> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 👓 #202 - Get out of bed! - URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/202-get-out-of-bed/ - Published: 2024-08-26T04:56:43.000Z - Updated: 2024-08-26T04:56:42.000Z - Description: I have suggestions on how to improve your public speaking, as well as great ways to improve your listening skills. We cover the ONE thing you should never do when the alarm goes off, restart my journalling challenge and solve some cryptic puzzle clues. - Author: Matt - Tags: Newsletter ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you [level up your public speaking skills](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/five-steps-to-great-public-speaking/). I’ve gathered some of the things that I do to make sure any public speaking goes well into actionable insights YOU can use. **Skills**. [The 29 Essential skills to include on your resume.](https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/20-must-have-skills-to-put-on-your-resume/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Broken into soft and hard skills, this is a great guide to the competencies to be developing for your career. **Listening**. [How to be a good listener.](https://thought.is/the-myth-of-the-good-listener/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An excellent guide on how to **really** tune-in when listening to someone. Great skills to build on after learning to be a better[ active listener.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) **Clarity**. An excellent guide to building a [placemat plan for extreme clarity](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceo-blog-creating-insane-clarity-single-page-dominic-allon-rhw8e/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). These single page plans are a superb way of getting a strategy laid out in a digestible format. *Bonus Stuff: What is extreme clarity?* [*There is a Naomism that explains everything.*](https://naomi.com/extreme-clarity-c977d38f56dc?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Career**. [Create a career bucket list.](https://www.truity.com/blog/10-things-youll-want-your-career-bucket-list-build-your-dream-career?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love the nine ideas on this list, and I’ve been lucky enough to tick off a couple of these items during my own career. *What would be on your career bucket list?* **Feedback**. [I read and summarised Radical Candor by Kim Scott.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-review-radical-candor/) Learning how to deliver feedback is one of the most important things you can learn to do in your career. [There are more feedback tools for you here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is your favorite memory from the past year? [From my prompts for Optimism.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-optimism/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/) ![flat ray photography of book, pencil, camera, and with lens](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1452421822248-d4c2b47f0c81?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGpvdXJuYWx8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzI0MzMxNTE2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Dariusz Sankowski](https://unsplash.com/@dariuszsankowski?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Journalling.** Getting started with a journal can be tricky, [I have you covered with 30 days of simple prompts, directly to your inbox.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/) 100% free, all the time. **Downtime**. [How to get the best out of your downtime.](https://www.seenandunseen.com/how-get-best-time-out-your-downtime??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A great guide to taking time out, with practical advice to ensure you get the most out of your hard-earned break from work. *Bonus Stuff:* [*How to stop worrying about work when you are on vacation.*](https://www.self.com/story/work-stress-vacation-advice?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Sleep**. [The one thing that sleep doctors NEVER do in the morning](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/sleep-morning-mistake%5Fl%5F65a818fce4b00bbb446d9ee6?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I’m guilty of this, and reading the article makes me think I need to move my reading time out of the bedroom. *Update: I have done this for the last few days, and there is an immediate difference in my energy levels.* **Attractive**. [The 23 traits of an attractive personality.](https://anandsanwal.me/2024/07/28/andrew-carnegie-attributes-of-an-attractive-personality/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like this list, especially #7, #14 and #20\. **Reading**. [When is it OK NOT to finish reading a book?](https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2024/08/quit-give-up-book-reading-habits/679516/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I am an advocate of not pushing on if I am not enjoying a book, I don’t want the act of perseverance to put me off future books and I KNOW that there are loads of other books waiting for me out there. The book will still be there.* **Finally**. [Minute Cryptic.](https://www.minutecryptic.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I struggle with cryptic crossword clues, but this site is great training. Solve a single cryptic clue each day, with hints and a ‘par’ score for you to try and beat. *I’m going to try this one each day for a few weeks and see if I can improve my cryptic skills.* 🎵 Have you tried ****FlowStuff**? It's my ever growing and changing playlist of music for concentration and relaxation. 35 hours of mostly beatless and wordless music. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/08/IMG_2760-Large.jpeg) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is probably on my speakers right NOW. [SummerStuff](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4CBhI1myvcZnvQYNGkqpdt?si=85927c345e3c48c2&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is my always evolving playlist of tunes that sound great in the sunshine. From classic soul, to vintage ska and reggae. From sunshine 60's classics, to white-isle dancefloor tracks that will take you to warmer places - this [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4CBhI1myvcZnvQYNGkqpdt?si=85927c345e3c48c2&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is summer perfection. At the moment, [SummerStuff](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4CBhI1myvcZnvQYNGkqpdt?si=85927c345e3c48c2&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) has nearly 400 tracks and will have you covered for over 21 hours, making it perfect for your sunshine moments. [Listen to SummerStuff here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4CBhI1myvcZnvQYNGkqpdt?si=85927c345e3c48c2&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/08/Stuff-202-1.png)