Author: Maren Deepwell

Tranquillity by Tuesday – follow up
Recently I blogged about Laura Vanderkam’s Tranquillity by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. Now that I have finished the book, and tried out some of the rules for time management, here is a follow up sharing how things went:

What did I try out and how did it go?

The first ‘rule’ that I put to the test for me is Rule Two: Plan on Fridays. The basic idea is to plan for the week ahead on a Friday afternoon and the chapter goes into explaining why this is a helpful practice and how to do it. I already plan on a weekly basis, but it was still interesting to read more about why this is effective. Two things jumped out at me:

Plan across three key categories: career (which I took to be short-hand for all types of work, paid and unpaid), relationships (which encompasses partners, family, friends, any we care for and spend time with, including pets) and self (this is the category that is easy to overlook).

Plan on Fridays: there is a good section on why Friday afternoon is a good time to plan (provided you follow a Monday – Friday work or school schedule):
1. there is little opportunity cost: for many of us, Friday afternoon is close to the weekend, it’s not a good time to start something new and this less busy time can be extra productive if used for planning;
2. You can make Monday productive: start the week knowing what your day is going to bring and focusing on it;
3. Upgrade your weekends: making more time to make plans for leisure or family time or self care rather than using the weekend for planning;
4. Calm the ‘Sunday scaries’: meaning that going into the weekend with a clear plan for the following week helps you switch off and stop worrying about or planning for what’s ahead.
This last reason resonates with me in particular, as I usually do planning on Sunday evenings and I have definitely found that to have downsides.

Overall, I found this habit took some effort to embed in my week, partly because I don’t follow a regular Monday to Friday work schedule and partly because some of my planning is done with other’s.

However, I did schedule a regular planning session into my work diary and home diary, and I made an effort to start planning on Thursdays and Fridays for the week ahead.

The biggest improvement that I felt nearly immediately was that I worried a lot less over the weekend. I found it very helpful to have thought about the week ahead and have a plan in place.

I also found it easier than I had expected to slip in some productive time into my usually quiet Friday afternoons. This was something I hadn’t been sure about, but I found it easier than expected.

Upgrading my weekends hasn’t really happened yet, but I think that is largely because they already work very well… and as it happens I started a new yoga class on Saturday mornings at the same time as I started this new habit, which feels like good timing.

Further inspiration from the book

I really enjoyed this book and took a lot of inspiration from it. The two ideas that jumped out at me that feel particularly helpful to me are: first, the concept of a back-up slot and also the idea to include one little and one big adventure in plans for each week.

Planning in some ‘adventures’ seems like a cheerful idea and looking for activities that I could do in one hour or less (little adventure) or half a day (big adventure) feels both challenging and achievable. It relates to the three categories I used to start planning my weeks (work, relationships, self) and I am going to try that idea out in the coming months.

I also LOVE the concept of a back up slot for my diary. In the book Laura goes into different ways in which this can be helpful, from scheduling time slots for particular work tasks, for family time or even days of the week.

In practice I have long had back up slots in my schedule, but I never thought of them as such, so revisiting this in the context of the book. I found it helpful to consider in what ways I could use this strategy and I found exercise a really good example of an activity that needs a back up slot as it is rare for me to be able to exercise as I plan each week as something always comes up. So an exercise back up slot will definitely be in my schedule from now on!
21/02/2023
Coaching tool: List of 100 Dreams
I am always on the look out for new tools or resources for coaching, and I want to share this one I recently came across in a blog post by Laura Vanderkam: It’s called a ‘List of 100 Dreams’. If this is a new concept, then head over to Laura’s blog to read more about the original exercise from Career coach Caroline Ceniza-Levine and how Laura has used this exercise as part of her work on productivity and time management.

Welcome to List of 100 Dreams week

What is it?

The ‘List of 100 Dreams’ is exactly that: a long list of things you wish to do, have or devote time to. In essence, it’s a very long bucket list. Laura explains it thus:

These could be travel goals, career goals, personal goals, or just general things that would be fun to do or possess. While plenty of people start a bucket list at some point, the upside of aiming for 100 Dreams is that it’s kind of…tough. Getting to 100 often requires coming back to the list several times. And while the first third or so tend to be big, longterm dreams (go to New Zealand!) by the last third it might be items like visiting a state park an hour away, writing a white paper on a topic that fascinates you, or owning a nice pair of pajamas. We’re talking fairly doable dreams.
https://lauravanderkam.com/2018/10/welcome-to-list-of-100-dreams-week/

Why try it?

What I liked about the idea of making a really long list, is that it would help me identify new things I might want to do, rather than simply revisit the familiar dreams or goals which have been on my mental list for a long time. I found it helpful to challenge myself to dream, rather than to simply plan or prioritise.

It feels fun to sit down and spend time thinking “what do I want to do?… What else?… and which other 78 things?”. I had not challenged myself before to try and come up with 100 things like this, and it was enjoyable and surprisingly difficult.

How to use it?

If starting with a blank page seems daunting (and to me it definitely did), then you could give yourself different headings under which to write your dreams: for example, you could use: work, people, self. Or, you could consider dreams for now, soon and later.

Writing this as a stream of consciousness exercise for which you try to keep writing without pause could work, too.

Or, add to the list over the period of a week.

The key for me was to give myself permission to add anything that came into my mind, no matter how big or small or unachievable or insignificant. If something silly came up, that went on the list, too.

A hybrid working adaptation: List of 100 Hybrid Working Dreams

This tool can be used in lots of different contexts: you can use it for your life as a whole or focus on your career, and you could also use it to set out a vision for your organisation or team.

It’s not often that we find time to sit down and focus solely on what possibilities there are when it comes to how we work, rather than what we achieve, and this tool can help make that space.

Some prompts you could focus on are:
- what are your dreams for your workspace?
- what do you wish for in terms of working with others?
- What would you like your daily routine to be like?
- What changes, big or small, would you like to make in your team?
- How would you like your organisation to change?
- What do you wish to have in place to make work better?
If you want to try out this tool, choose your favourite way to write or make notes, whatever you find easiest, and start writing down whatever comes into your mind. Don’t self-edit. Don’t judge.

Give yourself space to think of 100 things (and, as Laura suggested, if that’s easy, then simply up the number and go for 200, 500 or even 1000 dreams to write down).
17/02/2023
In the library (again)

It’s my second post about the joys of going to the library in as many months, so I won’t hold it against you if you don’t keep reading… this post. Please keep reading everything else!

Over the past month I have borrowed and read a lot of books from the Cardiff library system, trying out different branches of the library, close to home, nearby and in the city.

Using the library has been such a joy, immensely practical and an interesting, unexpected change of perspective.

The joy of discovery

First and foremost, browsing for books comes with a joy of discovery that I don’t get in the same way from browsing digitally. Just like spotting an unexpected treat in the supermarket, I picked up books when I go and collect the ones I have ordered. It’s not exactly unexpected, but it’s been a while since I freely browsed and wandered through shelves of books, all available to take home.

Last weekend I picked up two fiction books at my local branch, a very small affair of a village library housed in a single room and enthusiastically open for one afternoon a week. That was my free time this weekend sorted!

I read ferociously across different genres, so now when I am stuck and unsure of what to read next, I can simply pick some books that look interesting and see how much I like them. If they’re not for me, I return them the next week.

Free, unlimited books

The fact that I don’t need to buy the books makes a huge difference to how much I read. This is especially true for work related books or books that I want to read for research are not usually volumes I want to buy or can afford. I have worked for decades outside of an institution with its own library service, so having a newly rediscovered scope for borrowing whatever sparks my curiosity has made a much greater difference than I had anticipated. Access to books, it seems, has been something I have missed.

I can now indulge freely in reading everything by an interesting author I’ve just discovered or a book I’ve come across on a podcast or at coach training and that is a huge bonus.

It has given me a new appreciation for the very real benefits access to resources such as an excellent library can offer. An appreciation that didn’t get lost, but that moved into the background during the global pandemic, when my focus was on much more urgent issues than finding easy access to unlimited reading materials for myself.

Spaces of social solace

In common with many friends and colleagues I have a long held love for libraries, and that’s probably what got me started with cemeteries (so called ‘libraries of stone’). But at this time here in the UK, walking into libraries advertising opening hours as warm spaces, stocked with hot drinks and comfortable seating for those in need, is a new experience for me. I have taken part in all sorts of initiatives in libraries in the past, to help teach digital skills, provide online access, to teach literacy, citizenship and access to local services. I’ve been to fitness classes in libraries, to therapy sessions, I have worked in libraries. I wrote my thesis in one. I applied for the right to remain in the UK post Brexit in a library. Now, folk are heading to libraries to keep warm. My hope is that alongside the precious warmth, they find social connection or solace in the imagination of others through the magic of reading.

15/02/2023
Lunch break ideas for hybrid workers

At this time of year, it’s easy to focus on ever busy work schedules instead of activities that help with balance. Here in Cardiff the weather is dreary and grey, and not particularly inspiring even in the lightest hours of the day. Leaving my desk and screens in favour for a proper break feels much easier on sunny days.

When I came across a book called Gone for Lunch: 52 Things to do in your lunch break (by Laura Archer), in the library recently it felt like a great opportunity to find some inspiration.

Here’re my 10 favourite ideas for lunch break activities, inspired by the book but specifically adapted to the needs of hybrid workers. The ideas in the book are divided into for sections: activities you can do while sitting, being active, inside and outside.

As most of us hybrid workers probably spend enough time sitting inside already, most of the activities on my list involve being active and/or outdoors, but there are two exceptions and I’ll start with those:

1 Take a nap

This is also in the book, and there are some useful tips here: aim to nap for between 10-30 minutes, don’t forget to set an alarm, and make sure you nap before 4pm and no later, to avoid disturbing your sleep in the night.

One of the nicest upsides of working from home is that there usually are much better places to nap than in an office or on campus, and, in my case, the presence of willing pets who are just as keen to cuddle up for half an hour as I am.

2 Meditate

The book includes tips of trying desk yoga or to focus on ‘wish, pray, hope’ , so inspired by that, I am going to include meditation as a lunch break idea. There are plenty of apps out there like Calm or Insight Timer that offer free recordings, breathing exercises and timers to help engage in mindfulness and meditation.

Personally, I find coming to a complete stop and resting in stillness for a few minutes is a powerful way to reset for the rest of the day, no matter how or where I do it.

3 Green spaces

I really like the idea of visiting green spaces. The book suggests that “spending as little as 40 seconds looking out over green space can boost concentration” and goes on to explore other benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing of spending time in nature.

Depending on where you live and how much green space there is around you, looking at some maps of your local area will help you discover new green spaces close by, and help find new routes that you do not usually take.

4 Local Café

Adopted from the idea to visit local markets included in the book, you can visit (independent) local cafes which are close enough to where you live. Many of us find remote working from home can become quite lonely over time, and visiting local cafes or delis for an hour can help us reconnect with people and offer a change of environment.

5 Listen to a podcast

As a big podcast fan, I enjoyed reading the suggestions in the book for listening to podcasts during lunch breaks: start with short podcasts to find out what you like, look for podcast recommendations on blogs or sites you usually use, rather than charts within podcast apps to get more personal recommendations and make use of the broad range of subjects on offer to engage with different interests.

One problem I encountered unwittingly with podcasts at lunchtime, is that I gravitated towards ones related to work. Listen to podcasts became more like professional development or catching up with things I hadn’t had time to read or listen to during work, which was productive, yes, but didn’t provide the break that I need at lunch to recharge. If you are looking to disconnect from work and really relax, choose a podcast with a relaxing topic unrelated to work.

6 Take a photograph

As an avid taker of photographs, the idea to take a “take a carefully considered photograph” really chimed with me. The idea is to really focus on the colour, form, shape and composition of the photograph, and to take time over it. Practical tips include turning on gridlines, focusing on a single subject, using reflection and so forth.

This is an interesting activity as it’s completely flexible and can happen indoors and outdoors at any time. One I am going to try out for sure.

7 Local Wildlife

Another suggestion is to explore local wildlife, which could include taking part in activities like an online national butterfly count or bird watch, anywhere from gardening containers on a balcony, a nearby park or field.

8 Play with a pet or care for a plant

The most ‘local’ of animals for me are our dogs, and one of my favourite things to do during my lunch break is to play with the dogs in the garden. Hiding small treats for them to sniffle for or playing with their favourite toys and really focusing on them is a brilliant way to relax, and gives me a great sense of connection.

Given that I am also devoted to my plants, another way to take a proper break from my screen is to care for my plants. Regular watering, dead heading flower pots… whatever it is on any given day really helps me to stay away from my screens for a while.

9 Go for a wander

This one probably doesn’t need much explanation, and can easily combine with several of the other activities… walk while listening to a podcast, walk a dog, wander in a green space, explore your local area and so forth.

Or… for a complete change try a mindful walk. Really focus on the activity itself and avoid distracting yourself from what your senses tell you about your environment. Breathe easy and follow your feet.

10 Visit a Cemetery

My favourite moment reading the book was when I spotted “visit a cemetery” in the list of activities. Clearly, this is my favourite given that I spent years as an anthropology student in graveyards. For me, any opportunity to visit a cemetery is welcome.. so if you, too, like a bit of an explore through such spaces, then find your nearest one and enjoy your lunch break.

10/02/2023
Tranquillity by Tuesday
I’ve really enjoyed reading Laura Vanderkam’s Tranquillity by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. From an anthropological perspective, it’s interesting to read a book rooted in the experiences of a group of people putting the productivity and time management ideas into practice and I especially enjoyed reading why things did and didn’t work for particular individuals. I found it helpful to read about their experiences alongside the expert guidance provided, as it helped me think through how and why certain things might work for me or my coaching clients.

Being on a journey of trying to work less hard and find more balance made this book appeal to me more with a central focus on calm and wellbeing alongside more traditional productivity techniques. The first ‘rule’ that I put to the test for me is Rule Two: Plan on Fridays.

The basic idea is to plan for the week ahead on a Friday afternoon and the chapter goes into explaining why this is a helpful practice and how to do it. I already plan on a weekly basis, but it was still interesting to read more about why this is effective. Two things jumped out at me:

Plan across three key categories: career (which I took to be short-hand for all types of work, paid and unpaid), relationships (which encompasses partners, family, friends, any we care for and spend time with, including pets) and self (this is the category that is easy to overlook).

Plan on Fridays: there is a good section on why Friday afternoon is a good time to plan (provided you follow a Monday – Friday work or school schedule):
1. there is little opportunity cost: for many of us, Friday afternoon is close to the weekend, it’s not a good time to start something new and this less busy time can be extra productive if used for planning;
2. You can make Monday productive: start the week knowing what your day is going to bring and focusing on it;
3. Upgrade your weekends: making more time to make plans for leisure or family time or self care rather than using the weekend for planning;
4. Calm the ‘Sunday scaries’: meaning that going into the weekend with a clear plan for the following week helps you switch off and stop worrying about or planning for what’s ahead.
This last reason resonates with me in particular, as I usually do planning on Sunday evenings and I have definitely found that to have downsides.

So, that’s the strategy I am planning to adopt from Tranquillity by Tuesday, and if you are interested in exploring more, I’d definitely recommend this as a very well written, interesting read which comes with a lot of resources which are free to download on the book’s website 🙂
07/02/2023
Wakelet from #LTHEchat 254: Hybrid working: new frontiers in professional practice

It was a great pleasure to return as a guest to the wonderful #LTHEchat for a conversation all about hybrid working.

For #LTHEChat 254 we shifted our focus from learning to work. We discussed ways in which learning and teaching practices can inspire a more sustainable and equitable hybrid workplace. If you haven’t yet seen it, read the original post on the #LTHEchat site.

I was very curious to hear different perspectives and see where this conversation would leads us, and it was a very fast paced, lively discussion on the evening. I found it hard to do more than read, and like or retweet during the live conversation, and I also wanted to give as much room as possible for everyone to express their views and share their experiences, instead of dominating the conversation.

It’s been such a pleasure to work together with the amazing people who organise and support this important community activity, and I am so grateful for their support and guidance before, during and after the chat.

The chat in action

Here are the questions we explored:

Q1: What is your experience of hybrid working? #LTHEchat
Q2: How has hybrid working made a positive impact in your institution? #LTHEchat
Q3: What can we learn from hybrid learning to develop effective hybrid working? #LTHEchat
Q4: What role should staff play in the hybrid learning/working skills development of students? #LTHEchat
Q5: What do you see as the biggest challenge for the future of hybrid working #LTHEchat
Q6: Share one hybrid working tip that you would recommend to others (and why). #LTHEchat
LTHEchat 254

There was a lot of rich conversation and I am still reflecting and delving back into various exchanges, which I hope to write about more in due course. For now, here are a few moments that jumped out at me on the day:

It was inspiring to see how many different answers everyone had in response to “What is your experience of hybrid working”. It’s easy to loose sense of how different contexts impact on our ways of working, both personal and institutional, and this opener to the chat provided a vivid reminder of the broad range of hybrid working models that are happening across this community.

Another aspect of hybrid working that came across strongly was the enduring importance of social connection. This is something many contributors mentioned in a number of ways, regardless of whether they had long term experience of working in remote and distributed team or whether they were relatively new to it.

The LTHE chat to me always feels like a valuable opportunity to connect with folk in and of itself, but this topic brought this to the forefront of my mind more than usual. It was amazing to glimpse a little of what folk feel is the reality of their home office life, office days and travel.

A lot of posts sounded very positive about hybrid work, with many contributors feeling more productive and seeing many upsides to the increased flexibility. But we also spoke about a lot of challenges: from equipment and connectivity to the lack of leadership, appropriate policies and lack of trust.

There is so much more to dive into.. have a look at the chat for yourself.

Explore the Wakelet

You can now explore the whole conversation on the Wakelet: https://wakelet.com/wake/hx_8tyRERoRoSUhq-AFyj

06/02/2023