Watching TV

Even though it is indeed the day before Christmas, today’s speedlink is not holiday-themed. What you will get is some good reading from around the web, starting off with Andy Hinds and his take on keeping the kids away from TV. I’ve been told that infants shouldn’t have any “screen time” until they are two years old, as it can hinder development of language and spatial reasoning skills. Then again, I imagine most children have seen some TV by their second birthday.

Continuing on the topic of parenting, Dadcade Nick explains how it is possible to continue gaming once you have kids. I know that I’ve had to adjust my perspective on productivity now that I’m a work-from-home dad. And part of that transition is that I’ve had very little time for gaming these last few months. It’s been difficult getting some time with Street Fighter, but I can sneak in a couple games of Smash Bros on the 3DS now and then.

The spirit of the Christmas season may inspire some people to be more giving, but it is important to maintain this selfless attitude throughout the year. As Damien Riley points out, the true meaning of life doesn’t come from within and it doesn’t come from serving your own needs and desires. Instead, it mostly comes from thinking of others and helping others, as long as you don’t “neglect your own peace and well-being.”

A big part of maintaining your well-being is reducing the stress associated with trying to get as much done as possible. Danny Schreiber summarizes a great productivity talk by Scott Hanselman about how to scale yourself and get more done. As counter-intuitive as it may sound, dropping the ball can sometimes be the best solution. Understand the difference between effectiveness and efficiency, delegate what can be done by someone else, and check your email only once a day.

Finally, we finish this week’s speedlink by taking a look back, way back with Rebecca Bollwitt. “Miss 604” has gathered up some great images of Vancouver in 1915, including shots of swimmers in English Bay, an old car driving on the Georgia Viaduct, a parade marching down Hastings Street and people walking across the Capilano Suspension Bridge.