The Weekly Dose - Flow
“The best moments in our lives occur when our body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow Psychology
Hello,
How’s your week gone? Mine has been a mixture but mostly just meandering.
It started with disappointing news at 8am on Monday. Why did I check the phone in amongst getting my daughter’s breakfast and out of the door for school. But I did and it was disappointing. So that’s how my week started. There is a lesson there!
So you need to dig in and reset. When the work flows in you ride the wave, when work gets stuck in the pipeline you have to be careful not to thrash around so much in the waves that they overwhelm you. So staying calm is key.
Luckily Recommended membership is growing steadily, with some brilliant people and ideas joining. This energy alone, of people creating great work, lifts you to another level. That energy is an important part of what I’m creating. I want people to feel supported in the stuck days and the winning days.
The 5 week nail your thing programme ended this work (next one starts 8 May). I can truly say working with someone on their idea, exploring all possibilities and seeing them craft their ‘thing’ is pure joy, I’m in true flow with these sessions. So flow came to me as the theme for this week.
When something is just pure joy, so much you lose yourself in it. I certainly do that when I write. Especially my novel, I’m completely lost and absorbed in the characters. My next book pitch (pitch4) is also being worked and I can lose hours (usually late at night) writing ideas and collecting sound bites to develop. So flow is a good place to find in your work. It’s a moment you know you are doing something right.
So that’s the question to ponder, what do you find so joyful you get lost in it?
Enjoy your rethink
eleanor
Five things this week…
1.Rethink space
The Pomodoro Technique ®
The Pomodoro Technique is created by Francesco Cirillo for a more productive way to work and study. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Each interval is known as a pomodoro, from the Italian word for 'tomato', after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used as a university student. - Wikipedia
A simple method to help you get stuff done. The idea you work is focused bursts. So if you have a task you really need to get dome by the end of the day this might be just the thing. You do have to help yourself though, like out away all distractions, be disciplined about the breaks, and literally go with the flow of your energy.
I think it’s an interesting concept to play with when you know that big thing needs tackling, and good to know that taking a 5 minute break keeps you in a productive space.
2. Listen to
Another Door podcast is back. I’ve been working on a new series which focuses on people sharing their story of a door closing in their life, and what happens next. This is such a great high energy conversation to start the series. I met Dawn when we were on the BBC The Conversation. If you enjoy the podcast I’d love to to leave a review on the podcast platform, it helps reach more people.
3.Recommended
How to enter a ‘flow state’ on command. Go.
4.What a tool!
Pomofocus - Pomofocus is a customisable pomodoro timer that works on desktop & mobile browser. The aim of this app is to help you focus on any task you are working on, such as study, writing, or coding. (This app is inspired by Pomodoro Technique)
5.Something random and will make you laugh
Michael Spicer - I’m a big fan of The Room Next Door, just too accurate sometimes! This latest one by Michael is made me laugh out loud, again too close to truth.
What do you think?
What’s going on in the community?
This week’s Recommended members…
Anna Donaghey talks about alcohol addiction and self belief. Honest and insightful, she confronts the elephant in the room by talking about the role of alcohol in modern life.
Ruth Kudzi is a keynote speaker specialising in ‘The Neuroscience of behavioural change and enhancing wellbeing’ - with so many nuggets in this talk this will change everything you think you knew about your brain!
Ronke Kokoruwe talks about ‘Speaking up with confidence’ and shares practical help for nerves, shyness, self belief - so that you can still be heard, but in your way.
In the Recommended membership
Find out more about becoming a member here
22 March - How to find your hook with me (Eleanor Tweddell)
24 March - Nail your thing in a day - let’s spend a whole day focusing on your thing, by the end you’ll be clear on your offer, how you deliver it, and how you’ll get booked for it
31 March - How to use LinkedIn (to get yourself seen, heard and booked) with Laura Fox
6 April - Nail your online talk with Helen Packham
8 May - Next 5 week programme starts - you have so many ideas you don’t know what to focus on, you have a small simmering idea but not sure of the next step, you have an idea but you want to be clear on the offer - 5 weeks and you’ll nail it! Book now and get 2 free 121 coaching sessions. Drop me a message for more information.
Thank you for your newsletter this morning. I used the pomodoro site today and powered through my work this morning, hitting the deadline that yesterday wasn't necessarily going to happen.
Rachel