R is for ... zzzzzzz

I have coincidentally reached 'R' in Graham Allcott's excellently practical guide to Productivity.

And what is 'R' for? Rest. Among other things.

I have managed to switch off fairly well this Christmas and nearly missed a meeting this morning because I was so chilled. Fortunately, I had a diary reminder in my phone, so was even early!

But now I'm rewarding myself with a few more days off before 2015 starts for real on 5 January.

I'm not making resolutions. I've set goals and, looking back, I realise that I've achieved a massive musical goal I set myself at the end of January 2014. It's all part of a steady progression towards a long term goal.

The only way to achieve my goals is to take it one step at a time. For now, the next step involves being kind to myself and having some ... rest.

New starts - literal and metaphorical

Not the most beautiful floral display yet, but it'll get there. The pot is too small but all I could find this morning. I love planting bulbs.

It's a literal start to mirror the metaphorical new start to my life. Every day brings something new and there has to be some good stuff coming this way.



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How will you know you've hit the goal if you've no idea where it is?

Have you hit your goals for 2014?

Did you even HAVE any goals for 2014?

If you don't know what your 2014 goals were, now's your chance to backtrack and instead decide where you scored the most this year. At least that way, you'll be able to set new goals for 2015.

So, what have YOU done this year to make you feel proud? Have you built your client base, or increased the spend of your average client? Can you identify your most valuable clients? What are you doing to make sure they stay with you?

Having Christmas Day on a Thursday means, for most of us, three work days when a lot of people are getting ready for a few days off. Maybe there's some time to look back on 2014 and celebrate your successes. It's not yet time to set your goals, until you've really identified what went well and - more importantly - what lessons you've learned from 2014.

I love spreadsheets, so I'll be looking at who's paid what and how long each job took me. It's not yet my year-end so I have three months to see what I need to do to make this tax year a great one.

If you don't have the figures to help you identify your strengths of 2014, what are you doing to make sure you do in 12 months' time?

Find your goals and you're more likely to hit them.

"He would, wouldn't he?"

I'm never sure what to call 'ladies of the night', nor am I really sure how I feel about them. The death of Mandy Rice-Davies at the age of 70 just seems sad.

She was caught up in the Profumo affair in the 1960s, probably the first political event I remember. My father worked with someone who had a link, somehow, to the case, so we all took an interest.

I love her quote about a prominent man who had denied their ever having a relationship - "He would, wouldn't he?"

She clearly understood men!

What's in a name?

When your name IS your brand, it matters that people get it right. There's little more annoying than being referred to as 'Hilary Robinson'.

We all make mistakes, but honestly!

A milestone passed

As my youngest child hits 18, I realise how much my life has changed since he was born. A few more changes are called for, but one step at a time.

Communicating at Christmas

Give thanks – now is a great time to recognise and thank the people who’ve helped you get where you are at the end of 2014. A card or chocolates go a long way.

Tidy, tidy, tidy – stuff in your office you haven’t used this year? Unless you have a specific plan for it in 2015, find it a new home. Schools and charities are often grateful for unused office equipment and stationery and Freecycle will help you get rid of unnecessary furniture.

Look back – what have you done to be proud of in 2014? Pat yourself on the back but then consider whether you made the most of it at the time. Did you tweet, blog and issue a press release? Why not? If it’s not old news, tell everyone about it now.

Plan for a perfect 2015 – come up with a goal. Come up with three goals. Take steps to achieve them and start right now.

Take a break – decide when your office will close and set up an out of office reply for your emails and disable them on your phone. Relax.

Credit where credit's due

Like many people, my work is completely hidden. Much of it is online on password-protected intranet sites. The rest is largely on public sites without any reference to me.

I had the experience today of seeing a press release I'd written reproduced word for word on a page that was then roundly praised by one and all. Was my name anywhere to be seen? Of course not.

Normally, that's fine.

However, when looking for new contacts, it would be great to have boasting rights.

So, if I've ever worked for you and it was good, please give me a testimonial. Preferably on LinkedIn. In fact, if you link in with anyone who's worked for you, then please give them a testimonial. They'll thank you for it.


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Moon rise

A gorgeous sky as we approach the shortest day of the year.

Am I allowed to have a favourite tree?

Getting productive

I've been following Graham on twitter for some months but it was only today I found his book and it struck a chord.

I am fairly productive, but would like to be more so. I'd like to have more free time because I use my hours more effectively.

Already, I've read the chapter on Attention and realised that giving my full attention to one task at a time will benefit the next task I move on to, as well as the current one. It's not rockets science, and similar to the message in Eckhart Tolle's 'The Power of Now', which I began to read last year. Must pursue that once more.