Categories
Productivity

My personal productivity is related to how much time I spend alone

When covid 19 isolation measures were announced in mid-March, one of the rare highlights was the possibility of having more time to work alone at home. Less travel, less pesky distractions and more focus — a recipe for success. Admittedly, I was already working from home with my advisor-author-speaker freelancing taking off. Still, I was […]

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Sports

13 ways for walkers and runners to exercise in harmony during covid 19 social distancing.

With more walkers and runners taking to the streets due to coronavirus lockdown, the chance of being bumped, swiped or surprised by a sweaty body is higher. Let’s all use these 13 ways to be better pavement neighbours, not sidewalk hogs.

Categories
Self Improvement

I like separating work from my personal life, so working from home seemed impossible. Turns out I only needed to tear apart time, space and matter.

I do my best work when there are clear boundaries between the professional and the personal. The very thought of working from home used to send shivers down my spine because I’m a Segmentor. I thrive when I separate ‘work’ from ‘life’. Now, after almost two years working from home, I’m pleased to share that […]

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Self Improvement Workplace

My Failure Resume. What I learnt from facing my greatest professional failures.

A few weeks ago I signed up for Dr Amantha Imber’s My Year of Better project. Each week or two through 2020, we will try out a new strategy which claims to improve life in some way. Amantha is adding some science to the project by collecting feedback from us guinea pigs before and after each […]

Categories
Self Improvement Technology

How going digital helped me realise ‘I love the idea of books’.

I’ve always loved books. They provide me with information and that brings me joy. It took me 45 years to realise I also love books because of what they signify. In mid-2018, after living in Singapore for 15 years the time came for me to bid adieu to the Little Red Dot. It was the peak […]

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Sports

My First Decade of Marathon Running. Jurong to Kunanyi.

As the year and decade draw to a close, so too do my first 10 years of marathon running. With last weekend’s finisher’s medal still on the kitchen table and my feet appreciating the late November sun and respite, what better time to reflect on my first decade of marathon running… Over the past week […]

Categories
Self Improvement Sports

Marathon training can create time famine or time affluence. It’s an easy choice.

In these final weeks of preparation for the Melbourne Marathon I’ve been pondering: what do I actually think about during training; is all that thinking beneficial; and can I afford to spend so much time in my week just for running? After long runs through the Tasmanian winter, powered by GU gels and a 1980’s […]

Categories
Self Improvement

On breaking free from echo chambers and filter bubbles

The internet and social media are my main info sources these days. I don’t even have to search for news anymore — stories, articles and very important ‘updates’ are delivered to my pocket 24/7. Falling into an echo chamber is easy. Floating in a filter bubble is no effort. But easy isn’t always best. I’ve […]

Categories
Workplace

“Should I tell the boss what they WANT to hear or what they NEED to hear?”

Sometimes it’s just easier to ‘keep the boss happy’ by only giving information they want to hear. I’ve certainly done it. By avoiding specific details, we both got what we wanted: minimal discussion and no conflict. I convinced myself that the consequences were insignificant. I always felt a nagging doubt though. Had I acted with […]

Categories
Self Improvement Sports

Letting my heart rule for 42 kilometers

When I’m training for a marathon my heart reigns over every instinct and rational thought. This is in stark contrast to virtually all other aspects of my life, and just seeing this statement on my screen makes me squirm. I’m driven by logic, information and reason. How could I possibly let my heart guide anything, […]

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Self Improvement TEDx

Living a TED Life – Latest Medium article

The annual TED conference is an outstanding intellectual experience. Is it possible to replicate the experience at home and make every week a TED week? My latest Medium article Living a TED Life is now available.