Wishes may be true

Weekends. Windsurfing.

Recently, I wrote about rest in life and how it should be. So I started immediately and have a good results but I don't know how much time can it take. You know self-control is so difficult thing. I guess it's really long and hard process. The first thing of my plan is to change my life. :) It sounds ambitious but anyway it's.

I decided to try windsurfing. Today my friends and I went out to "Kiev sea" near Vyshhorod. I never tried this sport before and it was interested for me how it works and how excited I will be :)

At first, all started early morning when my friends called me and said: "Hi man! Are you ready?!" and my answer: "Yes, I'm". We knew that day promised well and we had a good mood. We bought beer and food :) and set out.

"Kiev sea" is situated approximately 20 minutes from Kiev. That's why the way to it wasn't hard. When we arrive I was surprise there were so many windsurfers around. I guess it's rare sport. I was wrong.

We rent a board. Namely, It's called sailboard with one single sail. It cost 70 UAH per hour. I must say It's not so expensive.

One of my best friends gave advices on how to use it and some theory. As it turned out it was not so easy as I supposed. Anyway I tried and had a good result as for beginners :).

In fact, I don't have much words to express my feelings. You need to try it and you will understand me fully.

I assume main thing I understand today I HAVE TO TRY AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW EACH TIME.

No more work. Make a start from rest to your productivity.

Yesterday I sat and thought I work too much. How much time do we spend for solving problems on the work place and how much time do we spend for yourself. Problems, rushing, deadlines... Stop! No more work!

We should organize our time during working hours.
I firmly decide my productivity proportional to my good habitude of soul and state of mind. Conclusion - I should have renewal system for all day.

My system will be consist of short term rest, long term rest and lunch.
These kind of rest have priority (1 - the best one, 5 - the poor one):
1. Throw out your work thoughts. Come to street. Take a sit on the bench and just relax. You deserve and lets other wait for you.
2. Go out from room and visit your acquaintance within office. It might be play ping-pong. (We have table in our office :))
3. Stand up and to do light exercises close to your place.
4. Sit on chair and start a conversation to someone about non-working things.
5. Break my work and just sit on the chair and close my eyes.

Time for rest have some rules because I should do work and show result:
1. Every hour have a 5 minutes rest.
2. Lunch should be outside office if it's possible.
3. Spend 40 minutes for lunch.
4.To have a nap for 15-20 minutes after lunch.

I suppose it's simple and obvious rules for everyone but very often we disregard it.
Lets be careful to yourself and lets try to remember all is in our hands. Who will be care of you except of you?

Success. What does it mean for you?

It's know truth, life has both white and black strips. Sometime I have to do think on myself and on my behavior. Honestly, It's very useful. You can better understand yourself and understand what you want from this life. Today I'm trying to think over "success". What does it mean for me?

Success doesn't come to you…you go to it.

I guess it's proactive view but anyway it's mine :) What is your point of view?

15 survival tips for new IT managers

I guess everyone in IT area set some goals for himself. In common, it's a management direction. I'm not exclusion and trying to get following knowledge. Just found good article for beginner in management. So, the move from a technical job to managing an IT department requires a variety of new skills.


Tips for developing your management skills:
1. Read the One Minute Manager series of books by Ken Blanchard
A one-minute manager is someone who gets good results without taking much time, according to Blanchard. Apply his three easy steps to management and situational leadership.

2.Learn the internal politics of your organization
Network with peer and upper managers. Ask their advice. Managers usually like to help other managers.

3. Find and understand your own weaknesses as soon as possible
Remember, you're allowed to take training, too, so make sure you do.

4. Develop your budgeting skills
Learn to manage an IT budget down to the last penny. You want to be able to clearly show the business where money can be saved.

Tips to improve your communication with executive staff
5. Don't take day-to-day problems to your boss
Instead, take recurring issues and optional solutions to the problem. Then, ask which approach your boss would recommend.

6. Try to keep project work and support work separate
It's a lot easier to justify bringing in extra staff members for a new project, as long as their salaries are included in the cost of implementing the project. Don't allow your staff to be pulled in both directions.

7. Record and report everything
Require your team to fill out timesheets so you can show where resource time is spent and back it up with data. This will aid in any arguments for extra resources and will keep you current on what the team is doing. It will also make writing your monthly reports to executive staff members easier.

8. Know your role in the event of a disaster
If you're faced with a disaster, remember that your team's job is to get the systems back in place. Ensure you have good disaster and recovery plans for mission-critical systems and leave the business recovery to others.

Tips for motivating your team, negotiating politics
9. Don't get buried in support obligations
If you have no formal help desk protocol and find that you're getting swamped with help calls, create a centralized help desk. Outsource this function if necessary. If you go this route, you should create service level agreements (SLAs) that outline your complete services.

10. Set boundaries for your team
Invest your time in enabling your staff to succeed and fend off any counterproductive requests from other departments as much as possible.

11. Learn Monkey Management
When employees come looking for help, be sure to send them away with the next action. Don't take on your employees' workload, because you'll have enough to do.

12. Perform staff appraisals at least once or twice a year
Provide staff members with clear objectives and then help them reach their goals.

13. Hold regular team meetings
This is difficult because of constant deadlines and because everyone always seems too busy. If absolutely necessary, have lunch meetings, but be sure to provide the sandwiches.

14. Don't forget recreation and rewards
Treat your team to a meal out at least once per quarter. If you control the budget, you can manage the cost.

15. Recognize that the sum capability of your staff is your team's maximum output
Just because you have high standards, don't expect your team members to hold the same values. Praise and encourage them in their areas of strength and provide good training for their areas of weakness.

Original article here.

IBook eReader v3 is the best ebook

I sat down today and start thinking how much books I have on my PC. Unfortunately, I don't have time to read it all. So, I decided to buy lBook eReader V3. Some of my friends already had it. Yesterday I had chance to test it and seemed to me it was good. I guess main advantage is display that imitate text as it was printed on paper. Namely, your eyes don't get tired.

Official web-site: http://www.lbook.com.ua/en
Cost: 320 USD in Ukraine

Books forever and ever! Read and find out more and more, again and again. :)

P.S. If you have such device please write a comment here.

Who moved my cheese?

Every time I fly (i mean on the plane) I try to find some short-term entertainment. Last time (it was on Saturday) I bought small book "Who moved my cheese?". I was pretty impressed because it gave me big value in despite of small size. I spent above 2 hours to read it all but I'm thinking about such things until now. It just can give you kick and you move yourself and your thoughts.

The sense of the book is simple. it's just one story about mice that are looking for cheese all time.

If you're interested in such book and want to buy it or download it from somewhere, please read a few pages from it here. Or read review on wikipedia or see it on Amazon.

P.S. Next time I'll be in London or somewhere I'm going to read another books of Dr. Spencer Johnson that also very popular.

Belgium, Brussels. Cost of living.

As I mentioned before I have plans of moving to another country.
From time to time I'll write countries' survey.
I'm going to disclose following points: tax, transport, food, average salary, flat rent

Today It'll be Belgium, Brussels.

So lets go and have a look on cost of living.

• Tax:

From first sight Belgium is associated with highest tax. Lets check it.
I looked through "Centre for Tax Policy and Administration".
The table is below. Tax is 55.4%.

• Transport:

Here are some sample prices:
Single ticket – 1.50 EUR
5-ride ticket – 6.70 EUR
10-ride ticket – 10.50 EUR
Day pass – 4.00 EUR

• Average salary:

• Rent a flat of apartment:

All is simple here. We're google Brussels rent flat and take investigation on this point.
Instantly, I've found http://www.brusselshome.be and take a look on flat with 1 bedroom and 1 toilet. It costs 700 EUR + 125 EUR (charges) but I guess you may find flat cheaper. After rental survey it can tell the range is 500 EUR to 1500 EUR.

Salary survey and salary calculator

Salary is always delicate point during negotiation.
There is no rules salary discussion but there salary survey.
A few minutes I've found such one. Check this out. http://www.salaryscout.com/
Also if you plan to move to another country and you'll face with tax.
Often we don't know laws and that's why it's hard to estimate salary.
I was trying to find out some calculator and find :)
For example if we just google "salary calculator" we'll find following:
http://www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php

2007 has passed. Lets gather what we have,

I strongly believe we should be fair and honest-minded to ourselves this year. I decided to be more organized and determined. That's why I'm writing this article.

2007 has passed. It's time to outline and point out main achievements of last year and set goals for next year.

I saw a lot of articles with results and events of business, politics and IT in 2007 but I've not seen yearning to show private goals and achievements.

I'd like to commence new year from determining this point. I hope it'll be the rule for me. I assume it's very important to define "next year plan" both for private life and work.
Achievements:

• Promotion. Currently, I'm working in Luxoft Ltd. and take over Senior QA position.
• Travel. I visited Hungary-Budapest; Bulgaria-Nesebr, Sozopol; England-London.
  

Goals:

• Children. I'm eager to have children. I'll try to do my best concerning this point :)
  
• Property. Currently, I don't have apartment but I'll try to change this situation.
  
• Car. 2 years ago I could not even dream of it but now it's time to think it over.
  
• Move to another country. Ukraine doesn't give me enough opportunities therefore lets move next.
  
• Set up own business. I won't comment this point :)
  
• Travel. I'm going to visit Czech Republic, Italy and England again.
  

I guess next year I'll review this list and understand what truth is.

I'd like to share such idea with my friends and see such list on their blogs if you don't mind:
- Yuri Zozulya
- Dima Pastovensky
- Maxim Makivchuk
- Alexey Baytsurov

Happy new year!

Wishing you and your family the very best
during the holidays and throughout the new year!