Sharp - The Podcast

Mini Episode – Just a few words from me rambling a bit about the podcast, moving house and how lucky we all really are to have the problems that we have.

Episode 37 - In this final episode on managing your focus and attention, we look at dealing with the stuff that comes up in your day and give you some great techniques and solutions to help you get it done well.Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:What\'s led to this episode:Episode 34 - How to say \'NO\' to reduce your workloadEpisode 35 - How to decide what\'s important when prioritisingEpisode 36 - How to use 5 key tools to plan your day:A notebook (or somewhere to dump your \'mind\')An Action listBucketsA CalendarA RoutineBUT DON\'T WORRY IF YOU HAVEN\'T LISTENED TO THEM - OR PREPARED...There\'s loads in this one you can use either on its own, or with the structureHow does your day look? Are you a canoeist, a balloonist, or a cyclist?PLANNING THE DAYThis should take 5 minutes once you\'ve got your template readyI use the questions from Peter Bregman\'s 18 minutes model:Review your Action list – what will make this day highly effective?What can I realistically accomplish in my areas of focus? (From EP35)Wh

Episode 36 - In the second of our series on managing your focus, we give you the structure to help you set your day up to be efficient, manage your focus and attention, and win at life.Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:Don't wish your life away just trying to get to the end of your dayDemand a high quality of life DURING the day5 Tools and Techniques to bullet-proof your day and make progress towards what\'s importantSome of it comes from - David Allen\'s GTDAnd some from - Peter Bregman\'s 18 MinutesAnd the rest is from mwWe look at the 5 tools in a simple \'manual\' way firstA NotebookAn Action ListBucketsA CalendarA Routine1) A Notebook - Or something to dump your \'head stuff\' into...Stop waking up at 2 am because you\'ve just remembered thingsThe journey my Fisher Space Pen tookINTERACTIVE LISTENERS - DECIDE ON HOW YOU ARE GOING TO ENSURE YOU CAN WRITE DOWN ANYTHING THAT COMES TO MIND AND GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD2) Action List - Stop being woolly...What's wrong with a to-do list? I let you in on the s

Episode 35 - The first episode in a series of 3 where I share with you my trusted system for managing my activities. In this episode, we work out how to define what's important to you, so you can make the rest of the system work really well. This is an interactive episode - you will need some paper and a pen if you want to work this out for yourself.Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:Time Management doesn't work - you can't manage time!Why can we only ever do one thing?Stop trying to manage the time and start managing what you pay attention toYou don't need to feel anxious any more about what you haven\'t doneYou can apply this to work, home, family or life in generalNo apps in these episodes (almost)Steve in the Field makes a brief appearance - and of course, a poor choice!Why you need a filter to decide on what's important to YOUThe four levels which will help you decide on importance:Level 1 - What\'s the point or purposeLevel 2 - What are the different areasLevel 3 - What is the stuff - the detailLevel

Episode 34 - We start a series of episodes on managing your time and priorities even better. This time, we're looking at a simple way of reducing the amount on your plate in the first place: Saying 'No'.Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:Who Evette Huntley Flindt wasWhy we're interested in her firstborn sonWhat he says about choicesWhy it's sometimes easier to say 'YES'Kenny Nguyen, CEO of Big Fish Presentations, and why he thinks we should consider 'NO'His video about it from the TED stageAn article by Kristin Wong in the New York Times - May 2017 on the subjectCarl Richards also has a view in this article from 2016Leo Babauta writes great things about goals, habits, simplifying and productivityHis blog, which has been listed by Time magazine in their best of top 25 blogs - Zen Habits The article Leo wrote - The Gentle Art Of Saying NoThe headlines (but we really recommend you read the article)Value your timeKnow your prioritiesPractice saying noDon’t apologizeStop being niceSay no to your bossPre-empting

Episode 33 - We go on a journey from modern-day Manchester to 1980s Rome and learn how you can solve YOUR procrastination problems.Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:Who on earth is Bradley GriffinWhy is he in Starbucks? (The clue is that the episode is about procrastination)What that's got to do with 1980s ItalyHow a student there had some problems, and why it matters to you how he solved themThe Pomodoro TechniqueAn introduction video from the Cirillo Company The basic steps:Step 1 - Get the tools: a timer, a piece of paper, and a pencilStep 2 - Turn off distractions, and be clear on what piece of work you're going to doStep 3- Set the timer for 25 minutesStep 4 - Start working, really focus, and just work. During the 25 minutes, if something comes up that could distract you, make a note of it on the piece of paper and carry on workingStep 5 - When the timer goes off, step away from your workFind out more from Cirillo Company on the techniqueWhat Lisa and I think about itThe more advanced elementsThe ori

Episode 32 - We solve the problem of getting stuck and not seeing things through to the end. The answer is not only simple but can give you the best of both worlds.Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:What happens in our heads when we get stuck on thingsAn article from Inc.com which refers to a Princeton StudyWhy it's the same as making a choice between 'cake now' or 'broccoli later'How this may explain why we get distracted and don't finish stuffThe 3 SHARP solutions:1) Giving yourself rewards with intention155 ways to reward yourself - the article is here2) Social AccountabilityGetting outside of your comfort zone by being accountable to othersA good article by Do The Things with some ideasJoining a Mastermind Group - here's some resourceFinding a coachMeet Up, where you can join like-minded peopleApps to improve your fitness regimeFitbit - you can join up with friends to compare activityStrava - where you can compare runs or cycle routes with othersPumpup - where you can track progress, post your success,

Episode 31 - In a bid to live up to our aim of 'not taking ourselves too seriously', our last episode of the year features the best (worst) of our wannabe roving reporter - Steve In The Field. Fortunately, the episode was hosted by Steve In The Studio, so there is SOME normality.Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:One thing - shall we keep him? Tell us in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook 

Episode 30- In this episode, we help you prepare for a sharper new YOU for next year by revisiting the subject of routines. We've produced a compilation episode on the subject, with all the really useful stuff from episodes 12 and 13.If you'd like to listen to the FULL episodes, the links are here:Episode 12 (Hello Good Morning), where we cover:Why you should think about your morning routinePlanning to plan from a personal perspectiveHaving a morning routine isn't just for people running multi-million-pound operationsBut if they do it - why shouldn't you?I've done the research in places like Success magazine, Forbes, Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn, David Allen and so on, so you don't have to. Here are some articles for further reading:(Success link removed as article has since been taken down)FastCompany - The morning routines of the most successful peopleForbes - Routines of 7 successful but human millennial entrepreneursWhat my morning routine is - and why I do itCircadian rhythms and - why they make you feel like

Episode 29  In this episode, we help you prepare for a sharper new YOU for next year by revisiting the subject of goals. We've produced a compilation episode on the subject, with all the really useful stuff from episodes 18 and 19.If you'd like to listen to the FULL episodes, the links are here:Episode 18 (Why Your Goals Aren't Working) where we cover:The resource out there on setting goals5 steps that many people agree on when setting successful goals1) Visualising your goal – invoke all of your sensesThe brain’s link between sounds, smells and memory2) Writing your goal down – using the S.M.A.R.T. acronymBe Specific about what the goal isDefine how you would Measure whether you’ve achieved the goalUse ‘Action’ language – Do, Become, DevelopRealistic – either take this literally and make the goals realistic or take the ‘Big Hairy Audacious’ approach and set really stretching goals. You decide!Set a Time limit to when you want to achieve the goal by3) Sharing your goalTwo schools of thought on this, make the

Episode 28 - In this episode, we help you prepare for a sharper new YOU for next year by revisiting the subject of habits. We've produced a compilation episode on the subject, with all the really useful stuff from episodes 5,6 and 7.If you'd like to listen to the FULL episodes, the links are here:Episode 5 (Breaking Bad), where we cover:What are habits?How are they formed? According to Charles Duhigg in his book – The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do, and How to ChangeThe notion of cue/routine/rewardBad habits – smoking – yuk! How to stop with – The EasyWay method from Allen CarrThe plasticity of our brains and changing habitsPodcast resource 1 – Freakonomics Radio – How to be More ProductiveChanging behaviour – the BJ Fogg ModelThe notion of Motivation/Ability/TriggerPodcast resource 2 – The One You Feed Episode 91Why motivation is not the only way to change habitsWhy you should aim for ‘easy’Baby steps – or ‘How to design a website just by opening a laptop’David Allen’s idea of ‘Next Actions’ when tack

Episode 27 - In this episode, we turn the tables on Steve. Lisa interviews him to find out about the podcast journey so far, what influences the content, where the ideas come from and, importantly, to ask for your input on where you\'d like it to go from here*Some of the stuff in there are:How Steve doesn\'t know the difference between Paddington Bear and Winnie The PoohWhy is Steve interested in his podcast stuffHow we both use it day to dayGTD (You can get the book here)Morning routines - Featured in Episode 12End-of-day routines - We looked at this in Episode 13GratitudeManaging e-mail - Episode 20 covered thisStructuring your day the 18 minutes way - Order the book hereApps like Evernote and NozbeThe positive impact on life of using some of the Sharp ideasWhy the podcast startedThe voiceover to podcast journey - Steve\'s voiceover website link if you\'re interestedWhat would Steve have done differently if he had done it all againWhat we\'ve learnedThe podcasts Steve listens toFor funPoorly summarized - T

Episode 26 - In this episode, we have a look at the humble checklist. In today's complex and sophisticated life, we often have equally complex solutions. However, sometimes there's still a place for the simple checklist. It can be a lifesaver, and in certain circumstances - literally.Some of the stuff in there is:Why should we consider checklists?Who uses themOur brain and why it needs help at timesWe considered the Psychology Today article on why we only retain certain informationWhat you've got in common with an airline pilot, a doctor, a diver - and meThe solutions we come up with to make allowances for our brain's limitationsBeansThe tragedy which caused the airline pilot checklist to come into existenceThe Art Of Manliness - their ideas about checklistsAtul Gawande, author of - The Checklist ManifestoGawande's Ted talkMalcolm Gladwell's review of his bookYou can order The Checklist Manifesto from Amazon UK hereOr you can order it from Amazon USA hereThat bumbling dufus and his report this weekMy checkli

Episode 25 - This week, we challenge the idea that being 'positive' is always the best approach. In fact, we discovered some research that suggests it could even hold you back:Some of the stuff in there is:Astonishment at our global listener groupMe failing to greet our listeners in a few different languagesThe glass half full half empty scenario - it might not be helpfulHow social media can make us feel like our lives are half emptyOur discovery of where we are in the world on incomeTry it yourself; you may be surprised - How Rich Am I?How positive thinking influenced my ability to pass a testSteve-in-the-field goes to the races to prove me wrongA Washington Post article - interview of Susan David challenging forced positive thinkingHidden Brain podcast by NPR - featuring professor Gabriele OettingenHer article in the New York PostWhat Joel Minden says in Psychology Today - about challenging beliefsWOOP! - Here's an explainer videoProfessor Oettingen's talk at - New York UniversityThe Rethinking Positive Thi

Episode 24 - This week, we (Lisa and I) talk about using ideas we have looked at before and applied to being a working Mum or Dad or anyone who has to balance work with life. We consider why we tend to keep those things separate when actually, one can help the other.Some of the stuff in there is:How it seems easier to apply productivity solutions to workWhy it's different to apply them to family or home lifeThe difference between a work meeting and sitting to dinner with familyIt all went wrong in the morningHow a nighttime routine directly affects the morningThings to consider for the nighttime routineSetting out clothes for the morningMaking lunchesHaving a defined bedtimeAgreed wakeup timesThe roles each person plays and how they can impact everyone elseThe virtuous circleSome good routines and checklists for kids are hereHere are Entrepreneur.com's thoughts on end-of-day routines for adultsOther routines or checklists to consider:Meal planningChecklists for items needed on a day outChecklist for items ne

Episode 23 - In this episode, I've researched 152 different productivity and efficiency tips, to find you the best. These 9 will make a big difference to how much stuff you can get done - freeing you up to spend more time doing the stuff you really WANT to do. Enjoy!Some of the stuff in there is:How Eating The Frog will mean you actually get things doneWhy you should Ditch The Phone to concentrateAutomate Or Eliminate - how they can save you timeThe Brainscape.com study on shortcuts saving you 8 days per yearMichael Hyatt's book - The Virtual Assistant SolutionWhat Clutter can do to reduce your productivity and how to sort it - according to ForbesBatchingWhat it looks like in - Getting Things Done by David AllenThe Pomodoro technique - some more info hereLooking After Yourself - what Lifehack.com says about a 2005 studyHow we covered morning routines - in episode STP012And the importance of sleep - in episode STP022Taking BreaksHow it increases performance according to a study - from the University of Illino

Episode 22 - We're having a look at sleep this time. We learn why sleep is important, how a lack of it can literally kill you, what happens when we do get sleep and how to achieve it. There's also a liberal sprinkling of nonsense from 'Steve out in the field' which he thought was a good idea:Some of the stuff in there is:What can happen if you don't get enough sleepThere's a really interesting animation - by the Ted team hereWhy only a few people can survive on low levels of sleepThe risks you expose yourself to even after only being awake for 18 hoursNational Geographic's experiment - This is your brain on no sleepHow many people die in sleep related crashes each year - the numbers are astonishingFurther reading from Forbes here The health consequences of missing out on just an hour's sleep a nightThe Telegraph Article5 definite benefits from getting enough sleep:You’re better able to focus and learnYou feel happierYou’re more productiveYou’re less hungryYou won’t get sick as oftenWhat happens when we sleep

Episode 21 - UPDATE* - Mike is no longer working in the voiceover industry, but I think there's lots to get out of this episode, so I've left it up.This week we talk to Mike Broderick. Mike is a UK based entrepreneur who specialises in Voiceover work. Mike shared with us his challenges, his solutions, and how he gets things done whilst continually revisiting how he does them. There are some practical tips in there, and I think a lovely story on Mike's frame of mind. Enjoy.Some of the stuff in there is:How Mike went from Economic Development to talking into a microphone for a livingDouglas Puryer's book - Your life can be betterHow it may have ideas for all of usFinding it hard to focusBatchingLearning to not beat yourself upWhy meditation allows you to decide what you feel about somethingThe risks of trying to be too perfectThe benefits of investing in a tool to speed up your processes instead of just sticking with doing things the same waySmilingFinding the opportunity to practice in everything you doThe Mom

Episode 20 - This week, we're showing you how to get in control of your inbox. Two options for you - pick any of the tips you like and apply them individually, or apply them all and get to 'INBOX ZERO' every day. In the first few minutes, we look at why email is not necessarily helping us, and then in part two, we show you 10 things you can do differently.Some of the stuff in there is:PART 1 - 01:33Who Elwood Edwards isWhy is e-mail different now than it was in 1989The Radicati Group Estimate 269 Bn emails sent a day - in this articleWhy e-mail is no respecter of hierarchy, time or our prioritiesThe Daily Mail claims email is taking up over 2 hours a day - article hereThe Huffington Post claim it's taking up over 6 hours a day - article hereLifehacker explains why it can take over 20 minutes to get interrupted concentration back - hereThe CTO who learned that email was costing his company the equivalent of a Learjet - article hereWe ask - do you want one whole working day back every month?Where some of my so

Episode 19 - Last time, we looked at setting goals. But unless you do something about them, they end up being nothing more than good intentions. In this episode, we share the resource that's out there to help you do your goals, keep them on track, measure your performance and make them happen. We feature 5 apps and 5 'paper-based' resources - so there's something for everyone!Some of the stuff in there is:Why it's no good just deciding on your goalsApps and mobile-based resource can track and support your goals because your device is always with youWe reviewed loads of different websites, blogs and resource to research what apps are out thereWe (I) found 95 different apps to considerSo then I filtered them based on which ones got recommended the mostIn the episode, I talked about the top 5 - here they are:Coach.meGoals on trackStridesIrunurunLifetickI also promised you I'd link to the top 10 in the show notes, so here are the next 5:HabitBullStickKBalancedHabit ListWay Of LifeNext up was a 'paper-based' reso