Month: April 2016

Spanish Saturday – The Start

Cori CasnerLeave a comment

Hola amigos! I have become increasingly interested in learning a new language, and it’s time to turn that wish into a goal!

Habit: Practice Spanish on Duolingo for 30 minutes every day for 66 days.

Start Date: 04/17/2016

Projected End Date: 06/22/2016

Action Plan:

  • Practice on Duolingo
  • Listen to a Pimsleur Spanish audio-book
  • Watch 2 Spanish movies
  • Read 10 Spanish children’s books
  • Find a good Spanish podcast or radio show
  • Attend a meet up or find people willing to converse with me in Spanish

Incentive: A weekend trip to a fun locale where we can immerse ourselves in a Spanish-speaking community.

Lofty Goal: Attain enlightenment!

I took 4 years of Spanish in high school and some of my family members have a passing fluency. I figured my background with Spanish would make it an easier habit to dive into. I never gave learning a second language a shot in school, but I’m ready to take it more seriously this time around.

Ultimately I would like to become fluent enough in Spanish to add it to my resume. I’ve always wanted to travel more for work, and being able to speak another language will open new doors for me.

Follow me on Duolingo, and kick start your own habit!

Writing Wednesday Check In

Cori CasnerLeave a comment

I am happy to report that I have kept up with my writing habit over the last 6 months. As always I’ll start with my stats.

Action Plan Progress:

  • DONE – Improved my blogging stats
  • DONE – 4/4 habits developed and blogged
  • DONE – 1/1 book on writing read

Blogging Stats:

  • 62 posts (↑ from 22 posts)
  • 34 followers (↑ from 16)
  • 547 visitors (↑ from 126)
  • 818 views (↑ from 249)
  • 179 likes (↑ from 72)
  • 39 comments (↑ from 12)

Completed Habits:

  1. Smoothie Sunday – Drink a green smoothie everyday
  2. Tidy Travels – Implement the KonMari method
  3. Food Friday – Eat an 8 Weeks to Wellness approved meal everyday
  4. Project Management Monday – Read the Project Management Body of Knowledge

Book Breakdown:

“Write what you like.”

The On Writing section is the heart of the book and I came away with a lot of great tips:

  • Master the fundamentals: vocabulary, grammar, and the elements of style
  • Read and write a lot
  • 1st drafts shouldn’t take more than a season (3 months)
  • Give your writing life by adding your knowledge of life (especially work)
  • Situation comes first then plot and characters
  • Begin with the story and progress to the theme
  • 2nd draft = 1st draft – 10%
  • Writers Market

“Door Shut, Door Open”

King shares an unedited fictional piece, and then a mark up of the same work. This is exactly what I have been looking for in these writing books. King’s work as a teacher gives weight to the lessons in this book.

It’s a popular book for good reason, and I recommend it to anyone looking to improve their writing.

6 Month Goals:

  • Improve my blogging stats
  • Blog about 4 new habits (one in each category)
  • Read a book to help improve my writing
  • Watch a documentary on writing/writers

Accomplishments abound with this blog. My closet is clean, I drink smoothies, eat veggies, lost 10 pounds, and manage projects better than ever. The best part is I’m still doing all of my favorite things like watching movies, reading books, and trying new things; just in a more focused manner. Here’s to leveraging your strengths!

Keep an eye out for my next habit!

Project Management Monday – The End

Cori CasnerLeave a comment

I finished reading the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)! Now to review my action plan progress.

Action Plan Progress:

  • DONE – Read the PMBOK
  • DONE – Found a study buddy at work
  • DONE – Watched 6/6 PMI webinars
  • DONE – Attended 2/1 PMI-Minnesota Chapter meetings
  • DONE – Posted weekly progress updates on improving my PM skills

Grade: A

Incentive: This week I am attending the Agile PMP seminar!

Lessons Learned: I had tried to read the Business Analyst Body of Knowledge (BABOK) 2 years ago with poor results, and I really think this blog helped me to cross the finish line on the PMBOK. Breaking this into a daily reading habit helped me to hone in on each section. I absorbed a lot of information and dove into work breakdown structures, earned value calculations, and risk management.

My favorite part of the action plan was trying to form a study group. I met with all the PMs in my office and solicited a lot of feedback on the best way to approach the certification. I found another person interested in going through the certification process with me, and she has been a tremendous help. We’ve both signed up for an exam prep course and are hoping to sit for the exam at the end of the summer.

6 Month Goals:

  • Complete the Agile PMP training seminar
  • Complete the RMC PMP Exam Prep course
  • Read the PMP Handbook
  • Complete the PMP application
  • Take the PMP exam
  • Read Critical Chain by Eliyahu Goldratt

This habit has kick started my career development this year. Getting through the PMBOK has given me the confidence to tackle all sorts of goals over the summer.

Any suggestions for a new habit? I’ve got a couple ideas brewing, but would love to get some feedback in the comments!