Episodes

Episode 64 - Your thinking isn't as rational or balanced as you think. Let us tell you why and how you can be more aware of what's stuffing it up. Look at all this stuff we covered: What cognitive biases are How they affect us Why your brain is SO effective - and that's the problem How not to make a cup of tea Our top 10 chart of biases The difference between sharks, selfies and coconuts THE IDIOT (and his lockdown diary) Here are the links to the resource where you can find out more: ...

Episode 63 - The final episode in our kind of 'trilogy' on using Todoist. We briefly explore how to use Todoist at an advanced level. We also share great disciplines for managing tasks regardless of whether you use paper, Todoist or something else. Look at all this stuff we covered: We meet Theresa - she's a 'Level 3' kind of person Sharing files - so others can help you with the project Filters - to keep track of everything Needless references to Findus Crispy Pancakes AGAIN The 'Teams Pl...

Episode 62 - This is a great episode! In our second look at todoist, we move up to Level 2. Our survey said most of you use paper to manage your tasks. Todoist Level '2' could really help YOU too! Look at all this stuff we covered: We meet 'Emma' who has different stuff going on in her life - work stuff, hobby stuff, home stuff - and she manages it all with todo lists on paper and spreadsheets Projects - they're not just for big things like building hospitals Preparing Lucy's birthday celebr...

Episode 61 - Do you keep your tasks on a post-it note? Or are you happy using technology? We look at how "todoist" can help a range of people across a variety of situations. (Warning - episode features multiple references to Findus Crispy Pancakes.) Look at all this stuff we covered:  Amir's story - the brains behind todoist How a 'rootless' upbringing seems to have resulted in a great business ethos If you're using pen and paper what could an app like todoist do for you? Freeing up your ...

Episode STP060 - With the whole coronavirus and lock-down thing going on, we wondered how we can help. It turns out there are three areas we know about that could be useful to you. How we do the 'home' thing, deal with change, and learn new things. Look at all this stuff we covered: We chatted at the table and talked about Working from home - this is what can help: Set aside a dedicated area Plan your day with a structure Agree boundaries with the family Set a definite end time to the day...

Episode STP059 - We meet one of my favourite creative people - Laurie Jeffery. He describes himself as a photographer, a filmmaker and a story teller. Look at all this stuff we covered:  Treating your commitment to people as important Why quality matters more than Stephen Spielberg How it's hard to find people who care Using great tools Working with good people Sharpening your tools How great calendar skills makes him a great photographer Preparing for the moment of scrutiny Asking f...

As you can tell, this isn't an episode! But it's a request to you, our lovely listener, to share Sharp if you love it. There's all sorts of way you can share this audio: * Copy and past the page this 'episode' is on from the website, into your social media* Share the website 'subscribe' page https://www.sharppodcast.com/subscribe/* If you use a podcatcher - there's usually a 'share episode' option. You could share it:* Direct to a friend in WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, text message* Direct ont...

Episode 58 - If you have to remember things, plan things or share things - mind maps can help with that and loads more. We'll tell you how. Look at all this stuff we covered: What mind maps are Where they came from How they work What YOU can use them for Tony Buzan invented mind maps - he was a character 1970's BBC tv That idiot Steve In The Field makes another appearance Our research came from here - find out more:  Use Your Head from BBC TV in 1974 How to Mind Map with Tony Buzan H...

Episode 57 - Because sometimes books are more than books. Don't let the battle of the printed word and the audiobook get you down - you decide. Here are four books we loved reading this year; now it's your turn to enjoy them. Look at all this stuff we covered: Being in the woods near THAT picnic table in the rotten weather 4 Seconds by Peter Bregman Change your habits and your life Dog-earing pages (yep!) The Getting Things Done Workbook by David Allen and Brandon Hall It's like David com...

Episode 56 - If you haven't yet discovered how great GTD is, we tell you why - regardless of your age - you should read GTD For Teens. It's an excellent way of getting to know how GTD can work for you. Look at all this stuff we covered: We first covered GTD back in June 2017 in Episode 15 Bruce Lee and David Allen have something in common (now you know why we chose this episode's cover art) Enter The Dragon What having a 'Mind Like Water' means David Allen's Ted Talk including his referenc...

Episode 55 - Would you like an extra week in your year to focus on really important stuff? How about TWO weeks? How about ELEVEN days of fun/important/helpful personal time? Take control of your calendar and you could have that - and more. We show you how. Here's all the good stuff: Forbes.com article on 6 things you should NOT have on your calendar Meetings Back to back appointments Checklists Notes Miniscule tasks Other people's priorities History.com and the Gregorian Calendar Today's...

No shownotes - just me, telling you, why you've been waiting ages for an episode! As always, we're really grateful for your help in supporting this podcast. To do this you can: * Rate or subscribe at i-tunes by going here - i-tunes * Contact us on Twitter - we are @sharppodcast here * Connect with us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sharppodcast/ * Share with at us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sharppodcast/ * Post comments on the website. This link will take you to home page, a...

Episode 54 - We talk to the whirlwind that is Laura Gassner Otting! With her new book coming out (in April 2019 at time of writing) Laura shares her view on life, what gets in the way, and how we can all enjoy a life without limits! Look at all this stuff we covered:  Laura's background and wide range of experience Socks (Isle of Wight of course!) New Year's resolutions Why there will always be a bigger boat How Laura uses her calendar (great tips here) Putting things off GTD "Limitle...

Episode 53 - In the last of our revisits to helping you get even SHARPER this year, we go back to episode 30, where we summarised all the good stuff about routines. How is your start of day routine? Is it setting you up for the best you can be each day? And what about your end-of-day routine - does that help you wind down in the right way? These episodes are definitely worth another listen, which is why we did it! If you'd like to listen to the FULL episodes, the links are here:  Episode 12 ...

Episode 52 - We go back in time to an episode we originally broadcast in 2017, where we summarised the best ideas we'd found on setting GREAT goals. This version of EP29 is edited to be a bit tighter. We've got rid of the out-of-date stuff and kept the good stuff. Wanna set better goals for 2019? Give it a listen. If you'd like to listen to the FULL episodes, the links are here:  Episode 18 (Why Your Goals Aren't Working) where we cover: The resource out there on setting goals 5 steps that ...

Episode 51 - New Year's Resolutions don't work. But at this time of year, you might be thinking about what you want to be different in 2019. So we've re-released a tighter, updated version of Episode 28. Even if you've heard this already - it's well worth listening to again. There's SO much there! If you'd like to listen to the FULL episodes, the links are here: Episode 5 (Breaking Bad), where we cover: What are habits? How are they formed? According to Charles Duhigg in his book – The Power ...

Episode 50 - We look back over what we've done in the past year or so with a little help from our friends. Some of the stuff in there is:  How we ended last year with our tribute to Steve in the Field What Mayor Lance Olive likes about STP, SITF and Episode 27 His tips on using a calendar well Mel Elliot's thoughts on her favourite episode - STP033 Ready Steady Tomato Giving YOU my system in Episodes 35,36 and 37 Laura Gassner Otting's thoughts on - STP034 How About NO Laura's own tips...

Episode 49 - Life is too short for terrible meetings. We explore how to make them better, whether you run 'em, go to 'em, or avoid 'em. Dive in... Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is: Who invented the meeting Terrible conference calls - an example Why a CNBC article confirms your worst fears - meetings can be rubbish Everything that's wrong with meetings Holding meetings 101 - The basics: Respect your attendee's time Get to the point Consider who HAS to be there Set the agenda Change...

Episode 48 - In this episode, we talk about why public speaking and presenting can be difficult, and we give you 13 tips to help you get better in this tricky area. Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is: My terrible presentation Trust me - you look better than you think Why we can find public speaking difficult - even scary Glossophobia Lisa talks to us from a different table about her experience Have your opening lines prepared Feeling anxious Tapping your fingers (not EFT) Relaxing ab...

Episode 47 - Why perfectionism is, at best, unhelpful and, at worst, a serious problem. We explore what perfectionism is and how to deal with it wherever it appears. Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is: The link between perfectionism and competitiveness Where both of mine came from (I'm better now!) Why you should never declare perfectionism as a 'weakness' in an interview What perfectionism is, according to Steve and Lisa at the table What research says the different kinds of perfectioni...

Episode 46 - We dive deep into your memory and think we should probably not have looked so close, given what we found! But in this episode, we talk about why memory is important, how it works and how you can improve yours. Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:  Devices versus memory Why do I keep forgetting toothpaste What is memory? The Brain Institute at the University of Queensland's article on - 8 memory types What happens when severe memory loss hits us Memento - The IMDB summary He...

Episode 45 - We've learned amazing stuff about our brains for this episode. We give you 2 great articles, a fab Ted talk AND a smorgasbord of remarkable brain-related facts! Hold on to your hat... Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:  We've realised that the SAW that we're sharpening every week is the one in our heads Did you ever notice it in the logo? All the mind-blowing facts in this episode come from this fab article at - bebrainfit.com How many? Phenomenal brain numbers A superb ar...

Episode 44 - Can you rely on time? Can you manage it? What were you doing with yours 3 days ago at 3:15 pm? Wanna find out? Then have a listen! Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is: Time management doesn't work What does 'time' even mean? Could we change how we measure time - some people already have Time seems to stretch depending on what you are doing Psychology Today explains why the years pass faster as you get older Terry - come one, give him a chance! At least his facts are real The...

Episode 43 - What makes us happy? Lots of things. Whether being happy means getting through things quicker, spending more time focusing on what's important, or being inspired - here are some ideas. Some of the USEFUL stuff in there is:  A recommendation from Charles Duhigg (Author of Smarter Faster Better and The Power of Habit) It was this excellent piece by Alice Boyes at Harvard Business Review: Why do we fail at focusing on what's important How to change that Schedule time for them ...