out, efficient, focused chunk of time.

2. Have an intent established before going online rather than just floating around from here to there aimlessly. Because I’m dedicated to my intent, I often miss things. I’m rarely the first to find out about news. I’m often the last to know about the latest posts on my favorite blogs. And this is all ok because I’m getting my most important projects done by staying dedicated to my intent. Granted, if something really noteworthy catches my eye, then I entertain it, but I always return to my original intent for being online.

3. Finally, let go of worries of missing something by not skimming through the entire Facebook news feed from the day, by not checking your Reader for a few days or weeks, by not checking Email (gasp!) for a day. It’s inevitable that news will come to me, and I’m ok with receiving it last or not receiving it at all. Fortunately, my cluster time is set up efficiently, so I am able to interact pretty well online. But first and foremost, my most important projects and intent remain clear.

Here’s The Cluster Approach sample schedule:

Morning: Shower, stretch, meditate, eat, contribute to most important projects for 2 hours, do only time-sensitive Cloud Cluster tasks, see clients.
Lunchtime: Eat lunch only.
Afternoon: Work on most important projects for 2 hours, see clients, go running, Cloud Cluster for 2.5 hours (includes emptying email inbox)
Evening: Relax, eat dinner, spend time with loved ones, Cloud Cluster for 1 hour, go to bed

For instance, I spend two hours a day working on my most important projects before checking email, then I see clients, then I ponder and mediate and get inspired in some way. Then I share my inspiration and interact online.

I usually don’t use “musts” and “shoulds,” but for the sake of ease (and efficiency!): In order for Online ZEN to work for you, you must take baby steps and have patience. Take lots of breaks, and take good care of yourself . . . You must see online interaction as fun instead of cumbersome or frustrating. You must have a perspective of “openly sharing” your ideas instead of “fearfully exposing” your ideas.

If you liked this post, you’d also like Online ZEN 3: Create a Website in 4 Minutes and Reduced Inboxes = Reduced Work.

I’ve been throwing stuff into the Cloud (Internet) only for a year. Online ZEN is just a little bit about how I’m using the Cloud more efficiently to make my life in the physical realm easier. Thanks for joining me in unveiling my rhythm in the Cloud! =)

To the left is my new physical inbox for mail and paperwork. I have never had one before, so I’m excited to put it to use. Also, for 5 of the last 7 days, I have checked email *after* working on my most important projects for 2 hours. (These were my goals from my last post in the series.) It’s very exciting to jump into this new perspective of the Cloud!

Now, here is how you can set up a website and/or blog super fast using Bluehost for hosting.*

1. Buy hosting through Bluehost if you don’t already have it. I highly recommend working with a hosting company that allows multiple domains under the same account, and Bluehost does exactly that. Plus they offer an awesome Online Chat help service as you find your way!
2. Decide on a good domain name, make sure it’s available, and buy it for $10.
3. Make sure your new domain is either your primary domain or an add-on domain.
4. On the c-panel, click on WordPress, and install WordPress on your domain.

So easy! You will receive your name and password, then you are on your way to a rockin website!

WordPress allows for so many options. There are a ga-zillion free themes from which to choose, and plugins are almost as unlimited as apps on the iPhone. You will definitely be able to build the perfect website using WordPress. And, WordPress is free. Here’s my Screenflow video how I did it in less than 4 minutes . . . (I tried for 3 minutes, but didn’t quite make it.)

*If you have a different hosting company already, I might be able to help. I’ve worked with GoDaddy, WebGator, and ADDR. Just throw down a comment, and I’ll try to give you specific instructions.

La Jolla Sunset at Happy Hour 1/14/11

I’ve been throwing stuff into the Cloud (Internet) only for a year. Online ZEN is just a little bit about how I’m using the Cloud more efficiently to make my life in the physical realm easier. Thanks for joining me in unveiling my rhythm in the Cloud! =)

Do you ever feel a “Come hither” from your inboxes?

It’s pretty obvious that I’m influenced by ZenHabits.net. I’m taking Leo Babauta’s advice from his eBook The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life. I LOVE that eBook! Thanks to Leo, just two days ago, I started a new habit: working on my MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS before checking any inboxes during the day. This way, my time is more efficient and valuable when I actually check the inboxes.

But first, let’s count the number of inboxes I maintain. Some are in the Cloud, and some are on Earth.

1. Email: Gmail and Yahoo (although I never check Yahoo…)
2. Email chat (G-chat)
3. US snail mail (home and office)
4. Voicemail
5. Text Messages
6. Desk In-tray (which is the kitchen counter, the floor, and other various places for me right now)
7. Post-it Notes
8. Online Homepage for RSS feeds, etc.
9. Twitter (2 accounts)
10. Facebook personal
11. Facebook business
12. Facebook chat
13. YouTube comments
14. LinkedIn account and groups
15. Comments on the blog

15! I bet that’s pretty average… Well, I don’t have a MySpace, landline phone, an online reader, or any multiples of the above. When I first got notice about new inboxes with my bank accounts a couple of years ago, I couldn’t believe it. Lots of other membership account sites automatically bestow a NEW INBOX, too. (!) I ignore additional inboxes. The important ones are forwarded to my regular email address.

Here’s what I plan to uphold from here on out. I’ll keep you posted:

1. Check email daily at least two hours after working on my MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS first.
2. Reduce 15 to 12 (Baby steps!)
3. Post-it notes are not allowed.
4. Create a desk in-tray for snail mail, etc.

Special thanks to Janice Harris of The Music Therapy Show for inspiring Clean Out Your Inbox Month! Here’s my newest ScreenFlow video about email: