Everyone talks about time management. How can that be though? We all have 24 hours in our day so what are we really managing considering time is constant? So it’s more about how we use the time we have rather than managing it per se, as it moves at the same rate for everybody. It is about organising all the activities we have to do in order to help us make the most productive use of our time. Why do we struggle...

Need and Want – Take a look at these two four letter words. Their dictionary definitions are relatively similar yet they have distinct meanings. In economic terms, a need is generally referred to as something required for survival and a want is a desire for something now or in the future. There is often a grey area between these two, so how can we decide if we want or need something? Many times, we confuse...

Our brains make connectionss and links associated to labels and brands. People are no exception (think Jamie Oliver and Julio Iglesias!). We are all judged based on impressions, whether purely on appearance, a conversation or simply what you do for a living. Virtually every little action contributes to your personal brand. From how you dress, to what you eat, how you talk, etc. Personal branding is unavoidable....

Do you work with a difficult boss? Is your boss making your life miserable at work? Have you tried to address certain issues to no avail? Has the time come to escalate matters and talk to their boss or HR? These conversations are never easy and can cause anxiety so here are a few ideas to try to minimise your distress. Before engaging in this type of conversation, ask yourself the following: – ...

The beginning of a new year is filled with hope and expectations of what is yet to come. Whether you are firm believer that a new year is a new beginning or simply another page on the calendar, chances are you will be reassessing the past and planning for the future. I am a huge fan of lists and love reading things like “100 Places to Go Before you Die”. Having read many of these lists I have learnt...

Our name is hard wired in our subconscious in such a way that it acts as an immediate trigger to get our attention. You will respond to the sound of your name more easily than you will say to the word “banana”. Despite this, according to Freud, “a person’s name is the single context of human memory most apt to be forgotten”. Remembering someone’s name is incredibly useful and important in both social...

Public speaking is becoming an increasing part of our day to day lives even outside of the work place. Inevitably, you must have attended presentations where the speaker mumbled, went over time, fidgeted or simply was not able to captivate the audience. Bad presentations are a waste of time, cost money and can damage reputations. So, if this is what you are aiming for here is the perfect guide for you. Follow...

The dictionary definition of optimism is “a tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation”. Sounds good right? Well, your answer will depend on who you are. In a general sense, people can be divided into being mainly optimistic or pessimistic. This will in turn affect other areas in your life. How you view the world is crucial for your well being. How you...

Difficult conversations are typically those that we know we should have yet keep putting off. They range from having to remind your best friend about the money they owe you, or telling your other half that you don’t want to have dinner with their family every weekend or trying to tell your colleague that they have bad breath. Why do we put these conversations off? We dread the reaction, we don’t...

Applause is generally done as a sign of appreciation and approval. Have you ever sat back and watched a group of people applaud? What did you notice? Imagine for a second that you are an alien with no prior social conditioning or understanding of our habits. I wonder what you would think, if all of a sudden a group of people started making lots of noise with their hands…Have you thought about why we clap...