Hello! I'm Tim from Make Work Work Better, and welcome to my brilliantly-named newsletter, The Make Work Work Letter.
Make Work Work Better exists to transform Workplace Wellbeing, by focussing on the working practices and processes that lead to stress and burnout. I'll be using the newsletter to compile thoughts, material and links around this mission as well as recommendations and tips on working and living smarter, not harder.
It's been a while since the last newsletter, so this might get a bit meaty. I started a new contract (I am a Coach at National Express lol), and have felt so welcomed by everyone I've met.
At exactly the same time as starting at National Express, I announced a new partnership with the lovely folks at Next Steps Consulting. Gemma and I have been developing the Well-Working Index behind the scenes to make it a fully-fledged product that we can offer to organisations of any size, to help move their Wellbeing strategy to something more proactive and aligned with ISO 45003. Here's the video we made to introduce the partnership...
Mihály Csikszentmihalyi died this week at the ages of 88. His seminal book Flow: The Psychology of Happiness was a huge influence on my management style, my coaching approach, the way I parent, and how I look at new things. In fact, it was influential even before I'd read it, as prevalent as it is in productivity circles.
Here's how to pronounce his name:
The National Express gig has reintroduced The Dreaded Commute, so I've been using that time to catch up on podcasts and recent music discoveries. I'd somehow missed the most recent episode of the Henry Rollins podcast 'Henry & Heidi', where Henry talks about Skip Groff, record shop owner and formative presence in both the Washington DC music scene and his own love of music. It's as fascinating and hilarious and well-told as any Rollins bit, but also supremely moving.
I made a stupid video, which might be the first of a stupid series
I am also currently fascinated by this pen, which does not require refilling or sharpening but is based on a chemical reaction between paper and the material the tip is made of. It's a variation on an ancient technique called Silverpoint, apparently.
I recently started experimenting with roasting my own coffee, because of course I have. After being underwhelmed with the results of roasting it in the oven, I've taken to wok-roasting small batches and am really pleased with the results. While it's a long way off the quality you get somewhere like Pact (if you give it a go, use code TISMEY and I get free coffee!), it's better than beans that have been sitting on supermarket shelves for weeks...
Do Yourself A Favour... with Kevin Moore
The guest on Episode 6 of our sister podcast was Kevin Moore, the Big Dog of Mental Health Social Enterprise Big Dog Little Dog. This is a good one...
What do you wish you'd learned sooner?
That changing jobs isn't necessarily a negative and it doesn't end your career to have a chain of jobs in your wake.
What book or concept made a difference to the way you thought about life?
'Watch My Back' by Geoff Thompson, for how he managed his mindset.
'Desiderata' by Max Ehrmann
What tool or tools do you use every day?
Humor, I think. I have to make light of everything. We could talk about the world's most sensitive subjects and I will often inappropriately crack a joke. And I think that's just being willing to put a smile on people's faces.
My true answer though. And again, it's a, it's not a real thing thing, and that's serenity. I, I can always find that. I've always been blessed with that ability to just find that peace and be okay.
What was the last really useful thing you bought or acquired?
I'm sitting in it right now. A 10 foot by 10 foot shed. The square footage of this shed is 0.000017% of the entire earth's surface. But that 0.000017% is mine.
Complete the sentence: Do yourself a favour and...?
Live 20% of your life according to your plans. And the rest of it like you've only got one year left on this planet.
Do Yourself A Favour Podcast - ...And Live Life (with Kevin Moore) | Free Listening on Podbean App
Make way for the Big Dog! Kevin 'Five Foot Twenty' Moore from Mental Health and Employability specialists Big Dog Little Dog joined Tim to talk about career changes, serenity and sheds. Hang around after the closing credits for a bonus scene!! Show notes for the episode can be found at https://doyourselfafavour.notion.site
This newsletter's soundtrack
chosen at random by Kev Moore
Definitive Jux Presents... Vol III - Various Artists (Definitive Jux, 2004)
Definitive Jux was founded in 1999 by El-P (currently of activist hip-hop heavyweights Run The Jewels), and this third showcase of their cutting-edge talent still sounds fresh now. It sits towards the more abrasive end of the sonic spectrum, and is still a challenging listen in places. Standout cuts come from The Perceptionists, the late Camu Tao and Hangar 18, all of whom are worth a more considered listen
More in a few weeks, and don't forget to check the podcast in the meantime!
Cheerio
Tim