When it comes to getting stuff done, there are so many tools, tricks, hacks, planners and systems out there, all promising to turbocharge your productivity, it’s no wonder many business owners are convinced that if they haven’t got this nailed yet, it must mean there’s something wrong with them.

Well, I’m not having that! Not on my watch!

Ever wondered what it would be like to work with me one-to-one? You’re in luck! I’m here to give you the full lowdown! 

Read on to find out what In It Together is all about, who it’s for, the problems it can solve, and what happens when we work together. 

If you’re anything like me you might also want to know the cost, so I’ve included the investment too. You’re welcome.

Yesterday I caught myself doing something that I suspect you might do too:

Procrastinating by doing something that FEELS useful. But actually, isn't.

(Not to be confused with procrastifaffing, which we all KNOW isn't useful 😉)

Here’s my audio confession. And a challenge for you, if you catch yourself doing this too!

When you’re switching off from work and getting ready to navigate the festivities, it’s easy to get in a fluster about the things we didn’t get done and the things we need to do next. To worry about getting stuck in Christmas Eve traffic or making sure your family has the perfect day.

I blame school.

All that focus on becoming slightly less terrible at the subjects that don’t come easily to us.

Can you imagine what might have happened if instead of working so hard on our ‘weaknesses’, we’d been encouraged to focus on getting even better at the subjects we were naturally brilliant at?

I’m often asked what people should do when they’re deep in overwhelm, with too much on their plate and a to-do list whirling around in their head like a Tasmanian Devil.

My answer? Pause. Take a break. Slow down.

Do you have ideas bouncing around your head morning, noon and night?

So does magician and entrepreneur Paul Newton, which is why I was excited to be invited onto his brilliant podcast, Newton's Nuggets.

We had a great conversation about how creative people can get the important stuff done, so if you sometimes feel a bit all over the place this one's for you.

If you’ve got scraps of paper all over the place with ideas, notes, things to think about, shopping reminders, and actual work-stuff that needs to be done to, you know, run your business...

And if you ALSO know that’s not exactly sustainable. And no matter how many tools, proven systems, processes you try… they just… don’t stick…

Have a listen to this episode of the System to Thrive podcast

“I’m going to pretend I’m in an Airbnb,” I declared to Tom.

And it worked! Despite staying at home, we had a glorious week off during which I did zero work and ignored all the pesky jobs that needed doing around the house.

I know how fortunate I am to be safe, secure and in a position to take a proper break, and I don’t take that for granted. Times are tough for many people right now, and even when things are going well the thought of taking time away from work - without checking email and social media - can feel impossible.

Because back when I spent a few days a week getting covered in paint and making a mess, I used to be quite good at drawing and painting. And now I’m not.

And the idea of creating something that’s not very good (or not as good as I know I’m capable of)?

No thank you.

That’s WAY too confronting and uncomfortable. So I’ll just leave the paints in the box, thank-you-very-much.

I just did a quick headcount, and realised I had to one-to-one conversations with fifteen humans last week, which for this introverted soul is unheard of!

Want to know how I juggled taking action on an exciting project and navigating a very full week without losing the plot or burning the candle at both ends?

Here’s a quick behind-the-scenes snapshot for you, so you can see that it doesn't have to be complicated - all it takes is a little planning…

Diary management. Sexy, eh?!

I know it’s not the most exciting of subjects, but get it wrong and it can lead to all kinds of kerfuffle.

For example…

Ever realised you didn’t allow yourself enough time for a thing, and then spent the rest of the day (week? month?) frantically trying to catch up with yourself?

"If you haven't had at least two breakdowns you're not working hard enough." Can you believe that a manager would think it's ok to say that to a member of their team?

My mind was well and truly boggled when Hannah Power shared that with me. You'll be relieved to know that neither of us subscribe to that completely ridiculous - and VERY damaging - way of thinking!

One thing I know about myself is that I like time to think. Whilst many of my business pals thrive on the unexpected and do their best work in response to whatever arises in the moment, I prefer space to mull things over, to process, problem-solve and form ideas slowly and thoughtfully.

So imagine how I felt when, in the middle of a podcast interview, the host asked me a question I’d never been asked before, and wasn’t entirely sure how to answer.

A few weeks ago I was talking to a lovely group of business owners about energy levels. I said, “I’m often tired in the afternoons, so I’ve created an appointment called ‘avoid calls’ and popped that in my calendar every day from 3-4pm.”

Then, quelle horreur, the very next day I heard someone on a podcast say: “If you dip in energy in the afternoons, book in some calls to give yourself a boost!”

For a tiny fraction of a second I panicked, thinking I’d messed up and got it wrong.

"This is not fluffy thinking 🦄 - this is seriously wise insight about knowing what you are trying to achieve and organising yourself with that in mind - rather than leaping around all over the place!"

Trisha Lewis shared those kind words after our conversation for her Make It Real podcast, a supportive, fun and ’real-talk’ companion for small business owners who want to build their business without feeling squashed by the shoulds.

Last week I shared my new, gentler definition of productivity. The one that freed me up to support people to get things done in a way that feels calm, kind and sustainable over the long-term (as opposed to the MORE MORE MORE FASTER FASTER FASTER vibe that can cause so much damage to our poor nervous systems if we stay in it for too long).

My new definition is all about letting go of busy work, focusing instead on the activities that are actually going to move the needle for you and your business.

When it comes to being productive, 'getting more done in less time' is – like the hokey cokey - what it’s all about. Right?

Erm. Well. No. Not really. At least not in my book.

Getting more done. More of what, exactly? All The Things?

In less time. Less than what? What if I can't go any faster?

It’s Friday morning and I’m utterly pooped!

Over the last 48 hours I’ve been struggling to get things done. Mornings at my desk have drifted by in a haze of mindless scrolling, email checking, looking to see how many people opened last week’s email… anything but what’s written on my list for the day.

Surprised to read that I have days like that too? Well, there’s a perfectly simple explanation …

What do you do when you have a brilliant strategy or idea that you’d love to bring to life? Do you plan it all out, or jump right in?

This topic came up during a virtual cuppa recently, when the person I was chatting with realised one of the reasons she was getting in a pickle was because she kept skipping the ‘middle bit’ of planning. She'd get excited, put everything on her to-do list and then try and get it all done before the end of the week. Needless to say, that often ended in frustration and overwhelm.

We had such a juicy conversation, and it got me thinking.