Take a weight off
Those of you who have experienced the Smart Work training will know that I advocate and use a date-activated task management system. This simply means I forward schedule my tasks in lists for today, tomorrow, this week, next week and so on, and I do this all with minimal fuss in MS Outlook. This works […]
Read MoreHow being proactive can save you when you need to be reactive
I recently avoided a potentially calamitous situation because I choose to operate in a proactive way. I’m checking in at Sydney International Airport for a long-haul flight to the US, and the check-in agent advises me that there is no visa attached to my passport. That can’t be right I’m thinking. While packing the day before I […]
Read MoreOrganisation on the road
People often ask me the best way to manage their priorities when out and about or on the road. Most of us have phones or tablets that sync our email and calendars, and although these apps are always going to be lightweight compared to a tool like MS Outlook, they still do a reasonable job of helping us to stay […]
Read MoreHow not to interrupt Bob Geldof
The moment I met Bob Geldof was not as cool as it should have been, and it was my own fault. It was 1993, and I was backpacking my way around Australia. I ended up in Mildura picking grapes, and to my surprise, heard that Bob Geldof was coming to town. He’d been through a […]
Read MoreAugment your productivity
I recently bought an e-bike – easily the best fun I’ve had in years. It’s been a while since I was on a bicycle. I grew up riding them in Dublin through my childhood and teenage years, but as an adult, cycling left me a bit cold. It was the hills that killed me, I […]
Read MoreMake more time for engaging conversations
Much of my time is spent helping people manage their email more efficiently. But, as I’ve said many times before, the point of this work is not just to help people get their inboxes under control. It is to help them get their heads out of their inboxes and into more important and strategic work. […]
Read MoreParking friction
When I’m at my most productive, I’m focused and organised, and the world around me is friction-free. However, this was not the case recently when I tried to park my car before presenting at a team offsite. My client contact had sent me a map of parking in the area of their new building. She […]
Read MoreThe value of an empty Inbox
Many of you will know that I am a big fan of the ‘Inbox Zero’ way of working. A good friend recently challenged this idea and suggested that having an empty inbox was not necessarily an indicator of productivity. I totally agree. You can spend your whole day clearing emails and regularly get to zero. But that does not mean you have worked […]
Read MoreTake a good look in the mirror
It finally happened! I was asked at the checkout in my local supermarket if I had a senior’s card! How bad is that? I’m 51, but in my head see myself as a shade over 40. I keep in shape, and beside some follicle challenges, don’t think I look too bad for my age. But […]
Read MoreA quality act
Recently, my publisher sent me some complimentary download codes for the audio version of my book Smart Teams (shameless plug warning – you can download on Audible here). I decided to gift them to people who supported me by writing a testimonial for the book when it was first published. I was surprised when one of the recipients, my […]
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