We had this little productivity and time-management brownbag session at work the other day and the presenter gave us a handful of really useful tips on how to prioritize clashing demands - work related or private.
Most of the techniques are not new - such as the matrix of urgent vs. important things, but nonetheless it's good to be reminded sometimes.
Especially in London, it is so easy to only focus on the pressing issues ahead and never make time for the things that really count, such as keeping in touch with friends and family or planning for the future. My pension plan for example has not been amended in ages.
The presenter left us with a very simple statement: "What gets scheduled gets done." I'm going to put this to the test and schedule all of my gym sessions for next week. Let's see how that goes.
Thursday, 11 October 2012
The Value of a Good Deed
What is the value of a good deed? Can you put a number behind it?
In my job, everything is quantifiable and measurable - if it isn't by nature, we invent metrics and we talk about NPS and AHT and FCR and CSat and DSat and PSRs and God knows what else.
So today, on the Global Day of Caring, where all employees were encouraged to volunteer for a good cause, it only felt natural to ask "What is the purpose of this activity and how do we measure that the targets have been met?"
There were a range of different activities on offer, such as conservation work, website consultation for charities and even gardening on the cemetery, and people got allocated to the different project groups on a random basis.
I was tasked to write "Good Luck" cards to participants of a charity run - apparently it makes a difference to their fundraising efforts if they receive a personalised card.
Whilst I didn't mind doing it, I was wondering whether the additional fundraising due to the psychological effect of the cards would offset the loss in productivity due to us not working.
Wouldn't it have been wiser for the company to just donate the money instead?
Maybe I'm just being cynical and it's not about the overall money raised, but about feeling good about yourself because you've done something for society.
But then again, if it's not about maximising the benefit for the charity, but about our own ego, is that not the ultimate form of selfishness?
In my job, everything is quantifiable and measurable - if it isn't by nature, we invent metrics and we talk about NPS and AHT and FCR and CSat and DSat and PSRs and God knows what else.
So today, on the Global Day of Caring, where all employees were encouraged to volunteer for a good cause, it only felt natural to ask "What is the purpose of this activity and how do we measure that the targets have been met?"
There were a range of different activities on offer, such as conservation work, website consultation for charities and even gardening on the cemetery, and people got allocated to the different project groups on a random basis.
I was tasked to write "Good Luck" cards to participants of a charity run - apparently it makes a difference to their fundraising efforts if they receive a personalised card.
Whilst I didn't mind doing it, I was wondering whether the additional fundraising due to the psychological effect of the cards would offset the loss in productivity due to us not working.
Wouldn't it have been wiser for the company to just donate the money instead?
Maybe I'm just being cynical and it's not about the overall money raised, but about feeling good about yourself because you've done something for society.
But then again, if it's not about maximising the benefit for the charity, but about our own ego, is that not the ultimate form of selfishness?
Perfect Pizza
Although pizza is cheap and easy enough to buy in a supermarket, it can be great fun to make your own.
There is something deeply satisfying about kneading and stretching the dough and seeing it rise.
And it's a great way of using up leftover ingredients too (I believe that's how pizza was invented in the first place anyway).
This one I made earlier with everything I had in the fridge: ham, fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, mozzarella and Gorgonzola. A bit like an improvised Capricciosa minus the olives and the mushrooms.
Pizza, a glass of rose and a double episode of "New Girl" on catch-up TV: recipe for a perfect night in :-)
There is something deeply satisfying about kneading and stretching the dough and seeing it rise.
And it's a great way of using up leftover ingredients too (I believe that's how pizza was invented in the first place anyway).
This one I made earlier with everything I had in the fridge: ham, fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, mozzarella and Gorgonzola. A bit like an improvised Capricciosa minus the olives and the mushrooms.
Pizza, a glass of rose and a double episode of "New Girl" on catch-up TV: recipe for a perfect night in :-)
Forever 21
I'm not actually referring to my mental age here, but to one of the greatest shops ever.
Forever 21 is a US export and they've just opened their first UK branch very recently. Up until then, one had to rely on well travelled friends and family members for a F21 fashion fix or stockpile on those occasional US visits.
Nowadays I can just pop into their flagship store in Oxford Street and shop to my heart's content (and God knows I have).
I especially love their jewellery section. They have got a whole floor with glitzy and sparkly trinkets and sometimes i feel like a magpie in Aladdin's cave.
Today, I couldn't resist buying this cute "I love London" necklace. When I showed my boyfriend, he commented: "Another one?"
Yes, another one. But I really needed this one!
Forever 21 is a US export and they've just opened their first UK branch very recently. Up until then, one had to rely on well travelled friends and family members for a F21 fashion fix or stockpile on those occasional US visits.
Nowadays I can just pop into their flagship store in Oxford Street and shop to my heart's content (and God knows I have).
I especially love their jewellery section. They have got a whole floor with glitzy and sparkly trinkets and sometimes i feel like a magpie in Aladdin's cave.
Today, I couldn't resist buying this cute "I love London" necklace. When I showed my boyfriend, he commented: "Another one?"
Yes, another one. But I really needed this one!
Sunday, 7 October 2012
Lunch w/c 01-Oct
It's now the third week of my lunch experiment, and so far there haven't been any major revelations.
Monday - Warm Goats Cheese Salad
I was on an offsite on Monday, so this meal doesn't really count.
Tuesday - Mussaman Curry from Chapel Market - 5.5/10
This little Thai stall usually attracts a lot of punters. The quality of the food was very mediocre though. Basically it was rice in a thin chicken sauce. No trace of veg or seasoning...
Wednesday - Jacket Potato from Chapel Market - 7.0/10
It's hard to mess up Jacket Potatoes. At 4.50 GBP they are a bit pricey though. Normally I wouldn't expect to pay more than 3.50 GBP for a jacket with chilli and cheese.
Thursday - Naked Burrito from Chipotle - 8.0/10
Chipotle is obviously one of the best Mexicans in London. The seating facilities are quite good and it's not too far from the office. 10 GBP for a burrito and a drink is not cheap though.
Friday - I was working from home, so no lunch in the Angel area.
Monday - Warm Goats Cheese Salad
I was on an offsite on Monday, so this meal doesn't really count.
Tuesday - Mussaman Curry from Chapel Market - 5.5/10
This little Thai stall usually attracts a lot of punters. The quality of the food was very mediocre though. Basically it was rice in a thin chicken sauce. No trace of veg or seasoning...
Wednesday - Jacket Potato from Chapel Market - 7.0/10
It's hard to mess up Jacket Potatoes. At 4.50 GBP they are a bit pricey though. Normally I wouldn't expect to pay more than 3.50 GBP for a jacket with chilli and cheese.
Thursday - Naked Burrito from Chipotle - 8.0/10
Chipotle is obviously one of the best Mexicans in London. The seating facilities are quite good and it's not too far from the office. 10 GBP for a burrito and a drink is not cheap though.
Friday - I was working from home, so no lunch in the Angel area.
Sunday Indulgence
Although I enjoy travelling and visiting new places, sometimes the ultimate luxury is to stay at home with a good book and a cup of tea.
And I haven't been in the kitchen for a while, so I decided to make a nice galette with blueberries and nectarines.
This was an ultra fast version made with shop-bought puff pastry and apricot preserve. But warm from the oven with a generous helping of whipped cream it is heavenly delicious!
And I haven't been in the kitchen for a while, so I decided to make a nice galette with blueberries and nectarines.
This was an ultra fast version made with shop-bought puff pastry and apricot preserve. But warm from the oven with a generous helping of whipped cream it is heavenly delicious!
Berlin (again)
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Berlin, but sometimes it reminds me of a Hoxton for the poor.
Berlin is a city with an eternally young mindset. The streets, tubes and bars are bustling with 35 year old adolescents, who decorate themselves with tattoos / piercings / self-cut hair styles and mis-matched clothes.
Going out is cheap (3.50 EUR for a cocktail, 1.50 EUR for a sausage in a bun), but people still prefer to bring their own drinks and consume them on the streets instead.
Apparently there are no jobs in Berlin, but what the people lack in prosperity, they make up through ingenuity. Some people sweep up the left-over glass bottles to collect the deposit, re-sell used travel cards before the end of the day or set up makeshift food stalls in one of the many parks.
I guess people still get by somehow, and it's this bohemian (or "artsy-fartsy" as my boyfriend would say) vibe that makes Berlin so attractive. It doesn't matter who you are or what you have, as long as you can contribute to Berlin's journey of self-discovery.
Or in Wowereit's words: Berlin is poor, but sexy.
Saturday, 6 October 2012
Copenhagen and Malmo
One thing is for sure! It's cold in Denmark. September here feels like November in England and the main thing I will remember from this trip is the freezing rain and the force of the Baltic wind.
One could argue that it was my own fault for not bringing any proper clothing, but I had just crossed from bordering Germany where it had been 23 degrees and sunny.
The Danish obviously are much better prepared for this kind of weather - they all have high end outdoor gear and the city is full of cute little coffee shops.
Hyggeli, these places are called, meaning cosy, warm, comfortable. I think that hyggeli doesn't only describe the coffee shops well, but also the entire character of the nation.
Everything seemed quite homogenous, pacified, consensus-oriented, green, and sustainable. Even the so-called anarchist district of Christiania was more like Camden on tranquillisers rather than (let's say) the Occupy movement in Finsbury Square.
But the Danish seem to like it that way. According to some study, they are amongst the three happiest nations in the world.
Malmo, across the bridge in Sweden, was even quieter than Copenhagen. The only attraction seemed to be the shopping centre and people were patiently waiting for it to open on a Sunday morning.
Luckily, we had a comfortable hotel room in the centre of town and we stayed in to watch videos which was much more fun than walking through the rain.
After three days I in Copenhagen and Malmo I felt beautifully relaxed. It's good to slow down every now and then...
One could argue that it was my own fault for not bringing any proper clothing, but I had just crossed from bordering Germany where it had been 23 degrees and sunny.
The Danish obviously are much better prepared for this kind of weather - they all have high end outdoor gear and the city is full of cute little coffee shops.
Hyggeli, these places are called, meaning cosy, warm, comfortable. I think that hyggeli doesn't only describe the coffee shops well, but also the entire character of the nation.
Everything seemed quite homogenous, pacified, consensus-oriented, green, and sustainable. Even the so-called anarchist district of Christiania was more like Camden on tranquillisers rather than (let's say) the Occupy movement in Finsbury Square.
But the Danish seem to like it that way. According to some study, they are amongst the three happiest nations in the world.
Malmo, across the bridge in Sweden, was even quieter than Copenhagen. The only attraction seemed to be the shopping centre and people were patiently waiting for it to open on a Sunday morning.
Luckily, we had a comfortable hotel room in the centre of town and we stayed in to watch videos which was much more fun than walking through the rain.
After three days I in Copenhagen and Malmo I felt beautifully relaxed. It's good to slow down every now and then...
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Lunch w/c 24-Sep
Monday - Grilled Red Pepper and Halloumi Sandwich from Pret - 8.5/10
I go to Pret every morning to get my breakfast and nothing bad can ever be said about their food. Fast, efficient, nourishing - as it should be.
Tuesday - Potsu from Itsu - 9.5/10
Ok, I faltered today and went back to Itsu - but only because my colleague suggested it and I wanted a quiet place to share my latest gossip with her.
Wednesday - Sausage and Mash from The Naked Sausage - 6.0/10
It was a cold day today and I fancied a wholesome dish. However, this was very 'working class' style, despite the fancy name of the stall. Lots of grease and low quality meat.
Thursday -Pho from Bun Cha - 7.0/10
My cousin came around for lunch, so we went to Exmouth Market for a change. This little Vietnamese cafe has a lovey setting and the dishes are actually ok. Plain, but cheap.
Friday - Salad from Subway - 7.0/10
There is no proper salad bar in Angel, so ironically, the best place for fresh veg is actually Subway. Together with a small bowl of meatballs, this actually makes a nice lunch.
I go to Pret every morning to get my breakfast and nothing bad can ever be said about their food. Fast, efficient, nourishing - as it should be.
Tuesday - Potsu from Itsu - 9.5/10
Ok, I faltered today and went back to Itsu - but only because my colleague suggested it and I wanted a quiet place to share my latest gossip with her.
Wednesday - Sausage and Mash from The Naked Sausage - 6.0/10
It was a cold day today and I fancied a wholesome dish. However, this was very 'working class' style, despite the fancy name of the stall. Lots of grease and low quality meat.
Thursday -Pho from Bun Cha - 7.0/10
My cousin came around for lunch, so we went to Exmouth Market for a change. This little Vietnamese cafe has a lovey setting and the dishes are actually ok. Plain, but cheap.
Friday - Salad from Subway - 7.0/10
There is no proper salad bar in Angel, so ironically, the best place for fresh veg is actually Subway. Together with a small bowl of meatballs, this actually makes a nice lunch.
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