macro
- Jackie Weaver and that Handforth Parish Council video
- This thread about weird things British people do
- the swan story
- the sanctity of the queue
- public schools
- buying drinks in rounds
- or separate taps
- Stomp and Holler
- Sing-a-long Indie Hits
- my covers playlist
- one of my daily mixes
- or, if I’m lucky, Test Match Special on the radio
- slow down
- be decisive in your actions
- if it doesn’t work, change direction
- protect the ball
- how to drive
- the art of giving a good hug
- to appreciate the simple things in life
- how to make custard
- the right cup to drink tea from
- to enjoy singing
- how to iron a shirt
- to have the courage to try new things
- how to make Christmas dinner
- to keep going
- that the crusty bits around the edges are the tastiest
- how to tie my shoelaces
- to be inquisitive
- the rules of rugby and cricket
- how to play cards
- fierce loyalty
- how to make stock, gravy and soup
- generosity
- how to grow tomatoes
- to know when I need to take a break
- Coaching in Practice - a reflective essay about my development as a coach
- Coaching to Enable Change - encompassing what helps us change, what gets in the way and how coaching can facilitate the process
- Coaching in an Organisational Setting - my focus for this one is the importance of reflective practice in the workplace
- it is a challenge to publish 100 posts on your personal blog in one year
- there are no limits. Just. Write.
- it is the brainchild of Kev Quirk
- there are many participants sharing their posts on social media using the hashtag #100DaysToOffload
- Whatever the work is, do it well—not for the boss but for yourself.
- You make the job; it doesn’t make you.
- Your real life is with us, your family.
- You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.
Cutting yourself some slack vs slacking off
Something I’ve been pondering a while is where the line lies between cutting yourself some slack and slacking off.
Is it contextual? Is it time-bound? Is it to do with the difference between needing a break and avoiding a task?
Answers on a postcard please.
This is day 14 of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Early adopters
There used to be a time when I was among the first to sign up to new websites and apps. I was eager to poke around with other early adopters to see what they offered, how they worked and if there were any benefits for my work or personal life. Some stuck. Others didn’t.
There’s a reticence now. I’m not sure where it comes from. Maybe it’s due to my change in circumstance? When I worked in universities, often I was the one in the team who sussed things out and shared new digital tools. I don’t have this role now I’m my own boss. Maybe it’s down to the sheer volume of new software that is being released every day? There’s no way to keep up with it all, so why not let others filter out the dross. Maybe it’s a loss of trust? I’m certainly more conscious about what happens with my personal data and the content I create when I sign up to these things. Maybe I’ve got better ways to spend my time?
This is day 13 of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
A weekend away
We spent the weekend just gone in New York. We ate pancakes, burgers and bagels. Drank cosmos and Manhattans. Visited The Frick, The Met and MOMA. Saw a broadway show and listened to jazz from Village Vanguard… And all of this from the comfort of our living room.
Like many, I’ve been finding the latest lockdown harder than those that preceded it. It’s the cumulative effect of day after day spent within the same four walls and in the same company. That and the approach of the one year anniversary of the first lockdown and prospect of spending a second birthday in isolation.
We needed to shake things up and a virtual weekend away was just the ticket. It broke us out of our routine, helped us to properly disconnect from work and to relax. We did all the things we’d usually do on holiday and none of the things we’d usually do at home on the weekend.
The whole experience was restorative and we’ll definitely do it again.
Where shall we go next?
This is day 12 of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Being British
All anybody was talking about on Twitter yesterday were two things:
Of the former I have nothing much to say. Except that it’s been referenced in pretty much every conversation my wife and I have had over the past 24 hours.
Of the latter I will concede that for the most part us “Britishes” are weird as hell. As pointed out in the thread most of the things have no logical or sensible explanation:
However, the cultural significance and brilliance of fish finger sandwiches is a hill I’m willing to die on.
This is day 11 of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Giving blood
Today I gave my 30th blood donation. The last time I was there a lady was celebrating her 100th donation! My goal is to get to 40 before I’m 40.
I went for the first time as a teenager when my Mum took me along with her. It was in the sports hall where I did trampolining and went to football camps in the summer holidays. At uni the donor team set up in the Students Union. And in my later 20s it was the community centre in the village I lived in. Now I go to the donor centre, a permanent space for the NHS Blood and Transplant team in Newcastle.
I love everything about giving blood. The staff always manage to create a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Today all the staff of a certain age were singing along to Hot Chocolate on the radio and I had a good chat that ranged from cooking new things during the pandemic to the importance of finding work that challenges and fulfils you.
I love seeing all the first timers… and the old timers.
I love the follow up; finding out when and where my blood has been used.
I love the feeling of helping out.
And obviously, I love the biscuits!
This is day 10 of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
A soundtrack for work
For the most part I sit in silence while I work. However, I’ve got a new clock in my office and it has THE LOUDEST TICK EVER. I have superhuman hearing, so it’s probably not even that loud, this just means that repetitive sounds like this really bug me. So I’ve been thinking a lot about soundtracks that are conducive for work.
When I worked for universities in open plan offices sound was essential for a happy work day. In the quest to quiet the ticking clock I’ve found myself returning to some old habits.
My soundtrack for routine, dare I say repetitive, tasks that don’t require a lot of thinking on my part is generally something I can sing along or tap my foot to. Some favourites are:
When I’m working with words music won’t cut it. Even instrumental. Instead, I prefer some sounds of nature. Services like Online Background Noises and Noisili let me craft a unique mix of the elements. And very occasionally I’ll opt for a bit of coffee shop ambience, perhaps with some rain beating on the windows and a roaring fire in the corner.
What is your soundtrack of choice?
This is day nine of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
A note about deadlines
I worked furiously yesterday to get a project finished for today’s deadline. I was focused and systematic and I got more than I expected to done. That is, I finished all of the essential work and got most of the nice to have stuff done too.
Working up to the wire in this way is how I work best. I don’t know any other way to be. Without the time pressure I rarely find the zone of focus and flow I need to really get things done.
I battled with this for a long time because it feels out of sync with my nature. I’m a planner and always organised. In a group, I’m the one who has thought of every eventuality and prepared for it. What I’ve come to realise is that this is what allows me to work effectively when time is limited. I use my time in advance to come up with a plan so that when it comes to those final hours I know exactly what I’ve got to do and how to go about it. That means I rarely miss a deadline.
So back to this latest project I’ve been working on…
After the rush and high of finishing on time I discovered that I’d got my dates wrong and the deadline is actually a week away! It feels so strange to have finished something so far ahead of schedule. I almost don’t know what to do with myself!
This is day eight of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
A 28-day challenge within a challenge
On August 26 2020 I set out my intention to take part in #100DaysToOffload. A challenge to publish 100 blog posts in one year. Less than a month later, I fell off the wagon having published just six posts!
As of today, 1 February, there are 205 days until my year is up. That means to reach my goal I need to post roughly every other day between now and then. I want to reach that goal and re-establish a regular writing routine.
To get things started I’ve committed to publish every day throughout February. I’m using Austin Kleon’s monthly challenge template to keep me on track.
A previous version of this template has space to add a reward for when you reach your goal. As I’m trying not to buy any new books at the moment (while I work my way through a monster to-read pile) I felt a fitting reward would be to pick up something from my wishlist. I’ve chosen The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova.
This is day seven of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Favourited: Newsletters; or, an enormous rant about writing on the web that doesn’t really go anywhere and that’s okay with me
Link: www.robinrendle.com/essays/ne… Author: Robin Rendle Time to read: 8 minutes
#favourite
Favourited: Spend time on something that will outlast them
Link: austinkleon.com/2021/01/2… Author: Austin Kleon
#favourite
Favourited: How to prioritize your project ideas
Link: thecreativeindependent.com/people/ti… Author: Ryan Mather Time to read: 10 minutes
#favourite
Lessons from hockey for life
At hockey training last night we were working on match situations where one team has an overload. After a while, we paused to talk about how it was going. It felt like chaos and mostly we were running around like headless chickens.
Our coach gave us this advice for what to do when you’re under pressure:
As soon as she’d made the first point I knew what she was saying would be applicable off the hockey pitch as well as on it. In a non-sporting context, for the final point, I’d substitute your wellbeing for the ball. Other than that, I’d say they’re all valid in situations when we’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and under pressure.
What do you think? Where in your life could you apply these steps to make a difference?
This is day six of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Things my Mum taught me
My previous post contains a list of things my Dad taught me. Not wanting to leave my Mum out, here are some of the things she taught me. Again it’s off the top of my head and in no particular order:
This is day five of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Things my Dad taught me
There was a tweet going round over the weekend that asked you to name one thing your Dad taught you. I didn’t respond because I couldn’t pick just one. So instead, here’s 10 of the things that came to mind (in no particular order):
This is day four of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Research skills
I am in the process of completing a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Business and Personal Coaching. I completed the practical element of this course back in 2018 and now all that’s left is to write the essays. There are three in total:
When it comes to this kind of academic work, and talking to my peers about their experience of it, I am incredibly grateful for the research skills I learned in my previous career as a librarian. There are things that I know, that I probably take for granted, that really help to ease the process. I’ve shared all of them before when helping people with their research, but now seems a good time to bring them together in one place.
Accessing electronic resources
It’s no secret that the myriad of systems used to access electronic resources through the library make for a less than intuitive experience. Add to that, the fact that the kind of course I’m doing doesn’t allow full access to library systems; more often than not I come up against an “access forbidden” alert. It’s frustrating to say the least, but here are some ways around it.
Firstly, I found out exactly which packages I have access to and now, instead of searching the whole catalogue, I search specifically within these databases. This works best in the early stages of research when searching by topic rather than for a specific article.
If you’re a fellow student on the PGCert for Business and Personal Coaching through the University of Chester, those databases are: ProQuest, Wiley Online Library, Dawsonera and E-book Central
A similar approach at this stage is to use the Directory of Open Access Journals. This indexes peer-reviewed journals that have no barriers to access.
When it comes to looking for specific articles, I use the Unpaywall extension. This highlights whether an open access version is available if you’ve found an article you want to read in a paywalled journal.
Sometimes you have to accept that it’s not possible to get your hands on the exact article you’re looking for. Using these approaches there are usually plenty of alternatives that are good enough.
Locating print materials*
I’m affiliated to a university in the north west of England, but as I live on the other side of the country accessing their print materials isn’t an option. Thankfully, there are other ways to get hold of books you can’t get electronically.
Use WorldCat to find local libraries that hold the item you’re looking for. Many university libraries allow walk-in access to visitors, especially those affiliated with other academic intstitutions.
I also search directly on the catalogues of university libraries near me. You may not be able to borrow, but you should be able to use the library for reference. And if, like me, you live near the place that you did your undergraduate degree then you may be able to borrow books as an alumni.
Referencing
There’s something about my nature that means I get a strange sense of joy out of referencing – I know this makes me an anomaly. I just like how methodical it is.
I know that for a lot of people both the purpose and practice just don’t make sense. And sadly, most of the guides available make the whole thing seem more complex than it is and therefore even more confusing for beginners. Thankfully, lots of academic libraries provide quick guides that cover most of what’s needed to get started. I’m currently using one from York St John University and I don’t find I need more than that.
If you really want to up your referencing game, and have some fun in the process, check out RefQuest from Learning Futures and the Library at Western Sydney University.
*The caveat to this is that obviously during the pandemic physical access to libraries is probably not feasible anyway, but I think it’s worth noting these options for some future date when we can just walk in somewhere and pick a book up off a shelf.
This is day three of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
Blog updates
In preparation for starting this writing challenge I decided to make some tweaks to the setup of this blog. There’s a new theme and an archive so you can browse or search older posts.
I’ve also set up federation. That may sound fancy but write.as makes it as easy as checking a box in the settings. What this means is that people can now follow this blog in the fediverse.
My main exploration of the fediverse is through Mastodon. I have the loosest grasp on how it all works so won’t try to explain it. If you want to learn more watch this video explainer from a user’s perspective. I found the part that explains local and federated instances (or servers) using the analogy of villages and towns particularly helpful.
If that’s piqued your interest and you want to give Mastodon a try, here are a couple of handy guides:
You can find me at octodon.social/@ekcragg (although I have a request to join writing.exchange awaiting approval, so watch this space).
This is day two of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com
#100DaysToOffload
My writing typically comes in fits and starts. Just take a look at the yawning gaps between posts on this blog.
19 November 2019. 4 February 2020. 21 August 2020.
That’s not to say I’m not writing elsewhere. But it’s clear this blog needs a nudge. So I’m committing myself publicly to #100DaysToOffload.
In case you don’t click that link, here’s the gist:
… Will you join us?
Favourited: The Work You Do, the Person You Are
Link: www.newyorker.com/magazine/… Author: Toni Morrison Time to read: 3 mins.
I found this article a good provocation to think about my relationship with the work I do, and have done over the course of my career so far.
It can be easy to base so much of our identity around our job, but what if we took the opposite approach?
#favourite #identity #worklife #careers #ToniMorrison
Favourited: Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful
Link: elemental.medium.com/your-surg… Author: Tara Haelle Time to read: 15 mins.
Another article that prompts reflection on how we’ve coped during the pandemic. It introduced me to a handful of concepts, including surge capacity and ambiguous loss.
Surge capacity is a collection of adaptive systems — mental and physical — that humans draw on for short-term survival in acutely stressful situations, such as natural disasters. But natural disasters occur over a short period, even if recovery is long. Pandemics are different — the disaster itself stretches out indefinitely.
“The pandemic has demonstrated both what we can do with surge capacity and the limits of surge capacity,” says Masten. When it’s depleted, it has to be renewed. But what happens when you struggle to renew it because the emergency phase has now become chronic?
It concludes with some good points to help as we continue to navigate an uncertain future.
#favourite #pandemic #psychology