sharppodcast

Episode 11 - The word on the street about getting YOU time

In our final episode on getting some 'me-time', we turn to two books which I think you'll like. Both of these books are easy reads, clear and enjoyable. 10% Happier is more specific as it's primarily about how Dan found meditation could help cure his chattering voice, while How To Live a Good Life is broader, looking at options across your life in general. Great reads, and if you prefer your resource in the form of something you CAN take into the bath, on the bus or places that you can't use online resource, then I thoroughly recommend giving them a try.

 Some of the stuff in there is:

• What having a panic attack, live, on-air, in front of millions of people - sounds like
• How Dan Harris moved from that to changing his life
• Paying attention to that voice in your head and then doing something about it
• Meditation - it's not just for hippies
• Showering, bolognese and the weather
• The book 10% Happier - 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works - A True Story
• Why a kind-sounding man, can give you powerful insights
• Jonathan Fields - explanation of why reading his book is a good idea
• Where to get a free chapter of the - How To Live a Good Life book

Episode 10 - Plan to get down

This week we consider the idea that planning to do nothing helps you do more. It seems weird, but there is research showing that if you achieve 'down-time', you actually get better at doing stuff. Well, we're gonna be all over something that involves being BETTER, aren't we? So, continuing the theme of 'me-time' we look at apps and online resource to help you do just that.

 Some of the stuff in there is:

• Gawking at how we've already managed to get to 10 episodes
• Sleeping in the day - why it's not lazy
• What Salvador Dali, a key, and a plate have in common
• How Einstein, Edison, Churchill, and Kennedy boost their productivity
• Michael Hyatt on - Why you should nap every day
• Take a break; it's important -  Why you should do it
• A bloke called Andy Puddicombe and - why he might change your life
• Great apps to help you meditate on a busy day
• How to get Headspace - Link to website
• The Headspace App on - Android and iTunes
• The 10% Happier App
• How groovy the people are at - Good Life Project
• Jonathan Fields chats on YouTube, this time with - Debbie Millman
• Excellent fitness apps; get started - here
• Journalling - it can make your day
• The power of gratitude. You can see some of the research - here
• Golden steps, smartphones and handbags
• Using brilliant resource from Evernote and Dropbox
• Laura Vanderkam's excellent Ted Talk on planning time for you - watch it here

Episode 9 - Why you should take time out for yourself before you crash.

Ok, it's a little dramatic, but in reality, how long should you go supporting and helping others - before you decide to spend time on yourself? Beginning with a quest set by our conversation in Ep8 with Mel Elliott to find out why we should focus on setting time aside for ourselves, in this episode, we end up crashing planes, meditating and bringing it all together in a good life.

 Some of the stuff in there is:

• Why we should plan in some time for ourselves
• What could motivate us to plan in some downtime
• Why you should attach your oxygen mask first - Telegraph article
• Considering building up your resources before you give to others
• Jonathan Fields and - The Good Life Project
• Planning to fill the part of our lives described by Jonathan as the "vitality bucket"
• The power of music and learning an instrument
• Psychology Today - The 10 Ways Musical Training Boosts Brain Power
• Planning to relax
• What Katy Perry, Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey have in common
• Meditating - It's not woo woo
• Dan Harris - The 10% Happier Podcast
• The One You Feed Podcast - EP147
• Washington Post article on the science of meditation

Episode 8 - In conversation with Mel Elliott

This week's episode is a recording of a conversation I had with Mel Elliott about her world as a successful professional voiceover artist. We talked about the challenges of being a Mum, juggling a busy job with an ever-moving landscape, and her solutions to getting better at what she has to do in order to spend more time doing what she wants to do.

Mel's many solutions are listed below, with links to stuff that you can go and look at if you'd like...

 Some of the stuff in there is:



• Never do the same thing twice; once is great - twice automate
• Templates for email - here's a link to doing it in Outlook
• Keyboard shortcuts, and YES, they can save you 8 days a year - have a look here
• Routines - get one in the bag before lunch, build half hour buffer at end of the day
• (when I read the one above, at first, I thought I'd written a 'half-hour buffet' at the end of the day, that also works!)
• Plan on a Friday - rolling lists in the week
• Prioritise health and well being
• Eat together - Some ideas and inspiration here if you're struggling to do it 
• Full stop on a working day - clock off, end process, blanket, shutdown
• Put phone away when with kids
• Get something done if it is as quick to do as put on a list - GTD 2-minute rule
• James Rhodes's book on - How to Play the Piano
• If you want to hear more from Mel - her voiceover website is here

It was great talking with Mel, and I've now got my challenge set to look at how we can prioritise 'me time' without feeling guilty or disrupting our commitments.

Episode 7 - Habits and the written word

In the last of our series on habits, we look at the written word and where you can find potentially life-changing advice if you're happy to spend a little bit of time diving into these excellent books. Sometimes, you can't get a quick solution or a hack. Sometimes you've got to put a bit of work in and read a book. And BOY, do we think it's worth it!

 Some of the stuff in there is:



• Even if you've already read it, it's worth re-visiting - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• The urgent, important matrix - Eisenhower version
• Charles Duhigg - Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business
• The Peter Bregman Podcast
• Peter Bregman -18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction and Get the Right Things Done