Giving locally
[This is a follow-on to my post from yesterday: “Giving Away Money.” I recommend reading that post first, but if […]
Reflections
Reflections
Giving away money
Money is a taboo subject, perhaps because in many ways it equates to opportunity. People have different amounts of it,
Reflections
Autopilot
I love routines. To be clear: we’re talking about the ‘get up and make coffee’ routines, not the ‘sliiiide to
Reflections
Sometimes the question is at least as important as the answer
So far, my blog has focused on a few core themes: work & productivity, reflections, stories, sport, and book reviews.
Book Reviews
Book Review: Trail of Broken Wings
Summary: “Trail of Broken Wings” reveals the lasting and varied impacts of abuse on a family, primarily through three sisters
Uncategorized
Five podcast recommendations
I realise that some of you rarely consume audio at all, while others listen avidly to the radio or to
Reflections
Self-imposed standards
Today, I’m hesitant to write. My mind is offering too many half-formed thoughts on subjects that I wish to treat
Reflections
The space to speak
In my workplace, we host team devotions twice a week. All members of Medair’s Goma team (usually 50-60 people) come
Reflections
The end is in sight (part 2).
Yesterday I offered some thoughts on the value of seeing the end point, in terms of enabling us to cope
Reflections
The end is in sight (part 1).
During the past few days, I’ve been reflecting on knowing the end point, and the effects that this can have
Reflections
I thought I didn’t drink coffee for the caffeine. I was wrong.
When I started drinking coffee during my second year of university, I set myself a rule: “drink coffee only when
Book Reviews, Reflections
Book Review: An Imperfect Offering
Summary: confronted with horror and suffering caused by genocide and war, James Orbinski realises that the humanitarian principle of neutrality
Reflections, Sport
Running injuries: demoralising, but a chance to gain perspective
I love running, but can’t do it at the moment due to a minor foot injury. On the surface, it’s
Book Reviews, Reflections
Book Review: We Are All Weird
Summary: Seth Godin describes the transformation of marketing from mass to niche, explaining how people have diverse interests and desires
Work and productivity
Small incentives: turning procrastination into prizes
When approaching tasks that we aren’t looking forward to doing, it’s often easy to think of so many things to
Stories
A memorable misadventure
Skin is waterproof. This truism encapsulates the bullish approach I took when setting off to cycle across the UK from
Sport, Work and productivity
Why does cycle touring appear on my CV?
My CV – or rĂ©sumĂ© if you’re from west of the Atlantic – includes the following line, under the “Skills
Reflections
Messenger over message
Growing up, my bedroom tended to be messy. Honouring the long-established tradition of stereotypical exchanges between mother-and-child, Mum regularly asked
Book Reviews, Sport
Book Review: Land of Second Chances
Summary: this book by Tim Lewis focuses on the history of cycling in Rwanda, through to 2013. It shares the
Reflections
A reason to meditate
I don’t meditate on a regular basis, but invariably feel that time spent meditating is time well spent. My practice
Sport
The versatility of cycling
The bicycle is a wonderful machine that facilitates such a diverse array of activities. I was a late convert to
Reflections
Sleep comfortably
If I live to 90 and sleep for eight hours per night, that adds up to 30 years spent asleep.
Reflections
Is it worth the money?
Each of us is a consumer. Whether we’re evaluating available broadband subscriptions on a comparison website or squinting at slightly
Work and productivity
How can I make this easy for you?
In a utopian workplace, I believe that collaboration between colleagues would be founded upon a shared desire to serve. The
Work and productivity
Bag your phone
Phone usage. It’s a hot topic! You’re probably aware of the articles about the correlation between smartphone use and worsening
Book Reviews, Sport
Book review: There Is No Map In Hell
Summary: the author, Steve Birkinshaw, is a keen runner with a background in orienteering. The book is autobiographical, with a
Work and productivity
Developing empathy to improve communication with colleagues
My journey in developing empathy is only just beginning. It’s a shame, because empathy is so key to one’s relationships:
Reflections, Sport
Privilege: a case study.
“Privilege” is a loaded term. It’s meant to cause awareness, but often provokes indignation instead. We’re not talking about the
Sport
Run slower
Running appears to be inherently hard. It conjures up images of painful sports classes in school. Sweat. Knee pain. Shortness
Work and productivity
The key to task management: consistency
Unless you can receive or create a task and then immediately complete it, you will need a task management system.
Work and productivity
How to get faster responses to requests you make at work
For many an officer worker, receiving delayed responses to requests is a common frustration. The silence can seem interminable, and
Uncategorized
Key times to wash your hands
Here’s a reminder about when to wash your hands. If you don’t yet have a habit of washing your hands
Reflections
No, I don’t deserve a holiday
“Enjoy your holiday! You deserve it!” No. I don’t. “Are you looking forward to a well-deserved break?” No. I’m not.
Sport
Five tips for developing a regular exercise routine
Find an anchor Attach your exercise routine to an existing habit or activity. This is known as anchoring. Examples:1) if
Reflections
A good apology is…
Genuine If you don’t believe it, the person (or people) to whom you are apologising won’t either. We often witness
Work and productivity
A tip for faster and more effective meetings
Identify the purpose of the meeting, and ask specific questions that will enable the meeting to achieve its purpose. Reflecting
Reflections
Love is: a cup of tea every morning.
For five years during high school, I would wake up at 0515hrs in order to catch the bus. I wasn’t
Work and productivity
Identify & recreate your ideal work conditions
Every day, millions of workers sell themselves and their employers short by not maximising their potential at work. In particular,
Reflections
Quality: you notice the best, the least.
This is applicable to your kettle or your colleague. I believe that we tend to more easily notice things when
Sport
Everyone can be an athlete
The Oxford English Dictionary defines an “athlete” as “a person who has undertaken training or exercises to become proficient in
Uncategorized
Starting out
It’s tough to start. But here we go. I have started this blog primarily in order to improve my writing.