General

There is a reoccurring daily appointment in my calendar that is more important to me than any planning or review. It’s my scheduled alone time. I schedule fifteen minutes early in the morning and when possible I spend that time outside with a cup of tea. There is no checking of my phone (albeit I […]

This week on two of my other sites, little acorn creations and PennyWise Consulting, I wrote about working deeper. However, what is deep work? As Cal Newport defines it, “Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and […]

Estimating the time you need to build a widget is relatively straightforward. Estimating the time you need to build something based on knowledge and experience is another matter. It isn’t easy. Sometimes I get it right, sometimes I get it wrong (and really wrong). Here are a few tips I’ve picked up over the years. […]

There’s some irony that I scribbled the draft of this post during my lunch break on Friday. Why do we tend to procrastinate and put off tasks we enjoy? How can we train ourselves to not put off to tomorrow what we can work on today? Is procrastination bad for our work? While I won’t […]

Can a kitchen timer help your focus? Can a book about this simple technique improve your understanding? Should you read it? Yes. However, as with all productivity techniques there are those that think it’s a bunch of rotten tomatoes and others who believe it is the answer to all their problems. I take a more […]

It’s the time of year when everyone is scrambling at work and home. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed, two factors that can have cascading consequences. When uncontrollable factors add in even more disruptions (such as unexpected extreme winter weather in November) it’s tempting to cry uncle. You don’t have to nor is it […]

I admit that my planning grid can feel overwhelming at first. It’s not a blank page, but it is a blank grid. Today’s post will share three ways I use the grid and how I’ve found it helpful in each instance. Content Calendar I turn the page 90°, and across the top I list the […]

A few weeks ago, one of my favourite places to work outside of the house, a local library branch, closed for renovations. It’s been frustrating to find a new place while projects multiplied, deadlines loomed, and weather was volatile. Change is rarely easy, and this minor disruption attempted to cascade and cause massive disruption to […]

I often search out public spaces such as the library or Starbucks to enjoy a few cat-free moments and force myself to write. Some days it’s blissfully quiet. At other times there are meetings featuring voices at are… sharp. They cut through focus and attempt to divert and distract. After I’ve taken time and effort […]

I prefer to use Academic year planners as they change over at a time of the year that is generally quieter for me. It’s not yet Rosh Hashannah or end of December. This allows me to settle into them and be ready for when time provides other challenges. They start in mid-July or August, so […]