MoxieCast 014: How to Work Smarter with Colette Heneghan

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If you’ve ever hidden in a loo cubicle at work to regroup, this episode is for YOU.

I used to do that in my investment banking career. Not for ages. Just 5-10 minutes here and there. I’d do the odd flush to make it sound legit. Mostly it’d just sit there breathing, blinking, enjoying the silence. Nothing fancy. I just needed a mini mental health break.

I had to escape being constantly “ON” and accessible, away from my 3 bleeping computer screens, 2 phones and people who needed my immediate attention.

Maybe you do that too.

Maybe you feel overwhelmed and your focus is fried. No wonder. Apparently we switch between 37 different tasks every hour.

Maybe your mobile phone is the first thing you kiss in the morning, even before you’ve had a pee and a stretch. It’s your faithful companion at mealtime – when you have mealtime. It’s even in bed with you.

Here’s the thing: Being constantly accessible isn’t making us more productive. In fact, our productivity trailed off six years ago, in spite of technology panzering ahead, my guest tells us.

If you recognize the madness of hyper-connectivity and overwhelm in your own life (but can’t quit and teleport to Bali), don’t worry, there’s still hope.

Meet Colette Heneghan.

Colette was a successful account manager at a global telecoms company. Way back when, she helped to introduce the Blackberry to our lives – and the joys of being accessible 24-7.

Hers was a life of supreme hustle.

She’d grab a sandwich on the hoof when she could.

She’d be glued to her desk till her legs felt cold and dead.

She’d live the “in early, out late” lifestyle, meaning days could go by when she didn’t see blue skies.

Oh, and she hid in the toilets too.

Nowadays, Colette runs Optimum Living, a consultancy that helps companies to support their employees’ wellbeing at work.

We talk about making changes that can have a real impact on your wellbeing, whether you’re a busy exec, or an entrepreneur.

We cover:

  • Some clues that you might be approaching ‘the brick wall’
  • Common traits found in high-performers’ working lives
  • 2 fun purchases to kick-start your wellness (one’s very retro!)
  • What an optimised morning looks like
  • How to gain back 2 hours of your day
  • Using “Airplane” mode as a productivity tool  

Colette is a fan of micro-changes, which includes getting outside (and out of the loo cubicle) for a 5-minute breather. Sounds much better to me…

PS: Victor, Jackie & Patricia have their listener questions answered by Colette.

Join us!

 

Links:

Rewriting the rules for the digital age – Deloitte University Press

How to Be a Productivity Ninja: Worry Less, Achieve More and Love What You Do – Graham Allcott

The Pomodoro Technique

Headspace App

The Art of Being Yourself – Caroline McHugh

Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes – Tom Rath

The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest  – Dan Buettner

Colette on Twitter

Colette on Instagram

Colette’s website Optimum Living

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Quotes from Colette:

“You get more done when you work less.”

“It’s not just what you eat, it’s the way you eat it.”

“Every good night’s sleep starts the morning before.”