Try Integrating Moments of Pause into Your Day. Sometimes, random moments in life get you thinking about wider issues. And this happened to me just the other day whilst I was grinding my coffee. This is not something I normally do – grind my coffee I mean. I receive coffee on subscription and, whilst it […]
The Gen-i BlogNicola MacPhail
My Problem with the Phrase ‘Work-Life Balance’.
The phrase ‘work-life balance’ overlooks some of the important complexities of living in the modern world. Here’s why that phrase is a problem.
HOW to Integrate the Freedom to Choose
The Freedom to Choose So, last Monday was interesting… It was a gorgeous morning and I was out early walking my dog Milo (quite slowly, as he’s thirteen now). It was going to be a beautiful day and the Lakeland hills were calling me! So, I did something I don’t usually do. I decided to […]
The Two Systems – HOW They Influence Your Decision Making
How Daniel Kahneman’s Two Systems Influence Your Decisions This is the first of two articles about the Two Systems. The next, on HOW to use the Two Systems in your business life, will follow. In his book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, the psychologist and economist Daniel Kahneman outlines the conclusions from his decades of study […]
Five Tips to Give Your Life More Structure.
I talked about the benefit of having a defined routine in your day in my last article. Here, I want to show you HOW to give your life more structure, with five simple tips. They’ll make a huge difference. How to Give Your Life More Structure. You’re self-employed, maybe freelance, or your run your own […]
Avoiding Overwhelm: HOW to Prioritise Your Tasks and Habits.
‘Prioritise Your Tasks and Habits’ Sounds Great – But How do You do It? Think Impact and Influence. Change in work and life, as we’ve discussed before, is often construed as something requiring grit, endurance, effort, and endless self-restraint. We’re taught to see it like an endless fight with yourself and the world around. And […]
Five Ways to Boost Your Productivity
Feel the Benefits of Productivity with these Five Tips on HOW to Protect Your Time. In my last article, Want to Stop Getting Distracted?, I outlined the issues related to distraction in the workplace and offered a solution to this problem. That solution is protected time – and here’s HOW to use it effectively. There has been […]
HOW to find your Intention?
Where do you want to be in life? Reconnecting with your intention will give you motivation, focus, and the will to succeed.
Five Steps to a To-Do List That’s Actually Doable.
Too Many People Write To-Do Lists Wrongly. Here’s HOW to Make a To-Do List that’s Actually Doable. A list of vague wishes. A series of complex tasks or multifaceted projects. Maybe a collection of intentions, goals, or aspirations. If this is what it looks like, there’s no wonder that you’re struggling to see anything on […]
What is Resilience?
What is resilience? I recently asked a group this question. Interestingly, there was a degree of uncertainty around their answers, many of which were vague. This raised an interesting thought – if we know we want to be resilient but can’t outline what it is, how can we attain it? So I began an exploration of […]
Why We’re Procrastinating More During Lockdown
On Procrastination and Emotional Regulation In my last article, I wrote about how people across the country are finding ways to pursue personal development in lockdown. Yet, I don’t want to pretend that it is all going swimmingly all the time. For most of us, it is a roller coaster of ups and downs – […]
Seven Ways to Beat New Year’s Resolution Syndrome in 2021.
Don’t Let New Year’s Resolution Syndrome Strike! With the New Year just about here, that familiar question will have been bouncing around living rooms across the country: What’s your New Year’s resolution? Let’s face it 2020 was a tough one, but hopefully now things are on the up, and our attention turns to what we […]
What to Expect When Facing Challenges
I was recording my Monday Motivation video for my Gen-ius Network Members this morning, this week’s topic was about challenges and I felt inspired to write an article on the topic too! We all face challenges every day – from the small, emerging from your warm bed on a cold rainy morning….bbrrrrr. To the large, those […]
Five Reasons Why You’re Struggling to Make Change Happen.
There are so many reasons why we all struggle to make change happen. And that’s totally okay. Find out why your change might be failing here.
How to Quit Your Smartphone Addiction – and Get Your Life Back.
In my previous article, Technology is Stealing Our Time and Attention, I shared scary facts about the impact that technology has on our lives. Here, though, it’s time to look forward and get serious: here’s how to quit your smartphone addiction. Try to Do Some Proper Work for Once. Here’s How to Quit Your Smartphone […]
Technology is Stealing Our Time and Attention. Here’s Why We Should Care.
There are lots of studies now that show that modern technology is stealing our time and attention. Have a look at what our phones are actually doing to us.
Five Tips for Building Momentum for Change.
Building Momentum for Change Beats Goal-Setting. Goals are some of the most important instruments in our toolkit for change. Yet, when given too much attention, they can seem to get in the way. Goals can become the be-all and end-all of change – and make you blind to the reasons you were changing in the […]
Why You Need Routine in Your Day.
The HOW Skill Set is all about the creation of structure, rituals, and routine in your day. It makes you more productive and enables you to make your implementation plans a reality. Find out more about this in my article on work-life balance. Now, let’s talk about why you need routine in your day. The […]
Why You Should Use a Journal to Reflect on Your Life.
It’s Really Important to Make Time to Reflect. That’s Why I Use a Journal. Having been away last week – that’s why there was no newsletter, apologies! – and given that there was some long travel involved, I enjoyed a bit of time to journal and take time to reflect. Journaling has been a practice […]
HOW to Work from Home Effectively: Three Tips
Working from Home Takes Some Getting Used To. Here are My Top Tips on How to Work from Home Effectively Transitioning from office work to working from home is not always easy. And, whilst it brings its frustrations, working in-office does have some perks that we often overlook. It gives our days a natural structure, […]
The Forgetting Curve Explains Why You Never Learn Anything Properly.
Have a Feeling You’re Wasting Money on Personal Development? The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve Explains That Too. You go to a conference and listen to inspiring speakers – but the next day you’re not quite clear exactly what they said. You read a book and tear through its compelling pages, just to think at the end: […]
Why Micro-Learning is the Future
With Micro-Learning We Can Flatten the Forgetting Curve In a recent article I talked about the forgetting curve, the diagram that describes the speed with which we forget the things we’ve learned. If the Ebbinghaus’s curve defines the problem, micro-learning is the solution. It’s this process – in which content takes the form of small […]
We’re Acing Personal Development in Lockdown
Making the Most of Personal Growth During Lockdown Whilst the UK is opening up, the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over, with scientists scientists warning that we may just be months into a lifelong relationship with the virus. New ways of living are inevitable, with social distancing, remote working, and different forms of lockdown expected […]
HOW to avoid Overwhelm.
Want to avoid overwhelm? Here’s the key skill you need to learn. Change in work and life, as we’ve discussed before, is often construed as something requiring grit, endurance, effort, and endless self-restraint. We’re taught to see it like an endless fight with yourself and the world to avoid overwhelm! And it is hard, sure. […]
HOW To Have Better Zoom Meetings
With the stress of lockdown and the pressure of working from home, here’s a few tips on HOW to have better Zoom Meetings and Calls
The 80/20 Rule: Use the Pareto Principle to Boost Productivity.
Focusing your attention on the gains made by the most vital portion of your time…
How to Cut Down on Caffeine
Swap the Buzz for Zzzzs: How to Cut Down on Caffeine In my previous article, I wrote about the real effects of caffeine on you and your brain. Here, I want to look at how you can turn that knowledge into action: here’s how to cut down on caffeine. In a culture that seems to […]
You’ll Want to Know the Real Effects of Caffeine.
People drink an awful lot of coffee. You may have noticed. But is it making you more productive or even more awake? Here are the real effects of caffeine.
Why We Don’t Achieve New Year’s Resolutions – and How Tiny Habits Can Help.
You know that we don’t achieve New Year’s resolutions. It’s literally almost certain that you won’t. Here’s what you should do instead: tiny habits.
Why We’re Probably All about to Fail Our New Year’s Resolutions.
Ninety Percent of Us Fail Our New Year’s Resolutions. Here are Five Reasons Why. According to a study from the University of Scranton, over 90% of us fail our New Year’s Resolutions. Apparently, few resolutions last for more than a month, even – with eighty percent of our resolutions already dropped by the second week […]
Why Your Change Needs Momentum.
Setting Goals is Not Sufficient. Here’s Why Your Change Needs Momentum. Find out more about why your change needs momentum – and how to achieve it – in my article Five Tips for Building Momentum for Change. What is success? And how do we measure successful performance? These are questions that academics, business leaders, and […]
Seven Ways to Beat New Year’s Resolution Syndrome and Achieve Your Goals in 2020.
Don’t Let New Year’s Resolution Syndrome Strike! With the New Year just about here, that familiar question will have been bouncing around living rooms across the country: any New Year’s resolutions? It’s a beautiful and important time to start making changes to your life. The days are getting longer again, spring is just on the […]
We Should All Care about Keystone Habits. Here’s Why.
Avoid ‘Time-Zappers’ in Your Day.
Ditch Those Time-Zappers for Good. I read this quote this week and it really resonated with me… “No person hands out their money to passersby, but to how many do each of us hand out our lives! We’re tightfisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which […]
HOW to Integrate Variety into Your Daily Routine.
Here’s HOW to Give Your Daily Routine a Bit of Variety. It’s been a busy week this week. But I still always make time for a bit of quiet thinking time amongst all the tasks! Funnily enough, during one of these quiet times out walking Milo this week, I thought about the power of variety […]
HOW to Feel Relaxed at Work
How Many of Us Can Truly Say we Feel Relaxed at Work? How would it be to feel relaxed at work? I recently held a workshop with an awesome bunch of business owners and managers. There, we discussed the idea of a ‘Dream Work Day’. In addition to attendees outlining what they were doing, I […]
Five Lessons from Sara Blakely.
Here are Five Lessons I have Learned from Entrepreneur and Spanx Owner, Sara Blakely. I’ve learned a huge number of lessons from Sara Blakely over the years. She’s a hugely impressive entrepreneur. A curious and extroverted individual. And an incredibly committed and shrewd businesswoman. She’s a bit of an inspiration. Having worked briefly as a […]
Five Ways to Make the Most Out of Fast and Slow Thinking.
Remember the Two Systems – Fast and Slow Thinking – Every Day. In my other article, The Two Systems, I discussed Daniel Kahneman’s ideas of fast and slow thinking. For more information on that, follow the link. Here, we’re looking at HOW we can make the most of them in our daily lives. The Two Systems […]
Want to Stop Getting Distracted? Try Protected Time.
Protected Time Stops You Getting Distracted – and Makes You More Productive. In our so-called ‘Age of Distraction’, it feels almost impossible to stop getting distracted. The world around us – and the usual suspects of our phones, emails, and other technologies – seem to be vying for our attention. And doing all in their […]
HOW to Stop Drowning in Your Email Inbox.
Regain Control of Your Inbox with these Simple Tips. In my last article, Take Back Control of Your Email Inbox, I discussed the problems that email creates for productivity and time management. Here, I want to show you HOW to stop drowning in your email inbox – with some easy tips. One of the main […]
Take Back Control of Your Email Inbox – and Be More Productive.
Without Control of Your Email Inbox, You’ll Never Get Anything Done. This is the first of a pair of articles on taking back control of your email inbox. Look out for the next one (it’s now here)! These days, all of us in business seem beholden to our emails. From the moment we come into […]
HOW to Remember All Those Great Ideas.
HOW to Capture Those Great Ideas. Ever thought of a cool new idea in your business, a new process that would save you time, an exciting new product, a new service offering or new marketing idea – and then just forgotten it? Or you’ve written it down and lost the piece of paper? Lost it […]
Plan Your Week Effectively and Achieve Your Goals.
Achieve your goals by learning how to plan your week effectively. Make Sunday nights planning nights and be productive from moment one on Monday morning.
HOW to Deal with Burnout.
Burnout is the worst feeling in the world – I know it myself. Here, I’d like to show you HOW to deal with burnout – and how to avoid it again forever.
The 5is: The Key to the HOW Skill Set.
The HOW skill set contains the essential tools for you to make change happen: the 5is, taking you from the germination of an idea to its execution.
HOW to Implement Ideas After An Event
There hardly seems any point going to them if you don’t know how to implement ideas you’ve learned at events. Here’s my strategy on how.
Habits and Cravings: The Key to Effective Reward Systems.
You probably keep wondering why a particular habit just won’t stick – no matter what you do. Look to effective reward systems to make it happen.
HOW to Harness the Power of Accountability.
You don’t need to achieve your goals on your own. In fact, it’s actually better for you if you don’t. That’s the power of accountability – and you need it.
What Causes Bad Habits – And What You Can Do About Them.
Bad habits can be defeated – even when we think we are doomed. It takes two little changes in our mindset: awareness of cues and replacement of responses.
HOW to Have Better Work-Life Balance.
So many people want to have better work-life balance. But do you know HOW to achieve that? Using the 5is and the HOW skill set, I show you.