Pomowhat?

Intro

Hi there.  

Welcome to another episode from Productivity Matter, with me Julian, your host.

It's been a while since I reviewed an app, so on this episode, I’m going to take a look at something that's bound to increase your productivity.

Have you heard of a Pomodoro? No?  OK, well don't move and I'll explain.

Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique is a popular way to keep you productive by forcing you to take breaks. 

It's not unheard of that, sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is to stop working, take a break and then get back to it.

That's what the Pomodoro technique is: Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5 minute break. Rinse, repeat.

I've used the pomodoro technique for a number of years.  It's a great way to time-box an activity.  I've used it to spend time sitting with developers and testers.  Set the timer for 25 minutes and talk.  If, after that time, the problem still isn't resolved, then either re-schedule for another time, or if agreed by everyone, reset the timer and go again.

So, what is PomoDone?  

This is an app that helps you to manage your tasks, by building in breaks.   

I was approached directly by the developers, who suggested I might like to look at them; and who am I to deny?

There are two major benefits:

1. The ability to sync the tasks with dozens of to-do list apps (I use Todoist), project managing apps and any kind of tool that allows you to create lists. If you don't use any, you may simple add tasks directly into the app
2. It's a cross-platform app - available on Mac, iOS, Windows, Android and Linux as well as the web.  So, wherever you are, or whatever you use, the PomoDoneApp can be used.

PomoDoneApp

When you launch the app, and after you've created your account, you can then link to any of the apps that offer integration. 

There are a whole host of apps that will integrated including; trello, asana, todoist, wunderlist, evernote, basecamp, jira, but there are many more.

Of course, you don't need to do this, and just use the app as a stand-alone to do list.

It's worth noting that there is also a direct integration with Zapier, so you can automate tasks too.

This is a quote from their website 

"PomoDone is the easiest way to track your workflow using a Pomodoro technique, on top of your current task management service"

In fact, they don't suggest replacing your current service, which is good, because I have no intention of giving up ToDoIst.  

What PomoDone does is to focus your attention when doing tasks, to make sure you don't spend too much time.

How Does It Work?

So - how does it work?

Once you've connected PomoDone to your task manager; (which you don't have to do, as you can have tasks directly in their app), then it's time to run the timer.

When you launch the app, find the task you're about to do and select it.  

This will display a timer.  The default, that I have is 15 minutes, but you can set up to 3 timers and choose which one you want.  The default selection is 25mins, 15mins and 5 minutues.

The task name is displayed above the timer.

At the bottom of the screen is the time and a coffee cup symbol.  This allows you to set an automatic break after a pre-determined time.  

So, for example, you have a task set for 25 minutes, you may want to set 5 minute break half way - this will be taken into account in the overall task time and will count you down.

All you do is click the 'Play' icon and away you go.

The timer will start counting back to zero.  

Of course, you can pause or stop the timer.  Pausing the times seems to defeat the object, but of course, if you finish the task inside the time, then click the stop icon to stop the clock.  When you do this, you have the option to either run the timer again, or mark it as done.

On the web version you can get a report of all your tasks and the total time taken.  There are a number of pre-set date ranges that you can see, and also export to a CSV so you can read in spreadsheet form.

If necessary, you can also add tasks manually - maybe where you forgot to run the timer, or you completed a task outside of PomoDone, but you can still record the time spent.  

In fact, the app is very customisable (timers, sounds, shortcuts, etc.) and can fit to nearly any use-case.

It keeps track of all your working time and breaks (which you can add notes to), so you may review them later and check out how you may improve on using your time.

Cost

With regards to cost, there are 3 tiers of service.

A free Starter plan is available that includes: 2 integrations to choose from a limited list*; 5 projects in total; 1 month log access; default tags only.Limited list =  of available integrations: Trello, Wunderlist, Todoist, Evernote, Google Calendar, Microsoft To-Do, Toodledo

The Lite plan is £21 per year and offers 3 integrations, support for subtasks, weekly and monthly mailing reports and 6 months log access.

If you opt for the Ultimate plan (the one that they, unsurprisingly state is their most popular) this will cost you £38 per year.  For this, you get unlimited log access, unlimited integrations as well as subtask support and the weekly and monthly mailing reports.

Rather uniquely, they do offer packages of 5 licences, which effectively gives you 5 of the Ultimate plans, which saves £10 per year... a strange discount.

Podcast of the Week

This time it's the 10ish Podcast.  

Their bio state that it's a comedy podcast covering Top 10 Lists. Plus fun facts, inappropriate banter and hot dogs!

I discovered this recently and love the banter and interaction between the two hosts, Nick & Brandon.  It's a little inane at times, but it's a charming listen and quite interesting too.

Recent top 10 lists include:

• Most Common Nouns
• Most Googled People
• Most Common City Names
• Deadliest Jobs
• Best-Selling Books

One of the duo has the list, the other has to guess what's on it... makes for some hilarity and, to be honest, I've binge-listened to a few of these!

New episode every Wednesday! 

Click here to listen

Highly recommended.

Wrapping Up

I've mentioned in previous episodes how using apps is a habit. 

You need to keep using them to make sure you get benefit.

Using PomoDone is one such case.  It's not natural to go to an app to start a timer; but once you do, it makes it very worth while.

In the relatively short time I've been using PomoDone, it's really helped me getting things done, and kept me focused and helps me improving the way I use my time.

Thank You

I hope you’ve found this episode interesting.

If you have any questions about online photo storage or anything else, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

Don’t forget to follow me where you normally listen to podcasts.

Thank you very much for listening and until next time, remember, Productivity Matters.

Equipment I use to make my podcasts:

Blue Yeti Microphone - https://amzn.to/2R2am1N

Pop Filter - https://amzn.to/2OVMbQP

Professional Microphone Boom Arm - https://amzn.to/2P4EIio

If you purchase from these links then I may receive a commission.  This does not affect the price you will pay.  Thank you.

Please help to support this podcast - click here to make a donation which will help me to keep creating great content.It's very much appreciated.  Thank you.

Making of a Podcast

Intro

Hello?  You there?  Ah! Good.

In a recent episode, I talked about the irony of how many podcasts there are about making podcasts - then realised that this might be a good idea for me too!!  I mean; it fits in well with my raison d'etre.... ooh la la!!

So, on this episode, I’m going to talk through my experience of getting this podcast made, the ways in which I promote it and if it's something you're interested in, then just do it!

The Reason Why

I've always been a keen listener of podcasts.  I've subscribed to many over the years, and they've been getting ever more popular.  All of the big broadcasters have broken some of their programmes into smaller chunks, or segments from the main programming.

But it's the independent podcasters that are taking over the airwaves (or should that be bandwidth).  There's space for everyone, whether you want to present all encompassing drama or investigative journalism on a weekly or monthly basis; or if you are short-form presenter, with the ramblings of your mind on a daily basis.  

Do you have hours to talk, or just a few minutes?  It doesn't matter.  There's no right or wrong length for an episode.  There's no scheduling to fit into.  You just need to get whatever you want to say 'out there'.

And you can do it by yourself, Solo style, like me; or you can present with a friend or a bunch of friends.  Invite guests to discuss their passions - that's also another way to promote your podcast.

Getting Started

Now, it can be a little daunting.  There are so many places vying for you to publish your podcast.  Where do you start?

I started with Anchor.  It's a free service that not only publishes on their own site, but also syndicates the feed across multiple other publishers.  This means you only need to upload once, and as long as it meets the criteria (which it usually will do) then it will automatically feed to Apple Podcasts, RadioPublic, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts etc etc etc...

This particular podcast is available on 11 platforms.  And, of course, the more platforms you're on, the broader the audience.

Equipment

Another consideration is the equipment to use. 

Anchor provide all the tools you need in their mobile app - available on iOS and Android.  You can record, edit and upload all from the one device.  It's a good way to get started; and is quite simple too; if a little fiddly.

Just by using the microphone that's part of your phone, you're good to go.  Now - it may not be the best sound quality; but there are plenty of podcasts where this is how they do it; and in some cases, make a feature of it.

If you want to make more of a presentation, then you'll need a microphone and computer - either a PC or a Mac (or laptop equivalent).  There are a multitude of microphones available and this episode is not a review - you can find reviews elsewhere; but popular models are the relatively inexpensive Blue Snowball, to the Audio-Technica AT2020USB (and upwards).

I use the Blue Yeti; which I bought after only a couple of episodes. I based my decision on cost, as well as the functionality and ease of set up; i.e. there isn't any - just plug and play.  It's a USB microphone, so I don't need additional power. 

As a desktop mic, it easily picks up knocks and even the taps on the table - which is why I now suspend the mic from an arm, to reduce this annoying interference.

Another reason I like the Blue Yeti is for the headphone socket, so I can hear myself directly and can check sound levels easily.

Software

If you're using a laptop or desktop to record, there are a couple of free options to capture your recording.  Audacity is great to use and not too complicated (and this can be used on Mac or PC), and if you're using an Mac, then Garageband is ideal.

You can record what you want, and then edit as required.  Making a podcast isn't quick.  Whilst the end result, for me, is usually around 10 to 15 minutes, it can take an hour to record and edit; then edit some more.  But, I like to think it's worth it?!

If you've never done it before, it can be quite daunting talking, in essence, to yourself.  And unless you know what you're going to say, there could be a lot of 'ums' and 'ahs' and you could find yourself repeating words - which you won't know until you listen back.

Once piece of advice is to talk slowly.  Give yourself time to think; but importantly, you can edit out much of this later.

If you are capable of talking on the fly then that's great.  You might find you need bullet points, to prompt you as you go.  Some may find the need of a full script is better.

That's what I do.  I write a fully fledged script and then use it as a base.  It needs care, to make it sound natural when talking; and that comes with experience and some practice.

Sounds Good

So, you have a microphone.  You've loaded the application to record.  You have script.

How do you make it all sound good?

First of all, make sure that the space you're recording in isn't an echo chamber.  Unless you have access to a proper recording studio, then you're likely recording at home. 

One of the issues is that of an echo. Take the curtains out of a room, and you'll notice how much your voice echoes.  You probably wouldn't notice having a conversation with someone, but listen back to a recording and you'll soon realise how empty it sounds.

Curtains help to deaden the sound.  You need to do the same.  Some people sit under a duvet.  I actually prop pillows up in front of me, to help.

Another, non-essential piece of equipment, is that of a pop-filter.  This sits over the microphone and helps to prevents the 'p' and  'b' popping sound as you talk.

Now, practice what you want to say.  Speak in your usual voice.  Be natural.  And when you do this check the levels on your recording software.  You'll notice some green bars flashing as you speak.  The louder you get, the further up the range they go, changing colour through amber, then red.

Red is bad.  It's too loud and will sound distorted to your listeners.  You need to remain in the green area - so you'll need to adjust the input levels (also known as gain).  And you need to speak in your normal voice to make sure you get it right.

Once you're happy - press record and off you go.

Recording

Now, you can either record the entire podcast in one go, or, and this is what I do, record in sections.  It makes it easier if you make a mistake and helps with the editing later.  But, it's a personal choice; and you might want to experiment to see which is best for you.

The more parts you make, the longer it will take to edit; on the other hand, if you record in one go, then you'll either have to re-record the entire thing again, or take a lot of time editing.

Editing

OK.  You've finished recording.  Congratulations.  That wasn't so bad, was it?

Now, save it.  Before you do anything else.  You don't want to suddenly lose everything.

Now you need to listen back and cut out all those mini stumbles, the 'ums' that you didn't know you were saying and those often repeated phrases, that are a habit, and don't sound too good in a broadcast.

Publish

Once you've done the editing, and you're happy, then upload the file.  Here you can also add the show notes - the information that your audience will read about the episode.  On the main Anchor website you can choose to schedule the episode to be published in the future.  This functionality isn't available via the app.

You're almost there.

Promote

Your episode is waiting to be published.  Now you need to promote it.  There's no point spending all the time writing, presenting and editing your podcast, and then not tell anyone about it!

So, where do you go?  Instagram and Twitter are two of the best places, and if you have Facebook, then there too.   Search out the hashtags to use, that will get your post noticed.  Experiment with different ones - your audience will probably change as you do; so you'll get heard by more people.

I create specific artwork for each episode, based on a template, that I update each time.  It makes it quick and retains a sort of brand image.  I use Canva (which is free) for creating the artwork, and I use Buffer to schedule posts so that they automatically post at relevant times to the audience.  There is a future episode about this; so remember to follow this podcast.

You might want to use other tools to help promotion, such as Headliner, to create a short trailer.  It's also free to use, and adds an element of professionalism to your podcast.

Artwork created.  Buffer loaded with posts to advertise your new episode; at a time to coincide with the release of the episode on Anchor.  Now, you just need to wait.

But - even when your podcast has been released, and people are listening to it, you still need to continue to promote it.

It's a big world out there, and the audience is ever growing and changing. So don't sit still.  Keep promoting, try various hashtags to see which ones work the best and get the bigger audience.  Try posting at different times to see which works best.

Remember, your audience is global - so whilst your sleeping, others are awake and reading your blog, tweets, instagram posts and listening to your show.  Notice how I've also embedded a player into this website, so making listening even easier for my audience.

Podcast of the Week

This time my Podcast of the Week is Hacks and Hobbies.  Hosted by Junaid Ahmed.  Junaid offers a series of hobbyists and guests who teach us lessons.  Guests include Steve Sullivan on the subject of being a gentleman, Marylyn King talking about personal branding and David Calvert, from CarThoughtsWithDavid, who has talked about his book and Juliet Herman on what it means to have inner happiness. 
Or his episode about buying a bike...     

It’s one I recommend you go and have a listen.

Making Money

Making a podcast is enormous fun.  Whether you're doing it for pleasure, or whether you have a business you're promoting.  You just have to do it.

It's about consistency.  Putting out content on a regular basis, to build a following.  Tell your friends and family about it.  Don't be shy.  And listen to feedback.  Take on board any constructive criticism to help improve your episodes.

Monetisation comes later.  If you're doing it to make money, you'll have a very long wait on your hands.  I recently started a 'Paid Listens' programme with RadioPublic.  It means a small pre-roll advert and then on-with-the-show.  For every 1000 listens I will earn a whopping $20 (that's only for those listens via the RadioPublic app) not the other podcast apps.  This is not a get-rich-quick scheme.

If you are after the money; then you'll also need to look at other avenues, such as a blog, with advertising, or getting your show sponsored.  Again, this needs numbers; although Anchor does have a sponsorship program, but only if you're in Canada or the USA!

So....

Do it for love.  

Do it for your audience, but mostly, 

Do it for you. 

Thank You

I hope you’ve found this episode interesting.

If you have any questions about anything I've said, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

Don’t forget to follow me where you normally listen to your podcasts.

Thank you very much for listening and until next time, remember, Productivity Matters.

Equipment I use to make my podcasts:

Blue Yeti Microphone - https://amzn.to/2R2am1N

Pop Filter - https://amzn.to/2OVMbQP

Professional Microphone Boom Arm - https://amzn.to/2P4EIio

If you purchase from these links then I may receive a commission.  This does not affect the price you will pay.  Thank you.

Challenging Times

Intro

Ah! There you are.  I've been waiting for you... 

What do you know about FinTech?

On this episode, I'm going to take a brief look at this relatively new industry, what it is and how you might benefit?

This might be a little ambitious for a single-handed podcast; but I'm going to take a look at FinTech, and more specifically, the rise of Challenger Banks.  This is an area in which I take an outside interest.  I'm not in the markets, and don't work in the banking industry; but I am interested in how technology changes how we interact with the world around us.

What is FinTech

So, first of all, what is FinTech?  Firstly, and this might be obvious, but it means Financial Technology

This is a quote from Wikipedia...

"Fintech is a new financial industry that applies technology to improve financial activities "

Fintech is changing the world of finance for consumers in many ways. 

Back in 1967, the first cash machine was introduced, by Barclays, where you had to enter a machine-readable cheque (issued by the cashier in the branch) and the machine then issued the cash.  This was followed up with pairing with a 6-digit PIN for security.

Since then we've moved from traditional banking through to banking over the internet, and now, mobile-only banking.

For example, you've been able to open a bank account over the internet, without physically visiting a bank, for a few years. 

Now you can do exactly the same thing, in minutes, from your smartphone. You can even turn your smartphone into a “digital wallet” and use it to pay for things using the money in your account.

So what are the potential benefits of this new FinTech industry?

• Fintech products tend to be delivered online and so are easier and quicker for consumers to access.
• The fintech companies probably don't need to invest money in a physical infrastructure like a branch network, so may be able to offer cheaper propositions to consumers.
• As consumers we will benefit from a greater choice of products and services because they can be bought remotely, regardless of location. 
• Technology allows fintech companies to collect and store more information on customers so they may be able to offer consumers more personalised products or services.

Of course, there are also some risks too:

• Fintech companies may be new to the financial industry and use different business models to traditional providers. This can make it harder to see if they are regulated, and what your rights will be if something goes wrong

• Financial products that are bought instantly online without ever meeting anyone face-to-face may make it easier for consumers to make quick, uninformed decisions.

• Financial products bought online may leave you more exposed to technology-based risks. For example, your personal data could be mis-used or you could fall victim to cybercrime.

• While technology increases choice and access for most consumers, it most certainly will exclude those who can't use or don’t know how to use the internet or devices like computers, smartphones and tablets. 

Challenger Banks

One of the big areas that we see in fintech are the rise of the Challenger banks.  Banks that 'challenge' the traditional institutions like HSBC, Barclays, RBS etc. 

Traditional banks have had it easy, for too long; and due to rising costs they don't actually make our lives easier.  

Full disclosure - as I mentioned earlier, my main bank is First Direct (a division of HSBC).  For those of you outside the UK, this is a telephone / internet bank.  There are no branches - everything is done remotely.  In fact, when I opened my account, over the telephone, I still had to wait for the documents to be sent to me for signing, before the account could be opened.  I've been with them for about 25 years; and in that time the technology has evolved; but not at the speed of the likes we're seeing with Challengers.

Who are the banks?

So,  who are the main challenger banks?

Monzo

Revolut

Starling

N26

Atom

Monzo & Starling

You may have heard of them, but probably the most well known of these are Monzo and Starling.  They seem to have gained the mass market appeal.  

Monzo was started by the Tom Blomfield who brought us GoCardless (a direct debit payment system), and Starling is run by the Anne Boden ... who, amongst other roles was Chief Operating Officer at Allied Irish Bank.  It was here that frustration crept in and she decided to start her own bank!

The main benefit of both of these are that they are built on brand new technology.  They are not restricted to the legacy systems that have been in use by banks since hundreds of years ago! OK - not THAT long, but you know what I mean!

With a whole new infrastructure, they can be much more agile in their approach and do things, and react, more quickly.

One big plus is the sign-up process.  No more are there tons of forms to complete and visits to branches.  In fact - there are no branches.  You sign up using a mobile app, record a short video confirming you want to open the account, upload a picture of your ID and that's it - done.

In fact, as these are mobile-only banks you have to have a smartphone to use it.

In fact, this relates back to one of the risks I mentioned, as it most certainly will exclude those who can't use or don’t know how, or don't have a smartphone.

OK - disclosure number 2.  I also have a Starling AND a Monzo account.  Whilst the Monzo account is dormant; I use my Starling accounts daily; with both personal and business accounts.  I'll come on to 'why' a little later.

Features

With a brand-new, built from the ground-up infrastructure, these new kinds of bank can do things that the others just don't have the capability to do.

We are all used to getting notifications on our mobiles, whether a tweet, message, update... whatever  and so receiving a notification when we spend (and more importantly, receive) money, then we have instant gratification.  When you buy something using a card (or whether Apple or Google Pay) or the debit card, the money is shown as leaving your account instantly.  No more guessing when the debit will actually take place.  The balance is always up to date.

Another feature is that of Spaces (on Monzo they're called pots); and these are places to squirrel money away.  They're not savings accounts; they're just separate areas of the account, but they move your money out of the transactional part of your account, so that you can't 'accidentally' spend it.  On top of that, both banks also offer 'Round Ups'.  

This means that when you pay by card, the balance to the nearest pound is moved to another pot. For example, something costs £9.60.  The 40p round-up is placed into a pot and this is a great way to save.  

It's as though you paid with a £10 note, and the 40p change is put into a safe place.

Again, it's not moved permanently, and you can put it back into the main account whenever you like.  In fact, you don't even need to turn this on.

You can also choose to double the amount, multiply by 5 or by 10, to speed up your saving.

On top of these nice features, you can also see where your money is being spent, with reports by category (and you can decide on which category you want to use - although at present you can't create your own) and also a view by merchant; so you can see how much you're spending at a particular place.

You can hear a recent episode I published about Money Dashboard; a budget planning application (details in the show notes) and both Starling and Monzo integrate beautifully, giving you a complete view of all your finances.

Importantly, both Monzo and Starling are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; which mean that deposits up to £85,000 are protected should anything happen to them. 

Making Money

Of course, as well as serving their customers, banks also exist for their shareholders, and it's important for them to make money.  Since there are no charges associated with running the account, apart from any overdraft charges (and not all customer will have access to an overdraft facility) then how else do they make a profit.

Starling actually sell their platform, as a service, to others.  They call is 'Banking-as-a-service' and since they have a full banking licence, they can offer access to their infrastructure to 3rd parties, who can piggy-back on their system to offer additional services to customers.

This allows Starling to benefit, via commission payments, without needing to be involved building and developing in the products.  Via the Marketplace, on Starling, you can buy insurance, consolidate pensions, and sign-up for wealth management services.  It's a clever way of doing this, with limited risk and allows them to concentrate on their core business.

Why Starling?

So, what do I think of my Starling account, and why did I choose them over Monzo?

Well, if I'm honest, I'm very pleased.  I created a business account first, and subsequently transferred all my business banking entirely to them (from HSBC, which was costing over £100 each year).

I then created a personal account.  I'm currently running this in tandem with my First Direct account, but I do envisage moving over during the course of this year.  They offer the Current Account Switch Service, which is supposed to make it very simple.

They also offer accounts for 16-17 year olds; so the children have also got a Starling account.  It makes sense for them.  They don't need branches, and they get the instant feedback on the spending (not forgetting also when I've paid their pocket money!)

The Monzo app didn't sit right with me.  I've spoken in previous episodes about how the look and feel can have an effect; and there are apps I don't use because they don't 'look' right.  Now, I know that is very superficial, and I should look beneath the user interface.

But, I can't.  If an app doesn't give me the confidence when I launch it, then how can I have confidence using it.

For me, the Monzo app is too clustered and busy, and it looks like it's trying to do too much.  But, what do I know?  It's a very popular bank, with a reported 1 million users, so please take this as a personal preference thing and not an indication of the bank itself.

Conclusion

Challenger banks, and FinTech in general, are the future.  The consumer market is ever growing and it's great that there is now choice outside of the incumbents, which still seem stuck in their ways.  But, FinTech doesn't just stop at banks; it's allowing many new players to enter the markets, as I mentioned earlier, with insurance, wealth management and pensions becoming more accessible.

Do you use one of the new banks?  

What are your thoughts?  

Does the thought that there are no branches put you off?  Or the fact you can only use a mobile phone?  

Podcast of the Week

Before I finish, I must give a mention to my Podcast Of The Week

Wonderful Radio Flanagan is hosted by Paul Flanagan.  Paul has recently been suffering from what seems to be a very bad cold; which has made it virtually impossible for him to release any new episodes and recently has released a two-part story of  when he went travelling in the USA.  

Paul likes a giggle, and, don't take this the wrong way; but if you can make someone smile and engage with your podcast, then I think you're onto a good thing.

If you've not listened, then Paul takes a rather irreverant look at all sorts of things; and be careful, he's even done an episode from the shower! I kid you not!

Give Paul a listen at Wonderful Radio Flanagan - details are in the show notes.

Thank You

I hope you’ve found this episode interesting.

If you have any questions about FinTech, or anything else, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

Links to the challenger banks are in the show notes.

If you've made it this far, then thank you very much.  Tweet me the phrase "Fintech is the future" and I'll give you a shout-out in a future episode.

Please don’t forget to follow me where you normally listen to your podcasts.  

Thank you very much for listening and until next time, remember, Productivity Matters.

Equipment I use to make my podcasts:

Blue Yeti Microphone - https://amzn.to/2R2am1N

Pop Filter - https://amzn.to/2OVMbQP

Professional Microphone Boom Arm - https://amzn.to/2P4EIio

If you purchase from these links then I may receive a commission.  This does not affect the price you will pay.  Thank you.

All Change

Hello.  You're here.  Wonderful.  Thanks for joining me.

If you've been here before, then welcome back.  If this is your first time; then where have you been? 

I'm Julian - your host, and today there are a few things I'd like to talk about.  So, get yourself a cuppa and settle back.  Or not.  It's up to you!

Activity is not productivity.

I’ve heard that a couple of times recently and thought I’d pick up on it. 

It’s true that just because you’re active and doing something, doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re being productive and getting things done. 

Doing something doesn't mean it's worth doing, or even needs doing

On a previous episode I asked if listening to a podcast is productive?  

I decided that, in itself, listening to a podcast, or any form of audio entertainment, is not productive.

It's an activity, and it may help you to get things done, but in itself, it's not actually helping you to achieve anything. 

You're not getting anything done through listening to a podcast. 

Personally, I don’t work very well listening to the spoken word. I find I get distracted because I’m paying attention.  I know, typical man, I can't multi-task!

Music works better for me when I’m working. Although my colleagues might not appreciate me singing along!!

So. Remember that doing something and being active doesn’t mean you’re being productive. 

Mind you - doing exercise is being active, and the consequence is better fitness and health - so in a roundabout way, that is being productive.

Oh - it's such a subjective matter.

Change to format

Now. Eagle-eyed listeners may have noticed a small, subtle change to the titles of my new episodes.  

Have you figured it out?

I've removed the episode number.

Many podcasts aren't actually serialised - they can be listened to in any order.  So, unless they need to be in a specific order, like chapters in a book, or an episode of a drama, then the numbers seemed, to me, to be irrelevant.

If you're interested, then this is episode 5 from series 2.  But that doesn't mean anything, so I've taken them out.

I've also broadened the brief.  

Productivity Matters was originally intended to discuss apps that help you get things done - but I've made a small change to the description, and therefore the overall purpose.

I still look at apps, but I've added products and services; which encompasses more, and allows me to be a bit broader with subjects.  

It's still very much around being productive.  and getting things done,  and hopefully you'll find these interesting, with more breadth and depth, and not just restricted to technology.

In fact, I'd love to go further and do some interviews.  This is a step into the unknown for me; having little experience, but if I want to expand this podcast, then I think I need to embrace the double-header / interview style and that’s something I’ll be looking at over the next few weeks.

In fact, if you're listening to this and think that you would be a good interviewee, with regards to your experiences, then why not get in touch, via twitter @Prodmatters, and maybe we can get something arranged.

Who Moved My Cheese

Many, many years ago, I read a book by Spencer Johnson, called 'Who Moved My Cheese'.

It's a book about change, and how to manage and cope with change and I recently read it again.  It's not a big text book, but a small 32 page paperback with four sections.

It has sold over 26 million copies worldwide in 37 languages and it remains one of the best-selling business books, continually ranking highly on Amazon.  Now some may say that it's past it's sell-by date.

Published on September 8, 1998, "Who Moved My Cheese?" is described as a way to manage and cope with change in your business and personal life.  It is a motivational business fable. The text describes change in one's work and life, and four typical reactions to those changes by four characters, during their hunt for cheese.

The four characters are two mice, "Sniff" and "Scurry," and two little people, human metaphor, "Hem" and "Haw." (The names of the little people are taken from the phrase "hem and haw," a term for indecisiveness.)

They live in a maze, which is a representation of the environment, and they're looking for cheese, which is a representation of happiness and success. Initially without cheese, each group, the mice and humans, pair off and travel the lengthy corridors searching for their cheese. 

One day both groups happen upon a cheese-filled corridor at "Cheese Station C." Content with their find, the humans establish routines around their daily intake of cheese, slowly becoming arrogant in the process.

One day - the 'Cheese' is gone.

The mice had seen this coming, and were prepared to move on.  The little humans, however, hadn't anticipated it and were suddenly scared and worried.  What will they do?

I'm not going to spoil it for you; but, during the course of the book, there are a number of little sayings that punctuate the story; which help to understand the metaphors involved.

Change Happens

They Keep Moving The Cheese

Monitor Change

Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old

Adapt To Change Quickly

The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese

Change

Move With The Cheese

Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again

They Keep Moving The Cheese.

If you've never read it, then I definitely recommend it.

Podcast of the Week

Since I started doing this podcast, I've been listening to more and more podcasts.  I don’t mean just those from the big media companies, but also from small, independent producers, like me.

There's a couple of reasons for this.  Firstly, it's always nice to hear what others have to say, and I may learn something new.

Secondly, I like to listen to hear how the podcast is put together, and to learn from the presentation.  It's interesting, because I'm sure, for all of us who put out podcasts, we have our own ideas about how our podcast should sound; the tone and speed etc.

Listening to others can help to maybe introduce new ideas.  For example; I was going to pre-record the endings of my podcasts.  The outro.  But, for me, that came across as too impersonal.  Apart from the fact that the audio might not match that from the actual episode, I wanted to refer directly about the episode; and for the sake of a few minutes more, that was worth it for me.

I felt the same about the introduction.  Having a pre-recorded intro wasn't for me.  Having said all that; I appreciate that I only publish one episode each week, and it's only 10 to 15 minutes long.  So editing time is not as great as for an hour long episode.  Maybe, one day...

I also listen for the quality of the sound.  Is it too echo'y?  Is it clear or muffled?

There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of podcasts about making podcasts, which seems slightly ironic!  Although, the audience is huge, so it kind of of makes sense.  In fact, maybe I should produce one of my own, based on my own experiences; to help others. Mmm…. Stay tuned for that one.

So, onto my podcast recommendation of the week - ooh! Is this going to be a regular slot?  I just made this up.  Maybe it is.

A podcast that I listen to regularly is Prosperity Kitchen.  Hosted by Gemma McCrae, this is a podcast that helps you to be a better you.  Gemma is an international life coach and business coach, and her podcast offers inspiration and motivation to be better at what you do.

She talks clearly and calmly about a range of topics, from happiness to health, confidence, lifestyle, mindfulness and, a particular favourite of mine, productivity hacks.

It's a weekly podcast, although at the beginning of the year, Gemma did put out daily episodes to help kick start 2019.

You can find much more on her website too.

If you're looking for a podcast to help you be better; then give Gemma a listen on Prosperity Kitchen.  I'll include a link in the show notes.

Thank You

That's it for this episode.

I hope you enjoyed it and if you have any questions about anything I've talked about, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters or via email blog@productivity-matters.co.uk

If you've listened to the end of this podcast, then thank you very much - tweet me the phrase 'Change is good' and I'll give you a shout out in a future episode.

Thanks for listening and until next time, remember, Productivity Matters.

Equipment I use to make my podcasts:

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