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Welcome to the Expansion Collective podcast with Rachel and Sarah, honest conversations for real women navigating real life.
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In this podcast, we'll explore ways to live more intentionally.
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We share ideas, tips, and resources to help you create a life that feels meaningful to you.
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Today we're going to talk about productivity and planning and also the importance of rest.
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And we've been sort of inspired by a book we're both reading, Working Hard, Hardly Working, which is by Grace Beverly.
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And she actually created the productivity method.
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But the book's really interesting and it's all about achieving more but stressing less and feeling more fulfilled.
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And I think it's probably quite a good time of year to think about this just because it can be quite an overwhelming busy time of year, I think, at work and personally.
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So from a work perspective, I know we've both been talking about this a lot, haven't we?
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Because we've both read the book recently.
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How do you kind of manage everything, especially when you wear so many different hats at work?
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I I love a to-do list, um, a handwritten to-do list.
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I know a lot of people use their phones or their um their outlook.
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So I suppose for me, I've got two main points of reference every day, which is my outlook calendar, which is my work outlook calendar, but I do block out periods of time or time when I've got um appointments and my to-do list, which I handwrite.
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I find the to-do list quite overwhelming at times, so I do have to take stock of it.
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I add to it all the time, and that can be I've got a work to-do list and a home to-do list.
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So, do you keep them separate?
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You run them as two separate lists?
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Yeah, I do, I do.
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But occasionally when I'm thinking about something, I'll just you know, I might be on a meeting, I'll just scribble something down.
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It might not be an action from the meeting, but it might be something that it's reminded me I need I need to do in relation to what we're talking about.
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So I'll sort of scribble things down, and it can get very messy very quickly.
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So probably once a week, usually on a weekend, actually, I'll take stock of that to-do list and it usually gets quite unwieldy through the week, and then I'll transfer it onto my A3 pad and I'll try to put it in sections of what though what the specific area of the business is that it relates to.
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So, for instance, if it's finance, if it's HR, if it's the company, or if it's you know something we're discussing, or or the team I need to do with the team, I'll try to divide it out.
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But what I've not done until really recently, actually, is put things in priority order.
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So I've started to do that, and whilst I've got things in my outlook calendar, so it's mostly meetings in my outlook calendar, or if it's personal, it's appointments.
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I do put chunks of time in there that I need to work on some bigger pieces of work or bigger tasks.
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So that so I've kind of got the two reference points, I guess.
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But the the handwritten list is where it gets out of control quite quickly, and I have to take stock of it, otherwise, I'll just look at it and go cross-eyed.
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So I suppose with my role as well, there are certain points in the month, particularly month end or the very beginning of the month, for for finance, it's really busy time, so that then becomes urgent, and the to-do list has to wait.
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So it's then very time-specific, isn't it?
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Whereas the to-do list, I yeah, like I say, I don't put things in priority order, I should do more, but I don't because it I write it through the day as I'm going as well.
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But how about you?
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Well, do you know what?
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It's just making me think actually.
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I'm I don't keep a written to-do list very often.
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Sometimes I write stuff down.
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I tend to put everything straight into my calendar, but I do think I wing a lot of it, and I do think I'm my memory's pretty good, but I do worry as I'm getting older, my I do forget things more, and I do think this is really timely.
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This is why I wanted to read this book actually, because I think it's quite timely with just finding some methods actually to keep things on track.
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Because what I will say, although I'm fairly organised and I tend to get stuff done, sometimes it's lucky, and my team will remind me of staff or I'll remember things, and I think I'm gonna have to stop relying on that.
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Do you find your minds quite full then a lot of the time?
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Because I suppose my my to-do list is a way of me clearing my mind as well, so I know I've captured it, I'm not gonna forget it, and I can focus on them working through with my inbox to start the you know, start the day.
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I'll always work through my inbox, which seems to have crept up overnight, or a task that I need to get on
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with before you know preparation for a meeting.
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So I suppose the to-do list is where I know is my second brain.
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Yeah, so you know that nothing gets forgotten, it's your security almost.
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Yeah, I don't think I have that enough, you know.
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So I'm I'm organized in the sense that in the moment when something so what I'm quite good at doing is if I'm on calls or I've got something that's going to need to be done, I'll block it out in that moment.
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So I'll use my outlet calendar.
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I mean, my outlet calendar is a mess because I put it's like a to-do list, which it shouldn't really be, but I need it to be.
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So I do one of one of the things that in in this book that we've been looking at is time blocking.
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So making sure time is blocked in.
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So what I will do is before I finish work at the end of a day, I look at the next day, think of the things I've got to do, but I'm thinking of them, they're in my head, you know, rather than necessarily written down, and then so it's the things I've remembered, really, isn't it?
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And then if something's forgotten, it's forgotten, I probably do need to think about it.
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I suppose it's it's topical as well, isn't it?
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For you, I suppose my role is very process-driven.
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So I have certain things I have to get done at certain points of the month, or certain times of the course or the year, so it's very cyclical.
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Whereas your, I guess yours is what's going on with your clients at the time, and that's or you know, preparation for proposals or whatever, that's more in the moment and over days, I guess, or that's what you need to get done for the week.
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So it's it's more of a bigger task, would you say?
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Yeah, I have very few things that are regularly scheduled in.
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My role doesn't really work like that, so yeah, I just have to, it's it's all quite sort of ad hoc and a bit random, I guess.
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So I think it's really important for me to get this.
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Is why this is timely.
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I think I really need to get some of these methods in place to make sure stuff doesn't slip.
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And especially coming up, I've got quite a lot of work trips, I've got a lot of time out of the office.
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Yeah, so I'm gonna need to be organised.
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You I'm I'm okay because I always find I make sure I give myself quiet time.
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So what I'll do if I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, I'll think, right, before I do anything now, I need 30 minutes and I need to sit here and think about everything.
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And that's when maybe I will write stuff down and then transfer it into my calendar, but I don't keep a to-do list as such.
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I suppose because we have so many meetings, what I try not to do is put too much in my calendar because, like you say, it could end up looking like your to-do list.
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If I need to block out a chunk of time to work on something, then that goes in like a meeting appointment.
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So then I'm having a meeting with myself at my desk, or I'll work with um my assistant and you know we'll we'll do some parallel working, which holds me accountable to actually getting the task done.
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And we might not actually be working on it together, but just me being on that call with her and and holding me to account and making sure I get it done, you know, by the end of our call at three o'clock, say, that actually makes me that makes me get on with it.
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And that's one of the techniques, isn't it?
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Is like prioritization or picking the power of three.
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So I picking three things that have got to be done that day.
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So out of that to-do list, what are the three things that that need to be done?
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And how do you find a way to make sure you get those things done, particularly if it's a bigger task?
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And I think making sure you're set up to do it.
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I know you do, we we were talking about that earlier, weren't we?
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Making sure that you you've got the time, you've got no distractions, turn off your email alerts.
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Turn off I turn off my email, and uh particularly at this time at the end of the end of the month and beginning of the month, I probably go offline for a couple of days.
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I will look at my emails at the end of the day, but I certainly won't respond to anything during the day because I'm I'm in the detail of what I'm doing.
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Um and people can get hold of me if they want me.
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You know, there's WhatsApp, or you know, I do tend to check WhatsApp through the day just because I know somebody's reached me out reaching out to me on WhatsApp, it's urgent.
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Or they'll phone me, you know, good old traditional phone call.
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So all teams.
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So I think it's quite interesting.
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The the the top three, isn't it?
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I I quite like to get quick things done quickly.
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So although I shouldn't write everything down on my
to-do list, I do write down absolutely all the detail, but I like to cross things off and it makes me feel like I'm actually getting something done.
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So I take a few small things first to get done.
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Yeah, but I know that I know I need to get done before I move on to the bigger stuff.
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And it's giving yourself the time, isn't it?
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You know, if you've got a tight deadline, making sure you've got that space, like you said, to think about things, work on it, know you've got the time to get it done before the deadline's screaming at screaming at you.
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Um it's not always possible, but deadlines do focus the mind, don't they?
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And if you have a if you don't have a tight deadline, then make give yourself a deadline so that because it's very easy, I think, when things are in our calendar and you probably find it as well.
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You put your tasks in, but you know, that time we get hijacked by a meeting or something else that's coming that's urgent.
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Do you do you are you very disciplined?
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No, I'm not disciplined at all with it.
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I move stuff on all the time.
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Are you very disciplined with moving it on though?
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Because what I find sometimes is that I don't necessarily look back through the day the next day and go, Oh shit, I didn't get that done, I'll move that on.
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Or do you do it at the time?
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I do it at the time, I am quite good at doing that.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And I think um, there's a couple of methods actually that in the productivity method that so the first one is figuring out what's actually important.
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So she advises, like, drawing.
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I think this is this is a matrix, it's I think it's called the Eyes and Hower matrix.
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So it's a known productivity tool where you draw four boxes and you literally put urgent and important in one.
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So what's urgent and important, what's important but not urgent, what's urgent and not important, and what's not urgent and not important, and then you you put things into those four categories to help people.
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Good idea, isn't it?
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Because I find I've just got one long rambling list most of the time, rather than sectioning out the urgent and importance.
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And then if you do that, what you then can do is so, right, if it's urgent and it's important, there you go, that's what you need to get done today.
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Because they're things that cannot wait, and you need to do them because they're important, probably.
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So there's your three for the day, and you need to minimize distractions and get them done, or plot in the time when you're going to do it.
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Um, whereas if it's not urgent and not important, I mean, you can probably get rid of it.
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Does it matter if it's not urgent, it's not important, you can probably bin it.
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If it's urgent but not important, you can probably delegate it.
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Yeah.
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Do you how do you get on with delegating stuff?
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Um I've got better with work tasks just because I've had to, because there's a lot of meetings that go on, isn't there?
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We have a lot of meetings.
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So I've had to get better work-wise.
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Um, outside of work, I'm not good.
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I've got too much of a grip on everything.
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And I think we put so much pressure on ourselves to do everything, just thinking about what you're saying about if it's not urgent and not important, you know, you can bin it or just you know, forget it.
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But often when you think, well, I can't just forget that.
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You know, what's the worst that's going to happen if it doesn't get done?
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You know, it doesn't if something doesn't matter, why you giving yourself more to do than is necessary, why you know just let it go?
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That's really hard.
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It is hard because I think we're addicted to being busy as well.
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I think like we've just in this, I mean, like you were saying earlier, with distractions, turning off your email.
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Like we we never want to do that, do we?
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Like we're interrupted.
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And I'll quite often say to our people in my team, just you don't need to answer everything straight away, focus on what you're doing at the time and put your phone.
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I put my phone in a different room.
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I have to, because actually, everybody doesn't need to be to get hold of you every minute of every day.
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That that didn't happen a few years ago when you could have just got hold of everybody.
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We all managed, it's almost like we've become always on and always busy all the time.
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Yeah, but it's it's it's kind of like trying to have all your plates spilling spinning all the time, isn't it, with a phone?
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Because that's binging and ringing and God knows what else all the time, isn't it?
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As a distraction, it it can feel like you've got 20 things spinning at once and you're just not doing anything effectively, yeah.
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But yeah, I I only learnt that probably in the probably in the last couple of years, really putting myself offline because I used to feel well, I can't be offline, that looks like I'm not working.
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You know, it's ridiculous thought, really, isn't it?
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Yeah, but yeah, I I I do.
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And if somebody does does want to get hold of me, but it's not urgent, then they'll wait.
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Yeah, you know, what was what's the worst that's gonna happen?
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So it does it does come with discipline, definitely does come with this discipline, and I think the more you can delegate, and it's also I think delegating, especially work, is well, this is how I do it, and it's not gonna be done the same way.
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That's quite a big thing, isn't it?
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I think it's like well, let somebody else find their way, they might have a better way of doing it, you know.
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And and I say that to Kate, you know, I'm not fixated on on doing it my way.
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If you've got a quicker way of doing it or a more efficient way of doing it, then please you know let me know, that's great.
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So it's getting out of that mindset that it's harder to explain it and delegate it than it is just to do it, but actually, long term you've got to get good at doing that because you can't do everything, can you?
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And if if you think that you're the only one that can do something, I mean that's not the case, is it?
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You have it is a hard way to learn, I think.
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No, exactly.
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And if it gets done wrong, then it that doesn't really matter either.
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It's just a a way of talking it through and and making it better.
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But yeah, I think that's that's only a fairly recent thing.
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I've let go of the grip of the need to do everything and do it my way.
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And I think maybe using that matrix is a really good way to help you think about delegating, isn't it?
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Because if there is stuff in that in that quadrant that is urgent and needs to be done, but isn't important and doesn't have to be done by you, yeah.
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That's a way of perhaps visualising it and really thinking about those specific tasks.
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I think that's quite a useful exercise to do.
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Yeah.
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And also if it's in the urgent but not important, well not urged but important, and
you you know, you need to do it or you want to do it, then just put it in there, but put it out of your mind and block some time out in the future somewhere.
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Yeah, the following week or something.
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So yeah, yeah, so you don't have to keep thinking about it because that's half the trick, isn't it?
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I think all of these methods, it's about not holding it all in your head at all at the same time until it is done, and then gathering more and more things to do, and your head's just like spinning, isn't it?
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And trying to compute, and that's what that's when you feel like you're less productive and procrastinating because you don't know where to start.
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I think actually blocking out the time for organising your week is is important, it's a part should be a part of your working day.
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So whether you do it on a Sunday or whether you do it first thing when you start on a Monday, depending on the type of job you do.
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I think taking the time to plan, look at all of the things you've got to do.
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That's that's a crucial part of the day.
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But we don't necessarily do it, do we?
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Just start the day, and then you're into the day, and before you know it, it's it's Thursday.
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Yeah, but I think actually allowing yourself blocking out that time to to look at your plan, and I think that's really important.
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And like you do at the end of your day.
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I mean, I tend to do it like first thing in the morning, early in the morning when I've got some quiet time before I've even got on the start of my day.
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I'll tend to I'll know what's going on for the week because I would have looked at the week, but I'll just remind myself and then get my head into into gear in the morning rather than doing it the night before.
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So you you sort of finish your day with that, don't you?
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The reason I do that at the end of the day is when I'm going to finish is so I can try and relax in the evening because we'll we'll talk a bit in a minute about the importance of rest, proper rest.
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But I feel like if I my day quite often ends um busily, so I because I might in the afternoon, we've got clients in the US and so I might end up having three meetings back to back in the afternoon, and then I've got to go and pick where you're up.
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So my day ends abruptly, and I'm a little bit panicked then that I feel like I've not.
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So if you imagine I've picked actions up out of meetings to do, and then I need to go, so it's in my head.
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So I
always try and just have, even if it's just 15 minutes before I have to go be somewhere wherever I've got to go at the end of the day, just to write, just to make sure I've blocked into my calendar for the next day all the things that have come out of today that I need to make sure are done because then I feel like I can switch off.
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Yeah, otherwise I feel like I've got to come back and think about it because I'll forget it by the morning.
00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:21.359
I suppose your your routine, now you've changed your gym slot, is a little bit later than mine.
00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:34.799
So mine my day typically finishes about three, as in meeting day, and then I'm I've got uh an abrupt finish and I'm out the door for a couple of hours, but then I'll come back to it to kind of do that window, I guess.
00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.960
So yeah, it's the same, just slightly different.
00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:44.319
I suppose I'm not doing my to-do list for the next day, but I'm sort of downloading anything that I've needed to that I sort of finished abruptly with.
00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.599
Yeah, yeah, that's interesting.
00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.960
Actually, another thing I did this week talking about getting rid of distractions.
00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:52.480
I bought the calculator because I we use our phones, don't we?
00:17:52.640 --> 00:18:02.400
But we kept finding that I was picking my phone up to to use the calculator because I prefer that than using the one with a computer, and then that's it 10 minutes later, or 20 minutes later.
00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.960
Well, you've got 20 notifications, yeah.
00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:08.799
I'm still on it because I'm distracted by WhatsApp or I've gone on Instagram and had a little look.
00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:20.880
So I find putting my phone away if I'm gonna do a set task, and actually, another another method that she talks about in the book is quick ticks, tasks, and projects.
00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:28.559
Yeah, so again, so so thinking about separating things up into quick ticks, bigger tasks, and then big projects that need to be broken down.
00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:31.200
And those quick ticks, I think we were saying earlier, weren't we?
00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:33.279
If it's less than two minutes, probably just do it.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:34.319
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:50.880
And I that's actually quite nice because I think I said I I write down, used to write down every tiny detail about, you know, call the doctor, just pick the phone up and call the doctor now or make that appointment, change, change dentist's appointment, you know, if it's um sort of home stuff.
00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:59.359
So yeah, I'm getting better at that because it can feel you you can feel like you're just writing to-do lists otherwise, and it's just overwhelming, isn't it?
00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:00.160
To look at it.
00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:02.960
I've always been quite
good at doing those things in the moment.
00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:05.119
So as soon as something comes in my head, I'll just do it.
00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:07.440
Yeah, I've always sort of been that's really good.
00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.319
That's really good.
00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:12.799
I haven't so much, so it's it's a new thing for me, new territory for me.
00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:17.119
And I think there's two parts to working hard, hardly working.
00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:20.240
I mean, this isn't a review of the book, but there's just some great techniques in there, isn't there?
00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:29.839
So that's it's our it's a really interesting book because the second part is hardly working, and it's just about the importance of rest that rest is so productive too.
00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:33.440
And I just think how often do we truly rest?
00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:35.839
Because life is so busy.
00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:53.440
I don't, I don't know about you, but if I get a free day, I used to well, I'm I'm getting much better at it, but I tend to fill it up with stuff because the thought of just not doing anything, yeah, just feels because what what is I mean, what is sort of proper rest?
00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:54.880
What does that actually look like?
00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:57.039
I suppose you know, would it be going for a walk?
00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:58.240
Is that what are you talking about?
00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:00.000
That leaving your phone at home?
00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:03.200
Yeah, because if I go for a walk, I'll perhaps listen to a podcast.
00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:03.680
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:07.039
So then that's really getting your steps in, yeah.
00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:12.160
Um, for me lately, actually, I'd I'd stopped watching TV a lot, like I hardly ever watch TV.
00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:17.680
But actually, I find the one way that really switches me off is if I'm watching something I'm really enjoying.
00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:24.799
So if I can find a series that I love and I can't wait to watch the next one, yeah, find that many, but that is when I will really switch off.
00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:26.640
Because if I don't do that, I'm tempted.
00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:33.200
If I've just got something on, or I'm just sitting down and maybe I'm tempted to just keep doing things unless I get engrossed in something.
00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.599
And I think it depends on the sort of job you do, doesn't it?
00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:39.279
But even if you even if it's for us, there's always something that could be done.
00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:45.200
Work from home all the time, there's always something I could be doing if I wanted to.
00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:46.880
I have no set hours, yeah.
00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:47.599
So I could do it.
00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:50.079
It doesn't matter if I do something at 10 o'clock at night, that's fine.
00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:53.359
So there's always something that could be done, and I guess same with the house, isn't there?
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:55.200
There's always something that can be done in the home.
00:20:55.440 --> 00:21:01.119
Yeah, so finding a way that stops you from thinking about those things or trying to do something.
00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:05.759
I I do find if I'm in the home, I am, I would find something.
00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:08.720
Just I would find something because there's always something.
00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:12.880
I don't know when we talked about decluttering and and organising the home.
00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:19.680
If that's not right, I I can rest when that's organised and when things are you know where they should be in the home.
00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:24.559
But yeah, for me, I suppose it's it's getting out, getting out.
00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:30.400
Not necessarily, you know, exercise or anything, but if I'm out with a dog, that's my switch off time.
00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:33.839
And often I'll I'll not listen to a podcast now, you know.
00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:36.400
I don't always, or I'll leave the phone in the car.
00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:42.880
I know it's only for a short while, but I'll I'll just literally go and I'll I'll just be out walking and you know sleeping.
00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:44.480
Your mind's rested, isn't it?
00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:45.039
Brain's rested.
00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:46.960
Yeah, your brain's rested.
00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:55.599
And one thing I've actually started doing um the last only the last couple of weeks when the weather's started to change a bit, is having a bubble bath.
00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:56.720
And I've loved that.
00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:58.640
Yeah, that's a good one.
00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.839
I don't I don't love baths.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.200
Maybe I'll try.
00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:06.559
I don't really know, I don't really have them throughout the year until it gets to this time of year, I think.
00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:08.880
And then I think, oh, it's quite getting quite dark outside.
00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:12.160
I might have a bubble bath and yeah, just switch off from everyone.
00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:14.079
That's a great one, actually.
00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.279
Yeah, that's a good one.
00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:22.880
I think, but for me, yeah, at the moment, watching a good series, because then also because you even find now we you're watching TV and you're going on your phone at the same time, aren't you?
00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:23.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:25.680
Which is just crazy.
00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:27.920
So you're not really engaged with either, are you?
00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:35.839
Scrolling or flicking about, and and I think that's really important to recognise as well that that's not really rest, is it?
00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:50.960
Because you might think, oh, laying down on the sofa or or having a line in bed and going, I can be quite bad for doing that and just flicking through, scrolling
through Instagram, but that's not really resting, that's not really switching off because you're I find it makes you feel a bit rubbish, actually.
00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:51.920
Yeah, it does.
00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:56.720
It does scroll for a long time, and then you just think, Oh god, what was the point of that?
00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:05.359
Or yeah, you've seen something that's irritated you unnecessarily, or it should yeah, like say you just don't feel rested, do you?
00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:07.279
And if you're not rested, you're not productive.
00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:08.240
It's it's so true, isn't it?
00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:08.880
You're not at your best.
00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:13.519
You've got to, I think what you are then, you can be busy, super busy, but not really productive.
00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:18.160
Yeah, so doing lots of stuff, procrastinating, not not flitting from different things.
00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:20.720
I think you need to be rested to be able to focus properly.
00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:23.440
Yeah, and that's also where ideas come to you, you know.
00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:33.039
Definitely, when you're switched off, yeah, when your mind's rested, or you might be inspired by something, and then it just sort of gives you motivation, and doesn't it?
00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:35.039
I mean, procrastination is another thing.
00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:38.000
Do you is there anything in your life that you procrastinate on?
00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:47.839
I mean, there is different the they're all if there's a job, I mean it's not one set thing particularly, but if I've got something I don't particularly enjoy, that's the thing, isn't it?
00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:53.680
If it's a task you don't necessarily enjoy, you don't want to do it, so you just keep thinking about it rather than just getting on with it.
00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:59.279
And I think that's where the discipline of if you're rested, choose a time, maybe I suppose for those tasks.
00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:04.559
Probably what's quite a good shout is to choose choose a time that you know you're gonna be rested.
00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:13.279
So maybe don't pick Monday morning when you've had a really busy weekend, yeah, to put yourself in a task that you don't actually love doing and you're gonna procrastinate on or it's gonna be really heavy.
00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:16.640
Yeah, pick a time that you know you're gonna be feeling good.
00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:19.039
For me, I do need to put stuff in it for the mornings.
00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:24.559
If I've got stuff that I need to really focus on, then my time to do that is early morning, yeah.
00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:30.880
Yeah, it's when I'm most alert, yeah, and your mind, your mind's quicker, I think, in the morning.
00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:35.759
You can think, yeah, you can think clearly it's not got weighed down from the the day.
00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:37.200
And not everybody's like that.
00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:38.960
Some people are not great in the mornings, are they?
00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:45.039
I mean, I'm talking about if I really have got a big thing to do, I can get it done best probably at like six in the morning if I get up early.
00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:49.920
Yeah, make just sit quietly before anyone else is really around as well.
00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:52.319
Yeah, that's probably why, but not everybody's like that.
00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:55.279
Some people are better later on in the day, aren't they?
00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:58.880
Everyone's got kind of different clocks, some people hate the mornings.
00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.960
I think you have to adapt as well, don't you?
00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:09.440
I mean, when when my two uh were little and I was working more evenings because they weren't yet at school, I'd be working like two in the morning sometimes.
00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.880
I couldn't I couldn't do it now.
00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:16.640
I'd still be working as our sort of what we're doing in the day, I'd be doing it at night time.
00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:17.759
I don't know how I did it really.
00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:23.440
It's a short-term thing, but you know, some people like you say are more alert at night or more focused.
00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:31.200
I've had to accept that because I used to work, I used to always say, I'll do it this evening, and what I do during the day, if something came up, I say I'll work tonight.
00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:35.119
And I was like, I actually hate this, I don't want to work tonight, I don't need doing it.
00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:43.279
I I'm not I'm too tired, so I've actually accepted that about myself now, and I don't even bother saying that I'm gonna do it tonight because I know I'm not new.
00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:51.519
So I just have started definitely knowing myself better and giving myself things to do when I know I'm more on form.
00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.799
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:58.640
I I probably could still work at night, but the family think otherwise, and I should expect that, you know.
00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:02.400
I I'd probably be at my desk at 10 o'clock at night, you know, still doing something.
00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:07.920
But I think I've learnt over time where we, you know, we work split shifts sometimes, don't we?
00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:12.319
You know, it might be on early in the morning, then you you know, you might go off for a couple of hours or whatever.
00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:24.720
Our days are quite split sometimes, and I think I'm able to switch between the two so I can have that relaxation say in an afternoon, but then get back on it later in the day.
00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:27.759
I was just gonna say, I'm definitely gonna take on board the matrix.
00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:34.240
I think I'm definitely gonna look at sectioning off those jobs, yeah, and also looking at right quick ticks, tasks, and projects.
00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:37.680
And I do think it's
the the book's actually worth a read.
00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:42.400
I think I think it's a good if you want some sort of guidance and some techniques to use.
00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:45.119
I think it's very practical, it's very practical.
00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:52.720
Yeah, and I know she's got her, I think she's got a Grace Beverly planner of some sort.
00:26:52.880 --> 00:27:01.519
We I I actually use our planner for home weekly planner for our for our home life, so everyone knows what's going on.
00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:06.480
I mean, my daughter's now, one in particular, needs to know what the meal plan is for the week.
00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:10.000
And I'm not great at that, I'm not really not great at meal planning.
00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:17.759
Um, so we'll sit down on a weekend and we'll just see what's going on, who's got what after school, where am I going to be.
00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:26.480
Um, so yeah, we sort of plan that out and then what the meals are for the week, roughly, and then what's what's coming up the following weekend.
00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:29.839
So they kind of have got it in their mind what's going on.
00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:34.720
Because you know, I I feel like I know, and it's in my diary, but it's not obvious to everybody else.
00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:37.759
So we have that, and that just stays in the kitchen now.
00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:39.440
Yeah, that's a really good idea.
00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:42.720
Because how do you get on with so obviously we talked quite a bit about work?
00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.839
So, what about personal life planning?
00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.599
I mean it's well, it's tricky, isn't it?
00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:56.000
I suppose it revolves around the um weekends of the school day, I guess.
00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:59.680
In if you've got a fight, you've got children still at school.
00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:02.640
I've got a dog, so it works around his walks as well.
00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:19.279
So my day is sort of um planned around that to some degree, and then yeah, just weekends, I guess we just make sure it's in the planner for anything particularly busy plan, maybe work-wise with Matt's work as well.
00:28:19.359 --> 00:28:25.039
So it's kind of gone a little bit awry weekend wise, but normally we kind of all know where we are.
00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:38.160
The girls are now seeing their dad, we see that on a monthly basis, so it just sort of works around that, and then yeah, we just sort of plan on a weekly basis, have the planner, um, try and have a discussion around it, I suppose.
00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:39.519
There's things that crop up, aren't there?
00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:44.480
Appointments, author done's appointments, doctors, you know, all of those things crop up along the way, don't they?
00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.599
Waxing.
00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:47.039
No, I always miss.
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:52.880
I'm a bit rubbish at uh making those appointments, but anyway.
00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:59.279
I think making sure making sure you book in the stuff you really want to do is important, isn't it?
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:08.000
So I think I mean I've already plotted stuff in for next year because I think if there's things that you really want to do, life gets busy, so you've got to make sure that they're they're planned in.
00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:13.359
And I think I think you can I try not to be, I always try to make sure I do leave space for spontaneous stuff.
00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:22.240
Like I don't want everything to be planned within an inch of its life, but I do think if there's important stuff, especially with Christmas coming up, like we're just coming into this time of year now, which is so busy, isn't it?
00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:23.039
And overwhelming.
00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:24.799
I think it's really overwhelming.
00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:26.720
It can be, it can be, yeah.
00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:28.000
I'm trying to let go.
00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:35.599
I mean, I've I've let go a lot of over the last few years when it comes to Christmas, and I think there's a few key things and key people I really want to see.
00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:39.200
So, what I'll do now is make sure that those dates are kind of locked in.
00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:47.839
I I've started to this year is the first time I've started to book things in advance from October, really.
00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:59.680
I never would have done that before because I I don't enjoy the Christmas period for a number of reasons, but I find the whole December quite overwhelming, and I love that bit in between Christmas and New Year.
00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:07.839
That's my sort of I'm getting ready for the new year, that's I'm a fresh start because I'm done with this Christmas lark kind of um week.
00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:25.440
But yeah, this year I feel I feel I've let go the grip of it quite a lot, and I don't know what what switched in my head about it this year because previously it would have been I could I could feel the tension coming, but this year I started to get um a few dates in the diary with friends, with family.
00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:38.720
Um going to a pants of mine at the end of November, so quite early, so it starts to get us in the mood for it as well, and it's about making sure you've got time in between those hectic times, isn't it?
00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:43.200
Just to recover and just have a bit of downtime, but also not put so much pressure on yourself.
00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:44.559
I'm terrible for that.
00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:50.160
For a perfect day, or not even a perfect day, but I've got to cook, do the whole shebang.
00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:53.200
I'm not even doing that this year, not cooking, aren't you?
00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:54.880
Amazing.
00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:56.400
You're not gonna have Christmas dinner.
00:30:56.720 --> 00:31:03.599
Oh tonight, we're gonna have Christmas Eve, a little gathering, a little, you
know, probably just do party feed to be honest.
00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:06.720
And we'll have I I like Christmas Eve, quite like Christmas Eve anymore.
00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:08.000
I love Christmas Eve, yeah.
00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:08.480
I love it.
00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:14.400
And then yeah, Christmas Day, we'll have the morning with the girls and then they'll go to their dads, and that'll be it.
00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:16.880
We won't be Christmas lunch.
00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:20.799
We'll go off and do something, but oh that'd be nice, yeah.
00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:21.359
That'll be nice.
00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:25.119
I I tend to let go on the year that so Rhea goes to her dad's every other year.
00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:29.759
So last year, I mean I'd had too much drink in a late night the night before Christmas dinner.
00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:34.880
I I needed a nap, so I left my brother to finish off the Christmas dinner and went to your house.
00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:36.000
In my own house.
00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:38.960
Yeah, he was talking about at the weekend because he was saying it's an absolute joke.
00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:45.440
He was calling me the hostess with the least S because I literally just went to bed at the crucial time and just had a lay down.
00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:48.000
But yeah, too much for me.
00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:49.599
You can just overthink.
00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:51.039
I mean, I never used to be like that.
00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:56.000
God, I used to, when I was married, we always hosted Christmas at our house and I we did loads of shopping.
00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:58.079
We spent so much money, we used to buy so much stuff.
00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:00.000
I mean, now I just don't even bother buying anything.
00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:01.279
The shops are open, aren't they?
00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:07.519
Like, think about they are you can get anything most of the time, so you really don't need to spend a fortune stock up.
00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:10.319
We used to have so much stuff left that we didn't eat, so I just refuse.
00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:11.359
I don't do that anymore.
00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:13.200
We don't buy much actually.
00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:17.839
I used to buy loads of all the party food, I don't really buy that anymore, to be honest.
00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:21.680
And it's lovely because I think when when you're younger, so it's exciting, isn't it?
00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:23.759
It's lovely when you have your own home and you've got it all stocked.
00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:24.960
It's it's a nice feeling.
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:29.759
There's times when it's been nice to do that, but yeah, it's not I don't don't worry about that now.
00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:32.319
And even Christmas presents, we've sort of changed how we do that.
00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:41.839
And for the I mean, not for the children, but for the adults in the family, we do a secret centre, so we just buy one present, you pull them out of the
hat, and then it's a bigger, higher value present.
00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:43.279
So that kind of keeps that in control.
00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:54.720
And with lots of friends, me and my friends actually, but where we used to buy presents for chill each other's children, we we'd made the decision to only do that at birthdays because birthdays a bit more special, it's just you, isn't it?
00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:58.480
And actually at Christmas, where they get so much, yeah.
00:32:58.559 --> 00:33:00.559
We we stopped Christmas.
00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:06.480
Yeah, I mean, we we've in in both of our families, we've now got a cap on what to spend on everyone.
00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:09.039
And if anyone does spend over that, they get told off.
00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:12.240
So because it's it it's just it just keeps it fair.
00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:17.759
Otherwise, it's like you know, you've received a hundred pound gift from someone and you bought them a 25 pound gift, yeah.
00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:20.079
It just got a little bit silly.
00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:26.240
And adults as adults, we don't need anything these days, just a token gift, or if it's something specific you want.
00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:29.759
My mum's usually got a Christmas list, she's like a little child, she is.
00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:31.440
Would you like to see my Christmas list?
00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:34.559
That's quite handy though.
00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:35.519
I wish my mum would do that.
00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:36.400
She never wants anything.
00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:38.160
She buys everything for herself.
00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:39.359
That's the trouble, isn't it?
00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:41.759
You buy uh we buy ourselves what we want.
00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:43.279
Exactly, when you want it.
00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:45.359
So, so how does your secret centre work then?
00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:47.440
Do you not have an idea of what anybody wants?
00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:48.559
They don't give you an idea.
00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:51.039
Yeah, because it's you know, they would give you an idea.
00:33:51.119 --> 00:33:52.319
Yeah, it's a bigger present, yeah.
00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:53.359
Because it's a bigger present.
00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:59.039
So then basically the idea is you get something you actually want that's a higher value rather than not necessarily lots of little stuff.
00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:01.200
So, but that that's there are downsides.
00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:09.920
It is, but there are downsides to that because sometimes I want to I might see something I want to get my mum or which I still then which defeats the object, doesn't it?
00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:15.119
Really, but um well, I suppose you just don't feel the pressure to buy 10 gifts, right?
00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:18.639
You know, if you want to buy your mum a little something extra, that's a bit different, isn't it?
00:34:18.719 --> 00:34:21.119
But you're not trying to think of 10 different people.
00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:27.199
I also think um what's a really nice thing is I'd rather have time with people and experiences.
00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:38.000
So actually, rather than like with my friends who've got children, I'd actually rather arrange a meetup and spend the money on going ice skating or doing something, you know, having doing something together.
00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:45.199
And actually, one of my friends, her her parents are really good at that, so they buy the gift for the family, is is something for them all to do together.
00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:52.320
They're going to the theatre next year next week, which is a gift that they bought everybody the ticket to go and do something together.
00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:53.440
Yeah, and actually, do you know what?
00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:55.920
I might even suggest that this year to my family.
00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:58.559
Let's just all put in instead, maybe.
00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:02.079
Yeah, and think of a really lovely thing that we want to do together.
00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:03.920
Yeah, that's a great idea.
00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:06.320
That's a great idea because there's so many lovely things go on.
00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:11.920
All there's like um they do these, what do they call them, like tunnel of lights and stuff like that, don't they?
00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:14.000
So lots of different things going on.
00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:18.400
I always book a we always book a light show with friends and take the children, we always do that.
00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:23.679
So it's much that's more that's the memories, isn't it, really, rather than the things and the presents.
00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:28.159
I have to say though, I get more presents than anyone these days.
00:35:28.320 --> 00:35:29.519
I've gone years.
00:35:29.760 --> 00:35:30.400
Yeah.
00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:32.719
My girls hate it.
00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:34.400
I've gone years.
00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:36.960
I mean, when I was married, I didn't barely got anything.
00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:47.679
So the when the girls were little, I was you know, they would have these massive piles, but in the last few years, my pile's been the biggest, and I'm the slowest because I like to sleep on it, so I'm there for hours.
00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:49.760
And the girls are like, hurry up.
00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:54.559
And I don't have to look at everything or write down who it's from.
00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:58.639
I mean, most of the uh Matt gets me all that you know, Matt and the girls.
00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:01.119
But yeah, I get a massive pile these days.
00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:04.000
It's lovely, it's all really lovely stuff as well.
00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:06.639
I've already treated it.
00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:10.079
Yeah, Sanjay doesn't come to me.
00:36:10.320 --> 00:36:12.079
Does he know you're not being very good?
00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:12.719
No.
00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:23.280
Um, so I think probably if we were going to sort of share anything
for our listeners, just something useful to do.
00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:33.519
I think if you're feeling overwhelmed, and I think it can work in whether it's work or personal life, I think some of those techniques maybe do in that matrix of looking at what's urgent and important.
00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:39.039
And actually, we could put a a visual of that perhaps just in the yeah, that's a good idea, actually.
00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:40.960
Yeah, in the show link, we'll do that.
00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:50.400
And and just rather than just doing your to-do list, thinking about the to-do list a little bit differently, what is priority, what's bigger tasks, what's quick ticks that you can take off.
00:36:50.559 --> 00:36:52.800
So I think it's it's down to that, isn't it?
00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:54.800
Um and task batching, actually.
00:36:54.960 --> 00:37:05.679
So the bad that was another thing that I read, which was batching similar tasks together so that you can your brain is then on autopilot with short, quick tasks, admin tasks.
00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:10.800
So you feel like you achieve quite a lot in quite a short space of time of those small tasks.
00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:15.679
So I think rather than having one big never-ending list, batching stuff up.
00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:18.880
And and it's like you said, just picking up the phone.
00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:24.079
If you're thinking about something, you've got to make an appointment, or you know, it's gonna be a quick thing, just get on and do it.
00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:26.159
Then you write it down like I do.
00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:30.880
And when it's a bit and when it's a bigger thing, taking away the distraction, I think that's a key takeaway.
00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:32.559
I think turn off the email alert.
00:37:33.199 --> 00:37:36.880
What you can get done in one hour with zero distraction is amazing, isn't it?
00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:47.039
What you think you need to block out three hours for, actually, if you turn off every distraction, you put your phone in a different room for one hour, you can get it's incredible what you can get done.
00:37:47.199 --> 00:37:52.320
Yeah, and what we've started to do, um, we've probably been doing it for a little while now, isn't it?
00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:56.400
When we're on meetings, we don't go away with the actions, we do it in the meeting.
00:37:56.960 --> 00:37:57.840
Let's do it now, right?
00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:59.760
If you send an email to Bloody Got, right?
00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:01.599
Let's do it now, let's let's get this done.
00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:04.800
Yeah, we tend to do it there and then don't we've doing stuff in the morning.
00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:06.639
Really helps.
00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:07.840
Definitely.
00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:12.159
Okay, well, hopefully you've taken a few practical tips away from today.
00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:16.480
That the book is actually Working Hard, Hardly Working, as we said before, by Grace Beverly.
00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:28.000
And I do think for a practical um sort of look at productivity, but also then the the doing less and the rest time, which is equally as important, and it's definitely definitely worth a look.
00:38:28.400 --> 00:38:30.559
I'll put that in the show notes as well, actually.
00:38:30.719 --> 00:38:31.360
Yeah.
00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:32.639
That's it.
00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:34.000
Thanks for joining us.
00:38:34.239 --> 00:38:34.800
Thank you.