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Have you ever wondered why you choose to do the things you do in the way you do them? Some people are highly organized, while others are less so. For example, one of my work partners has a desk that looks like a bomb hit it with papers strewn all over the place. Another of my partners has a very organized desk with everything in its place. Both of my coworkers, though, are highly productive, busy people who accomplish their goals and are very successful. Clearly, both of them have different methods to accomplish their goals, and both methods work well.
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I would argue that most of us have a certain process for specific activities and a more generalized process for the overall gestalt of our lives. I would also argue that for the vast majority of people, those processes are not voluntarily or consciously chosen. More likely, through some combination of upbringing (environment) and psychology (nature) the methods we use to accomplish our specific and life goals are determined largely without intention.
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However, despite this, it is instructive to consciously examine our processes to see if they really are effective to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves. In some cases our predetermined methods may not be effective in new situations, so it behooves each of us to critically examine those methods as a first step toward personal improvement. Let me give you a relatively concrete example.
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It its worthwhile for each of us to critically examine the way we do things, as a first step toward personal improvement
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Occasionally, a small number of students at the Western University College of Podiatric Medicine have, over time, failed a class. I’m sure this isn’t a surprise to anyone, since medical school is challenging at the best of times. Sometimes I’ll have the opportunity to sit down with a student in academic difficulty, and I will ask that student to describe their study process. Invariably, the same mistake arises: incorrect, ineffective study methods. Without boring you with the details, the overall error is adopting a passive study method such as re-reading PowerPoint™ slides, rather than a more active one such as massed practice (AKA quizzing). For the student open to self-examination and change, adopting a new process usually leads to success. In a similar manner, it is helpful for each of us to consciously examine our own processes.
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Active study/learning methods are much more effective than passive ones, ie, using quizzes rather than reviewing slides
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Let’s use me as a guinea pig. What general processes do I use when writing this blog? Disclaimer: I’m not hubristically arguing my way is right or best or that anyone should use my methods. It’s simply that no one knows my methods better than me, so who else can speak on them? Additionally, my methods have changed over the twelve years that I’ve been writing this editorial.
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Let’s accomplish this self-examination with a few questions, and then answer those questions as honestly as possible to see if there is a theme or overall process.
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How do you come up with topics? - This is highly variable. Sometimes the idea just comes to me unbidden out of the blue. The idea for this editorial popped into my head while driving to work. I was listening to a podcast about a British neurologist who studies psychosomatic disorders. Perhaps the psychological topic led me to think about thinking, which led to the topic of process. I’m really not sure, but there it was. Other times I have an experience during my week that I want to discuss. Being an educator of students and residents and a clinician provides much fodder for writing. Occasionally, I’ll simply not have any ideas (You can imagine that after 633 editorials I’d sometimes run out of topics!). In this case, I’ll go to my wife, who’s a friggin genius, and ask for her thoughts. Invariably, some conversation will lead to the kernel of an idea, which becomes an editorial. The one consistent goal is that I try to write something that will be interesting and pertinent to those who will take the time to read. I’m a typical podiatrist, so the topics that interest me are likely (hopefully!) interesting to others in the medical profession. Obviously, I’m variably successful with this goal.
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Where do you find time to write? - There are two answers to this question. The first is that I’m pretty organized, so I schedule time into my week. I also work a lot of hours, so I’ll often write these editorials during the weekend if I didn’t have an idea during the week. I try not to wait until the weekends, though, since that’s family time, but it’s often the case that I’m writing on a Saturday or Sunday morning. The second answer is if the inspiration hits, then I must write at that moment or I’ll lose the theme of what I want to say. That’s what happened today. The idea hit me and instead of writing the final examination for a class I run, I’m doing this. When the muse strikes you must write!
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Are there certain mechanics of putting together a blog post? - To those who don’t write, creating an editorial every week might seem highly difficult. It does become easier the more you do anything, and writing is no different. I do need to point out that I have a wonderful team at PRESENT e-Learning Systems who do the hard part of editing my work, creating the visual package you see, and publishing it on the net. All I have to do is write a Word doc and email it to them; their part is much harder.
Mechanically speaking, I typically aim for 750 – 1000 words for an individual editorial (I’m at 935 words right here). This limitation forces me to edit, improving the work. I use an informal, less academic style. For example, this is written in the first person. When I first started writing (in the guise of the Residency Rap edition) it was simply a narrative about me. One of the earlier topics was what instruments I keep in my white coat – something pertinent to residents. As time progressed, I became more evidence-based, using more research studies in my arguments, especially for those topics that were scientific. This is due to my progression as a clinician from someone who just believed everything his attending physicians told him to a more skeptical person who wanted evidence to back up his decisions.
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That’s about as good a place to stop as any (I’m now at 1069 words – beyond my stated limit!). The final comment I would make is for any process examination, we want to learn something to improve ourselves, so here are a few conclusions from this metatextual analysis:
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Our individual processes are often more variable and random than we give them credit for.
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Consciously analyzing our methods allows us to be more intentional about how we accomplish goals.
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Sometimes it’s helpful to just stop and think about a particular topic to gain further insight.
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Take the time to think about your own processes. I think you’ll find the exercise very helpful and instructive.
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