Category Archives:
Get back up above the line
There is an unmistakable feeling of busyness out there in the workplace at the moment. Workers, leaders and teams feeling like they have never been so busy, but even with all of this activity, sometimes struggling to have an impact. My friend Matt Church put me onto a book a couple of years ago called […]
Read MoreThe connection between attention and traction
Prefer to listen? Listen to Dermot’s audio recording below: Have you ever noticed the strong connection between attention and traction? The things that are front of mind for us, that are most pressing, that are holding our attention, are the things that tend to get traction and progress. Every day we shift multiple pieces of […]
Read MoreToo much work or capacity erosion?
Ciao from Trieste, Italy, a truly beautiful part of the World. I recently overheard a conversation between a team leader and the HR person who supported the team. They were discussing a pulse survey conducted across the team in question. One of the comments from the HR person caught my attention. ‘A common theme coming […]
Read MoreKnow how long regular tasks take
Do you know how long your work generally takes you? If not, you may be missing out on an opportunity to focus yourself, and to negotiate with others. We recently moved to a new house which has a slightly bigger front and back garden that need mowing on a weekly basis. Now I am not […]
Read MoreTo capture or not to capture, that is the question
A participant in a recent webinar asked me this very thoughtful question. Is it worth capturing a task in your task list if it will only take twenty minutes? We had been discussing the merits of capturing all meetings in your calendar and all priorities in your task list. I sensed that he was struggling […]
Read MoreMake your deadlines highly visible
One of the key strategies we teach in our Smart Work program is the idea of managing the Start Date of a task, not the Due Date. The premise here is that if your task list is sorted by Due Dates, there is a greater risk that you may fall into the trap of leaving things until […]
Read MoreThe missing link for mobile workflow management
I, like many people, rely heavily on my smart phone to manage my work when I am out and about. I personally use an iPhone and love the fact that I can see my calendar, deal with emails on the fly, and even schedule tasks into my task list seamlessly using my phone. I have […]
Read MoreFit for purpose
A client in a recent Smart Work online training program asked a question I thought was worth sharing. We were discussing the use of the task management system in Outlook, which I believe to be the best tool for managing your tasks and priorities. The Smart Work program promotes opening the Outlook Task Bar in […]
Read MoreManaging information around complex tasks
I was speaking to my mate Nick recently and he reminded me about some of the challenges we’re facing in maintaining productivity whilst working remotely. Last month, I wrote about how we can leverage Microsoft tools like Outlook, Teams and Planner to stay organised and connected when working remotely. Nick runs a small IT business […]
Read MoreStaying productive when working remotely
So here we are in the midst of what looks like one of the most disruptive events many of us will ever face. I hope you and the people around you are holding up and I wish you all the best for the difficult weeks and months that lie ahead. Even though it’s early days, […]
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