Organization, Health, and a self-improvement update

I posted earlier that I was going to try to implement GTD for the first 7 weeks of this semester. After two weeks, I have a few observations that I'd like to share. First, its much easier to commit to doing something if you just take the time to jump in and get started, and go all out at the beginning. I've tried to organize and keep myself on timetables and stuff before, but I never really committed fully to doing it for a while. I would dabble with this method or that method, looking for a cure-all that would tell me what to do, when, and make everything easy. I have to say that it doesn't exist. However, there is a lot to be gained from cutting up huge, terrifying projects into manageable, measurable chunks. Chunks that you can do, and finish, and then congratulate yourself over. The other big thing with staying organized is to make sure you have everything in one (or two, or three) places. It has helped immeasurably to have a memo pad around all the time for no other purpose than to jot stuff down as it occurs to me. I don't have to worry about losing it among my class notes, or a napkin dissolving in the wash.

The other thing that I've found to be very helpful is to get up early every day and go and exercise. I mentioned earlier that I've gotten a gym membership this semester, and last week I started getting up at 5:30 so that I could be at the gym when it opened at 6am, and showered and ready to study by 7. If i bring some food to school (rice and sauce, apples, whatever is easy and on hand) then I've found I can get 2 good meals a day, and it has helped my studying and concentration immensely. I can't wait to continue the process this upcoming week as well, and see if it can't get me through the three exams that are coming up as well.

The next area on which I am trying to improve is not resisting that work which seems scary to me. Knowing what the next thing that I need to tackle when I'm able to do it is great, but if I'm avoiding stuff because I'm scared of it things just don't work so well.

Mostly I am referring to my internship search, which bothers me because I'm not sure exactly what roles and positions I would be the best fit for. Am I more cut out for corporate finance, I-banking, asset management, or operations? Which would I enjoy the most? When I ask myself these questions, the answer is always "I don't know. I don't know what they do, so how should I know if I'm a good fit?" And not knowing, of course, is always scariest thing. Now, just like those first open-water dives, I just need to jump in and do it.