Chris Croft's Blog

What shall I do next?

chriscroft — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:41:32 +0000

When sitting down at your desk and making this decision, which we all do maybe twenty times a day, maybe six thousand times a year, what is our thought process?
- Do the most fun
- Do the easiest
- Do the nearest (on the desk)
- Do the most urgent
All common I expect! Only the last one might be OK, but even that will lead to neglect of the things that are important but not urgent (planning, improving, developing etc).
This key moment, when collected over time, has a massive effect on what we achieve, where we end up in our lives. I would like to propose a process for getting the most out of your time by making the best possible decision each time you ask yourself “What shall I do next”
1 – Deal with any emergencies (should be rare)
2 – Write a jobs to do list for the day
(based on urgent things that have cropped up and a few important things that you’d like to get done – get ideas for this from your master list of everything you need to do – stuff gets added to this whenever it crops up)
3 – If it’s a big chunk of time ignore your jobs to do list and go to your master list, and tackle something big
(big chunks of time are rare and should not be wasted on a collection of small stuff. Otherwise the big things will never get done and they are usually the most important things of all)
4 – If it’s only a small chunk of time, reach for your jobs to do list and alternate urgent and important jobs.
(If you do all the urgent ones first you may not do anything important and so you won’t make any real progress today, and if you do all the important ones first you’ll get into trouble with other people).
5 – Finished your list? Now you can put your feet up / play / fritter ….

The ideas of size of time chunk, and alternating, are not intuitively obvious and might need some thinking about and some effort to implement. But I’m pretty sure they’re right.
PS – I’m working on a phone app which will do all the above for you automatically – you just press the button and it tells you the next five jobs, in the right order. Hurry up Mike-The-Software-Genius, the world awaits!

Filed under: Time Management

Reading – what’s on my list?

chriscroft — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:41:45 +0000

I want to do more reading, (just finished and greatly enjoyed “Mutant Message Down Under”) and also I’ve been feeling a bit stressed that there are books all over my house that I want to read some time. So I have moved them all onto one shelf, and there are quite a few! But for your amusement, here are some of the ones on the pile:

(and does anyone think I shouldn’t bother with any of them??)

The Code Book by Simon Singh
Alan Clark’s diaries
Sharon Osbourne: Extreme
The Mission Song – John Le Carre
John McEnroe: Serious
First Among Equals – How to Manage a Group of Professionals
The Seven Sins of Memory – How the mind forgets and remembers
The difficulty of being a dog – Roger Grenier
Just Six Numbers – Martin Rees
The Dice Man – Luke Reinhart (read it ages ago, know I loved it, can’t remembr the details, must re-read)
Michael Lewis – Liars’ Poker
Nancy Mitford – The Pursuit of Love
Back from the Brink (Coping with stress) – Nick Leeson
Roger Penrose – The Emperor’s New Mind
Predictions – 30 great minds on the future
Potter on Gamesmanship
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance (another re-read)
Impro – Keith Johnstone (my brother’s favourite book of all time, so I think I’d better read it)
Why do buses come in threes? – the hidden maths of everyday life
The inside story of Viz – Chris Donald
The Slap

Filed under: Books and Culture

Third collection of PSs from tips of the month

chriscroft — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:39:54 +0000

1. PS – Saw a hummingbird hawk moth in the garden yesterday. My favourite insect – worth looking out for! View pictures of them on google…
PPS – An exciting new DIY product that I have only recently discovered: self -amalgamating tape. Weird, and brilliant. How on earth does it work? Bodges almost anything.

PPPS – I’m continuing to discover things about google. On the google toolbar there’s a thing called Auto-Fill which is marvellous – it fills in your name and address etc automatically when you buy things on-line….

If there’s anyone out there who uses autofill, self amalgamating tape, and has seen an HHM in the last week, then I ought to award you the “Similar to Chris” prize. But you don’t want that!

PS – it’s getting cold and autumnal all of a sudden (apologies to my African and Australian readers!) and the positive thinkers just have to find something good in it. Personally I am quite looking forward to foraging for mushrooms in the forest, maybe finding a hedgehog mushroom or parasol mushroom. But don’t try this unless you REALLY know what you’re doing!

PPS – MBA news: we now have our first ever person enrolled in an MBA following doing a DMS course (Diploma in Management) with me. She is just starting at London Met, where she has to do one final year of their MBA, having got exemption from the first 2 years of their course. Sunderland have also agreed a (distance learning) MBA final year. Kingston have not agreed to it – we thought they might. Details on the forum, or email me.

PPPS – “British Airways: Britain’s favourite airline”. Well maybe, but not mine! When stranded at Newcastle and needing to change a flight at the last minute, from Newcastle-Gatwick to Newcastle-Heathrow, they quoted me £190 even though both flights had spaces on them and the original ticket was only £50. “Because it’s a last minute booking”. Thanks guys – good to know you really care!

PPPPS – greatly enjoying a book called “Watching the English” by Kate Fox – fascinating. What an odd bunch we are!

PPS – just saw Garage World from the M6 near Crewe.

PPPS – Tour de France on ITV – marvellous!

PS – listening to Blue Six “We had a thing” as I write this. Mmm, nice.

PPS – Thanks to Pete B for this hilarious and brilliant nightmare vision of the future! It’s great to have all your customer’s details at your fingertips when they call, but you can go too far: http://www.aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf

PPPS Being the renaissance trainer that I am, I have a sensitive side behind my rugged exterior.

I have therefore been investigating poetry, and, as a person with the Hurry Up driver, it HAS to he Haikus. Only three lines – brilliant!

The official rules of Haiku are very strict (Seventeen syllables written in three lines divided into 5-7-5., must mention the weather etc) and I would like to propose ‘The Modern Haiku’ where you can write about anything you like, and the three lines have to be short but not exactly 29 syllables, as long as they ‘scan’ in some way. It just has to “feel” right. I also think we should try to keep the rule that there has to be a twist or clever observation or “aha” moment to the Haiku.

I’ve put some of my efforts on the forum – but what I really would like is for readers to send theirs in, ideally to the forum but replying to this email would be OK too, and I’ll upload them to the forum – anonymously if you like. http://chriscroft.wordpress.com/?s=haiku

PPPPS – now listening to Audioslave – Sound of a gun. Chunky!

PS thanks to Ben for this website: Ever wanted to send a large file (e.g. a video, a Photoshop file) to a colleague but your server won’t allow it because the file is too big? Fear not. The website www.yousendit.com allows you to upload files of up to 100 MB (in the free version) to its server, which it will store until your recipient downloads it. The website even sends an email to your recipient telling them that they have a file waiting for them. (There is a professional upgrade which allows files of up to 2 GB to be uploaded but this costs $29.99 per month). It’s very handy if you work with large visual and/or audio documents.
PPPS - Open House London is this coming weekend. A chance to have a look at all sorts of interesting buildings, which are opened to the public, for free, one weekend a year. The gherkin is fully booked already, but lots of others, modern and historic, are worth seeing. There are guided walks too, which are great if you want to know how and why things got built. I went last year and I’m going again this year. Sad or interesting? – you decide!

http://www.londonopenhouse.org/london/home.html
and
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/whats_on/article2387236.ece
PPS – this weeks stupidest website has to be http://www.pimpthatsnack.com/project.php?projectID=348 – if you want to see a 6 foot twix or a malteser that’s bigger than a football…

Filed under: Computer tips, Customer Care, Gadgets, Music, Random stuff - uncategorisable

Faulty arguments

chriscroft — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:01:58 +0000

Interesting to see the arguments the press are using to defend their outrageous harassment of victims over the years:

- “newspapers have always done it” (doesn’t make it OK!)

- “it’s not as bad as it used to be” (doesn’t make it OK!)

- “celebs are stupid if they don’t realise what they’re getting into ” (this is only one up from “She got raped but what did she expect, wearing that short shirt?”) (doesn’t make it OK!)

I also heard: “Some celebs WANT the press attention” – maybe true, but doens’t make it OK to harrass ALL of them, and certainly not OK to harrass the unsuspecting members of the ordinary public who find themselves on the end of a press story and certainly don’t want the hassle. It would be easy to have laws where you can give the press permission to camp outside your house if you really want that, or you can give the press permission to photograph you with long lenses through the windows of your home, but if no permission then its illegal.

So we await Leveson’s verdict, and I personally hope he really makes a difference this time. Enough “self regulation” – it clearly doesn’t work.

Filed under: News and Politics, Selling and Influencing

Vietnam and Cambodia

chriscroft — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 09:35:00 +0000

Just back from 2 weeks cycling, organised (excellently as always) by Explore

As always I’m thinking “Was it a good holiday?” ”What did I want to get from it, and did I get it?” etc

So here’s a summary that may amuse:

Did I like the countries? – Yes

Did I like the people? – Yes – much more than I expected in fact

Would I go there again? – no, been there and done it – it didn’t have the (very rare) India Factor of “Fallen in love with it, Must go back”

Did it all go to plan? Yes, long flight was no hassle, no accidents, didn’t get ill etc

Did I like the other people on the trip – Yes

Will I see them again? – Probably not, though if they lived near then certainly I would like to

Do I now feel refreshed and relaxed? – No, more like knackered and well behind on my emails!

Am I feeling super fit from the cycling? – Not really, though it must have been good for me

Have I learned a bit more about the world – Certainly yes, I knew embarrassingly little about these two countries. I was really impressed by both. The Vietnamese were tough and organised and friendly if you approached them, while the Cambodians were friendly and charming, amazing considering what they’ve been through.

Was I gobsmacked by Angkor Wat, one of the wonders of the world? – Not really. The other temples were better. I think Tikal was better. But the other temples in the Angkor area were a real treat – remote, beautiful, spooky, intricately carved, peaceful etc

Was it worth going – certainly

Will I lounge on a beach for my next holiday? – Probably! But then I always say that….

Filed under: Uncategorized

How many worlds?

chriscroft — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:04:12 +0000

Since I have been collecting them, andn people have kindly been sending them in, I have amassed 178 worlds (not counting duplicates!) and the photos are all at www.chriscrofttraining.co.uk/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=74&p=246#p246

By the way, websites don’t count, even though can be hilarious (e.g. Sewage World, Mollusc World etc) – it has to be a building, though I have in fact allowed some magazines in to my list because they exist enough to be photographed and also to be counted as sad and therefore amusing.

Here is my entire list!

How many worlds?

Chicken (x2)
Wine
Kebab (x3)
Vitamin
Tooth
Denture
Curry (x2)
Aromatherapy
Carpet
Cartridge
Fruit
Sports
Tropical Fish
Iron
4×4
Food (x3)
Crystal
Plastic
Wire
Bike
Nail
Drinks
Bicycle (x2)
Wicker
Girl
Horse

————————— on to page 2

Rug
Worktop
Kitchen
Suite
Pizza
Motor
Hair
CB
Book
Medi
Dog
Adult (x2)
Van
Cine
Remote
Water
Rugby (magazine)
Water
Pet
Media

——————————- on to page 3

Camping (x3)
Reef
Travel
Poly
Garage
Shell
Howard’s Storage
Tackle
Tasty
Windsurfers
Koi Karp (also Koi Kingdon)
Tile
Sewing
Colour (x2)
Mobility
Trailer
Fish (x2)
Penny
Garden
Abbott (magazine)
Bead
Barometer
Warship (magazine)

——————————– on to page 4!

Tattoo
Barbeque

Book (second time)

Leisure (x2)
Party
Pine
Wheelie
Wheel
Mower
Small
Recliner (x2)
Gnome
Gas
Gadget
Pound (x3)
Van and Truck
Wedding
Yesterday’s
Pond
Spa (magazine)
Coffee
Golf (magazine)
Visa
Bikers
Cycle
Door
Kris
Toyota
Management (magazine)
Wool
Monkey
Sparkle
Christmas
Cyber
Time
Angel
Accessories
New

———————-and on to page 5!

Produce
Dryer
Blackburn Motor
Condom
Stationery
Angelic Hell Tattoo
Mundo Celular
Ixa’s Bicycle
Flag
Canoe and Kayak
Material
Limos
Carpet Underlay
Vacation

——————————–whew, now page 6

Target
Laptop
Ink
Spray
Fitness
Fun
Mattress
Candle
Weed
Biotifoul
Trophy
Viking
Diesel (magazine)
Beauty
Wig
Gift (x2)
Show
Poptarts

————————–now to page 7

Furniture
Workout
Electric bike
Buffet
Cosmetics
Halal
Window
Bed
Liquorice
Gorilla
Atlanta Daily
Sun
Aqua
Music
Dream
TV
Car
Spice
Lady
Design
Used
Rope
Gulf Mobile
Souvenir
Toothy’s
Jack’s
Village Music
Cannoli
Kostabi
Baguette
Tyre
British Homing (Pigeon)
Sand

——————-and on to page 8!

Hats
Leather
Sushi
Spicy
Builders
Timber
Snack

can you find more for me??? I need more!

Filed under: Lists, Random stuff - uncategorisable

Two project management stories

chriscroft — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:24:30 +0000

For those of you who learn by stories (that might be most of us!) here are two educational youtube clips

There is no alternative to Gantt charts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyPeLUEmRXQ&feature=related

You need a Gantt chart if you are going to keep a track of the money you are spending: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tnbaznme9s

enjoy!

Filed under: Project Management

My favourite van graffiti

chriscroft — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:17:02 +0000

Years ago I was amused to see
“Also available in white”, on a white van

since then there have been many witty variations, and here are my favourites:

“White with a hint of M42″
“Do not clean – seeds planted”
“Plough Me”
“Test dirt. Do not wash”
“Anti glare paint”
“I wish my wife was as dirty as this”
… “Oh, she is!” (added to the above)
… “and she’s in this van!” (added to the above)
“I wish my wife was as dirty as this… “then I could write things on her back”
“If my wife was as dirty as this I would be at home”
“Is your mother as dirty as your van?… I already know your wife is”
“It’s this dirty because I washed it with your wife’s knickers”
“Small penis available – see driver”
“If you think this van is dirty, you should try having sex with the driver”
“Dirty? You should see my arse”
“Why clean me, why even keep me, why even look at me, why not SCRAP me?”
“If you’ve read this notice then by the time you read it, you’ll have already read it”
“If you can read this you are a c*nt”
“What are the pink bits in my tyres? Cyclists & Joggers”
“This van’s got a widget”
“No hand signals. Driver on Viagra”
“If you can’t see my mirrors, I’m doing my hair”
“Quiet, refugees sleeping”
“Help! Been kidnapped, call police”
“How’s my speeding?”
“Wisely Driven? If so call police – vehicle stolen”
“For sale: mop and bucket never used”
“Cleaned by Stevie Wonder, checked by David Blunkett”
“A dog is for life, not just Saturday night”
“Big baby on board”

“Please pass quietly – driver asleep”
“Oh shit, now I need to wash my finger”

Specialist graffiti
“No jobbie too big”, sewage lorry
“Every do you do is driven by us”, cesspit collection tanker
“Did you ever wish you hadn’t started something?”, on the dirty half of a half-washed van
“We watch your wife while she showers”, window fitter’s van
“I love getting felt”, roofing contractor’s van
“Caution: Pigs in Transit”, Police van

Filed under: Lists, Travel and driving

A whole Project Management talk

chriscroft — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:51:29 +0000

I’ve uploaded a recent talk, unedited, in five parts
(you tube doesn’t like videos longer than 15 minutes)

You can dip into any bits you want to know about
- each video segment has notes underneath of where you can find what you want, just click on “Show More”

Part 1 – Get it in writing, and Listing the tasks – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwuSE9k7It8

Part 2 – Estimating and critical path (posit-it note) diagrams – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WxAz3CQhL8

Part 3 – Gantt charts with Excel – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mGVOv8P_tU

Part 4 – Gantt Charts and resource planning – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTc2PWxwXiA

Part 5 – Risk, Finance and Reviews – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJ4Mstf9G4

but of course a video doesn’t do justice to the actual life experience – why not get me in to do a talk for you….?

other subjects include:

The meaning of life
Happiness
Personal Efficiency
Negotiating
Selling
Influencing and Persuading
Handling difficult people

enjoy!

Filed under: Project Management

Our kids’ careers

chriscroft — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:39:31 +0000

Is the world changing, or was it always like this and I’m just looking at it from a different (older!) angle? That’s what we all wonder as we look at increasing crime (or not?), unsafe streets for our children to play in (or not?), kids spend their whole time playing violent computer games these days (or not) and watch too much TV instead of interacting with other humans, the press is rubbish, TV is all dumbed down, schools are dumbed down – if you read the Daily Mail you can really start believing this rubbish!

Though I think I do believe that careers are changing….

It seems to me that the top end careers are still there – doctors etc, and the bottom end careers (Argos stock room, pizza delivery) are still there, but there aren’t as many ways to bridge the gap. The middle jobs have become a thin point, a constriction, rather than the fat bit where most people were. Maybe the demise of manufacturing has partly caused this, and the delaying of management, and computerisation and the internet’s effect of automating jobs that are routine (many bank functions, travel agents etc).

But for whatever reason I do fear for the future of my kids and most of their friends, who are currently doing unnecessary degrees (50% of the population!) and therefore expecting to do interesting and well paid jobs.

Their holiday jobs and in some cases first job after Uni have been menial and boring, and I just can’t see how they can bridge the gap to where the interesting and well paid jobs are. The days of management trainee schemes are long gone.

Will there be a crash as all these kids realise that they are doomed to a life of boring work and bad pay? …and if only they’d trained as a plumber or a hairdresser and got a trade – but to do even that requires several years of minimal pay. Welcome to the real world as it is now – much harsher than when we fell lazily out of university straight into cushy milk-round management jobs.

Tell me I’m wrong about this!

Filed under: Careers, Happiness