Nicholas Bate

The 25 Essential Tools of Excellence: 21: The Tin of Trail-Mix

Man is a generalist. No harm in that: he/she is remarkably adept at adapting and to enhance this process has created a batch of tools which allows him/her to perform to the highest levels.

When push comes to shove, what are the essential Tools of Excellence?

21: The Tin of Trail Mix (home made)

When you are being excellent you'll be burning up those calories. Whether writing, teaching, playing lego or chopping wood: energy levels will sometimes need a boost before the next meal. That's where trail mix comes in. Mix your own with the purest of nuts and dried fruit: find a supplier who doesn't tarnish them with odd oils nor dubious 'candied' peels and the nuts are clearly fresh, the best quality and without salt. Although some (traditional) recipes add chocolate leave that for true hiking and/or space missions; work near your home base doesn't need sugar high and lows. Find an air-tight tin and keep the perfect excellence restorative across the room, never within an arm's reach. Just saying.

The Excellence Kit-Bag so far:

1: Notebook & pen 2: The Play-list 3: The Single-gear bike 4: The Compass 5:The Wall Planner

6: The Skipping Rope 7: The Stop-Watch. 8: The Coffee Grinder & French Press    9: An Empty Room

10: The Swiss Army Knife 11: The Personal Mantra 12. The Personal Calculator

13: The Back of an Envelope 14: The Beanie 15: The Steamer. 16. The Camera

17: The Steel Water Bottle    18. The Tie    19. Two Short Lines    20. The Treasured Note/Photo 

21: (Home-made) Trail-Mix

Even The Dark Side

has its benefits.

An Especially Big Thank You

to our man in Margate.

Very kind words. Thank you.

Perhaps A Life

without a list of 'wants'?

It Was Just The Day for a

drive

Mmmm

The 25 Essential Tools of Excellence: 20: The Treasured Note/Photo

Man is a generalist. No harm in that: he/she is remarkably adept at adapting and to enhance this process has created a batch of tools which allows him/her to perform to the highest levels.

When push comes to shove, what are the essential Tools of Excellence?

20: The Treasured Note/Photo

Safe in an inner sanctuary of your wallet. Safe in a purse in your bag. Not looked at so often, but it's there.  A funny little note from your son or daughter when there were just age four. A short-pretty well her last-shopping list from your mother.  A photo of the two of you just weeks after you had met-crikey you look so young- and really couldn't afford that trip to Paris.

In a world where we sometimes have so many digital memories we turn around and realise we have none, save a few real ones for the rainy days we all have.

The Excellence Kit-Bag so far:

1: Notebook & pen 2: The Play-list 3: The Single-gear bike 4: The Compass 5:The Wall Planner

6: The Skipping Rope 7: The Stop-Watch. 8: The Coffee Grinder & French Press    9: An Empty Room

10: The Swiss Army Knife 11: The Personal Mantra 12. The Personal Calculator

13: The Back of an Envelope 14: The Beanie 15: The Steamer. 16. The Camera

17: The Steel Water Bottle    18. The Tie    19. Two Short Lines    20. The Treasured Note/Photo

Let's Just Talk About

the best job in the world.

Good News

his office is back.

7 Ways To Gain Some Time

1. Batch similar activities: efficiency is built when the same task is done. E.g. batch e-mail rather than dip in and out of it.
2. Work at speed. Deliberate and focused.
3. Decide to halve TV time by cutting out the 'OK' stuff.
4. Sleep fully so that waking hours are full on rather than dreaming of the next coffee and/or sit down.
5. Ruthlessly prune the meetings you attend and review and audit all routine and 'given' activities such as Monday morning 1h meetings. Maybe they could be every other week. Or just 20 minutes?
6. Work to your energy cycle rather than poor diary management.  Most people are more productive, better focused and more creative in the first few hours of the day; don't waste such valuable time with routine meetings.
7. Go play ball and come back focused.