Nicholas Bate

Life Reminder 4

The answers you need are out there.

But you have to get out more.

Jagged Thoughts for Jagged Times 445

Time will go at a more comfortable rate when you put some spaces in your day.

To do nothing.

100 Words

Get on with it. Less victim, more volunteer. There are some for whom life has not been fair: we need to support them in whatever way we can. But for many of us, life is simply messy. Planet Earth-consistently voted the Best Planet in the Known Universe-cannot be perfect. It’s far too complex a system: there will be glitches. The energy put into complaining, attempting ‘to fix’ those who disagree and the simply being unpleasant is energy which could be spent hiking, building shelves for those wonderful second-hand books you bought or helping those more elderly safely across the road.

Presentation Reminder 3

Within reason, the longer you talk the more change you need to demand attention.

Sameness is hypnosis. Dull subject, beautiful-but 'samey'-branded slides, warm room, monotone delivery.....

Or make it interesting plus story/1 or 2 slides/prop/interaction plus movement in you and your voice....

The primer.

Blast from the Past

Selling Without Tears

Handy PDF.

Be Bold

In print. The primer.

Basics 7: On Choosing A Present

1. Set a tight budget: that makes you more creative.
2. Care with anything which demands more of their time. Which adds to their 'to do' list.
3. Might it show your love and attention?
4. Might it make their life easier?
5. Might it reduce pressure and stress?
6. Might it be timeless?
7. Might it show you really thought about it?

Blast from the Past

Zen and The Art of Cubicle Freedom

Productivity Reminder 34

To be productive requires managing complexity: in all that 'stuff', that disorder, that entropy what's important and what needs to be addressed? There are side effects too of increasing complexity: increasing stress and a diminishing ability to stay focused and see 'the wood for the trees'. 

One answer is to reduce complexity at the start. Reduce the amount of input. Try:

• shorter meetings with fewer people with real objectives
• discussing and agreeing 'no CC' on e-mail
• switching off-for ever-one or two social media streams

Go breathe again.

Presentation Reminder 2

Sometimes people think better notes, more slides, a short video will make their presentation better.

Nope. It's rehearsal. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. And practise, practise, practise.

Get rid of the 'clunkiness'. Get confident with the material. Give it some soul.

That'll make it great.

Bonus: the primer.