Having not done a huge amount of training over the past few weeks, I'd decided that perhaps running a half marathon wasn't the best idea, if I wanted to avoid injury and be able to walk for the rest of the week, so deciding to be sensible I wasn't going to run but would come along to support the others from the Ecademy Running Club, who had also come down to run. However, after a little persuasion and a suitably worded message in the club, I decide there was no harm in going out for an 'easy Sunday jog', which to be fair is probably a better description of what I do. It's not exactly 'running'.
Another deciding factor was the weather. Saturday was lovely and springlike, sunny while not exactly warm and as it wasn't blowing a gale and freezing cold I was more inclined to get out and run. After all, I'd been training in a lot worse with the recent wintry weather.
Now, I know I should be talking myself up and have a "can do" attitude rather than an "ah, well it doesn't matter if I don't finish" but actually the first time I competed I intended to just see how far I'd get. Although, visualisation as part of training says you should imagine yourself running the whole race (and winning!), if you think about one step at a time, it makes it less intimidating and you can break down a long distance into shorter more manageable chunks - like working on your goals. So I set off knowing I had the option of dropping out at any point or just walking and running it to make it round.
Mile marker after mile marker. Knocking them off ... 1 down - 12 to go, 3 down - only 10 more to go, only 6 more ... only 4 miles ... last mile. The last part of the race is the hardest and the cruellest. You run towards the finish and then away from it, up a sneaky couple of slopes and then a long run along the seafront with the finish line tantalisingly in the distance - miles down the road (well, a mile at least).
It certainly wasn't a personal best but I did complete it and although I did a lot more walking than my previous attempt, I didn't give up. There were seven of us running and we all made it round in varying times from the superfit who did it in under 2hrs and others who were closer to 2.30 but we all made it.
Right ... when's the next one. Ouch!
Time management solutions for busy people - organise your business, your life and have fun.
February Newsletter - Other People's Deadlines
It's been that time of year when accountants, book-keepers and anyone involved in Tax has been busily working away to meet the January 31st deadline.
For various reasons, people leave things to the last minute and in the worst instance will turn up with a carrier bag full of receipts and expect a complete set of accounts within a matter of days!
It's a common theme that I've encountered, been on the receiving end of and seen happening in many different industries, not just at tax-year end. Other people imposing their deadlines on you.
They may be your client or customer but the fact that they need a particular piece of work completed by some unrealistic date isn't your problem it's theirs. Don't make it yours.
To read the rest of the article and get your free copy of this month's newsletter, just sign up on my website and you'll also receive free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life.
For various reasons, people leave things to the last minute and in the worst instance will turn up with a carrier bag full of receipts and expect a complete set of accounts within a matter of days!
It's a common theme that I've encountered, been on the receiving end of and seen happening in many different industries, not just at tax-year end. Other people imposing their deadlines on you.
They may be your client or customer but the fact that they need a particular piece of work completed by some unrealistic date isn't your problem it's theirs. Don't make it yours.
To read the rest of the article and get your free copy of this month's newsletter, just sign up on my website and you'll also receive free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life.
Are You Tweeting Yet?
You may or may not have heard of the latest phenomenon to hit the web. It's called Twitter and it's been popping up all over the place on TV and Radio with the likes of Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross now tweeting.
While the original purpose may have been to let people know "What Are You Doing?", most people aren't really that interested in what you had for breakfast, that you're helping the kids with their homework or that you're just off to do some shopping but they might be interested in your expertise, they could have an answer to your question and you might just find out how to do ... well, just about anything. You only have to ask.
Twitter messages are limited to 140 characters, so it's like sending a text message but via the web. You can send a message to all your Followers (people who have signed up to receive your Tweets - as Twitter messages are called), reply to a Tweet (@) by including the Tweeter's name eg. @clareevans or send a direct message (d) that only that person will receive.
I love the quick and easy way that Twitter works. You can get a whole wealth of information in just 140 characters. For me, it's a great way to keep in touch with my contacts and wider network and to connect with people on a more regular basis than I would if I spent my time emailing or phoning them.
There are several people I recommend you follow if you're new to Twitter. @markshaw has plenty of links to useful info and often Re-Tweets (RT) things he finds. @NikkiPilkington has a whole blog on "Twitter for Business" and @grahamjones also has lots of useful info on Twitter.
On the international side there is @ProBlogger @chrisbrogan and @mashable - are just a few of several, prolific online media marketing people. Dozens more I could mention as well as the Celeb Tweeters and other more obscure people who are fun to follow, if you've got the time.
Connect with your contacts, connect with your customers and clients. Have different Twitter accounts for different, focused tweets (use Twhirl to manage multiple accounts).
BUT - plan your Twitter Time along with your other marketing/business time, so you don't find your day disappearing in a stream of Twitter chat! Use tools like Twitterfeed, Tweetdeck or Twhirl to manage your 'stream' so that you can filter your Tweets into useful groups.
Follow me on Twitter.
While the original purpose may have been to let people know "What Are You Doing?", most people aren't really that interested in what you had for breakfast, that you're helping the kids with their homework or that you're just off to do some shopping but they might be interested in your expertise, they could have an answer to your question and you might just find out how to do ... well, just about anything. You only have to ask.
Twitter messages are limited to 140 characters, so it's like sending a text message but via the web. You can send a message to all your Followers (people who have signed up to receive your Tweets - as Twitter messages are called), reply to a Tweet (@) by including the Tweeter's name eg. @clareevans or send a direct message (d) that only that person will receive.
I love the quick and easy way that Twitter works. You can get a whole wealth of information in just 140 characters. For me, it's a great way to keep in touch with my contacts and wider network and to connect with people on a more regular basis than I would if I spent my time emailing or phoning them.
There are several people I recommend you follow if you're new to Twitter. @markshaw has plenty of links to useful info and often Re-Tweets (RT) things he finds. @NikkiPilkington has a whole blog on "Twitter for Business" and @grahamjones also has lots of useful info on Twitter.
On the international side there is @ProBlogger @chrisbrogan and @mashable - are just a few of several, prolific online media marketing people. Dozens more I could mention as well as the Celeb Tweeters and other more obscure people who are fun to follow, if you've got the time.
Connect with your contacts, connect with your customers and clients. Have different Twitter accounts for different, focused tweets (use Twhirl to manage multiple accounts).
BUT - plan your Twitter Time along with your other marketing/business time, so you don't find your day disappearing in a stream of Twitter chat! Use tools like Twitterfeed, Tweetdeck or Twhirl to manage your 'stream' so that you can filter your Tweets into useful groups.
Follow me on Twitter.
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