Category Archives: Personal Effectiveness

The new tools of the trade

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I’m very keen not to be one of those people expounding the ‘upsides’ of the ongoing global pandemic. Because, y’know, global pandemic. But the need for many of us to work remotely has undeniably initiated a step change in the way we do things. And the range of digital tools available to help us to work more productively – indeed, to be able to work at all – has grown exponentially. Here are some that have allowed me to keep my business on track. And that I would now probably struggle to live without.

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The power (and peril) of routines

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I like my routines. For things that I do regularly, I have a set way of doing them and I do them the same way each time. I know how long it will take me. I know it works. And I don’t need to spend time reinventing the wheel. My wife takes the mickey, of course, especially when my routine is interrupted and I temporarily lose the ability to function. But, by and large, my routines work.

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Taking a tick-box approach

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Space shuttle commanders use them. Airline pilots use them. Lifeboat crew members use them. And I use them. They are the backbone of a well-organised operation. And if you’re not already making use of them, you should start to do so right now. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… the checklist. Continue reading →

Don’t set goals, create habits

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The new year is traditionally the time when we set goals for ourselves. Things we want to achieve. Skills we want to develop. Aspects of ourselves that we want to improve. And a couple of weeks into the new year is traditionally the time when we realise the wheels have already come off and we’re stuck with being who we are. So why not try something different? Instead of setting goals, create habits. Continue reading →

Embracing technology

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I’ve always been a bit ‘old school’. I like the reassurance of having a hard copy of important documents. I like the act of writing with a decent pen in a good notebook. I like to know that I’ll still be able to function if the battery in my phone dies. But since I started Sockmonkey eight years ago, I’ve become increasingly interested in how I can use technology to help me to get more done. And I’d like to take a few minutes to share some of the apps that I’ve found to work well for me, in the hope that they might work well for you, too. Continue reading →