# Matt Rutherford > Practical career growth for busy people. One weekly email with tips, tools and ideas to help you think clearer and move faster. Join 2,000 readers, free. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### DJ URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/dj/ Last updated: 2025-10-30T10:45:30.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/DJ.jpg) Once upon a time, I was a DJ working in some landmark nightclubs in the UK and Ibiza. I still enjoy sharing the music I love and I've recently got back into putting together my favourite tunes into some DJ Mixes. I'm grateful for the support of [SafeHouse Radio in the UK](https://safehouseradio.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) who have let me play alongside some incredible DJ's, some of my shows are included below. Here's a selection of my latest mixes... for more, follow me on [Mixcloud](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) or [Soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/mattrutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ### Welcome! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome/ Last updated: 2026-02-21T17:38:01.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/02/Untitled-design-1-1.png) ## Hi there! I write about ideas, growth, and clarity every Monday from Dublin. **Thank you for signing up — *I'm so glad you're here.*** **Stuff that MattRs** arrives in your inbox every Monday morning. Quick tip: if you don't see it, check your promotions folder and move it to your primary inbox — that's the best way to make sure you never miss an issue. ### Where to start New to the newsletter? These are three of the most-read pieces from the archive - a good way to get a feel for what Stuff that MattRs is all about. **💡 Ideas :** [25 Career Success Secrets You Won't Learn in School](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/25-career-success-secrets-you-wont-learn-in-school/) \- *The stuff nobody teaches you, but everyone wishes they'd known sooner.* **📈 Growth:** [Mastering Feedback with the Situation, Behavior, Impact Model](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-feedback-with-the-situation-behavior-impact-model/) \- *A simple framework that makes giving and receiving feedback less awkward and far more useful.* **🔍 Clarity :** [Stop Drifting: The 10-Minute Career Audit](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-drifting-the-10-minute-career-audit/) \- *Ten minutes. One honest conversation with yourself. A much clearer sense of where you're headed.* Want to explore more? [Browse the full archive →](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/blog/) ### A favour, if you're up for it I want to reach as many people as I can. If you know someone who'd find this useful, sharing the newsletter or the site with them makes a real difference. ### A few things worth knowing You can reach me by hitting reply on any issue - I genuinely read and respond to every message. You can also find me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/stuffthatmattrs/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) or [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). If at any point this isn't for you, there's an unsubscribe link at the bottom of every edition. No surveys, no guilt, no questions asked. *Your email is safe. There will never be any spam from me — I love you too much for that.* **See you Monday, Matt.** ### Public CV URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/cv/ Last updated: 2025-06-15T16:30:27.000Z ## My CV ### 2020 - today / Meta, Dublin At Meta, I lead a talented global team of Program Managers who help to deliver AI Labelling and Annotation projects. ### 2019 - 2020 / LinkedIn EMEA, Dublin At LinkedIn, I was part of a Customer Success organisation that focused on connecting talent with opportunity at massive scale. To do this, I led a world class team of creative and smart individuals, who served multiple markets of small and medium businesses across EMEA as they use our Talent Solutions products. ### 2017 - 2019 / 9 Spokes, London At 9 Spokes I helped design, build, and deliver a Global Customer Success function that serviced both Enterprise and Small and Medium businesses as they used the 9 Spokes platform. My teams were responsible for onboarding, adoption and ongoing support for the SaaS product that connected business owners to multiple sources of data and bring insights and decision making to life. ### 2016 - 2017 / Intuit, London At Intuit I led the Care function for EMEA, with in-house and outsourced teams (in the UK and Paris) providing first and second-line support for users of the Intuit QuickBooks platform, including accountants and small businesses. I served as part of a leadership team that helped to grow the EMEA business and provided high-quality voice of the customer insights to the wider Intuit teams. ### 2005 - 2016 / Microsoft, Reading, UK At Microsoft, I led a variety of teams focused on providing customer service, support and success. I led large scale outsourced operations for Office 365 and the Microsoft digital advertising platforms, alongside building and managing high performing global and regional teams. --- [Full Career History on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattrutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Colophon URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/colophon/ Last updated: 2026-09-07T10:56:50.000Z ### About this Site - Written and managed by Matt Rutherford ### Platform - Site is hosted and run on [Ghost](https://ghost.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and uses [Braun by ThemeX Studio](https://themex.studio/braun/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Fonts: [Roboto by Google](https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Roboto?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Poppins by Indian Type Foundry](https://www.indiantypefoundry.com/fonts?search-term-submit=&term=poppins&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Essential Apps - Drafted in [Lettera](https://lettera.md/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Coding (Freestuff / Journal Prompts) supported by Claude - Graphics in [Canva](https://www.canva.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Photos from [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Social Media scheduling and planning in [Buffer](https://buffer.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### History I've had a website since 2003, when I started with a .com address, using Wordpress and a default theme. Sometime in 2011 I lost my .com address due to an admin error on my part, someone took it up and I restarted on a .co.uk domain. During the first Covid-19 lockdown, I was made redundant and decided to start the Stuff that MattR's newsletter to stay in touch with my team, I moved the site to Squarespace and ran from there for a couple of years. Updated November ### Headshots - 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/headshots/ Last updated: 2024-04-23T12:47:59.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-132.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-133.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-134.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-135.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-136.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-137.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-138.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-139.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/CMC989975-140.jpg) ### Account URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/account/ Last updated: 2024-07-30T13:33:01.000Z _No content available._ ### FreeStuff URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/ Last updated: 2025-08-08T11:36:37.000Z Loading Free Stuff... ### Build Your Best Year URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T14:45:09.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/CMC989975-140-3.jpg) ## Build Your Best Year Join me on a seven day journey to reflect on your success, define your values and set intentional goals for the year ahead. ## One Week to Build Your Best Year! My seven day email course will take you step-by-step through the process of Building Your Best Year. > I wanted to create a simple way for people to get ready for the year ahead by doing some lightweight, but intentional work to prepare. - Matt **By being intentional now, you'll be set up for the best year possible.** In just **15-20 minutes per day**, I'll walk through these key building blocks: - Reflections on the past year - Defining your values & priorities - Reviewing your habits - Setting your Intentions for the year ahead - Building Goals for next year - Planning for Obstacles - Crafting your Year Ahead vision document Each day, I'll share the tips and support you need to build your plan for the coming year. > *At the end of the week you'll have a vision document that is the roadmap for your Best Year ever.* ## Join me now! And set yourself up for the Best Year ever. ### Discovering your Core Values URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/values/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T14:46:04.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/CMC989975-140-4.jpg) ## Discover your Core Values Find Your Core Values and Put Them into Action with My Simple Step-by-Step Guide ## What are Core Values? Core values are intangible, guiding principles based on our personal ideals. When we become consciously aware of our unique set of values, we can use them to make better decisions, helping us to live a more authentic, fulfilled life. This is a guide to what core values are (and what they are not), how to discover yours and how to use them. ## Why core values are important Personal values are a set of guiding principles and beliefs that help **you** differentiate between “good” and “bad.” Concepts like integrity vs dishonesty or hard work vs cutting corners. Everyone prioritises their core values differently, and yours shape how you uniquely move through the world. Personal values influence your behaviours, relationships, and everyday life. They guide you through important decision-making, influence personal development, and carve your ideal career path If our goals are not set in line with our values, we’ll have a much harder time mastering the challenges along the way. Similarly, if your job does not satisfy your personal values, you’re more likely to experience a lack of motivation and fulfilment. Knowing your values can help you in multiple areas of your life and career: - **Improved decision making:** Knowing your core values is one of the best tools to make difficult decisions. If you’re crystal clear about what you want and what’s important to you, you can eliminate a lot of inner dialogue and arrive at decisions more efficiently and with more confidence. - **Experiencing more fulfilment:** People who live by their values tend to experience greater fulfilment and happiness. If we neglect our personal values, we can suffer mentally and emotionally. - **Becoming an effective leader:** Being clear on your own values is also a critical step in becoming an effective and authentic leader. Studies have shown that leaders who are seen as inspiring tend to have consistent values that they display every day. ## When we don’t know our values Many of us don't take the time to figure out our values. We don't actively think about what matters most to us. Without this clarity, we tend to adopt values promoted by society or default. Instead of living by our **own** principles, we unconsciously align our behaviour and beliefs with what's valued externally. Following external values can lead to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and addictive behaviours. > It 's crucial to identify what truly matters to us individually. This self-awareness is essential if we want to have more control over the direction of our lives. **My free step by step guide will walk you through the exercise of uncovering your personal values.** _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Subscribe URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T13:20:42.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/Matt-Profile-Picture.jpeg) ## Ideas. Growth. Clarity. **One email a week. Always Free.* Get Started Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Why sign up? With over 30 years experience in Tech, Leadership and Coaching, I'll share practical tips on: - Career clarity - Personal growth - Finding meaning in the everyday One email a week. Always Free. ([See the Archive Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/newsletter/)) Here's what some of the 1.3k subscribers have to say: > Just dropping by to say that the procrastination list is simply brilliant. Straight to the point, no fluff, actionable... everything I like in a piece of content! > Love the new look. Have a wonderful week! > Your emails are always fun and contain at least one reference I save. This week was tremendous! Thanks! > Looking forward to continued wisdom and inspiration on a Monday morning! ### 15-Minute Career Boost URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T14:42:15.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/CMC989975-140-2.jpg) ## 15-Minute Career Boost If you’re doing great work but not getting noticed for it, this free playbook gives you small, strategic exercises you can start today. ### Are you ready to take control of your career growth? Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, switching industries, or looking to stand out at work, small, strategic actions can make all the difference. That’s why I've created **Career Boost** —a free, practical playbook packed with **15-minute exercises** designed to help you gain visibility, build influence, and accelerate your success. Inside, you’ll find **proven, actionable steps** covering essential career skills like **communication, networking, personal branding, and leadership**. No fluff—just real, high-impact strategies you can apply today. ### Why This Playbook? - **Fast results** – Each exercise takes just 15 minutes. - **Designed for busy professionals** – No need for a complete career overhaul. - **Actionable & repeatable** – Strategies that grow with you over time. --- 🚀 **Want to unlock the full playbook?** Get instant access to **Career Boost** and start making measurable progress—fast. 💯 **100% free** \- I believe everyone deserves support in their career. 🔒 Click below to get access and start **leveling up your career today!** *As a bonus, I'll sign you up to my free weekly newsletter with actionable insights and tips for *YOU* and *YOUR* career.* _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Ideas URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ideas/ Last updated: 2025-04-08T07:07:01.000Z This will a public list of the key ideas that I have about developing my site and putting online. Inspired by [aboutideasnow](https://aboutideasnow.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), I'll compile this list and share in the jope that if anyone feels like collaborating, they'll reach out. ### Instant Journal Prompt URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T12:39:05.000Z Click the button below to generate a random journal prompt. Generate Another Prompt Need more help - visit [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to get going. ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Instant Icebreakers URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ice/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T12:35:46.000Z Stop overthinking it. Click and pick a question. Previous New Icebreaker Next ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Practical Career Growth for Busy People URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/home/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T14:31:29.000Z **One email a week with practical ideas to help you think clearer, work better, and make real progress in your career.** - Practical career tips that you'll actually use - Tools & ideas from around the web - A shortlist of links worth your time **Join 2000 subscribers. Always Free.** ### Writing URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/blog/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T16:58:07.000Z ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Latest Newsletters URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/newsletter/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T14:30:38.000Z _No content available._ ### Books URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/books/ Last updated: 2025-06-17T19:50:39.000Z _No content available._ ### Now URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now/ Last updated: 2025-06-17T19:54:20.000Z _No content available._ ### Weeknotes URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:19:32.000Z _No content available._ ## Posts ### Still good at it URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/still-good-at-it/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T07:00:41.000Z You are the one people come to. The tricky version of the problem lands on your desk because everybody knows you will handle it. New starters get pointed at you in their first week. It takes less out of you than it used to. Not because the work got easier, but because you got good at it. [Last week](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nothing-is-wrong/) the problem was that nothing was wrong. This week something is actively right, which is considerably harder to argue with. > Name the last thing this job taught you. Something you could not do before, with a rough date attached to it. Most people reach back further than they expected to. ## Competence is the reward and the cage The better you get at something, the more of it arrives. Work routes towards whoever does it well, which is efficient for everyone except the person doing it. > You become a safe pair of hands, > and safe pairs of hands do not get moved. The praise keeps coming too, which is the genuinely confusing part. Recognition feels like evidence that things are going well. Mostly it is payment for a skill you finished developing some time ago. [Prestige is a lagging indicator](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prestige-is-a-lagging-indicator/) of what **was** valuable. Praise is a lagging indicator of when you last learned something. **Being valued for a thing is not evidence you are still learning it.** ## Mastering and finished feel identical from the inside This is why it goes unnoticed for years at a time. Both states feel like ease. Both feel like confidence. Both come with people telling you that you are excellent, because you are. The tell is not the feeling. It is whether the work still surprises you. A role you are mastering keeps producing problems you have not met before, and you get a fair number of them wrong. A role you have finished produces variations. You recognise the shape of the thing inside a minute and the rest is execution. The standard advice at this point is to grow where you are. Take the stretch project. Ask for more scope. Reasonable advice when the role has something left in it. Some roles do not. ## Name the last thing you learned, and the date Say it to someone who was there. A colleague, an old manager, anyone who watched you do the work. Say it out loud, because on paper you will be generous with yourself. Out loud, in front of somebody who can check it, you will hear whether the last real thing was last quarter or three years ago. If nothing lands inside the last ninety days, you are not being paid in progress. You are being paid in praise. That is a perfectly good trade for a while and a terrible one for two years. > People rarely leave a job because they are bad at it. They leave because they got too good to keep learning in the role. ### #307 - Nothing is Wrong URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/307-nothing-is-wrong/ Last updated: 2026-09-07T05:00:52.000Z *Hey friend! Good to see you again, and welcome to the new readers since last week.* ### Stuff I've Written - [Nothing is wrong](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nothing-is-wrong/). Which is exactly why nothing has moved in two years. - From the Archive: [Stop Drifting: The 10-Minute Career Audit](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-drifting-the-10-minute-career-audit/). Ten minutes to find out whether you chose this or just kept going. ### Stuff I'm Reading - Zugunruhe. [A restless sign that something needs to change.](https://bigthink.com/mini-philosophy/zugunruhe-the-restless-sign-that-something-needs-to-change/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [What do you want your days to actually look like?](https://chrisbailey.com/what-do-you-want-your-days-to-actually-look-like/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Prepare your No and Keep it Handy. [Superb advice from the always excellent Derek Sivers](https://sive.rs/n0?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Why Reading Matters. [And what we should do about the decline in reading.](https://calnewport.com/why-reading-matters/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The answer to every problem](https://www.raptitude.com/2026/06/the-answer-to-every-problem/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Truly infuriating advice. - [Why is everyone in tech so sad?](https://www.noemamag.com/why-is-everyone-in-tech-so-sad/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) AI might be changing MORE than just the job market. ### Stuff I'm Linking - BackIgo. [When was the last time that you backed up your iphone photos](https://backigo.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Planetwurst. [A world atlas of sausages.](https://planetwurst.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *This is what the internet is made for.* **Finally**. [Headlines](https://pzlgames.com/games/headlines/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Unscramble the days news by swapping words. Sounds Simple? --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about webcams in Tokyo. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** If I am still doing this exact job in three years, what will I have missed? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #136 - Webcams in Tokyo URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-136-webcams-in-tokyo/ Last updated: 2026-09-05T11:06:52.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about tomarigi.com - a superb website that lists over 1000 webcams in Japan. A cute insight into an interesting country. [https://tomarigi.me/](https://tomarigi.me/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Nothing is Wrong URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nothing-is-wrong/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T15:15:49.000Z Ask most people how work is going and you get a complaint or a highlight reel. Some people give you neither. They say "fine", and they mean it. Maybe that is **you**, the pay is good, the team is decent, you are quick at the job now and people rely on you. Nothing is wrong. It has been fine for about two years. Last week I wrote that [nothing happens at your desk](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nothing-happens-at-your-desk/), and that the only thing counting as progress is a move. Something involving another person, with a date on it, that can be turned down. Plenty of people read that, agreed with it, and did nothing at all. Not for want of bravery. Nothing hurt enough to start. ## Fine is a sedative Career change usually runs on discomfort. A bad manager. A missed promotion. A restructure. Something that the algorithm defines as 'The Sunday scaries'. Discomfort bills you daily until you act on it. Fine doesn't send you a bill. No date by which this has to be resolved, no incident to point at, nothing you could reasonably explain over dinner. So the decision does not get made badly. It does not get made at all. Three years can pass this way, and every individual year of it will have been perfectly acceptable. What is missing is not courage. It is a trigger. ## Advice for a crisis you are not having Almost everything written about career change assumes a problem. Escape the toxic workplace, recover from the layoff or beat the burnout. It's written for people in pain, and mostly good advice for them. Read it while you are fine and it slides straight off. You are told to be brave, and you notice, correctly, that there is nothing here to be brave about. You are told to trust your gut, and your gut says this is fine, because it is. Then you conclude the fault is yours, that other people were issued with some drive you missed out on. > You are taking a painkiller for > something that does not hurt. ## Ask what it costs to stay Stop asking whether to leave. You will never answer that one, because leaving demands a reason and staying never has to give one. Ask the other question. ❓ ****If you are still doing this exact job in three years, what will you have missed?** Do not answer it at your desk. Put it to one person who knows you properly and is not in the habit of being polite, then make them push on whatever you say first. Fine survives your own scrutiny easily. It rarely survives somebody else's. You might find the honest answer is nothing much. Good. You can stop paying attention to this particular itch and get on with a job you like. Most people do not find that. If your answer starts to look like something, [12 Questions to Ask Before Quitting Your Job](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/12-questions-to-ask-before-quitting-your-job/) is the longer version of this conversation. **Fine is the most expensive word in your career. It never sends you a bill, and it charges you anyway.** ### Now - September 2026 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now-september-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T15:10:01.000Z I'm still living in Dublin, Ireland. I ***love*** my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. - I started an [email newsletter six years ago called "Stuff that MattR's"](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. - I'm currently unemployed after being laid off by Meta - and I'm happily exploring what is next - get in touch if you'd like to discuss something. - In July, I built and launched [oblique.cards ](https://oblique.cards/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- a service designed to give you a nudge when you are stuck on a career challenge. - I launched a new site called [onceposted.com](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a space to share a collection of beautiful vintage postcards that I have collected for years. I'm very proud of how it looks, and how many people seem to enjoy it. - In 2026, I will be posting new music nearly [every day to a list on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kJMq1eoca9aftW7x9Crl9?si=fad9ea6d4a4641e1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did the same in [2025](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=f81a1457b5254646&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [2024](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=65d3ed3d8fc04ac1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [2023](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nKbhvL8ZbH346FrxFkQwW?si=89b25f5f641c4b8d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - I run a [30-day journalling challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). A free service to help you start your journaling practice. - To help my own journalling practice, I've write [Weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/weeknote/) on my blog, inspired by Giles Turnbull - [Doing Weeknotes](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I just launched [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) a frictionless journaling app that reduces procrastination and gets you journaling quickly. [Here's why I did this.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/) - I still DJ a little bit, [all of my DJ Mixes are available here](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the latest and best is [The Stack #11.](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/stack-11/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I compile and update an every growing list of music for focus and relaxation - it's called [FlowStuff and you can find it here!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) ### #306 - Nothing Happens at Your Desk URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/306-nothing-happens-at-your-desk/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T12:54:11.000Z *Hey friend! It's fantastic to see you back, and thanks for the feedback on last weeks issue.* ### Stuff I've Written - [Nothing Happens at Your Desk](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nothing-happens-at-your-desk/). Now that you've spent time thinking about your plan, it's time to translate it into action. - From the Archive: [Stop Overthinking Career Decisions.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-overthinking-career-decisions-use-this-test/) Use this Test. ### Stuff I'm Reading - [If you’re so smart, why aren’t you happy?](https://navalsarchive.substack.com/p/if-youre-so-smart-why-arent-you-happy) And how to turn smart into happy, from the excellent Naval Ravikant. - [How to build a quiet and boring life that you love.](https://dariusforoux.com/how-to-build-a-quiet-and-boring-life-that-you-love/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Beware of productivity paradoxes](https://calnewport.com/beware-of-productivity-paradoxes/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Cal Newport explains some of the thinking needed with AI advances. - [Why forgiveness is good for your health](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why%5Fforgiveness%5Fis%5Fgood%5Ffor%5Fyour%5Fhealth?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [How to differentiate in the age of AI](https://tim.blog/2026/07/17/better-than-free/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Eight things that are better than free in this age of AI slop and ubiquity. ### Stuff I'm Linking - [Lost and found](https://walzr.com/lost-and-found?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- the things that we leave behind at airports. - Mood - [a tool for capturing your mood](https://mood.lasagna.pizza/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Finally**. [Draw a Country.](https://country-draw.vercel.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is fantastic, draw a country from memory and then compare your result to the real thing. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about how the worlds longest flight - now over 24 hours! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What is the minimum viable action that I could take this week to make the next step in my career? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #135 - The worlds longest plane flight URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-135-the-worlds-longest-plane-flight/ Last updated: 2026-08-29T05:00:53.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the worlds longest nonstop plane flight is now OVER 24 hours, from Melbourne to France. *(I can't imahine being on a single plane for that long)* [New airliner sets record flying 24 hrs nonstop from Australia to FranceTest flight shows viability of Qantas Airways’ Project Sunrise routes in 2027.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/cropped-ars-logo-512_480-300x300-40a1686e-1f93-4a67-bd71-c125590e73a2.png)Ars TechnicaJeremy Hsu![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/A350-1000ULR-MSN707-Qantas-First-flight-landing_AI-PHO-0383-08-04-1152x648-7ea5f69c-f601-4bea-80b6-d1875f3b4534.jpg)](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/new-airliner-sets-record-flying-24-hrs-nonstop-from-australia-to-france/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Nothing happens at your desk URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nothing-happens-at-your-desk/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T05:00:43.000Z Notice what the last three weeks had in common. ([Week 1](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a-question-before-a-job-hunt/), [Week 2](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/constraints-are-the-brief/), [Week 3](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nouns-dont-always-transfer/)) Listing your options. Making a timelines of your constraints. Working out what you're actually good at. Every one of those can be done alone, at a kitchen table, in your notebook. Nobody else has to know. Nothing can go wrong. That's what makes them useful, and it's exactly what makes them dangerous. You can complete all three perfectly and be in precisely the same position in a year. Better informed. Still there. ## Thinking is not a move A plan is a story you tell yourself. It stays a story until it meets something outside your own head. A move isn't a bigger piece of thinking. It's a different thing entirely, and it has three features. Someone else is involved. It happens on a specific day. It can go wrong. That third one is what people avoid. Given the choice between a next step **somebody** could refuse and one **nobody** could, almost everyone picks the second and calls it progress. Telling your manager you want the next level up is a move. Deciding you deserve it is not. Asking someone who has the job you want how they got it is a move. Reading their LinkedIn profile for the fourth time is not. Publishing the piece is a move. Drafting it again is not. The test is simple. **Could this fail?** If nobody could say no, it isn't a move. It's rehearsal, and rehearsal tells you nothing. ## Readiness has no test Here's why people stall for years. There's no exam that comes back marked "ready." No qualification, no amount of research, no version of the plan that arrives complete. You can prepare indefinitely and never once receive the signal you're waiting for, because the signal doesn't exist. Preparation is pleasant, too. It looks like progress. It feels productive. It carries no risk of anyone saying no. Another course, another draft, a better system for tracking the thing you haven't started. I know that pull well enough to spot it fast in other people. The tell is that the work is always adjacent to the thing rather than the thing itself. The week I first charged for coaching taught me more than the previous six months of preparing to. Not because of the money, because someone with options chose me, deliberately, and that's information you cannot generate on your own. ## One move, this month Whatever the last three weeks turned up, there's a version of the next step that puts it in front of somebody before the end of the month. A conversation with your manager. An email to someone doing the thing you want to do. A first piece published under your own name. A first customer. A date, told to somebody who'll ask you about it. It doesn't need to be the big one. It needs to be real, and it needs to be capable of going badly. Four weeks ago this started with a list of options. It narrowed with constraints, then went looking for evidence you already had. All of that was thinking, and thinking is where you find out what's possible. You find out what's true somewhere else. If you want to work one of these through properly, [that's what I do now](https://mattrutherfordcoaching.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). And if you're wondering what actually happens in those conversations, [A door, not an answer](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a-door-not-an-answer/) covers it. ### #305 - Nouns don't always Transfer URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/305-nouns-dont-always-transfer/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T05:00:51.000Z *Hey friend! It's good to see you, and welcome to the new subscribers that have joined this week.* ### Stuff I've Written - [Nouns don't always Transfer.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nouns-dont-always-transfer/) Spending time thinking about skills beyond your current role is great way to land the next big opportunity. - From the Archive: [How to recognise and overcome imposter syndrome.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-recognise-and-overcome-imposter-syndrome/) A timely reminder that you can move past the inner voice. ### Stuff I'm Reading - [Why flexibility is your greatest career asset](https://careers.chenmed.com/us/en/blogarticle/adapt-and-advance-why-flexibility-is-your-greatest-career-asset?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How you can adapt and advance your journey with the right approach. - [Working hard won’t make you rich](https://dariusforoux.com/working-hard-wont-make-you-rich/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Find the right reason for all that effort. - Feeling Stuck? [Try productivity snacking](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/05/feeling-stuck-try-productivity-snacking?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I prefer this approach to 'grinding it out. If you're really stuck, maybe try a [more oblique approach.](https://oblique.cards/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The real reason that you fall apart under pressure](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-about-addiction/202607/the-real-reason-you-fall-apart-under-pressure?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) : - If you could pick any other life - [what would it be?](https://www.yearofmentalhealth.com/p/what-would-your-other-life-be?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How to come back to your senses](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-come-back-to-your-senses?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- A neat guide to lessening the impact of screen time, and discovering what's missing. ### Stuff I'm Linking - [Jules Vernacular](https://vernacular.fr/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an incredible catalogue of design from France - reminds me of wandering around French towns marvelling at the designs. - [The Universe of short film](https://www.shortverse.com/explore?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A home for lovers of short form movie making. **Finally**. [Rung](https://dailyrung.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- five chances to guess a word each day, can you do it without burning rungs? --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about how the world 3rd smallest country, and why it has changed its name! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Beyond my job description, what skills have been building that could help me take the next step in my career? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #134 - Nauru is now Naoero URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-134-nauru-is-now-naoero/ Last updated: 2026-08-22T05:00:26.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the worlds third smallest country has changed its name, now Nauru is now Naoero. [Nauru, the world’s 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to NaoeroNauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, aligning with its national language![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-4f0a9f84-6776-47a5-a5ff-dbf5193eca57.ico)ABC NewsCHARLOTTE GRAHAM-MCLAY Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/wirestory_6a25b916944dda6af7a0e619e004826b_16x9-6e40486b-219e-468b-b166-cf69a07ee02f.jpg)](https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/nauru-worlds-3rd-smallest-country-naoero-135318134?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Nouns don't always transfer URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/nouns-dont-always-transfer/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T05:00:47.000Z I've helped a lot of people identify their transferable skills. In coaching sessions. In 1:1s, back when I was running teams. In the conversations that happen after a reorg, when someone wants to work out what they've actually got. Almost everyone answers with nouns. Communication. Leadership. Problem solving. Stakeholder management, if they've been in a big company long enough. Nobody believes any of it. Not the person hearing it, and not the person saying it. The nouns fail because they're conclusions with no evidence attached, and because everyone claims the same six. The evidence exists. It's just filed somewhere nobody thinks to look. ## The job description is the wrong document The instinct is to go through your job description and translate. That's why the nouns come out. A job description was written by someone else, to describe a role rather than a person, usually a year before you got there. It tells you what the organisation needed. It can't tell the difference between the parts you carried and the parts you merely tolerated, and that distinction is the whole game. It's what predicts whether you'd be any good one level up. It's also what survives when you change industry entirely. So audit **the work**, not the role. Then go and look at the unpaid stuff, because that's where the evidence sits that nobody else can claim. ## Maintenance is the honest signal Forget what you're passionate about. Passion is a feeling and feelings are terrible evidence. Anyone can be enthusiastic about something for a fortnight. Almost nobody keeps doing an unpaid thing for years unless something real is going on underneath. Maintenance costs something every week. It's the closest thing you have to proof. So list everything you've done consistently, unpaid, for more than two years. Not what you enjoyed. What you kept doing. Include the unglamorous entries. Running a five a side team. Being the person in the family who books everything. Answering questions in an online forum. The pub quiz. Restoring something in a garage. Teaching a kid to read music. ## Then take the nouns out This is the step people skip, and it's the only one that matters. For each item, write what you actually do, in verbs, with the difficulty included. Not "organised the pub quiz." Try: writes questions for a a room of mixed ability, holds a weekly commitment for four years, gets thirty people to do something when you have no authority over any of them. That last one is a genuinely rare skill. It's also invisible on every CV on the market because it gets filed under "hobby." Then ask the question that turns evidence into an option. **Who else needs this, and what do they currently pay for it?** Sometimes the answer is nobody, and that's fine. The pattern across the whole list still tells you something true about how you're wired, and how you're wired travels with you into whatever comes next. ## You're not at zero When a change lands that you didn't choose, the temptation is to start from scratch. New skills, new certification, new plan. You're not at scratch. You've been quietly assembling assets for years in the gaps around the job you were paid for. I've been writing this newsletter every week for six years, and it took a redundancy to notice it had been a rehearsal all along. Nobody counted yours because there was never a reason to. There's a reason now. If getting that work seen is the harder problem, my [15 minute career boost](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/) is built for exactly that. **Next week: why one small transaction beats another month of getting ready.** ### #304 - Constraints are the Brief URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/304-constraints-are-the-brief/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T05:00:12.000Z *Hey friend! It's good to see you, and welcome to the new subscribers that have joined this week.* ### Stuff I've Written - [Constraints are the Brief.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/constraints-are-the-brief/) To move forward, know what you CANNOT change - and how long before you CAN. - From the Archive: [The Power of the Side Quest,](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/) and how it can generate big shifts in your life. ### Stuff I'm Reading - [What everyone gets wrong about the modern job search](https://theconversation.com/what-everyone-gets-wrong-about-the-modern-job-search-and-what-actually-works-285582?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and what actually works. - Should you use AI for a task? [Here’s a good method to help decide.](https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/07/should-you-use-ai-for-a-task-heres-a-simple-way-to-decide.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Four core components of resilience.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-practitioner/202607/four-core-components-of-resilience?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Each of the components may require individual focus at different points in life. - A neurologist explains the [benefits of starting a new hobby as an adult](https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/a-neurologist-explains-the-brain-benefits-from-starting-a-new-hobby-as-an-adult/91201501?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [Use the fresh start effect to help you stick to good habits](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260703-why-mid-year-is-the-perfect-time-to-set-new-goals?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Setting goals is such a powerful way to move forward. ### Stuff I'm Linking - [The most intricate machine you've ever held. ](https://everythingmachine.io/phone/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The Castlemap](https://thecastlemap.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a nicely executed map of every castle in the world. **Finally**. [Which Album Dropped First?](https://nuoy.app/firstdrop?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A fun quiz for music fans, just decide which album was released first. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about how the world smallest Buffalo! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What constraints am I applying to myself - and when/how can I move past them? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #133 - The Worlds Smallest Buffalo URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-133-the-worlds-smallest-buffalo/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T05:00:15.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the worlds smallest buffalo, and she's adorable! [World’s smallest buffalo born at Chester Zoo | Chester Zoo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-e46e2281-0bf4-4c4d-9e73-44ab7f40d67c.png)Chester Zoo![](http://localhost:8080/media/fraidmm5/a-rare-anoa-calf-just-three-days-after-being-born-at-chester-zoo10.jpg?width=1200)](https://www.chesterzoo.org/news/worlds-smallest-buffalo-born-at-chester-zoo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Constraints are the Brief, not the Problem. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/constraints-are-the-brief/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T05:00:38.000Z Ambitious, magical plans are usually vague. Cautious plans are usually specific. That's why the cautious ones actually happen. When I coach people on their career, I try to move them towards specific, actionable plans, with start and end dates. Those plans are much more likely to succeed. Listen to how people describe what they want next. The big version is always fuzzy. "Something more meaningful. More freedom. Work that matters. I have a dream to do X". Nobody can act on any of that, so nobody does. Then ask them about their constraints. "The bills. The partner's job. The school year. The visa." Suddenly everything is exact. People know those down to the month. The precision is already there. It's just pointing at the reasons not to move. Last week was about [widening the list of things you could do](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a-question-before-a-job-hunt/). This is the opposite move, and you need both. Constraints are what turn a long list of options into a short list of starts. ## A brief is a list of restrictions Give a designer a blank page and nothing happens for a fortnight. Give them a budget, a set of dimensions, one material and a deadline, and the work starts that afternoon. No designer treats the restrictions as an insult. They rule out the ninety percent that was never going to happen, which is the only reason the remaining ten percent gets built. Career plans work the same way and get handled back to front. Most people start with the dream, then meet the constraints one disappointment at a time. ## Constraints have expiry dates Here's the part that many people miss. A constraint feels permanent. Very few of them are. The training contract has eighteen months left. The exams are two years out. The fixed rate ends in a specific month you could look up in about ninety seconds. So write the date next to each one. Know your timeline. When I did this properly for the first time earlier this year, my timeline shifted. Things I thought were a long way away, suddenly became clearer in reality. The list immediately splits in two. Things that are true indefinitely, which shape what the plan is. Things that are true until a date, which shape **when** it starts. Most people treat both as walls. Only the first kind is. That's the whole difference between "I can't" and "not yet, and here's the month." ## Three questions to answer Twenty minutes, in this order. 1. **What does a good week look like?** Not a good year. A week. Hours, people, where you are, what you're doing with each day. 2. **What's genuinely non-negotiable, and until when?** Date next to each. Be honest about which ones you've never actually checked. 3. **Which constraint is secretly an asset?** The thing tying you to a city is also a network. The obligation eating your Thursdays is also a skill nobody paid you to build. Question three is the one people skip, and it's where the surprises are. If the answers come out thin, my [core values guide](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/values/) is a decent way in. Values first, then design. When I coach people, I often work through these questions to bring clarity to a situation that sometimes feels vague. Done properly, this makes the plan smaller than the one you'd have described over coffee. It also makes it roughly ten times more likely to happen. **Next week: the evidence you're sitting on and haven't counted.** ### #303 - A Question Before the Job Hunt URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/303-a-question-before-the-job-hunt/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T05:00:39.000Z *Hey friend! Great to see you again, thanks for all the comments on last weeks edition.* ### Stuff I've Written - [A Question Before the Job Hunt](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a-question-before-a-job-hunt/). Ask yourself the right questions, before you decide to continue on the same path. - From the Archive: [Prestige is a lagging indicator](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prestige-is-a-lagging-indicator/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [How to negotiate a salary in 2026](https://www.adecco.com/en-ca/job-seekers/resources/article/how-to-negotiate-salary-in-2026?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). As the market changes, so do the rules. - [Four ways that companies can make a flat hierarchy work](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/flat-hierarchy?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and some of the pitfalls. - [When being too good at your job can limit your career](https://www.spiceworks.com/it-careers/when-being-too-good-at-your-job-can-limit-your-career/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The importance of planning for the future. - [Stop confusing dreams with goals](https://nir.substack.com/p/stop-confusing-your-dreams-with-your). There is an important distinction. *Bonus -* [*how to set great goals.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) - [Humans are not automatically strategic.](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/PBRWb2Em5SNeWYwwB/humans-are-not-automatically-strategic?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Why we're not as smart as we'd like to think. ### Stuff I'm Linking - [Ohayoworld](https://www.ohayoworld.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- take a moment to look at your shared planet, then watch the sunrise with everyone else, and say hi! - [BBC Sound Effects](https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a legendary library of pops, squeaks and roars **Finally**. [One More Letter](https://playonemoreletter.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Make a new word every time a letter gets added, but move quickly! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about how the Solar Eclipse, and how I can see it from wherever I am! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What boundaries do I need to set or strengthen in my relationships? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #132 - How to watch an Eclipse URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-132-how-to-watch-an-eclipse/ Last updated: 2026-08-08T05:00:43.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned exactly how to watch the upcoming Solar Eclipse - including location, direction and timing - all from this clever site: [Solar Eclipse at sunset · August 12, 2026Dove vedere l’eclissi? · ¿Dónde ver el eclipse? · Wo die Finsternis sehen? · Où voir l’éclipse?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-e782a029-ce37-4e0f-a3d2-d7602eb6e6ba.png)eclipsemap.xyz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/anteprima-social-3-318a6105-53c7-49b5-bf70-7630fd9ee413.png)](https://eclipsemap.xyz/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#4.24/48.85/4.63) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### A question BEFORE a job hunt URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a-question-before-a-job-hunt/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T05:00:05.000Z When your working life gets interrupted, everyone asks the same question. So, what are you looking for? It's a kind question. It's also premature. Before you can answer what you're looking for, you need to know what you're choosing between, and almost nobody has that list. I didn't. So before I started looking for anything, I went and built it. ## The default is invisible until it breaks A career runs on autopilot for years at a time. You don't choose it every morning. You inherit it, then you maintain it. Promotions, reorgs, new managers, none of it disturbs the assumption underneath, which is that a salary is how you fund a life. An interruption disturbs it. Redundancy, illness, a move, a company that stops needing you. However it arrives, the same thing happens. The default stops running long enough for you to get a proper look at it. That look is worth more than the time off. Most people never get it, and the ones who do usually spend it filling the gap as fast as possible rather than examining what the gap revealed. ## What a salary actually does A salary does one job. It buys your time back by selling most of it first. There are other routes to the same number. Self Employment. Fewer, larger engagements. A lower cost base in a cheaper country. Assets you already own, working harder. Some combination of all four, which is what most people who look genuinely happy at fifty seem to end up with. Many people I have coached present an unfulfilled [moral ambition](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-moral-ambition-by-rutger-bregman/), a path that allows them to pursue something more noble. Without doing the real maths they're unable to even contemplate an alternative. Most people can't name **three** alternatives to their salary. Not because the alternatives don't exist. Because there has never been a reason to price them, so the salary stops looking like a choice and starts looking like an obligation. Pricing them takes an afternoon. I worked out what a year of our life actually costs, then how I could cover it. The number came back smaller than I expected. Not small. Smaller. That isn't optimism. It's a spreadsheet. **Optimism is what happens after the spreadsheet says yes.** The point isn't that the answer isn't always 'start your own business'. The answer might well be a job, and if it is, you'll take it knowing exactly what it beat rather than hoping it was the only thing on offer. ## The ten minute version You don't have to wait for an interruption to run this. Write down what your life costs for a year. The real number, not the one you'd prefer. Then list every route to that number that isn't your current job. No editing, no feasibility check, just the list. Most people stall at two. That's the finding, and it's a much better thing to discover that today, before somebody else forces the question. I went into the longer version of this idea in [Build Your Own Roof](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/13-build-your-own-roof/). A job was always an exchange rather than a guarantee. That makes it a choice, and choices are things you can compare. **Next week: what happens when you stop treating your constraints as the problem.** ### 302 : How to Win at Work Every Day URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/302-how-to-win-at-work-every-day/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T05:00:21.000Z *Hey friend! Thanks for the feedback on the* [*Lay Off Field Guide*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-layoff-field-guide/) *\- I hope you don't need it, but I'm glad it's useful.* ### Stuff I've Written - [How to Win at Work Every Day.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-win-at-work-every-day/) I explain why you need an internal scorecard, and share a ten minute exercise that can help you make one. - [A Door, not an Answer.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a-door-not-an-answer/) How, and why I build Oblique.Cards. ### Stuff I'm Reading - [How to push back on impossible deadlines.](https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/how-to-push-back-on-impossible-deadlines-using-this-simple/504672?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Use this framework to say no without burning bridges. *(*[*More graceful ways to say no here.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/)*)* - What is really happening to jobs? [Separating AI hype from reality.](https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/what-really-happening-jobs-separating-ai-hype-reality?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [What to do when you have too many goals.](https://news.hiddenbrain.org/p/what-to-do-when-you-have-too-many?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I'm reminded of an old manager who used to ask me 'which ONE of these are going to do next week?' - [Managers are the bottleneck.](https://hbr.org/2026/05/managers-are-struggling-to-keep-up-with-the-ai-productivity-boom?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) AI has sped everything up, and at the same time reduced the amount of leaders in organisations. - [How to Exist.](https://www.raptitude.com/2026/07/how-to-exist/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Doing nothing is much harder than you think. Try it. - [Productivity needs to be redefined.](https://www.sidjha.com/2026/02/why-productivity-needs-to-be-redefined/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A short piece on how the world of productivity is changing. ### Stuff I'm Linking - [Notes from a burning Paris.](https://sarahwilson.substack.com/p/notes-from-a-burning-paris) A sobering message from the front-line of climate change. could easily be London, or Barcelona or Brussels. **Finally**. [Outsmart](https://labs.davidbauer.ch/outsmart/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). You have 100 points, bet wisely. Can you outsmart the machine? (*This took me three attempts)* --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about how the ISS generates Oxygen in Space. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What did I win at work yesterday, and how did that make me feel? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #76 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/76-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T15:52:52.000Z ### Updates This week was dominated by the sad news of the death of Glen Hansard. A friend messaged me on Wednesday morning asking if I had read the rumours, soon afterwards more official news started to arrive of Glen's death in a motorcycle accident. Glen was a favourite - I've seen him live 5 or 6 times, and enjoy his music. I also love his spirit. The live shows were always an event, and he frequently stood up for people less fortunate. His regular championing of other peoples performance was inspiring, and was a good example of being open and supportive. I went into Dublin on Friday for lunch with a friend, and then signed the book of condolence at Mansion House. It was small act, but felt appropriate. Yesterday we were invited to a garden party to watch the Bray Air Show. It was a beautiful day, we walked along the beach to the location and met some new friends whilst we watched the planes going over toward the show. I even got a sunburned nose! The quiz team had a strong win to finish this season of Online Quiz League on Wednesday, that meant we safely escaped relegation. We'll go again in September hoping for a better season. **Reading**. I've nearly finished Autocorrect by Etgar Keret - a strange set of short stories, vignettes and thought experiments that are a lot of fun and very provoking! ### Recommended Music This week, another stunner of an album from a place I didn't expect. Renascent by The Durutti Column, reached me via a recommendation. I haven't previously got on with music from the group, despite knowing of their music as label mates of New Order and others over the years. However, I try and listen to as much new music as possible, and this seemed like a good opportunity to give them another go. I love this release, which treads a line between ambient, romantic and almost a desert blues feeling. There are some beautiful vocals on a couple of tracks from Caolifhionn Rose - who I've mentioned as a recommendation before. This is a great album, and I suspect will be in heavy rotation over the last weeks of summer. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Glen Hansard (multiple) - Richard Ashcroft - Durutti Column - Bill Withers - Martyna Basta - Sandrayati - JD McPherson - Pye Corner Audio - Extnddntwrk - Penelope Trappes ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/08/lastfm-album-quilt--3-.png) ### Now - August 2026 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now-august-2026/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T15:50:14.000Z I'm still living in Dublin, Ireland. I ***love*** my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. - I started an [email newsletter six years ago called "Stuff that MattR's"](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. - I'm currently unemployed after being laid off by Meta - and I'm happily exploring what is next - get in touch if you'd like to discuss something. - In 2026, I will be posting new music nearly [every day to a list on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kJMq1eoca9aftW7x9Crl9?si=fad9ea6d4a4641e1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did the same in [2025](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=f81a1457b5254646&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [2024](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=65d3ed3d8fc04ac1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [2023](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nKbhvL8ZbH346FrxFkQwW?si=89b25f5f641c4b8d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - In July, I built and launched [oblique.cards ](https://oblique.cards/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- a service designed to give you a nudge when you are stuck on a career challenge. - I launched a new site called [onceposted.com](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a space to share a collection of beautiful vintage postcards that I have collected for years. I'm very proud of how it looks, and how many people seem to enjoy it. - I run a [30-day journalling challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). A free service to help you start your journaling practice. - To help my own journalling practice, I've write [Weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/weeknote/) on my blog, inspired by Giles Turnbull - [Doing Weeknotes](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I just launched [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) a frictionless journaling app that reduces procrastination and gets you journaling quickly. [Here's why I did this.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/) - I still DJ a little bit, [all of my DJ Mixes are available here](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the latest and best is [The Stack #11.](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/stack-11/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I compile and update an every growing list of music for focus and relaxation - it's called [FlowStuff and you can find it here!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) ### How to Win at Work Every Day URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-win-at-work-every-day/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T12:20:42.000Z #### Contents ## 1\. The Death of the Annual Win We are conditioned to treat winning as an astronomical event. It is rare, blindingly bright, and lightyears away. We are told that winning looks like the promotion at the end of the fiscal year, the five-figure bonus after a gruelling product launch, or the polished trophy handed out at the annual all-hands meeting. > The victory is always just over the horizon. However, there is a major flaw in this calendar-based philosophy: human motivation doesn't always respond to the rhythm of business. Focusing only on major achievements leads to a feeling of drift. a ‘grey space’ where work becomes a maintenance treadmill instead of a ladder of progress. We aren't truly succeeding; we are merely surviving. This can result in logging off at the end of the day feeling exhausted but lacking a true sense of accomplishment, having confused constant activity with actual forward movement. Over time, this disconnect breeds disengagement. If the only win that matters is months away, what is the point of today? > It is time for the death of the annual win. The truth is that everyone deserves to win something at work, every day. Real, sustainable momentum is not born from the one-off explosion of a quarterly result; it is found in the rhythmic, daily pulse of micro-successes. Winning is not a destination; it is a biological fuel source. To reclaim our energy, we must redefine the outcome. We need to move away from the management scoreboard and towards an Internal Scoreboard of personal victories. At the end of this piece, I’ll share an exercise that will help you build your own internal scoreboard. By shrinking the scale of victory, we don't diminish its value, we increase its frequency. We can transform the dopamine loop from a rare work based luxury into a daily habit, providing a positive, self-directed feedback mechanism that rivals the quick, often-empty hits we seek from social media. > Winning isn't childish. It is the only way to stay in the game. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## 2\. The Biology of Momentum Waiting for your boss to notice your hard work is a losing game. If your sense of achievement depends on external praise, you are handing over control of your dopamine levels to someone else's schedule. To stay engaged, you must understand the biological machinery of motivation. At the center of this machinery is the dopamine loop. Most people think dopamine is the chemical of reward, but it is actually the chemical of pursuit. It spikes when you anticipate a win and when you achieve it. When you complete a task, no matter how small, your brain releases a hit of dopamine that tells your nervous system, 'That felt good; do it again.' This is the biological foundation of momentum. When you win at 9 o’clock, you are chemically primed to win again at 10 o’clock. Conversely, when you go days without a visible victory, your brain enters a state of stagnation. Without the reinforcement of progress, effort starts to feel like a drain rather than an investment. This is why a day of 'busy work' can leave you more exhausted than a day of intense, successful challenges. You must distinguish between simply doing your job and intentionally winning. Doing your job is maintenance; it is the baseline expectation. Winning is the intentional pursuit of a specific marker of progress. Maintenance keeps the lights on, but progress provides the spark. > If you view your workload as an endless, undifferentiated stream of tasks, you are denying yourself the biological 'finish line' needed to reset your focus. ### Success and the long-distance runner Think of a marathon. No one runs twenty-six miles by focusing on the finish line from the first step. They run to the next water stop, the next mile marker, or the next hill. Each marker reached is a micro-win that provides the chemical (and sometimes physical) fuel to reach the next one. At work, your ‘water stations’ are your self-identified wins. > *I should point out, I’ve never run a marathon - but I do break even the smallest exercise into smaller sections that I can ‘win’ in order to keep going until the final target.* As [James Clear notes in Atomic Habits](https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the cumulative effect of these small gains is what creates a high-performance trajectory. You don't need a massive breakthrough to feel successful; you need a consistent string of tiny victories that keep the dopamine loop active. When you internalise this, you stop viewing small tasks as ‘chores’ and start seeing them as opportunities to refresh your energy. You stop being a passive actor in your task list and become an active hunter of progress. This shift in perspective transforms the day from a marathon of endurance into a series of winnable sprints. If the biological drive for momentum is so clear, why do we spend most of our workdays feeling like we are spinning our wheels? The answer lies in the architecture of the modern workplace. Before we can build a new way to win, we have to identify the specific structural traps that are currently draining our tanks. > *How often do you let a task pass without acknowledging it as a win? If you don't name the victory, your brain won't record it. You are essentially leaving free energy on the table.* ## 3\. The Human Element: Why We Stop Winning If winning is biological, psychological, and practical, why do so many people I coach, mentor and manage show up feeling like they are losing? The problem is rarely a lack of effort. Most people are working harder than ever, yet they go home feeling defeated. The issue is that the modern workplace is designed to obscure progress. To win every day, you must first identify the structural and psychological traps that keep you in a state of **perceived** failure. ### Trap 1: Goal Post Drift We have been trained to focus on ‘The Big One’. Often it’s a massive project or annual target. When a goal is six months away, it can be too heavy to carry on a Tuesday morning. When the finish line is barely visible, the brain fails to trigger the dopamine response necessary to sustain effort. You end up in a state of constant exertion with zero resolution. > *This current endeavour is a contest with ever-shifting goals, where the finish line seems no closer with every day of effort.* ### Trap 2: Maintenance Blindness Much of our work is ‘endless maintenance’, answering emails, attending recurring meetings, and fixing recurring bugs. These tasks never truly end, and are rarely framed as wins. We treat them as chores to be survived rather than progress to be celebrated. The entire productivity industry has been built to make you feel more successful as you run on a hamster wheel of maintenance. When your entire day is consumed by maintenance, you might also feel like you haven't ‘done anything meaningful’ even if you were ‘productive’ for eight hours. > *You are ignoring the fact that keeping the ship afloat is intrinsically a victory.* ### Trap 3: Outsourced Motivation This is the third and possibly most dangerous trap. Many people wait for a manager, a system, or a company metric to tell them they’ve done a good job. This is a high-risk strategy. Systems are designed to measure output, not personal progress. A manager might be too busy to notice your ‘Quality Win’, or the company metrics might be lagging behind your actual effort. > *If you don't own your own scoreboard, you are at the mercy of a system that wasn't built to care about your morale. By trying to win 'big,' we actually make it harder to win at all.* ### What happens when we stop winning? How many people in your workplace have gone weeks without a visible, named win? When you stop winning, you start drifting. Drift leads to disengagement, and disengagement is a first step towards burnout. Burnout isn't just about having too much to do; it can also be the feeling that what you are doing doesn't matter. You have to name the problem honestly. You cannot wait for the environment to change to suit your psychological needs. In order to feel the energy of winning, you will need to take responsibility for your own ‘internal audit.’ You could ask yourself: What kind of win actually gives me energy? Are you chasing a ‘Volume Win’ because that's what the dashboard says, even though you are a 'Growth' driven person? > *Winning stops when we stop defining it for ourselves. To get back on track, you must reclaim the right to set the target.* **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## 4\. Redefining the Scoreboard: What Can ‘Winning’ Actually Mean? Most people fail to feel successful because their definition of a win is too narrow. They wait for the promotion, the bonus, or the glowing performance review. If these are your only metrics, you will spend 99% of your days feeling like a loser. To win every day, you must have a wider vocabulary of success. Winning is not just about the final score; it is about the quality of the play. You need to identify different categories of victories. Once you define these, it doesn’t matter how the day unfolds, you have a path to progress. ### The Volume Win This is for the days when the sheer quantity of work is the enemy. It is about clearance and velocity. You win by finishing the queue, hitting zero inbox, or making a specific number of outbound calls. > *Your volume win provides a sense of relief and order. It is the ‘clean slate’ victory that allows you to breathe.* ### The Quality Win There are days when you only do three things, but you do them with such precision that they stand as a testament to your craft. This is the perfect customer interaction where you turned a detractor into a fan. It is a piece of code that is elegant and efficient. > *You win by hitting a standard of excellence that you set for yourself, regardless of whether anyone else notices the detail.* ### The Growth Win This is sometimes the most uncomfortable but rewarding victory. You win by doing something that scared you or baffled you yesterday. It is the ‘Hard Conversation’ win, finally addressing a conflict you’ve been avoiding. It is the ‘Breakthrough’ win, finally understanding a complex tool or system. Growth wins are internal; they represent an expansion of your own capabilities. In Progress Principle, Teresa Amabile ([YT Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD6N8bsjOEE&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) suggests this ‘sense of moving forward in meaningful work is the strongest driver of your inner work life’. ### The Momentum Win This is the ‘One More’ mentality. It is based on marginal gains. If your average is ten, you can do eleven. If you usually stop at the first sign of friction, you push through one more obstacle. This win is about grit. > *You win by proving you have an extra gear to shift into. It builds the belief that your capacity is not fixed, but expandable.* ### One size doesn’t fit all If you can have multiple ways to win, you become more resilient. If the ‘Volume Win’ feels impossible because of constant meetings, you can pivot and hunt for a ‘Quality Win’ in the one project you did manage to touch. If you feel stuck in a routine, you can intentionally design a ‘Growth Win’ by seeking out a new challenge. > *When I feel like I am in a week of maintenance blindness, I sometimes try to schedule an e-learning or a training to give me a growth win for the week. Just knowing I have the agency to pivot is a big help to my motivation and energy.* ### What kind of win gives you energy? Most people have a ‘primary driver’. Some are fuelled by the satisfaction of a cleared list, while others need the spark of a new discovery. You must learn what your own satisfaction is. If you are a creative being forced to play a volume game, you will burn out even if you are hitting the numbers. > *The secret is to align your daily win with the driver that actually fills your tank. I’m a sucker for a volume win, clearing a queue or draining my inbox. I set a mental target before settling down to an hour triaging my mailbox.* Having a menu of wins gives you the categories, but it doesn't give you the execution. A menu is useless if you don't know how to order. To turn these definitions into a daily reality, we need a rigorous framework to ensure your targets are actually achievable. > You need to move from the theory of the win to the design of the win. ## 5\. Designing Your Own Daily Wins Moving from the theory of winning to the practice of it requires a shift in how you plan your activities. You cannot leave your regular victory to chance. If you wait to see what the day throws at you, you will likely spend eight hours reacting to other people's priorities. > *To win every day, you must design the win before the work begins.* A true daily win is not just a task on a list. It is a strategic target that must meet three specific criteria to be effective: it must be small, it must be within your control, and it must be visible. ### Small Wins Firstly, the win should be **small enough to achieve today**. If your goal is ‘Finish the Project’, you will lose every day until the project is actually done. Instead, your win should be ‘Draft the Executive Summary’ or ‘Clean the data for Section One’. By shrinking the target, you ensure that you can cross the finish line before you leave the office. This provides the closure necessary to disconnect from work and recharge. ### Controllable Wins Second, the win must be **entirely within your control**. This is where many people stumble. If your win is ‘Get approval from the Managing Director’, you have tied your success to someone else's schedule. If the Director is in meetings all day, you lose. A better win would be ‘Submit the proposal for approval’. You have done your part. > You have cleared the ball from your court. Control is the difference between an internal victory and an external gamble. ### Visible Wins Finally, the win must be **visible by the end of the day**. You need a marker of progress. This could be a sent email, a checked box on your scoreboard, or a new process you have learned. In knowledge work, where much of our labor is invisible, creating these markers is essential. You need to be able to look at your desk or your screen and say, ‘That wasn't there this morning, and it is there now’. ### The Pre-Game Routine Implementing this framework requires a ‘Pre-Game’ routine. I recommend spending the last five minutes of your workday defining tomorrow’s win. When you arrive in the morning, you already have your target. You don't have to waste your peak mental energy deciding what matters; you simply execute. This practice changes your relationship with your role. Managers find wins in ‘One Clear Decision’. Salespeople find them in ‘One More Reach-out’. Support staff find them in ‘One Perfectly Resolved Ticket’. By applying these criteria, you stop being a passenger in your own career. You start building the ‘Win Scoreboard' mentioned below, which serves as your personal record of growth. > *What could you reliably win before 5:00 PM tomorrow? If you can’t name it, you haven't designed it.* **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## 6\. The Role of Managers and Teams Winning might be a personal responsibility, but it does not happen in a vacuum. The environment surrounding you either acts as a tailwind or a headwind. While you should own your internal scoreboard, leaders have a massive influence on whether those wins are possible or visible. A good manager does not just track output; they create a landscape where progress is visible and victories are earned. The primary job of a leader in this framework is to protect the ‘small win’ from being swallowed by the system. Bad systems make winning rare. They are based on lagging indicators, things that happened in the past. Success thrives when measured by leading indicators, the actions taken today. When a manager only talks about quarterly targets, they unwittingly tell their team that today doesn't matter unless it is the last day of the month. This creates a culture of waiting to win’. > *My wife was a teacher and learned that it was good practice to ‘catch students doing it well’ - without waiting for exams or reports to tell them. This builds a culture of success, and applies in the workplace. When was the last time you told a team member they were doing a great job for executing a process well, rather than waiting for an appraisal.* ### The ‘winnable’ day Effective managers facilitate progress by helping their team define 'winnable' days. They understand that different roles require different scoreboards. They don't force a ‘Volume Win’ metric on a person whose job requires deep ‘Quality Wins’. Instead, they have conversations about what a successful day looks like for each specific role. They help employees identify their drivers, whether that is mastery, autonomy, or connection, and align the daily work to those needs. > *In my own career, I have had to ‘flex’ between being a leader of teams that focus on transactions (volume & momentum wins) to relationships (quality wins).* *Getting this right, early in the journey, is key to building collective success.* There is a critical tension to manage here: wins should never be forced or fake. Participation trophies don't trigger the dopamine loop because the brain knows when a victory hasn't been earned. A manager’s role in a culture of success is not to give out empty praise; it is to notice real progress. When a team member handles a difficult customer with grace or solves a persistent technical glitch, a manager who notices that ‘Quality Win’ reinforces the behaviour. This is the difference between being a boss and being a coach. > *A boss watches the scorecard; a coach watches the play.* ### Hiring Sidenote > *When I interview people, I often include a question about success. It might be something like, ‘How do you know that you’ve done a good job’? The people most likely to succeed at that question are people who can demonstrate internal motivation to win.* ### Winning as a team Teams also play a vital role in this ecosystem. When a team adopts a ‘Win Every Day’ culture, the atmosphere shifts from toxic competition to collective energy. In a traditional environment, one person’s win might feel like another person’s loss. When the focus is on personal progress, seeing a peer hit their ‘One More’ metric becomes a source of inspiration. It creates a ripple effect. > *Success becomes contagious because it is no longer a scarce resource reserved for the top 1%.* Leaders should also look at their meetings and communication through this lens. Does your weekly team stand-up leave people feeling like they are behind, or does it help them identify their win for the week? Do your team mechanisms help people stay busy, or do they help them stay productive? If your team is stuck in ‘Maintenance Blindness’, it is your job to help them reframe their work. Show your team members how the daily work contributes to the larger mission. Make the invisible labour visible. Ultimately, a manager's legacy is the momentum of their team. High-performance teams aren't built on pressure; they are built on the cumulative confidence of hundreds of small victories. > *When you help your people win today, you are setting them up to have the energy to win again tomorrow.* ## 7\. The Compound Interest of Success If you commit to winning every day, the immediate payoff is a better mood and a higher energy level. You can quickly stop feeling like a victim of your task-list and start feeling like the architect of your days. However, the true power of this philosophy isn't found in a single working day; it is found in the long view. When you collect hundreds of small victories, you aren't just getting work done. > You are fundamentally changing your trajectory. Think of winning as a form of compound interest. In finance, compound interest is the result of reinvesting your earnings so that they, in turn, generate their own earnings. In your career, the ‘interest’ is your confidence. Every time you cross a self-imposed finish line, you are making a small deposit into your belief in your own agency. ### From one win, to 250 When you have one win, you have a good day. When you have twenty wins, you have a high-performing month. When you have 250 wins - the approximate number of working days in a year - you have a different life. You become the person who gets things done. You become the person who doesn't panic when a massive project lands on your desk, because you know exactly how to break it into winnable sprints. > *You have built the muscle memory of progress.* Confidence compounds because success breeds success. When you are on a winning streak, your ‘arousal’ levels drop. You are no longer operating from a place of scarcity or fear of failure. This mental clarity allows you to do better work, which leads to more wins, which further builds your confidence. This is the ‘virtuous cycle’ that distinguishes high achievers from those who are merely busy. ### A vaccination for burnout This compounding effect also acts as a natural shield against burnout. Burnout is often the result of prolonged ‘output without outcome’. It is the feeling of spinning your wheels and not moving forward. By ensuring you have at least one tangible outcome every day, you provide the friction your brain needs to stop the spin. You give yourself a reason to stay engaged. Daily wins provide the meaning that keeps you in the game for the long haul. Many people in the professional world are reactive. They wait for instructions, they respond to crises, and they measure their value by how tired they are at the end of the week. By being one of the few people who intentionally designs and tracks their own victories, you create a massive competitive advantage. > You are no longer a passenger in the machine; you are the operator. You are developing the skills of self-management. ### In the habit of winning As you move forward, you will find that winning is a habit, not a destination. There is no final trophy that will make you permanently energised. Motivation is a fire that requires daily feeding. You have to show up every morning and decide what the ‘fuel’ will be for that day. Revisit the subtitle of this piece: *Why you need to Win at work, every day.* This is not just a nice sentiment; it is a challenge. It is a challenge to stop settling for survival and to start optimising for progress. It is a challenge to take ownership of your internal scoreboard and to stop outsourcing your satisfaction to a system that doesn't know what ‘lights your fire’. So, as you prepare to log off today, don't just look at what is left on your to-do list. Look at what you won. Name it. Record it. Lock in the dopamine. Then, take just thirty seconds to look at tomorrow. > What is the one thing you are going to win tomorrow? Is it a Volume Win to clear the deck? A Quality Win to prove your craft? Or a Growth Win to push your boundaries? Whatever it is, define it now. Make it small, make it controllable, and make it visible. > The big wins will take care of themselves. Your job is to make sure you never go a day without a small one. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## A. The Free Scorecard Worksheet I promised you an exercise, so here it is. One page, ten minutes: name your win type, design one win you can actually finish tomorrow, and give yourself somewhere to record it. Nobody else is going to build your scoreboard for you, so you may as well use a decent one. [internal-scoreboard-worksheet-mattrutherford.co.ukinternal-scoreboard-worksheet-mattrutherford.co.uk.pdf5 KBdownload-circle](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/content/files/2026/08/internal-scoreboard-worksheet-mattrutherford.co.uk.pdf "Download") # ### A door, not an answer URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a-door-not-an-answer/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T10:20:26.000Z Most of my working time is spent asking people questions. As I pivot towards coaching for a living, the work is mostly one thing. Helping someone see what they are standing too close to see. This week I tried to put some of that into a deck of cards. It is called [oblique.cards](https://oblique.cards/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). You draw one when you are stuck, on your work or your life, and it nudges you sideways. It began as a tribute to [Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies](https://enoshop.co.uk/products/oblique-strategies?variant=51221629501780&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the deck that creatives reach for when they hit a wall. I wanted my own, pointed at careers and lives instead of art. The building was the easy part. One page, a small server, an afternoon of talking to an AI. The kind of thing that used to take weeks and a developer. I'm using the process as a way to teach myself, this new paradigm. The harder part was the writing, I started with a hundred cards. One line I kept me stuck for a while. Here it is. "Picture five more years of exactly this. Threat or promise?" The first sentence works. The second one ruins it. It answers the question for you. It tells you how to feel. So I edited ruthlessly. "Picture five years of exactly this." Now it just sits there, and **you** have to do the work. That is the whole discipline of the deck - it is also the whole discipline of coaching. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/08/image.png) An Oblique Card A good question does not hand you an answer. It moves your attention somewhere you were not looking, then gets out of the way. "Whose permission are you waiting for?" is not advice. It is a door. You walk through it or you do not, but nobody pushed. Advice is the opposite. It arrives with the answer already attached, which is exactly why so much of it slides straight off. You have had the advice. Everyone stuck has had the advice. What you have not had is a question sharp enough to make your own answer move. The temptation, writing the cards and sitting with clients both, is always to be helpful. To add the reassuring second sentence. To explain. Helpful is easy. The harder thing, and the useful one, is to say less and trust the person to finish it. That trust is the job. In a card, in a coaching room, in any conversation that changes something. You are not short of information. You are short of the one question that turns you slightly, so the thing you could not see is suddenly in front of you. **The deck is just that discipline, made portable.** Draw a card at [oblique.cards](https://oblique.cards/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). See where it turns you. ### TWIL #131 - Oxygen in Space URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-131-oxygen-in-space/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T09:50:14.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned how the International Space Station generates fresh oxygen in space... turns out they find it on board! ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 301 : The Lay-Off Field Guide URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/301-the-lay-off-field-guide/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T05:01:19.000Z *Hey friend. Thanks for the lovely comments on Issue 300 - it's great to see you again!* ### Stuff I've Written - I've been laid off twice in 6 years - [here's everything I've learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-layoff-field-guide/) in the Lay-Off Field Guide. - From the Archive: [Mastering the STAR technique for success in interviews.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-the-star-model-for-success-in-interviews/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [The architecture of focus](https://magnus919.com/2026/06/the-architecture-of-focus/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). An excellent deep-dive into the world of deep work. - [How to end your day.](https://davidepstein.substack.com/p/how-to-end-your-workday-the-hemingway) Using this technique from Hemingway is a powerful way to finish your workday. - The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming any time soon. [Excellent analysis on the promise of AI from the Guardian.](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/25/ai-jobs-apocalypse-human-labor?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Closingthe gap between intention and action. [How to become the person you want to be.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-become-the-person-you-want-to-be?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Self Help Advice people keep overlookin](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/self-help-advice-people-keep-overlooking?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)g. Four great levers that you can pull. - [Humans haven't stopped evolving.](https://www.harvardmagazine.com/research/harvard-human-evolution-genes-selective-pressure?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Stuff I'm Linking - [oblique.cards](https://oblique.cards/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a simple prompt for when you get stuck at work. - [Book Corners](https://www.bookcorners.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a community driven map of places to exchange books. **Finally**. [18 Words.](https://18words.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Find words with each set of letters before the time runs out. I love this daily word challenge! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about an Apocalypse Early Warning System ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** How did I show up for myself and others in meaningful ways**?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #75 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/75-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T15:23:44.000Z ### Updates Another week post layoff, and I think I have a handle on my daily routine now, I'm keeping busy and working on my next career plans. Meanwhile, I built and launched a new small project this week. [oblique.cards](https://oblique.cards/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is a site, inspired by the Eno and Schmidt Oblique Strategies cards - but focused on work and career. I wanted this to be a minimal, elegant site and I'm please with the way it came out. Saturday evening we enjoyed 'The Wizard of the Kremlin' (4\*) - a fun journey through the recent history of Russia as told by one of Putins right hand men. **Reading**. I've nearly finished Autocorrect by Etgar Keret - a strange set of short stories, vignettes and thought experiments that are a lot of fun and very provoking! ### Recommended Music This week, something beautiful and delicate from my ears to yours. Inhabiting Bodies by Sandrayati sits somewhere between ambient and folk, and lives in a sort of liminal space between nature and recorded music. I've listened to this multiple times this week, and it's worth every second. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Sandrayti - Arcadia - The Cure - James Blake - Joachim Spieth - Ludwig Goransson - Bono/Burratini - Tricky - Aris Kindt ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/07/lastfm-album-quilt--2-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/07/IMG_4471-Large.jpeg) ### A2. Layoff Glossary URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a2-layoff-glossary/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:30:47.000Z Layoffs come with their own vocabulary, often used at the exact moment you're least able to look things up. Here's the plain-English version. **At-will employment** — Mostly a US concept. Either side can end the job at any time, for almost any reason, with no notice required. **COBRA** — The US mechanism that lets you keep your employer health plan for a period after leaving, usually by paying the full cost yourself. **Collective consultation** — A legally required group process in much of Europe when redundancies pass a certain number, involving employee representatives and set timelines. **Compromise agreement** — Older name for a settlement agreement, still used in some places. **Garden leave** — You're still employed and paid through your notice, but told to stay away from work. Common for senior or sensitive roles. **Individual consultation** — The one-to-one meetings about your specific role, selection, and alternatives. **Notice period** — The time between being told and actually leaving, during which you're typically still paid. **Outplacement** — Career support (coaching, CV help, job-search services) paid for by the employer as part of your exit. **PILON** — Pay In Lieu Of Notice. They pay out your notice period instead of having you work it. **Protective award** — Compensation an employer can be ordered to pay for failing to consult properly. In the UK this doubled in April 2026. **Redundancy** — The UK and Ireland term for a layoff, where the role, not the person, is eliminated. **Restrictive covenants** — Clauses that limit what you can do after leaving, such as joining a competitor or contacting clients. Often negotiable. **Selection pool** — The group of comparable roles from which people are chosen for redundancy, using set criteria. **Settlement agreement** — A legal agreement where you accept terms, usually money, and waive certain rights to bring claims. Normally requires independent legal advice. **Severance** — The pay and benefits package offered on exit, whether statutory, contractual, or enhanced. **Statutory redundancy pay** — The legal minimum redundancy payment, calculated from age, service, and a capped weekly figure. **WARN Act** — The US federal law requiring larger employers to give advance notice of big layoffs. Notice only, not consultation. **Works council** — An employee representative body, powerful in countries like Germany, that must be consulted on restructuring. ### A1. Where to get Help URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/a1-where-to-get-help/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:29:53.000Z **Your head and your wellbeing.** If you're struggling, talk to your GP or doctor first. In the UK and Ireland, the Samaritans are free and available any time on 116 123\. In the US, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is there by call or text. In the UK, Mind offers mental health support; in Ireland, Aware supports people through depression and anxiety. **Your rights at work.** UK: ACAS for free, impartial employment advice, and Citizens Advice for broader help. Ireland: the Workplace Relations Commission and Citizens Information. US: the Department of Labor and your state labour office. For anything involving a settlement agreement, use a qualified employment solicitor or attorney. **Your money.** UK: MoneyHelper and Citizens Advice for free, independent guidance. Ireland: MABS, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service. US: your state's resources, plus a fee-only financial adviser if you need tailored help. For benefits, always start at the official government site. **Your next move.** When you're ready to run the search itself, my [Job Hunt Playbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/job-hunt-playbook/) walks through the whole thing. For the ongoing version of all this, my weekly newsletter, [Stuff that MattRs](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/), is where I keep writing about work and careers. If you want a thinking partner in your corner, that's what I do, you can find me at [mattrutherfordcoaching.com](https://mattrutherfordcoaching.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ### 14. Before you go URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/14-before-you-go/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:27:58.000Z If this guide helped, don't let it be a one-off. Every week I write [Stuff that MattRs](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/), a newsletter about work, careers, and building a life that doesn't hang on any single employer. This guide is the map for one hard stretch of road. The newsletter is how you keep moving once you're through it. Come and [subscribe](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/). And if you want someone in your corner for what comes next, find me at [mattrutherfordcoaching.com](https://mattrutherfordcoaching.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ### 13. Build your own Roof URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/13-build-your-own-roof/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:26:17.000Z Let's end where the whole series started. The contract was always transactional. The loyalty was always conditional. Once you actually accept that, instead of feeling betrayed by it, something strange happens. It sets you free. ### The safe job was always a story There was never a safe job. There were jobs that felt safe right up until the spreadsheet changed, which is a different thing entirely. The belief that the right employer, the right performance, the right loyalty would keep you protected was comforting and false. People are discovering it's false at scale, all at once, and calling it a crisis. It isn't a crisis. It's a correction in what we believed. ### What security actually means now If a job can't be your security, something has to be. Here are some things that can: - Skills that travel, that belong to you and not to one company's stack. - A name people know beyond your current org chart, so opportunities find you. - Relationships you own, kept warm, not rented from an employer's directory. - A bit of runway, so you can say no. - Optionality, more than one possible next move, so no single decision in a room you're not in can flatten you. None of those can be taken away in a single click. That's the whole point. ### Build things that are yours The most durable move of all is to build something that exists outside any employer. A body of work with your name on it. An audience, however small, that you can reach directly. A side project, a piece of writing, a reputation in a niche. I've spent a long time arguing that the real leverage now is the stuff you own and grow yourself, and I keep coming back to it [over here](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), because every layoff cycle proves it again. You don't have to quit and go build an empire. You just have to stop putting one hundred percent of your security in an asset someone else controls completely. ### The reframe that costs nothing and changes everything The cut is brutal. I'm not going to pretend otherwise, and nothing in this series has. But it can also be the thing that finally ends the waiting. The waiting for permission, for the promotion, for the right moment, for the employer to notice and reward your loyalty. That moment was never coming. The layoff just told you the truth a few years early. What you do with that truth is the only part that was ever actually yours. ### One thing to do this month Start one thing that's yours. Not for an employer. For you. Write the first post. Message the first potential client. Learn the skill nobody assigned you. Stop renting your security. Build your own roof. It's the only one they can't take the keys to. **Try this prompt:** ``` Act as a pragmatic mentor. Based on my skills, interests and experience, [describe], suggest three small, low-risk things that would be genuinely mine: a piece of writing, a side project, a way to start building a name, each of which would make me less dependent on any single employer. Then help me pick one and define the very first step I can take this week. ``` ### 12. Watch Your Back URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/12-watch-your-back/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:22:53.000Z Here's something nobody warned me about. The moment you're laid off and visibly looking, **you become a target.** Scammers watch for it. A fresh open-to-work banner, a public post about being let go, a CV newly uploaded to the job boards. It signals someone who's anxious, moving fast, and hoping for good news. That's exactly the person a fraudster wants. While you're out there hustling, keep one eye on your own back. ### The tells Most job scams share a family resemblance once you know the shape. - An offer that turns up out of nowhere for a job you never applied to. - A recruiter who only ever talks over WhatsApp, Telegram, or text and never a company email. - A hiring process that's suspiciously fast and flattering, all yes and no real interview. - Pay that's too good for the work. - Sloppy details, an HR email on a free account, a company domain that's almost but not quite right. And the hard line, the one that catches even sharp people when they're tired and hopeful: a legitimate employer will never ask you to pay for anything. Not equipment, not training, not a background check, not onboarding fees. Money flows to you, never from you. Anyone reversing that arrow is running a scam, full stop. ### The ones aimed at the desperate A few specific plays worth knowing by name. - The overpayment scam, where they accidentally send you too much for equipment and ask you to refund the difference, and the original payment later bounces. - The data harvest, where a fake offer collects your bank details, passport, and PPS or Social Security number under the banner of setting up payroll. - And the newer, slicker versions, AI-generated company sites that look real, and even deepfaked video interviews. The polish is getting better. The underlying ask, your money or your identity, is not. ### The rule that keeps you safe Slow down and verify independently. Found the recruiter on LinkedIn? Go to the company's actual website yourself and check the role and the person exist. Never use the contact details they gave you, find your own. Never hand over financial or identity documents before you have a real, verified offer from a real, verified company. If something feels off, it is. Desperation makes us override that instinct. Don't. ### One thing to do this week Before you reply to any unexpectedly good opportunity, do one ninety-second check: find the company independently, confirm the person works there, and confirm the role is real. If you can't confirm all three, treat it as a scam until proven otherwise. That habit alone will save you from almost all of it. **Try this prompt:** ``` Here's a job offer or recruiter message I've received: [paste]. Act as a fraud-spotter. List the red flags and any genuine green flags, tell me exactly how to verify the company and the person independently, and tell me what information I should refuse to hand over at this stage. Assume it's a scam until proven otherwise. ``` ### 11. You're not job hunting. The rules have changed. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/11-youre-not-job-hunting-the-rules-have-changed/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:19:50.000Z Here's a trap. People treat the next job search like the last one, just with more competition. It isn't. You're now searching in a market that AI is actively rewriting, for jobs that AI is actively rewriting, using tools both sides are gaming. Same goal, different game. ### Know which way the ground is tilting The cuts haven't fallen evenly. The roles most exposed to current AI tools, support, content, data entry, routine QA, some junior coding, have been hit hardest. Entry-level software roles for the youngest workers have visibly contracted. Meanwhile demand has stayed strong in places AI can't easily reach: applied AI and infrastructure, anything safety-critical, the skilled trades, work that's deeply human or deeply physical. Remember the rehire point from post two. Around half the companies cutting for AI are expected to backfill by 2027 once the gains prove oversold. Some of these roles aren't gone. They're between owners. That matters for timing and for nerve. ### The hidden market beats the apply button The public job boards are where the most people compete for the fewest roles, now amplified by an arms race of AI-written applications meeting AI-powered screening. You can play that game, but don't make it your main one. The better game is people. The recruiters who already know you. The former colleagues now somewhere interesting. The quiet conversations that happen before a role is ever posted. This is exactly why you packed the go bag and saved those personal contacts. Use them. Reconnect before you need anything, then keep the relationship warm. Most good moves still happen through a person, not a portal. ### The question almost nobody asks Before you sprint to replace what you lost, stop and ask the uncomfortable one. Do you even want the same job back? A layoff is a brutal way to get something rare: a clean break in a story that had momentum of its own. You're not obligated to pick up exactly where you left off. Maybe the answer is the same role somewhere better. Maybe it's fractional or portfolio work, several clients instead of one employer. Maybe it's a sideways step into something the old job never let you try. The fastest path is to rebuild what was. It's not always the best one. ### Tell your story without flinching One last thing, and it really matters. Stop apologising for the gap. Layoffs are so common now that I was made redundant in a restructure is a complete, unremarkable sentence to anyone paying attention. You don't owe a sheepish explanation. Say what happened plainly, say what you're looking for clearly, and move on. The flinch is what makes it look like a problem. Confidence isn't pretending it didn't happen. It's refusing to treat a normal event as a personal stain. ### Then run the actual search This guide gets you to the start line. The search itself, the CV, the applications, the interviews, the offer, is its own discipline, and I've written the full step-by-step for it. When you're ready to move, start with my [Job Hunt Playbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/job-hunt-playbook/). Think of this guide as how you survive the layoff, and the Playbook as how you land the next role. ### One thing to do this week Send three messages. Not applications. Messages. To three people who already know your work, just reopening the line. No ask attached yet, just contact. Three a week compounds faster than you'd believe. That's the real engine of the next move, and it's been sitting in your contacts the whole time. **Try this prompt:** ``` Help me reconnect with my network without it being awkward. Here are three people I've lost touch with, with a bit of history on each: [describe]. Draft three short, warm, genuinely low-pressure messages that reopen the conversation and don't ask for anything yet. Keep my voice natural, not corporate. ``` ### 10. Claim what you're Owed URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/10-claim-what-youre-owed/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:15:48.000Z There's money the state owes you when you lose a job, and a surprising number of people never claim it. Pride, confusion, or a vague sense that it's not for people like them. That's expensive nonsense. You paid in for years precisely so this safety net exists. Use it. The systems differ by country, so here's the shape of it in the places most of you are reading from. *Rates and rules change every year, so treat the numbers as a guide and check the current figure before you rely on it.* ### If you're in the UK The main route is New Style Jobseeker's Allowance. It's based on your National Insurance record, not your savings, so having money in the bank doesn't rule you out. It's a flat weekly rate, modest, paid for up to six months, and then the conversation shifts to Universal Credit. Universal Credit is the means-tested top-up, so savings and a partner's income do come into it there. Two things people get wrong. **First**, claim the day you're unemployed, not weeks later, because it's rarely backdated and every day's delay is money gone. **Second**, if you think you'll need Universal Credit after JSA runs out, claim it before the JSA ends, because there's a built-in wait for the first payment and the clock only starts when you apply. Northern Ireland runs its own version, same shape, different application process. ### If you're in Ireland Ireland recently made this much better, so it's worth investigating. For anyone who became fully unemployed on or after 28 March 2025, the new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit ties your payment to what you used to earn, instead of a flat rate. It pays **60% of your previous gross weekly** earnings up to a cap for the first three months, then steps down over the following months, running up to nine months in total if you've a strong PRSI record, six if it's shorter. Crucially, a redundancy payment does not affect your eligibility, so don't assume your payout rules you out. Apply within six weeks of losing the job. If you don't have the PRSI record for it, Jobseeker's Allowance is the means-tested fallback, and it can run indefinitely as long as you meet the conditions. You won't be paid for the first three days, so apply on day one. ### If you're in the US Unemployment Insurance is run state by state, so the detail varies a lot, but the shape is consistent. If you were laid off through no fault of your own, which redundancy is, you're very likely eligible. It replaces a portion of your old wages, often somewhere around half, up to a state cap, typically for up to 26 weeks though some states are shorter. File with your state's unemployment agency the moment you're out, because benefits generally aren't backdated and there can be a waiting week. You'll usually have to certify each week that you're looking for work. And remember it's taxable income, so don't get caught out at tax time. ### Wherever you are The principle is the same everywhere. This is not charity and it's not a mark against you. It's insurance you already paid for, and claiming it fast is one of the highest-value hours of admin you'll do all month. Do it early, do it properly, and don't let pride cost you a penny you're owed. ### One thing to do this week Find your country's official benefits page, the real government one, not a lookalike, and check three things: what you're entitled to, how long it lasts, and the deadline to claim. Then put the claim date in your calendar for the day your employment formally ends. **Try this prompt:** ``` I've been made redundant in [country or US state]. Give me a plain-English rundown of the main unemployment or jobseeker benefits I should look into, the basic eligibility, and the exact official government website to apply on. Flag the deadlines that matter, and remind me to check the current rates on that official site rather than trusting older figures. ``` *Figures here are current as of mid-2026 and change, usually each spring. Verify against the official source: gov.uk (UK), gov.ie and citizensinformation.ie (Ireland), and your state unemployment agency via dol.gov (US).* ### 9. Runway buys you the thing that panic steals URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/9-runway-buys-you-the-thing-that-panic-steals/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:11:52.000Z Back in post two you worked out your runway. This post is about flying on it without doing something stupid out of fear. Here's what runway actually buys you. Time. It's the one thing panic takes away. The person with six months of breathing room makes better decisions than the person with three weeks, every single time. Not because they're smarter. Because they're not choosing from a place of fear. 💡 One caveat up front: I'm not a financial adviser, and none of this is personal financial advice. It's a way of thinking, not a set of instructions. For anything specific to your situation, talk to someone qualified. ### Redo the maths with the real numbers The runway you estimated while employed was a sketch. Now you have the real figures: the actual severance, the actual final pay, the actual date the income stops. Redo it properly. - What's your true monthly burn, stripped of the things you can pause. - How many months does your cash plus any payout actually cover. Write the real numbers down. A known number, even a scary one, is far easier to act on than a vague dread. ### The lump sum is not a windfall A severance payment can feel like a strange kind of bonus. It isn't. It's months of your life, converted into a single number. Spend it like it's salary you've been paid in advance, because that's what it is. The job of that money is to buy you the time to land well, not to fund a consolation you'll regret when the runway gets short. ### What to do first, and what not to First, stabilise. Work out your minimum viable monthly spend, the number you'd live on if things got tight, and know it. Pause or cancel the obvious leaks. Sort the admin that's time-sensitive. What not to do first. - Don't make any big, irreversible decision in the first couple of weeks, when the adrenaline is loudest. - Don't blow a chunk of the payout to feel better. - And don't go to the other extreme and lock every penny away so tightly that you can't fund a sensible job search or a course that makes you more employable. The goal isn't to hoard. It's to deploy the runway on purpose. ### Mind the health-cover cliff This one varies enormously by where you live, and it catches people out. In the US, losing the job often means losing the health plan, and the main bridge, COBRA, lets you keep it but typically at the full cost plus a bit, which is a brutal monthly shock right when income stopped. Budget for it deliberately, and compare it against marketplace options. In much of Europe, state healthcare softens this enormously and the cliff is far gentler, though there may still be perks, insurance, or benefits that lapse on your last day. Wherever you are, find out exactly what stops when the job stops, before it stops. ### The strange psychology of spending savings Spending down savings feels fundamentally different from spending income, even when the maths is identical. Watching the number go down instead of up triggers a low-grade panic that has nothing to do with your actual position. Name it for what it is. Then make decisions from your written plan, not from the feeling. The plan was made by the calm version of you. Trust that one. ### One thing to do this week Build a one-page runway plan. Cash and payout at the top. Monthly burn below it. Months of runway at the bottom, in big numbers. Stick it somewhere you'll see it. When the fear spikes, and it will, you look at the page instead of the feeling. The page is the truth. The feeling is just weather. **Try this prompt:** ``` Act as a calm financial organiser, not an adviser. Using these numbers, my available cash and any payout, and my monthly spend: [paste], build me a simple one-page runway plan. Show months of runway, a bare-minimum survival budget, what to pause first, and which decisions can safely wait a few weeks. Just a clear picture, no investment advice. ``` ### 8. Mind Yourself URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/8-mind-yourself/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T11:04:51.000Z The job hunt gets all the attention. The search, the CV, the applications, the networking. And meanwhile the one thing that has to carry you through all of it, you, gets left to fall apart in the background. Here's the thing not many people put on the checklist. **You are the vehicle for everything that comes next.** If you break down, nothing else runs. So looking after your head isn't the soft, optional bit. It's the part everything else depends on. ### You are not your job title Start here, because it's the one that does the most damage. When a job goes, it can feel like a verdict on your worth. It isn't. The title was a hat you wore, not your head. The company rented your time, they never owned your value, and they certainly didn't get to decide it on the way out. The people who come through this best are the ones who hold on to a sense of self that was never fully tied to the lanyard. So go and find those parts of you again. The friend. The parent. The runner, the cook, the musician, the person who's good in a crisis. These skills and qualities walk out of the building with you. You are a person who had a job. You were never just the job. ### Protect the boring basics When the structure of work disappears, a lot of people quietly come apart. Not from one big thing, but from the small foundations going first. > I felt 'adrift' in the first few weeks after stopping working, mainly because I had no calendar to speak of. When I started creating some structure, I felt better. Sleep. Daylight. Moving your body. Eating like you matter. A rough shape to the day so it doesn't dissolve into doomscrolling and mid-afternoon dread. None of this is glamorous and all of it holds you up. The job used to impose a structure on you. Now you build a light one yourself. Not a punishing schedule, just enough scaffolding that the days have edges. ### Watch the comparison trap *One specific warning. Be careful with the feed.* LinkedIn during a layoff window is a special kind of poison. Everyone else's highlight reel, their new roles, their thrilled-to-announce posts, landing straight into your most vulnerable moment. It is not an accurate picture of the world. It's a curated one, and comparing your raw insides to everyone else's polished outsides will flatten you. Ration LinkedIn. Mute what you need to. You can go back when you're steadier. ### Don't do it alone Shame is the thing that makes people hide a layoff, and hiding makes it so much heavier than it needs to be. Tell the people close to you. Your partner, your family, a couple of good friends. Not a press release, just honesty, so you're not performing fine on top of everything else. The people who care about you would far rather know. Carrying it in silence helps no one, least of all you. ### Know when it's more than a rough patch Feeling low, anxious, or unmoored after a layoff is normal. It's a real loss and your system treats it like one. My (unqualified) advice is to keep an eye on it. If the low mood settles in and won't lift, if you're not sleeping or not coping, if it's bleeding into everything, that's not weakness and it's not something to tough out alone. Talk to your doctor. Consider speaking to a therapist. And if things ever get genuinely dark, reach out the same day, to someone you trust or a crisis line in your country. Wherever you are, free and confidential support exists, and there's a short list of places to start at the end of this guide. **Asking for help is one of the more competent things a person can do, not one of the weakest.** One practical thing people miss: check what your employer's support covers on the way out. Many companies have an Employee Assistance Programme offering free, confidential counselling, and it often stays open to you for a window after your last day. Private health cover, therapy allowances, or wellbeing apps may run for a set period too. Use them while they're live, and note the dates they switch off, before they do. ### This is a season, not your character Whatever this feels like right now, it is a chapter, not a verdict. You are having a hard time. You are not a lesser person for it. The version of you that comes out the other side tends to be steadier, clearer, and a lot less willing to hand their whole identity to an employer ever again. ### One thing to do this week Build one daily anchor. One thing that happens every day regardless of how the search is going. A morning walk. A proper breakfast. A call with a friend. Ten minutes outside. Just one fixed point that reminds you the day is yours, not the search's. Everything else gets easier to carry when the person carrying it is being looked after. Starting with you. **Try this prompt:** ``` Help me design a light daily structure for a stretch of unemployment. Here's what my days look like now and what tends to slip when I'm not working: [describe]. Suggest one keystone daily anchor, plus a simple, non-punishing routine that protects sleep, movement, and actual human contact. Keep it realistic and humane, not a productivity bootcamp. ``` ### 7. The Loss You Have Permission to Feel URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/7-the-loss-you-have-permission-to-feel/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:53:42.000Z Everyone focuses on the money. The money is the **easy** part to talk about. In my experience, it 's not the part that keeps you up. What keeps you up is quieter, and somewhat harder to admit. You lost more than an income. You lost a version of yourself. ### The losses that aren't on the payslip The badge that got you through the door. The team you knew how to make laugh. The weekday rhythm that gave the week its shape. The easy answer to **so, what do you do**, which turns out to have been holding up more of your identity than you noticed. For years your job answered a question you didn't realise you were asking. Who am I. When it goes, the question comes back, loud, and most people have no answer ready. ### The version nobody warns you about Here's the part that surprised me the most. **You can keep your job and still lose something.** If your company guts the team around you, kills the work you cared about, and reshapes itself into something you don't recognise, then the place you joined is gone. You survived the cut and you're still grieving. And it feels like you're not allowed to say so, because everyone keeps reminding you how **lucky** you are. Lucky doesn't cancel loss. It just gags it. ### The grateful-post trap You know the posts. The ones that turn a brutal experience into a tidy story of gratitude and growth within about 48 hours. Grateful for the journey. Excited for what's next. Some of that is real. A lot of it is armour, performed for an audience, written before the person has felt a single honest thing. There's nothing wrong with optimism. There's a lot wrong with skipping straight to it because the grief is inconvenient and unphotogenic. You're allowed to be sad about a job that wouldn't have been sad about you. ### What actually helps I think that there are two moves, and neither is 'stay positive'. **First**, separate the practical loss from the identity loss, because they need different things. The practical loss needs a plan: runway, applications, next steps. The identity loss needs honesty and a bit of time. Trying to fix a grief with a to-do list is why people feel so strangely flat in the middle of doing everything right. **Second**, name what you actually miss. Not the abstract job. The specifics. The morning coffee with one particular colleague. Being the person others came to. Feeling good at something. When you name the real thing, you can start to find it elsewhere, instead of waiting for one employer to hand it all back. And then talk to people. Real ones, not an algorithm. The feed will reward your highlight reel and ignore your honesty. *A friend will do the opposite, which is what you actually need.* ### One thing to do this week Write down, just for yourself, the three things you'll genuinely miss. Not the salary. The real things. Naming them is how you stop them running the show from the shadows. You can't move forward cleanly while you're pretending nothing was lost. **Try this prompt:** ``` I've just lost a job that mattered to me, and I want to get my thoughts in order before I talk them through with people I trust. Ask me, one question at a time, what I actually miss about it, then reflect back the themes you hear. Don't try to fix it or cheer me up. Just help me put words to it. ``` *This prompt is a warm-up, not a substitute. The people in your corner are the important people to talk to.* ### 6. The First Number is not the Last Number URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/6-the-first-number-is-not-the-last-number/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:48:36.000Z Many people sign the first offer they're given. Not because it's fair. Because they want the whole thing to be over. That instinct can be the most expensive feeling in a layoff, because the first number is almost always a starting position. ### Start by understanding your selection Before you talk money, understand how you got here. You're allowed to ask how the redundancy pool was defined and what criteria were used to select you. If the pool is not clear to you, or the scoring is vague and subjective, that's not a complaint, it's a fact that changes your negotiating position. If selection touched anything tied to a protected characteristic, age, sex, disability, pregnancy, race, you're no longer in a redundancy conversation, you're in a discrimination one, which is far more serious for them. ### What the settlement agreement actually does The document they'll put in front of you does one main thing. In exchange for the money, you give up your right to bring claims against them. That's the trade. It's often entirely reasonable. However, it means the moment you sign is the moment your leverage ends, so everything you want has to be in there before the pen moves. In many places you're entitled to take independent legal advice first, and the employer often contributes to the cost. Use that. ### What's actually on the table People think the only number is the payment. It's the most visible lever, not the only one. Depending on where you are and what you push on, the following are often negotiable. - The sum itself, especially where the consultation process was thin or rushed. - The structure and timing of payment, which can matter for tax across a year boundary. - The wording of your reference, ideally an agreed reference attached to the agreement so nobody can freestyle later. - Your restrictive covenants, which you can often get narrowed or released. - Outplacement support. - The treatment of your notice period and any pay in lieu. - What happens to unvested equity. - The wording of the internal and external announcement. - And a contribution to your legal fees. You will not get all of it. You will get more than you would by signing the first offer you get. ### The mindset that will get results This is a negotiation, not a sentencing. The people who do best are not the loudest or the angriest. They're calm, specific, and unembarrassed. They say thank you, then they ask for things, in writing, with a reason attached to each one. They also understand their leverage. In a lot of European systems, a botched consultation or a shaky selection is genuinely expensive for the employer, which is exactly why a clean, quick settlement is attractive to them. You don't have to threaten anything. You just have to know the cost of the alternative, and let that knowledge sit calmly in the room with you. ### One thing to do this week Before any offer arrives, write your list of asks. Not just the number. The reference, the covenants, the timing, the support. Rank them. Decide which two or three actually matter to you. Walking in with a list is the difference between negotiating and just nodding. And whatever you do, do not sign anything in the room. Take it away. Get advice. Then respond. **Try this prompt:** ``` Act as an experienced, level-headed redundancy negotiation coach. Here are the terms I've been offered: [paste]. List everything that might be negotiable beyond the headline figure. Then draft a calm, professional message asking for improvements, with a short reason attached to each ask. Flag anything I should have a qualified lawyer review before I sign. ``` ### 5. How Consultation Actually Works (where ever you are) URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/5-how-consultation-actually-works-where-ever-you-are/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:41:11.000Z 💡 Important bit - I'm not a lawyer, or an employment law expert - so read this as 'advice' and then find out from your local experts what the LAW is in your market. In the United States, you find out you're gone. In much of Europe, you find out you might be, and then everyone has to talk about it first. That gap shapes everything about how a layoff feels and what power you have inside it. So this post is the one to bookmark, because almost nobody writes it across both worlds. A quick warning before we start: this is general information, not legal advice. Rules and figures change, and they vary by country and by your own contract. Treat this as a map, then get proper advice for your situation. ### The great divide The US runs on at-will employment. They can let you go today, no reason required. The main federal guardrail is the WARN Act, which forces larger employers to give advance notice of big layoffs. It requires employers with 100 or more staff to give at least 60 calendar days written notice of a plant closing or mass layoff, with a mass layoff broadly meaning 50 or more people at a site where they make up at least a third of the workforce, or 500 or more outright. Some states go further. New York's version demands 90 days. California's drops the one-third test. Roughly fifteen states have their own mini-WARN laws. The words are IMPORTANT. Notice. WARN makes them tell you. It does not make them consult you, negotiate with you, or pay you severance. They can decide the whole thing alone in a room, then hand you the calendar. Most of Europe is built on the opposite premise. You cannot simply be cut. There is a process, and the process has teeth. It flows from an EU framework, the Collective Redundancies Directive, which each country then implements in its own, often tougher, way. ### What consultation actually means Consultation is a legally required conversation that has to happen before decisions are final. And here's the bit people miss. It has to be genuine. If the outcome is already decided and the meetings are theatre, that isn't consultation, it's an announcement wearing a costume, and in many countries that can be challenged and can cost the employer dearly. Meaningful consultation means they have to share real information, listen to alternatives, and be capable of changing their mind. Not pretend to. ### Collective versus individual Two things are usually happening at once, and people confuse them. Collective consultation kicks in when the numbers cross a threshold over a set period. It involves employee representatives or a works council, runs to legal timelines, and is about the shape of the whole exercise. Individual consultation is the one-on-one process about you specifically: your role, your selection, your alternatives. Most people in a big layoff get both, stacked on top of each other. ### The generic stages Strip away the country detail and the spine is roughly the same everywhere consultation applies. An at-risk announcement. A collective consultation period with representatives. A selection process. Individual consultation meetings. An outcome, with notice and a right of appeal. Then exit, often with a settlement. Knowing the stages is what turns you from a passenger into someone who can see the road ahead. ### Selection: the part that feels personal but is meant to be a process Selection is supposed to be objective. There's a pool of comparable roles, a set of criteria, and a scoring exercise. The criteria are meant to be measurable and fair, not a quiet way to keep favourites and lose inconvenient people. When selection is challenged, it's usually here: a pool drawn too conveniently, or subjective scores that won't survive daylight. You're allowed to ask how the pool was defined and how you were scored. ### Country quick-reference This is the part to save. It's a starting map, not the final word. **United Kingdom.** Collective consultation is triggered when an employer proposes 20 or more redundancies at one establishment within 90 days. For 20 to 99, at least 30 days must pass before the first dismissal. For 100 or more, at least 45 days. The employer also files an HR1 form with the government. Skip it and the penalty is a protective award, which as of 6 April 2026 doubled to up to 180 days gross pay per affected employee, and is uncapped. That change matters, because it gives employees real leverage where consultation was botched. Statutory redundancy pay is based on age, length of service, and a capped weekly figure. Bigger threshold changes are expected from 2027, including an organisation-wide test rather than a per-site one. **Ireland.** Governed by the [Protection of Employment Acts. ](https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1977/act/7/enacted/en/html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Collective redundancy triggers a minimum 30-day information and consultation process with employee representatives, plus mandatory notification of the Minister for Enterprise. The employer cannot issue redundancy notices during that consultation, and cannot make anyone redundant until at least 30 days after the Minister has been notified. Breaching the notification duty can mean a fine of up to 250,000 euro. Employees can bring claims to the Workplace Relations Commission. Even individual redundancies require a genuine at-risk letter and a real meeting about alternatives. Statutory redundancy is two weeks pay per year of service plus a bonus week, based on a capped weekly figure, for those with at least two years service. **Germany.** Among the most protective systems anywhere. Most employees past six months in a workplace of more than ten staff are covered by the Dismissal Protection Act, so a dismissal must be socially justified, and business-reasons dismissals require a proper social selection weighing age, service, dependants, and disability. Where there's a works council, the employer must consult it before any notice, and a larger restructuring triggers negotiations over a reconciliation of interests and a social plan, the social plan typically providing severance. The employer must also notify the Federal Employment Agency. Get the process wrong and the dismissals can be void outright. There's no fixed statutory severance formula, but a common negotiating benchmark is half a month's pay per year of service, often exceeded where works councils are strong. **France.** Famously protective and slow by design. A company with at least 50 employees making 10 or more economic redundancies within 30 days must put together a job-protection plan, the Plan de Sauvegarde de l'Emploi, focused first on avoiding and reducing the cuts through redeployment and retraining. The works council is consulted across multiple meetings, the plan must be approved by the labour administration, and the consultation period runs longer the bigger the cut, up to several months for the largest. Statutory severance applies and is often topped up by collective agreements. Skip the steps and a court can cancel the dismissals. **Netherlands and Spain, in brief.** The Netherlands routes economic dismissals through a state body for approval and notifies unions for collective rounds, with a statutory transition payment on exit. Spain's collective process, the ERE, involves a formal consultation period with workers representatives and authority involvement, with statutory severance for objective and collective dismissals. Both reward checking the local specifics, because the detail is where the protection lives. ### Your rights during the process Across these systems, the thread is the same. **You have the right to be informed properly**. To propose alternatives, like redeployment, reduced hours, or voluntary terms. To be represented. And to appeal. The process exists to be used. Most people sit silently through the process. The ones who engage, calmly and on the record, tend to do better. ### Where it ends: settlements and safety nets Many exits land on a settlement agreement, often called a compromise agreement, where you accept terms and waive certain claims, usually after taking independent legal advice the employer frequently helps pay for. Redundancy pay may be statutory, or enhanced beyond it. Where an employer fails to consult properly, those protective awards and compensation routes are the safety net, and is the reason the process can't be pure theatre. ### One thing to do this week Find out, in one sentence, which system you actually sit under. Your country, your contract, and whether your situation is likely collective or individual. That single sentence tells you which rights are even on the table, and that's the foundation for everything in the next post. **Try this prompt:** ``` I'm based in [country] on a [permanent / fixed-term / contract] basis, and my employer is [describe the situation]. In plain English, explain whether this is likely to be individual or collective redundancy, the process they're generally required to follow where I am, and the five most useful questions I should be asking them. Treat this as general information only, and tell me clearly where I should get proper legal advice. ``` ### 4. Pack a Career Go Bag URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/4-pack-a-career-go-bag/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:32:49.000Z The cruellest thing about a layoff isn't the decision. It's the speed. In some markets, one click and your access is gone. Email, files, contacts, the lot, often cut before the meeting that tells you has even finished. In some companies, you don't get to go back to your desk. You don't get to gather your things. The company has a button. You have lead time, and only if you use it. > I had a month or more to do this as I left my role, and I still had a lot to do - especially at a company where benefits are set up using your company email address. So my advice is to pack a go bag in advance. The way you'd keep a bag by the door if you lived somewhere that floods. If you want reassurance, almost **none** of this is doom prep. It's just career hygiene you should be doing anyway. Even if the email never comes, you come out ahead. ### Get your stuff out. This is the urgent bit, and it needs a clear line drawn through it, because getting it wrong can cost you the reference, the settlement, and occasionally a lawsuit. Take what is yours. Your network, which means the personal contact details of the people who matter, not just their dying work addresses. Your own records: payslips, your contract, equity and options paperwork, your benefits summary, the redundancy or severance policy buried in the handbook. The evidence of what you did: performance reviews, written praise, the numbers and outcomes you delivered, saved somewhere personal. And any personal files that drifted onto the work laptop or into the work drive over the years. Leave what isn't yours. Customer lists, the CRM, source code, confidential decks, anything proprietary or covered by a confidentiality or non-solicit clause. The rule is simple and it protects you: keep the receipts for your work, not the work itself. If you need to remember a project, write yourself notes. Don't walk out with the files. ### Lock in the people References and recommendations are far easier to get while you're still a known, liked quantity. Ask now. After the cut, everyone's awkward and slow, and the manager who would have raved about you is suddenly not able to comment on personnel matters. Get the LinkedIn recommendation. Get the personal email and number for the people you'd actually want in your corner. And tell two or three trusted people quietly. Not a broadcast. Just enough that you're not carrying it alone. ### Sort anything tied to your employment status Some things get harder, or impossible, the moment you're out. Deal with them while you still have the payslip and the title. If you're on a work visa, this is the loudest alarm in the building. Your right to stay is often tied to your job, and the clock starts the day you're let go. Know your grace period before, not after. If you're mid-mortgage application, or planning to borrow, or anything that depends on an employment letter or a clean income picture, get it done now. And think hard before taking on any big new financial commitment while it's in the air. ### Know your number and your entitlement Two numbers kill most of the panic before it starts. First, your runway. How many months could you cover with no income, starting tomorrow. You worked this out at the end of post two. Keep it current. Second, your entitlement. Read your contract for your notice period, any pay in lieu of notice, and any restrictive covenants. Understand what your statutory and contractual redundancy or severance actually is, so that when an offer lands you can tell a good one from a poor one in real time, not three weeks later when it's too late to push back. And if you hold equity or options, find out now what happens on the way out. Vesting. And the post-termination exercise window, which can be brutally short. A ninety-day window can force a fast, expensive cash-and-tax decision you weren't ready for. Knowing the rules in advance is the difference between a calm choice and a panicked one. ### Refresh your assets while the memory's fresh Update your CV and your LinkedIn now, quietly. Don't slap an open-to-work banner on while you're still employed, but get everything current. And start a brag document. The projects, the numbers, the wins, the things people thanked you for. You will forget these astonishingly fast once you're gone, and you'll need every one of them for the CV and the interviews. Write them down while they're still vivid. ### Pre-decide how you'll behave in the room Decide now, while you're calm, how you'll act when you're not. You will not sign anything on the spot. I need time to review this is a complete sentence, and a reasonable one. And you'll go in holding the reframe from post two: this is a business decision about a role, not a verdict on you. Pre-loading that line is what stops the meeting knocking you flat. ### One thing to do this week Pick one item from this post. Just one. Export your contacts, or ask one person for a reference, or write down ten wins. You may never need the bag. But packing it makes you more portable, better connected, and clearer about your own worth. That's the trick of a good go bag. Packing it is its own insurance. **Try this prompt:** ``` Help me pack a career "go bag" while I still have access to everything. Ask me a few quick questions about my role and situation, then give me a prioritised checklist: what to back up that's genuinely mine, who to reconnect with now, what to ask for before I lose access, and any employment-linked admin (visa, mortgage, references) to sort early. Remind me to keep only my own work, never company property. ``` ### 3. You Already Know URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/3-you-already-know/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:28:06.000Z Most people aren't blindsided by a layoff. Not really. They felt it coming for weeks and talked themselves out of it. > *In my recent case, they told us a month before that there would be ‘significant cuts’, most people worked on knowing that decisions were being made that they couldn’t influence.* The body knows before the email does. The trick is letting yourself hear it. ### The signals around you Some of these are about the company, and they rarely come one at a time. A hiring freeze that nobody will call a hiring freeze. Travel restrictions. A reorg announced with the words ‘this is not about headcount’, which is almost always about headcount. Consultants you've never met, in rooms you're not invited to. The budget conversations changing tone. Senior people leaving slightly too calmly. A sudden fondness for the word efficiency. Return-to-office mandates that look a lot like a quieter way to thin the ranks. None of these proves anything on its own. Together, they're a forecast. ### The signals about you Then there's the personal weather. You stop being copied on things. You're quietly moved off the project that mattered. Your manager gets vague about next quarter when you ask. Your skip-level stops booking the catch-up. You get realigned sideways into something that feels like a holding pen. One of these is a bad week. A cluster of them is information. ### Why you'll explain it all away Here's the uncomfortable truth, you will see these signs and find reasons to dismiss every one. Not because you're naive. Because seeing them clearly costs you something. If (and when) you admit it might be coming, you have to do something about it. You have to disturb the story where you're fine, where the work you put in bought you safety, where loyalty runs both ways. Denial is cheaper in the short term. It's brutally expensive when the email lands and you've done nothing. ### Reading the room is not paranoia Let's kill the thing that stops people acting. The fear of looking paranoid. Think about the actual downside. You read the signs, you quietly prepare, and then nothing happens. What did that cost you? You reconnected with people you'd lost touch with. You worked out your runway. You wrote down your wins. You refreshed your CV. That's not wasted effort. That's just being a functioning adult exercising agency about your career. The asymmetry is the whole argument. Preparing for a layoff that never comes leaves you better off. Not preparing for one that does leaves you scrambling at the worst possible moment, with the least possible time. There is no version of this where reading the room makes you worse off. ### One thing to do this week Run a quick, honest signal audit. List the signals above, both kinds, and mark the ones that are actually true right now. Not the ones you fear, focus on the ones that are real. If three or more are lit up, that's not a crisis yet. It's a cue. It means it's time to pack a go bag, which is exactly what the next post is about. **Try this prompt:** ``` I think my job might be at risk. Here's what's been happening at my company and to my role lately: [describe]. Argue both sides for me. First make the strongest case that redundancies are coming, then the strongest case that I'm over-reading it. Finish with the few things worth preparing either way, so I'm covered whichever it turns out to be. ``` ### 2. Layoffs are the Weather now URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/2-layoffs-are-the-weather-now/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:25:04.000Z Every round of cuts still gets reported like a surprise. A shock. A sign that something somewhere has gone wrong. It hasn't. Nothing has gone wrong. This is the system working exactly as designed. That's the part not many people want to say out loud. So I will. ### The numbers stopped being a blip a while ago In 2026 the cuts didn't ease off. They accelerated. AI became the single most cited reason for job losses, with AI-linked cuts running to nearly 88,000 by mid-year, against roughly 55,000 for all of 2025 and under 13,000 the year before that. Tech got hit hardest, with reductions running at about three times the next worst sector. Look at that line. Thirteen thousand. Fifty-five thousand. Eighty-eight thousand and still climbing. That isn't a wobble in the economy. That's a trend with an rocket engine bolted to it. The [layoffs.fyi tracker](https://layoffs.fyi/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is agreat way to see what is going on in the tech industry, but the trend is across a wider set of industries than just tech. There is a detail that unsettles ME more than the raw numbers. Plenty of the companies doing the cutting are profitable. They aren't trimming to survive. They're trimming to fund something else. Your salary stops being a cost of doing business and becomes capital they'd rather spend on the AI build. You weren't failing. You were just less interesting than a data centre. ### The reason they give you is not the reason This is where you need to keep your head. AI has quietly become the acceptable story. Around 59% of companies now frame their cuts as AI-driven, in part because it lands well with shareholders. Analysts even have a name for it now. AI redundancy washing. Cuts that were really about over-hiring, soft revenue, or investor pressure, dressed up as a clean story about the future. So on the day it lands, two things are true at once. AI really is eating certain roles. And AI is also the polite cover for decisions that have nothing to do with AI. You'll know it isn't precision engineering because of what happens next. Roughly half the companies cutting jobs for AI are expected to rehire by 2027, once they discover the gains were oversold and the work still needs doing. They cut in a hurry. They backfill in shame. That is not a careful plan. That is a reflex. So when the news comes, you'll sit there running the tape back, trying to find the thing you did wrong. Stop. The answer is almost always nothing. ### This was always the deal. You just couldn't see it. Here's an uncomfortable truth. The contract was never loyalty for security. It was money for labour, for exactly as long as the labour made financial sense to the company. That was the deal the whole time. The lanyard, the offsites, the we're-a-family emails, that was decoration. Pleasant. Sometimes sincere. Never load-bearing. You didn't notice because for a long tome the maths happened to favour keeping you. Now, for a lot of roles, it doesn't. Nothing moral changed but the spreadsheet did. This is exactly why the old career playbook has fallen apart. The five-year plan assumed the ladder would still be there in five years. It won't be, and I've [written before about why planning that far out is a fantasy now](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The ground moves too fast to stand still on. ### How to actually face this You can't control the weather. You can decide how you dress for it. Here are three shifts that help. - **Stop treating it as an emergency.** An emergency is a one-off you respond to and recover from. Weather is a condition you plan around, permanently. Treat your career like you live somewhere it rains, because you do. - **Stop taking it personally.** The decision was made in a room you weren't in, about a line item, not a person. Your worth and your role were never the same thing, even when it felt like they were. - **Start building the security they were never going to hand you.** Skills that travel. A name people know outside the org chart. Relationships you own. A bit of runway. Optionality is the only safety there is now, and the wild part is that nobody can make you redundant from it. The people who do worst in this are the ones who keep waiting for the old normal to come back. It isn't coming back. The sooner you stop scanning the horizon for it, the sooner you can start preparing for the climate you're actually in. ### One thing to do this week Open a blank note. Write down how many months you could survive with no income, today, if the email came tomorrow. Don't fix anything yet. Just look at the number. That number is your real relationship with this new normal, and most people have never once worked it out. Everything else in this series builds from there. **Try this prompt:** ``` Act like a blunt but kind financial organiser. Here are my monthly outgoings, plus any income and savings: [paste]. Work out how many months I could cover with no income starting today. Then show me the three changes that would stretch that runway furthest, ranked from least painful to most. No lecture, just the number and the options. ``` ### 1. Why I Wrote this URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/1-why-i-wrote-this/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:15:40.000Z I've been laid off twice in the last six years. So I'm not writing this from the outside looking in. I'm writing it from the chair you might be sitting in right now. I know the email. The strange quiet afterwards. The 2am maths. The way your own name suddenly feels unfamiliar once the job attached to it disappears. I also do this for a living. I'm a career coach, and I've sat with a lot of people on the worst professional day of their year. So I've seen a layoff from both sides. My own inbox, and the other side of the table, helping someone else find their feet again. Here's what I have noticed. Most of the advice out there is either written by people who've never been through it, or by people who've smoothed all the sharp edges off six months later. It's thin. It's tidy, but it skips the parts that hurt, and the parts that actually help. So I wrote the guide I wish someone had handed me. No toxic positivity. No "everything happens for a reason." Just honest, practical steps for preparing for a layoff, surviving the process, and coming out the other side with your confidence and your options intact. Wherever you are in it, whether you can feel it coming, you're in the middle of it, or you're picking yourself back up, there's something here for you. Start at the beginning, or jump straight to the part you need most. Every section ends with a ready-to-use AI prompt. These aren't gimmicks, but working prompts that turn each step into something you can act on today, from calculating your runway to drafting your negotiation to sanity-checking a dodgy job offer. Copy them, add your details, customise them, and put them to work. I write about work, careers, and staying in charge of your own path every week in my newsletter, [Stuff that MattRs](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/). This guide pulls the layoff-shaped parts into one place. If it's useful, that's where the rest of it lives. I'm sorry you're here, but I'm glad I can help. ### TWIL #130 - Apocalypse Early Warning System URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-130-apocalypse-early-warning-system/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T10:02:52.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about a system that could alert us all to an impending 'Apocalypse' by tracking the private jets of the world! [Apocalypse Early Warning SystemLocal dashboard for monitoring tracked-aircraft concurrent-activity anomaly signals.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-dda08f8a-45c6-4d4e-b54e-e2732009a002.svg)](https://ews.kylemcdonald.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### #74 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/74-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T11:14:10.000Z ### Updates My first week post layoff is completed - and I'm starting to settle into a slightly different rhythm of gardening leave. A few times this week I have felt 'adrift' without the scaffolding of the rhythm of my days, so it's up to me to create my own cadence while I work through what is next. The weather in Dublin has helped, and busying myself with some of the paperwork has been a lot easier in summertime. There was no quiz this week, as we sacrificed our weekly fixture to ensure people could watch England in the football. I also watched the bronze playoff last night which was most enjoyable. On Thursday I went to the [Dublin Barista School](https://dublinbaristaschool.ie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to take their one-day Barista Essentials course, which was a birthday present from Mrs R. It was a LOT of fun, a nice group of people a great tutor and some good learning about coffee. My latte art still leaves a lot to be desired - but I enjoyed the day. On Friday we went to the cinema and saw the incredible new Christopher Nolan directed 'The Odyssey' - it is a nailed on 5\* film, and I urge everyone to try and catch it on an iMax - or at least a big screen while you can. Saturday afternoon we decided to sit down and watch 'Project Hail Mary' which we missed on the big screen (and slightly regret now) - it was a fun film, science fiction with a heart and some excellent special effects It stars one of the handsome Ryans, and is very nearly a perfect movie. **Reading**. I've started Autocorrect by Etgar Keret - a strange set of short stories, vignettes and thought experiments that are a lot of fun and very provoking! ### Recommended Music This week, a more epic listen than last week. The soundtrack to Odyssey is a fantastic production from composer Ludwig Göransson. Running at almost two hours, it captures all the drama of the movie and bought the extraordinary visuals to life. I noticed James Blake pop up a couple of times, and he appears with frequent collaborator Travis Scott in the final credits. It stands alone as a great listen. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Ludwig Göransson - Ormella - Yard Act - Tricky - Turin Brakes - Pye Corner Audio - Juni Habel - ØXN - New Order - Aris Kindt ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/07/lastfm-album-quilt--1-.png) ### #300 - Another 100 ✅ URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/300-another-100/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T05:00:46.000Z *Hey friend! I started Stuff in a ten-week gap after being laid off, looking for somewhere to put the anxiety of not working. At issue #100 I compiled* [*the first Stuff 100*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-100/)*. At #200 I did* [*the next.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/200-another-100/) *My third 100 arrives from a different place. Forty years in the workplace behind me, a fresh redundancy, and this time I'm not job hunting. I'm building something of my own.* *Thank you for being on this journey with me.* ***This is Stuff, I'm still Matt, and normality returns next week.*** 1. The journey is only 1% finished. *The most important Meta meme.* 2. Your job was never your identity. It was a costume. Have a proper look at who's underneath. 3. You already know enough, now it’s time to start. 4. When the external structure disappears, you find out what you were actually made of. 5. Nobody is coming to hand you permission. Write your own. 6. Finding a way to have fun, whilst you are doing the best work of your life is a grail worth fighting for. 7. People think it looks like one thing, [but it can also be very different.](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ryanroslansky%5Fcareer-path-update-sixteen-years-at-linkedin-activity-7336055049233584130-3%5Fsb?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAAAAJ-QMBi9Jeeen6U1P3odIkBh8Jo%5F9nleY) 8. Your attention is the most valuable thing you own. Stop giving it away for free. 9. Buying dinner for friends is an honour. 10. A good coach doesn't give you the map. They help you notice you were holding it. 11. Redundancy is a redirection, not a verdict. 12. Building a system to avoid the work is still avoiding the work. *Guilty. as charged* 13. The best question beats the best answer. *I relearn this every week.* 14. Silence in a conversation is not a gap to fill. It's where the thinking happens. 15. You don't need an opinion on everything. Try "I don't know yet." 16. Enough is a decision, not an amount. 17. Give the feedback. Direct, respectful, honest. [Learn how to do it well.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-feedback-with-the-situation-behavior-impact-model/) 18. Book the thing. The trip, the table, the tickets. Anticipation is half the joy. 19. A tool you built yourself teaches you twice. [Once making it, once using it.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/free-stuff-page-ai-no-code/) 20. Busy is not the same as useful. 21. [Prestige is a lagging indicator.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prestige-is-a-lagging-indicator/) 22. The story you tell yourself becomes the life you live. Tell a better one. 23. Own your platform. Rented land can always be taken back. 24. Three hundred weeks of showing up beats one week of brilliance. 25. Ask ‘what would make this easy?’ before ‘how do I grind through this?’ [Here’s my lesson.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/eliminating-low-value-tasks-using-claude-cowork/) 26. Delete the word 'very'. Find the stronger word hiding underneath. *Do the same with ‘really’.* 27. If you work with friends, it will never feel like work. 28. Confidence is just evidence you've collected about yourself. Go and collect some. 29. The compound interest of small creative acts is absurd. Keep depositing. 30. You can now make software by [describing what you want](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). We live in strange and wonderful times. 31. Nobody remembers the issue you skipped. [They remember that you kept going.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-for-yourself/) 32. You are closer to being a beginner again than you think. *It’s where the fun bit is.* 33. The second half of a career can be the better half if you design it. *Thanks Coach.* 34. Grief and excitement can share the same day. Let them sit at your table. 35. Rest is not a reward for finished work. It is part of the work. 36. Carry the camera. The best one is the one in your hand. 37. The [muscle you build by finishing](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-improve-your-completer-finisher-skills-actionable-insights-from-the-belbin-team-model/) is worth more than the thing you finished. 38. Deadlines are the kindest thing you can give a project. 39. Ship it slightly embarrassed. *Perfect never posts.* 40. Money buys options, not meaning. Spend it on the first, build the second. 41. The tool is not the point. The output is the point. Don't fall in love with the scaffolding. 42. Cut the first paragraph. It was only your warm-up. 43. Build the thing you wish existed. Someone else needs it too. 44. Productivity is often procrastination wearing a suit. 45. Your worth is not measured in output. You are not a machine with a heartbeat. 46. The [calendar you keep for yourself](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-i-use-a-paper-planner/) matters more than the one other people fill. 47. When one chapter ends, resist the urge to start the next one immediately. Take a beat. 48. You will not remember the emails. You **will** remember the walks. 49. Say the kind thing out loud. The unspoken compliment helps no one. 50. A sabbatical you didn't choose can still be a gift you accept. 51. Reach out first. The awkwardness lasts seconds, the connection lasts years. 52. Everyone you envy is fighting something you can't see. 53. Reinvention has no age limits. *Ask me how I know.* 54. Compare yourself to who you were last year, never to a stranger's highlight reel. 55. Do the thing that scares you slightly. 56. Working for yourself means the floor and the ceiling both disappear. Terrifying, **and** glorious. 57. You are allowed to change your mind. It's a sign of thinking, not weakness. 58. Drink the water. Most of your bad afternoons are dehydration in disguise. 59. Strong opinions, loosely held. *Especially the loosely held part.* 60. Taking the photograph is ten percent. Printing it, framing it, living with it, that's the other ninety. 61. Curiosity is an antidote to contempt. 62. The title on your badge is the least interesting thing about you. 63. Listen to understand, not to reply. *Still working on this after 57 years.* 64. Ask one more question than feels comfortable. The gold is usually in the follow-up. 65. Names matter. Learn them, use them, say them right. 66. A limitation is a creative gift. [Learn the theory of constraints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory%5Fof%5Fconstraints?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). 67. Generosity compounds. Give the introduction, share the contact, open the door. 68. The fastest way to learn something is to promise to explain it to someone next week. 69. Write to think, not just to publish. The clarity is the reward. 70. When you catch yourself setting things up for the fourth time, you're hiding. 71. Consistency is a superpower disguised as boredom. 72. Boring writing is usually frightened writing. *Say the true thing.* 73. One reader who feels seen beats a thousand who scrolled past. 74. Turn off the notifications. [All of them.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ditching-your-smartphone-is-it-for-you/) 75. Boredom is where the ideas come to find you. Stop medicating it. 76. Sit in a café with someone you love and watch the world go by. 77. The moment you stop needing more is the moment you become wealthy. 78. Learn the names of the trees on your street. It changes how you walk it. 79. A shared meal is worth three meetings. 80. Be the reason someone feels welcome. 81. Career growth doesn't always come from doing more. [Know what to ignore.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-ignoring-list-an-underrated-career-growth-tool/) 82. Nobody owes you their attention. Earn it every single time. 83. Sleep is the cheapest performance enhancer, and you keep skipping it. 84. Keep saying yes to the boat trip, the balcony, the detour. *Yes, still a theme.* 85. Leave earlier. Arrive calm. It's a gift to everyone, including you. 86. Under-promise on your time and over-deliver on your presence. 87. Learn to solve problems. [Find a simple technique that works.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/solve-problems-at-the-root-with-the-five-whys-technique/)[More](https://www.sessionlab.com/blog/problem-solving-techniques/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). 88. The person in front of you deserves more than the phone in your pocket. 89. Money spent on the people you love is never wasted. 90. Keep a list of the things that went right. [Read it on the bad days.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-recognise-and-overcome-imposter-syndrome/) 91. You have survived every worst day so far. The record is unbeaten. 92. This feeling is weather, not climate. It will move on. 93. When in doubt, choose the braver version of yourself. 94. Most of what we call ambition, is just performance for people we don’t like. 95. Do it now. 'Later' is where good intentions go to die. 96. Fear and excitement are the same physiology. Relabel it. 97. You are the author, not the character. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 98. The skills that won you the old job rarely win the new game. Stay a student. 99. “Sometimes you don’t survive whole. You just survive in part, but the grandeur of life is that attempt.” [Toni Morrison.](https://www.threads.com/@matt.rutherford/post/DazhbbPDmro/media?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 100. Begin again. This is issue 300, and I'm still only getting started. ⠀ The first Stuff 100 are [here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-100/), and the second 100 are [here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/200-another-100/). --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about an undersea roundabout shaped like a jellyfish ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **What advice would you give yourself to look at in 100 weeks time?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #129 - An undersea roundabout URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-129-an-undersea-roundabout/ Last updated: 2026-07-18T05:00:10.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about an undersea 'jellyfish' roundabout... some excellent engineering going on here! [World first under sea roundaboutTHE NEW GIANT UNDERWATER “JELLYFISH” ROUNDABOUT HAS BECOME THE LATEST FAROE ISLANDS TOURIST ATTRACTION![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/sheephead-8d3deb4a-0d92-4a96-a843-574767f5e63c.png)Visit Faroe Islands![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/faroephototunnil_large-4c9cc26d-7580-4459-a1ea-bc6471ceba54.jpg)](https://visitfaroeislands.com/en/plan-your-stay/getting-around/world-first-under-sea-roundabout?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 299 : The Clockspeed Trap URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/299-the-clockspeed-trap/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T05:00:42.000Z *Hey friend! Welcome to new subscribers that joined since last week. It's great to have you here!* ### Stuff I've Written - You synced to your company's pace for years. That borrowed tempo is exactly what makes you decide badly. [Discover the Clockspeed Trap](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-clockspeed-trap/). - From the Archive: [25 career success secrets they don't teach you in business school.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/25-career-success-secrets-you-wont-learn-in-school/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - It's not liking each other or good vibes that makes teams perform, it's being in sync. [The key ingredient for making your team soar](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/a-key-ingredient-for-making-teams-soar?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [How to imagine a better future for yourself.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-imagine-a-better-future-for-yourself?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A fantastic tool to help you picture your future. - [Safe from AI.](https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/11/ai-work-jobs-future-medicine-teaching-hotels-law??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Which jobs will protect you from the future. Related: [Please don't resign from life. ](https://theconvivialsociety.substack.com/p/do-not-resign-from-life) - [Consistent habits in mid-life](https://www.lifehack.org/991480/consistent-habits-in-midlife?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A system that sticks. - [No-one is truly self-made](https://aeon.co/essays/zhuangzi-and-the-case-against-meritocracy?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [What if one word could change how people think?](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-what-if-one-word-could-change-how-people-think?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Fascinating article on the use of language. ### Stuff I'm Linking - [The Reuters Climate Monitor.](https://www.reuters.com/graphics/CLIMATE-AUTOMATED/MONITOR/akpeykqqapr/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A simple visualisation of current weather vs historical records. For you if you're currently sitting with a fan on. - Hear people from all over the world, add your own voice. [VoiceDot.](https://voicedot.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Four Corners.](https://fourcorners.smol.quest/9?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Like the Only Connect wall, or the NYT connections game, but with an added twist of positioning. Simple and Fun to play. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about a 52 year old pot of broth - still going! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **What decisions do you have on your plate right now, and when should you be making those choices?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### The Future of Truth by Werner Herzog URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-future-of-truth-by-werner-herzog/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T17:54:04.000Z I'll begin with my truth, I really like Werner Herzog. He is an interesting chap, who has made some outstanding films and documentaries, [including my absolute favourite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitzcarraldo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I've read a number of his books, and enjoy hearing his 'voice' lift from the page. This tiny book is a hundred pages. Ninety minutes maybe two hours. One enormous question. What is truth, and how do we find it when deepfakes and fake news have wrecked the whole idea? Herzog has been chasing this his entire life. His answer hasn't changed. Facts are the "truth of accountants". Boring. Dead. The real thing is ecstatic. Poetic. Often invented. It hides behind reality instead of sitting on top of it. So he roams. Ramses lying about a battle in ancient Egypt. Potemkin and his fake villages. Scott and Amundsen racing to the Pole. Alien abductions. AI. Herzog's own films, again and again. It's brilliant fun. Reading it feels like a fireside tale from your strangest uncle. At one point, Herzog burns five pages recapping the plot of a Verdi opera then just stops. He admits he can't do the philosophy, then does it anyway. If you want a tidy argument, this will annoy you. I took two key things away. Truth is a verb, not a noun. Herzog treats it as a journey with no arrival. His closing line: truth has no future and no past, but we cannot stop searching. The striving is what gives life meaning. I read it for the voice, not the verdict. This isn't a study. It's a provocation. I enjoyed reading this fierce man saying exactly what he wants. Don't come looking for a definition. He never gives you one, and he knows it. Overall, the book a bit of a mess. Some of the chapters read like blog posts and just finish without conclusion. However, I guarantee you'll walk away from the book with a reinvigorated curiosity for finding and following the truth. ### #73 - From Dublin (via London) URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/73-from-dublin-via-london/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T15:05:49.000Z ### Updates I missed a week - we were travelling in the UK and I had no connection. We had an amazing weekend, involving a wedding at Queen Victorias Summer House, a tattoo, a Tracey Emin exhibition, a walk around Arsenals ground - and loads of sunshine and food in between. In the prior week, we went to see the marvellous Glen Hansard in concert at Trinity College in Dublin. It was a fine evening in the sunshine. In between all of this, [I was formally laid off from Meta](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattrutherford%5Ftoday-is-my-final-day-at-meta-after-55-activity-7480594529448833024-zkqG?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAAAAJ-QMBi9Jeeen6U1P3odIkBh8Jo%5F9nleY). It is bitter sweet - I knew I was going, and it's time, but of course I am sad. I'll be spending the rest of the summer figuring out what is next. The last time I was in between jobs, I started the newsletter, so I'm hoping something equally interesting comes out of this! **Reading**. I finished the Future of Truth by Werner Herzog. I really enjoyed this short read on the nature of truth in a post-truth society. I like the idea of truth being less of a North Star and more of a direction of travel that gives our lives meaning. We need to make sure we are seeing through those that constantly shift what truth is. More complete review to follow. ### Recommended Music This week, something delicate and delightful. 'Evergreen in your mind' is a gentle and beautiful album from Juni Habel a singer/songwriter from Norway. Who has pulled together this gossamer album with simple guitar and vocals. If I had to compare, I'd liken the songs to Nick Drake - or maybe Vashti Bunyan - with a beautiful precision and economy of words. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - ØXN - Scritti Politti - Bela - Jack White - Four Tet (Wingdings) - Black Dog - Ordnance Survey - Joe James - The Parachute Testers - Fink ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/07/lastfm-album-quilt.png) ### The Clockspeed Trap URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-clockspeed-trap/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T14:03:23.000Z The email lands on a Wednesday. By Thursday, people are trying to decide everything. New job or new career. Stay in tech or leave it. Move city. Retrain. Sell the car. Fix the pension. Rebrand themselves on LinkedIn by the weekend. I have watched this up close. Over the past few weeks I have coached a number of people through the [layoffs that also impacted me.](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7480594529448833024/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The pattern is super common. Smart, capable people, trying to make every decision at once, and getting worse outcomes for the effort. The problem is not that they are panicking. The problem is that they are still running at a speed that was never theirs to begin with. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## Every company has a clockspeed Charles Fine, a professor at MIT, wrote a book called [Clockspeed](https://books.google.ie/books/about/Clockspeed.html?id=KlVvQgAACAAJ&redir%5Fesc=y&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) in the late nineties. *Way before I was writing reviews of my favourite business books!* The idea was simple. Every industry and company has an evolutionary pace, a rate at which it churns out new products, new processes, new versions of itself. Some move like fruit flies. Some move like reptiles. The faster the clockspeed, he argued, the more temporary any advantage becomes. Tech runs fast. We all know this. Quarterly cycles. Sprint reviews. Ship, iterate, ship again. Reorgs that land before you have finished absorbing the last one. Spend years inside that and something happens. You synchronise. The company's clockspeed quietly becomes your clockspeed. A week starts to feel like a long time. A month feels like forever. That speed serves the company well. It is the whole point of it. > I've coached this for years, sometimes helping people get up to speed with the company, and sometimes learning when to jump off the wheel and slow down. > And then, if the company lets you go. The job ends. So does its hold on clockspeed. ## Careful thought is the first thing to go You receive the layoff notice with the corporate tempo still humming in your body, and you point it at your own life. Move fast. Decide now. Close every open loop by Friday. > This is the worst possible moment to do that. There is a solid body of research on what scarcity does to the mind. [Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir call it a bandwidth tax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarcity:%5FWhy%5FHaving%5FToo%5FLittle%5FMeans%5FSo%5FMuch?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). When you feel short of something that matters, money, time, security, your attention narrows hard onto the thing you lack. They call it tunnelling. Your focus collapses into the present and pulls away from the future. Working memory and self-control take a measurable hit. *Read that again in the context of a layoff.* The exact moment you most need long-range, careful thinking is the moment your capacity for it is being reduced. Crisis counsellors have known a version of this for a long time. Their standard advice after a shock is blunt. Make as many small daily decisions as you can, to hold on to a sense of control. And, **give the big ones time.** > Fast clockspeed plus a taxed brain is not a recipe for good judgement. It is a recipe for a rushed choice you then have to live with. ## Sort your decisions by their real speed Here is the reframe that I have been using with people. Not every decision runs at the same clockspeed. The mistake is treating them as if they do. So pull them apart. Take everything spinning in your head and sort it into three tempos. - **Today decisions.** Small, reversible, and genuinely useful for a sense of control. Cancel the subscription. Update the CV. Send the two emails you have been avoiding. Do these fast, on purpose, to steady yourself. - **90-day decisions.** The shape of the search. What kind of role. What you will and will not accept. Whether this is a pivot or a continuation. These need thought, not speed. - **12-month decisions.** Identity. City. Whether you even want the life the old job was quietly building for you. These do not get decided in week one. They should not be. Most of the overwhelm I have seen comes from dragging a 12-month decision into a today slot. You do not have to know who you are for the next decade by Friday. You have to update your CV by Friday. Those are not the same task, and pretending they are is what breaks people. > The severance clock is real. The money is real. I am not telling you to drift. I am telling you to match the speed of the decision to the weight of the decision, instead of matching it to a company that has just stopped paying you. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## The one thing to do first Before you decide anything big, decide nothing big. For one week. Write down every decision currently rattling around. All of them. Then put each one in a tempo. Today, 90 days, 12 months. You will almost always find that three or four things genuinely need you now, and the rest have been borrowing an urgency they never actually earned. > The company set your pace for years. It does not get to set it on the way out. ## Ideas. Growth. Clarity. Join 1,200 readers. Practical ideas you'll actually use. I'm in! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Sent every Monday. Leave anytime. ### TWIL #128 - A 52 year old pot of broth URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-128-a-52-year-old-pot-of-broth/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T12:31:38.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about a single pot of broth that has been tended by the same family, for 52 years. [The Thai Beef Noodle Soup That Has Been Continuously Simmering for 52 YearsAs Bangkok rises into the ranks of the world’s great culinary destination cities, its restaurant scene caters to ever more well-heeled travelers. There, you can now visit establishments with not just one, and not just two, but three Michelin stars.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/OC-favicon-300x300-a4e8da18-b713-4bca-924d-1fc84ca37469.png)Open CultureColin Marshall![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-10.54.28-PM-1024x693-a87dc459-83cd-49e7-b3d8-92b8dfccb8c1.png)](https://www.openculture.com/2026/07/the-thai-beef-noodle-soup-that-has-been-continuously-simmering-for-52-years.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 298 : The Polished Ones are the Dangerous Ones URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/298-the-polished-ones-are-the-dangerous-ones/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T05:00:32.000Z *Hey friend! Thanks for the nice response to last weeks newsletter, I'm still writing every week and I'll be linking it here rather than reposting it. I'm all for respecting your inbox. Matt.* ### Stuff I've Written - Job posting scams are on the rise, and are getting more sophisticated every day. [Find out how to spot the scams, and avoid wasting your time.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-polished-ones-are-the-dangerous-ones/) - From the Archive: [The Five-Why's Technique](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/solve-problems-at-the-root-with-the-five-whys-technique/). A simple tool for solving problems. ### Stuff I'm Reading - [People love working hard.](https://www.anildash.com/2026/04/06/people-love-to-work-hard/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Pushback on a common misconception that people want to work less. I think people want things to be easy, so they can work hard. - Great collaboration requires effective communication. [12 Tips & Styles that will help you make connections in the workplace.](https://asana.com/resources/effective-communication-workplace?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Let go.](https://zenhabits.net/past/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A four-step guide from Leo Babauta to help you let go of the past. - [Self-care techniques for when the work gets tough.](https://sps.wfu.edu/articles/tips-to-balance-work-and-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Backed by Science. - [Why are you in such a rush?](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/why-are-you-in-such-a-rush?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) From Sahil Bloom - I like this - [Five dangerous lies that we tell ourselves](https://bigthink.com/mini-philosophy/5-dangerous-lies-we-tell-ourselves-according-to-philosophy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ### Stuff I'm Linking - [Taken](https://sinceyouarrived.world/taken?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A superb illustration of how much information you give away to every website you visit. From the moment I landed on [this page](https://sinceyouarrived.world/taken?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), I shared 34 data points about me. Time to think about a VPN. - [The AI Compass.](https://bambamramfan.github.io/ai-compass/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Fifteen questions that help you find out where you ACTUALLY stand on AI. *I came out as a 'Garage Tinkerer' - which is, I suppose pretty accurate.* **Finally**. [putt.day](https://putt.day/play?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a daily golf game with beautiful pinball like physics where you play against everyone else that day. Loads of Fun. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) what an Otrovert is. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **What about current or past relationship stress holding you back from fulfilling employment?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #127 - What is an 'Otrovert'? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-127-what-is-an-otrovert/ Last updated: 2026-07-05T05:00:33.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned what an 'Otrovert' is - and how they differ from common Extro- and Intro- 'verts' [What is an ‘otrovert?’ The internet is buzzing about themDon’t feel like you fit into any group? Not even personality types like introvert or extrovert? You may be an \\![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/logo-icon-5e2e9ce9-3c16-472e-8a51-20b2477a5af7.png)USA TODAY, USA TODAY![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/90647008007-getty-images-2203569578-46af0231-56f4-48d7-90da-9e8b80900586.jpg)](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2026/06/23/otrovert-personality-type-explained/90645422007/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### The Polished Ones Are the Dangerous Ones URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-polished-ones-are-the-dangerous-ones/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T12:44:33.000Z As someone being made laid-off next week, I have been spending hours back in the job market and researching how it works now. I've already been watching fake recruiters up close. They have changed. The old ones were easy to spot. The new ones are not. I used to spot a fake in two seconds. Too good to be true. Bad grammar. A salary with too many zeros. A stock-photo headshot. The tells were loud enough to bin the message immediately. That era is over. *(Thanks AI!)* They've tidied up the grammar, generated headshots, and now write intros that look better than the real ones. A quick search shows news reports that trace fake recruiters to [North Korea.](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/job-scam-ziprecruiter-linkedin-work-postings-fake-listing-rcna238162?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) They are organised, well-resourced and target people who need work. Right now, a lot of people need work. Desperation is the product they farm. The old advice, watch for typos and dodgy salaries, is worse than useless. It trains you to trust anything that looks clean. The dangerous ones **always** look clean. ### Stop reading the message. Watch the moves. A polished profile proves nothing. A logo proves nothing. A confident tone proves nothing. All of it can be faked in an afternoon. What cannot be faked is intent. A scam has a job to do, and to do it, the person eventually has to make a move. The job description or initial message is set dressing. The move is the tell. There are three. Learn these and you can ignore the rest. ### One: they try to get you off LinkedIn Within a message or two, they want you on WhatsApp. Or Telegram. "Easier to chat here." It is not about convenience. Off-platform there is no paper trail, no report button, no moderation. They need you somewhere with no referee. A real recruiter is happy to stay put or move to a company email. They are not herding you onto an encrypted app before you've seen a job spec. ### Two: they ask for something with value Real hiring asks for your time and your CV. That is it, for a long while. A scam asks for something that can be sold or spent. Bank details "for payroll." Your SSN or PPS number "for the background check." A passport scan. An upfront payment for equipment or a visa. A small "verification" deposit you'll supposedly get back. Another tactic is to get you to buy something, a 'score' for your application or a guide to getting the job that has been reposted or scraped by them. Often its an out of date or expired role. [Some of these companies ARE pseudo-legit](https://www.reddit.com/r/jobs/comments/1p1md83/is%5Fjobtogether%5Fa%5Fscam%5Fi%5Fsee%5Fa%5Fton%5Fof%5Feasy%5Fapply/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). You won't get it back. Nobody credible asks for any of this **before** an interview. ### Three: they manufacture urgency The window is closing and another candidate is circling. They need your decision today, before you've spoken to a single human. Pressure is their friend because thinking is yours. A job offer with no interview is not a lucky break. It is the whole con. ### The two-minute habit Before you reply with anything personal, take and breath and check - Think about whether it is likely that a recruiter in your field, at a company you admire would have no-one in common with you. - Reverse the photo. Drop their picture into [Google Image Search](https://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&authuser=0&ogbl&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Stolen headshots surface under a different name fast. - Read the domain character by character. Scammers love a lookalike address. One recent case turned on an email a single character off the real one, and the target, a cybersecurity pro, nearly missed it. - Find the role at the source. Go to the company careers page and look for the job. No listing, no job. - Reach the real human. Find an actual recruiter at that company on LinkedIn and confirm. The real ones thank you for checking. Anyone can SAY they work at a recruitment company on LinkedIn or in an email footer. ### You know all of this. So why do smart people still fall for it? It's back to the desperation. Because after months of searching, a recruiter with a great role feels like the universe finally noticing you. You want it to be real. That wanting is the vulnerability, and the scam aims straight at it. The fix is not cynicism about every message. Plenty of real recruiters reach out, and treating them all as frauds will cost you. The fix is to split the hope from the check. Feel the excitement. Then run the checks anyway, because you're excited. A real opportunity survives two minutes of scrutiny. A fake one does not. Pick the next recruiter message in your inbox and run the checks now, while it's safe. Build the reflex before you need it. If you want the rest of the system, it's in my [JobHunt Playbook](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The scammers stopped looking like scammers a while ago. So stop looking at how they look. Watch what they ask you to do. --- **Sources:** Reuters, [crypto workers under siege from North Korean hackers](https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2025-09-04/exclusive-its-scary-crypto-workers-under-siege-from-north-korean-hackers?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (Sept 2025). NBC News, [job scams on LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/job-scam-ziprecruiter-linkedin-work-postings-fake-listing-rcna238162?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (Oct 2025). ### 297 : What are you ACTUALLY building? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/297-what-are-you-actually-building/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T05:00:51.000Z *Hey friend. I'm taking things back to my roots. Stuff started out as a link newsletter, and I know how much you love finding interesting things.* ### Stuff I've Written - You don't build a reputation in the future. You build it today, in the choices when no-one is watching. [What are you actually building?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/what-are-you-actually-building/) - [28 sidequests worth taking](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/28-side-quests-worth-taking/), and why the [sidequest is important](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/). ### Stuff I'm Reading - [Your job is changing faster than you think](https://www.elenaverna.com/p/youll-lose-your-job-in-2027?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), but it's not too late to do something about it. - The interview question that trips up a lot of people, here's how to answer it well. [Why did you leave your last job?](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/25/this-red-flag-interview-response-could-knock-you-out-of-the-running-career-expert.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Five ways to pace yourself to big goals](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five%5Fways%5Fto%5Fpace%5Fyourself%5Fto%5Fachieve%5Fambitious%5Fgoals?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How to manage your energy to your ambitions. - [The habit that kills your productivity.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202604/the-habit-you-dont-realize-is-hurting-your-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Another argument against doing too much. - [Career Advice from the Sports World](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/take-5-career-advice-from-the-sports-world?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Five great tips for getting ahead in competitive fields. - [Eight hobbies that keep your mind sharp.](https://www.realsimple.com/hobbies-to-keep-your-brain-sharp-11977075?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Stuff I'm Linking - [Uncovered](https://uncovered.ink/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Judge a book by its writing. Tinder for readers. - [Never have a bad day again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtY9Sy%5FxVbc&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- this video explains how. **Finally**. [4x3\. A daily connection game](https://www.hankgreen.com/fourbythree?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) with a slight twist, one word appears in all four categories. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about five islands that you CANNOT visit. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **What's the one thing you've been doing on autopilot that deserves a conscious decision: either commit to it properly, or stop doing it altogether?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #72 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/72-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T13:59:48.000Z ### Updates A beautiful week in Dublin - shirtsleeve weather all week, and the beach in Killiney was packed out most evenings. The interminable lay-off process is continuing, and things are starting to look clearer now. I'll definitely be leaving Meta, and I'm making plans about what is next as I go. Highlight of the week was a trip to Marlay Park to see The Cure playing on Friday night. It was a stunning evening, 40000 people enjoying the park with the Cure coming on stage at 20.30\. Over two hours later, wed had a journey through their discography and an awful lot of fun along the way. My pictures are [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/DaFZlGPDO6H/?img%5Findex=1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Quiz night was a loss for us this week - a tough evening, but we'll be bouncing back next week. The Mighty Atoms are mid-table at the mid-point of the season, so we're OK. **Reading**. I started The Future of Truth by Werner Herzog this week and I'm enjoying the first few chapters. ### Recommended Music This week, something new. 'Now Claims My Timid Heart' is the new album from Aris Kindt, a US based duo named for a criminal captured in a Rembrandt painting. These are ambient, downtempo soundscapes with a complex, cinematic sound. I've had this on repeat this week, and I urge you to give it a try. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - The Cure - Ordnance Survey - The Twilight Sad - Turin Brakes - Placebo - Pye Corner Audio - Aris Kindt - Thomas Feiner - Gem Club - Beth Orton ### 28 Side Quests Worth Taking URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/28-side-quests-worth-taking/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T13:24:20.000Z Nobody tells you to go on a [side quest](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/). That's the whole point. A side quest has no deliverable. No ROI. No deadline and nobody to answer to. It's a thing you do because something in you said *that looks interesting* and you listened. As I [wrote previously](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/), side quests are where a lot of great things happen. The new skill that became a hobby. The walk that became a ritual. The conversation that shifted something. None of it was planned. These 28 are low cost, low stakes, and deliberately varied. Pick one. Give it a go this week. --- ### Learn something 1. Master a card trick properly 2. Learn 10 words in a language you'd never normally study 3. Watch a documentary on a subject you know absolutely nothing about 4. Spend an hour on a Wikipedia rabbit hole with no destination in mind ([use this site to find something new](https://wikitok.vercel.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) ### Make something 1. Bake a loaf of bread from scratch 2. Write a short story in one sitting 3. Build something from wood with only hand tools 4. Draw a portrait of someone you love, badly on purpose ### Explore your environment 1. Walk every street in your neighbourhood you've never been down 2. Find the oldest building within 5km of your home 3. Visit a local museum you've been meaning to go to for years 4. Stop somewhere you've always driven past but never actually visited ### Connect with people 1. Call someone you haven't spoken to in over a year 2. Go to a club or group meeting for something you know nothing about 3. Introduce yourself properly to a neighbour you've never really spoken to ### Challenge yourself quietly 1. Do a full day with no phone after 9am 2. Wake up an hour earlier for a week and see what you do with the time 3. Eat only home-cooked food for two weeks 4. Walk somewhere instead of getting in a car or bus ### Notice things differently 1. Sit in a public space for 30 minutes and just watch people 2. Go somewhere familiar and try to spot five things you've never noticed before 3. Listen to an album from start to finish with no distractions ### Start something tiny 1. Keep a one-sentence diary for 30 days 2. Start a collection of literally anything ([here's mine](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 3. Plant something and keep it alive for six months ### One for luck 1. Write a letter to your past self and post it to your own address 2. Learn the name of one tree, one bird, and one wildflower near where you live 3. Stay up late enough to see a sunrise, outside, with no phone --- None of these will transform your life. However, if you're like me, you'll sometimes get the sense that your days have got a bit too predictable. Same loops, same apps, same stimulation. Side quests are small ways to break that pattern. Pick one. See what happens. ### TWIL #126 - Islands you can't visit. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-126-islands-you-cant-visit/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T11:24:47.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about five islands you cannot visit - and why they are forbidden. [5 Isolated Islands That Are Strictly Forbidden (And Why)Some islands are off-limits for a reason. From deadly snakes to protected Indigenous territory, here are five places you’re not allowed to visit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/MFFavicon_216ef394-60ef-4fac-9984-97a8819af760_400x-851d4401-17a8-4db0-a451-00f2fd47eb70.png)Mental FlossNitya Rao![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/01kvv7x8ntf1z071h1bf-d7325050-3ee4-4047-b4b0-0a829b0a3026.jpg)](https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/islands-you-cant-visit?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### What are you ACTUALLY building? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/what-are-you-actually-building/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T10:57:43.000Z Four weeks ago, this series started with a simple claim: [consistency compounds](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-compound-effect-of-showing-up/). Then we looked at what it takes to [keep going when motivation disappears](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-when-its-hard/), the [difference between presence and performance](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-difference-between-presence-and-performance/), and why [showing up for yourself](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-for-yourself/) is the foundation that makes everything else work. > All of those posts were about choices. This one is about **what** those choices are building, right now, whether you're thinking about it or not. ### The Mirror Question If someone who doesn't know you personally were to observe the last six months of your work, what would they conclude? Not the LinkedIn profile. Not what your CV says. Not the version of yourself you present in interviews. Just the evidence. The meetings you attended and the ones you skipped. The commitments you kept and the ones that slid. The conversations you had and the ones you avoided. The energy you brought and the energy you left at home. > What story would the evidence tell? This might feel very comfortable, but it's the most honest question I'll ask. ### You Don't Get a Future Reputation Here's the thing many people don't think about: you don't build a reputation in the future. You build it **today**. In the tiny choices. The email you send at the end of a long day. The meeting where you checked out because the topic didn't affect you directly. The colleague who asked for help and got half your attention. The project you delivered that was good enough but not what you're capable of. These are minor moments, and all of them are data points in the story other people are assembling about you. And that assembly happens continuously, not at review time, not when you're trying. > The gap between "the reputation I'm building" and "the reputation I want" is filled with moments you might think didn't count. ### Three Trajectories Most people's careers fall into one of three patterns. Recognising which one you're in is more useful than any development plan. **The drift (or plateau).** You started with intention. Somewhere along the way, the intention dissolved into routine. You still show up, still do the work, still meet the basic expectations. Nothing is wrong but nothing is building either. You're not declining OR growing. You're coasting, and the distance between where you are and where you could be gets a little wider each month. The drift is the most common pattern and the hardest to notice from the inside. It feels like stability. From the outside, it looks like someone who's given up without admitting it. **The performance loop.** You're working hard. Visibly hard. The effort is real. The output is real. What's missing is development. You're doing the same kind of work, at the same level, with the same approach, and you're very good at it. The problem is that being good at the thing you already know how to do isn't growth. It's maintenance. The performance loop feels like progress because it's exhausting. Exhaustion and growth are not the same thing. **The compound build.** 0.1% better every day. Each month adds something. Not dramatically. Not always visibly. A deeper relationship. A sharper skill. A clearer sense of what you're good at and where you want to point it. The compound build doesn't feel exciting most of the time. It feels like patience. It looks, from the outside, like someone who just keeps getting better, and from the inside, like someone who just keeps showing up. > Which one are you in? Be honest. The trajectory you're on today is the one you'll be on in twelve months unless something changes. ### The Choices That Shape It Your trajectory isn't determined by your talent, your opportunity, or your luck. It's determined by a handful of repeated choices that feel like nothing in isolation and everything in accumulation. - **What you do with the time nobody's managing.** The hour between meetings. The afternoon when the urgent work is done. The ten minutes before the day starts. What you do with unstructured time reveals what you're actually building. If the answer is "nothing intentional," that's a trajectory, just not one you'd choose. - **How you respond to feedback.** Not the formal kind. The informal signals. The email that didn't get a reply. The project that was reassigned without explanation. Every piece of feedback, explicit or implicit, is an invitation to adjust. Whether you accept the invitation or ignore it shapes your trajectory more than the feedback itself. - **Where you invest your development.** Are you getting better at the thing you already do, or are you building capability you don't have yet? The former keeps you competitive. The latter makes you valuable in ways your current role can't predict. The best careers find a way to do both, leaning on existing strengths while reaching toward new territory. - **Whether you reflect.** The examined career is the intentional one. Five minutes at the end of a week asking "what did I build this week?" is more valuable than a quarterly review. Not because the review doesn't matter. Because by the time the review arrives, the trajectory is already set. ### A Final Invitation This series has been about the least glamorous truth in professional life: showing up matters more than showing off. Consistency beats brilliance. Presence beats performance. The things you do when nobody's watching matter more than the things you do when everyone is. You don't need to change everything. You don't need a new strategy, a fancy system or a better plan. You need to look at what you're actually doing, this week, in the ordinary moments, and decide whether it's the thing you want to compound. If you put in the effort, it will compound. Whatever you're building right now, through habit and default and choice, is the foundation of whatever comes next. The only question is whether you're building it on purpose. > ***If you looked at the evidence of the last six months alone, what career are you actually building?*** ### 296 : What has Dropped Off your Calendar? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/296-what-has-dropped-off-your-calendar/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T05:00:20.000Z Everyone knows they should invest more in themselves. Exercise. Learning. Meditation. The creative project that has nothing to do with work and everything to do with who they actually are. Everyone also knows exactly what happened to those things. They slid off the calendar one week at a time, replaced by things that felt more urgent and less personal. Not dramatically. Gradually. Until you struggle to answer the question "what do you do for fun?" The cost is a gradual flattening. A narrowing of who you are into who you are at work. It creates a specific vulnerability that most people don't see until it's too late: when the work stops going well, there's nothing else to stand on. There is something hiding inside the things you do for yourself. They often turn out to be more valuable than **anything** on your development plan. The connections aren't obvious, but they are real. I've seen them play out in the most successful operators who give themselves permission to spend time on their hobbies. The permission problem isn't about time, it's about protection. > Read : [**Showing Up for Yourself**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-for-yourself/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [Leadership Skills for every level](https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/soft-skill-development-the-human-skills-needed-for-success-at-every-leader-level/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I'm a firm believer that everyone needs to know how to lead, wherever they are in their career. - Take a step towards less 'overwhelm'. [Complete a brain dump this week and get a handle on your priorities. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-the-brain-dump/) - [Powerful Asymmetries](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-most-powerful-asymmetries-in-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Sahil Bloom shows us where a little effort, can get an outsized return. - [How to manage multiple goals and competing priorities](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FV6HqRQEV4&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (YouTube). Excellent short video from Leo Babauta - [Your brain wasn't designed for this much bad news](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260614012006.htm?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A scientific reason to manage your news intake carefully. - [Is AI profitable yet?](https://isaiprofitable.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The short answer is no, but it doesn't look like many companies (apart from one) are making much money from the 'boom' yet. **Finally**. [VocabOwl](https://vocabowl-870366514258.us-west1.run.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Take this simple 10-minute test to see how many words you know. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) how World Cup Footballs are made. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **What have you stopped doing for yourself in the last two years that you'd restart tomorrow if someone gave you permission?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #71 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/71-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T13:59:47.000Z ### Updates We flew back to Dublin last night - four weeks in Spain has been perfect to recharging a little bit as I move into the last phase of the consultation process for my role at Meta. The heatwave over Western Europe looks like it will really take shape over the next few days, and my apartment in Spain is expecting temperatures of 37/38c so we picked a reasonable time to come back to a bright, sunny Dublin. On the flight back, I started watching the 'Star City' a new series on Apple TV that shows an alternative timeline for the moon landings. In this version, the Russians landed first, and the story tells of the machinations and intrigue of the Russian Space Programme in the late 60's - excellent stuff so far. Quiz Night - a second consecutive win on the bounce for my team, puts is in a more healthy place in the table as we reach about the halfway stage of this season. **Reading**. I ordered a bunch of new books which are now on my 'to be read' pile, I need to decide what to read first! ### Recommended Music This week, something new that was recommended to me. Emerald Press is a short album (35 mins) by Gem Club, a band from the US formed by Christopher Barnes. It's a little hard to describe, but piano led, electronica with some vocals. From their instagram account: 'Ten songs - animated by love and loss, devotion and erasure - exercises in the cost of committing oneself to another or to what we thought we would be.' These are intimate, gentle pieces where the voice isn't the key part of what you listen to. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Gem Club - Turin Brakes - The Veils - Fink - Mark Borrow - Momoko Gill - Marconi Union - Exit North - Arab Strap - Federica Jusid ### Showing Up for Yourself URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-for-yourself/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T11:23:01.000Z Over the last few weeks, I've been writing about what it means to show up consistently. The [compound effect](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-compound-effect-of-showing-up/) of doing it. What it looks like [when it's hard](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-when-its-hard/). The [difference between presence and performance](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-difference-between-presence-and-performance/). All of that was about how you show up for your work. For your team. For your career. This week is about the showing up that people often deprioritise: showing up for **yourself**. ### The Things That Get Pushed You know *exactly* what they are. The training you've been meaning to do. The exercise that used to be part of your routing and somehow became optional. The creative project that has nothing to do with your job and everything to do with who you are. The relationships outside of work that you keep meaning to invest in. These things sit [permanently in the category ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/eisenhower-prioritisation/)of "important, not urgent." They don't scream for attention. They never miss a deadline because they never had one. They just quietly disappear from your week, one day at a time, replaced by things that feel more pressing and less personal. Many people I work with can name at least three things they've stopped doing for themselves in the last two years (for me - it's meditation and daily reading). When I ask why, the answer is almost always the same: "I just don't have time." > They have time and they have chosen to spend it elsewhere. And that choice, repeated weekly for long enough, has a cost that doesn't show up until the bill is too large to ignore. ### The Slow Erosion The cost of not showing up for yourself doesn't show up as a crisis. It arrives as a gradual flattening. A narrowing of who you are into who you are at work. Your conversations become about work. Your energy is rationed for work. Your identity becomes so intertwined with your professional role that when someone asks "what do you do for fun?" you have to think about it, and the answer sounds like something from three years ago. This isn't dramatic and it creates a specific kind of vulnerability: *when the work stops going well, there's nothing else to stand on.* I've coached people through redundancies, restructures, and career pivots. The ones who recover fastest, almost without exception, were the ones who had something outside of work that reminded them who they were. A skill they developed for no professional reason. These things didn't fix the problem. They provided a foundation that the problem couldn't reach. > People who build their entire identity around their work are the ones who struggle longest. Not because they lack resilience, but because they gradually remove everything that resilience can draw from. ### Investing in your hobbies There's something important hiding in the things you do 'just' for yourself. They often turn out to be more valuable than anything on your career development plan. The manager who runs marathons isn't just fit. They understand what it takes to commit to something for months before seeing results. This patience shows up in how they lead. The developer who plays guitar isn't just musical. They've learned to improvise within constraints, to listen to what others are doing, and to contribute without dominating. That skill shows up in how they collaborate. The analyst who writes a newsletter isn't just creative. They've practised making complex ideas accessible, structuring a narrative, and holding a reader's attention. That ability shows up in how they communicate. These connections aren't forced. They're real. The skills you develop outside of work transfer in ways you can't predict when you start. That's the point. The return on personal investment isn't linear or planned. It's emergent. > You don't know how the personal investment will show up in your professional life until it does. In my experience, it nearly always does. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ### The Permission Problem Most people know they should invest more in themselves. The knowledge isn't the issue. The permission is. Along the way, many people absorb the idea that personal time is earned through professional achievement. That you need to hit certain milestones before you're "allowed" to invest in yourself. That spending a weekday evening on a personal project when there's still work to do is somehow irresponsible. This framework is backwards. You don't earn the right to personal investment through professional success. Personal investment is what makes sustained professional success possible. It's not a reward. It's a foundation. The people who show up for themselves aren't less committed to their work. They're *differently* committed. They bring more to the table because they have more to bring. Their thinking is wider because their life is wider. > Their resilience is stronger because their identity doesn't rest on a single pillar. ### A Practical Audit If you're not sure whether you've been showing up for yourself, try this. - **What did you do this month that had nothing to do with work?** Not rest. Not recovery from work. Something actively chosen because you wanted to, not because you needed to. If the answer takes more than five seconds, that's your answer. - **What have you stopped doing in the last two years?** Make the list. Then ask yourself honestly: did you stop because you chose to, or because you let it slide? There's a meaningful difference between deliberately letting go of something that no longer serves you and passively losing something you still care about. - **What would you do with one protected hour per week?** Not an hour you "find" by being more productive. An hour you protect by saying no to something else. If you can name the thing immediately, you know what you're missing. If you can't, you might have been away from yourself longer than you thought. The content of the hour matters less than the decision to protect it. Showing up for yourself starts with treating your own development, interests, and wellbeing as non-negotiable. ### **The Return** This isn't self-care advice dressed up as career strategy. It's an observation from thirty years of watching people build their careers. The ones who lasted, the ones who were still engaged and effective and interesting to be around, were the ones who never stopped showing up for themselves. They kept reading things that had nothing to do with their industry. They kept learning skills that had no obvious professional application. They kept relationships alive that existed purely because they enjoyed them. They arrived at work each day as a whole person, not a depleted function. And that wholeness made their careers sustainable. You can't show up well for others if you've stopped showing up for yourself. And the things you keep pushing to "when I have time" are often the things that make your time worth something. > ***What would your week look like if you treated one personal commitment with the same seriousness you give your most important work meeting?*** ### TWIL #125 - FIFA World Cup Footballs URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-125-fifa-world-cup-footballs/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T10:51:49.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned how Official FIFA World Cup Footballs are made - they seem so simple, but definitely aren't! ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 295 : Are you showing up, or performing? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/295-are-you-showing-up-or-performing/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T05:00:55.000Z One version of 'showing up' is performance: a packed calendar and late-night messages that signal status without building value. Genuine presence is a quieter skill. It belongs to the person whose contributions sharpen the conversation and ensure work gets done. From the inside, performing presence feels productive because it’s exhausting. Real presence often feels less impressive; it involves deep thought, selective participation and the confidence to stay silent when you have nothing to add. To distinguish between the two, ask: *if you stepped away for two weeks, what would actually break?* The delta between what people miss seeing you do and what stops working is the gap between performance and presence. The most valuable professionals focus on outcomes over activities. I’ve outlined their approach and three tests to evaluate your own impact. Read : [**The Difference Between Presence and Performance**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-difference-between-presence-and-performance/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [How leaders demotivate top talent.](https://admiredleadership.substack.com/p/what-leaders-do-that-demotivates) Are you making this key mistake in your leadership? - [Curiosity = Knowledge.](https://navalsarchive.substack.com/p/specific-knowledge-is-found-by-following) Some wisdom from Naval Ravikant - [Navigating change calmly.](https://zenhabits.net/transitions/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Zen Habits explains how to manage life transitions with grace. - [Writing down your goals makes you 42% more successful.](https://halopsychology.com/2025/01/13/goal-setting-strategies-for-success/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A useful reminder that success starts at the first step of defining your goals. My guide on [building great goals is here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) - Working from home? [Here's research on how to avoid making common mistakes.](https://crowdmindatlas.com/research/work-from-home-setup-mistakes/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [CEOs who think AI replaces employees](https://www.techdirt.com/2026/06/09/ceos-who-think-ai-replaces-their-employees-are-just-bad-ceos/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), are bad CEOs. A great explanation of AI psychosis in action. **Finally**. [Bored Spreadsheet](https://boredspreadsheet.com/workbook?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Microgames disguised as spreadsheets to make it look like you aren't taking a break! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about global fungi networks! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **How much of your last working week was about being seen, and how much was about making something genuinely better?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #70 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/70-from-spain/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T10:23:54.000Z ### Updates *I'm still in Spain - the warm weather is doing a good job.* Entering our final week in Spain, and once again my time has mostly been absorbed in the layoff process from my role. Alongside the consultation process, I've also been helping others that are impacted by running some coaching sessions to help people navigate their next steps and process the emotions that come out of this kind of event. It's been a massively rewarding way to give back something to a group that have been impacted, and I've been enjoying it. Alongside work - we took an afternoon in nearby Cartagena for tapas and a stroll around the ancient city - its a lovely place to visit and only 30 minutes away from our place. On Wednesday I played for the quiz team and we had a decent result to reverse a few weeks of narrow losses, I was pleased to contribute well to the scoring. **Reading**. Still searching for something to read next - I enjoyed John of John and it's taken me a while to process that story. ### Recommended Music This week, the new album from Japanese post-rock group 'Mono'. Snowdrop is packed full of complex arrangements, with strings and piano melding with the guitar led sound of the four-piece. The result is some beautiful building anthems. I went to see Mono earlier this year in Dublin, and they are an excellent act live - this album just adds to the catalogue of massive tracks that they can perform. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Bedouine - Thomas Feiner - Poppy Ackroyd - Laura Misch - Dry Cleaning - Mono - Marsheaux - Thomas Bangalter - Fink - Interpol ### TWIL #124 - Global Fungi Network URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-124-global-fungi-network/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T09:02:48.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about a global network of fungi, that would span 10% of the Milky Way. [Earth’s underground fungal network is so massive, it would span 10% of the Milky Way, map revealsThe first global map of subterranean fungi networks reveals how massive its reach is worldwide.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/ze6kddeaxb1774625505-164d3d40-98e9-4100-97bd-eded9a75f967.png)Live ScienceSophie Berdugo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/omrVzJB7757vssv4fztbiJ-2560-80-8913660e-af37-4595-8a21-88094da704e7.png)](https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/plants/earths-underground-fungal-network-is-so-massive-it-would-span-10-percent-of-the-milky-way-map-reveals?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### The Difference Between Presence and Performance URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-difference-between-presence-and-performance/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T12:16:44.000Z You've seen them. The person who's in every meeting, visible on every initiative, always the first to volunteer and the last to leave. Presence as performance, activity as evidence. And then you've seen the person who's in fewer meetings, less visible, less loud. When they are in the room, the conversation sharpens. When they commit to something, it gets done. When they're absent, people notice the gap, not the noise. Both of these people are "showing up." Only one of them is building something. ### Visibility Theatre Modern workplaces reward visibility in ways that have very little to do with contribution. The open direct message at 10pm. The calendar packed so tightly that availability itself becomes a status symbol. The project update that could have been a sentence but became a presentation because presentations feel like work. None of this is necessarily dishonest. Most people who engage in visibility theatre don't know they're doing it. They've become absorbed a workplace culture that equates being seen with being valued, and they're responding rationally to the incentives in front of them. > The problem is that visibility and value are different currencies. You can spend an entire career optimising for the first and building very little of the second. The people around you will often struggle to tell the difference in real time. Over longer timescales, they **always** can. ### Three Tests Worth Running If you're not sure whether you're showing up with presence or performing presence, these questions will help you. *If they feel uncomfortable, then thats a good sign that they are useful.* - **The invisibility test.** If you stopped doing what you do for two weeks and said nothing about it, what would break? Not "what would people miss seeing you do." What would actually stop working? The gap between those two answers tells you how much of your showing up is contribution and how much is positioning. - **The consistency test.** Do you show up the same way in the meeting with your team as you do in the meeting with the executive? Same preparation. Same energy. Same quality of thinking. If your effort scales with the seniority of the audience, you might be performing presence rather than practising it. - **The contribution test.** After any meeting, project, or collaboration, can you point to what specifically changed because of YOUR impact? Not what you said, but what changed. If the answer is regularly "not much, they would have reached the same conclusion without me," your presence might be more about you being there than about anything being different because you were. ### Why Performance Is Seductive Performing presence feels productive, and that's what makes it dangerous. You finish the day exhausted, your calendar full, your inbox managed, your visibility high. It ticks every box that modern work culture has taught you to care about. Genuine presence often feels less impressive from the inside. It might mean sitting in one meeting instead of four and actually thinking about the problem. It might mean saying "I don't have anything to add" and meaning it. It might mean working on something for three hours with nothing to show for it yet, because the thinking hasn't finished. This kind of showing up doesn't perform well. It doesn't look busy. It doesn't generate the reassuring signals that tell you and everyone around you that you're earning your seat. > What it does is create actual value. And over time, that value becomes the only kind of reputation that matters. ### The Quiet Builders In every organisation I've worked in, the most valuable people were rarely the most visible ones. They were the people who did the thinking that made the visible work possible. The ones who asked the question that reframed the entire project. The ones whose preparation was invisible because by the time the meeting started, their thinking had already shaped the agenda. These people tend to share a few characteristics worth noting. - **They're selective about where they show up.** Not everything deserves their full attention. They've learned that saying no to one meeting means saying yes to deeper work somewhere else. This looks like disengagement to people who equate presence with calendars. It's actually the opposite. - **They're comfortable with silence.** In meetings, they speak when they have something that actually changes the direction of the conversation. The rest of the time, they listen. This takes more confidence than speaking, because silence in most workplace cultures is read as disengagement or uncertainty. - **They focus on outcomes, not activities.** Their updates sound like "this is what changed" rather than "this is what I did." The difference seems subtle. It reveals everything about whether someone is oriented toward contribution or visibility. - **They invest in depth.** Generalists can show up everywhere. The quiet builders show up fewer places and go deeper in each one. Over time, this depth becomes the thing that makes them irreplaceable, because deep understanding is the one thing that can't be performed. ### Finding Your Balance This isn't an argument against visibility. Being invisible doesn't serve or grow your career. The work doesn't speak for itself, no matter how much we wish it did. You need to be seen, known, and understood by the people whose decisions affect your trajectory. The question is whether your visibility is a byproduct of your contribution or a substitute for it. The best careers I've watched find a way to be both present and visible without *performing* either. They show up where it matters, contribute when they have something that moves the conversation forward, and let their track record do the marketing that most people try to do with their calendar. It's a harder balance than it sounds. The incentives in most organisations push toward performance, not presence. The people who resist that push, quietly, consistently, over years, are the ones who end up building careers that last. Presence is a choice. Performance is a habit. Know which one you're practising. > *What would change about your working week if you only showed up in the places where your presence actually made a difference?* ### 294 : The Days You Don't Feel Like It URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/294-the-days-you-dont-feel-like-it/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T05:01:56.000Z Some days you don't feel like it. The alarm goes off and the thought of another day doing the same thing feels too heavy. It's not burnout, and it's not a crisis. This is the moment that separates the people who build something from those who *almost* did. Not the dramatic moment. The quiet one, where nobody would notice if you just showed up a little less. The motivation industry ($$$) doesn't tell you that feeling motivated is a terrible fuel source. It burns hot and runs out fast. People who build careers over decades aren't just more motivated. Those people found a way to work when the well runs dry. That doesn't mean pushing through everything. It means knowing the difference between a bad day and a bad pattern, and having a practical toolkit for working with both. One tool is super simple, and I believe it works for a reason. Read : [**Showing Up When It's Hard**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-when-its-hard/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [Get paid more](https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-successfully-negotiate-a-salary-increase/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How to successfully negotiate a salary increase, excellent structured advice for a tough conversation. - [The Clarity Curve](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-clarity-curve-a-mental-model-for-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A smart mental model for life. - [Home Alone](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aec7671?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#05296f92-612d-4282-b110-adf1c7c41349). Scientific research into the mental health impact of remote working. - [Get Smarter](https://bakadesuyo.com/2026/03/smarter-thinking/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Four secret ways to improve your thinking. - [How to introduce people](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hikabir%5Fhow-to-introduce-peoplewithout-wasting-ugcPost-7238727129012609024-BzD3/?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAAAAJ-QMBi9Jeeen6U1P3odIkBh8Jo%5F9nleY). The art of making an introduction without wasting anyones time. - [The Cost of Not Knowing](https://www.thecostof.fyi/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Find out how much some of your habits cost you. You might be shocked at how the morning social media scroll adds up. **Finally**. [Eyeball](https://eyeball.rory.codes/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). If you are good at judging distances, this one is for you. So simple and yet so addictive! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about tube beavers! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **What's one thing you'd still be doing right now if you hadn't let a difficult period convince you to stop?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #69 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/69-from-spain/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T08:30:49.000Z ### Updates *I'm still in Spain - the warm weather is doing a good job.* We spent a couple of days in Almeria this week, a nice hotel, some excellent Tapas and an afternoons relaxation in a spa hotel. Just what the therapist ordered! I **am** working while in Spain, but the majority of my time has been engaged with the consultation process for my role. It's not fun, but it's important that I get clarity on the questions I have, and understand how the lay-off process works. I've come to peace with the fact that I'll probably be leaving Meta, and I've coached myself into seeing the opportunity that gives me. The rhythm of our life in Spain is different to Ireland, we get up a bit later, have slower mornings and then I can work from about 11am local time until meetings are finished. I can squeeze in time for writing and planning in those important morning hours when my mind is at its best. **Reading**. I finished the excellent John of John by Douglas Stuart, and I have no other book with me - I think it's time to connect the Kindle back up! ### Recommended Music This week, the return of a previous favourite - with the new album by Fink. "The City is Coming to Erase It All" is the new release from Fin Greenall, an English singer and songwriter. I've been a fan for a while, and love the laid back, slightly blues-y voice - and the finger picking guitar style. This is sophisticated stuff, with great lyrics - and a couple of memorable tracks. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Brigitte calls me Baby - Pantha Du Prince - Boards of Canada - Radiohead - Hammock - E. R. Thorpe - Fink - Jalen Ngonda - Mono - Black Dog ### TWIL #123 - Tube Beavers URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-123-tube-beavers/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T06:56:31.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that beavers have been drafted in to fix the London Underground. [Beavers could protect a tube station from floodingBeavers are to be reintroduced to a woodland in west London, and their water management of the landscape could reduce flooding at a nearby tube station.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-9ce7dcb808ce6a1fb25dcaf48f7673423d9fc3f4ddb99f3d23a89440791c6c71.ico)ianVisitsChris Harry says:![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/niklas-hamann-DqMA8B7f7pQ-unsplash-beaver-6026a37f159b462e0ae07763d146d040a4dc7cf605ef9d455d667768dc3b98e8.jpg)](https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/beavers-could-protect-a-tube-station-from-flooding-60487/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Showing up when its Hard URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/showing-up-when-its-hard/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T14:21:10.000Z *Last week ago I wrote about the* [*compound effect of showing up*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-compound-effect-of-showing-up/)*. The key assumption was a convenient one: that you feel like showing up.* Some days you don't. The alarm goes off and the thought of another day doing the same thing feels heavy. The meeting you prepared for doesn't feel worth the effort. The project that excited you three months ago now sits in your task list like a stone. This isn't burnout, necessarily. It's not a crisis. It's the ordinary, unremarkable reality of doing anything for long enough that the novelty has completely worn off. It's also the moment that separates the people who build something from the people who almost did. ### The Myth around Motivation There is an entire industry built around motivation. Morning routines. Inspirational quotes. Podcast episodes about finding your passion and letting it drive you. Here's what nobody in that industry will tell you: motivation is a terrible fuel source. It burns hot and runs out fast. If your ability to show up depends on feeling motivated, you'll show up brilliantly for three weeks and inconsistently for the rest of the year. The people who build careers, businesses, creative practices, and reputations over decades didn't find a secret motivation formula. They found a way to work without it. They learned that showing up when you don't feel like it isn't a failure of willpower. It's the actual job. This isn't grind-worship. I'm not suggesting you should push through exhaustion and ignore every signal your body sends. That is a recipe for genuine burnout. > What I'm describing is something more specific: the skill of doing the work on the days when the work feels like nothing. ### The Minimum Viable Day (Touch the Treadmill) The most practical tool I've found for these days is absurdly simple: lower the bar. Not permanently. Not as a new standard. Just for today. Instead of "write the report," the task becomes "open the document and write one paragraph." Instead of "prepare for the client meeting," it becomes "spend fifteen minutes reviewing the brief." This works for two reasons. First, starting is almost always the hardest part. Once you're inside the work, the resistance usually drops. The paragraph becomes a page. The fifteen minutes becomes an hour. Not always. Sometimes one paragraph is genuinely all you have. That's fine. > This comes from advice I heard about running. You don't start on day one by running a 5km. The first step is to buy the shoes, or maybe touch the treadmill. The smallest step. Second, and this is the part most people miss: a minimum viable day still counts. It still compounds. One paragraph is infinitely more than zero paragraphs. Showing up poorly is almost always better than not showing up at all. Your future self doesn't remember how you felt when you wrote it. They just have the work. ### The Difference Between a Bad Day and a Bad Pattern One bad day means nothing. Everybody has them. The creative professional who stares at a blank screen. The manager who walks into a meeting knowing they're going to phone it in. The developer who can't focus for more than four minutes at a stretch. None of this matters in isolation. What matters is the pattern. One bad day is weather. Five consecutive bad weeks is climate. Learning to tell the difference is one of the most important self-awareness skills you can develop, and most people are terrible at it. The practical distinction is: after a bad day, do you show up tomorrow? After a bad week, do you show up on Monday? The answer to these questions matters far more than how any individual day felt. If you're having a bad day, lower the bar and get through it. If you're having a bad quarter, maybe something deeper needs attention. Perhaps the work isn't right anymore. Possibly you need rest that a weekend can't provide. Maybe the environment has changed and your motivation disappeared because the thing you were motivated by no longer exists. > Showing up when it's hard is a skill. Knowing when "hard" has become "wrong" is wisdom. Both are necessary skills. ### What Resilient People Actually Do I've watched a lot of people navigate difficult periods in their careers. The ones who came through it well share a few habits that are worth stealing. - **They tell someone.** Not in a dramatic way. Not a cry for help. Just an honest "I'm finding this hard right now" to one trusted person. This does two things. It makes the difficulty concrete rather than abstract, which makes it easier to address. And it creates a witness, someone who can tell you whether what you're experiencing is a bad day or a bad pattern, because you're often the worst judge of that yourself. - **They protect the anchors.** Everyone has two or three habits that keep them steady. Exercise, sleep, a weekly conversation with someone who knows them well. During difficult periods, these are the first things that get dropped and the last things that should be. The resilient **protect them fiercely**, even when protecting them feels like an effort they can't afford. - **They separate performance from identity.** A bad week at work doesn't make you bad at your job. A flat period doesn't mean you've peaked. The most damaging thing about hard days isn't the lost productivity. It's the story you tell yourself about what the lost productivity means. The people who show up consistently have learned to have a bad day without making it a judgement on their career. - **They adjust the timeline, not the goal.** When things are hard, the temptation is to abandon the project, the ambition, the direction. Sometimes that's right. More often, what needs to change is the pace, not the destination. Give yourself more time. Reduce the weekly target. Accept that this season is about maintenance, not growth. There will always be growth again. ### The Long Game Showing up when it's hard isn't about discipline. It's about identity. The person who shows up on the bad days is telling themselves a story about who they are. Not the inspirational kind. The quiet, practical kind: I'm someone who tries does this, even when this doesn't feel like anything worth doing. Over time, that story becomes true. And the person who lived it looks, from the outside, like someone with extraordinary commitment. From the inside, it just looks like a lot of ordinary days. > *When was the last time you showed up for something that mattered, on a day when it would have been easier not to?* ### 293 : The Year Nothing Happened URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/293-the-year-nothing-happened/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T05:00:00.000Z Everyone talks about their career breakthrough. The big pivot. The moment everything just clicked. Almost nobody talks about the year that nothing happened. The truth about careers worth envying is less inspiring and more useful than any origin story: they were built on accumulation. Showing up on a Tuesday that felt exactly like the last one, and the one before that. Not one good week. Fifty of them. Five things compound when you do this consistently. None of them are dramatic and they share one uncomfortable feature: the gap between effort and evidence can last months before anything visible changes. You keep depositing and the account balance looks unchanged. Most people quit somewhere in that gap. Letting standards slip from excellent to fine. This slip is the enemy of compound growth. I wrote about what **actually** compounds, why the gap defeats most people, and a practical test to know whether your consistency is aimed at something worth building. > Read :[**The Compound Effect of Showing Up**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-compound-effect-of-showing-up/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [How to be defiant.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-be-defiant?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Sometimes, you need to stand up for yourself and be the voice of dissent, here's how to do it without losing your mind. - [Do you have 10 minutes?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1t9uyhv/what%5Fcan%5Fa%5Fperson%5Flearn%5Fin%5F10%5Fminutes%5Fthat%5Fwill/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This list of things you can learn in ten minutes, that could be useful for life. - [Does AI create MORE work for humans, not less?](https://every.to/p/after-automation?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) In my lived experience, this is something you need to clearly evaluate as you use AI tools. - [How to network, and find a more fulfilling career](https://80000hours.org/career-guide/how-to-network/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Networking gives me the 'ick', but your ability to make connections can really help your career journey. - My inbox is full of AI note taking apps, all useful - but remember, [you take the best notes by hand.](https://brianschrader.com/archive/take-better-notes-by-hand/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Your feed is fake](https://archive.is/3ixJc?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Another reason to delete those social media accounts, or at least stop the doomscrolling. **Finally**. [Headlines](https://www.headlines.games/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Test your memory on important events, surprisingly frustrating and addictive. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about tube beavers! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** **What's one area of your work where you've been coasting on "fine" instead of compounding?* [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #68 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/68-from-spain/ Last updated: 2026-05-31T09:57:01.000Z ### Updates *I've decamped to Spain for a month - it's our usual summer plan, but with a slight twist this year.* The expected happened, I mentioned that my company was expecting layoffs and after five years at Meta, I'm on the 'at-risk' list. I'm going through the consultation process, and while I try and do my job - I'll do it from Spain. Sunshine and tapas makes everything 10% better. Since writing my last weeknote (sorry I missed a week), we managed to get to two excellent gigs: Richard Ashcroft at the 3 Arena in Dublin was a lot of fun with some huge singalong moments, and then Kraftwerk at the Bord Gais Theatre - this was a real treat, with superb sound, great visuals and banger after banger from the electronic gods. Quiz League has been back in full swing, we've had a couple of narrow losses, so we'll need to dig in as we reach mid season. Finally - I've been working hard on some new projects, and still finsihing up clearing the decks of some old things - consolidating domain names, and hosting to make things a little more streamlined and organised. **Reading**. John of John by Douglas Stuart. I loved his previous books (Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo) and this one is no different. A tough story about hidden love on an island of crofters in Scotland. ### Recommended Music This week, there is really only one album in town that I can recommend. Inferno, is the new one from Boards of Canada - the lo-fi/ambient band from Scotland. This is the first release for some 14 years, and has been long awaited. Thankfully, it didn't disappoint. I absolutely LOVE this - terrifically laid back, with some collage like vocals over pure electronic goodness and some beautiful world music influences. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Bad Bunny - Terry Hall and Dave Stewart#weeknote - Natalia Lafourcade - Ed O’Brien - Kings of Convenience - Khruangbin - Hammock - Boards of Canada - Hannah Peel & Beibei Wang - Bertrand Burgalat ### The Compound Effect of Showing Up URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-compound-effect-of-showing-up/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T14:23:52.000Z Much of the career advice I give focuses on a big move. The promotion chased. The pivot that changed everything. The moment you "bet on yourself." It makes for a good story, but there is more in between those moments. The careers that actually work, the ones people look back on and call impressive, aren't built on breakthroughs. They're built on accumulation. On showing up. Again. And again. Long after the initial enthusiasm has worn off. > This is the least glamorous career advice you'll ever receive, but I'll bet it's the most accurate. ### The Myth of the Big Moment We love origin stories. The founder who quit their job on a Monday. The leader who gave one speech that changed the culture. The professional who took one risk and never looked back. These stories exist. They're also survivorship bias dressed up as strategy. For every person whose career turned on a single moment, there are thousands whose careers were built one unremarkable day at a time. The compound effect works the same way in careers as it does [in money](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compound%5Finterest?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Small, consistent deposits over a long period create something that looks, from the outside, like overnight success. From the inside, it feels like patience. Sometimes it feels like nothing at all. ### What Actually Compounds Five things build silently when you show up consistently. None of them are dramatic. All of them matter more than your last performance review. - **Reliability.** People learn they can count on you. Not because you announced it, but because you proved it, repeatedly, in moments that didn't feel like tests. When someone needs a person for a difficult project, they don't run through a mental database of talent. They think of the person who showed up last time, and the time before that. - **Knowledge.** Understanding deepens in ways you don't notice while it's happening. The person who's been in a domain for five years doesn't just know more facts than the person who arrived last month. They see patterns and anticipate problems. They have context that can't be shortcut. This kind of knowledge only comes from sustained attention. - **Relationships.** Trust isn't built in a single conversation. It's built through dozens of small interactions over months and years. The colleague who remembers what you mentioned three weeks ago. The manager who's seen you handle pressure more than once. These relationships become the infrastructure of your career, and they only form through repeated presence. - **Reputation.** Your reputation is the story other people tell about you when [you're not in the room](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-control-your-reputation/). That story isn't shaped by your best day or your worst day. It's shaped by your average day. By what people can expect from you on any given Tuesday. Consistency writes that story more than brilliance ever will. - **Skill.** Practice makes you better in ways that deliberate effort alone can't replicate. The presentation you give for the fiftieth time is different from the one you gave the first time. Not because you tried harder. Because repetition creates a fluency that studying never will. ### The Consistency Gap Here's what makes this challenging: there is a gap between effort and evidence. When you start showing up consistently, nothing visible happens for a long time. The first month feels pointless. The third month feels like you're doing the same thing you were doing in the first month. The sixth month starts to feel different, and you're not sure why. Most people quit somewhere in the first three months. Not dramatically. They just start showing up a little less. Skip the optional meeting. Send the email tomorrow instead of today. Let the standard drop from excellent to fine. > Fine is the enemy of compound growth. It's not bad enough to notice. It's not good enough to build anything. The people who benefit from the compound effect aren't superhuman. They just have a longer tolerance for the gap between effort and evidence. They keep depositing when the account balance looks unchanged. They trust the maths even when the maths hasn't shown its work yet. ### A Practical Test If you want to know whether you're building compound value or just being busy, ask yourself three questions. 1. What would someone notice if I stopped doing it? If the answer is "nothing, for at least a month," you might be showing up without actually contributing. Presence without impact doesn't compound. 2. Am I doing this the same way I was six months ago? If yes, you're maintaining, not growing. Consistency doesn't mean repetition. It means sustained attention with gradual refinement. 3. Could I describe what I've built over the last year in one sentence? Not what you did. What you built. The relationship you deepened. The expertise you developed. The reputation you earned. If you can't point to something that accumulated, your consistency might not be aimed at anything worth compounding. ### The Unglamorous Truth Nobody ever writes a LinkedIn post about the year they just kept showing up. There's no TED talk about doing the same thing on Thursday that you did on Wednesday. Consistency doesn't trend. It does, however, work. Quietly, reliably, and over a timeline that rewards patience more than talent. The careers worth envying weren't built on one good decision. They were built on a thousand ordinary ones, made by someone who kept showing up when it would have been easier not to. That's not a breakthrough. It's something better. It's a practice. > ***What's the one thing you keep showing up for, even when nobody's watching and nothing seems to be changing?*** ### 292 : Is it worth the fight? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/292-is-it-worth-the-fight/ Last updated: 2026-05-25T05:00:51.000Z Six weeks ago I started writing about how [organisations really work](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/navigating-organisations/). The invisible structures and politics you can't opt out of and the influence that matters more than authority. All of it assumed one thing: that the organisation you're in is worth the effort. Sometimes it isn't. You've seen the same problems recycle with new language. You watched the people who cared the most leaving. You know that the system rewards on paper what it punishes in practice. The skills you've spent years building become the very thing keeping you in place. You're so good at navigating that you never stop to ask whether the system deserves your effort. This is the question the [last six weeks](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/navigating-organisations/) have been building toward. Three signs. One honest audit. And the hardest career question most people avoid until it's too late. > [**When to Work the System and When to Leave It**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/when-to-work-the-system-and-when-to-leave-it/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [The Most Powerful Decision Making Razors](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-most-powerful-decision-making-razors?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Sahil Bloom breaks down 21 mental models for faster, better decisions. - [Why Your Important Work Keeps Losing](https://newsletter.peterakkies.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Peter Akkies on why urgent tasks crowd out meaningful work. If you've ever spent an entire week being "busy" without touching the thing that actually matters, this is the diagnosis. - [Why I Try to Resist Every New Tool I Encounter](https://fortelabs.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Tiago Forte makes the contrarian case that tool adoption should be resisted by default. If you're drowning in new AI apps, this is permission to stop. - [The Three-Priorities Rule](https://aliabdaal.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). An excellent framework for cutting through overwhelm from Ali Abdaal. - [Hiring Headwinds](https://kellogginsight.substack.com/p/hiring-headwinds).Kellogg research on navigating a low-hire, low-fire job market shaped by AI uncertainty. **Finally**. [Web Minecraft](https://classic.minecraft.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Play that thing the kids (and some adults) have been playing for years, in your browser. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about an intrepid tail! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What are you tolerating right now that your future self will wish you'd addressed sooner? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #122 - Intrepid Tails URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-122-intrepid-tails/ Last updated: 2026-05-23T08:15:50.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about an intrepid tail - humpback whales that travel 14,000km to breeding grounds. [Intrepid tails – fluke photos confirm humpback whales mount 14,000km ocean crossing to breeding grounds - Griffith NewsNew research documents two whales travelling between Australia and Brazil - breaking records for the greatest distances ever confirmed between individual whale sightings![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/griffith-favicon-5947fb16a5370d82c7187bfa87b5983bfbd121991b792dd59aca40532dec112d.svg)Griffith NewsCarley Rosengreen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Drone-humpback-whale-group_Credit-Pacific-Whale-Foundation-e1779168398693-c6f739fa94119488d46a174437b6f4eb6860c60e317a0a9cd67f83ff92d7de2b.jpg)](https://news.griffith.edu.au/2026/05/20/intrepid-tails-fluke-photos-confirm-humpback-whales-mount-14000km-ocean-crossing-to-breeding-grounds/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### When to work the system and when to leave it URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/when-to-work-the-system-and-when-to-leave-it/ Last updated: 2026-05-23T08:12:07.000Z Over the last five weeks, I've been writing about how organisations really work. The [invisible structures](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-organisation-nobody-shows-you/) behind the organisation chart. The [decision-making](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-decisions-actually-get-made/) that happens before meetings start. Why [good ideas lose](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-good-ideas-dont-always-win/) to better-timed ones. The [politics you can't opt out of](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-politics-youre-already-in/), and last week, why [influence matters more than authority](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/influence-without-authority/). All of that assumes something important: that the organisation you're in is worth navigating. > Sometimes it isn't, and knowing the difference is the skill can remain a mystery. ## The Loyalty Trap Most of us were raised with a version of this story: if you're good enough, patient enough, and committed enough, the organisation will eventually reward you. Stay the course. Prove your value. The system works. For some people, in some organisations, that story holds true and he system **does** work. There are places where talent gets recognised, where good faith is met with good faith, and where navigating well genuinely leads somewhere. The problem is that many people stay in organisations where none of that is true, and keep applying the same playbook. They learn to read the room. They build influence. They navigate the politics. They do everything right. And nothing changes. > Not because they're doing it wrong, but because the system itself doesn't reward what it claims to reward. ## Three Signs the System Isn't Working Organisations are complicated and frustrating even when they're fundamentally healthy. Friction is normal. Disappointment is part of the deal. What I'm describing is something different: patterns that suggest the environment itself has become the obstacle. - **Values exist on paper only.** Every organisation has stated values. The test is whether those values show up in difficult moments. When someone gets promoted despite undermining their colleagues, when feedback is encouraged but punished, when "innovation" is celebrated in the all-hands and suffocated in practice, the gap between the stated culture and the lived culture tells you everything. - **The same problems recycle.** Healthy organisations solve problems imperfectly. Unhealthy ones announce the same initiative every eighteen months, rebrand the same dysfunction with a new language, and celebrate fresh starts that lead to familiar dead ends. If you've seen the same restructure multiple times, you're not in a cycle of improvement. You're in a loop. - **Good people keep leaving.** Pay attention to who walks. Not the people who were never going to stay. The ones who cared and tried. The ones who navigated well and still hit a ceiling. When the people who understood the system and played it with integrity leave anyway, that's important data. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## The Honest Audit Before you decide to stay or go, it's worth asking yourself some uncomfortable questions. I wrote about this more fully in [12 Questions to Ask Before Quitting Your Job](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/12-questions-to-ask-before-quitting-your-job/), and most of those questions apply here. Here are the three I'd start with for this specific question - - **Am I frustrated with the system, or with my position in it?** This is the hardest one. Sometimes what feels like a broken organisation is actually a personal ceiling. You've grown past the role, the team, or the challenge. That's not a reason to condemn the whole system. It's a reason to find a different one. - **Have I actually tried to change things?** Not complained. Not vented to trusted colleagues over coffee. Actually tried and proposed *something*. Built a coalition. Used the influence skills that the last few weeks has been about. If you haven't genuinely attempted to shape the system, you don't yet know whether it's shapeable. - **Is what I'm tolerating costing me something I can't get back?** Energy is renewable. Time is not. Health is not. The erosion of your confidence, your standards, your belief in your own judgment: these are costs that compound. If you've been telling yourself "it'll get better" for two years and it hasn't, the evidence is speaking clearly. *The question is whether you're listening.* ## The Case for Staying Leaving isn't always the answer. Some organisations are worth the fight. The ones where the mission matters to you. Where there are enough good people pulling in the right direction. Where the dysfunction is less impactful than the potential. Staying in a difficult system and choosing to shape it is one of the most valuable things you can do in a career. Not staying passively. Not staying because you're scared to leave. **Staying with intention.** Staying because you've looked at the honest picture and decided: *this is fixable, and I want to be part of fixing it.* That takes everything we've discussed over recent weeks. Seeing the real organisation. Understanding how decisions flow. Navigating the politics with integrity. Building influence without waiting for a title. All of it deployed in service of something you believe in. ## The Case for Leaving One the other side of this argument, there are the organisations where the honest answer is: *this isn't going to change*. Not because you failed, but because some systems are self-reinforcing. The people who benefit from the dysfunction are the people with the power to change it, and they won't. Leaving well is its own skill. It means going without bitterness, without burning relationships, and without telling yourself a story that makes you the hero and everyone else the villain. The best exits I've seen are graceful, professional, and forward-looking. They leave the door open because the world is smaller than you think, and the people you work with today will show up in unexpected places tomorrow. > Leaving isn't failure. Staying past the point where you know the answer is. ## The Close These posts started with a simple observation: most professionals operate inside organisations without ever [understanding how they actually work](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-know-where-you-work/). Six weeks later, the invitation is straightforward. See clearly. Navigate honestly. Build influence intentionally. When the time comes, make the call that serves your career, your values, and your energy with the same clarity you bring to everything else. The hardest organisational skill isn't learning to read the room. It's being honest about what you find there. > **What would you do differently if you stopped hoping the system would change and started deciding whether it deserves your effort?** ### 291 : The Consolation Prize URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/291-the-consolation-prize/ Last updated: 2026-05-18T05:00:51.000Z You've seen the phrase a hundred times. 'Influence without authority.' It shows up in leadership programmes, competency frameworks, and performance reviews like it's a skill you can simply learn. Here's what nobody seems to remember: the people with the most influence in your organisation almost **never** have the most seniority. Those people shape the decision before the meeting starts. They build trust so consistently that people seek them out, not because they have to, because the thinking gets better when they're involved. That's a kind of power no organisation chart can grant, and no restructure can take away. So why do most of us still chase the title first? Why do we assume authority is the prerequisite, when the evidence keeps saying it's the consolation prize? Authority lets you *announce* things. Influence lets you **achieve** them. Most leaders live between those two positions, some never choose where they should stand. I wrote about what actually making the choice this week. Four habits. None of them are what "influence training" teaches you. > [**The people who choose influence over authority**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/influence-without-authority/) [I Built a Website To Show Off My Postcards. Here’s What I Learned.Most of my side projects die as ideas. They live in notes apps and on scraps of paper. They get talked about with friends and then get quietly forgotten. OncePosted.com is one of the rare ones that made it out. It’s a simple premise. A curated collection of vintage![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-8.png)Matt RutherfordMatt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Basilica-Di-Santa-Maria-Maggiore.1.jpg)](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/i-built-a-website-to-show-off-my-postcards-heres-what-i-learned/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - If you're sitting with uncertainty right now, Simone Stolzoff's [five questions for navigating the unknown](https://fortelabs.com/blog/5-questions-to-help-you-navigate-uncertainty/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) are worth ten minutes. Influence often means acting before you have the full picture. - Wes Kao wrote about [what to do if you're not detail-oriented](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/detail-oriented?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The answer isn't "try harder." It's "build systems that compensate." Practical and honest - the Matt in the example is not me! - Casey Newton has [the best argument I've heard](https://www.platformer.news/ai-job-loss-box-ceo-aaron-levie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for why AI won't take your job. Your job will survive. You just won't recognise it. - And MIT Technology Review named what many of us are feeling: [AI malaise](https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/04/21/1135921/ai-malaise-artificial-intelligence-public-sentiment/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The technology is clearly here and not going away. We just don't have the tools to measure what it's actually doing to us yet. Worth the read. **Finally**. [Landmarkr](https://www.landmarkr.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I absolutely LOVE this daily guessing game that takes you somehere new! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about Hector the Convector. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Where in your work are you waiting for authority when you could be building influence instead? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #67 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/67-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-05-17T05:06:49.000Z ### Updates Work remains in a holding pattern. Layoffs were announced weeks ago and we're still waiting on the specifics. Who stays, who goes, what the new shape looks like. Everyone is planning in the abstract, running scenarios, having conversations that feel productive but aren't, because nobody can commit to anything until the decisions land. It's exhausting. You can't action uncertainty. Wednesday night, our quiz team won by four points. I'd love to claim credit, but I was genuinely useless. The kind of performance where your teammates carry you and are gracious enough not to mention it. A win is a win, though. I'll take it! On the upside, I've been clearing the decks. OncePosted, my postcard collection site, is finally wrapped up and documented. I wrote a piece on [how and why I built it](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/i-built-a-website-to-show-off-my-postcards-heres-what-i-learned/), which turned into a satisfying exercise in reflecting on what I actually learned. With that cleared, I've started sketching out new personal projects. Nothing concrete yet, just ideas forming into shapes. I've been using Claude to pressure-test them, turning vague "what if I..." thoughts into something closer to plans with steps and timelines. It's a useful thinking partner. *A week of waiting and clearing and beginning. Not the most dramatic!* **Reading**. Loves Executioner by Irvin Yalom - a recommendation from a friend, Therapy case studies written like short stories. Not light, but hard to put down. ### Recommended Music This week, I'm going back a few years - to a name I hadn't heard of until this year when a single popped up in orbit somewhere. Thomas Feiner as the singer in a Swedish band called 'The Anywhen' and they released this superb album, 'The Opiates Revisited'. I've listened to this a few times this week, I really like his voice and the grandiosity of some of the tracks. There are hints of Nick Cave and maybe Tindersticks or The The in here. It helps that Feiner has done a cover version of Ship Song by Nick Cave - and I really endorse this to anyone who likes that stile of music. Highly Recommended. ### 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury - Royksopp - Max Wurden - Bunkr - Arcade Fire - James Blake - Damien Rice - Thomas Feiner - Exit North - Mono #weeknote ### TWIL #121 - Hector the Convector URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-121-hector-the-convector/ Last updated: 2026-05-16T10:54:56.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about Hector the Convector - a thunderstorm that arrives in the same place every day at 3pm. Nature is truly amazing. [This bizarre thunderstorm arrives every day at 3pm | BBC Science Focus MagazineA unique storm that is punctual with its time, Hector the Convector is one of life’s weird occurrences. But scientists know why it happens.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/web_kiosk_favicon_1.ico)BBC Science Focus MagazineCeri Perkins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Thunder.jpg)](https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/hector-the-convector?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Influence without Authority URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/influence-without-authority/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T07:18:02.000Z In almost every leadership programme, there is a phrase that pops up: "influence without authority." It gets treated like a skill to learn. A module to complete. A competency to tick off. I've watched a lot of people operating, and in my experience: the people who are best at influencing without authority don't think of it as a technique. They think of it as how work **actually gets done.** Because authority, in most organisations, is a fiction. Your title says you can decide things. Your org chart says people report to you. > But the real decisions? They were shaped in conversations you weren't in, by people whose influence had nothing to do with their job level. ## The Authority Illusion We spend a lot of energy chasing authority. Promotions, bigger teams, a seat at the table. We assume that once we have positional power, things will get easier. We'll finally be able to make things happen. Then we get there and discover something uncomfortable: authority is necessary but wildly insufficient. You can mandate a decision. You can't mandate buy-in. You can direct a team. You can't direct their discretionary effort. You can own a strategy. You can't own whether anyone believes in it enough to execute it well. The gap between what authority lets you announce and what influence lets you achieve is where many leaders struggle. They have the title. They don't have the room. Last week I wrote about [the politics you're already in](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-politics-youre-already-in/). This is the natural next question: once you see the political landscape, how do you actually move within it? Especially when you don't hold the cards? ## What Influence Actually Is Influence isn't charm. It isn't charisma. It isn't being the loudest voice or the most polished presenter. Influence is the ability to shape how other people think about a problem before the decision gets made. That's it, everything else is decoration. The people who do this well share a few habits that are easy to miss because they look nothing like what most "influence" training teaches you. ### 1\. They arrive before the meeting Not physically. Informationally. The most influential people I've watched in organisations do their real work **before** anything formal happens. They have the corridor conversation. They ask the question over coffee. They share their thinking early enough that it has time to land. By the time the meeting starts, their perspective is already in the room. Not because they lobbied. Because they contributed to the thinking while it was still forming. ### 2\. They make other people's ideas better This is counterintuitive. If you want influence, shouldn't you push your own agenda? The people with lasting influence do something different: they improve what's already on the table. They ask the question that sharpens someone else's proposal. They add the missing perspective. They connect the dots that nobody else has linked. The result is that people **want** them in the room. Not because they have the answer, but because the answer gets better when they're involved. That's a kind of power no org chart can grant or revoke. ### 3\. They understand the currency Every organisation has an unofficial currency. In some places it's data. In others it's relationships. In some it's speed. In a few, it's ideas. When I coach people on [personal brand](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/), I often talk about 'knowing your currency', the people with real influence have also figured the 'exchange rate' across the organisation. This isn't what the values poster says, or the mission statement. If decisions get made on data, they bring the numbers. If the culture rewards consensus, they build it before proposing anything. > This isn't cynical, it's literate. You're reading the room and speaking its language. ### 4\. They are consistent over time Influence isn't built in a moment, it's accumulated. Every time you follow through on what you said you'd do, every time your judgment turns out to be sound, every time you flag a risk that later materialises, you're adding to a balance that compounds. The inverse is also true. One unreliable moment doesn't destroy influence, but a pattern of them does. People stop listening before they stop inviting you to the meeting. ## The Traps There are a few ways this goes wrong, and it is worth calling them out because they're common. - **The expertise trap.** "If I just know more, they'll have to listen." Technical depth is valuable, but expertise without context is just noise. Knowing the answer isn't influence. Knowing when and how to introduce the answer is. - **The niceness trap.** Influence isn't about being agreeable. The most influential people I've worked with are willing to say uncomfortable things. They've earned the right to be heard because they've demonstrated they're saying it for the right reasons. - **The visibility trap.** Volunteering for every initiative, presenting at every all-hands, being "seen." Visibility without substance is just presence. And people can tell the difference between someone who's contributing and someone who's performing. ## The Real Question Here's what I've come to believe after nearly four decades in organisations: the most effective people aren't the ones with the most authority. They're the ones who've built influence so thoroughly that authority becomes almost beside the point. They get asked for their perspective. Their ideas get adopted, sometimes without attribution, and they're okay with that because the outcome mattered more than the credit. People seek them out before decisions are made, not after. None of this requires a title, all of it requires intention. The question isn't whether you have authority. It's whether you've built the kind of influence that makes authority optional. > **What would change if you stopped waiting for the title and started building the influence?** ### I Built a Website To Show Off My Postcards. Here's What I Learned. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/i-built-a-website-to-show-off-my-postcards-heres-what-i-learned/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T05:01:24.000Z Most of my side projects die as ideas. They live in notes apps and on scraps of paper. They get talked about with friends and then get quietly forgotten. [OncePosted.com](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is one of the rare ones that made it out. It's a simple premise. A curated collection of vintage postcards, each one scanned front and back, showing the image and the handwritten message on the other side. You can submit your own. You can browse the collection. That's it. No algorithm. No notifications. Just cards that were once posted, now archived. Full disclosure, I built it with AI assistance, first on Replit and then with Claude Code. I had no plan, no spec document, and no particular expertise in the stack I ended up using. What I did have was an idea I kept coming back to, it turns out that's enough to start. ## Why Postcards? I have always found postcards quietly fascinating. Someone picked it up. They thought of another person. They wrote something, even if just a few lines. They found a stamp. They posted it. And now, decades later, you can hold that moment in your hand. The creases in the paper. The faded ink. The stamp that's been through rain and sorting machines and years. Postcards are the original social media. You share a place. You curate what you want someone to see. You compress an experience into a few lines. Sound familiar? > The difference is these messages have lasted. Your Instagram posts from 2016 are already gone or degraded into a scroll you'll never scroll back to. A postcard from 1912 is still legible. Still personal and a **real** artefact of a real moment. I started picking up vintage cards in markets and second-hand shops - Thanks Mum! There's a whole ecosystem of them. Collectors, dealers, people who spend weekends cataloguing cards by region and decade. I was just doing it casually. But I kept thinking: these things deserve to be seen. Not just by whoever owns them. By anyone who cares to look. > The contrast between old ephemeral messages, and the new high tech version remains interesting to me. I don't think anyone will ever keep my WhatsApp one-lines in a shoe box. That was the seed. [OncePosted](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) was built to give those cards somewhere to live online. ## How Vibe Coding Works (and What That Actually Means) I want to be precise about what "vibe coded" means here, because it gets thrown around a lot. Vibe coding is not just a shortcut. It's a different kind of building. You describe what you want in natural language, the AI generates code, and you iterate until it works. You don't always understand every line that gets written. You test it, break it, describe what's wrong, and go again. > What you need is clarity about the product and the process, not expertise in the code. I started on Replit because the barrier to entry is zero. You open a browser, describe what you want, and something appears. For the first version of OncePosted, that was genuinely magical. A functioning page with a grid of postcards. A submission form. A simple admin review flow. All in a few hours of back and forth. I soon discovered that Replit has limits. The more complex the project got, the more I felt like I was fighting the environment rather than building in it. Deployments were unpredictable. The file structure felt opaque. I couldn't always see what was happening under the hood when things broke. Moving to Claude Code changed the experience for me entirely. I was working in my own environment, with real files, a real project structure, and a much tighter feedback loop. I could see the code. I could understand it better, even when I couldn't have written it myself. When something broke, I could dig into why rather than just describing the symptoms and hoping for a fix. My takeaway was that Replit is great for prototyping and testing whether an idea has legs. Claude Code is where I would go if you wante to build something real. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/05/Glengarriff-West-Cork.1.jpg) ## What Building a Product Taught Me I've spent years working in technology, and often in my newsletters I talk about **learning by doing**. OncePosted reminded me how little I practice what I preach. Here's what I actually learned from shipping this. - **Scope is a living thing.** The original idea was minimal. A grid of cards, a submit button. That's it. But once you have something working, the scope expands almost automatically. A search filter. A location tag. A dark mode. None of these were in the plan. All of them felt essential once the basic thing existed. The discipline isn't having a plan. It's deciding, over and over, what not to add. - **Done beats perfect every time.** There are things about OncePosted that still bother me. The mobile layout isn't quite right on every device. The submission review process is manual and a bit clunky. I'd still love a map view that plots every postcard by location. But now the site is live and the collection is growing, people are actually visiting. A version that ships is infinitely more valuable than a perfect version that doesn't. - **Change Management matters.** You might expect that from me, but learning the process of building a site, staging it and then deploying was new for me. I spend my days trying to be a gatekeeper for change, and then managing the human aspect. Truth is, I'd never really seen it from the product side - and how frequently I wanted to update my previous new site. - **You learn what a product is by building it.** I thought OncePosted was about collecting. It turned out to be more about storytelling. The messages on the backs of the cards are often more interesting than the images on the front. Someone writing to their mother in 1962\. A quick note from a holiday that seems almost unbearably ordinary and completely irreplaceable at the same time. The product became clearer the more I built it. - **AI tools change the cost of an idea.** This is the one that stays with me most. OncePosted would not exist without vibe coding. Not because I'm incapable of building things, but because the upfront cost of starting something new used to be high enough to filter out ideas that weren't absolutely certain bets. Now the bar is lower. You can test whether an idea deserves to exist before you've made any real commitment to it. > The lower barrier of entry changes what I'm willing to try. ## What's Next The collection is small right now. I'd love more cards, more contributors, more variety in location and era. If you have vintage postcards sitting in a drawer somewhere, [I'd genuinely love to see them](https://onceposted.com/submit?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Beyond the collection, OncePosted is also an ongoing experiment in building. I'm adding to it when I have something useful to add. I'm resisting the urge to rebuild things that already work. I'm learning what it means to maintain something rather than just launch it. > Most side projects die as ideas. The ones that survive are the ones you actually care about. I care about this one. [Go explore the collection at onceposted.com](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 290 : I Don't Do Politics URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/290-i-dont-do-politics/ Last updated: 2026-05-11T05:00:11.000Z It's one of the most common things people say at work. Usually with a slight head shake, as if distancing themselves from something grubby. It makes sense, when most people hear "office politics," they picture backstabbing and corridor whispers. I've noticed across nearly four decades of work: the people who say they don't do politics are almost **always** doing politics. They've just convinced themselves they aren't. Not doing politics doesn't mean you're above it. It means someone else is defining your narrative, allocating your opportunities, and interpreting your intentions without your input. That isn't staying neutral, it's delegation. The choice was never between doing politics and not doing politics. It's between doing them consciously or letting them happen to you. There's a version of this that doesn't require you to become someone you're not. *This week, I break down the three political positions everyone defaults to, whether they realise it or not, what each one costs you, and how to move between them with intention.* > [**Read: The Politics You're Already In**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-politics-youre-already-in/) ### Stuff I'm Reading - [Working from Calm.](https://zenhabits.net/calm-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Do your habits match your ambitions?](https://fs.blog/brain-food/may-10-2026/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Achieving big goals, a Neuroscience backed strategy.](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/27/neuroscientist-how-writing-yourself-letters-can-help-you-achieve-goals.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Creating Momentum when an Employee is Stuck.](https://larahogan.me/blog/creating-momentum-when-an-employee-is-stuck/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Morning person or Night Owl? What science says is better.](https://www.popsci.com/health/is-morning-person-night-owl-better-science/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Avoiding digital productivity traps.](https://calnewport.com/avoiding-digital-productivity-traps/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Takeaway](https://takeaway-eight.vercel.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A toughie this week. Start with an eight letter word, take one away to make a new one. Repeat. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about neanderthal fat factories. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Where are you waiting to be noticed instead of choosing to be visible? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### Now - May 2026 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now-may-2026/ Last updated: 2026-05-10T11:12:22.000Z I'm still living in Dublin, Ireland. I ***love*** my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. - I started an [email newsletter four years ago called "Stuff that MattR's"](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. - In 2026, I will be posting new music nearly [every day to a list on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kJMq1eoca9aftW7x9Crl9?si=fad9ea6d4a4641e1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did the same in [2025](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=f81a1457b5254646&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [2024](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=65d3ed3d8fc04ac1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [2023](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nKbhvL8ZbH346FrxFkQwW?si=89b25f5f641c4b8d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - I launched a new site called [onceposted.com](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a space to share a collection of beautiful vintage postcards that I have collected for years. I'm very proud of how it looks, and how many people seem to enjoy it. - I run a [30-day journalling challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). A free service to help you start your journaling practice. - In 2025 I (re)launched [Build Your Best Year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) \- a simple and free service to help you plan your best year ever. - To help my own journalling practice, I've started writing [Weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/weeknote/) on my blog, inspired by Giles Turnbull - [Doing Weeknotes](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I just launched [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) a frictionless journaling app that reduces procrastination and gets you journaling quickly. [Here's why I did this.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/) - I still DJ a little bit, [all of my DJ Mixes are available here](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the latest and best is [The Stack #11.](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/stack-11/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I compile and update an every growing list of music for focus and relaxation - it's called [FlowStuff and you can find it here!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) - I spend my days working at [Meta](https://about.meta.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as a Global Head of Change Management, I'm part of a team helping with some of our core company objectives in AI. ### #66 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/66-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-05-10T11:07:05.000Z ### Updates Another week sitting with the uncertainty of layoffs at work. It's a strange headspace to operate in. You can't fully commit to long-term projects. But I also can't just stop. So we show up and do the work in front of us. On the flip side, I've been investing a huge amount of time this week working on agentic workflows with my team. Genuinely exciting stuff that is also full of traps. Process redesign sounds straightforward until you're knee-deep in it and realising that the thing you're trying to automate was never as simple as you thought. [Andrej Karpathy's framing of this](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattrutherford%5Fandrej-karpathy-from-vibe-coding-to-agentic-share-7458552105688141824--RPV?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) landed at the right time. Last weekend I put together a new DJ mix for the radio in the UK - you can listen to all my mixes up to date [here on mixcloud.](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) No quiz again this week. The break continues, we start again on Wednesday night with Season 19 of the Online Quiz League. Ready to get back into it. Watched [Man on Fire (season 1) on Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/ie/title/81645170?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A remake of the Denzel Washington film, this time set in Brazil with a lot of scenes in Portuguese. The action sequences are excellent. If you liked the original, this is a different enough take to be worth your time. **Reading**. Loves Executioner by Irvin Yalom - a recommendation from a friend, Therapy case studies written like short stories. Not light, but hard to put down. ### Recommended Music After last weeks shortened band name, this week I've been enjoying a mash-up portmanteau of two bands who are working together to create something very interesting. Nine Inch Noize is a collaboration between Trent Reznors Nine Inch Nails, and the DJ known as Boyz Noize for a dancefloor/rave interpretation of tracks from NiN. I went to see Nine Inch Nails in Dublin last year, and Boyz Noize were part of the show, as the warm-up act, but also in a collaborative mini-set - the changes to the tracks made them more danceable and urgent. This isn't easy, relaxing listening - but there are some almighty bangers on here. Highly Recommended. ### Listened Stuff Sunday Roundup. 10 Bands/Artists I listened to this week. - Boards of Canada - James Blake - Royksopp - Fink - Miska Lamberg - Lykke Li - Muna - Aldous Harding - Mcalmont and Butler - Joachim Spieth #weeknote ### TWIL #120 - Fact Factories URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-120-fact-factories/ Last updated: 2026-05-10T09:37:34.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that Neanderthals ran 'fat factories' - a carefully constructed site where they could maximise opportunities to eat mammoths and rhinos to get more of this important nutrient. [Neanderthals ran ‘fat factories’ 125,000 years agoFat is a very valuable food component, packed with calories, especially important when other resources might be scarce. Our earliest ancestors in Africa already cracked open bones to extract the fatty marrow from bone cavities. But now a new study published in Science Advances demonstrates that our…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/icon-180px.png)Leiden University![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/d600x315)](https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025/07/neanderthals-ran-fat-factories-125000-years-ago?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### The Politics You're Already In URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-politics-youre-already-in/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T05:16:17.000Z > I hear it all the time, "I don't do politics." It's one of the most common things people say at work. Usually with a slight shake of the head, as if distancing themselves from something grubby. I get it, 100%. When most people picture organisational politics, they picture manipulation & backstabbing. People saying one thing in a meeting and another in the corridor. But here's what I've noticed across nearly four decades of working in large organisations: > The people who say they don't do politics are almost always doing politics. They've just convinced themselves they aren't. ### What We Actually Mean by Politics Organisational politics gets a bad name because we conflate two very different things. There's manipulation, which is using people as instruments for your own gain. And there's navigation, which is understanding how your organisation actually works and operating accordingly. If you read last week's piece on [why good ideas don't always win](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-good-ideas-dont-always-win/), you'll recognise the gap. The best idea in the room doesn't automatically become the decision. It needs a carrier, a moment, and a path through the organisation. That path is politics. Not the dirty kind. The structural kind. Navigation is knowing who influences a decision before the meeting starts. It's understanding which battles matter and which ones just burn energy. It's the difference between being effective and being right. Most organisations reward the first one more consistently than the second. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ### The Three Political Positions Whether you like it or not, you're already in one of three positions relative to your organisation's political landscape. Naming them can help you see which one you're in, and whether it's serving you. - **The Absent.** You've opted out. You focus on your craft, deliver good work, and assume *quality speaks for itself*. This feels principled, and sometimes it is. But it also means other people define your narrative, allocate your opportunities, and interpret your intentions without your input. Absence isn't neutrality. It's delegation. - **The Reactive.** You engage when you have to. When a decision goes against you, when credit lands in the wrong place, when something unfair happens. The problem with reactive engagement is that by the time you notice the politics, *the outcome is usually already decided*. You're responding to a game that was played three moves ago. - **The Navigators.** You pay attention to how things work. Not to manipulate outcomes, but to understand the landscape well enough to move through it with intention. Navigators read the room before they try to change it. They build relationships laterally, not just upward. They understand that influence is something you earn consistently, not something you deploy in emergencies. I wrote about [the mechanics of influence](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-influence-eight-ways-to-create-connection-in-the-workplace/) a couple of years ago, and the core message hasn't changed: influence is a practice, not a tactic. ### Why This Feels Uncomfortable For a lot of people, especially those early in their careers, the word "politics" triggers a moral alarm. It feels like you're being asked to play a game you didn't agree to. That's a fair reaction, the discomfort usually comes from a false choice: you either stay pure and ignore politics, or you get dirty and play them. That binary doesn't hold up in practice. The best navigators I've watched and worked with are people of deep integrity. They're not gaming the system. They're literate in it. They understand how decisions flow, how coalitions form, how timing affects outcomes. Then they use that literacy to advocate for their ideas, their teams, and their values more effectively. > There is a version of you that engages politically without losing yourself. It starts with being honest about what you want and why, and building the credibility to be heard when it matters. ### Three Things You Could Try This Week If this resonates and you want to start navigating more intentionally, here are three small moves. - **Map the decision landscape.** Pick one decision that's coming up in your organisation. Before the meeting, ask yourself: who has already been consulted? Whose opinion carries the most weight? What concerns are likely to be raised? You don't need insider access for this. You need observation. - **Build one lateral relationship.** Most people network upward. The navigators I admire build sideways. Find someone in a different team or function whose work intersects with yours and start a genuine conversation. Not about politics. About work. The political literacy comes as a byproduct of real connection. - **Name your position.** Ask yourself honestly: am I absent, reactive, or navigating? There's no judgement in the answer. But knowing where you stand is the first step toward choosing where you want to be. ### The Real Choice "I don't do politics" feels like a principled stance. In practice, it's a decision to let other people shape the environment you work in every day. The real choice isn't between doing politics and not doing politics. It's between doing them consciously or letting them happen to you. > You don't have to become someone you're not. But you could become more deliberate about how you show up in the systems you're already part of. That delta between intention and action could be where your next step lives. ### 289 : When your best idea isn't enough URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/289-when-your-best-idea-isnt-enough/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T05:00:30.000Z Most people believe the best idea wins. It's one of those workplace truths that feels so obvious it never gets questioned. Do good thinking. Present it clearly. The organisation will recognise it. > Except it often doesn't. I've watched strong ideas (mine included) die quiet deaths, not because anyone disagreed with them, but because they arrived at the wrong moment, or from someone the room didn't yet trust, or fully formed with no space for anyone else to shape them. The idea was sound. The path wasn't built. Organisations are not irrational. It's that we treat idea quality as the finish line when it's actually the starting point. What carries an idea forward is timing, trust, and whether the people who need to say yes feel some ownership of it before you ask them to. That last one is the one that people miss. A fully formed proposal, presented as yours, asks people to adopt something they had no hand in building. Most resist that, even when they agree. Bring people into the thinking early, let them add to it, and by the time you present, the idea already belongs to the room. This doesn't mean playing games. It means paying attention. One small thing you could try this week: pick an idea you believe in that hasn't landed yet, and before you build another slide, have one conversation. Not a pitch. Just a question. "I've been thinking about this. How are you thinking about it?" I went deeper on a framework to support your ideas [here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-good-ideas-dont-always-win/). > **What's the last good idea you had that went nowhere, and what do you think it actually needed?** ### The Stuff - [From "We Should" to "We Did"](https://furtherfasterfridays.substack.com/p/139-5126-from-we-should-to-we-did) (Further Faster Fridays) - [You Still Feel Like a Fraud. Now What?](https://www.brilliancebrief.com/p/you-still-feel-like-a-fraud-now-what?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (Brilliance Brief) - [The Four-Hours Rule ](https://www.oliverburkeman.com/fourhours?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)(Burkeman) - [You Lost Yourself Trying to Fit In](https://markmanson.net/breakthrough/205-edit?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (Manson) - [5 Tips for Your Post-Corporate Life](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (Kellogg Insight) - [The Hidden Cost of Rushing](https://zenhabits.net/rushing/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (Zen Habits) **Finally**. [Cursor Camp](https://neal.fun/cursor-camp/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A deliciously made journey around an imaginary land. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about a super vintage wine. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Describe your idea end-of-day routine - how does it make you feel to wrap your work day up in the perfect way? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #65 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/65-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-05-03T14:46:46.000Z ### Updates Eugh - not a great week. [Work has rumours of layoffs](https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/meta-ceo-attributes-layoffs-plan-capex-wont-rule-out-further-job-cuts-2026-04-30/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), every conversation seems to be 10% heavier as we navigate. I've been through this before, more than once, and the thing I keep coming back to is that the best thing I can do is be present for the people around me. Not with answers, because there usually aren't any yet. Just by being there and being honest about what I don't know either. I had a workspace refresh yesterday, bought myself some new speakers ([Adam D3V](https://www.adam-audio.com/en/desktop/d3v/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - a real upgrade in sound for my home battlestation. That helped me remove a bunch of cables, and set everything up just so. I bought a new office chair as well, so I can stop sinking during zoom calls. There is something about resetting your physical space that resets your head as well. No quiz this week. We're between seasons, which means a few weeks off before the next one starts. I miss it already. There's a rhythm to Wednesday nights that leaves a gap when it's not there. The espresso journey continues. Every shot is getting closer to the standard I want. The grind is dialled in better than it's ever been, but milk remains my personal challenge, either too hot or too cool and not enough foam. Still not consistent enough to call it a skill rather than a streak. The gap is closing! A quieter week than most. Sometimes those are the ones you need. **Reading**. Loves Executioner by Irvin Yalom - a recommendation from a friend, Therapy case studies written like short stories. Not light, but hard to put down. ### Recommended Music I never really know what to do when a band removes a letter from a perfectly good work. Do I omit the phoneme as I say the name, or just pronounce the word as I presume it should be said. This weeks recommendation comes from BUNKR (see? you don't know either) and is a terrific short album called Signals. It starts with some gentle electronica, and builds gradually throughout to visit the land of skittery drum and bass. There are multiple influences in here, IDM, ambience and techno included. I absolutely love this - it's going to be in heavy rotation in May. Highly Recommended. ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Popol Vuh - Meursault - Dramatis - Tomora - Black Dog - Ronan O Snodlaigh and Myles O’Reilly - Kneecap - Finnegan Tui - Eilur - Baxter Dury #weeknote ### Why Good Ideas Don't Always Win URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-good-ideas-dont-always-win/ Last updated: 2026-05-03T14:01:11.000Z > I've had some great ideas in my career. Some of them worked out. Some of them withered in my notebook, never getting further than the page they were scribbled on. And a few of them, the ones that still sting a bit, went nowhere when I raised them and then resurfaced months later under someone else's name. Different framing. Different timing. Different sponsor. Green light. ([apologies to Matthew McConaughey](https://greenlights.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) If you've sat with that feeling, wondering what you missed, this one is for you. ## The merit trap There is a belief that the best idea wins. If your thinking is sound and your evidence is strong, the organisation will recognise it. This belief keeps talented people stuck, because it encourages them to perfect the pitch rather than doing the thing that actually moves ideas forward. The quality of your idea is the entry ticket. It gets you into the conversation. It doesn't carry the idea across the line. What does that is a different set of skills entirely, and most people never get learn these because we're all quietly pretending that merit is enough. *This is the third piece in a series on navigating organisations.* [*First*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-know-where-you-work/)*, the gap between the official organisation and the real one.* [*Then*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-decisions-actually-get-made/)*, where decisions actually get shaped.* Now: why strong ideas still lose, and what you could do about it. ## What actually carries an idea In my experience, three things tend to determine whether an idea moves or stalls. None of them are "how good the idea is." That part is assumed. - **Timing.** The same idea lands differently depending on what the organisation is paying attention to **right now**. A restructure proposal during a growth phase feels threatening. The same proposal during a cost review feels proactive. The people who get their ideas adopted don't pitch cold. They wait until the problem they're solving is already on someone else's mind. - **Trust.** An idea from someone the room trusts gets five minutes of genuine attention. The same idea from someone unknown gets thirty seconds of polite nodding. Trust compounds. Every time you deliver on something, follow through on a commitment, or share a perspective that turns out to be right, your next idea arrives with a little more weight behind it. - **Ownership.** This is the one most people miss the target on. Walk into a room with a fully formed solution and present it as yours, and you're asking people to adopt something they had no hand in shaping. Most people resist that, even when they agree. The alternative: bring people into the thinking early. Let them add to it. By the time you present, the idea already has fingerprints on it from the people who need to say yes. That's collaboration done with awareness. I know this can feel unfair. It has felt unfair to me many times. But fairness and effectiveness are different skills. > Being right matters. Being effective at moving your truth into the world also matters. The second doesn't diminish the first. It amplifies it. ## How to become a better advocate for your own ideas If you recognise any of this, here are a few things you could try. - **Test before you pitch.** Before building the full case, share the seed of the idea with two or three people whose perspectives you respect. "I've been thinking about X. Does that resonate with you?" You'll learn whether the timing is right, what objections will come, and who might become an ally. This costs nothing and saves enormous amounts of wasted effort. I use team and peer 1:1 meetings to test out my ideas. - **Find out whose problem you're solving.** Every idea that gets supported (with resources or funds) solves a problem that someone with influence cares about. If yours doesn't connect to something a decision-maker is already worried about, it's much harder to land. This doesn't mean abandoning your ideas. It means framing them in a way that connects to what the organisation is paying attention to right now. - **Build trust before you need.** The worst time to start building trust is when you need people to say yes. Start earlier. Be useful in meetings. Follow through on small commitments. Share credit. These things feel separate from "getting my idea adopted" but they're the foundation everything else sits on. Your career is not a solo project, and neither are your ideas. I wrote more about that [here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/your-career-is-not-a-solo-project/). - **Let go of ownership.** The hardest one. If your idea gets adopted but someone else gets the credit, or it morphs into something you only half-recognise, **you still won**. The idea moved. The thing got better. The people who consistently drive change inside organisations care more about the outcome than the attribution. ## One thing to try this week Think of an idea you believe in that hasn't landed yet. Before you build another slide or write another proposal, have one conversation. Not a pitch. Just a question: "I've been thinking about this. How are you thinking about it?" That conversation will tell you more about what your idea needs than another hour of preparation ever could. > An idea without a path through the organisation is just a thought you captured in your notebook. The skill is building the path. 💡 **This is the third in a six-part series on navigating organisations. (*[**Pt 1*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-know-where-you-work/) *and* [**Pt 2*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-decisions-actually-get-made/)**)* **Next week: the politics you're already playing, whether you like it or not.* ### TWIL #119 - Super Vintage Wine URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-119-super-vintage-wine/ Last updated: 2026-05-03T13:27:04.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the oldest bottle of wine in the world is from c350AD - I presume it has aged enough by now. [Speyer wine bottle - Wikipedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/wikipedia.png)Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.Contributors to Wikimedia projects![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/960px-Roemerwein_in_Speyer.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speyer%5Fwine%5Fbottle?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 288 : You're already in the room URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/288-youre-already-in-the-room/ Last updated: 2026-05-16T11:35:23.000Z Most people think there's a room where the real decisions happen. A conversation they weren't invited to. A layer of the organisation reserved for people with bigger titles. It's a comforting story. It explains why your good ideas sometimes go nowhere. Why outcomes feel predetermined before the meeting starts. Why influence seems to belong to other people. But it's wrong. You're already in those conversations. The one-to-one where your manager thinks out loud. The coffee where a colleague asks what you reckon. The moment someone flags a problem and you start sketching solutions together. None of these feel like decision-making. They feel like talking. They're not. They **are** the moments where direction gets set. And you're in them every day. The question isn't how to get access. It's what happens when you start showing up to these moments on purpose. > [**Go deeper on this**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-decisions-actually-get-made/)**, and find out how to make sure you're part of the decision making.** --- ### The Stuff - [The Conscious Unbossing Crisis: Why 40% of Leaders Want Out](https://www.leadership8020.com/p/three-easy-phrases-that-build-trust?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The Trap of Busyness](https://nesslabs.com/newsletter/busyness-trap?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Urgency and Anxiety Are Not the Same Thing](https://furtherfasterfridays.substack.com/p/138-42426-urgency-and-anxiety-are) - [What We Learned From Reading 100 Self-Help Books](https://clearerthinking.beehiiv.com/p/5-things-we-learned-from-writing-the-12-levers?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Stop Fixing The System. Design your Own](https://www.certainagemag.com/post/stop-fixing-the-system?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The Four AI Decisions everyone should make](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyUChp9yrqw&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (YouTube) **Finally**. [Ratioed](https://ratioed.mfxlabs.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Can you draw a simple, but perfect, rectangle? --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about robot ping-pong. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Write about three 'wins' you had last week (however trivial) - how did they make you feel? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #64 - From Dublin (via Austin) URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/64-from-dublin-via-austin/ Last updated: 2026-04-26T13:37:13.000Z ### Updates A week in Austin. The kind of business trip where the real value isn't in the meetings (though they were good) but in the time spent around them, that you cannot replicate via Zoom. Also made a cowboy hat while I was there. Not ironically. It fits well. I shipped it home, so I hope it makes it! Last Sunday before I flew out, we went to see The House Always Wins at the Pavilion in Dun Laoghaire. A play by Mick Flannery with Tommy Tiernan in the cast. Really enjoyed it. Two films watched on the flight. Bugonia, and One Battle After Another. Both worth your time if you're looking for something that isn't a sequel or a franchise extension. Quiz night Wednesday. I missed it due to the time difference, but the team managed another narrow win to close out the season. That's back-to-back narrow wins now. A few weeks off before the next season starts. We're still perfecting coffee. The Lelit is producing good results but the gap between "good" and "perfect" is smaller than it sounds and takes tinkering to close. We're getting good though! **Reading**. Loves Executioner by Irvin Yalom - a recommendation from a friend, Therapy case studies written like short stories. Not light, but hard to put down. ### Recommended Music This weeks recommendation is from Stuff favourites - The Black Dog. Electronica stalwarts from Sheffield Black Dog have released Loud Ambient 2 - a sequel piece that continues the slightly more rhythm forward work of the first release. These are inspired by Rothko, and deliver a lovely colourful sound alongside shimmering electronics. Love this. Highly Recommended. ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - George Fitzgerald - Arcadia - Slugboy - The Black Dog - The Czars - Pantha du Prince - Fink - Maxwell Farrington and Le Superhomard - Glen Hansard - Natalie Lafourcade #weeknote ### How Decisions Actually Get Made URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-decisions-actually-get-made/ Last updated: 2026-04-26T12:57:13.000Z Last week I wrote about the two versions of every organisation: [the official one and the real one](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-know-where-you-work/). If you're going to notice that gap anywhere first, it will probably be in how decisions get made. Think about the last significant decision in your area. Not a small operational call. Something that moved budget, changed direction, or affected someone's role. Now think about when you first heard it discussed. Not the meeting where it was announced. The first time someone mentioned it to you. Over coffee. In a one-to-one. On a walk back from lunch. In a private message at 7pm. > That conversation? That was part of how the decision got made. You were already in it. ## You're already in the room Most people think decisions happen in meetings. They don't. Meetings are where decisions get confirmed, refined, and announced. The actual shaping happens earlier, in the informal conversations where people test ideas, surface concerns, and figure out what they think. > *I was talking to my team in Austin this week, and we discussed how I often share ideas in 1:1 conversations, way before they become a decision or a new project. I'll 'shop the idea around' until I get my story straight.* Here's what those conversations look like in your world. Your manager thinks out loud with you about a restructure. A colleague asks what you reckon about a new tool. Someone flags a problem in a one-to-one and you both start sketching solutions. None of these feel like "decision-making." They feel like talking. But they're the moments where direction gets set. > You're not outside this process. You're in it every day. The question is whether you're doing it accidentally or on purpose. ## The shift is intention, not access Once you see that you're already part of how decisions take shape, the practical question changes. It stops being "how do I get into the room?" and becomes "how do I show up to the conversations I'm already in with more intention?" Three things can make a difference. - **Name what you're seeing.** When someone thinks out loud with you, they're inviting you into the decision. Treat it that way. Instead of nodding along, offer a perspective. "I think the risk is X" or "Have you considered Y?" is more useful than agreement. Your role in that moment is to sharpen the thinking, not just witness it. This level of arbitrage improves decision making. - **Ask about what's coming, not just what's happened.** Most people only engage with decisions after they're announced. One question changes that: "What's being thought about right now?" Ask your manager in your next one-to-one. Ask a peer over coffee. That single question moves you from reacting to participating. It signals that you're someone who thinks ahead, and it gives you time to form a view before the formal conversation starts. - **Follow your instinct when something feels decided.** You know the phrases. "I think we're aligned on this." "The direction of travel is clear." When you hear these in a meeting, the shaping happened earlier. That's fine. But next time, notice when the shaping is happening in real time around you. That's your moment. Not the meeting. The conversation before it. ## Why this matters for your career This is quite simple. Your perspective matters. Your proximity to the work, to the team, to the customers means you see things that senior leaders don't. When you share that perspective early, in the conversations where thinking is still forming, you're not being political. You're being useful. > Being consistently useful in those moments is how trust compounds over time. The people who shape outcomes aren't in a special club. They're the ones who noticed that decisions are built in conversations, not meetings, and started showing up to those conversations as participants rather than spectators. > You're already IN those conversations. The only shift is recognising them for what they are. ## One thing to try this week Pick a decision that's currently in play. Something not yet finalised. Before the next meeting about it, have one conversation with someone involved. Don't pitch. Don't lobby. Just ask how they're thinking about it, and share how you're thinking about it. That's it. > You might find the meeting feels different afterwards. Not because anything changed about the meeting. Because you were already part of the decision before you walked in. For more on the toolkit side of making good decisions once you're in these conversations, I went deeper on that [here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/decisionmaking/). 💡 **This is the second in a six-part series on navigating organisations. Last week:* [**the organisation nobody shows you*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-know-where-you-work/)**. Next: why good ideas don't always win.* ### TWIL #118 - Robot Ping-Pong URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-118-robot-ping-pong/ Last updated: 2026-04-26T12:47:21.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned the scientists have developed a robot that plays Table Tennis (Ping-Pong) using AI guidance. Turns out, its pretty good! [Ping-pong robot Ace makes history by beating top-level human playersAn autonomous robot ping-pong player dubbed Ace has achieved a milestone for AI and robotics in Tokyo by competing against and sometimes defeating top-level human players at table tennis, a feat that could presage an array of other applications for similarly adept robots. Ace, created by the Japanese company Sony’s ‌AI research division, is the first robot to attain expert-level performance in a competitive physical sport, one that requires rapid decisions and precision execution, the project’s leader said. ‌Ace did so by employing high-speed perception, AI-based control and a state-of-the-art robotic system. Ace changed that with its performances against ​human elite-level and professional players in matches following the rules of the International Table Tennis Federation, the sport’s governing body, and officiated by licensed umpires.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)YahooWill Dunham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/https--2F-2Fs.yimg.com-2Fos-2Fen-2Freuters-finance.com%2F3bd205a51b16229b70efecf6eeec3f49)](https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/meta-ai/articles/ping-pong-robot-ace-makes-150251244.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 287: Nobody tells you this part URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/287-nobody-tells-you-this-part/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T05:00:07.000Z You've done the work. Hit the targets. Followed the process. And somehow the promotion went to someone who seemed to do less but knew something you didn't. It's not a conspiracy. It's not even unfair, exactly. It's just that the organisation you think you work in and the one that actually makes decisions are not the same thing. Most career advice skips this part entirely. It assumes the org chart is the whole picture. That doing good work in the right role is enough. For some people, sometimes, it is. For a lot of people, it isn't, and nobody tells you why. There's a version of your organisation that nobody puts in the induction pack. Learning to read it changes everything. > I wrote about how to start seeing it - [You Don't Know Where you Work.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-know-where-you-work/) --- ### The Stuff - [Be Nice to your AI Chatbot](https://www.platformer.news/the-scientific-case-for-being-nice-to-your-chatbot?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Push Authority to Information](https://sketchplanations.substack.com/p/nuclear-submarine-captain-david-marquet) - [How to Reduce Cognitive Load](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/fundamentals-signposting?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [A Toolkit for Tackling Work Anxiety](https://nesslabs.com/newsletter/work-anxiety?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [What's the Real Price of Success?](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-real-price-of-success?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [You're the manager now](https://every.to/context-window/you-re-the-manager-now?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [As Slow As Possible](https://pippinbarr.com/as-slow-as-possible/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Classic Arcade games played on the slowest imaginable speed. Win, and you get go slower. MUCH harder than it looks. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about Cloud Panthers ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Describe a moment when you felt truly at peace with your surroundings. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #63 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/63-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T09:24:49.000Z ### Updates A week that moved fast! Work has been full-on with a lot of plates spinning, and most of the week was spent prepping for a trip to Austin. Pre-travel weeks always have that slightly frantic energy where you're trying to close things out before you leave while also getting your head around what's coming. Monday night we went to see *The Stranger* at the IFI in Dublin. A beautiful adaptation of the Albert Camus book. If you haven't seen it, very highly recommended. The kind of film that stays with you on the walk back to the station. Also caught *I Swear* on Netflix last night. Another excellent film, and the BAFTA win for Best Actor was well deserved. Two strong films in one week feels like a good return. Quiz night on Wednesday. A narrow win against a big handicap, which is the best kind. There's something satisfying about grinding out a result when the numbers are stacked against you. I popped into Dublin yesterday to see my favourite vinyl stockist during Record Store Day 2026, and picked up a few nice bits including a new Turin Brakes Live Acoustic album, and an absolute blast from the past by the brilliant Furniture. I know that RSD is not everyones cup of tea, but I love seeing busy record shops. The highlight this week though was a new espresso machine - a Lelit Elizabeth (for the coffee nerds). I've spent an unreasonable amount of time this week dialling in grind size, milk temperature, and pour technique. Turns out making a decent flat white is genuinely harder than it looks. I'm not good yet, but I'm committed. Backup career: under consideration. **Reading**. Dance Move by Wendy Erskine, a collection of short stories. ### Recommended Music This weeks recommendation is from Sad Man - who is billed as 'relentlessly obscure and prolific British music maker' - right up my strasse. 'The Dance' is excellent - sitting somewhere in between kosmiche and the dancefloor in places with some traces of relaxing ambience as well. According to Spotify, Sad Man has 21 monthly listeners. I 100% think that should be a lot more. Highly Recommended. [The Dance - Album by Sad Man | SpotifySad Man · album · 2026 · 10 songs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon32.b64ecc03.png)Spotify![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/ab67616d0000b2730bf71cb1168419cbe9be4fb3)](https://open.spotify.com/album/6XP40Quprx1vwV0EZ1NglG?si=2O3N5oNCQPOC6tKAy1nb7w&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(My usual tool for linking music seems to be dead - so using a Spotify link this week, you’ll find The Dance on every music streamer)* ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Alexis Taylor - Massive Attack - Sad Man - Snorri Halgrimsson - Richard Ashcroft - Delphine Dora - Andrew Wasylyk - The Dears - Jasper Tygner - Joachim Spieth #weeknote ### You don't know where you work URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-know-where-you-work/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T08:32:50.000Z *This is the first in a series about how organisations really work. Not the version you get in onboarding. The one you have to figure out for yourself.* Your first week in any new job comes with an induction. You meet your team. Someone shows you the org chart. You get the strategy deck, the values poster, the welcome email from the CEO. You get the grand tour of the office. By Friday you think you understand where you've landed. You don't. Not really. Every organisation runs as two organisations at once. The one printed in the induction pack, and the one that actually decides things. The official version is real enough on paper. It pays your salary. It tells you who you report to. The real one decides whether your idea gets funded, whether your project gets blocked, and whether your name comes up when the next promotion is being discussed [in a room you're not in.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-control-your-reputation/) > Most career advice assumes the official version is the whole picture. That's why so much of it disappoints in practice. You can do everything the policy handbook says and still find yourself stuck. ## The map and the territory Think of it like a map. The org chart is the public transport map: clean, geometric, designed for clarity. The real organisation is the city above it. Messy streets, shortcuts, neighbourhoods with their own rules. You **can** navigate a city with just the transit map, but not well. The people who actually move through it know which streets connect, which junctions are blocked at rush hour, and which back routes save twenty minutes. > The same is true at work. The official version tells you where things are. The real version tells you how things move. Almost nobody hands you the second map. They assume you'll either pick it up or you won't. The ones who do tend to make faster, better, more enjoyable progress. The ones who don't keep wondering why the obvious right answer keeps losing. ## Where you'll notice the difference The difference between the two versions tends to show up in multiple places. Once you start looking, you can't unsee it. - **Decisions.** The org chart says decisions are made by Person X in role Y. The real version often shows the decision was already made in a coffee chat between two other people last Tuesday. The meeting is the announcement, not the decision. - **Influence.** The most influential person in a room is rarely the most senior. Sometimes it's the long-tenured IC who knows where the bodies are. Sometimes it's the engineer everyone trusts on technical calls. **Power follows credibility, not always titles.** - **Information.** Some information moves on the official channel: town halls, all-hands, formal updates. The **good** information moves through smaller circuits. Who gets a quick heads-up before something is announced is one of the most accurate signals of where you sit in the real organisation. - **Promotion.** The official process has criteria, scorecards, calibration sessions. The real process has [sponsors who go to bat for you in the room](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/283-you-need-a-sponsor-not-another-mentor/). Both matter. People who only optimise for the official one are often surprised by the result. - **Strategy.** What the strategy deck says, and what the leadership team is actually arguing about behind closed doors, are sometimes the same thing. Often they aren't. Watching what gets funded is more revealing than reading what gets presented. None of this is a conspiracy. It's just how groups of humans work when they have to make decisions, allocate resources, and trust each other under uncertainty. Calling it political is a way of avoiding it. Calling it organisational savvy is more useful. ## How to start reading the real version This is a skill, not a personality trait. You can build it the same way you'd build any other professional muscle. Here are a few things you could try this month. - **Watch the meeting after the meeting.** Notice who lingers. Notice which two people walk back to their desks or stay on the video call together. The casual conversations in the five minutes after a formal meeting tell you more than the meeting did. - **Ask "how did this actually happen?"** When a decision lands, get genuinely curious about how it travelled. Who raised it first? Who supported it? Who was sceptical and what changed their mind? You're not gossiping. You're studying the operating system. - **Map the unofficial influencers.** Pick the next big decision in your area. Privately, write down who you think actually shaped it. Not who announced it. Who shaped it. Then check your guesses against what you learn over the next few weeks. - **Notice the language.** Every organisation has phrases that signal alignment, scepticism, or no-go territory. "We've discussed this before." "Let's take it offline." "I'd love to understand the thinking." Learn what these phrases really mean in your specific environment. - **Find a translator.** Almost every organisation has someone who understands both versions and is generous enough to explain. They are worth more than any onboarding programme. Buy them a coffee. > The point isn't to become cynical. Once you can see the real version, you can stop being mystified by it. You can advocate for your work in places where it lands. You can support colleagues whose ideas keep getting lost in the gap. You can spend your energy on the things that actually move. ## A different kind of fluency The first time someone showed me the real organisation behind the official one, it felt like being let in on a secret. The slightly disappointing truth is that there isn't a secret. There's just a layer most people never get curious about because they were taught to take the official version at face value. If you're early in your career, this isn't a reason to lose faith. It's a reason to pay closer attention. Hard graft and good chops still matter. They matter more, not less, when you understand the environment they're operating in. For more on the practical side of this, you might find [The Art of Influence: Eight ways to create connection in the workplace](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-influence-eight-ways-to-create-connection-in-the-workplace/) useful. It is the practice that follows the literacy. > The next time someone hands you an org chart, take it. Then quietly start drawing the other one in your head. --- This is the first in a six-part series on navigating organisations. Over the coming weeks: how decisions actually get made, why good ideas don't always win, the politics you're already playing whether you like it or not, building influence without authority, and knowing when to work the system versus when to walk away. ### TWIL #117 - Cloud Jaguars URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-117-cloud-jaguars/ Last updated: 2026-04-18T11:29:05.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the rare sighting of a 'Cloud Jaguar' - an elusive animal that rarely gets seen - this is a massive win for conservation efforts. [“Cloud Jaguar” Spotted in Honduras Marks Conservation WinFor the first time in a decade, a “cloud jaguar” was spotted in Honduras, marking a conservation win for the species.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Nice NewsStephanie Baxter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_0172-3.jpg)](https://nicenews.com/environment/cloud-jaguar-conservation-win-honduras/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 286: The Decision Nobody Makes URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/286-the-decision-nobody-makes/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T05:01:41.000Z Most people will never build a deliberate personal brand. Not because they lack visibility. Not because they don't post enough. Because they skipped the one step that makes everything else work. They went straight to tactics. Profile. Content. Presence. And wondered why nothing shifted. **You can't outpost an unclear signal.** Visibility without a decision underneath it doesn't close the reputation gap. It widens it. The investment isn't expensive and it doesn't take long. Most people just never make it explicitly. This week's post is the final piece in the arc we've been building. It's also instantly actionable. Three specific commitments. No fuss, just momentum. > READ - [The career investment you haven't made](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-career-investment-you-havent-made/) --- ### The Stuff - [Clarity of Purpose and What It Takes to Build a Reputation](https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/april-9-2026?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Advice for Living in a World Being Changed by AI](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/advice-for-living-in-a-world-being-changed-by-ai?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Desire Paths. Where do you WANT to go?](https://the-simulation-strategists.beehiiv.com/p/desire-paths?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The Illusion of Clarity](https://nesslabs.com/illusion-of-clarity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Five Productivity Principles That Actually Work](https://markmanson.net/breakthrough/201-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Something you should always carry with you](https://ryanholiday.net/this-is-something-you-should-always-carry-with-you/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Strangers Games](https://spencergreenberg.com/thestrangersgames/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A collection of tiny amusements to fill a coffee break. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about Lego for Blind People. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Describe a moment when you felt truly at peace with your surroundings. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #62 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/62-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-04-12T12:33:41.000Z ### Updates Getting back to work after a five week break was always going to be challenging - but throw in a four-day week and things get compressed down to a very busy week! I now have a well established second brain running at work, with Claude Code helping me stay organised and accountable as well as delivering some impressive thought partnership as I manage my team. I experimented with a limited Claw this week, and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can delegate there. Away from work, I've been getting myself organised and using some AI to help me prioritise and get my thinking straight. I also have decided to invest a couple of hours each week to some learning and I have a list of AI related courses to try and stretch my knowledge. The quiz team suffered a narrow loss on Wednesday - we're in a post-season trophy competition, and the handicapping has given us some big deficits to manage, but we're having fun trying to close gaps. Finally - had a great day yesterday, visiting the Dublin Coffee Festival to scout a new espresso machine and then seeing the marvellous Marlon Williams live at the Button Factory - my snap from the floor is at the top of this weeknote. **Reading**. Dance Move by Wendy Erskine, a collection of short stories. ### Recommended Music This weeks recommendation is the excellent new album from electronica star - Joachim Spieth. 'Vestige' is a collection of 7 tracks from the intersection of Ambient, Dub and Electronica. I enjoyed this, and I'm pleased to say that it stands up to multiple listens, with a lovely open feeling that is optimistic and spring-like in places. Highly Recommended. *(My usual tool for linking music seems to be dead - so using a Spotify link this week, you’ll find Vistige on every music streamer)* ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - The Black Dog - James Blake - Ordnance Survey - Marsheaux - Kate Bush - The Unthanks - d’Voxx - Fink - Beth Orton - Marlon Williams (live) #weeknote ### TWIL #116 - Lego for blind people URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-116-lego-for-blind-people/ Last updated: 2026-04-12T11:57:03.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned how one man is making Lego accessible to blind people. [How a blind man made it possible for others with low vision to build Lego setsMatthew Shifrin loved building Lego sets as a child. But since he’s blind, he relied on others for help.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)AP NewsMICHAEL CASEY![](https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/1d5ad53/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5691x3792+0+1/resize/980x653!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F18%2F68%2F965d57e2417236d0883bc538ad72%2F2ae52fd71a3d4a6f80890ecffc2dea23)](https://apnews.com/article/lego-bricks-for-blind-audio-braille-instructions-5a2a27de4354a0b1443171c3f24f29e4?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### The Career Investment You Haven't Made URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-career-investment-you-havent-made/ Last updated: 2026-04-12T14:04:16.000Z The last few weeks have covered the relational side of career growth. Sponsors. Managers. Generosity. Reputation. The people around you and how they shape your trajectory. This is where it turns into action. None of that matters if the signal you're sending is unclear, inconsistent, or accidental. Most people will spend years building skills, relationships, and experience. Very few will make the one investment that makes all of it visible. > Not a LinkedIn profile. Not a posting schedule. Not a rebrand. > A decision. ## The Investment Nobody Talks About When people get feedback that they need to work on their personal brand, the instinct is to reach for tactics. Update the profile. Post more content. Get more visible. It feels productive and it rarely works for the long term. Not because visibility is wrong, but because it's the wrong starting point. In [last week's post](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-control-your-reputation/), we looked at the gap between your reputation and your self-perception. The gap where careers stall. The audit that helps you see it clearly. Once you can see the gap, the question becomes: how do you close it? The answer is not a campaign or a project. It's a decision. > Decide what you want to be consistently known for. Then be consistent enough to earn it. That's the investment. It sounds simple. It is genuinely hard. And most people never make it explicitly. ## The Decision Must Come First Most people have an **accidental** personal brand. It is formed from their most visible moments, their most recent mistakes, and whatever story other people found easiest to attach to them. > It wasn't chosen. It accumulated. The problem with jumping straight to tactics, before making the decision, is that you end up broadcasting the wrong signal louder. A posting schedule built on unclear thinking just creates more noise. Visibility without a clear, consistent message underneath it doesn't close the gap. It widens it. > The decision has to come first, because everything else flows from it. This is not about manufacturing a version of yourself that doesn't exist. It's about making the real version legible. Accessible. Consistent enough that the people who matter can actually describe you accurately. > You are not building a persona. You are reducing the gap between who you are and what others can see. ## What the Decision Actually Looks Like The decision isn't grand. It's a single, clear answer to one question: > *When someone who has worked closely with me is asked what I'm known for professionally, what do I want them to say?* Not what you hope they say. Not what you used to be known for. What do you want the answer to be, going forward, deliberately? For some, this is easy. They know exactly what they want their professional identity to be. They just haven't been intentional about reinforcing it. For others, the question is harder. They have never named it. They've built a career from opportunity and momentum without ever deciding what thread runs through it. If you're in the second group, that ambiguity needs addressing. And it's worth sitting with the discomfort of the question before you reach for tactics. ## Three Commitments To Start Once the decision is made, the work becomes behavioural. Not performative. Here's where to start. 1. **Write it down in one sentence.** *What do you want to be known for? One sentence. If you can't write it clearly, you haven't decided yet. Keep working until you can. Vague intentions produce vague reputations.* 1. **Identify the two or three people whose perception matters most right now.** *Not your whole network. The specific people closest to decisions about your career at this moment. A manager. A senior stakeholder. A client.* *Are you sending the right signal to them, consistently, in the interactions you already have?* *If not, that's where to start. Not on LinkedIn.* 1. **Name one behaviour you will be more consistent about in the next 30 days.** *In rooms. In meetings. In the work you deliver and how you show up under pressure. Reputation is built in accumulated moments, not grand gestures. Pick one thing you want to be more consistent about and treat it as a commitment, not an aspiration.* > These three steps won't fix everything overnight. But they move you from accidental to intentional. And that shift, made clearly and with consistency, is a great first step. ## The Payoff Compounds Personal brand built on a genuine decision compounds over time. It doesn't spike and fade the way a viral post does. Colleagues start to describe you in the same words. Opportunities start to arrive that fit who you actually are. Decisions get made in your favour in rooms you're not in, because the story being told about you is finally the one you'd tell about yourself. That's what closing the gap looks like from the inside. This arc started with a simple argument: your career is not a solo project. The relationships, the visibility, the reputation you build with others, all of it matters. This is how you take deliberate ownership of your part in it. The best career investment you haven't made isn't expensive. It doesn't take much time. It just takes a decision. > What do you want to be known for, and are you being consistent enough to earn it? ### 285: Someone is talking about you URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/285-someone-is-talking-about-out-you/ Last updated: 2026-04-12T11:03:07.000Z Someone is describing you right now. Not to your face. In a meeting room, a chat thread, a conversation over coffee. Three or four words. Formed from moments you’ve probably forgotten. You aren’t there. You can’t correct it. The version of you being described may have very little to do with who you **actually** **are**. Most professionals have no idea what their reputation really is. They know how **hard** they’ve worked. They don’t know if any of that is visible to the people who matter. That gap is where your career growth can quietly stall. Understanding your real reputation is where personal brand actually starts. > Read: [You don’t control your reputation](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-control-your-reputation/) --- ### The Stuff - [Stop Sloppy Pasta - rules for using AI](https://stopsloppypasta.ai/en/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Learn finance with these free courses](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/igor-buinevici%5Ftop-10-free-finance-courses-from-mit-yale-activity-7445443672046718976-sN6v?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fios&rcm=ACoAAAAJ-QMBi9Jeeen6U1P3odIkBh8Jo%5F9nleY) - [How are you defining success?](https://www.alexandrafranzen.com/2026/03/31/success/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [100 little decisions - and how to improve making them.](https://zenhabits.net/decisions/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [You are not your job](https://jry.io/writing/you-are-not-your-job/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Why we worry - and how to manage it](https://nesslabs.com/why-we-worry?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Spring](https://smolpxl.gitlab.io/smolpxl/spring/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Navigate a simple world as a spring would. Very Silly. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about Parmesan Cheese! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What do you want your reputation at work to be? What do you need to change to get there? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #61 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/61-from-spain/ Last updated: 2026-04-04T10:09:21.000Z ### Updates I’m nearing the end of my 5 week recharge from work, an amazing benefit that accrues after five years with Meta. I’m open my last few days here in Spain. We went on a road trip, visiting Cordoba and Almeria - two lovely cities with a mix of Moorish and Christian architecture, and tons of great food. Even in March, the weather was glorious and I got to take some fun pictures. Between the two cities, we drove through endless Olive trees, as far as the eye could see in every direction - at some point we’ll go back and visit that area. Travelling without a computer has been nice, and has given me space to think about some new ideas and experiments to try when I get home. I’ve kept my website up to date using my iPad, which has been useful - but mostly I have Been trying to stay away from screens and I haven‘t looked at work email/chats at all. Most other projects are on hold while I‘m on this trip and away from the ‘command hub’! **Reading**. Dance Move by Wendy Erskine, a collection of short stories. ### Recommended Music This weeks recommendation is actually playing in the background now as I write my weeknote. ‘Paradises’ is the new album by Ladytron, who carefully tread the line between dream pop and electronica and have put together another great album. Joining together poppy and accessible songs, with excellent analogue electronics, this is super listenable and highly recommended: *(My usual tool for linking music seems to be dead - so using a Spotify link this week, you’ll find Paradises on every music streamer)* ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - New Order - Nick Cave - Idles - Ladytron - James Blake - Baxter Dury - Fink - Dry Cleaning - Joachim Spieth - Royksopp #weeknote ### You Don’t Control Your Reputation URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/you-dont-control-your-reputation/ Last updated: 2026-04-04T09:29:17.000Z Right now, someone is describing you to a hiring manager, a senior leader, or a prospective client. Three or four words formed from moments you’ve probably forgotten. A meeting where you went quiet. A piece of work you rushed. A decision you made two years ago that someone is still referencing. You weren’t in the conversation, you can’t correct it. The version of you being described may have very little to do with who you actually are today. > You don’t own your reputation. Other people do. ## The Hidden Gap Most people I coach carry a version of their reputation that exists entirely in their head. They know how hard they’ve worked, how much they’ve grown, how much they care. What they don’t know is whether any of that is visible to the people who matter. The gap between self-perception and what others actually think is where careers stall. Everyone has colleagues who are competent and invisible. We have all met people that talented and misunderstood. You can be consistently excellent and still be passed over, because the story being told about you doesn’t match the one you’d tell about yourself. This is **information asymmetry.** The people making decisions about your career are working with incomplete and often inaccurate data. **Most of the time, you have no idea what that data says.** ## Reputation Is Not the Same as Personal Brand This is where most advice goes wrong. I have coached many people who have been given the feedback that they ‘need to work on their personal brand‘. At one company I worked at, it was in almost EVERY performance review. Think about these two positions: > Reputation: what people say about you when you’re not in the room. vs > Personal brand: the deliberate, consistent signal you send into the world so that the reputation you have is closer to the truth. Personal brand is **not** your LinkedIn profile. It’s not a posting schedule. It’s not thought leadership content you don’t actually believe in. It’s an honest answer to this question: **When someone who has worked with you is asked what you’re known for, what do they say?** If you don’t know the answer, that’s the root cause of the problem. It will never be your headshot. Or your profile. And definitely NOT your network. **It will be the signal you’re sending, whether it’s deliberate or accidental.** Most people have an accidental personal brand. It will be built from their most visible moments, their most recent mistakes, and whatever narrative other people found easiest to attach to them. It may be accurate. It may not be. Either way, it formed without much input from them. **The goal isn’t to manufacture a false version of yourself. The goal is to make the real version accessible and accurate.** ## The Atomic Structure of Reputation Reputation doesn’t come from grand gestures. It forms through accumulated signals over time. Three things shape it most: 1. **The work you’re associated with.** Not everything you’ve done, but the work people most easily connect to your name. What you delivered. How you showed up under pressure. Whether you made things easier or harder for the people around you. 2. **The language other people use to describe you**. This is largely invisible to you, but it matters. The words colleagues reach for when your name comes up become the shorthand for your professional identity. Reliable. Creative. Difficult. Strategic. Problem-solver. Bottleneck. 3. **The moments people remember.** Reputation is disproportionately shaped by peaks and turning points, not averages. One visible failure can anchor a reputation for years. One moment of unusual clarity can open doors for a decade. **None of these are fully in your control, but they’re not random either.** ## The Reputation Audit: A Three-Step Exercise You can’t manage what you don’t understand. Before tactics, before personal brand strategy, before any of it, you need an honest picture of where you actually stand. This takes about a week. It’s uncomfortable, but sit with it because it is worth. ### Step 1: Audit yourself Write down answers to three questions without editing or softening them. - What am I genuinely known for right now? Not what I’d like to be known for. What’s the honest answer? - What’s the last piece of work that represented me at my best? Is that work visible to the people who matter, or did it disappear quietly? - If a senior leader in my organisation or a client/customer was asked to describe my strengths today, what would they say? How confident am I in that answer? Most people get stuck on question three. That uncertainty is a data point. ### Step 2: Get real feedback Ask two or three people who have genuine visibility of your work one simple question: - “If someone asked what I’m known for professionally, what would you say?” Don’t prompt them. Don’t qualify the question. Don’t explain why you’re asking. Just listen. *Pick people who will tell you the truth, not people who will be kind. A peer, a manager, someone who has seen you under pressure. The goal is signal, not reassurance*. ### Step 3: Assess the gap Compare what you wrote in step one with what you heard in step two. - **Where do they match?** That’s your reputation working accurately. - **Where do they diverge?** That’s your gap. And pay attention to anything that surprised you, because surprises reveal the parts of your reputation you’ve had the least visibility on. *The gap isn’t a problem to be embarrassed about. It’s a starting point. Most people never get this far because they never ask.* Once you know the gap, you can start to close it deliberately. That’s where personal brand work actually begins. 💡 This is the first in a series on personal brand, not as a networking exercise, but as a strategic approach to how your professional identity is understood and communicated. Read more at mattrutherford.co.uk ### TWIL #115 - Parmesan Cheese URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-115-parmesan-cheese/ Last updated: 2026-04-04T05:00:45.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned How Parmesan Cheese is made. ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 284: Good Work does not speak for itself URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/284-good-work-does-not-speak-for-itself/ Last updated: 2026-03-30T05:00:18.000Z Good work does not speak for itself. People do. The idea that your output will be noticed, interpreted correctly, and rewarded fairly assumes your manager is paying close attention. If you are looking to [cultivate sponsors](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/283-you-need-a-sponsor-not-another-mentor/), they need to know your currency. They are not always. They are managing their own pressures, their own visibility gaps, their own relationship with the person above them. This isn’t cynicism. It is just how organisations work. The real problem with managing upwards is that you confuse it with politics. It feels icky, uncomfortable, even manipulative. So you avoid it entirely. You put their head down, do good work, and hope someone notices. You might get lucky. Most people do not. Managing upwards is not about impression management. It is about reducing the gap between the work you are doing and what your manager actually knows about it. These two things are rarely as aligned as you think. This practical shift is small but significant. - Before your next one-to-one, start closing the gap proactively. - Pick one piece of work your manager has limited visibility on. - Find a natural moment, not a formal one, to surface it. **The aim is not to impress them but to inform them.** Doing this consistently changes a dynamic. You stop being someone they have to check in on. You become someone who keeps them informed. That distinction matters. These shifting and strategic relationships with your manager are discussed in [Richard Hytners excellent book: Consiglieri - Leading from the Shadows.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-consiglieri-leading-from-the-shadows-by-richard-hytner/) The goal is to be understood. > What is one piece of work your manager currently has no real visibility on? --- ### The Stuff - [When change feels overwhelming.](https://zenhabits.net/overwhelming/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How to reclaim your attention.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-reclaim-your-attention?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Chase the right things.](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-antelope-principle-how-to-chase-the-right-things?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The key to structuring your work is 'nothing’.](https://www.vangemert.dev/blog/nothing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The secret to being happy.](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/secret-being-happy-2026-simpler-than-you-think?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How news scrolling affects your brain.](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/how-news-affects-your-brain-and-body?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [100 Jumps.](https://100jumps.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The simplest game ever, and possibly the most infuriating. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about the world fart atlas! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Write a message to yourself to be delivered in one year - what will you have achieved? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #114 - a Human Fart Atlas? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-114-a-human-fart-atlas/ Last updated: 2026-03-28T06:00:21.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that scientists are working to compile a Human Fart Atlas, to track the 'explosivity' of farts. [The Human Flatus Atlas plans to measure the explosivity of fartsFeedback is excited to learn that University of Maryland researchers are measuring farts in a bid to build a Human Flatus Atlas, a project that seems destined for an Ig Nobel![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/180x180.50b024f6.png)New Scientist#author.fullName}![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/SEI_286587947.jpg)](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26935844-200-the-human-flatus-atlas-plans-to-measure-the-explosivity-of-farts/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 283: You need a sponsor, not another mentor. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/283-you-need-a-sponsor-not-another-mentor/ Last updated: 2026-03-23T06:00:54.000Z You probably have a mentor. Can you name your sponsor? **The difference matters.** A mentor gives you advice. A sponsor spends political capital on your behalf. They put their reputation on the line in rooms you’re not in. They say your name when opportunities come up. They advocate as much as you advise. Mentors are easy to find. Most large organisations have a programme to help you find one. Sponsors are rarer and sometimes hard to find. Most career advice conflates the two, which means people spend years collecting feedback they don’t act on, while missing the relationships that actually shift things. Sponsors are harder to develop because they require something mentors don’t. Not gratitude. **Proof**. A sponsor puts their reputation on the line when they back you. They won’t do that on potential alone. They need evidence that you won’t make them look foolish. You can’t ask for a sponsor. You have to become worth one. That means doing work that travels beyond your immediate scope or team. Solving problems that matter to people with influence, not just problems that matter to you. And being the kind of person whose wins are easy for others to repeat in a room. This impact becomes your **currency**. Most people wait to be noticed. Sponsors back people who’ve already made themselves hard to ignore. The first step is not finding a sponsor. It’s asking an honest question: what am I currently doing that would make someone want to put their name behind me? If the answer is unclear, that’s where to start. > Who in your organisation has the influence to move your career forward, and what are you doing that makes you worth the risk? --- ### The Stuff - [Doing things that scare you](https://harmamaesmit.com/2023/06/27/on-doing-things-that-scare-you/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The most important skills for the future](https://time.com/charter/7328444/the-most-important-skills-for-the-future/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [How to trick your brain](https://www.self.com/story/how-to-trick-your-brain-into-doing-something-youre-avoiding?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) into doing something you’re avoiding. - [Remote Working do's and don'ts](https://lukejones.me/remote-dos-and-donts/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Do What You Are Doing](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/an-ancient-phrase-that-will-change-how-you-live?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [Four principles of productivity](https://markmanson.net/principles-of-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Crossflip](https://puzzmallow.com/crossflip?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A clever word game that will keep you engaged over a coffee today. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about the Scottish Island that bought itself! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** Describe your perfect morning, and how it makes you feel for the rest of the day. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #60 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/60-from-spain/ Last updated: 2026-03-22T08:20:45.000Z ### Updates I missed a week - travelling back from Norway meant I was offline for a day - so here I am now in Spain for a couple of weeks. Norway was fantastic - we saw the Northern Lights (above) and explored the fjord around Tromsø. In the second half of the week my son and I rented a cabin to the South of Tromsø and spent a quite few days reading and relaxing. It was a great trip, and spending time with my son was a real bonus. We flew home on Sunday, And then flew down to Spain to continue my recharge from work. Most other projects are on hold while I‘m on this trip and away from the ‘command hub’! **Reading**. Grime Kids by DJ Target - telling the story of the origin of Grime music. Only a short way in, but an entertaining read so far. ### Recommended Music I’ve been listening to this album non-stop for the last couple of weeks and I don’t think that I will stop soon. Trying Times is the new album from James Blake, and this one feels like a real masterpiece. It’s his first independent album, and has a slightly more raw and urgent edge than previous albums. Throughout are some superb vocals, and excellent production. I’m convinced this will be on a lot of end-of-year charts. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Marsheaux - Bridget calls me Baby - James Blake - Fink - Nathaniel Rateliff - Lisa O’Neill - Money - Delphine Dora - Robyn - Lykke Li #weeknote ### TWIL #113 - The Scottish Island that Bought itself URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-113-the-scottish-island-that-bought-itself/ Last updated: 2026-03-21T06:00:16.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about Eigg, a Scottish Island that bought itself. [The Scottish island that bought itself100 residents now own the island they live on—not some billionaire.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa4b2c3ff-85b2-49da-9c61-b393a2a401fb-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The ElysianElle Griffin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fbc2a7e8b-b715-43cc-81c4-feb0001745fb_2393x1582.png)](https://www.elysian.press/p/the-scottish-island-that-bought-itself?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 282: The Return on Generosity URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/282-the-return-on-generosity/ Last updated: 2026-03-16T06:00:42.000Z Most professionals want people in their corner. Far fewer ask whether they are doing the things that earns their support. A wider surface area increases the number of people thinking about you positively when you are not in the room. It compounds quietly over time. And the fastest way to build it is also the one many people skip. Investing in others. Mentoring. Sponsoring. Getting in someone else's corner before you need anyone in yours. That requires something that competitive drive tends to squeeze out. Humility. Cultivating genuine curiosity about other people's progress. A willingness to make someone else the main character for a while. The return is real. It just takes longer than most people are willing to wait. > [The Return on Generosity: read this week's post. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-return-on-generosity/) --- ### The Stuff - [So, you want to be promoted?](https://randsinrepose.com/archives/so-you-want-to-be-promoted-pt-1/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Intentional Learning in practice](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/intentional-learning-in-practice-a-3x3x3-approach?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How to Make Hard Work feel easy.](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/02/12/make-hard-work-feel-easy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Four skills that AI cannot replace (YT)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s%5F765enJBy8&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How to succeed where other leaders fail](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/illustrated-guide-learning-leaders-fail?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Speed as a habit](https://review.firstround.com/speed-as-a-habit/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Wikicommute](https://wikicommute.vercel.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Make the journey to work an educational experience! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about the Hotel of Doom in the DPRK. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What have I learned about myself that surprised me? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #112 - North Korea's hotel of doom URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-112-north-koreas-hotel-of-doom/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T06:00:13.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about North Korea's Hotel of Doom. [The story of North Korea’s ‘Hotel of Doom’ | CNNThe 1,083-foot Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, was supposed to be the world’s tallest hotel. But after 32 years, it’s still not open.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-25.png)CNNJacopo Prisco![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/190723070252-01-ryugyong-hotel-architecture-origins-restricted.jpg)](https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/ryugyong-hotel-architecture-origins?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### The Return on Generosity URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-return-on-generosity/ Last updated: 2026-03-13T06:00:36.000Z Most career advice tells you to focus on your own progress. The driven professional optimises relentlessly. Skills, visibility, performance. Every decision filtered through one question: [does this move me forward?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-overthinking-career-decisions-use-this-test/) It looks like the right approach - but there are other things to consider. Last week I wrote about why your career is not a solo project, and why the people who advocate for you matter more than most career advice acknowledges. My inbox tells me it made sense, but it left a new question. > If advocacy cannot be manufactured, how do you actually earn it? The answer is **not** better networking. It is not a more polished personal brand. It is something most competitive professionals have quietly written off as a distraction. **It is investing in other people.** ## Focus Has a Ceiling The driven professional optimises relentlessly for their own progress. Skills, visibility, performance. All pointed inwards and upwards. That approach has real advantages early on. It builds momentum. It signals ambition. It gets you noticed, but it has a limit. > The ceiling arrives earlier than you expect. At some point, career progression stops being about what you can do and starts being about what you can see in others. What you can develop and what you can build that is bigger than your own output. The missing variable is almost never skill. It is almost always **surface area.** **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## What is my Surface Area Matt? Surface area is not your network in the LinkedIn sense. It is the number of people who think about you positively when you are not in the room. Every person you have genuinely helped becomes a node. Someone who mentions your name unprompted. Someone who thinks of you when an opportunity appears. Someone who speaks well of you not because they have to, but because you gave them a reason to. The focused competitor has a small surface area. Their world is efficient and self-contained. They do excellent work and wait for it to be recognised. > The problem is that recognition does not travel through merit alone. It travels through people. ## The Cost of Treating Mentorship as Optional Many professionals see mentoring or supporting others as a cost. Time spent on someone else's progress is time not spent on their own. That logic is understandable AND wrong. When you invest in someone else's development, you do not just help them. You become visible in a new context. You show judgment, generosity, and the kind of leadership that people notice and reward. The person you helped talks about you. Their network becomes attached to yours and your reputation moves into circles you may have never entered. None of this requires you to be calculating about it. You do not need to mentor people strategically, measuring the return on each relationship. You just need to stop treating it as a distraction from the real work. > I mentor 1 or 2 people every year at work. I take as much as I give, learning about new areas of the business and sharpening my coaching skills. In return, I've had great feedback to support my performance reviews and gained a reputation as being someone willing to give time to help others and build community. All of this for a maximum of 1 hour per week. ## Here is the uncomfortable bit... Pure focus on your role requires a particular kind of self-belief. You are the main character. Your progress is the priority. Other people's development is at best adjacent, at worst a drain. You can reverse the energy you give to supporting others, it just requires you to build some humility. Humility is a quality that keeps your world expanding rather than contracting. It lets you learn from people around you. It makes you genuinely curious about others, which makes you more interesting to be around. It creates the conditions where people want to help you, not because you asked, but because you showed up for others first. The professionals who compound fastest over time are often not the most individually talented people. They are the ones who made other people better, consistently, over time. That is what builds the kind of support that no performance review can manufacture. My good friend and previous colleague [Thomas Power referred to this skill as being Open, Random and Supportive.](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-why-future-belongs-open-random-supportive-ors-thomas-power-dblwe/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## A Practical Shift This is not an argument for abandoning focus. Drive and ambition are not the problem. The problem is focus applied narrowly can exclude the relationships that 10x the effort. One shift worth making: treat one mentoring or sponsorship relationship as part of your actual work, not an optional extra on top of it. A genuine investment in someone whose progress you care about. Notice what happens over time. The conversation that stretches your thinking. The gratitude that turns into loyalty. The unexpected introduction. The person who mentions your name in a room you did not know existed. That is surface area compounding. It does not show up on a performance review. It shows up in the career you build over a decade. If you want people in your corner, the most reliable path is to get in someone else's corner first. Not transactionally but genuinely. > **Who are you currently investing in, and what is that investment building for both of you?** **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ### 281: Nobody Does it Alone URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/281-nobody-does-it-alone/ Last updated: 2026-03-09T06:00:03.000Z We tell ourselves that hard work and talent are enough. If you put the work in, the results will follow. Careers are fundamentally, a solo effort. It's a comforting story. It's also how some talented people stay stuck without understanding why. The careers that **look** like solo achievements rarely are. Behind every person who made it, there are invisible people. A manager who gave responsibility before it was earned. A colleague who advocated. A sponsor who opened a door that wasn't visible from the outside. We don't talk about this enough. **Nobody does it alone.** If you believe success is purely individual, you keep your head down. You wait for good work to get noticed. You mistake the isolation for integrity. The problem isn't effort. It's a misunderstanding of how careers actually work. There are three specific relationships that drive most of the progress I see in successful professionals. Some people have one of them, few have all three. > [The career you're building might be missing something invisible - find out what it is](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) --- ### The Stuff - [Prioritise Relatively](https://boz.com/articles/prioritize-relatively?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Stop grinding, take a mini-retirement](https://neuralpensieve.github.io/2026/02/15/mini-retirement.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Listen to Understand](https://talk.bradwoods.io/blog/listen-to-understand/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [A little bit uncomfortable](https://thekernel.news/articles/a-little-bit-uncomfortable/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The Subscription Trap ...](https://sketchplanations.com/the-subscription-trap?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [...and how I solved it](https://www.threads.com/@matt.rutherford/post/DVD500JDLkU?xmt=AQF0nJJsYzAOo4PgB8qKrBrFlA326kdrX25VrQ32JdDAVA&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Linex](https://www.playlinex.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A clever twist on Tetris, where the board fights back! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil/) about the origins of curling stones ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** How can I expand my tolerance for the unknown in small, manageable ways? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #59 - From Tromsø URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/59-from-tromso/ Last updated: 2026-03-08T11:48:34.000Z ### Updates I’m writing this from my hotel room in Tromsø, Norway where I’m visiting this week. My recharge break from work is really starting with seven days above the arctic circle, seeing what adventures I can find. My son is arriving later on today, and we have some fun planned this week - check in next week for updates! This week at home, I’ve been using the break productively - Mi grated some websites onto a new cloud server to consolidate and save some money - but also give me some scalability and new tools to play with. I went to the cinema to see the excellent Palestine 36, a movie I think should be watched by anyone who wants to understand more about the country, the region and the origin of many of the current problems. On Friday we went to the Museum of Literature Ireland for their ’First Friday’ evening, we got to browse the excellent museum space and see a reading from Dave Tynan. The quiz team had a nice win on Wednesday - and I continued a good run of scoring - which was pleasing. **Reading**. Leonard and Hungry Paul by Rónán Hession - I started this on the plane this morning, and so far so lovely. ### Recommended Music My recommendation this week is from a band I have been listening to for a long time. Glass Minds is the latest album from Archive. Over the years, Archive have explored multiple genres and identities, always building and treading a fine line between multiple genres. This collection is no different, electronics, beats and even some more post-rock sounds - all melded to some epic songs. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Miska Lambert - Archive - Bill Callahan - The Dears - Mitski - Searows - Sleaford Mods - D’Voxx - Erland Øye - Meursault #weeknote ### TWIL #111 - The origins of curling stones URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-111-the-origins-of-curling-stones/ Last updated: 2026-03-07T14:03:11.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the origins of curling stones. [From island to ice: The origins of Olympic curling stonesHow curling stones are carved from ancient Scottish rock and shaped much as they were half a century ago.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-24.png)ReutersAnand Katakam and Adolfo Arranz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/AilsaCraigSC.jpg)](https://www.reuters.com/graphics/OLYMPICS-2026-CURLING/akvejbddlpr/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Your Career Is Not a Solo Project URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/your-career-is-not-a-solo-project/ Last updated: 2026-03-06T06:29:35.000Z There is a story we tell about successful careers. Someone works hard, develops skills, makes great decisions, and sooner or later gets where they were going. Clean, linear and earned. It is also mostly fiction. Not because talent and effort don't matter, they 100% do, but they have never been enough on their own. Every career that looks like a solo achievement has invisible people behind it. Mentors who opened doors. Managers who took smart risks on responsibility. Colleagues who vouched for someone in a room they weren't in. Sponsors who said a name at the right moment. > We don't talk about the team game enough. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## Why the Myth Persists The solo career myth feels motivating. It suggests that the only thing standing between you and progress is effort. Work harder. Get better. The results will follow. It is easier to credit your **own discipline** than to name the manager who believed in you before you had the track record to justify it. The solo myth is not just inaccurate, it is actively harmful. If you believe career success is purely individual, you stop investing in the relationships that actually drive it. You keep your head down. You wait for good work to be noticed. You mistake isolation for integrity. > That is not how careers advance. ## What Actually Drives Progress Research on career advancement is consistent on this. [Visibility matters as much as performance.](https://powerofpeacefulness.com/how-to-get-more-visibility-at-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Who knows your work often matters as much as the quality of the work itself. People get opportunities because someone thought of them. They get promoted because someone spoke up. This is not cynical, it is structural. Organisations run on information and trust. People make decisions about who to give opportunities to based on who they know, who they have seen in action, and who others have recommended. Your output is one input into that process. Your relationships are another. The professionals who understand this don't network in the transactional sense. They invest in genuine relationships with people who can see their work, challenge their thinking, and advocate when the moment arises. They make themselves visible not through self-promotion, but through contribution. They also ask for help. Quietly, specifically and without embarrassment. ## The Three Relationships That Actually Matter Not all professional relationships carry the same weight. Three types tend to matter most. - **The person who challenges you.** Someone who will tell you what you are missing, push back on your reasoning, and refuse to let you stay comfortable. Without this feedback loop, you can develop blind spots. You stop growing in the areas that matter most. - **The person who advocates for you.** Someone who will say your name in rooms you are not in. This is not about flattery. It is someone who has seen your work, believes in your capability, and will put their credibility behind you. Advocacy cannot be manufactured. It is earned through real contribution and genuine relationships. - **The person who has been where you are going**. Someone who has navigated the terrain you are trying to cross. They cannot do it for you, but they can help you see what you can't see from where you are standing. > If you look at your professional relationships right now and one of these is missing, that is worth paying attention to. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## But 'I can do all this alone Matt' Isolation in a career looks like independence from the outside. It rarely is. It usually looks like someone who is technically strong but consistently overlooked for the next thing. Someone who does excellent work that does not translate into visible impact. Someone who waits for their contribution to be recognised rather than ensuring it is seen. I have coached a number of people who fit this pattern. Talented, hard-working and genuinely good at what they do. They get frustrated that their effort is not translating into progress up the ladder. When we dig into it, the missing piece is almost always relational. Not networking in the shallow sense. Genuine professional relationships that create visibility, accountability, and advocacy. The fix is not to become someone you are not. It is to stop treating professional relationships as optional extras on top of the real work. They are part of the real work. ## A Practical Starting Point The days of the rolodex and stuffed filofax are gone. You don't need a huge network. You need the right relationships, tended properly. Start with a single question: who are the three or four people who genuinely know my work right now? Not your job title. Not your LinkedIn summary. Your **actual** **work**, your thinking and your capability under pressure. If the list is short, that is a signal. Not to start collecting contacts, but to invest in deepening a small number of relationships that matter. One conversation with someone who challenges your thinking is worth more than fifty surface-level connections. One person who advocates for you is worth more than a hundred who simply know your name. I wrote about this when I explored how to [design a personal board of directors](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/design-a-personal-board-of-directors-to-guide-your-career-and-goals/) for your career. The principle there is the same. You are not looking to build a network. You are looking to build a small group of people who are mutually invested in each other's progress. ## The Career You Actually Have Hard work matters. Skill matters. Showing up consistently matters. However, the career you build will be shaped, in large part, by the people around you. The ones who challenge your thinking. The ones who speak up for you. The ones who help you see around corners. > That is not a comfortable truth if you have spent years treating your career as a solo effort, but it is a useful one. You cannot earn advocacy in isolation. You cannot develop by staying invisible. And you cannot see your own blind spots without someone willing to point at them. Your career cannot be a solo project. The question is whether you are building the relationships that reflect that. > Who in your professional life genuinely knows the quality of your work right now? **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ### #58 - From Cork URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/58-from-cork/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T11:57:19.000Z ### Updates We’ve decamped to the People’s Republic of Cork this weekend - so I’m writing this in the hotel lobby the morning after a christening party for a friends baby. This week I've been heads down getting ready for a 4 week sabbatical from work - every five years we're given the benefit of a 'recharge' break - so I've been tidying up loose ends and documenting what needs to carry on with my role. In the background I've been preparing some of my projects for the break - onceposted.com is now fully live and getting some good traffic, so I have added a few features and queued up content for the next month. The quiz team had a very close defeat on Wednesday - but I had a higher score than I'm used to so I was quite pleased with that. **Still Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ### Recommended Music My recommendation this week is a beautiful new album from an artiste I hadan't heard of before. Evening, window by Miska Lamberg is a stunning album of ambient electronica - with repeationg themes and motifs - sometimes growing and deteriorating as you listen. I've found this to be a gentle and meditative collection - and I'm enjoying it on repeat at the moment Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Underworld - Machinefabriek - D’voxx - Drexler - Moby - Dalot and Sound Awakener - Hannes Kretzer - Miska Lambert - Georgia Knight - Archive #weeknote ### 280: Prestige is a Lagging Indicator URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/280-prestige-is-a-lagging-indicator/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T06:00:15.000Z AI is not coming for ALL the jobs. It is coming for the easily repeatable ones. The process-heavy ones. The work that looks productive but requires no real judgement. The uncomfortable question is not whether AI will affect your industry. It is what happens when it reaches **your** desk. Many people I talk to do not ask that question. Not because they are complacent, but because the external signals are **too loud.** The job title. The seniority. The salary. The respect. It all says: you have made it. You are safe. However, **prestige is a lagging indicator**. It tells you what **was** valued. Not what **will** be. The validation loop is the trap. When the external signals are strong enough, the internal ones go quiet. Am I growing? Does this work require something genuinely mine? Could this role exist without me being the 'human in the loop'? Those questions are uncomfortable. They are also the only ones worth asking right now. **Your title will not protect you. The work underneath it might.** > [**Read: Prestige Is a Lagging Indicator**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prestige-is-a-lagging-indicator/) --- ### The Stuff - [Things to cut from your CV/Resume](https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/what-to-take-off-your-resume/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Squash Toxic Positvity at work](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/toxic-positivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The work required to have an opinion](https://fs.blog/the-work-required-to-have-an-opinion/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [8 tips for new managers](https://theeverygirl.com/tips-for-new-managers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Reset your nervous system](https://www.nsmastery.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Intentional Learning](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-most-fundamental-skill-intentional-learning-and-the-career-advantage?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Subletters](https://www.subletters.fun/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A nifty daily word puzzle to enjoy over a coffee --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) about the problem with women's clothing sizes. ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** How does breaking a problem into smaller parts help me manage uncertainty? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #110 - the problem with womens clothing sizes URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-110-the-problem-with-womens-clothing-sizes/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T13:49:40.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the problem with women's clothing sizes. [Sizing chaosThe inter-generational struggle to find clothes that fit more than a tiny portion of women![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-25.ico)The PuddingThe Pudding![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/og2.jpg)](https://pudding.cool/2026/02/womens-sizing/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### Prestige is a Lagging Indicator URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prestige-is-a-lagging-indicator/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T08:55:22.000Z Most career advice tells you to aim higher. Get the title. Earn the promotion. Build the reputation. No-one ever tells you that by the time you get there, the thing you climbed toward might already be worth less than it was when you started. That is the prestige trap, and right now, in the middle of the biggest shift in how knowledge work gets done in a generation, it matters more than ever. ## The Feeling That 'Something Is Off' I talk to a lot of smart, experienced people. People with impressive job titles and salaries to match. Many of them are exhausted in a way they cannot explain. It is not burnout from overwork in the traditional sense. They are not buried under unreasonable workloads. It is something quieter and more disorienting. They have done everything right. They have the title. They have the seniority. They have the respect and yet they carry their work like a burden. Heavy. Draining. Oddly hollow. When we dig into it, the same pattern appears. The external signals of success are all there. The internal signals, the ones that tell you your work matters, that you are growing, that what you bring to the job is genuinely yours, went quiet somewhere along the way. The external validation was so loud, for so long, that they stopped noticing. This isn't a motivation problem. It's a strategy problem. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## What Prestige Actually Measures Prestige is real. It reflects something. A job title signals that you have accumulated experience, navigated organisations, and delivered results at a certain level. That is not nothing. But prestige is a lagging indicator. It tells you what **was** valued, not what **will** be. The title you hold today reflects decisions made over the last five, ten, maybe fifteen years. The skills it recognises, the outputs it rewards, the kind of work it assumes you do, those were shaped by a world that is changing faster than any title can keep up with. This matters enormously right now. New tools are moving through knowledge work at speed. The tasks being automated first are not the difficult ones. They are the repeatable ones. The process-heavy ones. The work that looks productive but requires no real judgement. The work that a capable person can do on autopilot. > The uncomfortable question is this: how much of your current role sits in that category? If your day-to-day work requires no uniquely human judgement, no irreplaceable perspective, no real creative or strategic contribution that could not be replicated or improved by a well-prompted model with access to your tools, then your job title is not protecting you. It is just a label. > Prestige does not future-proof anything. The work underneath it does. ## The Validation Loop That Keeps You Stuck This is hard to see from the inside. External validation is a powerful signal. Promotions feel like progress. Pay rises feel like recognition. Being introduced as a Senior Director, or a Head of, or a VP of something feels meaningful. It should do, you worked for it. But validation is also a painkiller. It masks the signals that might otherwise prompt you to ask harder questions. Am I growing here? Is this work genuinely challenging me? Do I bring something to this role that could not easily be replaced? Does this work ask enough of me? When the external signal is strong enough, those questions do not surface. The discomfort gets absorbed by the status. You tell yourself you are tired because the job is demanding. Not because the work has stopped requiring the best of you. The professionals I see who are most at risk are **never** underperformers. They are people who are very good at work that is becoming less important. They have optimised for the wrong signal for long enough that the right signals have gone quiet. ## What to Optimise For Instead This is not an argument against ambition. It is an case for aiming at the right things. The question is not whether you have a prestigious title. The question is whether the work underneath it is **building something that lasts**. There are three things to audit. - **Judgement.** Does your role require you to make calls that a process, a formula, or an AI could not make? The more your work depends on your specific ability to read context, weigh competing priorities, and decide under uncertainty, the more durable it is. - **Irreplaceability.** What do you bring to your work that is genuinely **yours**? Your relationships, your perspective, your ability to influence and connect and navigate complexity. These are harder to replicate than outputs. - **Growth.** Is your current role making you better at things that will matter in three years? Not just more senior. More capable. If the honest answer is no, that is worth spending time to understand. > If your role scores low on all three, the job title is not the asset you think it is. ## A Practical Starting Point This does not have to be a crisis. It can be a question. - Take thirty minutes this week and map your work over the last five days. For each significant task or output, ask one thing: does this require me specifically, or just someone in my role? It is a blunt question and the answers can be uncomfortable. However, they are useful. They show you where your actual value sits vs. where your time goes. > If there is a gap, that is the work you need to do on your career. Not the next promotion. Not the next title. Closing the distance between where you spend your time and where you genuinely contribute. That is the career strategy that holds up. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## The Title Will Not Save You Prestige feels like progress. Sometimes it is. But a title that sits on top of work that requires nothing special from you is a fragile thing to build a career on. The world is not going to get less complicated or less automated. The professionals who navigate it well will not be the ones with the most impressive job titles. They will be the ones who kept asking whether their work was genuinely theirs. Start there. 💡 ****Core insight:** Prestige is a lagging indicator. It tells you what was valued, not what will be. The work underneath the title is what matters. ****Unresolved tension:** If the external signals of success feel hollow, how do you know whether your work is actually future-proof, or whether you're just too deep in the validation loop to see it? ### 279: What are you waiting for? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/279-what-are-you-waiting-for/ Last updated: 2026-02-23T06:00:06.000Z Keeping your options open sounds like wisdom. Most of the time it's postponement. Nobody questions it. It sounds considered and even mature. But patience without a plan isn't strategy. It's just 'waiting' with better branding. Patience **can** be strategic. When it has an endpoint. Holding off while you gather specific information. Waiting for a real signal before you commit. You know what you're waiting for. Most people don't reach that point. They live with an open-ended "not now" that quietly becomes the default. Some career decisions will never force your hand. You can hover indefinitely and it looks responsible from the outside. Considered. Not rushing. Meanwhile, **nothing moves**. Here's the question that cuts through: > What needs to be true for you to decide? If you can answer that clearly, you're being strategic. You're waiting for something real. If the answer keeps shifting, or there is no answer, you're not waiting for a signal. You're avoiding the discomfort of choosing. [So create your own forcing function.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-hidden-cost-of-keeping-your-options-open/) Pick a date. Name a condition. Give yourself a real deadline, not "when the time feels right." Smart patience knows what it's waiting for. Comfortable avoidance just waits. > **What needs to be true for you to stop waiting and decide?** [My simple framework will help you make the decision.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-hidden-cost-of-keeping-your-options-open/) --- ### The Stuff - [How to be disciplined, even if you're lazy](https://nickwignall.com/how-to-be-disciplined/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Will your job crush your soul?](https://www.anildash.com/2026/01/12/will-that-job-crush-your-soul/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The Napoleon Technique for Productivity](https://effectiviology.com/napoleon/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The Thinkweek Playbook](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-think-week-playbook-a-step-by-step-guide?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Habits of High Achievers](https://dariusforoux.com/habits-high-achievers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Work Life Balance won't save you. Boundaries will.](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/work-life-balance-wont-save-you-2026-your-boundaries-janel-briggs-ycuse/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Peaklet](https://peaklet.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A ranking game written by one of my readers - thx Kevin! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) about [The most joyful girl on the internet.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-109-the-most-joyful-girl-on-the-internet/) ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** How can I create moments of joy, relaxation, or adventure in my life? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #57 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/57-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-02-22T06:00:42.000Z ### Updates Well, the calendar may not have been so crazy - but I've kept myself busy with a couple of really interesting projects. At work, I've been experimenting with a new productivity setup. I'm using [Claude Code](https://www.anthropic.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and a closed vault of files organised using the [PARA setup](https://fortelabs.com/blog/para/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Letting Claude learn about me, [my job](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattrutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and my working style I've quickly developed a second brain that acts as a thinking and accountability partner. It has been super interesting watching Claude join the dots and learn about me this week. By adding [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and then [Super Whisper](https://superwhisper.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) into the mix I have an easy way to work with the files and a fast way to interface. *I'm thinking about a detailed blog post for this, but I need to make sure that I don't share any work information while I do it.* At home, I've been plodding along with some new projects and some writing. [Once Posted is now fully live](https://onceposted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and I love how it has turned out. Its an elegant way of sharing this ephemera, and I'm looking forward to adding more content. And then, on the site [I implemented a feeds page](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/feeds/), which will act as a kind of live newsfeed reader. It's inspired [by a post I read this week](https://squeaki.sh/p/i-turned-my-website-into-my-feed-reader/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I have included some of my favourite site feeds, and in a page accessed by a token - I can mark articles as read so they disappear. I'll definitely write a blog post on how I did this one. Finally - my quiz team lost on Wednesday night, we're still third in our division but we could use a win next week to keep our momentum. **Still Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ### Recommended Music My recommendation this week is an usual collection of tracks that piqued my interest from the title alone. HERZOG: A Retrospective is a set of five pieces by ambient producers d'Voxx. Each of these is clearly inspired by the film work of Werner Herzog, and the sense of connection between the songs and the films is excellent. I particularly love the Fitzcarraldo inspired 'Impossible Monolith' which has an intense central passage that feels very close to the pivotal scene in the film. This is my favourite film of all-time, and so the music is especially resonant for me. This is a terrific album, highly recommended: ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Lussuria - Ordnance Survey - Olive - Lina Filipovich - Wet Leg - Black Dog - Scritti Politti - Warrington Runcorn New Town Development - Clarice Jensen - Vince Clarke #weeknote ### The Hidden Cost of Keeping Your Options Open URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-hidden-cost-of-keeping-your-options-open/ Last updated: 2026-02-22T11:21:08.000Z ## What Are You Waiting For? There's a piece of career advice that sounds like wisdom and often isn't. > Keep your options open. Don't close doors you might need later. Wait for clarity before you commit. I've given this advice more times than I can count. In coaching sessions, in conversations, in my [newsletter](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/newsletter/), and I stand by the instinct behind it. Rushing into irreversible decisions without enough information is a real risk. However, I had a moment recently, mid-session with a coachee, where I heard myself giving this advice and realised it wasn't helping. They weren't stuck because they lacked information. They weren't stuck because the decision was genuinely complex. They were stuck because nothing was forcing them to choose, and my advice was making that comfortable. I was giving them permission to wait and the waiting had become the problem. That realisation shifted something for me. The advice isn't wrong. It's incomplete. The gap between the advice and the full picture is where a lot of careers quietly stall. Last week's newsletter explored the [brutal test for career decisions](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/278-you-overthink-every-career-decision/): does this make you stronger in 12 months, or just more comfortable today? This week, I am one layer deeper. Even when you know what the right decision is, there's another trap waiting. It's disguised as patience. ### Why "Keeping Options Open" Feels So Safe Optionality has become a career religion. In a world that changes fast, flexibility feels like protection. Committing too early to the wrong thing has real costs. So you wait and gather more information. You stay open to what might emerge. That's not a bad instinct. The problem is that it has no natural endpoint. Nobody taps you on the shoulder and says: *right, clarity has arrived, time to decide.* Some career decisions don't come with deadlines. They just sit there, open-ended, for as long as you let them. Patience without a plan isn't strategy. It's just **waiting, with better branding.** **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ### The Real Price of Indefinite Optionality Most people think the cost of delayed decisions is opportunity. You miss out on the thing you didn't choose. That's real. But it's not the biggest cost. The bigger costs are more subtle. First, there's the energy drain. Unmade decisions sit in the background of your thinking. They take up space. Every week you don't decide is another week that decision is quietly consuming mental bandwidth you could spend on something else. Second, there's the signal you send. People who commit attract opportunity. They become legible. Others understand what they're about, what they're building toward, what they need. People who perpetually hedge are harder to help and harder to back. Colleagues, managers, and mentors tend to invest in people who've picked a direction. Third, and this one is uncomfortable, indefinite optionality can become its own kind of identity. Being someone who "hasn't decided yet" starts to feel normal. The longer you wait, the more the waiting becomes the default state. ### The Difference Between Smart Patience and Comfortable Avoidance This is the distinction that matters most. Patience can be strategic when it has an endpoint. Holding off while you gather specific information. Waiting for a real signal before you commit. You know what you're waiting for. Most people don't reach that point. They live with an open-ended "not now" that quietly becomes the default. No deadline. No trigger. Just hovering, and it looks responsible from the outside. Considered. Not rushing. Meanwhile, nothing moves. The test is simple: > **What would have to be true for you to decide?** If you can answer that question clearly, you're being strategic. You're waiting for something real. If the answer keeps shifting, or there is no answer, you're not waiting for a signal. You're avoiding the discomfort of choosing. Clarity rarely arrives fully formed. More often, it emerges through deciding, not before it. ### How to Build Your Own Forcing Function If no external deadline is going to make you choose, create one yourself. This isn't about being reckless. It's about being honest that open-ended waiting has a cost. Here's a simple framework: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/02/DECISION-MASTERY-FRAMEWORK.png) - **Name the decision clearly.** Vague decisions stay unmade. "Should I think about maybe exploring a move into a different area" is not a decision. "Should I apply for the product role at \[company\] before the end of Q1" is. - **Define your trigger condition.** What specific thing would make you say yes? What would make you say no? Write it down. If you cannot, that's useful information. - **Set a real deadline.** Not "soon." A date. By that date, you'll have gathered what you need and you'll decide. If new information arrives before then, great. If not, you decide with what you have. - **Treat the decision as reversible where it actually is.** Most career decisions aren't as permanent as they feel. Taking a new role isn't irreversible. Asking for a different kind of project isn't irreversible. Clarifying what's reversible reduces the psychological weight of deciding. This isn't about forcing bad decisions quickly. It's about preventing good decisions from dying through indefinite delay. **Ideas. Growth. Clarity.** Sent every Monday. I'm in! ## But Matt, What If I Get It Wrong? The fear behind most delayed decisions isn't really about needing more information. It's about being wrong. If you don't decide, you can't be wrong. You're still in the consideration phase. Still open. Still thoughtful. Not deciding is itself a decision. It's a vote for standing still. The status quo has its own risks, they're just less visible because nothing dramatic happened. The question isn't whether you might get it wrong. You might. The question is whether the cost of being wrong is recoverable, and whether the cost of waiting is lower than you think it is. Most of the time, the answer to both is yes. You can read more about how to think through [high-stakes career decisions here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-overthinking-career-decisions-use-this-test/) ## One Thing to Do This Week Identify one decision you've been 'keeping open' for more than three months. Ask yourself > What would have to be true for me to decide? If you can answer it, go and get that information. If you can't, the decision is probably already made. **You're just not ready to say it out loud yet.** Either way, name it. That's where it starts. ## Ideas. Growth. Clarity. Join 1,200 readers. Practical ideas you'll actually use. I'm in! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Sent every Monday. Leave anytime. ### TWIL #109 - The most joyful girl on the internet. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-109-the-most-joyful-girl-on-the-internet/ Last updated: 2026-02-21T10:14:33.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the most joyful girl on the internet - and this young lady is from here in Ireland! [Video The most joyful girl on the internetABC News’ Will Ganss spoke with Dory, the Irish 9-year-old charming the world of social media and the messages winning her millions of fans.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-24.ico)ABC NewsABC News![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/260215_gma_ganss_joy2_hpMain_16x9.jpg)](https://abcnews.com/video/130184909/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### How I'm Eliminating Low-Value Tasks Using Claude Cowork URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/eliminating-low-value-tasks-using-claude-cowork/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T06:04:40.000Z Everyone talks about focus, prioritisation, deep work; but nobody talks about the tax. The real productivity killer is not big distractions. It's the accumulation of small, recurring tasks that never quite go away. Downloads folders that bloat. Emails that need sorting. Subscriptions you forgot about. Images that need fixing. None of it matters. I find it all draining. I've spent the last week using Claude Cowork to automate the tasks I kept putting off. Not because they were hard, because they weren't worth my attention. Here's how I tackled the tax. ## The Digital Mess Tax Most productivity advice assumes your problem is strategy. It's not. Your problem is the hundred tiny decisions you make every week that compound into exhaustion. Each one costs mental energy. pulling you away from work that actually moves things forward. Download folders that contain everything filetype under the sun. Inboxes full of admin that needs action but not urgency. Subscription charges you barely notice. Image files with nonsense names and incorrect details. Individually, tackling these tasks take minutes. Collectively, they create friction that slows everything down. The question is not "should I do this?". The question is "should this require my attention at all"? [Elimination is the worlds best productivity tool.](https://x.com/thejustinwelsh/status/2021932817026822282?s=20&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## What I Automated (And Why It Works) ### Downloads Folder Organisation My downloads folder was chaos. Reciepts mixed with screenshots. Downloaded apps buried under random PDFs. Every time I needed something, I wasted time hunting. I asked Cowork to sort it. It created folders by type, moved files into logical categories, and flagged anything that looked important. Took three minutes to review and approve. Now it runs weekly. The win is not the clean folder. The win is never thinking about it again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/02/image-1.png) My Downloads file - post organisation. ### Gmail Triage and Admin Prioritisation Like all of us, I get emails that need action but not immediately. Travel confirmations. Payment reminders. Meeting follow-ups. They sit in my inbox creating background noise. Cowork now reads my Gmail, identifies admin tasks, and builds a prioritised list based on deadlines and importance. I review it once a week. Everything else stays out of sight. This is not about inbox zero. This is about separating signal from static. ### Subscription and Domain Audits I was paying for tools I'd forgotten about. Domains I registered two years ago and never used. Small amounts, but they add up. Cowork scanned my email history, flagged recurring charges, and listed everything with renewal dates. I cancelled eight subscriptions in one sitting. Saved over £400 a year. The money matters less than the clarity. I now know exactly what I'm paying for and why. ### Batch Image Processing Photography often means handling batches of images. Wrong orientations. Terrible filenames. Inconsistent formats. Fixing them manually is tedious and error-prone. Cowork processes entire folders at once. Fixes orientation, renames files with clear conventions, flags anything that looks corrupted. I check the output, approve it, done. Batch processing saves hours. But the real value is removing decision fatigue from repetitive work. ## The Control Question The obvious concern: what if something goes wrong? It's a fair question. I had the same one. Here's what actually happens. Cowork shows you the plan before it acts. You approve each step. You see what changes before they're made. Nothing disappears. Nothing gets deleted without confirmation. Some simple guardrail prompts help: - Do not delete any files unless explicitly authorised - If you are unsure what to do, ask me - Place any items you are unsure of in an 'holding' folder This is not autopilot. This is delegation with oversight. I think of Cowork as an intern who is on a learning curve. I've run these tasks multiple times. Nothing has gone missing. Nothing has broken. The safety rails work. The real risk is not using tools like this. The real risk is staying stuck in manual mode while your time drains away on work that doesn't need you. ## What Changed I'm not more productive because I have more time. I'm more productive because I'm not making tiny decisions all day long. The mental load of low-value tasks is invisible until it's gone. Then you notice how much lighter everything feels. I used to batch these tasks at the weekend. Clear the downloads folder. Sort the inbox. Check subscriptions. It felt responsible. It was also a waste of energy that could have gone to work that mattered. Now those tasks run themselves. I review the outputs and make the final calls. But I'm not doing the work. ## Start With One Task Pick a recurring task that annoys you. The one you keep putting off because it's tedious but necessary. I had 'subscription audit' on my task list for a year. That's where you start. Not with a full automation strategy. Not with a complete productivity overhaul. With one specific task that drains you. Let your favourite AI tool handle it - I like Claude, Cowork - but there are others available, review the output. See how the intern does. If it does it OK, find the next one. Small automations compound faster than you think. Your time is finite. Low-value tasks are not worth it. Focus on what matters to you. **What low-value task are you still doing manually that's costing you time?** --- *Want more on making your effort count?* [*Read my newsletter for weekly tips to help you get ahead.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### 278: You overthink every career decision URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/278-you-overthink-every-career-decision/ Last updated: 2026-02-16T06:01:25.000Z You overthink **every** career decision. The problem is not that you lack information. You're drowning in it. Advice from mentors. Pros and cons lists. Scenario planning. All useful. None decisive. The real problem is that you're trying to predict outcomes you can't control. You want certainty before you move. That's not how careers work. Here's a brutally simple test: > Does this decision make you **stronger in 12 months** or just more comfortable today? Stronger means new capabilities. Skills that compound. Work that stretches you beyond what you've already mastered. Relationships that challenge your thinking. Exposure that feels slightly too big. Growth often comes with discomfort. Comfortable means staying safe. The promotion that keeps you doing what you already know. The project that avoids difficult stakeholders. The role that protects your reputation. Comfort keeps you static. Most stalled careers trace back to a pattern of choosing comfort disguised as sensible decisions. [The test doesn't make decisions easy.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-overthinking-career-decisions-use-this-test/) It makes them **honest**. It cuts through the bullshit and forces you to name what you're actually optimising for. You still have to choose. You still face risk. But now you're choosing with clarity, not just collecting more data points that keep you stuck. Next time you face a career decision, [ask yourself the test question](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-overthinking-career-decisions-use-this-test/). Then notice which answer makes you uncomfortable. That discomfort is useful information. > **What career decision are you overthinking right now?** --- ### The Stuff - [Why we spiral](https://behavioralscientist.org/why-we-spiral/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How to cope with disruptive change.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-accept-and-adapt-to-disruptive-changes-in-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Do not apologise for replying to my email late](https://ploum.net/2026-02-11-do%5Fnot%5Fapologize%5Ffor%5Freplying%5Fto%5Fmy%5Femail.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [26 rules to be a better thinker](https://ryanholiday.net/26-rules-to-be-a-better-thinker/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How to be authentic](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-be-authentic/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Protect your Ice Cube](https://haveabobsheaday.substack.com/p/protect-your-ice-cube) **Finally**. [Skip the Tip.](https://skipthe.tips/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A silly game that explores the dark patterns behind tipping culture. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) when coffee was illegal! ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** How can I stay motivated and accountable throughout the year? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #56 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/56-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-02-15T10:26:40.000Z ### Updates It's been another busy week! My entire leadership team were in Dublin and we had multiple meeting days that kept me fully engaged. Away from work I spent some time thinking about building a second brain using AI and some tools that would allow me to share context on a more regular basis. I'm going to be implementing this at work first where I spend a lot of my time taking notes and connecting dots to make decisions. It's an interesting field and I'm fascinated to see how this will develop over the next months and years. One tool that I **have** started using (at work and home) is [Superwhisper](https://superwhisper.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), which allows me to dictate directly into my Mac or phone using an LLM to tidy up my speech, eliminate filler words and speed up entry to well over 120 (accurate) words per minute. Finally, I made my first ever Focaccia yesterday (above) using a recipe from Instagram and my air fryer. It turned out pretty good but I think there are some tweaks that will make it even better. **Still Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ### Recommended Music My recommendation this week is the album Canada by Placid Angles. Placid Angles is the writing name of John Beltran from Ann Arbor in Michigan, and he's put together a nice collection of gentle, ambient electronica with only a few vocals included. It's ideal for working and concentration. Highly Recommended ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Gia Margaret - Lussuria - Meursault - Otro - Rafael Anton Irisarri - Erland Cooper - Placid Angles - Asgeir - Hania Rani - Yamila #weeknote ### Stop Overthinking Career Decisions - Use this Test URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-overthinking-career-decisions-use-this-test/ Last updated: 2026-02-15T09:09:47.000Z You know the question. > Does this decision make you stronger in 12 months or just more comfortable today? Great test. How will you execute it? Most people ask it once, get a vague feeling about the answer, then ignore it and choose comfort anyway. Or they ask it in their head, confuse themselves with justifications, and end up paralysed. The test only works if you actually use it properly. Here's how. ## The Four-Step Framework ### Step 1: Write down what each path actually builds Don't think about this. Write it down. Thinking lets you rationalise. Writing forces honesty. Take whatever decision you're facing. Create two columns: Path A and Path B. Under each, write what you'll **actually** have in 12 months. Not what you hope might happen. What capabilities, relationships, and experience you'll definitely build regardless of outcome. #### Example: You're choosing between a promotion to senior manager or moving to a smaller company as a director. (Click to Expand) ****Path A (Senior Manager):** - Larger team management experience - Navigate established corporate processes - Deepen existing stakeholder relationships - Master skills I already have foundation in ****Path B (Director at smaller company):** - Full P&L ownership for first time - Build processes from scratch - Broader strategic exposure - Learn to operate with less support *Notice what's happening here. You're not listing pros and cons. You're naming what you'll develop. The answer often becomes obvious when you're this specific.* ### Step 2: Identify the disguise Comfort disguises itself as strategic thinking. You need to catch it. Look at what you wrote. Now ask yourself: > Which justifications are really just fear dressed up as wisdom? Common disguises: - 'I should build deeper expertise first' = I'm avoiding being average at something new - 'The timing isn't quite right' = I'm waiting for growth that doesn't require discomfort - 'I need more information' = I'm delaying a decision I already know the answer to - 'I should be realistic about my constraints' = I'm optimising for safety and calling it pragmatism This step is uncomfortable. **That's the point**. You're looking for the story you're telling yourself about why comfort is actually the smart choice. Write down the justification. Then write what it actually means. **Be brutal.** ### Step 3: Check the pattern One comfortable choice is fine. A pattern of comfortable choices is leading to a stalled career. Look back at your last 3-5 significant decisions. What did you choose? Be honest. If you've chosen stronger multiple times recently, you've probably earned some consolidation. Choose comfort consciously and recover. If you've chosen comfort repeatedly, you've identified your problem. The pattern is the issue, not the individual decision. This context matters. **The test is not about any single choice**. It's about the trajectory your choices create over time. ### Step 4: Make the choice and name the trade-off You still have to decide. The framework doesn't decide for you. It just makes you honest about what you're deciding. Sometimes you choose comfort. That's legitimate. Maybe you're managing real constraints. Maybe you need stability right now. Maybe you're recovering from a growth period. Fine. Just name it: "I'm choosing comfort because \[real reason\]." Sometimes you choose stronger. That means accepting discomfort, risk, and potential failure. Name that too: "I'm choosing growth knowing it means \[specific discomfort\]." Either way, you own it. No self-deception about what you're optimizing for. ## When the test gets sloppy ### Both options feel comfortable You're not asking a big enough question. You're choosing between two versions of safety. Go back. What decision would actually **stretch** you? That's probably the one you're avoiding thinking about. ### Both options feel like growth Rare but real. When this happens, you've created genuine optionality. Choose based on which capability compounds better with what you already have or which aligns with where you want to be in five years. ### External trade-offs override the test Sometimes they do. Family situations. Health issues. Financial realities. Real constraints exist. The test still helps. It tells you the cost of the constraint. 'I'm choosing comfort because I need stability while caring for my parent' is different from 'I'm choosing comfort because change is scary.' One is strategic. The other is **avoidance**. Know which you're doing. ## Real Scenarios, Real Choices #### ****Scenario 1:** **You're offered a lateral move to lead a struggling team. Your current team is performing well and makes you look good.* (Click to Expand) ****Stronger**: Take the struggling team. Learn to turn around performance. Build credibility across a harder challenge. ****Comfortable**: Stay where success is easier. Protect your track record. Avoid the risk of visible failure. ****The test**: What makes you more valuable in 12 months, proven turnaround experience or an extended winning streak doing work you've already mastered? #### ****Scenario 2:** **You can specialise deeper in your technical area or move into a role with broader business exposure.* (Click to Expand) ****Stronger**: Depends on your gap. If you're already technical, business exposure probably stretches you more. If you've avoided depth, specialisation might be your growth edge. ****Comfortable**: Whichever feels more familiar based on your background. ****The test:** What capability are you actually missing that limits your next move? ## Your Implementation Plan Please don't do this for every decision. You'll overthink yourself into paralysis. Use the framework for decisions that actually matter. Role changes. Project selection. Skill development priorities. Strategic relationships. For your next significant decision: 1. Open a document 2. Write Path A and Path B with what each builds in 12 months 3. Identify any disguised comfort in your reasoning 4. Check your pattern over recent decisions 5. Make the choice and name the trade-off out loud The test works when you use it honestly, not when you use it to justify what you already want to do. Most career stagnation is not about wrong decisions. It's about consistently choosing comfort while telling yourself you're being strategic. > This framework stops the self-deception. That's what makes it brutal. That's also what makes it work. ### TWIL #108 - When coffee was illegal URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-108-when-coffee-was-illegal/ Last updated: 2026-02-14T12:32:35.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a various points in history, coffee was illegal - and even punishable by DEATH! Nowadays of course, it just tries to make us bankrupt... [4 times drinking coffee was illegal—or even punishable by deathRulers once closed cafés, burned beans, and even executed someone—all for a cup of coffee.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/cropped-favicon-ps-FE5102-1-1.png)Popular ScienceAnne Ewbank![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/when-was-coffee-banned-in-history.jpg)](https://www.popsci.com/health/coffee-ban-history/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 277: Most careers drift by accident URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/277-most-careers-drift-by-accident/ Last updated: 2026-02-09T06:00:18.000Z Most people do not plan their careers. They drift into them. A role opens up. A manager asks for help. A project needs an owner. You say yes because saying yes is easier than thinking. Drift is not laziness. It happens when work stays loud and life stays full. The problem is that drift compounds. You wake up two years later still busy but no clearer on your destination. The danger is **not** picking the wrong path. It is building a career around momentum you did not **choose**. You become known for things you never intended to do. You repeat the same work because you have become good at it. Use a simple reset. [Here's a 10-minute exercise you can use today.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-drifting-the-10-minute-career-audit/) You'll ask yourself: if you started at this company today, would you choose this role again? If the answer is no, don't panic. You do not need a dramatic reinvention. You need a course correction. Course corrections are small. Take on one project that stretches you. Move closer to a team you respect. Build skills that travel. Make your work point somewhere. Your career will drift unless you steer it. The steering does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be deliberate. > Where have you been drifting recently and calling it stability? --- ### The Stuff - [How to grow your career in 2026\. What's in, and what's out](https://www.goto.com/blog/how-to-grow-your-career-in-2026?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [AI isn’t taking your job, but it is shrinking it. ](https://newsletter.jantegze.com/p/your-job-isnt-disappearing-its-shrinking?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [How to exercise your problem solving muscles.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/problem-solving-skills/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Ways to find your direction in work and life](https://thecreativelife.net/how-to-find-your-direction/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [52 tiny habits that could change your life](https://health.yahoo.com/general/article/52-fascinating-people-reveal-the-tiny-habits-that-changed-their-lives-110022770.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Building Leaders in the Age of AI](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/building-leaders-in-the-age-of-ai?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [List animals until failure](https://rose.systems/animalist/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). This is a great test of speed, memory and knowledge. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What have you learned about yourself that surprised you? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #55 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/55-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-02-08T09:57:32.000Z ### Updates It has been dreary all week - I'm grateful for a little bit of dry sky as I reflect on the week. This week I've been working on two main things which I've enjoyed: 1. A long form essay - I've never written one before for the site, but I've had this in mind for a while and so I'm pleased with what I've put together. I'm currently figuring out the best way to publish this and I'll share when it's live. 2. Some plumbing - I've been investing a bit of time using some new tools and figuring out ways to use them to lessen the effort of some of the housekeeping that goes on with my projects (and other life admin). Automating elements of what I do here will leave more time for writing. Other than that, I've also been investing a bit of time in increasing my social media about the site to keep a steady flow of new subscribes (welcome!) I also bought a tiny humidifier for my desk at work to try and counter the dryness of the aircon at work, I've used it a few days and so far, so good. [I recommend.](https://amzn.to/4rAEsdk?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Still Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ### Recommended Music During one of the recent stormy weekends, we watched a new series on Amazon Prime called [Steal](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Steal/0RMVHSYI9RD7IRWOBNS3I1MT3O?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) starring Sophie Turner. All the way through the episodes, I was impressed with the soundtrack - which I was convinced was by Blanck Mass - until I looked it up. [Martin Phipps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin%5FPhipps?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) has worked on numerous soundtracks, but this work for Steal is the first that stands out. The electronica here amped up the tension and filled scenes with anxious energy. Away from the visuals, this is a really good listen and i've enjoyed it a few times this week as a standalone album. Highly Recommended ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Shackleton - FRANKIE + Kelman Duran - Martin Phipps (Steal OST) - Everything but the Girl - Blanck Mass - The Cure - Daniel Lopatin - Duran Duran - Massive Attack - Hifiklub #weeknote ### Stop Drifting: The 10-Minute Career Audit URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stop-drifting-the-10-minute-career-audit/ Last updated: 2026-02-07T18:50:24.000Z Most people do not plan their careers. They drift into them. You say yes to a project because it is easier than thinking. You stay in a role because you are good at it, even if you no longer want to do it. Drift *feels* like stability, but it is actually lost momentum. This short audit is a tool to help you stop reacting and start steering. Use these three steps to find your course correction. *(Download the audit worksheet below)* ### Step 1: The Skill-Energy Matrix List your primary weekly tasks. Evaluate them based on two questions: - **The Competency Trap:** Are you doing this because it stretches you, or simply because you have become too good at it to stop? - **The Battery Test:** Does this task give you energy, or does it leave you drained for the work that actually matters? ### Step 2: The Day One Reset Imagine you are applying to your company for the first time today. - Look at your current job description and your actual tasks & calendar. - If you were a fresh candidate, would you honestly **apply** for the role you currently hold? - If the answer is **no**, identify the specific gap between the role you want and the tasks you currently perform. ### Step 3: The One-Degree Shift You do not need a dramatic reinvention. You need a small adjustment, consistently executed. Commit to just two actions this week: 1. **The Strategic No:** Identify one meeting or low-value project you will decline or delegate to free up mental capacity. [There's more on this with my ignore list.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-ignoring-list-an-underrated-career-growth-tool/) 2. **The Intentional Yes:** Identify one person or one project that aligns with your 'Day One' role. Reach out to them for a coffee chat today. ### Take the Wheel Your career will drift unless **you** steer it. Steering does not require a perfect map. It only requires a deliberate choice to move in a specific direction. > **How will you change your heading today?** ### Download the Audit Worksheet [Career Clarity WorksheetCareer Clarity Worksheet.pdf80 KBdownload-circle](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/content/files/2026/02/Career-Clarity-Worksheet.pdf "Download") ### TWIL #107 - Electric Cars URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-107-electric-cars/ Last updated: 2026-02-07T17:27:46.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that in January 2026, Norway sold only SEVEN petrol driven cars, and just 98 diesel cars. [Even after cutting EV incentives, Norway only sold 98 diesel cars in JanuaryNorway cut EV incentives, resulting in a rush and record sales. That would usually cause a hangover, but EVs still took 94% share in January.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/electrek-e.svg)ElectrekJameson Dow![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/norway-charging-lead.jpg)](https://electrek.co/2026/02/03/even-after-cutting-ev-incentives-norway-only-sold-98-diesel-cars-in-january/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 276: Clarity Beats Confidence URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/276-clarity-beats-confidence/ Last updated: 2026-02-02T06:00:02.000Z Confidence gets praised but **clarity** does the real work. Clarity is knowing what matters **now** and what does **not**. Without clarity, confidence can turn into a weakness. Over-confidence can hinder your progress. You take on too much. You chase validation. You say yes to work that pulls you off course. I have coached confident people that feel burned out. I have worked with clear people that quietly outperform them. Clarity supports confidence. It sharpens trade-offs, and improves decision-making. It makes **effort count**. You do not need a five-year plan. You need to have answers to three questions. - What am I optimising for this month? - What does real progress look like for me and my team? - [What am I deliberately ignoring](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-ignoring-list-an-underrated-career-growth-tool/)? Confidence usually follows clarity, not the other way around. If you feel stuck, stop asking how to be unstuck. Start by asking what [you need to ignore in order to stay focused](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-ignoring-list-an-underrated-career-growth-tool/). > What progress are you missing because you don't have clarity? --- ### The Stuff - [How to find and defend your priorities](https://www.carlpullein.com/podcast/what-matters-most-how-to-findand-defendyour-priorities/2/11/2025?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Timeless tips for good time management](https://www.getharvest.com/resources/time-management-skills?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [26 useful concepts for 2026](https://www.gurwinder.blog/p/26-useful-concepts-for-2026?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Your office is sabotaging you. Here’s how to fix it.](https://oedmethod.substack.com/p/your-home-office-is-sabotaging-you) - [Reclaim 72 hours a week. ](https://www.self.com/story/the-method-i-used-to-reclaim-72-hours-a-week?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [The silent killer of growth](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-victim-mentality-a-silent-killer-of-growth?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally** : [Smashaday](https://www.smashaday.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- a daily answer smash ([IYKYK](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard%5FOsman%27s%5FHouse%5Fof%5FGames?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) to play at home --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What is something you are grateful for that has helped you find meaning in your life? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #54 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/54-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-02-01T13:52:34.000Z ### Updates Another week of multiple storms in Dublin - barely a dry moment! As I'd hoped, worked was a bit quiter this week and I managed to spend some good time working on projects. The website for our [rental apartment in Spain](https://casatranquilahda.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is finished and went live - and I managed a couple of evenings work on some other side quests. I also spent a fair amount of time reading about AI tools and ethics, trying to make sure that my saw is sharpened as we start working on more AI related stuff at work. The Online quiz team had a nice win on Wednesday and we currently sit top of the table. **Still Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ### Recommended Music I've been trying to listen to more new music this week, and one that appeared my my list was the new offering from **Searows** entitled 'Death in the Business of Whaling'. Searows is the alter-ego of Alex Duckhart, a singer-songwriter from Portland and this is their second album. It's a beautiful collection of songs that sounds excellent whilst working or reading. The vocals are gentle, accompanied by a laidback, slowcore folk band. I've enjoyed this multiple times this week, and I think you will too. Highly Recommended ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Sade - Cindytalk - Mike Majkowski - Editors - Craven Faults - Searows - Boards of Canada - Mer De Revs - Hania Rani - James Adrian Brown #weeknote ### The 'Ignoring' List: An Underrated Career Growth Tool URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-ignoring-list-an-underrated-career-growth-tool/ Last updated: 2026-02-01T13:05:02.000Z Many people that I coach think career growth comes from doing more. More projects, more hours, more effort = more output. That’s rarely the real issue. The real issue is doing the wrong work at full speed. If you want your career to move, you need a skill that sounds almost disrespectful. You need to get good at ignoring stuff. This isn’t about shirking responsibility or lowering standards. It’s about ignoring low-value work so you can build leverage. High performers don’t say yes to everything, even if it looks that way from the outside. They make trade-offs, quietly and consistently. They ignore tasks that create activity without outcomes, meetings that could be an email, work that keeps them busy but invisible, and extra polish no one asked for. > That’s how **you** can create space for the work that changes **your** trajectory. ### A simple tool you can use every week Open any doc (or blank page) and write this heading: **My Deliberate Ignoring List** Then fill it in using these three prompts. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### TWIL #106 - The Cry Cry Horse URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-106-the-cry-cry-horse/ Last updated: 2026-02-01T10:19:47.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the cry-cry horse, a stuffed toy made to celebrate the 'Year of the Horse' with a minor stitching mistake. [From a stitching mistake to viral hit: Meet the ‘Cry-Cry Horse’With the Year of the Horse approaching, a netizen in Hangzhou recently shared photos of a stuffed horse toy that came with an unexpected flaw – its mouth had been stitched upside down.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-23.ico)CGTNCGTN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/5b8f8bc91b04467e8b5ae94795d4812b-750.png)](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-01-12/From-a-stitching-mistake-to-viral-hit-Meet-the-Cry-Cry-Horse--1JRZlzzI1t6/p.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 275 : Activity Is Not Always Progress URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/275-activity-is-not-always-progress/ Last updated: 2026-01-26T06:00:39.000Z Being busy feels safe, productive and fills your day. But is your task list helping you make **progress**? Knowing the difference is critical. Real progress mostly comes from a small number of **key** actions. A decision that removes friction. A conversation that unlocks movement. A deliverable that **force multiplies** your work. These actions are hard. They create tension. So you postpone them and default to ‘busy work’. [Try this question in your weekly review](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-weekly-review-that-makes-you-better-at-your-job-in-30-minutes/): **What changed because you showed up this week?** If the answer is “nothing”, you were busy. Not effective. *I try and pick at least one progress action each week. This week I worked on automating a key report that will help the main part of my job.* **Clarity exposes progress.** > What did you do last week that genuinely changed something? --- ### The Stuff [The weekly review that can change your career](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-weekly-review-that-makes-you-better-at-your-job-in-30-minutes/) | [Motivation is good, but discipline is better.](https://psyche.co/notes-to-self/why-having-discipline-matters-more-than-having-motivation?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [How to learn so fast it’s unfair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npQ2IORdlvU&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (YouTube) | [Could frictionmaxxing lead to a happier life?](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/06/friction-maxxing-could-less-convenience-lead-to-much-more-happiness?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [Is Ghost Growth affecting your career?](https://theeverygirl.com/what-is-ghost-growth/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [Three phrases to help navigate conflict](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/05/brene-brown-good-communicators-have-a-tolerance-for-discomfort-.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Finally** : [Meme Higher or Lower ](https://memehigherlower.github.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- work out the most popular memes. My high score is 11, can you beat that? --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What is one thing you can do to show gratitude to someone today? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### The Weekly Review That Makes You Better at Your Job (In 30 Minutes) URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-weekly-review-that-makes-you-better-at-your-job-in-30-minutes/ Last updated: 2026-09-05T12:48:45.000Z Sometimes, weeks can blur together. You stay busy. You attend meetings. You react and respond. Then Friday lands and you’re not fully sure what you moved forward. This weekly review fixes that, it's the review I use. It takes 30 minutes. Low friction. Positive. And it helps you build impact you can actually feel. > Do it once a week. Put it in your calendar. Treat it like a meeting with your future self. ## The 30 minute Weekly Review (Free Template Below) #### 1\. Capture the Week without judgement (5 mins) This isn't a report. You’re collecting evidence. - What did I ship, finish, or improve? - What did I move forward, even slightly? - What did I learn that will save me time next week? **Examples: “I finished the client web page. I solved three bug tickets. I automated the daily report.”* #### 2\. Score your Impact (10 mins) Impact is personal. Define it your way (I use H/M/L). Use two direct questions: ****Work impact** - What changed because you showed up this week? - What work looked busy but didn’t really matter? **Examples: “I spent three hours polishing a deck that didn’t change any decisions. I had a client meeting where they renewed with add-ons."* ****People impact** - Who did I help succeed this week? - Who did I ignore, avoid, or frustrate? **Examples: “I gave quick, clear feedback to unblock Priya. That saved her a full day. I spent time mentoring Tom on Thursday, that helped him define a new career plan.”* **If you can’t name someone you helped this week, that’s your signal.* #### 3\. Find the Drag, and remove it. (10 mins) This is the part most people skip. It’s also why they stay stuck. - What slowed me down repeatedly? - What decision did I delay? - What conversation did I avoid? Then ask: What would “cleaning this up” look like next week? **Examples: “I keep getting pulled into random requests so I need a tighter intake rule. I avoided setting expectations with my manager, I’ll add it to my 1:1 document and do it on Monday.”* #### 4\. Set three actions for next week. (5 mins) Not goals. Not intentions. Actions. Your actions should be: ****Specific**, ****Visible** and ****Finishable**. If you can’t finish all three, you picked the wrong three. Use this structure: ****Action 1: One thing to finish** - What will I complete next week that reduces stress? **Example: “Finalise the onboarding doc and share it with the team.”* ****Action 2: One thing to move** - What will I push forward that creates progress? **Example: “Book 20 mins with Sales Ops to unblock the reporting change.”* ****Action 3: One people move** - Who will I support, align with, or challenge directly? **Example: “Give Dan clear feedback on the project plan by Tuesday.”* ## Your copy-and-paste template # Weekly Review **Wins (Just the Facts)** Best Use of time: Worst Use of time: **People Impact** Helped: Missed: **Drag Points** **Three actions for next week** ## The real point of this review You don’t need a perfect system. You can adapt the one above to suit your needs. > I schedule this at 2pm on a Friday afternoon - and then write a weekly email to my team. This is my end of week routine. You need a **repeatable** moment every week where you: - Face the truth - Notice & recognise your progress - Choose the next right moves > When will you schedule your 30 minutes? Friday afternoon or Monday morning? ### #53 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/53-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-01-25T06:00:02.000Z ### Updates This week has been wild! As I write, the latest storm to hit Western Europe is on its way to me in Dublin. The Wind gusts are already pretty strong and its been raining for most of the day. Tonight (Saturday) should be fun! Work has been busy, in the peak of the annual performance cycle there is a week of calibration meetings. I spent a large proportion of time on video conference with colleagues from around the organisation. Away from work, I played a couple of of evenings of Quiz - with the [Dublin Quiz League](https://quizireland.ie/events/dublin-quiz-league/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) on Monday and then with my team in the [Online Quiz League](https://quizcentral.net/qc/Online%5FQuiz%5FLeague%5FUK?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) on Wednesday. Finally, I played the last round of the Brain of Music on Thursday night. I think I have finished about 50th in that tournament! I also did some pretty good work making feature requests for my journalling app, [startwriting.now](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/start-writing-now-the-simplest-way-to-build-a-journaling-habit/) and built a new webpage for my AirBnB property in Spain. This week was a true portfolio week! **Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ### Recommended Music This album was an absolute slam-dunk to recommend. The latest release from Craven Faults is an electronic exploration of industrial infrastructure in the North of England. 'Sidings' is over an hour, of beautifully structured electronic sounds, almost organic in their journey from sometimes simple signatures and riffs, building up to multi-layered 'engines' of songs. I love everything that Craven Faults has done, modern digital symphonies that are perfect listening for our time. Highly Recommended ### Movies Watched - The Rip (Netflix) - [https://boxd.it/cMRJeh](https://boxd.it/cMRJeh?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Hamnet (Cinema) - [https://boxd.it/cHIbhX](https://boxd.it/cHIbhX?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Tom Smith / Editors - Sleaford Mods - Adrian Lane - Deaf Center - Clarice Jensen - Eydis Evensen - Craven Faults - PVA - Searows - Peter Gregson - Christian Löffler Eh... that might be 11\. #weeknote ### TWIL #105 - Public Spending in Paris URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-105-public-spending-in-paris/ Last updated: 2026-01-24T18:32:57.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that ANYONE can decide how public funds are spent in Paris - this includes children who can propose major urban projects. [Anyone in Paris Can Decide How the City Spends Its MoneyThrough ‘participatory budgeting,’ residents as young as eight years old can propose major urban projects, over 1,000 of which have been implemented.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/logo-1.png)Reasons to be CheerfulPeter Yeung![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-1-1024x683.png)](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/paris-residents-help-decide-how-city-spends-money/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #274 : Comfort Is the Most Dangerous Career Strategy URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/274-comfort-is-the-most-dangerous-career-strategy/ Last updated: 2026-01-19T06:00:21.000Z Comfort feels earned. It feels sensible and safe. It’s also how careers silently stall. The real danger at work is not sudden failure. It’s slow irrelevance. Comfort keeps you busy with work you've already mastered - while the world moves on. Nothing breaks. Nothing changes. That’s the trap. Growth, by contrast, feels awkward. It exposes gaps and creates tension. Taking a first step feels uncomfortable. [Discomfort invites the imposter in.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-recognise-and-overcome-imposter-syndrome/) People who progress tend to volunteer before they feel ready, risk looking average, and step into work they haven’t fully figured out yet. That discomfort is not a flaw. It’s information. It tells you where growth lives. Progress doesn’t require reckless moves. It requires deliberate stretch. [One uncomfortable action is enough](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/). Share a half-formed idea. Ask for feedback you’ve avoided. Take on work that scares you slightly. Growth might feel awkward, but small actions compound in the right direction. > **Where has comfort started to look like safety in your work?** --- ### The Stuff [12 questions to ask before quitting your job](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/12-questions-to-ask-before-quitting-your-job/) **|** [Four small adjustments to be more consistent](https://zenhabits.net/consistent/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [A better way to ask why](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/a-better-way-to-ask-why-from-behavioral-science?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [Think Differently about Procrastination](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-think-differently-about-procrastination-and-make-progress?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [21 lessons from 15 years at Google](https://addyosmani.com/blog/21-lessons/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [Seven ways to reclaim happiness](https://ivychanwellness.com/7-ways-to-reclaim-happiness-without-ignoring-the-bigger-picture/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally** : [Crossy](https://uncrossy.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- the opposite of a crossword, excellent puzzling! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What would your future best self from 10 years in the future say to you now? How would your higher self/future self advise you? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #52 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/52-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-01-18T09:24:09.000Z ### Updates A full year of [weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/)! It's been an interesting experiment, and a great way to try and focus the main writing in my newsletter. Writing these words each week feels more akin to writing an old fashioned blog, and I've enjoyed it. This week has been busy at work, it's annual review time and the load for a manager is quite heavy for a couple of weeks. I'm grateful for the team that surrounds me for the support as we power through. I spent a fair bit of my spare time working on [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), my new site to encourage people to start journaling. It's live and ready, and fully working the way I want, although I have a list of feature requests to work on. I also devoted some time to restructure the homepage of this site, and cleaning up some of the pages to make it a bit clearer. Finally. I wrote and posted a review of the Nick Clegg book which i recently enjoyed, [How to Save the Internet.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-save-the-internet-by-nick-clegg/) **Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ### Recommended Music There are people that say that politics doesn;t belong in music, and there is another camp that says everything IS politics. I suspect that Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn are in the latter camp if their latest is anything to go by. Thirteen new tracks find lyrics at their most cutting, telling the story of slow-burn decline towards armageddon. The instrumentation and production sounds a little more polished this time, and there are some excellent collaborations - first with an unhinged Gwendoline Christie, and then Sue Tompkins, Aldous Harding and rapper Snowy. It's brutal in places, and by no means a relaxing listen - but it demands your time. Highly Recommended ### Movies Watched [A ★★★★½ review of Train Dreams (2025)Beautiful, gentle film with a gorgeous soundtrack. A sad tale of a man finding his way in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-30.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/kUAYBysrwhimuz5wYO6GgefRdD1-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/cA2NIF?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Myron Higor - Blue Lake - Dry Cleaning - Elbow - Sleaford Mods - Jonny Greenwood - Daniel Lopatin - Feldman & Tiley - Extnddntwrk - Craven Faults #weeknote ### Start Writing Now: the simplest way to build a journaling habit URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/start-writing-now-the-simplest-way-to-build-a-journaling-habit/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T17:49:52.000Z Most people don’t need more motivation. They need less friction. Less pressure. That’s why I built [**Start Writing Now**](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Not as a productivity flex. Not as a fancy journaling system. Just a simple place to write for a few minutes each day and get your thoughts out of your head and onto a page. Because that tiny habit has changed my life. --- ## Journaling didn’t fix my life. It clarified it. I’ve spent years working in tech. Leading teams. Managing change. Making decisions when the information is incomplete. But there is a part people don’t always say out loud: **even when your career looks fine on paper, your head can still feel noisy.** You can feel anxious for no clear reason. You can feel stuck even while you keep delivering. You can feel like you’re drifting through your own working life. Journaling didn’t magically remove any of that. It gave me something better. It gave me clarity I could act on. ### The real power of journaling: turning fuzz into facts When I feel anxious, my thoughts blur together. > I’m behind. I’m not doing enough. I’m wasting time. I need a better plan. Everyone else has it figured out. If I leave those thoughts in my head, they grow teeth. They feel urgent, even when they’re not true. When I slow down and write, something shifts. I stop spiralling. I stop guessing. I stop treating vague feelings like truth. Writing allows me to get specific. - What exactly am I worried about? - What decision am I avoiding? - What’s the next step I can take today? - What’s in my control, and what isn’t? That’s the change. Not “positive thinking”. Clear thinking. ## How journaling gave me career clarity ### 1) It helped me spot what drains me When you write regularly, you start to notice patterns. The meetings that leave you tense. The projects you avoid. The people who lift you up, and the people who flatten you. Once you notice patterns, you can change your week. You can protect your energy. You can stop repeating the same problems on autopilot. ### 2) It helped me name what I actually want Career clarity often sounds like: “What should I do next?” But a better question is: “What do I want my work to feel like?” Writing helped me answer things like: - Do I want more autonomy, or more collaboration? - Do I want depth, or variety? - Do I want stability, or challenge? - Am I chasing status, or progress? You can’t make a clean decision when you don’t know what you’re optimising for. ### 3) It helped me make decisions faster A lot of career anxiety comes from indecision. That loop where you keep thinking “I should figure this out” but you never do. Writing forces a decision. Even if it’s small. - “This week, I’m going to stop saying yes to everything.” - “I’m going to book one coaching session.” - “I’m going to update my CV.” Momentum calms your nervous system. Action creates proof. Proof builds confidence. ## How journaling controlled my anxiety Some days you don’t need insight. You need relief. You need a private space where you can be honest without anyone judging you, fixing you, or telling you to “think positive”. Writing gives you that. It’s like taking mental clutter and dragging it out into daylight. You can finally see it. And once you can see it, you can deal with it. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/snwlogo-1.png) ## Why I built Start Writing Now Journaling has a reputation problem. It sounds like something you need to do for 30 minutes, with a perfect notebook, in a perfect morning routine, with perfect prompts. That put me off. It created pressure before I even startes. For me, pressure is the enemy of consistency. [**Start Writing Now**](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **is built for real life.** The kind where you’re busy. The kind where your brain is overloaded. The kind where you want to feel better, but you don’t want another “life admin” project. The site is simple on purpose. - Write fast, without fuss, wherever you are - Use prompts when you want direction - Free-write when you don’t - Download your entries any time - Copy and paste into your own system - Build a habit without overthinking it You don’t have to become “a journal person”. You just have to start. ## What you’ll get from journaling (even if you think you’re not a writer) You don’t need to be a writer. You just need to be a person with thoughts. If you show up regularly, even in short bursts, you’ll notice real benefits: - You’ll feel calmer because your brain stops carrying everything at once - You’ll think more clearly because writing forces structure - You’ll build self-trust because you keep showing up for yourself - You’ll make better decisions because you stop overthinking and start choosing - You’ll learn what you actually need (and it’s often not “work harder”) Sometimes what you need is sleep. Sometimes it’s boundaries. Sometimes it’s a new direction. Sometimes it’s one tough conversation you’ve been avoiding. Journaling helps you tell the difference. ## Start small. Start messy. Start today. If you want to try this right now, do it in three minutes. Go to [**startwriting.now**.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Answer the question on the screen. Don’t edit. Don’t judge it. Just write. Then ask yourself this: **If you wrote for three minutes a day, every day, for a month, what would you learn about yourself that you’ve been too busy to notice?** ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### How to Save the Internet by Nick Clegg URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-save-the-internet-by-nick-clegg/ Last updated: 2026-01-19T17:23:03.000Z *My old boss (sort of) has written a book about the internet. It took me a while to get through it, and I found it an engaging read that has some interesting ideas about the way forward for the Internet in the age of AI.* ### **Can the Internet Still Be Saved?** Nick Clegg thinks so. How to Save the Internet makes a case for it, while raising hard questions about power, trust, and who really controls the digital world most of us depend on every day (some of us for a living). This is (unsuprisingly) a politically founded argument. The problems Clegg discusses are not about code or bandwidth. They are about governance, incentives, and accountability. The internet, he argues, is not failing because the technology broke. It is failing because the systems around it never caught up. ### **Why this book exists** Clegg opens with a blunt diagnosis. The internet is under strain from all sides. Governments want more control. Platforms face rising public anger. Citizens no longer trust what they see online. AI accelerates every existing problem. The original promise of a single, open, global network is more fragile now. Clegg describes one future path where that network fractures into national or regional versions, each shaped by local politics and rules. If that happens, the internet stops being truly global. It becomes a patchwork of connected but incompatible systems. It's easy to imagine how this change would affect how you work, learn, and connect. Many of the freedoms people now take for granted depend on openness and interoperability. Remove those, and the internet becomes narrower, slower, and more controlled. ### The risk of a splintered internet Fragmentation is at the heart of the argument. Clegg warns that governments are trying to impose traditional ideas of sovereignty onto a system that was never designed to respect borders. We can already see this happening through data localisation laws, national content rules, platform bans, and region-specific AI regulation. Each policy may look reasonable in isolation. Together, they pull the internet apart. The book is clear on the danger. Regulate the internet as if it were a national utility and you destroy what made it powerful. Speed, scale, and global reach do not survive heavy, uncoordinated regulation. Interoperability disappears first, and everything else follows. ### Big Tech’s credibility problem Clegg does not pretend technology companies are innocent. There is acceptance that platforms created many of their own problems through secrecy, overconfidence, and slow responses to real harm. Decisions that shaped public discourse were often made behind closed doors. Algorithms influenced attention without explanation. Appeals processes were opaque or inconsistent. Over time, trust collapsed. Where Clegg pushes back is on the idea that these failures prove malicious intent. His view is that the bigger issue was institutional immaturity. Platforms grew faster than their ability to govern themselves, and the gap showed. This argument will frustrate some readers. It falls between two sides of an argument. One says platforms are villains that must be broken up. The other says platforms are neutral tools and society should adapt. The book rejects both and argues for responsibility without demonisation. ### Transparency as a starting point The book becomes more practical when it turns to solutions. The central proposal is radical transparency. Clegg proposes that platforms must explain how their systems work in ways that are intelligible and testable. That means clearer disclosure about how content is ranked, how moderation decisions are made, and how appeals are handled. It also means admitting trade-offs instead of hiding behind vague statements. This is not 'just' publishing source code. It's *real* accountability. If systems influence millions of lives, secrecy is no longer a defensible stance. Most people do not accept opaque or fuzzy decision-making from employers or public institutions. Clegg asks why platforms should be held to a lower standard. ### Who should hold the power Another fault line runs through the book. Too much authority over online speech sits with too few people. Today, global content decisions are often made by small groups of executives, legal teams managing risk, or policy staff under constant pressure. Clegg argues that no private company should act as the final authority on what billions of people can say or see. His answer is shared governance. He points to independent oversight bodies as an early step, not a final solution. The deeper principle is that decision-making should reflect the diversity of users affected. Rules that shape global speech should not be set in a single headquarters or legal jurisdiction. Culture, context, and consequence matter. Ignoring that reality creates resentment and error at scale. ### Regulation without destruction Clegg’s position on regulation is complex and nuanced. He does not argue against it. He argues against over-simplistic rules written without technical understanding. Good regulation, in his view, should protect users while preserving openness. It should encourage competition rather than entrench incumbents. Most of all, it should avoid fragmenting the internet. The pattern he warns against is familiar. A crisis erupts. Political pressure builds. A law follows quickly. Little attention is paid to long-term consequences or system-wide effects. Current news cycles follow this pattern regularly. The books challenge is straightforward. Regulate harmful behaviour. Do not confuse political borders with digital infrastructure. ### Why global cooperation matters The most ambitious part of the book is also the most uncertain. Clegg argues that no country can govern the internet alone. Not the United States. Not the European Union. Not China. The internet’s architecture is global. Its governance must reflect that reality. Clegg proposes an alliance of digital democracies built around shared principles such as freedom of expression, data protection, open markets, and rule of law. This would not eliminate disagreement. It would create the conditions for some alignment. Without it, authoritarian models of control gain ground simply because they scale faster. If your work depends on open access to information, this should concern you. Control travels easily across borders. Freedom requires coordination. ### AI raises the stakes Clegg treats AI as an accelerant rather than a separate issue. Algorithms already shape attention. AI amplifies that influence while making systems harder to understand. More automation means fewer clear lines of responsibility. When outcomes become opaque, accountability weakens. Clegg argues that AI governance must avoid repeating the mistakes made with social media. Auditability, oversight, and human responsibility become more urgent, not less. The question is not whether AI will shape the internet. It already does. The question is whether that power will remain visible and contestable. ### Where the argument falls short The book is not without blind spots. Clegg underplays the role of advertising incentives and attention-driven business models. Transparency alone may not change behaviour if revenue depends on engagement at any cost. There is also a gap between vision and execution. Global treaties sound compelling but are difficult to enforce. Oversight bodies help, but they struggle at scale. These weaknesses are real and unresolved. The current global landscape is already showing this gap in reality. Clegg acknowledges some of this, but not all. The book defends platforms more than some readers will be comfortable with. ### Conclusion Despite its limitations, the book matters because of its perspective. Clegg has operated inside government and inside one of the world’s most powerful technology companies. That dual experience gives weight to the warnings. He is not offering a utopia. He is arguing for realism. Power needs visibility. Governance needs to evolve. If nothing changes, the internet will fragment by default. Control will harden. Decisions will concentrate further. That outcome is not inevitable, but avoiding it requires intent. This book sharpens the debate. If the open internet still matters to you, How to Save the Internet gives you a framework to think clearly about what comes next, and what you may lose if you assume someone else will fix it. > What would you be willing to give up to keep the internet open? And what happens if you do nothing? ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ### 12 Questions to Ask Before Quitting Your Job URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/12-questions-to-ask-before-quitting-your-job/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T16:23:52.000Z Quitting your job can feel like progress. It can feel clean and decisive. It can also be the best way to dodge a challenge. Before you hand in your notice, pause. These questions will help you decide if quitting is the right move, or a rushed on. ### 1\. What problem am I actually trying to escape? Most people don’t quit jobs. They quit one specific pain. A manager who drains them. A workload that never ends. A culture that rewards noise over results. **Name the real issue, or you’ll carry it with you.** ### 2\. Have I said what needs to be said? If you’ve never clearly asked for what you need, you haven’t truly tested the situation. [Great feedback is the key](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/). Direct beats polite. Closed mouths don’t get fed. **If your company won’t meet reasonable requests, that tells you something too.** ### 3\. If nothing changed, how long could I tolerate this? This is your truth serum. A week is panic. Six months is frustration. A year is a slow leak. **How you spend your days is how you spend your life.** ### 4\. Am I burnt out or under-stimulated? Burnout feels like dread. Boredom feels like numbness. Both push you towards the exit, but they need different fixes. Y**ou might not need a new life. You might just need a new plan.** ### 5\. What would a good version of this role look like? Define 'better' in writing. Clear responsibilities. Clean handovers. Fewer meetings. More autonomy. **Without that picture, you’re not leaving a job. You’re leaving a mood.** ### 6\. What am I hoping the next job will fix? Be ruthless here. New jobs do not fix weak boundaries. They don’t fix avoidance. They don’t fix fear of conflict. **Wherever you go, you are there.** ### 7\. Have I tested alternatives inside this job? Before you burn the bridge, try small moves. A new project. Different stakeholders. A reset with your manager. **Quitting is a big bet.** [**Experiments are cheaper.**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/) ### 8\. What evidence do I have that leaving will improve my life? List it like an adult. Money. Time. Learning. Energy. Health. Be specific and exhaustive. **Feelings are real, but they are not always true.** ### 9\. Am I running towards something or away from something? Running away creates urgency. Running towards creates direction. If you’re only escaping, you’ll grab the first offer that is presented. **Relief is not the same as progress.** ### 10\. What will I regret more in twelve months**?** Staying too long or leaving too early. Imagine the future version of you looking back. **Which decision feels heavier to carry?** ### 11\. What is the real risk if I stay? Sometimes staying costs more than leaving. Confidence erosion. Skill stagnation. Quiet resentment. **The longer you stay somewhere that shrinks you, the harder it is to grow again.** ### 12\. If I could not quit, what would I change first? This question cuts through the fantasy. **If quitting wasn’t an option, what action would you take tomorrow?** That answer usually exposes the real move you’ve been avoiding. Quitting may well by the right thing to do, just don;t let quitting be your first strategy. ### TWIL #104 - Farming on Mars URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-104-farming-on-mars/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T06:00:42.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that NASA is running a competition to figure out how to feed people when they are on Mars. I'm definitely not saying Mars Bars are the answer. #dadjoke [How to help NASA cope when DoorDash is 200 million miles awayNASA has launched a competition to help develop food sources for astronauts on Mars. The winning idea might even help people on Earth.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/logo-icon.png)USA TODAY, USA TODAY![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/88080471007-mars.jpg)](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/01/13/nasa-food-competition-mars-astronaut/88147209007/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #273 > Most Career Advice Sucks URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/273-most-career-advice-sucks/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T18:10:32.000Z Most career advice **sounds** good, but very little of it works. The problem is not intent. It’s the **context**. Advice often assumes you have time, energy, supportive managers, and room to take risks. Most people don’t. Real careers happen inside constraints. Bills to pay. Limited headspace. Existing reputations. Messy organisations. Advice that ignores this doesn’t help you move forward. It just adds guilt. The useful question is not '"what should I do?”. It’s “what can I do from here in the limited time that I have?”. That shift changes **everything**. Instead of chasing ideal paths, you should be looking for leverage that fits your reality. That might mean strengthening **one** relationship, sharpening **one** skill, or making **one** piece of work more visible. **Small moves, well timed**, beat perfect plans you can’t execute. I’ve seen talented people stall their careers because they followed generic advice that didn’t fit their situation. I’ve also seen steady people grow because they worked **with** reality, not against it. One small step at a time. If advice doesn’t acknowledge your constraints, discard it. Your career is not a blank page. It’s an edit. > **What constraints are you currently working within?** --- ### The Stuff [Take one small step.](https://thinkhuman.com/take-one-small-step/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [Always be ready to Leave](https://andreacanton.dev/posts/2025-11-08-always-ready-to-leave/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [How to not lose your job to AI](https://80000hours.org/agi/guide/skills-ai-makes-valuable/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [The Power of Gratitude](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-the-wild-things-are/202511/the-soft-power-of-gratitude?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [Progress belongs to optimists](https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/03/why-is-imagining-a-positive-future-crucial-to-humanitys-progress/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [Reclaim Happiness](https://ivychanwellness.com/7-ways-to-reclaim-happiness-without-ignoring-the-bigger-picture/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally** : [Enclose Horse](https://enclose.horse/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- get the horse in a pen, harder than it sounds. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/) \+ [This Week I Learned](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/) ✍️ ****Journal Prompt:** What past traumas may be clouding your concept of your career path? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #103 - White Storks in London URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-103-white-storks-in-london/ Last updated: 2026-01-11T12:37:24.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that White Storks are making a comeback to the streets/skies of London. I saw a ton of them in huge nests Marrakech last summer (picture above), but I've never see one in my old hometown! [White storks to make historic return to London in 2026Species extinct as breeding birds in Britain since 1416 to be reintroduced in Barking and Dagenham as part of rewilding effort![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-512-4.png)The GuardianPatrick Barkham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/3251.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/08/white-storks-return-london-barking-and-dagenham-2026-rewilding?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #51 - from Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/51-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T11:19:37.000Z ### Updates Fully back to work this week, and into a busy cycle for annual reviews for everyone in the place. Managed to finish the week off with a trip to see the excellent Marty Supreme at the local cinema, and then to see Christian Löffler at the National Concert Hall last night (some pictures below). **Reading**. [Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn](https://amzn.to/3Ng8btl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent book of Short Stories from an Irish Author. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/IMG_2667-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/IMG_2679.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/IMG_2687.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2026/01/IMG_2658.jpeg) ### Recommended Music My wife shared this one with me earlier in the week, and I'm surprised I didn't see it myself as there are a couple of artists I love here. This weeks recommendation is the soundtrack to 'Le Chant de Forêts' (Whispers in the Woods), a documentary made by French filmaker Vincent Munier about life deep in Wild Forests. The soundtrack comes from Warren Ellis, Hildur Guðnadottir and with recorded sound from the documentary. It's beautiful stuff and well worth your time... ### Movies Watched [A ★★★★★ review of Marty Supreme (2025)First cinema watch of 2026\. First five stars. Hot take - it’s not about ping pong.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-28.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/marty-sup-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/cxVgh5?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★★★ review of Depeche Mode: M (2025)This was never going to have anything less than five stars. Fantastic documentary.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-29.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/54njo3uz95TmkKVrWUX8ylYnpg5-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/cyww67?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Clark - Vanilla - Stars of the Lid - The Walker Brothers - Depeche Mode - Dry Cleaning - David Byrne - Gary Numan - Christian Löffler (Live) - Sault - Extnddntwrk #weeknote ### #272 - Welcome to 2026! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/272-welcome-to-2026/ Last updated: 2026-01-05T06:00:29.000Z Hey, Matt here... ## Welcome to 2026! Every January, I set intentions for the 52 weeks ahead. Not goals. Not resolutions. Intentions. If you’re curious, you can see past editions from [2025](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome-to-2025-intentions-2/), [2024](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome-to-2024-intentions/), and [2023](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/themes-for-2023/). This year, I’m working to three themes: - Create. - Curate. - Commit. Here's how I hope they will play out. ## Create more I started this site and newsletter to become a better writer. When I looked back at 2025, I liked what I saw but I also noticed something else. The newsletter has drifted into a well-made list of links. Useful. Thoughtful. Easy to consume, and a little too safe. In 2026, I’m writing more of my own words. More thinking. More opinion. More risk. I might lose a few people. I’m OK with that risk. I have things I want to say. This year, I’m saying them. ## Curate closely This builds on my 2025 theme of [service](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome-to-2025-intentions-2/). Completing my coaching course changed how I think about usefulness. My systems need to be more tightly focused. This year, I’ll curate with intent and ask myself these questions: - What actually helps? - What earns attention? - What’s worth our time? This goes beyond the newsletter, so I'll also thin out or eliminate: - Social platforms I use - Newsletters I read - Inputs that add noise, not value Less in = More signal. ## Commit fully My annual review surfaced an uncomfortable truth. I’ve been circling some goals. Testing the edges. Keeping exits open. In 2026, I’m narrowing the field and committing properly. - No half-tries. - No constant pivots. - No hedging. ## No resolutions Still no resolutions, that hasn’t changed. I don’t like the idea that something must be 'kept' to be valid. If it stops working, I want the freedom to let it go. Intentions give me direction. Experiments, habits and systems do the lifting. That’s the plan anyway! See you next week for the first Stuff of the Year. Take care. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2022/09/mattsig_personal.png) --- ### Below the Fold 🧠 ****Last Year I Learned:** [52 things I learned in 2025.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/52-things-i-learned-in-2025/) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), books, movies and a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe your identity- who are you and how do you see yourself? What labels do you give yourself? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #50 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2026-01-04T06:11:17.000Z ### Updates New Years Eve was fun, we went to see the fireworks in nearby Dun Laoghaire, followed by a lovely meal. Home in front of the TV by 10.30, times have changed by we still had a marvellous time. I've been spending the rest this week clearing the decks a little bit, I went to the office for a day to get ahead of some work for next week and I've been doing some digitial housekeeping to make sure I'm ready for some changes I'm making to the website and newsletter. I also managed to get some downtime in for some reading and listening to music. **Reading**. Finished two books this week. Albert Camus - The Outsider and Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico ### Recommended Music My first recommendation of 2026 is something a little older that I discovered over the last week. I'm surprised I hadn't heard this before, as I'm a fan of Sleaford Mods. This is solo work from Andrew Fearn, who provides the instrumentation for Sleaford Mods. In this project he's known as Extenddntwrk and the sound is very different. Albus was released in 2024, has 12 tracks, and is 100 minutes long - full of gentle, thoughtful electronica that transforms and morphs gently as you listen. There is some breathtaking stuff on this album, and I feel cheated that I didn't listen to this earlier! I'm glad I've found it now. ### Listened Stuff 10 artists I listened to this week... - Jacob Alon - Fink - Clare Singer - EXTNDDNTWRK - Dry Cleaning - Wet Leg - Vanilla - Maps - Lucrezia Dalt - Himmelsrandt #weeknote ### Now - It's 2026! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now-its-2026/ Last updated: 2026-01-03T15:34:00.000Z I'm living in Dublin, Ireland. I ***love*** my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. - I started an [email newsletter four years ago called "Stuff that MattR's"](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. - In 2026, I will be posting new music nearly [every day to a list on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kJMq1eoca9aftW7x9Crl9?si=fad9ea6d4a4641e1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did the same in [2025](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=f81a1457b5254646&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [2024](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=65d3ed3d8fc04ac1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [2023](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nKbhvL8ZbH346FrxFkQwW?si=89b25f5f641c4b8d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - I run a [30-day journalling challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). A free service to help you start your journaling practice. - In 2025 I (re)launched [Build Your Best Year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) \- a simple and free service to help you plan your best year ever. - To help my own journalling practice, I've started writing [Weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/weeknote/) on my blog, inspired by Giles Turnbull - [Doing Weeknotes](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I just launched [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) a frictionless journaling app that reduces procrastination and gets you journaling quickly. [Here's why I did this.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/) - I still DJ a little bit, [all of my DJ Mixes are available here](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the latest and best is [The Stack #11.](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/stack-11/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I compile and update an every growing list of music for focus and relaxation - it's called [FlowStuff and you can find it here!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) - I spend my days working at [Meta](https://about.meta.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as a Global Head of Change Management, I'm part of a team helping with some of our core company objectives in AI. ### TWIL #102 - Drinking on a plane URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-102-drinking-on-a-plane/ Last updated: 2026-01-03T14:15:35.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned WHY alcohol hits harder on a plane, than when you are on the ground. Seems it's down to both the altitude AND the environment you are in. Worth bearing in mind when you feel like a cocktail on your next flight! [Why Alcohol Hits Even Harder on a PlaneThe altitude and the environment both play a role.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-22.ico)SELFKorin Miller![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/AdobeStock_504567870.jpeg)](https://www.self.com/story/drinking-on-a-plane-effects?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 52 things I learned in 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/52-things-i-learned-in-2025/ Last updated: 2025-12-31T16:37:02.000Z Every week I post something new I learned whilst preparing my weekly newsletter, I've **highlighted** some of my absolute favourites from 2025\. ([2024 list here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-things-i-learned-in-2024/)) 1. Nigel Richards regularly wins foreign language Scrabble competitions, despite not speaking the languages ([The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/10/scrabble-star-nigel-richards-wins-spanish-world-title-despite-not-speaking-spanish?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 2. Sausage Kiosks in Vienna are being awarded UNESCO 'Intangible Cultural Heritage) status. ([Yahoo Life](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/vienna-sausage-stand-more-just-160709129.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 3. **Humans have toenails to aid with our sense of *proprioception,* that's our 'position in space'.** ([Mental Floss](https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/body/why-do-humans-have-toenails?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 4. Saturns Rings are going to disappear for a while, but they will be back. ([EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/space/saturns-rings-are-disappearing-march-2025/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 5. The Grand Canyon is home to a poo museum, although it looks like it is closed now. ([Poo Museum](https://poomuseum.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 6. Sweden is building a sustainable city of the future, made entirely from timber. ([Time Magazine](https://time.com/7207873/sweden-stockholm-wood-city-sustainability/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 7. Cooling Towers are shaped in a specific way, to aid the cooling. ([ScienceABC](https://www.scienceabc.com/pure-sciences/why-cooling-towers-are-shaped-that-way.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 8. Sleep is regulated by a tiny blue dot inside in all of our brains ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250131-how-the-brains-blue-dot-regulates-your-sleep?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 9. There are 350 different shapes of pasta, and even more names for them. ([Italy Magazine](https://www.italymagazine.com/dual-language/so-how-many-pasta-shapes-are-there??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 10. The Amazon River doesn't have any official bridges. ([IFL Science](https://www.iflscience.com/the-amazon-river-doesnt-have-any-bridges-and-for-good-reason-77154?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 11. Bison are making a comeback in the UK, and its driving real biodiversity. ([Reasons to be Cheerful](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/uk-bison-rewilding-biodiversity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 12. Our teeth are radioactive. ([YouTube](https://youtu.be/FPZuklD9eRg?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 13. There is an active 'volcano' in East London that no-one seems to be able to stop ([The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/04/the-rainham-volcano-arnolds-field-toxic-fires-waste-dump?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 14. Ancient Greek statues often had clothing, and smelt of perfume. ([Archaeology Magazine](https://archaeology.org/news/2025/03/17/ancient-greek-statues-smelled-of-perfume/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 15. A Swiss town is prescribing museum visits as therapy for patients ([AP News](https://apnews.com/article/museum-art-therapy-neuchatel-switzerland-55bcf5c4830261e35a3b8704671418f8?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 16. **Before the invention of the bicycle, the average distance between the birthplaces of spouses in England was ONE mile.** ([Galibier](https://www.galibier.cc/love-is-but-a-field-away/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 17. A day on Uranus is 28 seconds longer than it used to be. ([AP News](https://apnews.com/article/uranus-nasa-hubble-19a4d69e0778704a4fd01e6a6f6bd814?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 18. The Uber Lost and Found Index is a strange and mysterious place. ([Uber](https://www.uber.com/newsroom/the-2025-uber-lost-found-index?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 19. Scientists discovered a new colour. Not a favourite colour, a brand new colour that no-one has seen before. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyq0n3em41o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 20. There is an annual competition for imitating the screech of a seagull. It is as extraordinary (and annoying) as you are imagining. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz795vx73z4o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 21. **Cardinals don't live on the strictest of rations when they are locked in a conclave, but they have NOWHERE to hide a message.** ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250430-the-secrets-of-feeding-the-papal-conclave?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 22. People still use typewriters, every day in some parts of the world. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250321-the-people-who-still-use-typewriters?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 23. Twins sometimes have the same allergies, but not always. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250425-do-twins-become-allergic-to-the-same-things?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 24. You are statistically more likely to die on your birthday, than any other day of the year. ([The Pudding](https://pudding.cool/2025/04/birthday-effect/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 25. **A man in Norway woke up to find a container ship in his back garden.** ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8nk279ydyo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 26. A spacecraft has taken photographs of the Sun's 'South Pole' for the first time. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyqry9ppl9o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 27. There is a website that tracks the number of people in space right now. It's the same now, as it was when I read about it - just 10\. ([HowManyPeople](https://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 28. A Japanese airport had to cancel some flights due to a bear on the runway. ([CBS](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bear-runway-airport-japan-flights-canceled-stalemate/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 29. All the fireworks have different names, and there are way more than I imagined. ([Keystone Fireworks](https://keystonefireworks.com/news/types-of-fireworks-effects/??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 30. Counting a million dollars is not as easy as you would expect. ([Calvin Liang](https://calvin.sh/blog/fed-lie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 31. There was a secret British Language which helped beat the Nazis in the Channel Islands during World War Two. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20230716-jerrais-the-secret-british-language-that-was-used-to-outwit-the-nazis?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 32. **Neil Armstrong had to complete a customs form when he landed back from the Moon. For the Rocks.** ([University of Cincinnati](https://magazine.uc.edu/editors%5Fpicks/recent%5Ffeatures/armstrong/moonrocks.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 33. The Mizohata-Takeuchi Conjecture is a major math mystery that lasted 40 years, until a 17 year old solved it. ([Quanta](https://www.quantamagazine.org/at-17-hannah-cairo-solved-a-major-math-mystery-20250801/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 34. Keep Calm and Carry On became a phenomenon, almost 60 years after it was designed - here's why. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250805-how-keep-calm-and-carry-on-became-a-21st-century-phenomenon?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 35. A fourteen year old boy founded his own 'micronation' on the border between Serbia and Croatia. ([The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/19/daniel-jackson-unclaimed-land-croatia-serbia-verdis?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 36. Dogs now have their own surfing championship. ([World Dog Surfing](https://www.surfdogchampionships.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 37. In 1969, engineers stopped Niagara Falls from flowing for the first time in 12000 years. ([1440 Daily](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XO9P-N1O6dk?feature=share&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 38. Norway, controversially, has it's own version of the KitKat. It might look very similar but could well taste even better. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250909-kvikk-lunsj-the-controversial-sweet-that-fuels-norwegians?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 39. **Scandal ripped through this years Internatiomal Stone Skipping Championship when 'imported/doctored' rocks made their way into competition.** ([Popular Science](https://www.popsci.com/science/stone-skipping-scandal/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 40. Rappers make raps using incredible lyricism, but also some clever patterns of repetition that give them a signature sound. ([Vox Magazine](https://youtu.be/QWveXdj6oZU?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 41. Wind Turbines have three blades for a very good reason, more or less won't do. Trust me, it's not (just) what you originally think. ([YouTube](https://youtu.be/pgqkti7yePk?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 42. A rare interstellar comet passed by Mars during 2025, and is being closely monitored. ([The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/oct/08/a-rare-comet-from-beyond-our-solar-system-is-being-closely-tracked-what-can-it-teach-us?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 43. A very rare Snow Leopard has been born in captivity at Chester Zoo. ([Nice News](https://nicenews.com/environment/first-snow-leopard-born-chester-zoo/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 44. **There was once a plan devised to slice up Europe like a Pizza, with Vienna at the middle. They even had maps made.** ([Big Think](https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/a-bizarre-peace-proposal-slice-europe-up-like-a-pie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 45. Our bodies goe through a 'mini jet-lag' when the clocks go forward or back - in some cases, even a mild depression. ([ABC News](https://6abc.com/post/daylight-saving-time-ends-heres-what-happens-body-when-clocks-fall-back-hour/18076888/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 46. There are two places in the world that sell a honey so full of psychoactives that it is nicknamed 'mad honey'. ([CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/travel/mad-honey-deli-bal-turkey-black-sea?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 47. There is a database of the most dangerous roads in the world, you can check if there is a local one to drive. ([Dangerous Roads](https://www.dangerousroads.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 48. I'm lucky enough to see the sea as I write this list, but until this year I never knew the hidden maths behind waves. ([Quanta](https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-hidden-math-of-ocean-waves-crashes-into-view-20251015?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 49. Vitamin D can affect both your immune system and your heart health, and in the winter, many of us don't get enough. ([MIT Technology Review](https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/11/21/1128206/vitamin-d-bodies-bone-health-immune/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 50. **A mysterious black fungus is emerging at Chernobyl, and it looks like it might be 'eating' radiation**. ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251125-the-mysterious-black-fungus-from-chernobyl-that-appears-to-eat-radiation?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 51. At last! A competition I'd back myself in - the World Parallel Parking Championship. ([Car and Driver](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a69137759/parallel-parking-championship/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 52. There is a massive black hole, speedining at over 2 million miles per hour through its home galaxy. ([Space](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/james-webb-space-telescope-confirms-1st-runaway-supermassive-black-hole-rocketing-through-cosmic-owl-galaxies-at-2-2-million-mph-it-boggles-the-mind?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) ### Stuff that MattRs - #271 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-271/ Last updated: 2025-12-29T06:00:51.000Z 🎧 ****Bonus**: FlowStuff. My ever growing and changing playlist of music to help you relax and and find flow state. [Find your chill here. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) ## The Stuff: - [Reading rules for 2026.](https://ryanholiday.net/my-reading-rules-for-2026/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Ryan Holliday explains his rules for books in the New Year. Bonus: [Have you tried reading aloud?](https://www.raptitude.com/2024/09/in-favor-of-reading-aloud/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(Via Ryan Holliday and Raptitude)* - You look fantastic! [How to accept compliments.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-to-be-a-burden/202404/how-to-accept-compliments?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(Via Psychology Today)* - [What is your elevator pitch?](https://creativenotes.co.uk/day-10-your-elevator-pitch/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Practical steps for designing your simple pitch. *(via Creative Notes)* - Is this the mindhack you’ve been looking for? [How to unlearn your beliefs.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-unlearn/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(Via The Good Trade)* - [What actually makes you senior?](https://terriblesoftware.org/2025/11/25/what-actually-makes-you-senior/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The one skill that can differentiate you in the organisation. *(via Terrible Software)* - Grounded in science. [Five time management tricks we could all use a reminder of.](https://www.calendar.com/blog/5-scientifically-proven-hacks-for-improving-your-time-management/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(Via Calendar)* ### Finally. [Type Racer. ](https://play.typeracer.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Speed up your typing by racing against strangers using passages from songs and books. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), books, movies and a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What qualities in other people do you love? Can you see these qualities as a reflection of you? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #49 - From France URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/49-from-france/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T09:10:55.000Z ### Updates The week between Christmas and New Year is a funny one, no-one really knows what day it is, and we're all carrying a bit of regret for the 8 million calories we consumed in the last few days. We're in Northern France this year, at my mother-in-laws house. It's been a lovely break, but I'm also looking forward to flying back to Ireland later today to get back to some normality. I've been using the break to start planning out 2026, and also the next evolution of my site and newsletter. I'll make some changes this week, and then the first edition of 2026 will be all new. I'm excited for what is next. **Reading**. Albert Camus - The Outsider (a Christmas gift from my wife - really enjoying it) ### Recommended Music [Albums of the Year - 2025One of the hardest posts to put together each year... my albums of the year, in no particular order.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-7.png)Matt RutherfordMatt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_4412-2-1.jpeg)](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/albums-of-the-year-2025/) I've not listened to any new music this week - there aren't many new releases to focus on and I've been in full family mode, so my AOTY list is worth a look for something new to listen to! ### Listened Stuff Nothing this week - normal service resumed next! #weeknote ### TWIL #101 - Speeding Black Hole URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-101-speeding-black-hole/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T09:03:18.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that scientists have found a black hole, racing along at 2.2 million miles per hour! Seriously, this is fine. [James Webb Space Telescope confirms 1st ‘runaway’ supermassive black hole rocketing through home galaxy at 2.2 million mph: ‘It boggles the mind!’“The forces that are needed to dislodge such a massive black hole from its home are enormous.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-23.png)SpaceRobert Lea![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/eGeN4NAfyoMYzDjo6CXRK-1600-80.png)](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/james-webb-space-telescope-confirms-1st-runaway-supermassive-black-hole-rocketing-through-cosmic-owl-galaxies-at-2-2-million-mph-it-boggles-the-mind?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #270 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-270/ Last updated: 2025-12-22T06:00:49.000Z 💡 [****Build Your Best Year**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/)****. My simple (and 100% free) 7 day email course to get you prepared for 2026!** [****Join the 120+ people who have signed up here.**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) ## The Stuff: - [It’s all about momentum](https://combo.cc/posts/its-all-about-momentum-innit/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How deep work can help you move forward. *(via Combo)* - [Life is NOT a series of tasks to be completed.](https://www.theunsubscribed.co/p/trying-to-finish-my-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) You don’t have to actually finish life. *(via The Unsubscribed)* - Is your internet LESS fun than it used to be? [Maybe it’s time for a great unfollowing.](https://www.popsci.com/diy/how-to-enjoy-social-media/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Excellent guides for cleansing your algorithms. *(via Popular Science)* - How to prevent burnout in hybrid teams. [A practical guide to preserving the wellbeing of your team.](https://www.complianceprime.com/blog/2025/11/14/how-managers-can-prevent-burnout-in-hybrid-teams/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Compliance Prime)* - [The meeting after the meeting.](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2025/11/10/the-meeting-after-the-meeting/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How to handle the unresolved conflict that leaks sideways. *(via Lets Grow Leaders)* - [A distraction free mixtape.](https://www.leadsticks.com/a-distraction-free-mixtape/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Top tips to help you stay in focus. *(via LeadSticks)* ### Finally. [Tiled Words.](https://tiledwords.com/puzzles/daily?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A crossword combined with Tetris - or something like that. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), books, movies and a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Where would you travel to if you had unlimited money and time? Describe the trip in detail. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #49 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/49-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-12-21T06:00:35.000Z ### Updates The week before we wind down for Christmas always feels like a busy one. Rather than things slowing down, it feels like I speed up to cram as many things in before taking a break. It might be bad planning, but when the laptop finally shuts at work the break is really welcome. This year I have a ton of ideas for the site and I'm going to spend some of my downtime working through those. **Reading**. Finished - Nick Cleggs 'How to fix the Internet'. It's taken a while, review coming to the site next week. ### Recommended Music [Albums of the Year - 2025One of the hardest posts to put together each year... my albums of the year, in no particular order.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-7.png)Matt RutherfordMatt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_4412-2-1.jpeg)](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/albums-of-the-year-2025/) Big favourites 'The Black Dog' are back with something new, I just took delivery of their new album 'Loud Ambient' on vinyl and it's an absolute belter. Ten tracks of electronica that call back to a golden age of synth music, echoing progressive, shimmering house music from the 90's and coupling those sounds with modern expansive production that sounds 'of the moment'. I completely love this one, and expect it to be on heavy rotation for a while. **Highly recommended.** ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Richard Ashcroft - Okkyung Lee - Lyra Pramuk - Disiniblud - Jacob Alon - Donny Hathaway - Portishead - Arctic Monkeys - The Black Dog - Fink #weeknote ### Albums of the Year - 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/albums-of-the-year-2025/ Last updated: 2025-12-20T12:44:15.000Z Right, it's that time... my albums of 2025, in no particular order: - Anna B Savage - You & I are Earth - Baxter Dury - Albarone - Marconi Union - The Fear of Never Landing - Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development - Public Works and Utilities - Sandwell District - End Beginnings - Royksopp - True Electric - John Foxx - Wherever You Are - Headache - Thank for you almost everything - Lily Allen - West End Girl - Anna von Hausswolf - ICONOCLASTS The next ten - which deserve honorable mentions: - Saint Leonard - Golden Hour - Natalia Lafourcade - Cancionera - Emil Friis - Moving Images - Shlohmo - REPULSOR - Fever Ray - The Year of the Radical Romantic - CMAT - Euro-Country - Abul Mogard - Quiet Places - Bryan Ferry - Loose Talk - Jacob Alon - In Limerence - Saba Alizadeh - Temple of Hope #AOTY2024 ### TWIL #100 - Parallel Parking URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-100-parallel-parking/ Last updated: 2025-12-20T11:51:04.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there is a World Parallel Parking Championship - at last, a competition that I think I'd stand a chance in - I'm great at parking! [I Put My Reputation on the Line Competing in the Pittsburgh Parallel Parking ChampionshipWe sent our ace road warrior to Pittsburgh to represent C/D in one of the truest tests of driving prowess.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon.57b92b6.png)Car and DriverChristi VanSyckle![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/2025-pittsburgh-parallel-parking-championship-108-68fa76fbf0d55.jpg)](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a69137759/parallel-parking-championship/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #269 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-269/ Last updated: 2025-12-15T06:01:48.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [Build Your Best Year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/). My simple (and free) 7 day email course to get you prepared for a new year. [Join the 25/26 cohort here. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) ## The Stuff: - [The things that people want to say to their boss](https://www.ithoughtaboutthatalot.com/2025/the-things-i-want-to-say-to-my-boss?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Don’t be these leaders. *(via I thought about that a lot)* - [Rocks, Pebbles and Sand.](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/a-life-changing-metaphor-rocks-pebbles-sand?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A great way to start thinking about 2026\. *(via Sahil Bloom)* - How to think like a world class marketer. [20 tiny lessons & 19 big lessons.](https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/rory-sutherland-2/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Farnham Street)* - Tired of small talk? [Here’s how to build more meaningful connections](https://www.positive.news/lifestyle/tired-of-small-talk-five-ways-to-spark-meaningful-conversations/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *(via Positive News)* - [The best years of your life are still ahead](https://time.com/7333672/laura-carstensen-aging-emotions-longevity-stanford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), a new way to think about the future. *(via Time.com)* - [Five simple ideas that can change your life.](https://markmanson.net/five-ideas-can-change-your-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Mark Manson)* ### Finally. [Endless Wordsearch.](https://endless-wordsearch.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Beautifully executed word puzzle. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), books, movies and a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Where would you travel to if you had unlimited money and time? Describe the trip in detail. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #48 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/48-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-12-14T11:07:41.000Z ### Updates I spent this week in San Francisco for som work meetings, so I'm writing this with more than a trace of jet-lag in the system. [My soul is catching up with my body.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/jetlag-soul-delay/) The travel was good, no major snags and I was well looked after on the flights. My biggest takeaway from San Francisco is that almost every available outdoor advertising spot seems to be talking about an AI product or service. There is no other game in town. Now, back home in Dublin for a last week in the office before the Christmas break! **Reading**. Nick Cleggs 'How to fix the Internet'. No progress. ### Recommended Music Whilst travelling, I tend to fall into cycles of listening to playlists that remind me of home, but one album I carried with me on this trip was the new Death and Vanilla album. 'Whistle and I'll come to you' is the latest from this Swedish band who use a variety of vintage and analog instruments coupled with electronics to produce a lovely mellow, chilled sound. I'm really enjoying this one - a super relaxed vibe for winter evenings. **Highly recommended.** ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Sandwell District - Interpol - Arab Strap - Nick Cave - Depeche Mode - Baxter Dury - Dry Cleaning - Gary Numan - Old Saw - Aphex Twin #weeknote ### TWIL #99 - Black Fungus URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-99-black-fungus/ Last updated: 2025-12-13T06:02:41.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned scientists are tracking/monitoring a mysterious fungus that appears to be EATING radiation at Chernobyl, and it turns out it might have other uses. [The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiationMould found at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster appears to be feeding off the radiation. Could we use it to shield space travellers from cosmic rays?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-22.png)BBCAlex Riley![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0mk4zj0.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251125-the-mysterious-black-fungus-from-chernobyl-that-appears-to-eat-radiation?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #268 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-268/ Last updated: 2025-12-08T09:27:49.000Z ## The Stuff: - Transparent Leadership vs Servant Leadership - [which style is best?](https://entropicthoughts.com/transparent-leadership-beats-servant-leadership?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Entropic Thoughts)* - Finding optimism. [Ten wins you can take right now.](https://jessicahagy.substack.com/p/10-wins-to-take-now) *(via Jessica Hagy)* - [Unhinged Productivity.](https://www.buzzfeed.com/jenniferadams2/weird-productivity-hacks-reddit?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 18 tips that don’t feel like they should work, but they just might! *(via Buzzfeed)* - [Becoming Unstoppable.](https://medium.com/@zubairkhan1r/the-10-morning-habits-that-quietly-make-you-unstoppable-5bcb7287d06f?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) You already smash the morning, right? Here are 10 ways to accelerate your day. *(via Medium)* - [How to use AI to make you smarter](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-use-chatbots-to-make-you-smarter-not-dumber?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), not dumber. *(via Psyche Magazine)* - The [twelve basic life values](https://chrisbailey.com/there-are-just-12-basic-values/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). To dive deeper, here’s [more about values](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/values/). *(via Chris Bailey)* ### Finally. [Am I the A$$hole?](https://muhashi.com/aita-guesser/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The viral game that is now a TV show! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), some live music reviews a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is a challenge that you have overcome recently that you need to give yourself credit for? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #47 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/47-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-12-07T12:01:54.000Z ### Updates I'm not going lie friend, it has been a *rough* couple of weeks. I picked up some kind of stomach bug about 10 days ago, and only today (Sunday) am I starting to get over things. I missed a gig I really wanted to get to, I missed the Christmas party at work and I missed some days at work - but finally this week I could work from home and try and catch up with a few things. I watched an extraordinary amount of daytime TV, mainly things I didn't have to concentrate on and slept a lot - which is unusual these days. I have found it all a bit depressing, and I'm working to get my mojo back. *This is the last time we shall speak of this.* **Reading**. Nick Cleggs 'How to fix the Internet'. No progress. ### Recommended Music I haven't listened to a *lot* of new music this week, but one album that I did focus on was the new release from Sega Bodega. 'I Created The Universe So That Life Could Create a Language So Complex, Just To Say How Much I love You' is a huge title, for a beautiful album of ambient electronica that mostly matches up to its grandiose naming. Feature Vashti Bunyan, Mayak Alkhateri and Lucinda Chau among the collaborations included, this is a fantastic album that is well worth your time. **Highly recommended.** ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Sega Bodega - Islandman - Lisa O’Neill - Stephen Fretwell - Fink - Dalham - Gwenifer Raymond - Jacob Alon - Meursault - King Creosote #weeknote ### TWIL #98 - Sunny D URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-98-sunny-d/ Last updated: 2025-12-06T06:00:23.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about what Vitamin D does to our bodies - and why in Northern Latitudes, we should 100% be supplementing. [We’re learning more about what vitamin D does to our bodiesThe sunshine vitamin could affect your immune system and heart health.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)MIT Technology ReviewJessica Hamzelou![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-1800745798.jpg)](https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/11/21/1128206/vitamin-d-bodies-bone-health-immune/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #267 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-267/ Last updated: 2025-12-01T06:00:43.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [Fifty AI Prompts to Help You Navigate a Career Change](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-ai-prompts-to-help-you-navigate-a-career-change/) (Free/Members Only) ## The Stuff: - Don’t set any goals for 2026 until you [watch this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAk9zvROJFk&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Twelve minutes that will change the way you think about personal goals. - Write drunk, edit sober. [How to use AI,](https://www.charterworks.com/raymond-write-drunk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and not lose your voice. *(via Charterworks)* - How to stop doomscrolling.[ Simple, practical advice to help quit a damaging habit.](https://zenhabits.net/doomscrolling/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Zenhabits)* - Friendship, Solved. [How to make new friends.](https://solvedpodcast.com/friendship/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Solved Podcast)* - Question your dreams. [Do you even like the thing?](https://madeleinedore.substack.com/p/do-you-even-like-the-thing) *(via Madeleine Dore*) - How to throw a great party. [21 rules for making a party fun. ](https://www.atvbt.com/21-facts-about-throwing-good-parties/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Finally. [Hot Lap Daily.](https://www.hotlapdaily.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A difference racetrack every day! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), some live music reviews a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is a challenge that you have overcome recently that you need to give yourself credit for? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### Stuff that MattRs - #266 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-266/ Last updated: 2025-11-24T06:01:53.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [The Career Boost Playbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/). Fifteen Minute actions you can take ****this** ****week** to drive your career progression. (Free/Members Only) ## The Stuff: - Make the most of your team. [Five ways to improve Delegation skills](https://www.getharvest.com/blog/use-these-5-steps-of-delegation-to-make-the-most-of-your-teams-skill-set?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). More on [great delegation here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-delegation-techniques-to-enhance-effectiveness/). *(via Harvest)* - [Work Friendships Matter More Than You Think.](https://www.estherperel.com/blog/letters-from-esther-71-work-friendships-matter-more-than-you-think?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Why you need a best friend in the office. *(via Esther Perel)* - If you use AI in your business, [you should treat it like an employee.](https://venturebeat.com/ai/the-teacher-is-the-new-engineer-inside-the-rise-of-ai-enablement-and?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *We’ve been discussing this a lot at work, maybe consider performance reviews for your AI Tools. (via Venture Beat)* - The two words you need to [help you push back at work](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn09eklpe24o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). More on [setting boundaries at work.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/) *(via the BBC)* - [How to form a decisiveness habit.](https://zenhabits.net/decisive/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via ZenHabits)* - How to [log out of social networks](https://bjhess.com/posts/log-out-process-for-various-social-networks?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It’s not as hard as you think. *(via BJ Hess)* ### Finally. [Neighborle](https://neighborle.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Can you work out who is next door? --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), some live music reviews a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is a challenge that you have overcome recently that you need to give yourself credit for? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #46 - From London URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/46-from-london/ Last updated: 2025-11-22T12:34:31.000Z ### Updates A super busy week, with barely a moment free in the evenings.I saw some live music on Saturday night last week (more below). Monday was spent on the winning side of a [Dublin Quiz League](https://quizireland.ie/events/dublin-quiz-league/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) fixture, and Tuesday night I had an excellent meal with some colleagues at [Library Street](https://www.librarystreet.ie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). This weekend, we're in London checking out come exhibitions, more on that to come! **Reading**. Nick Cleggs 'How to fix the Internet'. Still getting through this, reading progress is still not consistent, I need to protect my time a bit more. ### Live Music Last Sunday I took my first visit to the Grand Social in Dublin to see local band The Prongs. I recently discovered their Psychogeography EP and ordered a copy on vinyl via [Bandcamp](https://theprongs.bandcamp.com/music?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). During a quick email exchange with their singer, John, he mentioned the live show. I enjoyed seeing them live, I expected a duo but there were five on stage and the show was excellent. I got tohear some tracks I didn't know and the visuals that accompanied were great. A few pictures from the show: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/2-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/1-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/3-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/4-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/5-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/6-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/7-1.jpeg) ### Recommended Music This week, my recommendation is the stunning new album Tranquiliser from Oneohtrix Point Never, aka Daniel Lopatin. It's another collection of beautiful, mostly ambient electronica - which manages to be both relaxing and unsettling in places - but always prefectly listenable. I anticipate this will end up on some end of year lists, excellent stuff. **Highly recommended.** ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Headache - Clare M Singer - Finnegan Tui - Gary Numan - Baxter Dury (Live) - Black Dog - Celeste - Kae Tempest - Turin Brakes - The Prongs (Live) #weeknote ### TWIL #97 - Waves URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-97-waves/ Last updated: 2025-11-22T06:00:23.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the hidden maths behind the waves - I'll never look at the sea across from my house in quite the same way. [The Hidden Math of Ocean Waves Crashes Into View | Quanta MagazineThe math of even the simplest ocean waves is notoriously uncooperative. A team of Italian mathematicians has made major advances toward understanding it.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-6.png)Quanta MagazineJoseph Howlett![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/WhatIsAWave-crKristinaArmitage_SomavarapuMadhavi_Shutterstock-Social.jpg)](https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-hidden-math-of-ocean-waves-crashes-into-view-20251015/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #265 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-265/ Last updated: 2025-11-17T06:00:16.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [The Career Boost Playbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/). Fifteen Minute actions you can take ****this** ****week** to drive your career progression. (Free/Members Only) ## The Stuff: - Do the thing. [Here’s a list of the things that are NOT doing the thing.](https://strangestloop.io/essays/things-that-arent-doing-the-thing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Ping this list up next to your procrastination station. *(via Strangest Loop)* - Tell me about yourself. [How to answer this most awkward of questions.](https://solvedpodcast.com/friendship/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via The Solved Podcast)* - How to tell a better story. [A pro storytellers guide to connect, entertain and persuade.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-tell-a-better-story-with-tips-from-a-pro-storyteller?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Psyche Magazine)* - [This misunderstood art of overcommunication.](https://coffeeandjunk.com/overcommunication/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How to ensure that your message lands successfully. *(via CoffeeandJunk)* - [Five ways to design a tiny experiment.](https://nesslabs.com/how-to-come-up-with-tiny-experiments?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Practical ways to find a new side-quest. [Why are experiments important?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/) *(via NessLabs)* - We are in an information crisis, [here are 11 practical ways to survive.](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/nov/15/dont-argue-with-strangers-and-11-more-rules-to-survive-the-information-crisis?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via The Guardian)* ### Finally. [WordChainer.](https://wordchainer.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Build a chain of words, against the clock - a fiendish one! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), some live music reviews a great music recommendation. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is your favorite way to practice self-care? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #45 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/45-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-11-16T12:40:36.000Z ### Updates What a week! Firstly, I had a low level cold that left me a bit tired on Monday and Tuesday, Then later in the week we had Storm Claudia which absolutely battered our area South of Dublin. Friday we were effectively on lock down with strong winds and some fierce rain blowing directly off the coast. On Thursday at work, I got to test out the new Meta Rayban Vision glasses with the built in display. I get the feeling these are really a groundbreaking product, the ability to see information alongside the world outside and not break contact is very impressive. I still believe that getting information into my ears is the key here, but for some people being able to see overlaid information (directions etc) will be a game changer. **Reading**. Nick Cleggs 'How to fix the Internet'. Still getting through this, reading time has not been consistent this week. ### Live Music On Wednesday - I trekked through the heavy rain to see Baxter Dury (supported by Joshua Idehen) at Vicar Street in Dublin. It's the second time I have seen him, and the show did not disappoint. The Dublin crowd lapped up the intensity of the delivery and some of the onstage antics were fun. Finishing the set with some of more danceable bangers from Allbarone left everyone bouncing. Great Show. Last night, I went to see Dublin band The Prongs (supported by Big Boy Foolish from Cork) at the Grand Social. First time for me at this venue, which I imagine is a riot with a wilder band. Another excellent show, The Prongs have a unique blend of literary spoken word over spiky, punky electronic sometimes motorik music. I enjoyed their show and will be tracking them to see them again. A few pictures from both shows ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/3.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/4.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/5.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/6.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/7.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/8.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/9.jpeg) ### Recommended Music This is a treat. Claire M Singer is a Scottish Composer and multi-instrumentalist who has just released Gleann Ciùin - an album that explores two narratives, journeys across the landscapes and weathered peaks of the Cairngorms in Aberdeenshire, and exploration of the rich, resonant tones of pipe organs. It's a beautiful album bookended by two long thoughtful pieces and some shorther sketches in between. **Highly recommended.** *Note - I am using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Headache - Clare M Singer - Finnegan Tui - Gary Numan - Baxter Dury (Live) - Black Dog - Celeste - Kae Tempest - Turin Brakes - The Prongs (Live) #weeknote ### TWIL #96 - Dangerous Roads URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-96-dangerous-roads/ Last updated: 2025-11-16T11:35:44.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there is a database of the most dangerous roads in the world, along with an interactive map where you can find ones near you and go for a spin. Carefully, mind! [World’s greatest driving roadsdangerousroads.org offers more than 12.000 roads online. Discover the most spectacular, scenic and dangerous roads around the world. Drive the most exciting and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-5.png)dangerousroads![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/milliondollarhighwaymin-67432752.jpg)](https://www.dangerousroads.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #264 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-264/ Last updated: 2025-11-10T06:00:50.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** I've added new resources to the directory of essential sites that are free to use. [FreeStuff](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/) ## The Stuff: - Do you need some focus? [Here’s a two minute science based trick to help you find it instantly.](https://seldaseyfi.substack.com/p/when-you-need-extra-focus-do-this) *(via Selda Seyfi)* - Get cooking with [a Burner List.](https://www.ideo.com/journal/sprint-author-jake-knapp-built-you-a-new-to-do-list?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An alternative version of a to-do list that helps you prioritise. *(via Ideo)* - [Say goodbye to your desk.](https://fortune.com/article/more-companies-want-shared-workspaces/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Another thing changing in the modern workplace. *(via Fortune Magazine)* - Don’t use ChatGPT. Obviously, do - [but NOT for these 11 things.](https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/using-chatgpt-for-these-11-things-is-a-terrible-idea-heres-why/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via CNET)* - [It’s never too late to pivot, here’s how.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-change-careers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Practical guidance to changing career - [my playbook will guide you step-by-step](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/job-hunt-playbook/). *(via The Good Trade)* - Write it down! [100 ways to use your notebook](https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/100-ways-to-use-your-pocket-notebook/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *(Via AoM)* ### Finally. [Yearly Daily.](https://coffeefirst.games/yearly-daily?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Figure out the year these events happened without running out of lives! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Write about a place that makes you feel really good. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #44 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/44-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-11-09T11:47:16.000Z ### Updates Back to a tricky week at work, but we got through and made it to the weekend. I'm home alone for a couple of days this weekend, so have spent some time relaxing, reading and got to see some live music. My Online Quiz League team got relegated this week after a tough season, but we go again after the Christmas break, and I'm sure we'll bounce back. **Reading**. Nick Cleggs 'How to fix the Internet'. ### Live Music Last night, went to Whelans in Dublin, to see the magnificent Turin Brakes, who played a fantastic show. This tour is in support of their 10th album, and I've loved them all along the way. They played a great selection from across the catalogue and a sold out Whelans was in good voice. A few pictures from the show: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2155.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2164.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2148.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2152.jpeg) ### Recommended Music I think that I might be late to the party with this one. Curtain Twitcher released Breathe, Breathe and Breathe again in 2024, but it only just appeared on my radar. It's a lovely long collection of ambient, synth driven tracks with repeating loops and themes that develop organically into some great sounds. I listened to this all the way through on Friday, and then hit repeat and did it again. **Highly recommended.** *Note - I am using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - The Walker Brothers - Curtain Twitcher - Maps - Means of Production - drøne - Black Dog - Efdemin - Baxter Dury - Ben Chatwin - Emil Friis #weeknote ### TWIL #95 - Mad Honey URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-95-mad-honey/ Last updated: 2025-11-08T11:09:11.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned (twice - once on the TV, once online) that there is a honey FULL of psychoactives that can knock out a soldier, or a bear. It's known as mad honey, and only sold in two places. [This rare ‘mad honey’ is only found in two places in the world. It’s strong enough to fell bears and soldiers | CNN“Mad honey,” or “deli bal” as it’s known in Turkey, is a rare and potentially dangerous delicacy with psychoactive properties. Turkey’s Black Sea region is one of only two places in the world where it’s produced.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-21.png)CNNMaureen O’Hare![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/04-bees.jpg)](https://edition.cnn.com/travel/mad-honey-deli-bal-turkey-black-sea?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Now - November 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now-november-2025/ Last updated: 2025-11-03T13:46:41.000Z I'm living in Dublin, Ireland. I ***love*** my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. - I started an [email newsletter four years ago called "Stuff that MattR's"](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. - In 2025, I'm posting new music nearly [every day to a list on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=f81a1457b5254646&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did the same in [2024](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=65d3ed3d8fc04ac1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [2023](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nKbhvL8ZbH346FrxFkQwW?si=89b25f5f641c4b8d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - I run a [30-day journalling challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). A free service to help you start your journaling practice. - In 2024 I launched [Build Your Best Year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) \- a simple and free service to help you plan your best year ever. - To help my own journalling practice, I've started writing [Weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/weeknote/) on my blog, inspired by Giles Turnbull - [Doing Weeknotes](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I just launched [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) a frictionless journaling app that reduces procrastination and gets you journaling quickly. [Here's why I did this.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/) - I still DJ a little bit, [all of my DJ Mixes are available here](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the latest and best is [The Stack #11.](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/stack-11/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I compile and update an every growing list of music for focus and relaxation - it's called [FlowStuff and you can find it here!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) - I make amazing mixtapes. You can [get involved here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/) - I spend my days working at [Meta](https://about.meta.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as a Global Head of Change Management, I'm part of a team helping people stay safe on our platforms. ### Stuff that MattRs - #263 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-263/ Last updated: 2025-11-03T06:00:18.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [Fifty AI Prompts to Help You Navigate a Career Change](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-ai-prompts-to-help-you-navigate-a-career-change/) (Free/Members Only) ## The Stuff: - [Are you job hugging?](https://www.worklife.news/technology/wtf-is-job-hugging/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) WTF is Job Hugging, and could it be holding back your career? *(via Worklife News)* - The ten-second test, and how it is [the smart alternative to the one minute rule.](https://thinksmarter.substack.com/p/the-ten-second-test-a-smarter-alternative) *(via ThinkSmarter)* - A psychological study of [feedback in the workplace](https://psychsafety.com/feedback-in-the-workplace/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and how it affects the individual. *(via Psychological Safety)* - Put the damn phone down. [What Neuroscience teaches us about reducing phone use.](https://calnewport.com/what-neuroscience-teaches-us-about-reducing-phone-use/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(Via Cal Newport)*. I wrote about [this in 2018](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ditching-your-smartphone-is-it-for-you/) but Cal really understands the science here. - [How to market yourself ](https://www.creativeboom.com/tips/how-to-market-yourself-without-feeling-gross/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)without feeling gross. *(via Creative Boom)* - Treat caffeine the right way,[it’s a mind altering drug that should be used correctly.](https://psyche.co/ideas/why-we-should-treat-caffeine-like-the-brain-altering-drug-it-is?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Psyche)* ### Finally. [Alphaguess](https://alphaguess.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). So simple, so difficult, so frustrating! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a recent experience that made you feel grateful. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### 50 AI Prompts to Help You Navigate a Career Change URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-ai-prompts-to-help-you-navigate-a-career-change/ Last updated: 2025-11-02T10:54:13.000Z > Recently, I posted my [Job Hunt Playbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/job-hunt-playbook/) and shared some AI prompts which I thought could be useful if you were working on a career change. > A few readers have asked me if there are more ways to use an AI Assistant to navigate career changes - so I pulled together a bigger list. Using these prompts well, can act like a career coach, CV editor, and researcher all in one. The trick is knowing what to ask. Before we dive into the prompts, here’s my standard guidelines how to get the most out of them: - **Give context.** Include details about your current role, target industry, or career goals so the AI can tailor its answers. - **Iterate.** Don’t settle for the first response. Ask follow-up questions like “make it shorter,” “use friendlier language,” or “add data examples.” - **Paste your materials.** Share snippets from your CV, cover letter, or job descriptions so the AI can refine specific sections. - **Stay authentic.** Use the AI’s suggestions as a starting point, not a script. Edit in your own tone and experiences. - **Protect your privacy.** Avoid sharing sensitive personal or company information. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### #43 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/43-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-11-02T10:31:00.000Z ### Updates I missed a week. I'm not sorry. I was enjoying the last couple of days of holiday in Italy. What a great trip - 10 days spent between Bologna, Venice, Verona and Milan, some lovely places with excellent food and some great memories. I'll write up the journey this week and some pictures. Back at work this week, catching up and getting busy as we enter the last couple of months of the year. **Reading**. Nick Cleggs 'How to fix the Internet'. ### Live Music Went to The Button Factory in Dublin last night to see Japanese post-rock band, Mono. An excellent show, crammed full of epic and hypnotic sounds. They have a super live sound, with excellent drums and bass powering along with dual guitarists who create some wonderful sounds. A few pictures from the show: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2108.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2109.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2122.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2112.jpeg) ### Movies Watched Saw a couple of great films this week - House of Dynamite on Netflix and then to the local cinema to see the Springsteen flick. Both excellent films, and worth the time. [A ★★★★★ review of Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025)I loved this. The fantastic story behind an album that I have always found mysterious and magnetic. Jeremy Allen-White is excellent, with great support for Jeremy Strong and Steven Graham. Even a small appearance from Marc Maron. Of course the soundtrack is perfect and the performance scenes are brilliant. Loved it.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-27.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/springsteen-deliver-me-from-nowhere-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/bxWwpt?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★★★ review of A House of Dynamite (2025)Another five stars - superb movie, high anxiety inducing global threat with an excellent cast.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-26.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/7Wozg3sJBa4BscLGh2OPWQnq73a-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/bvP7WZ?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Recommended Music Some great realeases this week, but the highlight for me is ICONOCLASTS by Anna von Hausswolff. It's difficult to describe this, with elements of electronica, gothic vocals and even some jazz sax in the mix. There are collaborations with Iggy Pop, Ethel Cain and Abul Mogaard, so you can imagine its a wide ranging collection. **Highly recommended.** *Note - I am using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Just Mustard - Roger O’Donnell - Lily Allen - Dave - Carrier - Shlohmo - Anna von Hausswolff - Feel - Saint Leonard - Hildur Guďnadottir #weeknote ### TWIL #94 - Fall Back URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-94-fall-back/ Last updated: 2025-11-01T06:00:23.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned what actually happens to your body when the clocks 'fall' back. [Here’s what happens to your body when clocks ‘fall back’ an hourPlan on a glorious extra hour of sleep as most of America “falls back” into standard time. But make sure to get outside for some morning sun, too - it’ll help your body clock reset faster.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-21.ico)6abc Philadelphia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/18076866_102725-cc-ap-clocks-change-img.jpg)](https://6abc.com/post/daylight-saving-time-ends-heres-what-happens-body-when-clocks-fall-back-hour/18076888/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #262 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-262/ Last updated: 2025-10-27T06:00:54.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [The Career Boost Playbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/). Fifteen Minute actions you can take ****today** to drive your career progression. (Free/Members Only) ## The Stuff: - Maybe you ARE an **imposter**. [It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a problem.](https://nickwignall.com/maybe-you-are-an-imposter/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Nick Wignall)* - The **CEO** Test**:** [A Powerful Tool for Life](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-ceo-test-a-powerful-tool-for-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Sahil Bloom)* - [You have about 18 months](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/you-have-18-months?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). That's when the **real** danger behind AI starts to kick in, and it’s 100% not what you think. *(via The Argument Mag)* - [Write that shit down](https://www.printmag.com/creative-voices/write-that-sht-down/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How to **capture** ideas in a busy world. *(via Printmag)* Bonus - [why I keep a paper planner](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-i-use-a-paper-planner/). - Enhancing productivity with **purpose**. [The Time-Why Connection.](https://www.becomebraveenough.com/blog/the-time-why-connection-maximizing-personal-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Become Brave Enough)* - [An instant technique](https://zenhabits.net/greater-calm/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for finding your **calm**. (via ZenHabits) ### Finally. [BopMatch.](https://bopmatch.com/game?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is a clever one, work out who is the same popularity as another music artiste. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What calming techniques or habits work best for me in times of doubt? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #93 - European Pizza Pie URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-93-european-pizza-pie/ Last updated: 2025-10-25T06:00:06.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there once was a plan to slice up Europe like a Pizza. They even made maps for the new place. Which slice would you have lived in? [A Bizarre Peace Proposal: Slice Europe Up Like a PieAll 24 cantons would meet at St Stephen’s cathedral in Vienna![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/cropped-bt-icon-512x512-1-1.png)Big ThinkFrank Jacobs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/origin-109.jpg)](https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/a-bizarre-peace-proposal-slice-europe-up-like-a-pie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #261 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-261/ Last updated: 2025-10-20T05:00:47.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [The Career Boost Playbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/). Fifteen Minute actions you can take ****today** to drive your career progression. (Free/Members Only) ## The Stuff: - Is this problem **weather, or climate?** [Knowing the difference helps you tackle the issue.](https://www.leadership8020.com/p/problems-fall-into-two-buckets-climate-weather?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Leadership 80/20)* - [Screw finding your passion.](https://markmanson.net/screw-finding-your-passion?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) If you like something, **just go and do it.** *(via Mark Manson)* - [Feedback is not an attack](https://ashley.dev/posts/feedback-is-not-an-attack/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Understand the distinction** between criticism and care. [More on feedback here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/). *(via Ashley Willis)* - [102 things learned](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2025/10/06/102-lessons-from-102-books/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), from 102 books read this year**.** *(via Scott Young)* - How to cultivate **resilience with authenticity.** [The Strength of Softness](https://www.integre.fi/blog/embracing-softness?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *(via Integre)* - Why do you **procrastinate?** [An exploration into the deep causes of procrastination.](https://nickwignall.com/deep-causes-of-procrastination/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Nick Wignall)* ### Finally. [The One Minute Challenge.](https://labs.davidbauer.ch/games/one-minute-challenge/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It might only take 60 seconds, but it's a tough one! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What calming techniques or habits work best for me in times of doubt? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #42 - From Italy URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/42-from-italy/ Last updated: 2025-10-19T09:44:31.000Z ### Updates Writing this from a train between Bologna and Venice as we take a short break and experience a little bit of Northern Italy. Bologna has been lovely, a city of cuisine. We had some great food, including a meal at the famous Trattoria Da Me. Next stop, Venice - and we’re lucky enough to be there as the Venice Photo Lab is in town, so expecting to see some great art. **Reading**: Not much reading going on whilst we travel. ### Recommended Music Another week of superb releases, but the highlight for me was the new album from a favourite artiste. Headache and Vegyn have combined on ‘Thank you for Almost Everything’, another collection of tracks bringing together smooth electronica with an almost AI driven vocal performance. The spoken word/poetic lyrics have a weird ‘uncanny’ feeling to them and the stories put me in mind of Chris Morris creations from the 90’s **Another excellent release. Highly recommended.** *Note - I am using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Mono - Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan - U (just U, no 2) - Nightbus - Headache & Vegyn - Old Saw - Clarice Jensen - Emil Friis - Bryan Senti - Daniel G Harmann #weeknote ### TWIL #92 - Snow Leopards URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-92-snow-leopards/ Last updated: 2025-10-18T05:00:37.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a very rare Snow Leopard has been born at Chester Zoo, the first in its history. [First Snow Leopard Born at Chester Zoo: FootageHidden den cameras captured footage of the first snow leopard born at the Chester Zoo in its 94-year history.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/cropped-favicon-180x180-2.webp)Nice NewsRebekah Brandes![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-12.52.07-PM-2.png)](https://nicenews.com/environment/first-snow-leopard-born-chester-zoo/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #260 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-260/ Last updated: 2025-10-13T05:00:10.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** How to find a new job. [A step-by-step playbook for getting the role you want.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/job-hunt-playbook/) ## The Stuff: - A great job is both **impactful AND fulfilling.** [Use this tool to help you decide your next move.](https://www.chooseimpact.work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Choose Impact)* - **Productivity is not enough** on its own. [You have to FEEL it.](https://mitchellh.com/writing/feel-it?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Mitchell Hashimoto)* - [How to make your own luck.](https://markmanson.net/how-to-make-your-own-luck?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Practical tips to help** you be more fortunate. *(via Mark Manson)* - **Feel less anxious with these excellent tools**, [an open-source free anti-anxiety toolkit](https://anxietyaidtools.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (also added to [FreeStuff](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/)) - Is your life **DULL**? [Five ways to break out of a mundane life.](https://zenhabits.net/dull/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via ZenHabits)* - **How much time do you spend alone?** A behavioural scientist explains [why solitude is a skill.](https://behavioralscientist.org/solitude-is-a-skill/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Behavioral Scientist)* ### Finally. [Pips Gamer.](https://pipsgamer.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An online version of the new viral New York Times game. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What calming techniques or habits work best for me in times of doubt? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #41 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/41-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-10-12T09:50:33.000Z ### Updates This week has been super busy at work, lots to do ahead of some vacation time in a couple of weeks, so I've been putting the hours in! Highlight for me was booking some smashing concert tickets to Kraftwerk in Dublin next year. I love the feeling of writing gigs in the diary and next year is already looking a lot of fun. Alongside Kraftwerk, we have The Cure, Marlon Williams, Christian Loffler and Gene. My quiz team had a smashing win on Wednesday night which was very pleasing, including a decent score for me - so we're having fun this season after a very poor start. I've continued with my quest to scan my old nightclub flyers, and I'm building up a nice gallery which I'll display online as soon as I'm done. **Reading**: How to Save the Internet by Nick Clegg - still going - daily routine is not quite firing at the moment! ### Movies Watched a few this week - one brilliant, two not so much! [A ★★★★★ review of Steve (2025)Brief. Bleak. Brilliant. Superb performance from Cillian Murphy and a great ensemble cast.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-23.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/m5UwDL3nLNQn9UDfteylgFIpxCJ-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/bh7MSv?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★ review of Dirty Angels (2024)Not great.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-24.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/941652-dirty-angels-2024-0-230-0-345-crop.jpg)](https://boxd.it/bkV63H?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★ review of Ballerina (2025)I have a soft spot for the John Wick universe... Keanu Reeves is always a lot of fun, and the ultraviolence is always quite cartoonish. I did worry that they were dragging it out a little bit, and the last films have felt a bit tired. This branches out with a new character, played by Ana de Armas - who is \*lovely\*, but it felt a bit same old. And then John Wick appeared again. I think I may depart the John Wick canon now.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-25.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_4339-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/blm4Rp?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Recommended Music Lots of great new music this week, and it's hard to pick a 'best' recommendation here. However, last week I saw [Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan](https://warringtonruncorn.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) live in Dublin, and this week the new album is released - and it really does need listening to. Public Works and Utilities is another album of analogue synth goodness, with squelches and bleeps abound. The standout track is the b-side of the album, 'The People Matter'. It is one continuous track which which transports my back to the early eighties optimism of new town developments and Tomorrows World. My vinyl copy arrived yesterday morning and it's been on repeat since. **Lovely stuff, and hugely listenable. Highly recommended.** *Note - I am using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Will Wood - Daniel G Harmann - Sulk Rooms - Klein - Jo Johnson - Ben Chatwin - Marlon Williams - Glacis - Braulio Lam - Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan #weeknote ### TWIL #91 - A rare comet passes Mars. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-91-a-rare-comet-passes-mars/ Last updated: 2025-10-11T05:00:36.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a rare insterstellar comet recently flew past Mars - and scientists captured it on camera. [3/I Atlas: a rare comet from beyond our solar system is being closely tracked – what can it teach us?Only the third interstellar comet ever to be seen contains material from other star systems that can be observed close up![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-512-3.png)The GuardianIan Sample![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/350.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/oct/08/a-rare-comet-from-beyond-our-solar-system-is-being-closely-tracked-what-can-it-teach-us?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #259 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-259/ Last updated: 2025-10-06T05:00:22.000Z 💡 ****Tools:** [An endless stream of fresh journal prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) to fire-up your creative powers. ## The Stuff: - **How to find a new job**. [A step-by-step playbook for getting the role you want.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/job-hunt-playbook/) - **Pay attention**! [Why your attention keeps slipping, and what you can do to get it back.](https://bigthink.com/smart-skills/why-your-attention-keeps-slipping-away-and-how-to-get-it-back/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via BigThink)* - Progress is a **magnitude of consistency**.[ A great way to think about creating success in anything you do.](https://billyoppenheimer.com/progress-is-a-magnitude-of-consistency/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Billy Oppenheimer)* - **How to lead** when the vibes are off. Everything feels different, [here’s how you can still be a great leader.](https://chaoticgood.management/how-to-be-a-leader-when-the-vibes-are-off/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via ChaoticGood)* - Too many tools, **not enough productivity**. [The culprit isn’t the technology, it’s how we use it.](https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/when-tech-helps-it-hurts-heres-how-to-take-back/494364?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Entrepreneur)* - Thanks but no thanks. [How to handle ‘unhelpful help’.](https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/thanks-but-no-thanks-avoiding-unhelpful-help-at-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Harvard Biz School)* ### Finally. [Clues By Sam.](https://cluesbysam.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A daily logic puzzle that will have you scratching your head over your morning coffee. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What calming techniques or habits work best for me in times of doubt? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #40 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/40-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-10-05T08:26:00.000Z ### Updates This week has felt full of nostalgia when multiple events have had me thinking about time passing. Firstly - I kicked off a new little [side quest](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/). I bought myself a Canon Lide400 scanner to archive a bunch of flyers from my [DJ'ing days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/dj/). They've been languishing in storage for a long time and I know that there is some interest in nightclub ephemera from that era. I'm about halfway through and I'll share when they are online. Then on Thursday, we went to catch some live music at Whelans in Dublin. On the bill was [Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development](https://warringtonruncorn.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (above) who plays a type of electronica which reminds me of the music that used to accompany the giant TV at school in the 70's and 80's. Support was from Field Lines Cartographer who was also excellent. Finally, last night, we went to a [very fine cinema](https://www.stellacinemas.ie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to see the 'Grand Finale' of Downton Abbey. Whilst I wouldn't be the worlds biggest period drama fan, it does feel like I've watched this for YEARS - and it was strange to see the story finally close out. So, a week of vaguely nostalgic events that leave me thinking about what's next and future plans. **Reading**: How to Save the Internet by Nick Clegg ### Movies Just the one this week: [A ★★★★ review of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)A lovely finale to the Granthams.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-22.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/h8CGctH5ED4yjzd4YbYIfg7OEP-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/bgtz3T?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Recommended Music I've been trying for the last few weeks to listen to a new album every day, and sharing my favourites to [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Threads](https://www.threads.com/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). One that enjoyed this week is Getting Killed by Geese, which seems to be getting mentions in all the right places and are no doubt the 'next big thing ™️' This is a bit more psyche-rock than my usual suggestions, with a lead singer who reminds me of Thom Yorke/Radiohead in places. It's occasionally chaotic, but a lot of fun and I'd imagine perfect after a few beers by a pool somewhere. Highly recommended. *Note - I am using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Patrick Watson - The Cure - Dry Cleaning - Kara-Lis Coverdale - Geese - Studio Electrophonique - Galya Bisengaliyeva - Mick Harris - Kieran Hebden & William Tyler - Fink #weeknote ### TWIL #90 - Why wind turbines have three blades URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-90-why-wind-turbines-have-three-blades/ Last updated: 2025-10-04T05:00:51.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned why wind turbines have three blades - and it's not (just) what I originally thought. ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #258 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-258/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T05:00:21.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** 1000 icebreakers ready for your next meeting. [Generate one at random.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ice/) ## The Stuff: - **Take back control.** [Seven simple phrases](https://ivychanwellness.com/7-simple-phrases-to-regain-control-in-an-argument/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that will help you regain control of a difficult conversation. *(via Ivy Chan)* - [How do you communicate at work?](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/teamwork/how-to-navigate-diverse-communication-styles-at-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) What are the four workplace **communication** styles**,** and how do you navigate them? *(via Atlassian)* - **Frame your thinking.** [Superbly simple tool to help you create a variety of powerful 2x2 diagrams](https://foursight.ginatrapani.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#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). *(Also added to* [*Freestuff*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/freestuff/) *\- via Gina Trapani)* - Would you take a **pay cut?** [How about if it was to work remotely, full time?](https://preview.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/charting-remote-works-value-would-you-take-pay-cut?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A surprising number of people would. *(via Harvard Business School)* - [Just touch grass.](https://futurism.com/neoscope/nature-brain-rot?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Why walking in **nature** appears to heal your brain. *(via Futurism)* - **Very bad advice.** In the spirit of inversion, [here are some pieces of advice you should **never** listen to](https://nickwignall.com/very-bad-emotional-advice/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *(via Nick Wignall)* ### Finally. [PopQuizza](https://popquizza.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Ten music questions every morning, I love this one... becoming part of my daily routing after Wordle. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How can I show more love, kindness, or appreciation to those around me? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### 9. Make a Smooth Exit and Start Strong URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/make-a-smooth-exit-and-start-strong/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T12:57:36.000Z You’ve signed the contract, now it’s time to wrap up your old role well and set yourself up for success in the new one! A clean exit protects relationships and reputation while a strong start builds trust and momentum. This guide takes you through both stages. ## Give Professional Notice Leave on good terms by being clear and respectful. - **Check** your contract for notice period and handover requirements. - Tell your manager **first**, ideally in person or on a call. - **Confirm** in writing with a short, professional resignation letter. - Offer **flexibility** on start date if you can. A straightforward process signals reliability and maturity. ## Agree a Handover Plan Help your team and manager by creating a clear plan. - **List** ongoing projects, key contacts, and deadlines. - **Document** passwords, tools, and key procedures. - **Schedule** short handover meetings with whoever is taking over. A smooth handover reduces stress for colleagues and reflects well on you. ## Communicate the News Thoughtfully Decide how and when to share your departure. If you are a manager or leader, then check what the protocol at your company is - I prefer to be able to tell my team directly. - **Align** with your manager on timing and wording for team announcements. - **Prepare** a short, positive message for wider contacts. - **Thank** key partners and clients directly. This keeps the focus on gratitude rather than gossip. ## Finish Strong Avoid coasting in your final weeks. - **Deliver** on current commitments. - Tie up **loose** ends and update documentation. - Stay **engaged** and positive. **People remember your last days as clearly as your first.** ## Maintain Relationships The colleagues you leave today may become future allies. - **Add** key contacts on LinkedIn. - Send **personal** thank-you notes to mentors and teammates. - Keep **professional** contact details for potential references. **Goodwill from a strong exit can lead to referrals and collaborations later.** ## Take a Short Reset If possible, leave a small gap before the new job. - Use a few days to rest, reflect, or travel. - Review lessons from the old role and hopes for the new one. - Reset your schedule and energy. **Even a long weekend can help you start fresh.** ## Prepare for Day One A good start begins before you walk through the door. - **Revisit** the job description and interview notes. - **Read** up on the company’s latest news and strategy. - **Plan** travel or log-in details so nothing catches you off guard. Confidence on day one sets the tone for the weeks ahead. ## Set 90-Day Goals Create a simple plan for your first three months. - **Learn**: meet key stakeholders, understand systems and culture. - **Deliver**: pick early wins that show impact. - **Build** **relationships**: schedule coffee chats or virtual check-ins. Share the plan with your manager to align expectations. ## Seek Feedback Early Don’t wait for formal reviews. - Ask your **manager** for a quick check-in after two to three weeks. - Request **input** on priorities and working style. - Adjust **quickly** based on feedback. This shows initiative and openness to learning. ## Keep Your Network Warm Your previous network remains valuable. - **Update** your LinkedIn headline and experience once you start. - Send a **friendly** note to key contacts about the new role. - Stay in **touch** with mentors and ex-colleagues. A living network supports future moves and opportunities. ## 💪🏼 Exercise Prepare for a fresh start Set aside an hour to prepare both exit and entry: 1. Draft your resignation letter and handover checklist. 2. Outline a personal 90-day plan for the new role. 3. Identify five key relationships to nurture during the transition. You’ll leave with clarity and enter the new job with purpose. ## 💡 Key Takeaways - A professional exit protects your reputation and relationships. - A clear 90-day plan accelerates impact in the new role. - Early feedback and steady networking keep your career momentum strong. **Finish well, start strong.** The way you close one chapter often shapes how confidently you begin the next. ### 8. Negotiate with Confidence URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/negotiate-with-confidence/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T16:51:03.000Z The offer is in. Congratulations! You’ve earned it, but your work isn’t done until the terms match your value. Negotiation is not conflict. It’s a professional discussion to reach a fair deal for both sides. This guide shows how to prepare and negotiate with calm, steady confidence. --- ## Know Your Market Value Start with solid data. - **Check** salary ranges on Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, or local salary surveys. - **Talk** to trusted peers or recruiters for real figures. - Factor in total **compensation**: bonuses, stock options, pensions, and health benefits. Having a clear range gives you a strong anchor and avoids guessing. ## Review the Full Offer Salary is only one piece of the overall compensation package. - Base pay - Bonuses and commissions - Share options or equity - Holidays and leave policies - Flexible work, training budgets, and wellness perks *List each element and decide which matters most to you. Refer back to your non-negotiables list from chapter 1 to ensure you haven’t missed anything.* ## Decide on Your Priorities Not everything can be top priority. Rank what matters: - Essential (e.g. minimum salary, remote days) - Nice to have (e.g. extra training, signing bonus) - Optional (e.g. company laptop upgrade) This helps you negotiate with focus and flexibility. ## Prepare Your Value Story Link your request to the value you bring. - Use **concrete** achievements. Cost savings, revenue growth, key skills. - Tie your **impact** to the company’s current needs. - Keep the story **short** and fact-based. For example: > “In my last role I improved customer retention by 15%. I can bring the same results here, so I believe a salary at the top of your range is appropriate.” ## Time Your Conversation Well Discuss compensation only when the company is serious. - Wait until you have a written offer or clear verbal commitment. - If asked early, say you’re open but want to learn more about the role first. Negotiating too soon weakens your position. ## Start with Gratitude, Then Be Clear Open positively: > “I’m excited about the role and team. I’d like to discuss the offer to ensure it reflects the value I can bring.” Then state your case and desired figure or benefit. Be specific and concise. ## Use Anchors and Ranges Give a range with a clear top end. - Example: “Based on market data and my experience, I’m looking for €75,000 to €85,000.” - This signals **flexibility** but sets an anchor toward the higher figure. Avoid saying your current salary if you can, it can limit the conversation. ## Explore Creative Options If base pay is fixed, negotiate other elements: - Signing bonus - Extra leave - Remote or flexible working - Training budget or conference attendance - Early salary review after six months These can add real value even if cash is tight. ## Stay Calm Under Pressure If the employer hesitates or counters lower: - Pause and **consider** before responding. - Ask for **details**: “Can you share how you arrived at this figure?” - Re-state your **value** and priorities. Silence can work in your favour. It shows you’re weighing the offer carefully. ## Get Everything in Writing When you reach an agreement: - Request a **revised** written offer or contract. - **Check** that all negotiated items are included. - **Confirm** start date and key conditions. A signed document avoids future confusion. ## 💪🏼 Exercise Get Prepared for Negotiation Spend 45 minutes: 1. Research market pay for your target role. 2. List your top three priorities beyond salary. 3. Draft a short value statement to use in negotiation. You’ll feel ready to have a focused, confident conversation. ## 💡 Key Takeaways - Strong preparation and market data give you leverage. - Link every request to the value you bring. - Timing, clear priorities, and written confirmation protect your interests. - Creative benefits can close gaps if base pay is firm. Negotiating well sets the tone for your new role. **It shows you know your worth and can have professional, outcome-focused conversations.** ### 7. Ace the Interview URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ace-the-interview/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T16:48:21.000Z There are 1000’s of pages of interview advice online, I’ve distilled it down to the most common things I see regularly from my side of the table. You’ve landed an interview. That's proof your applications are working, now it’s time to show why you’re the best fit. Good interviews don’t rely on luck. They’re the result of clear preparation and confident delivery. Here’s some ways you can prepare, perform, and follow up effectively. ## Research the Company and Role Good research sets you apart. Use company pages, searches and AI tools to help you get insights into the company you are interviewing with. - **Understand** the business – products, services, customers, and competitors. - **Know** recent news – funding, new launches, leadership changes. - **Learn** about the team – check LinkedIn profiles and shared connections. **This knowledge helps you answer “Why this company?” with credibility and ask smart questions at the end.** ## Build Your Key Stories Interviewers remember stories, not lists. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure examples. [Here’s a detailed guide to the method](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-the-star-model-for-success-in-interviews/). - **Choose** 6–8 stories that show your top skills. - Cover common **themes**: problem solving, leadership, dealing with conflict, innovation, and delivering results. - Make sure each **story** has a clear outcome with numbers or measurable outcomes where possible. *Practise telling them out loud until they flow naturally. Record yourself if you need to build confidence.* ## Practise Common Questions Most interviews include variations of these: > Tell us about yourself. > Why are you leaving your current role? > What’s a challenge you’ve faced and how did you handle it? > What’s your biggest strength and where do you need to grow? Write and practice concise bullet answers, not full scripts. Aim for clear, direct responses in around two minutes. ## Prepare for Role-Specific Questions Technical or case-based roles often require extra preperation. - **Review** core tools, processes, or coding languages. - **Revisit** key metrics or frameworks used in your field. - **Practise** explaining complex topics in plain language. This shows both expertise and the ability to communicate. ## Prepare for 'Functional Interviews' Many interview processes now have a problem solving, or case study interview specific to the role. For technical roles, this might include live coding exercises - [this article is a great guide to preparing for those](https://eden-whitcomb.medium.com/how-best-to-prepare-for-a-live-coding-interview-d264400ccfd5?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - **Ensure** that you thoroughly read & understand the brief. - **Accept** any offers of briefing calls, or guidance. - Take time to **prepare** your presentation and practice your response. *These interview steps are often critical to the hiring process, showing that you can cope with the functional requirements of the job.* ## Show Cultural Fit Skills matter, but culture fit often decides the offer. - **Share** examples of how you collaborate, adapt, and learn. - **Reflect** the company’s stated values in your answers. - Be ready to discuss preferred **working style** and how you handle remote or hybrid teams. *Employers want someone who will thrive in their environment.* ## Ask Sharp Questions The questions you ask reveal your priorities. Consider: > What does success look like in the first six months? > How does the team handle feedback and learning? > What’s the biggest challenge facing the department right now? **Avoid anything you could find on the website and aim for questions that deepen understanding and spark discussion.** [Here’s a good list of starter questions you can ask in interviews](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/21-great-questions-to-ask-in-interviews/). ## Handle Curveballs and Tough Topics Expect questions about gaps, conflicts, or weaknesses. - Be honest but brief. - Show what you learned or improved. - Pivot to a positive takeaway. > For example, “I realised I needed better time-planning tools, so I adopted a new system that cut late deliverables by half.” It helps NOT to think about interviews as conflict, but assume that people are trying to find out how you handle growth. ## Practise Delivery How you speak can matter as much as what you say. - Do a mock interview with a friend, coach, or video recording. - Check for pace, clarity, and filler words. - Use natural gestures and steady eye contact (or camera focus for video calls). **Even 30 minutes of practice can boost confidence significantly.** ## Prepare for Virtual Interviews If the interview is online, ensure that you prepare and test: - Test camera, microphone, and lighting the day before. CHeck any unfamiliar software is installed and working. - Choose a quiet, neutral background. - Keep notes and water close, but out of sight. A smooth setup lets you focus on conversation, not tech issues. ## Plan the Follow-Up After the interview, if appropriate in your market: - Send a short thank-you email within 24 hours. - Reconfirm your interest and highlight one key point from the discussion. - If you don’t hear back by the agreed time, send a polite follow-up. *Thoughtful follow-ups show professionalism and keep you top of mind.* ## 💪🏼 Exercise Prepare to Ace the Interview Block out 60 minutes: 1. Draft 6–8 STAR stories covering key skills. 2. Practise one mock interview on camera. 3. Write three strong questions to ask every interviewer. This single session will raise your confidence and sharpen your delivery. ## 💡 Key Takeaways - Research the company deeply and prepare tailored questions. - Build memorable STAR stories and rehearse common answers. - Show cultural fit as well as functional and technical skill. - Follow up quickly and professionally. **With focused preparation, you’ll approach every interview ready to make a strong, lasting impression.** ### 6. Apply Smart URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/apply-smart/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T16:47:51.000Z Applying for jobs needs to be laser focused, not shotgun scattered. When the market looks uncertain, it’s tempting to fire off dozens of applications, but a scattershot approach drains energy and rarely wins interviews. Applying smart means focusing your effort where it counts and presenting a clear, tailored case every time. Read on to find out how I'd recommend you apply smart. ## Start with Your Target List By now, you should have a shortlist of roles and companies from your market research in chapter 3\. Use it to stay focused. - Sort by **priority**. Identify top five companies first. - Keep a second list of **warm** prospects to follow later. - Check each site **weekly** for new openings. This focus prevents job-hunting burnout and keeps quality high. ## Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter Generic applications are easy to spot and easy to ignore. Each application should be tailored to focus on the specific role. - **Match** the job’s key skills and phrases. - Reorder bullet points so the most **relevant** achievements come first. - In your cover letter, show how you’ll solve a **specific** problem for the company. *Work from your master CV and a set of cover letter templates to save time without cutting corners.* [Use AI tools to help you match phrases and get the targeting just right. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-cv-with-ai-the-secret-weapon-top-candidates-are-using/) ## Use a Simple Tracker Organisation keeps your search moving. - **Track** each application: role, company, date applied, contact, and status. - Note next **actions** like follow-ups or interview dates. - **Review** weekly to see what’s working. *You can use a spreadsheet, a project board, or even a notes app. Choose the tool that you are most likely to maintain with ease.* ## Work with Recruiters Strategically Recruiters **can** widen your reach if you manage the relationship. - Choose those with a solid **track record** in your field. - **Share** a clear brief and an updated CV. - Ask for **feedback** on how you present yourself. - Check in **regularly** but avoid daily chasers. *Treat them as partners, not middlemen. Recruiters are an important part of your network.* ## Respond Fast, But Thoughtfully Speed shows interest, but don’t rush. - **Read** the full job description before hitting apply. - **Adjust** your CV and cover letter to match. - **Double-check** names, dates, and contact details. A polished application within 24–48 hours beats a rushed one in minutes. ## Prepare for Common Screening Steps Many roles include quick screening tasks. It's not uncommon for the first step of a job application process to be an automated psychometric or technical test. - Short written answers that focus on precision. - Skills tests - if you have a chance to practice, invest the time. - Video introductions are more and more common, practice with your phone/webcam and use the same tips as video interviews. Keep a brief professional bio ready and rehearse answers to typical screening questions. *This reduces stress when deadlines are tight.* ## Follow Up Without Pushing If you haven’t heard back in 10–14 days: - Send a short, **polite** email to the recruiter or hiring manager. - Reaffirm your **interest** and ask if they need more details. - If there’s still no reply, **move on** and focus on other leads. A simple follow-up can bring your application back to the top of the pile. ## Keep Your Pipeline Full Even when you’re interviewing, keep applying. - Roles can pause or **vanish** without warning. - A full **pipeline** gives you options and bargaining power. - It keeps your **confidence** steady if one opportunity falls through. Aim for a rolling list of active applications and upcoming interviews. ## 💪🏼 Exercise Kepp your applications LASER focused. Set aside one focused hour: 1. Pick three roles from your target list. 2. Tailor your CV and cover letter for each. ([Tools/Tips](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-cv-with-ai-the-secret-weapon-top-candidates-are-using/)) 3. Add them to your tracker with deadlines and contacts. You’ll have three high-quality applications ready to go. ## 💡 Key Takeaways - A focused target list saves time and energy. - Tailored CVs and cover letters stand out in automated and human reviews. - Simple tracking keeps the process under control. - Strategic recruiter relationships expand your reach. Apply smart, not everywhere, and you’ll move through the market with purpose and confidence. ### 5. Network with Purpose URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/5-network-with-purpose/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T16:32:34.000Z A well-timed conversation can open doors no job board will, but effective networking is more than collecting contacts. It’s about building real connections that lead to insight, referrals, and opportunities. This guide helps you network with focus and confidence. ## Map Your Current Network Start by mapping who you already know. - **Strong** ties – former managers, close colleagues, long-term clients - **Weak** ties – acquaintances, conference contacts, old classmates Research shows weak ties often bring fresh opportunities because they move in different circles. **Draw a simple chart or list to see where you have reach and where you don’t.** ## Set Clear Goals Decide what you want from networking: - **Inside** knowledge about target companies - **Advice** on switching roles or industries - Warm **introductions** to hiring managers **A clear goal shapes the conversations you initiate.** ## Reach Out with a Light Touch When you contact someone, be clear and concise. - Explain **why** you’re reaching out and what you admire about their work. - **Ask** for a short call or coffee to learn about their role or company. - Keep it **brief** and easy to say yes to. For example: > “I’m exploring senior operations roles and would value your insight on trends in the sector. Would you have 15 minutes for a quick chat?” This approach shows respect for their time and builds trust. ## Give Before You Ask Strong networks are built on mutual value. - **Share** useful articles, tools, or introductions. - Offer to **help** with events, panels, or projects. - **Congratulate** contacts on promotions or achievements. **Small, consistent actions like these create goodwill long before you need a favour.** ## Stay Visible Without Spamming Maintain gentle visibility so people think of you when roles arise. - Post **high-value** and occasional LinkedIn updates about projects or insights. - Comment **thoughtfully** on others’ posts. - Join **relevant** online groups and contribute to discussions. The aim is steady presence, not daily promotion. ## Use Informational Interviews Informational interviews give you insider knowledge and often lead to referrals. - **Prepare** three or four questions about the company, culture, or career path. - Keep the **chat** to 20–30 minutes. - End by **asking**, “Is there anyone else you think I should speak to?” This simple closing question often expands your network quickly. ## Attend Events with a Plan Industry meetups, talks, and webinars still matter. - **Check** attendee or speaker lists in advance. - **Aim** to have two or three meaningful conversations, not dozens of quick chats. - **Follow up** within a day or two with a short message. Virtual events count too. A good question in a webinar chat can spark valuable contacts. ## Track and Nurture Your Network A simple system helps you stay organised. - Use a spreadsheet, contacts app, or CRM tool. - **Log** when you last spoke and what you discussed. - Set gentle **reminders** to check in every few months. *Regular, low-effort touchpoints keep relationships alive.* ## Ask for Referrals When Ready When you’re actively applying, don’t be shy about asking for referrals. - **Share** the job link and explain why you’re a strong fit. - Provide a **tailored** CV or LinkedIn summary to make their referral easy. - Thank them **regardless** of outcome. A warm referral often moves your application to the top of the pile. ## 💪🏼 Exercise Perform a Network Audit & Update Spend 45 minutes this week: 1. List 20 people, mix of strong and weak ties. 2. Pick three and draft short outreach notes. 3. Send the messages and schedule follow-ups. This simple action can restart dormant connections and reveal hidden leads. ## 💡 Key Takeaways - Mapping your network shows hidden reach and gaps. - Consistency and genuine value build stronger ties than quick asks. - Informational interviews and event follow-ups create fresh leads. - A simple tracker keeps your efforts organised and effective. **Purposeful networking is about meaningful conversations that can shape your next career move.** ### 4. Refresh Your Personal Brand URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/refresh-your-personal-brand/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T16:19:48.000Z Once you know your direction and target market, it’s time to make sure your professional brand tells a clear, up-to-date story. Think of this as a full tune-up for everything employers will see: your CV, LinkedIn profile, and any work samples. A strong personal brand gets you noticed and makes interviews easier. ## Update Your CV for Today’s Hiring Systems Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen CVs. To tackle these systems, your CV needs to be clean, accurate and scannable. These systems scan for keywords and structure. - Use a **clean** layout, no tables, headers, or unusual fonts. - **Match** key skills and terms from the job description. - Lead with **measurable** results, not just duties. - Keep it to two pages unless you have extensive senior experience. **Start with a master CV that lists all achievements. Then you are prepared to create tailored versions for each role.** ## Check Your Online Presence Most recruiters will Google you. Review what they’ll see: - **LinkedIn profile**. Including headline, photo, skills, and recommendations - Public **social** accounts: check privacy settings and old posts - Any **blogs, articles, or talks** you’ve shared *Make sure it all reflects your professional brand. Take steps to remove anything that doesn’t.* ## Sharpen Your LinkedIn Profile Recruiters and hiring managers check LinkedIn almost every time. Your LinkedIn profile MUST be up-to-date and clear about your skills and experience. - Write a **headline** that goes beyond your current title (e.g. “Customer Success Leader | Scaling SaaS Teams”). - Use a friendly, **professional** photo. - **Craft** a short “About” section that tells your career story and direction. Refer back to your Career Story in #1\. - Add **rich media or project links** where possible and if appropriate for your role. - Collect recent **recommendations**. Don't be afraid to ask for them from key stakeholders in your career. *Treat LinkedIn as a living brochure for your professional life.* ## Optional: Create a Simple Portfolio or Work Sample Pack For creative, product, or consulting roles, show rather than tell. - **Prepare** case studies with your role, actions, and measurable outcomes. - Include **screenshots**, presentations, or short write-ups. - **Remove** confidential details. This can be a private PDF, a Dropbox folder, or a password-protected page. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Clarity matters more than design. ## Refresh Your References Strong references are often the final hurdle to an offer. Don’t wait until the last minute: - **Identify** two or three people who know your work well - Check they’re **happy** to provide a reference - **Update** them on your current goals so they can give focused feedback Even if employers don’t call them early, having names ready shows organisation. ## Align Your Brand with Target Roles Review your CV, LinkedIn, and portfolio against the market research you did earlier. - Are the most **relevant** skills easy to spot? - Do **keywords** match common job descriptions? - Does your **story** point naturally toward the roles you want? Small wording changes can make a big difference in search results and recruiter interest. ## Add Fresh Proof of Expertise A few quick wins can signal that you’re current: - **Publish** a short LinkedIn post on a recent project or insight. - **Join** an online panel or webinar in your field. - **Complete** a short, credible course and display the certificate. *These actions show you’re engaged and learning, without requiring months of effort.* ## 💪🏼 Exercise Check your Online Brand. Take one focused hour for this important exercise: 1. Search your own name online. Note anything outdated or unfit for purpose. 2. Update your CV and LinkedIn headline to match your career story. 3. Collect three proof points (case studies, data, or endorsements) and store them in a single folder. **By completion, you’ll have a sharper, more consistent professional profile.** ## 💡 Key Takeaways - A refreshed personal brand makes recruiters’ jobs easier and gives you control over your narrative. - Consistency across CV, LinkedIn, and work samples builds trust. - A short, clear career story brings your achievements to life. - Small actions like fresh posts or short courses keep your profile looking current. **With your personal brand polished, you’re ready to connect with people and start targeted applications.** ### 3. Research the Market URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/research-the-market/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T15:37:27.000Z Finding a job needs a strategy. When you are competing in a difficult market, this is what will set you apart. Now that your career assets are in order, the next step is understanding the market. Good research keeps you focused and saves hours of scattershot applications. It also arms you with data for smarter salary talks later. This guide shows you how to explore industries, companies, and roles before you apply. ## Track Industry and Role Trends Start with the big picture. Check where demand is growing and where it’s shrinking. - **Scan** professional reports, industry newsletters, and LinkedIn insights. - **Watch** job boards for patterns in hiring volume and key skills. - **Note** technologies or practices that keep showing up. Aim to find areas with steady or rising demand. **This helps you target roles that will still be relevant in a few years.** ## Identify Your Target Roles Use your skills and goals to narrow the field. - List the job titles that **match** your strengths and interests. - **Compare** their descriptions to confirm fit. - Look for common **requirements**: education, certifications, or years of experience. A focused list of roles stops you chasing every opportunity and sharpens your CV. ## Pinpoint Companies That Fit Your Values If you don’t know your personal values, [here’s an exercise](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/values/) that will help you think about them. The right company matters as much as the right role. - **Research** company culture on sites like Glassdoor and Indeed reviews. - **Check** financial health and growth plans in press releases or annual reports. - **Read** employee stories on LinkedIn or other networks. Think about size, structure, and culture. A high-growth start-up feels very different from a long-established multinational. ## Build a Target List Pull everything into a simple spreadsheet or notes app: - **List** 20–30 companies you’d like to work for - **Links** to career pages and hiring contacts - Quick **notes** on culture, growth, and locations Prioritise them by choosing the top five for immediate action, the rest as a warm pipeline. ## Research Pay and Benefits Salary talks go better when you know the market rate. - Use **resources** like Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, or local salary surveys. - Look at total **compensation**, including bonuses, stock options, and perks. - **Factor** in cost of living if relocation is possible. Keep a private record of pay ranges for each target role. This will guide your negotiation later. ## Understand Hiring Patterns Some companies hire in cycles or align with fiscal years. Notice when your target firms post more roles. - Tech companies may ramp up after budget approval in Q1. - Retail often hires ahead of seasonal peaks. - Universities and NGOs may recruit in line with academic years. Timing applications to these cycles can speed up responses. ## Use Your Network for Inside Insight Friends, ex-colleagues, and professional groups can provide context no website shows. - **Ask** about real working conditions and unwritten expectations. - **Learn** how the company handles promotions, reviews, and pay. - **Check** if there’s an internal referral programme. **Even one insider chat can reveal deal-breakers or hidden opportunities.** ## Monitor News and Signals Stay alert for changes that might create openings. - Funding announcements or new product launches - Executive hires or leadership changes - Expansion into new regions or services These events often mean fresh hiring needs before roles appear online. ## Organise What You Find Keep research easy to update. - A **spreadsheet** with tabs for companies, roles, and salary data - A simple **project board** in tools like Trello or Notion (if you use them) - Short notes in a **phone app** if you prefer minimal/portable systems The key is quick access when you start tailoring applications. ## 💪🏼 Exercise Build a Job Market Map Set aside one focused hour for this: 1. Pick your top three industries or role types. 2. Find five target companies in each. 3. Add links, contacts, and salary notes to your tracker. You now have a working market map to guide every next step. ## 💡 Key Takeaways - Market research prevents wasted applications and improves negotiation power. - A well-organised target list keeps your search focused and repeatable. - Network insights reveal what job ads don’t show. - Ongoing monitoring catches opportunities early. With your market research done, you’ll move into applications with direction and confidence. ### 2. Audit Your Career Assets URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/2-audit-your-career-assets/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T15:47:25.000Z Before you send a single application, take stock of what you bring to the table. Think of this step as a professional inventory. It shows you what’s ready to showcase, what needs updating, and what gaps to close. A clear picture of your assets makes every part of the job hunt easier. From CV writing to salary negotiation. ## List Your Key Skills and Achievements Start by mapping out what you do well and where you’ve delivered results. - Review your **recent** few performance reviews or project notes. - List **hard** **skills** (e.g. coding, data analysis) and **soft** **skills** (e.g. team leadership, negotiation). - Note **measurable** outcomes like revenue growth, cost savings, or process improvements. **Aim for a list of concrete examples. “Improved operations” is vague. “Reduced order processing time by 30%” is powerful.** ## Identify Gaps or Outdated Skills Next, look for areas that could hold you back. - Check job ads for your **target** roles. - Note **skills or tools** that appear often but aren’t on your list. - **Highlight** anything you learned years ago but haven’t practised. *Not every gap needs a course. Some can be addressed by refreshing your knowledge or running a small side project.* ## Gather Proof Hiring managers look for evidence, not just claims. Build a simple evidence pack: - Performance data and dashboards - Awards, certificates, or media mentions - Short notes from managers or clients praising your work Keep everything in one folder, digital or physical. You’ll draw from it for CVs, interviews, and salary discussions. ## Create a Short Career Story Facts alone don’t sell. You need a clear story that links them. - Where you started and key moves so far - The value you consistently bring - The direction you want next **Keep it under two minutes when spoken. This story becomes the base for your CV summary, LinkedIn “About” section, and interview opener.** ## Spot Transferable Skills If you’re pivoting to a new industry or role, look beyond job titles. - Leadership, problem solving, and communication carry **across sectors**. - Map how these skills could **solve problems** in your target field. - Use their **language** when describing your achievements. This is key if you’re switching from, say, operations to product management. Understanding your transferable skills can help drive career pivots. ## 💪🏼 Exercise Perform a Career Audit Allocate 45 minutes: 1. Draft a two-column table: **Skills/Results** on the left, **Proof** on the right. 2. Fill in every example you can. 3. Highlight the top five that best fit your target roles. 4. Write a two-minute career story using those highlights. *You now have the material ready for CVs, LinkedIn, and interviews.* ## 💡 Key Takeaways - A career audit saves time later and strengthens every application. - Evidence: data, samples, and references, carries more weight than claims. - A short, clear career story ties your skills and achievements together. *With your professional inventory in place, you’ll enter the job market prepared and confident.* ### 1. Know Why you're Moving URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/know-why-youre-moving/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T15:28:15.000Z Changing jobs can feel exciting and daunting at the same time. Before you polish your CV or scroll job boards, take some time for reflection and thought. The strongest career moves start with a clear reason for leaving and a clear picture of what you want next. > It's important to know if you are running away from something, or running towards it. This article will help you define that reason. It’s a practical first step that will save time and energy later. ## Check Your Reasons - what are you trying to fix? People move for many reasons: growth, culture, pay, lifestyle, or a mix of these. List yours on paper. Keep it **honest and specific.** - **Growth** – Are you stuck with limited opportunities or a slow learning curve? - **Culture** – Is the environment at odds with your values or working style? - **Pay** – Do you need a raise that feels out of reach where you are? - **Lifestyle** – Are you after flexibility, location change, or less travel? Seeing these reasons in black and white helps you avoid vague goals like “new challenge,” which can lead to random applications. ## Define Non-Negotiables & Red Lines Every move involves trade-offs. Decide early what you won’t compromise on. Consider: - Minimum salary and benefits - Location or hybrid/remote flexibility - Working hours and travel expectations - Core job content (e.g. people management vs individual contribution) Write these down as a short checklist. Use it to screen roles quickly and avoid wasting effort. ## Set a Timeline Open-ended searches drift. Give yourself a frame: - **Exploration phase** – two to four weeks to research roles and markets - **Application phase** – six to eight weeks to apply and interview - **Decision phase** – two to three weeks to evaluate offers The dates aren’t rigid. They can help you create momentum and pace your energy. Job searches can become an obsession, and need managing carefully. ## Capture Your “Why Now” Statement Distill everything into a short paragraph that sums up why you’re ready to move. For example: > “I want to shift into a product-focused role where I can use my customer insights to shape new features. I’m looking for a company with flexible working and a strong mentoring culture.” This statement is for you first. It keeps your job search anchored. Later you can adapt it for cover letters or networking. ## Spot Warning Signs vs. Passing Frustrations Not every bad day means it’s time to leave. Examine whether the career problem you are trying to solve is ‘weather’ or ‘climate’. Ask yourself: - Are the issues **temporary**, like a project crunch or a lull in growth & responsibility? - Have you raised concerns with your **manager** and tried to fix them? - Would a change of team or role **inside** the company solve most problems? If the answer is yes, an internal move might work. If not, you have stronger proof that it’s time to look outside. ## Involve Trusted Voices Talk through your thinking with one or two trusted contacts: - A **mentor** who knows your career path - A **colleague** outside your immediate team - A **friend or partner** who sees how work affects your life - Don't overlook your **manager**, who can be an important partner in supporting a move Share your draft “why now” statement. Ask if it fits what they observe. Fresh eyes can highlight blind spots or assumptions. ## Balance Emotion and Logic Job changes often follow a flashpoint, an argument, a missed promotion, a sudden reorganisation. . Take a few days to cool off before you act. Then use both head and heart: - **Emotion** tells you if your values are met. - **Logic** checks if the move makes financial and career sense. Both need to line up for a solid decision. ## Test Your Direction Before you commit fully, run small experiments: - Chat to people already in your target role or industry - Attend a professional event in that field - Try a short course or side project that matches the work These steps give a taste of the future job and confirm whether your reasons still hold. ## 💪🏼 Exercise Understand your 'why now'. Set aside 30 minutes this week: 1. Write down every reason you feel ready to leave. 2. Mark the top three as must-haves. 3. Draft your “why now” statement. 4. Share it with one trusted contact for feedback. You’ll finish with a clear, motivating brief for your job search. ## 💡 Key Takeaways - Clarity beats speed. Know exactly why you’re moving before applying. - Define YOUR non-negotiables and set a loose timeline. - Test your direction and sense-check with trusted voices. - Capture it all in a simple “why now” statement. Starting here saves wasted effort and leads to better offers. Your next move will be intentional, not accidental. ### #39 - from Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/39-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T10:14:51.000Z ### Updates Back to the weekly routine, but nice to have some autumnal Dublin sunshine to accompany me on my commute. I was sad to see Claudia Cardinale die earlier in the week, an absolute beauty who is in my favourite film of all time - Fitzcarraldo. Have spent a little bit of down time working on some new projects, and completed a list of improvements to make to existing work - [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) continues to get some good traffic, and I have a plan for a V2 very soon. **Reading**: How to Save the Internet by Nick Clegg ### Movies Watched a couple of movies this weekend: [A ★★★½ review of Mr. Morgan’s Last Love (2013)I didn’t love the extra romance at the end of this, and Michael Caines accent travelled around like a Greyhound bus. However the story is lovely - and Clemence Poesy is excellent.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-20.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/144481-mr-morgan-s-last-love-0-230-0-345-crop.jpg)](https://boxd.it/bbOOOR?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★★ review of 28 Years Later (2025)A peculiarly British horror/thriller. Jodie Comer is excellent and a great turn from Ralph Fiennes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-21.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Iw9jQe-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/bbWg0J?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Recommended Music I've been trying for the last few weeks to listen to a new album every day, and sharing my favourites to [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Threads](https://www.threads.com/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). One of the best this week is The Importance of Birds by Snorri Halgrimsson, a modern classical piece inspired by the sounds of birdsong and a reflection on the fragility of life. It's a stunning album, gentle and contemplative and ideal for background music whilst working or reading. I immediately added this to my Flowstuff playlist. Highly recommended. *Note - I am using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Radiohead - Grandbrothers - Al Green - Arcadia - Nine Inch Nails - Gene - Hollie Kenniff, Goldmund, Harbors - Claire O'Connell - Purity Ring - Snorri Halgrimsson #weeknote ### TWIL #89 - How rappers make raps. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-89-how-rappers-make-raps/ Last updated: 2025-09-27T11:19:57.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned how rappers construct their rhymes to make raps - some amazing lyricism on show. ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #257 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-257/ Last updated: 2025-09-22T05:00:42.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** New Stuff added to the directory of essential sites that are free to use. [FreeStuff](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/) ## The Stuff: - [Be the person who does the thing.](https://www.fredrivett.com/2025/09/10/becoming-the-person-who-does-the-thing/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **By showing up every day**, your consistency can change who you are. *(via Fred Rivett)* - **Master the Matrix.** [The complex organisation of today requires new skills to succeed.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/master-the-matrix-by-susan-z-finerty/) - **Do these things.** [25 micro-habits of high-impact managers.](https://review.firstround.com/the-25-micro-habits-of-high-impact-managers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via First Round)* - [You need to be bored](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **A Harvard Professor explains the benefits of doing nothing.** *(via HBR - YouTube)* - [The weight of an open tab](https://www.adrianhetman.xyz/the-weight-of-an-open-tab/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Great advice on handling the ‘open loops’** at the end of the day. *(via Adrian Hetman)* - **The jury is still out** on self-affirmation for me, but this [list of 99 great morning affirmations cannot harm.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/positive-affirmations-morning-routine/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via The Good Trade)* ### Finally. [Dataguessr](https://dataguessr.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Stack important data in the right order, and learn about the world. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What does success mean to me at this stage of my life? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #38 - from Dublin 🥶 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/38-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-09-21T10:01:39.000Z ### Updates Flew back from Spain yesterday evening, experiencing nearly 20deg temperature drop between the tarmac in Murcia, and Dublin. I do not approve! That said, we covered a lot of ground on a new project in Spain, and I'm really pleased with the two weeks we had there. Now, its back to the usual routine and into the office tomorrow morning. **Reading**: Confessions of an Irish Rebel by Brendan Behan. I have neglected my daily reading practice for the last couple of weeks. ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is the new album from Baxter Dury - Allbarone, which I have been listening to non-stop for the last couple of weeks. This one takes Baxter to the next level for me. The deadpan (often hysterical) delivery, is combined with more electronic feel. I love the sharp look at life, and the unmistakeable London sound. Highly recommended. *Note - I am testing out using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *embedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Lucretia Dalt - Nine Inch Nails - Baxter Dury - Bryan Ferry - Iosonouncane - Black Dog - Tristanne - Akasha System - Suede - Kaytranada #weeknote ### Master the Matrix by Susan Z. Finerty URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/master-the-matrix-by-susan-z-finerty/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T15:06:30.000Z My notes on *Master the Matrix: 7 Essentials for Getting Things Done in Complex Organisations* by Susan Z. Finerty. This was a book given to me at a work conference, and is a great guide to working in a matrix style organisation. Master the Matrix offers a practical compass for navigating complexity. It can be an excellent guide to sharpen how you align, influence and deliver in your cross‑functional world. ## What is a Matrix Organisation? A matrix organisation is a structure where employees work with multiple managers, typically by function and by project, region or product. It blends traditional vertical hierarchies with horizontal collaboration, creating a network of shared responsibilities. This setup aims to increase flexibility, innovation and responsiveness, but often leads to confusion over roles, priorities and decision rights. To succeed in a matrix, you need strong relationships, clear communication and the ability to influence without relying on authority. ## Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime. ## Core premise of Master the Matrix - Modern organisations operate as **matrix structures**, with teams aligned by product, geography or function, layered with cross‑functional collaboration. - Success in a matrix demands shifting from silos to **flow**, like navigating a traffic roundabout (or circle in the US) - not lanes or intersections. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### TWIL #88 - Stone Skipping Scandal URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-88-stone-skipping-scandal/ Last updated: 2025-09-20T05:00:00.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the International Stone Skipping Championships has had its fair share of scandal this year... but there was still a clear winner. [Scandal rocks international stone skipping contest‘Nefarious deeds’ couldn’t keep Jon Jennings from winning the World Stone Skimming Competition.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/cropped-favicon-ps-FE5102-1.png)Popular ScienceAndrew Paul![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Skimming-Stone-Measure-Tool.jpg)](https://www.popsci.com/science/stone-skipping-scandal/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #256 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-256/ Last updated: 2025-09-15T05:00:14.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** 1000 icebreakers ready for your next meeting. [Generate one at random.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ice/) ### The Stuff: - **What makes a great 1:1 meeting?** [Excellent video chat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWNsoq6SqYQ&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) from two Microsoft execs (20 mins ish) on the structure and purpose of good 1:1 meetings. More: [Questions for Managers to use in 1:1’s](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/managerquestionsfor1on1/) - [40 one-sentence email tips](https://joshspector.com/one-sentence-email-tips/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). From a **communication and content pro.** *(via Josh Spector)* - **Being Good isn’t enough.** [Here are the things that you really need](https://joshs.bearblog.dev/being-good-isnt-enough/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to succeed in your career.(*via Josh Swords*) - **More words to eliminate**. [Ten words that you should never use to describe yourself.](https://betterreport.com/words-not-to-describe-yourself-with/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Better Report)* - A simple weekend habit **that could make you happie**r. [It’s time you planned a mini-retreat](https://simonsinek.com/stories/the-simple-weekend-habit-that-makes-you-less-unhappy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *(via Simon Sinek)* - **Decide what news to read**, and [what to believe by using the SIFT method.](https://guides.lib.uchicago.edu/c.php?g=1241077&p=9082322&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This HAS to be good for your sanity. *(via University of Chicago)* ### Finally. [Polybounce](https://polybounce.thesimple.ink/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Guess how many bounces before the ball escapaes. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What are my three biggest achievements from this past year? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #37 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/37-from-spain/ Last updated: 2025-09-14T06:26:40.000Z ### Updates It is freaking hot. I've spent most of the week working with fan pointed at me and plenty of cold drinks on the go. We're kitting out a new place for AirBnB so there have been plenty of trips to buy bits and pieces, and make the place look good. More news to follow on that. The news cycle has been heavy again this week, and I've been revisiting the principle of making sure my news intake is not too doom laden. **Reading**: Confessions of an Irish Rebel by Brendan Behan. ### New DJ Mix Before I left Ireland, I put a new DJ mix online, I'm super pleased with the way this one came out. Ninety-ish minutes of gently progressive, bouncy house music. ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is the SoundTrack to 'Mudtown (Ar Y Ffin)' by Gazelle Twin. Mudtown is a six part British crime thriller being shown on the [U&Alibi channel](https://www.uandalibi.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) in the UK, I haven't seen it yet - but give the soundtrack I'm going to seek it out. It's a tense and unsettling album - but worth the investment, some great sounds along the way. If you're a fan of Gazelle Twins work, then this is a must-listen, but also a good entry point into some of their darker work. Highly recommended. *Note - I am testing out using these* [*Odesli*](https://odesli.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *enbedded links for music recommendations on my site which allow you to choose your streaming platform and also find the artist links for vinyl purchases etc* ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Venedel - The Dears - Akasha System - Matt Berninger - Gazelle Twin - Baxter Dury - Mono - Lawrence English - Federico Mosconi - Suede #weeknote ### TWIL #87 - The Norwegian KitKat Rival URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-87-the-norwegian-kitkat-rival/ Last updated: 2025-09-13T05:36:46.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that Norway has a chocolate bar that rivals the mighty KitKat - the resemblance is uncanny, but the Norwegian one may well be the [winner on taste. ](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2017/may/19/kitkat-v-kvikk-lunsj-which-four-fingered-chocolate-bar-tastes-best?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [The controversial sweet that fuels NorwegiansKnown as ‘the trip chocolate’, Kvikk Lunsj has fuelled outdoor adventures for generations. So, what makes this chocolate so controversial?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-19.png)BBCJessica Furseth![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0m1rkyc.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250909-kvikk-lunsj-the-controversial-sweet-that-fuels-norwegians?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #255 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-255/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T05:00:31.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** [An endless stream of fresh journal prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) to fire-up your creative powers. ### The Stuff: - **What are you asking your manager?** [The best questions to drive career growth](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/employee-questions-for-1-1-meetings/) that you can use in your 1:1. - [No Hello.](https://www.nohello.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Let’s normalise not saying hello in chat** \- straight into the subject please! *(via nohello)* - **How to get hired.** [Advice for people applying for jobs](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45073589&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) from an engineer that applied to 450 roles. Not all relevant to everyone - but some good ideas in here. *(via HackerNews)* - [Start your day with a dump.](https://betterreport.com/brain-dump-meaning-facts/?lctg=c00b1dae-d066-4ec0-85d1-6c7d6ad3a07c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Your first activity each workday** should be a braindump. Bonus: [Download my free trigger list for inspiration.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-the-brain-dump/) (*via BetterReport)* - [Are you visible on AI?](https://www.amivisibleonai.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Free service** to check whether your site is readable by AI engines. ([added to Freestuf](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/)f) - **Tune out the news.** [More and more people are rationing the news](https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2025/sep/01/news-avoidance-high-anxiety?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to reduce anxiety. Great advice. *(via The Guardian)* ### Finally. [Headlines](https://play-headlines.deno.dev/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Fill in the missing words, against the clock. --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is something you are grateful for that has brought you joy? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #36 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/36-from-spain/ Last updated: 2025-09-07T07:24:52.000Z ### Updates We've decamped to Spain for a couple of weeks. As the weather turned autumnal in Dublin, it felt like a good time to get some warmth on our bones, and get to work on a property project we have here. I've been working on a good amount of new content for the site, some career related posts and a couple more book note posts which hopefully people will find useful. **Reading**: Confessions of an Irish Rebel by Brendan Behan. ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is slightly unusual. Myles O'Reilly is a favourite artist of mine, making gentle electronica from his Dublin base. For 'Against all Certainty' he's teamed up with the outgoing President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, for an album of poetry underpinned with beautiful ambient soundscapes. It is lovely stuff, with Higgins reminiscing about people and places that he has met. The words are matched by the backing which feels organic through the use of tape loops and found sound. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Johnny Beth - Suede - Balmorhea - Yorkshire Modular Society - 700 Feel - Tim Hecker - Aiko Takahashi - Idles - Blood Orange - Gene #weeknote ### TWIL #86 - Niagara Stopped... URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-86-niagara-stopped/ Last updated: 2025-09-06T05:00:50.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that in 1969, Niagara Falls stopped flowing for the first time in 12000 years... ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to get more out of 1:1s with your manager (25 Questions) URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/employee-questions-for-1-1-meetings/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T13:19:08.000Z 1:1 meetings should never be one-sided. Previously, I shared [a list of questions managers](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/managerquestionsfor1on1/) can use to get more out of their conversations. This time, it is about **you** as the employee. Your 1:1 is a chance to get direct time with your manager. Use it well. The right questions will help you understand expectations, grow your skills, and shape your career path. There are hundreds of questions for these conversations, but I've captured some of the best that I have been asked over the years. Feel free to reuse these for yourself. *If you have some better suggestions, I'd love to hear them - add them in the comments below.* #### About Performance and Feedback - How do you think I am performing compared to expectations? - Are there areas where you would like me to improve? - Can you share an example of something I did really well recently? - What is the one thing I could do that would make the biggest difference? - Am I focusing on the right priorities from your perspective? #### About Career Growth and Development - What skills do you think I should focus on developing right now? - How do you see my role evolving over the next year? - What does career progression look like for someone in my position? - Are there opportunities for me to take on more responsibility? - Who in the organisation would you recommend I learn from or connect with? #### About Manager Expectations and Working Style - How do you prefer I share updates with you? - Is there anything you need from me that I am not currently providing? - Do you want me to involve you earlier when problems come up? - How do you like me to bring you new ideas, as rough drafts or as polished proposals? - What is the best way for me to make your job easier? #### About Team and Organistion Context - What are the team’s biggest priorities right now? - How does my work contribute to the wider goals of the company? - Are there any upcoming changes I should be aware of? - Where do you see the biggest risks or challenges for our team? - How can I support the team more effectively this week/month/quarter? #### About Learning and Opportunities - Are there projects coming up where I could stretch myself? - What resources or training would you recommend for me? - Could you suggest someone I could shadow or collaborate with? - If you were in my position, what would you focus on developing first? - Are there cross-team opportunities I should explore? #### About Wellbeing & Workload - Does my current workload look sustainable to you? - Are there tasks you would recommend I deprioritise? - How do you approach maintaining your own work-life balance? - What signs do you look for when someone is close to burnout? - Is the way I am working aligned with expectations? #### Sharing feedback with your manager - What is one thing I could do differently to support you better? - How do you prefer I give you feedback if I spot an issue? - Do you feel I push back enough when I disagree, or not enough? - Is there anything I do that makes your work harder? - How can I be a stronger partner to you day to day? Your 1:1 is your chance to take control of your own development and working environment. Do not wait for your manager to drive the conversation. Use these questions to make sure you are getting what you need. For further suggestions on how you can manage your manager - [see my guide to managing upwards.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/managing-upwards-practical-advice-and-tools-for-your-career-growth/) ### Stuff that MattRs - #254 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-254/ Last updated: 2025-09-01T05:00:14.000Z 💡 Bonus: ****Is it time for a Career Boost?** 15 actions for growth that take just 15 minutes. [Download my free workbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/). ### The Stuff: - **Delete these words.** [Take three minutes to remove these from your communications](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/take-3-minutes-to-delete-these-words?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and improve your writing forever. *(via Wes Kao)* - [When to talk, and when to shut up](https://swaits.com/game-theory-at-work-and-when-to-shutup/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How game theory plays out at work. *(via Stephen Waits)* - [The illusion of alignment.](https://www.ashmann.co/the-illusion-of-alignment/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How to get beyond surface level agreement. *(via Ash Mann)* - **Ask** [these three ‘Naikan’ questions](https://bigthink.com/mini-philosophy/ask-these-3-naikan-questions-for-a-happier-healthier-attitude-toward-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life. *(via The Big Think)* - [How to instantly be better at things](https://usefulfictions.substack.com/p/how-to-instantly-be-better-at-anything). A super simple way to add a new skill to your repertoire. *(via Useful Fictions)* - **You look amazing today!** A new (free) course to teach you [how to give better compliments.](https://programs.clearerthinking.org/how-to-compliment.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Clearer Thinking)* ### Finally. [Rankle](https://www.rankle.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Put these six things in the right order. --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Write down 3 actions you can take each day towards discovering your passion. [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #36 - From Cork URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/36-from-cork/ Last updated: 2025-08-31T05:00:53.000Z ### Updates A disrupted week, the light cold I thought I had last weekend turned into a bit more of a issue than I thought, and I had to take rare day off work. Spending the weekend with some friends in Cork, so a shorter weeknote than usual. **Reading**: Confessions of an Irish Rebel by Brendan Behan. ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is INSOMNIA, not by Faithless but by Japanese composer Takahiro Kido. Kido is a member of Japanese soundtrack artists Anoice and this collection doesn't stray too far. INSOMNIA tries to put the feeling of being awake into music, with neo-classical and ambient sounds. It's a beautiful album that deserves a listen on some great headphones. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Takahiro Kido - Siavash Amini - Richard Hornsby - Will de Burca - Erland Cooper - Mogwai - Harmonia - Dirty Three - The Prongs - Goldffrapp #weeknote ### TWIL #85 - Surfing Dogs URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-85-surfing-dogs/ Last updated: 2025-08-30T05:12:35.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that dogs now have their own surfing championship! The photos are [pretty awesome as well](https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/world-dog-surfing-championships-california-1f8b9d496351e5272a6d869146338c57?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). [World Dog Surfing Championships – The Ultimate Surf Dog Championships![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/cropped-world-dog-surfing-logo-for-medal-0-270x270.jpg)World Dog Surfing Championships![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/i-Wg3VMHr-L.jpg)](https://www.surfdogchampionships.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #253 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-253/ Last updated: 2025-08-25T05:01:26.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** To make decisions under pressure, [think like a fighter pilot.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-clear-thinking-by-hasard-lee/) ### The Stuff: - **Boost your productivity** with [some simple task organisation.](https://www.sunsama.com/blog/best-way-to-organize-tasks?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Try this tip this week and see your productivity sky rocket. *(via Sunsama)* - [Why I still use a paper planner.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-i-use-a-paper-planner/) The planning hack that never gets old. - **How not to lose your job to AI,** [and the skills required to survive. ](https://80000hours.org/agi/guide/skills-ai-makes-valuable/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via 80000 hours)* - [13 Tried and Tested Decision Making Questions.](https://michaelwade800695.substack.com/p/13-tried-and-true-decision-making) Be the voice of reason in every room. *(via Michael Wade)* - **The hard things** need energy to make them happen. [Here’s how to motivate yourself. ](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2025/08/10/how-to-motivate-yourself-to-do-hard-things?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*(via Scott Young)* - [The Greatest Books of All Time](https://thegreatestbooks.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Aggregating hundreds of lists to make a definitive collection. *(via The Greatest Books)* ### Finally. [Clues by Sam](https://cluesbysam.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A simple daily logic game that will get you scratching your head! --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Journal what your best life looks like. What do you think is possible for yourself? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #35 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/35-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-08-24T09:48:14.000Z ### Updates A pretty busy week for me, with two live shows this weekend alongside my Wedding Anniversary and a mild cold! Friday saw us off to Collins Barracks in Dublin to see The Human League, a favourite band of mine when I was growing up. They were a lot of fun, Phil Oakey's voice is terrific, and they played a great selection of hits and a couple of deeper cuts from their journey. Saturday was altogether different, with everyones favourite sad dad, Matt Berninger (from The National) at Vicar Street. A superb set made up of solo work, a couple of covers from The National and even a cover of Blue Monday at the end. Support from from the excellent Ronboy, who has collaborated with Berninger a few times recently. A few snaps from across the two shows. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/3.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/4.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/8.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/7.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/6.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/9.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/5.jpeg) **Reading**: Finished Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan --> Starting Confessions of an Irish Rebel by Brendan Behan. ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is a short EP from Dublin based band 'The Prongs'. Psychogeoggraphy is four tracks of quite intense music that at times put me in mind of Sleaford Mods or even Fontaines DC. Simple sounding motorik loops of electronic beats with spoken word / sprechgesang vocals. It's a completely orginal sound that is worth a listen - I've ordered a vinyl copy of the EP as I think it could be quite collectable moving forward. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - The Human League (Live) - Matt Berninger (Live) - The Associates - Massive Attack - Gary Numan - Pet Shop Boys - Arcadia - JB Dunckel and Jonathan Fitoussi - Myles O’Reilly - Lisa O’Neill #weeknote ### TWIL #84 - Verdis URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-84-verdis/ Last updated: 2025-08-23T05:00:16.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned how a 14 year old boy founded his own 'micronation', somewhere on the border between Serbia and Croatia. [‘We would love to enter Eurovision!’ The boy who saw some unclaimed land – and founded his own countryDaniel Jackson was just 14 when he and his friends saw a strip of forest between Serbia and Croatia, and decided to claim it. Now 20, he is the president of Verdis, but has been forced to live in exile![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-512-2.png)The GuardianLucy Knight![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/4640.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/19/daniel-jackson-unclaimed-land-croatia-serbia-verdis?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Why I Use a Paper Planner URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-i-use-a-paper-planner/ Last updated: 2025-08-22T05:08:02.000Z I’ve tried almost every productivity app going, but I still keep one very old-school solution in my toolkit. Like most people, I have electronic calendars to coordinate at work and home, and I use Apple Notes as a Personal Knowledge Manager. However, for the last few years I have carried a paper planner to supplement my work journal. My trusty black book doesn’t just hold my schedule, it helps me focus, think clearly, and actually follow through. Here’s why I still use one every day: ### Clarity Without Distractions I take 10/15 minutes each day to see what’s in my plan, and where my priorities are. Spending time with my planner lets my focus without distractions, notifications or noise. I treat this time like a reward, a few moments away from the potential distractions of a screen to plan and reflect. This method makes planning an analogue ritual, that reduces my dependency on devices and creates a healthy boundary between work & life. ### Better Memory and Retention There is research that shows [writing by hand can improve recall](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11943480/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#:~:text=Research%20suggests%20that%20handwriting%20may,memory%20retention%20compared%20with%20typing.). For me, I know that remembering meetings is a lot easier when I close the laptop, and commit my notes to paper. The same applies to my planning, writing a task list at the beginning of the week and updating it each day tends to ensure things stay in my head. Writing commitments by hand, ensures recall. ### Sense of Progress and Achievement I use a planner with a week to view on the left page, and a blank page on the right. Thats where my personal to-do list sits. Each task has a checkbox, and the physical act of crossing off a task feels satisfying. Each week I can carry tasks forward, or drop them ensuring I do a personal review. I love the way my planner gives me a tangible record of progress and achievement over time. ### Mindfulness and Reflection Slowing down to write and review my list creates an intentionality in what I am doing. I use these moments to reflect on whether the tasks or activities are fulfilling and aligned. A regular review feels more grounded on paper. ### The Big Picture Planning over a year, or even the coming weeks and months is lot more tangible with a zoomed out view. I use my paper planner to map out vacations, or long term commitments knowing that I can see the bigger picture in a single view. ### Reliability and Simplicity My paper planner is 100% free from technical friction, no batteries, syncing issues or force upgrades. I never need wi-fi or power and it’s always available. Alongside my digital tools, it provides an excellent backup that I can customise in anyway I need. ### Final Thoughts For me, using a paper planner creates a focused, distraction-free ritual that enhances clarity and mindfulness. Writing by hand improves my memory and retention, helping to keep commitments top of mind. The physical act of crossing off tasks fosters a helps me create a satisfying sense of progress and achievement. Overall, it supports intentional planning, reflection, and a healthy boundary between work and life. My paper planner is more than a old-school diary; it’s a tool for clarity, focus, and progress. 💡 [Experiment](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/): If you’ve only ever planned digitally, try switching to paper for a month. You might be surprised at the difference it makes. *How are you planning your time? Have you integrated any analogue solutions into your toolkit?* ### The Art of Clear Thinking by Hasard Lee URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-clear-thinking-by-hasard-lee/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T15:07:32.000Z Hasard Lee flew F-16s and F-35s for the U.S. Air Force, leading combat missions and commanding elite teams. However this book isn’t so much about flying, it’s about thinking clearly when it counts. Lee shares how fighter pilots are trained to make life-or-death decisions under pressure, and how those lessons can help you think better at work, in life, and under stress. Below are my notes and takeaways. ## Key Themes Lee breaks the book into three parts: 1. The Fundamentals of Clear Thinking 2. Decision-Making Under Pressure 3. Leadership and Mental Performance Each chapter offers stories from the cockpit, practical tools and decision-making rules that apply well beyond the military. ## Timeless Rules for Clear Thinking ### Decision-Making is a Learnable Skill Clear thinking isn’t talent - it’s training. - Pilots aren’t all born decisive. They develop processes, habits, and feedback loops. - Good outcomes don’t always mean good decisions. - Focus on the quality of the decision process—not the result. **Takeaway**: Debrief every decision. Ask: *What worked? What didn’t? What did I assume?* ### Task Saturation Kills Thinking Your brain can only handle so much. When you’re overloaded, it starts dropping tasks. - Task saturation is when cognitive load exceeds capacity. - Fighter pilots are trained to **shed low-priority tasks quickly**. **Use the Three Priorities Rule**: At any moment, know your **top three priorities**. Ignore the rest until bandwidth returns. ### Use the OODA Loop Observe → Orient → Decide → Act. Then repeat. - [Created by Colonel John Boyd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA%5Floop?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to train fighter pilots. - It’s a loop, not a line, you should cycle through it constantly. - Orientation (how you frame the problem) is often the weak link. **Tip**: Get faster by shortening your OODA loop, but don’t skip the orientation step. ### Apply the 80% Rule You rarely get full information. Waiting for it slows you down. - Make decisions once you have **80% of the info**. - In dynamic environments, speed > precision. A**sk**: Is this enough to move forward? If so, act. Adjust course later. ### Embrace Uncertainty You’ll never feel 100% ready, and that’s okay. - Ambiguity is the default setting in fast-paced work. - Action creates clarity. Indecision creates drag. **Mental shift**: Move from “I need all the facts” to “What’s the next best move?" ### Rehearse situations (“Chair Flying”) Pilots rehearse in their heads before every mission, to build readiness. - They don’t just visualise success, they also visualise what can go wrong. - It’s a kind of mental simulation with serious payoff. **Try this**: Rehearse your next pitch, meeting, or difficult conversation in detail. See it failing and succeeding. Prepare for both. ### Always Debrief Every mission ends with a no-blame debrief. - Focus on **what happened**, not **who’s to blame**. - You learn faster when the ego is removed. **Debrief Template** (Use this after presentations, projects, even personal decisions): - What was the objective? - What actually happened? - Why did it happen? - What will I/we do differently next time? ### Regulate Your Emotions Under Stress Fear, adrenalin, and panic hijack clear thinking. You need tools to stay composed. - Pilots train to notice their body’s signals and regulate their breathing. - Staying calm keeps your brain online when others freeze. **Box Breathing**: - Inhale for 4 seconds - Hold for 4 - Exhale for 4 - Hold for 4Repeat for 3–4 cycles to reset your system. ### Clarity Beats Complexity Complicated plans break down in motion. Simple always wins. - Clear communication ([extreme clarity](https://naomi.com/extreme-clarity-c977d38f56dc?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)), shared checklists, and plain language create alignment. - Complexity introduces confusion, especially under time pressure. **Do this**: When in doubt, simplify. Strip away jargon, focus on intent, and repeat your objective. ### Lead From Wherever You Are Leadership isn’t about title, it’s about mindset. - Junior pilots lead by showing up prepared, focused, and calm. - Great leaders reduce chaos and raise the standard. **Lead by example**: - Be direct without being blunt. - Stay mission-first, not ego-first. - Be the fastest learner in the room. ## Decision Making Tools Recap | **Tool** | **What it Helps With** | **How to Use** | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | | **Three Priorities Rule** | Focus | Limit yourself to three active priorities at any time | | **OODA Loop** | Fast, accurate decision-making | Cycle: Observe → Orient → Decide → Act | | **Chair Flying** | Preparation | Mentally rehearse success and failure | | **Debrief Checklist** | Learning from action | Review goals, outcomes, causes, improvements | | **Box Breathing** | Regulating stress | Inhale-Hold-Exhale-Hold (4 seconds each) | | **80% Rule** | Overcoming indecision | Act when 80% ready, refine later | ## Final Thoughts This book is a sharp, practical approach to decision-making. It’s ideal for people in fast-paced roles, operational managers, founders etc, but also offers tools anyone can use. Lee writes with clarity and purpose. No fluff. Just the lessons that matter. Key ideas worth remembering: - Decision-making is a trainable skill. - Mental rehearsal improves performance. - Debriefs accelerate learning. - Simplicity wins under pressure. - Clarity isn’t optional, it’s survival. I enjoyed this, it's a super simple book with some examples that were both interesting and relevant. I'm not sure how often I'll be box breathing in my office environment, but many of the rules and tools are relevant and useful in the workplace. I'm in complete agreement with the idea that clarity makes decisions easier, the payoff and impact is absolutely clear. ### Stuff that MattRs - #252 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-252/ Last updated: 2025-08-18T05:01:52.000Z 💡 ****Bonus:** 1000 icebreakers ready for your next meeting. [Generate one at random.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ice/) ### The Stuff: - **I never feel like I have done enough.** [How to stop productivity shame.](https://www.todoist.com/inspiration/productivity-shame?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - The **priority compass**, [a simple tool](https://labs.davidbauer.ch/priority-compass/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for individuals, teams and organisations to focus energy on what really matters. - [Stop Overcomplicating your life.](https://nosidebar.com/7-signs-youre-overcomplicating-your-life-and-how-to-stop/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Seven signs you may be making it difficult for yourself**, and how to stop it. - **The world won’t shut up**. [How to tackle the decline of focus.](https://blog.rescuetime.com/declining-focus-in-a-world-that-wont-shut-up/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (Bonus: [Seven habits to stay fully focused](https://hbr.org/2025/02/7-habits-to-stay-focused-in-a-world-full-of-distractions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - [Improve your social skills](https://www.improveyoursocialskills.com/basic-social-skills-guide?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A comprehensive guide to **the skills that drive human interaction.** - **Look after your brain**. [Seventeen ways to keep your head healthy. ](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/apr/30/the-experts-neurologists-on-17-simple-ways-to-look-after-your-brain?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Finally. [Dodge Everything](https://trickle.so/apps/dodge?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How long can you stay alive? My record is 65.4 seconds. --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What do I want permission to become? I want permission to… [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #83 - KCCO URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-83-kcco/ Last updated: 2025-08-17T10:59:47.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned how Keep Calm and Carry On became a sensation, SIXTY years after it was designed. [‘We had no idea of what it would become’: How Keep Calm and Carry On became a divisive 21st-Century phenomenonAfter a forgotten WW2 propaganda poster was discovered in 2000, it found an astounding new resonance in 21st-Century Britain.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-18.png)BBCTeja Lele![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0lv828g.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250805-how-keep-calm-and-carry-on-became-a-21st-century-phenomenon?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #34 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/34-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-08-17T10:04:09.000Z ### Updates An unusually busy week for me, I took a time off work and travelled to the UK to see family, friends and do some life admin. It was great to see everyone, and to bring the best of my original record collection back to Ireland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/077A5C92-5037-4963-B634-D70D4E5118D0_1_102_a.jpeg) A real highlight of the week was seeing my son DJ'ing at a nightclub in London on Thursday - a really good memory. **Reading**: Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan. ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is tinySketchbook III by kita kouhei, a percussionist and composer from Kyoto, Japan. As it suggests, this album is the third in a series of ambient soundscapes, all just a few minutes long that sound meticulously crafted. Each one is a like a collage of noises that sound organic and everyday, but together sound beautiful. It's worth seeking out the other tinySketchbook albums, and there are more superb ambient albums from kita. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Christian Löffler - Gary Numan - Natalie Lafourcade - Fever Ray - Mogwai - Meursault - Baxter Dury - Tamino - Tinariwen - John Foxx #weeknote ### Stuff that MattRs - #251 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-251/ Last updated: 2025-08-11T05:00:21.000Z 💡 Bonus: ****Is it time for a Career Boost?** 15 actions for growth that take just 15 minutes. [Download my free workbook](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/). ### The Stuff: - The [top five business communication skills](https://www.betterup.com/blog/business-communication-skills?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) you **need to develop**. Including what I think is [the #1 skill.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) *(via betterup)* - **Embrace being a fool.** [Philosopher Alain de Botton, On Confidence.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/on-confidence-alain-de-botton-and-the-school-of-life/) - [25 ways to use AI to power up your day](https://clickup.com/blog/chatgpt-hacks/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Some innovative ideas to make the AI of your choice work for you. *(via clickup)* - **Your brain's hard drive is full**. It’s time to [start a journal.](https://www.adrianhetman.xyz/your-brains-hard-drive-is-full-start-a-journal/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(via Adrian Hetman)* - [27 Notes On Growing Old(er).](https://www.ian-leslie.com/p/27-notes-on-growing-older?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Thoughts on the process of aging *(via Ian Leslie)* - Some [more free sites worth bookmarking](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/). (*Bonus -* [*here’s how I made that page*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/free-stuff-page-ai-no-code/)) ### Finally. [Foodguessr](https://www.foodguessr.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Can you guess where the dish of the day comes from? --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe your identity- who are you and how do you see yourself? What labels do you give yourself? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #33 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/33-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-08-21T09:37:44.000Z ### Updates Dublin has been kind to me this week - in the last 8 days, I've tried two new restaurants and both have been excellent. Last week we went to [Little Forest](https://littleforest.ie/?splash=skip&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) in Blackrock, which served up an excellent pizza and a really nice seafood risotto. Super stuff, and one we'll definitely visit again. On Friday night, I went to [Bar Italia](https://baritalia.ie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) on Ormond Quay in the City Centre, with a friend and colleague from my days at Microsoft. Some really excellent conversation alongside some lovely food - we both had superb pasta. Side project work has been slow (maybe all the lovely italian food) - but I'm making progress. I've decided to read a few fiction books to cleanse my palate a bit - so I'm currently reading Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan. ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week something new to me, from [Rebekka Karijord](https://rebekkakarijord.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) a Norwegian composer and musician who has just released 'The Bell Tower' on Bella Union. It's lovely stuff, formed entirely from human vocal samples, performed by the [Roomful of Teeth](https://www.roomfulofteeth.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ensemble. What emerges is a beautifully organic album, which refers to our ever changing world and the perils it faces over time. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Quadeca - Christian Löffler - Fever Ray - Marconi Union - For those I love - Dominik Eulberg - Rebekka Karijord - Erland Cooper - Kita Kouhei - Yutaka Hirose #weeknote ### TWIL #82 - Maths Genius URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-82-maths-genius/ Last updated: 2025-08-09T06:32:59.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a 17 year old recently solved a major mystery that has confounded mathematicians for 40 years. [At 17, Hannah Cairo Solved a Major Math Mystery | Quanta MagazineAfter finding the homeschooling life confining, the teen petitioned her way into a graduate class at Berkeley, where she ended up disproving a 40-year-old conjecture.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-2.png)Quanta MagazineKevin Hartnett![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/HannahCairo-cr-ValeriePlesch-Social.jpg)](https://www.quantamagazine.org/at-17-hannah-cairo-solved-a-major-math-mystery-20250801/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How I Built a Dynamic Bookmarks Page With AI and Zero Coding Skills URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/free-stuff-page-ai-no-code/ Last updated: 2026-01-12T14:46:39.000Z I am NOT a coder. Apart from some dabbling in HTML & CSS occasionally, I've never had the impetus to figure it out. However, recently I've looked at some challenges I've been trying to solve and realised that a competent programmer could probably sort them out. At the same time, I've been reading about how people are using AI to write code. Enter [Claude](https://claude.ai/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ## Too Much Good Stuff, Not Enough Sharing I've been using [Raindrop.io](https://raindrop.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to collect all the free tools, resources, and interesting finds I stumble across online. My collection had grown to hundreds of bookmarks, a trove of useful stuff that I wanted to share with readers. I posted some [static lists](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/february-free-sites-for-you-to-bookmark/), but they were a pain to maintain. What I really wanted was something dynamic. Something that would automatically pull from my collection and display it beautifully on my site. ## Vibecoding Mode I fired up a conversation with [Claude](https://claude.ai/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and started with a simple question: > "Can you help me embed my Raindrop.io bookmarks on my Ghost site?" What started as a basic API integration quickly turned into something much more interesting. ### First, the Basics We started simple – just pull bookmarks from the Raindrop.io API and display them. The Raindrop API was refreshingly straightforward for me to give access to my site. The output was unstyled, and a bit janky, and I seemed to have 5000 bookmarks! Once I sorted out the exact collection I wanted to display - I already had a 'free stuff' folder of bookmarks - I started to see how this could work for me. Basic stuff, but then some magic really kicked in. ### The Iterations That Made It Personal Whilst Claude was doing hard work, I turned into a Product Manager. Asking questions, testing the output and suggesting enhancements. Each small change made the tool feel more useful: **"Can we add tag filtering?"** – Because who wants to scroll through hundreds of bookmarks? **"Can we add a search bar?"** – Because sometimes you remember the tool but not which category you put it in. **"Can we move the tags to the top right?"** – Because the visual hierarchy felt off. **"Can we make the text 50% bigger?"** – Because readability matters. **"Can we change 'Loading Bookmarks' to 'Loading Free Stuff'?"** – Because this was *my* collection of free stuff, not just generic bookmarks. Each request was small, but together they transformed a basic API wrapper into something that felt crafted specifically for my needs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/image.png) Here's how the Free Stuff page looks today... ### The Technical Bits (For the Nerds) The final solution is really comprehensive for something that emerged from a vague idea: - **Real-time search** that filters by title, description, and tags - **Tag-based filtering** with a clean button interface - **Combined filtering** (search within a tag category) - **Responsive design** that works on mobile - **Custom styling** that matches Ghost themes - **We removed thumbnails** because they were just visual clutter The filtering is my favourite part of the solution - every time I add to Raindrop it prompts me to tag the URL, so having a filter for users to find what they need seemed a no-brainer. It's not fancy, but it works exactly how I wanted it to work. ## The Debugging Dance Of course, this process wasn't entirely smooth sailing. I hit a few snags along the way, and I hit a few limits - so there were some pauses and resets. But when something breaks, you keep moving. Just problem → solution → next problem, and lots of learning about prompting the AI in different ways. I've since learned how to head-off some of the problems in advance, and how to be more organised in my work to enable the AI to be a good partner. ## Why This Approach Works Looking back, what I enjoyed about this project evolved is that feature decisions were driven by actual use. I wasn't building for some theoretical user or trying to tick boxes on a feature list. I was building for me, right now, solving the exact problem I had, with very little delay. The result is a tool that I actually use and enjoy using. Every time I add a new bookmark to my Raindrop.io collection, it automatically appears on my [Free Stuff page](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). No manual updates, no stale content, no friction. And the best part? Other people seem to find it useful too. I've had several people reach out asking how they can implement something similar. ## What's Next? The tool is live and working great, but the journey never really stops. I'm already thinking about potential improvements: - Maybe add sorting options (date added, alphabetical) - Could be interesting to track click-through rates But I'm not in a rush. The current version solves my actual problem. Everything else can wait until I actually *need* it. ## Final Thoughts Sometimes the best solutions come from the simplest ideas. I began with 'I want to display some bookmarks on my blog' and ended up with a fully-featured content management integration that updates automatically and provides a great user experience. The key was staying focused on solving the immediate problem in front of me, not trying to build the perfect solution for everyone. Now, every time someone asks me for a tool recommendation, I can just point them to my [Free Stuff page](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/) and let them explore. The tools are always up-to-date, easily searchable, and nicely categorised. I expect that some will comment that I have cheated by using [Claude](https://claude.ai/new?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and that the code is probably not the most robust - but so far, it has functioned and if it's 'cheating' then so be it - I've used the tools available to build what I needed. *Want to see the tool in action? Check out my* [*Free Stuff collection*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/) *where you can search and filter through hundreds of useful (and actually free) tools and resources.* ### On Confidence - Alain De Botton and The School of Life URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/on-confidence-alain-de-botton-and-the-school-of-life/ Last updated: 2025-08-07T17:58:17.000Z I listened to this one ([via Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1mzESO9wGjqSk27XUN3oKE?si=eb12cc61e1344f8a&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) after it was pushed to me in an advert. It's a short audio-essay, just over an hour and read by the author Alain de Botton. I'm a fan of The School of Life publications, and we have a few of them on the shelf at home, they are always straight-forward and thought provoking. I enjoyed the brief nature of the 'read', just hitting the gap between a blog post and a book and leaving with you with some strong takeaways for a modest time investment. The core premise of the book is that confidence is a skill, not an innate trait. It can be learned through mindset shifts and daily practice. ## Key Insights ### 1\. Embrace Your Foolishness - We cling to dignity to avoid looking foolish - Accepting your idiocy frees you from fear of embarrassment - Daily reminder: *“I am a fool”* – it reduces anxiety and opens you up to growth ### 2\. Overcome Imposter Syndrome - Feeling like a fraud is universal - Imposter Syndrome is rooted in childhood and the belief that adults/others **never** struggle - Solution: understand that those at the top feel as flawed as you do - Recognise others have doubts, regrets, awkwardness too ### 3\. Challenge the System - Systems and authority often mislead or fail us - Relying too much on external approval undermines self-trust - Mature confidence means trusting your own judgment over flawed institutions ### 4\. History is 'now' - Confident individuals act as if history is still in the process of being made - Childhood shapes a belief that society is fixed and perfect - Realising history changes, and you can shape it, ignites boldness - Recognise passivity risks more than failure ### 5\. Reframe Setbacks & Enemies - Setbacks don’t signal failure, they signal a chance to grow - Self-sabotage often stems from fear of future disappointment or unworthiness - Adversaries often reveal more about their own insecurity than yours - Build resilience by understanding others’ judgement reflects them, not you ### 6\. Death - Hesitation is grounded in a sense of risk, every move is rooted in 'danger' - Inaction is not cost-free - Wasting our lives is even more scary ### 7\. Self Sabotage - We almost always seek our own happiness, however many of us act in ways that ruin our chances. - We are familiar with fear of failure, but we are also anxious about success - Is this rooted in not wanting to make our parents/carers jealous? ## Final Takeaways - Confidence grows from accepting your imperfection - Doubts, fears and imposter syndrome are signs you’re human, not failing - Real confidence comes from trusting yourself, not from the authority of others - History and opportunities are not fixed. You can drive change in small or large ways ## Practical Strategies to drive confidence - Build a personal success scrapbook: record wins, big or small. Revisit when confidence is below. - Start a comparison detox: avoid social comparison for a week or more ## Thought Provoking Journal Prompts - How often do you avoid new situations for fear of looking foolish? - When did you last view a failure as a step forward? - How could you remind yourself daily that others share your insecurities? - What small experiment could challenge your belief that your system is the only valid one? ## ### Stuff that MattRs - #250 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-250/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T05:00:04.000Z 💡 ****Bonus Stuff**: [Five Years, 250 Editions: What I've Learned from Writing a Weekly Newsletter](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/5-years-newsletter-writing-lessons-250-editions/) ### The Stuff: - Is your job bullshit?[Why Your Job Feels Pointless, and What To Do About It](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/bullshit-jobs-summary/) - The forty jobs MOST at risk from AI. [A report from Microsoft ](https://www.windowscentral.com/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-reveals-40-jobs-about-to-be-destroyed-by-and-safe-from-ai?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)that tells you if your career is safe. (*via Microsoft*) - Yo[u’re a manager now,](https://scottkosman.com/post/blog/so-youre-a-manager-now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and I hate to break to you but things are different. Advice for anyone making the transition. *(via Scott Kosman)* - The Neuroscience of Focus and [How to pay attention to things again](https://contemplationstation.substack.com/p/how-to-pay-attention-again-the-neuroscience). *(via Contemplation Station)* - [Failure to communicate.](https://another.rodeo/4-levels-comms/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The four levels of remote communication, or why your team forgets everything. *(via Another Rodeo)* - Be good to yourself. [Practical advice for being kind to yourself,](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/take-your-own-advice/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and listening to your own advice. *(via The Good Trade)* ### Finally. [Whittle.](https://playwhittle.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Take a letter away each turn, keep real words. How far can you go? --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What are your dominant thought patterns like? What phrases and self-talk occupy your mind, and where do they originate? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #32 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/32-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-08-03T10:17:44.000Z ### Updates A busy week at work, meant little time for side quests but I managed to get some writing done this week. I finished Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber - I enjoyed the ideas and the detailed research in the book, [my review is here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/bullshit-jobs-summary/) I also spent some time reflecting on nearly five years of running my newsletter and came up with a [list of things that I've learned along the way.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/5-years-newsletter-writing-lessons-250-editions/) I need to devote some time this week to the next release of [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) which still seems to be gathering new visitors. I need to spruce up the UI and add some more features. Oh - and I got see some live music last weekend... ### Live Music I went to see Glaswegian post-rock band Mogwai last weekend at Vicar Street in Dublin. My evening got off to an interesting start as I took the DART into the city and then promptly walked to Whelans before realising I was at the wrong venue! A quick cab later I got to Vicar Street in time to see most of the support act, Cloth. Mogwai took to the stage about 9.15 and played an excellent set from across their catalogue. The stage show is quite stark, allowing focus on the musicality and intensity of the sound. I was glad for my loopz earplugs to protect my hearing - it was a loud one! Setlist from [setlist.fm](https://www.setlist.fm/user/mattr?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and a few snaps from the show below: [![Mogwai Setlist Vicar Street, Dublin, Ireland, World Tour 2025](https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=5b5bdba0)](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/mogwai/2025/vicar-street-dublin-ireland-5b5bdba0.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk "Mogwai Setlist Vicar Street, Dublin, Ireland, World Tour 2025") [Edit this setlist](https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=5b5bdba0&step=song&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) | [More Mogwai setlists](https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/mogwai-6bd69a52.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/IMG_0910-Large.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/IMG_0901-Large.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/IMG_0914-Large.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/08/IMG_0904-Large.jpeg) ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is the new album from Fever Ray, a Scandinavian act founded by former singer of The Knife, Karen Dreijer. I'm a long time fan, and so this album is perfect - remixed and reperformed tracks from across three albums and put together for live (?) sessions. Highly recommended. ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Mogwai (Live) - Meursault - Depeche Mode - The Caretaker - Fever Ray - Dan Lacksman - Robyn - Ane Brun - Bjork - The Streets #weeknote ### Five Years, 250 Editions: What I've Learned from Writing a Weekly Newsletter URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/5-years-newsletter-writing-lessons-250-editions/ Last updated: 2025-08-08T15:24:59.000Z Do newsletters have birthdays? If they do, mine is about to turn five. It started with a layoff. When LinkedIn let me go five years ago, I wanted to stay connected with the incredible people I'd met there. So I did what any reasonable person does when facing professional uncertainty. I started a newsletter. The plan was simple. Share some interesting things I discovered each week. No grand vision, no monetisation strategy, just a way to maintain relationships and satisfy my own curiosity. Now, 250 editions later, I'm surprised by what this little experiment has taught me about writing, readers, and the strange alchemy of showing up consistently. Before I jump in, a reminder that [you can sign up here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/newsletter/) ### What 250 Weeks of Publishing Taught Me 1. **Consistency is your superpower.** Same day, same time, every week. This predictability isn't just about reader expectations—it's about personal discipline. What felt impossible in year one (where do I find the time?) became automatic by year three. *Routine transforms good intentions into reliable habits.* 2. **Simple workflows win.** I've tried every productivity hack and fancy tool. The setup that survived? A Google Doc where I dump interesting links in a format ready to paste into Ghost. I keep a few weeks' worth of potential content so I can choose what fits the moment. Anything more complicated turns writing from joy into work. 3. **Your readers' time is sacred.** I'm ruthless about what lands in my inbox, and I assume my subscribers are too. Every link, every story, every recommendation has to earn its place. If I wouldn't genuinely share it with a friend over coffee, it doesn't make the cut. Analytics help, but gut instinct matters more. 4. **Engagement beats vanity metrics every time.** Subscriber counts are seductive but misleading. They fluctuate like stock prices for reasons you can't control. What matters is connection: my open rate hovers around 60%, click-through rate around 30%. These numbers tell me people aren't just subscribed, they're actually reading. 5. **Evolution isn't betrayal.** My newsletter has shape-shifted dramatically, from 12 items to 10 to the current format of 6 carefully chosen pieces. From verbose explanations to smart brevity. From serious to playful and back again. I've tested daily formats, experimented with images, tried different voices. *Your readers want you to grow with them, not stay frozen in amber.* 6. **Reading is rocket fuel for curiosity.** The more I read for this newsletter, the hungrier I become for new ideas. It's created a positive feedback loop where research feeds writing feeds more research. I do have to occasionally declutter my feeds before the internet swallows me whole! 7. **Steal like an artist, write like yourself.** I'm not a natural writer. I've had to excavate my voice from years of corporate speak. Many of my ideas start elsewhere, then get filtered through my perspective and experience. Sometimes I worry it's not original enough. Then I remember that originality isn't about creating something from nothing, it's about honest interpretation. 8. **Too many ideas, too little time.** My drafts folder is a graveyard of good intentions. Hundreds of half-formed thoughts, promising starts, articles that might see daylight someday. *The bottleneck isn't inspiration, it's execution.* 9. **Temper your expectations (but don't abandon them).** Other newsletters make growth look effortless. Write it and they will come, right? *Reality is messier.* Some weeks you gain one subscriber. Some weeks you lose three. *Success is measured in years, not weeks.* 10. **The writing is the point.** Here's the truth: I don't know if anyone will read this. I write because thoughts in my head feel incomplete until they're shared. If my words help one person think differently or grow their career, that's enough. If not, the act of writing them was still worthwhile. ### What's Next? Five years in, the newsletter has become something I didn't expect, not just a way to stay connected, but a discipline that's shaped how I think. It's taught me to notice more, question more, and share more generously. Do newsletters have birthdays? Maybe not. But they definitely mark time in a way that matters. Here's to the next 250 editions, and to anyone looking to start their own weekly experiment. *Thank you for reading. If you're thinking about starting your own newsletter, consider this your permission slip to begin.* ## Grow YOUR career, today... One email per week. Every Monday. 100% free. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Why Your Job Feels Pointless, And What To Do About It URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/bullshit-jobs-summary/ Last updated: 2025-09-04T14:31:48.000Z **Do You Secretly Think Your Job Is Pointless?** David Graeber’s book *Bullshit Jobs: A Theory* struck a nerve. He claims millions of people are stuck in jobs they secretly believe shouldn’t exist. Not bad jobs. Not boring jobs. But jobs that serve no useful purpose at all. If that sounds extreme, keep reading. I'm breaking down the big ideas from Graeber’s book - so you can decide for yourself. ### What Is a Bullshit Job? Graeber defines a Bullshit job like this: > *A form of paid employment that is so completely pointless, unnecessary, or pernicious that even the employee cannot justify its existence—even though, as part of the conditions of employment, the employee feels obliged to pretend that this is not the case.* In other words: it’s not you that’s the problem. It’s the system. ### The 5 Types of Bullshit Jobs Graeber interviewed hundreds of workers across multiple sectors. He noticed a pattern, pointless jobs tend to fall into five categories: - **Flunkies.** Make others feel important. *Receptionists, admin staff who exist only for show.* - **Goons.** Advance the employer’s interest in aggressive or manipulative ways. *Lobbyists, PR, telemarketers.* - **Duct Tapers.** People who patch problems that shouldn’t exist in the first place. *Manual workarounds that hold processes together, fixing broken workflows no one addresses.* - **Box Tickers.** Roles that create the illusion of progress. *Filling out forms no one reads, managing KPIs no one uses.* - **Taskmasters.** Managers for people who don’t need managing - or who create more bullshit work. *Micromanagers, unnecessary team leads.* None of these roles are inherently evil. The issue is *pointlessness*. Even people in these jobs often say: “If I didn’t turn up for a week, nothing would change.” ### Why Do These Jobs Exist? You’d think capitalism would eliminate inefficiency. Graeber argues the opposite. - **Managerial status games.** Some leaders or managers hire more people to look powerful - regardless of need. - **Moral beliefs.** Society shames people who don’t work. So we’d rather people pretend to work than have free time. - **Broken incentives.** Bureaucracies reward busywork and budget-maximising, not usefulness. - **Cultural inertia.** We don’t question jobs that look like “work”. Even when they don’t do anything. Graeber calls it *managerial feudalism,* a bloated system where power and control matter more than impact. We've all seen this, and worked in places that we've thought of as 'feudal'. ### What It Does to People This is the bit that worried me the most. The impact that bullshit jobs have on workers. Many bullshit job holders aren’t lazy. They *want* to do something useful. But being stuck in a meaningless role comes at a cost: - Mental health issues - Feelings of shame or self-doubt - Disconnection from purpose - Quiet cynicism at work Graeber calls this a form of 'spiritual violence.' People are paid to pretend something pointless is meaningful - and this gradually wears people down. ### A Hidden Irony While millions feel trapped in fake jobs… The people doing **genuinely useful** work - nurses, carers, teachers are often underpaid, overworked, and undervalued. Graeber calls this '*moral inversion'*. The more your work helps people, the less society wants to pay you for it. Graeber includes data and tables to explain inversion. ### What Can We Do About It? Graeber believes in bold, systemic change. His main suggestion is **Universal Basic Income (UBI) -** so people don’t have to fake productivity just to survive. [I wrote a little about UBI before](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/universal-basic-income/), and there is plenty of scientific/social proof of the effectiveness of the system to lift people up. Maybe it's the revolutionary fix to work that we need? But short of revolution, here are three questions worth asking: - Does your work have visible, real-world impact? - If your role disappeared tomorrow, who would notice, and why? - If money weren’t a factor, what would you want to be doing? If you want to think more about purpose - then I'd recommend [Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-moral-ambition-by-rutger-bregman/). ### Final Takeaway Bullshit Jobs isn't just a takedown of corporate life, there are plenty of those to read. I saw this book as more of a call to action: > Stop pretending. > Start questioning. > Choose work that actually matters. That’s a conversation worth having. ### Stuff that MattRs - #249 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-249/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T05:00:01.000Z --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [The secrets to Career Success](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/25-career-success-secrets-you-wont-learn-in-school/) 25 methods they didn't teach you in school. - Most career advice is vague, outdated, or impossible to act on. - I've skipped the fluff, and shared a list that works. ### ✍🏼 [The plain sight productivity hack](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/productivity-hack-thats-literally-gathering-dust-your-pritchard-g4rsc/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The answer to ‘getting shit done’ could be lurking in your desk drawer. *(via LinkedIn)* - When did you last pick up a pen? - Find out how it can transform your productivity. ### 🪜 [Two Levels of the Org Chart](https://sriramk.com/two-levels-of-the-org-chart?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A tip for building great business/work relationships. *(via Sriram Krishnan)* - How to navigate the organisation with grace - Practical tips to build authentic relationships. ### ⛳️ [Are you amateur or professional?](https://fs.blog/amateurs-professionals/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) There are many differences between the two. *(via Farnam Street)* - If you want results, you need to act like a professional. - It all comes down to your approach. ### ☀️ [Top of the morning to you](https://www.mrporter.com/en-us/journal/lifestyle/33-ways-become-morning-person-wake-up-energy-24953418?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)! How to become a morning person. *(via Mr Porter)* - From preparation to hydration - Fifteen ways that you can seize the day ### 🗒️ [Notes to myself](https://seths.blog/2025/07/65-thoughts/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Seth Godin publishes 65 short thoughts. *(via Seth Godin)* - #14 and #49 are critical learnings. - Tons of wisdom from an absolute master. ### Finally. [Crowdle](https://crowdle.xyz/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). How many people can you see? Now do it quickly! --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What are your priorities? Do you think how you spend your days is in tune with those priorities? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### #31 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/31-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-07-27T08:34:04.000Z ### Updates I'm 21 days into using [Headspace](https://www.headspace.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for daily meditation, and each day the practice becomes a little easier and a bit more relaxing. The 15/20 minutes of peaceful breathing each morning is an enjoyable start to my day, and I can feel the benefits throughout the remainder of the day. I've spent some time working on 'Start Writing Now' this week, and I'm moving towards a V2 release with some new features - I'm really enjoying learning about the process of building an app. **(Still) Reading: Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber** ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is something new from Belgian/Iraqi electronica band 'Use Knife' and their 2025 album called État Coupable. It's a short album of electronica, using some field recordings and snippets of news (?) broadcasts that tell a story of friction between East and West. Some of this is a bit brutal - however it's an excellent listen and highly recommended. ### Watched Stuff Went to see the new F1 movie last week at the local cinema - lots of fun. [A ★★★★½ review of F1 (2025)Twenty of the best action heroes in the world, and they barely get a look in next to Brad… I loved this more than I expected I would, I worried that there would either be too much F1 for a film, or not enough F1 for a fan - but they got the blend just right. The in-car scenes were excellent, the cameos at the tracks were great and the story line was perfect Hollywood.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-19.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/f1-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/apjQFj?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - wet leg - Abul Mogard (exploring older albums) - Bloc Party - Beth Gibbons - Lorde - Clipse - Nick León - Anohni and the Johnsons - Lankum - The Black Dog #weeknote ### TWIL #81 - Moon Landing Customs Forms URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-81-moon-landing-customs-forms/ Last updated: 2025-07-27T05:00:28.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that Neil Armstrong had to complete a customs form to bring back rocks and dust from the moon. [Neil Armstrong’s customs form for moon rocksFormer University of Cincinnati professor Neil Armstrong and his crew mates from Apollo 11 had to sign this Moon Manifest for the U.S. Customs Service to bring![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-20.ico)University of Cincinnati![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/social.jpeg)](https://magazine.uc.edu/editors%5Fpicks/recent%5Ffeatures/armstrong/moonrocks.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 25 Career Success Secrets You Won’t Learn in School URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/25-career-success-secrets-you-wont-learn-in-school/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T13:16:01.000Z Most career advice is vague, outdated, or impossible to act on. I'm skipping the fluff, and sharing the list that I've been compiling in my notes. If you want to work with purpose, build a great reputation, and grow faster, this list is for you. These are the secrets no one teaches you. The habits, mindsets, and strategies that actually move the needle. Some might challenge how you think. Others will feel obvious—but you’re probably not doing them yet. Pick a few. Apply them this week. And if one of them shifts how you work—consider that your career already changed. Let’s get into it. --- ### ⚡ Mindset and Habits 1. **Own your growth.** No one cares about your development more than you. Be your own career manager. [More](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/want-to-grow-your-career-have-this-conversation-now/) 2. **Be relentlessly curious.** Ask questions. Read widely. Stay interested. It’ll keep you sharp and relevant. 3. **Stay uncomfortable.** Growth lives just outside your comfort zone. Lean into stretch assignments, new tools, and tough [feedback](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/). 4. **Build routines, not resolutions.** Daily [habits](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-tiny-experiments-by-anne-laure-le-cunff/) outperform yearly goals. Focus on small wins you can repeat. 5. **Be constructively dissatisfied.** Think like a value creator.Ask yourself: 'How can I make this better, faster, simpler, more valuable?' ### 💬 Communication and Influence 1. **Speak simply.** Don’t try to sound smart, aim to be understood. Clarity beats jargon every time. 2. **Over-communicate what matters.** Make your progress, priorities, and problems visible. Keep people in the loop. [Work in the open.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/) 3. **Tell stories, not just stats.** Make your work relatable and memorable. Stories move people, numbers back it up. 4. **Ask better questions.** Good questions make you stand out. Great ones make others think. Learn how to question with [precision](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/precision-questioning-skills/). 5. **Learn to say no (nicely).** Protect your time without burning bridges. [Boundaries show you’re serious](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/) about your impact. ### 🔗 Relationships and Reputation 1. **Be someone others want to work with.** Kind. Reliable. Curious. That combination opens more doors than talent alone. 2. **Invest in your network before you need it.** [Help others. Show up. Stay in touch. Show gratitude](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/). It’ll pay back in unseen ways. 3. **Manage up with intent.** Find ways to make your manager’s life easier. Anticipate what they need before they ask. 4. **Get noticed for the right things.** Don’t just work hard. Work on visible or valuable problems. Share credit generously. 5. **Don’t gossip, build trust.** Reputation spreads faster than performance. [Integrity is a long game.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/) ### 📈 Strategy and Progress 1. **Start with the outcome in mind.** Know what success looks like for *you*, not just your employer. 2. **Play the long game.** Every job is a step, not the destination. Learn transferrable skills you’ll carry forward. 3. **Track your wins.** Keep a brag file. It’s fuel for reviews, CVs, and motivation. 4. **Work on your career, not just in it.** Make space each week to reflect, plan, and explore next steps. 5. **Be your own brand.** What are you known for? What do people say when you leave the room? [More on personal brand.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/) ### 🔍 Learning and Feedback 1. **Treat feedback like free consulting.** Even when it stings, there’s gold in it. Ask for it often. [Learn how to give it. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) 2. **Learn faster than your environment changes.** Tech, teams, industries evolve. Keep up or get left behind. 3. **Find a mentor, and be one.** You learn twice when you teach, and people remember those who helped them rise. [More](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-questions-to-ask-before-hiring-a-career-coach/). 4. **Experiment, reflect, repeat.** Career clarity comes from action. Try things. Adjust. Keep moving. [More](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-tiny-experiments-by-anne-laure-le-cunff/). 5. **Know when to quit (or pivot).** Don’t cling to a title or path that’s no longer working. You owe yourself more. ### Stuff that MattRs - #248 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-248/ Last updated: 2025-07-21T05:00:58.000Z --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [Giving feedback in the workplace](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/giving-feedback-in-the-workplace-a-managers-guide-to-building-trust-and-performance/) A recap on techniques and tricks for giving feedback. - A critical skill that can propel your career forward. - Practical advice and guidance all in one place. ### 🔎 [Extreme Clarity](https://naomi.com/extreme-clarity-c977d38f56dc?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Level up how you communicate, every single day. *(via Naomi Gleit)* - The skill you can develop with a simple set of rules. - This short article has a huge pay-off that everyone can benefit from. ### 🪙 [Get what you deserve](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ask-your-boss-what-you-deserve-jacob-li/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How to conquer the fear of asking for what you want. *(via LinkedIn)* - Asking for a raise or promotion is scary - Practical methodologies to deal with fear of asking. ### 🧘🏼 [How are you?](https://weshouldgettogether.com/blog/how-to-reply-to-how-are-you?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) And more importantly, how do you reply to that question. *(via weshouldgettogether)* - This is for you if you find it hard to answer ‘how have you been’? - Some practical suggestions to tackle what should be an easy question. ### 🙌🏼 [Four steps to rediscover joy](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/crazy-for-life/202506/use-this-4-step-approach-to-find-balance-rediscover-joy?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A simple framework for finding balance and reconnecting. *(via Psychology Today)* - The 4 R's can help you enrich your life - Practical guidance to help implement a simple process. ### 🗞️ [40 good things](https://jason.energy/40-for-40/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A really good set of principles for life. *(via Jason Energy)* - Forty great pieces of advice in here. - #38, #15 and #30 are really important rules ### Finally - [Cobble](https://wilf.live/cobble/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A fiendish word game that will keep you coming back for more! --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is your favorite way to start the day? What makes you feel energised and peaceful? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### Giving Feedback in the Workplace: A Manager’s Guide to Building Trust and Performance URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/giving-feedback-in-the-workplace-a-managers-guide-to-building-trust-and-performance/ Last updated: 2025-07-20T10:46:00.000Z Most managers know feedback matters. Fewer feel confident giving it. Done well, feedback improves performance and builds trust. Done poorly—or not at all—it creates confusion, frustration, and silence. This piece explores why feedback is hard, what happens when you avoid it, and how to deliver it in a way that improves both your team’s outcomes and working relationships. ### **Why Feedback Feels Difficult** Even experienced managers hesitate. You second-guess yourself. You worry it’ll be taken the wrong way. You convince yourself it’s not a big deal. But the hesitation usually comes down to four things: - Worry about upsetting the person - Uncertainty about how to say it - Fear of damaging the relationship - No clear model for doing it well ### **What Happens When You Avoid It** Avoiding feedback doesn’t make a problem go away. It just allows it to spread. You’ll often see: - Ongoing behaviour issues - Unspoken tension - Lower engagement - Missed learning opportunities ### **Let’s Ground This in a Real Example** You manage Chris, a senior analyst. Sharp, reliable, and full of ideas. Recently, they have been dominating team meetings—cutting off colleagues and dismissing input. Junior staff disengage. You know it’s affecting the dynamic. But you’re wary of knocking their confidence. Chris is high-performing. You don’t want to lose trust. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Discriminations by AC Grayling URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/discriminations-by-ac-grayling/ Last updated: 2025-07-20T09:55:55.000Z I read A.C. Graylings Discriminations as a companion book to Ash Sarkars - Minority Rules. I was looking for a more academic, and slightly less personal view of the Culture Wars discussion. By reading both, I think I have found a balance that I am comfortable with. I'll compare the two books later. *Discriminations* is a collection of essays that takes a slightly more academic and historical view of the contributing factors to culture wars. In this spirit the essays urge us to apply intellectual rigour to everything from free speech to war, education, and the purpose of philosophy itself. Written over decades and re-edited for this collection, the book showcases Grayling’s range as a public philosopher. He moves between abstract ethical dilemmas and real-world events, often linking the two. I got the sense that the author is disappointed in the lack of critical thinking applied in modern life. This book took me a while to read, at home and whilst traveling. I spent a fair amount of time looking up words and finding explanations of latin words and phrases. However the book is rigorous and thorough, and I felt I learned a lot as I went. ## Key Themes ### 1\. Moral Philosophy in Everyday Life Grayling’s central concern is how to live a good life in a complex world. He returns to questions of individual responsibility and civic duty. What does it mean to be a citizen rather than a subject? How should we treat others in a pluralistic society? What rights do we hold, and what duties do we owe? In “The Ethics of Belief,” for instance, Grayling argues that holding unjustified beliefs isn’t just a private failing, it’s a public danger. When citizens believe nonsense, democracies suffer, we can see this happening in real time. ### 2\. Freedom of Expression and Its Limits Several of the chapters take on the ever-contentious topic of free speech. Grayling defends it strongly, but not unconditionally. He draws careful lines between unpopular ideas (which deserve protection) and incitement or hate speech (which do not). His position is best summed up in a repeated idea: “You have the right to speak; others have the right to disagree.” ### 3\. War, Human Rights, and Global Justice Some of the strongest essays in the collection are those written in response to global events. Grayling reflects on Iraq, Guantánamo Bay, and humanitarian interventions. He examines the failures of Western governments with clarity. His essay on torture is a standout: calm, devastating, and entirely grounded in liberal principles. These essays also show a deep humanism. He argues that rights are universal, not Western. He makes the case that we must judge actions, not only by cultural context, but by moral standards that apply across borders. ### 4\. Education, Reason and the Life of the Mind Grayling is passionate about education, not just as a tool for job-readiness but as the bedrock of democracy. He writes about the value of critical thinking and philosophy. “We teach young people how to pass exams, but not how to live.” He reserves particular criticism for political interference in universities and curriculum design. In one essay, he calls for a renewed focus on humanities and ethics, arguing that current education focus alone cannot prepare us for the moral decisions we face in public and private life. ### Comparing Discriminations & Minority Rule Throughout this book, I was comparing against [Ash Sarkars - Minority Rule which I read (and reviewed) earlier this year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-review-minority-rule-by-ash-sarkar/). I made some notes as I was reading Discriminations on the difference between the two approaches to the same subject. As Grayling brings calm, Ash Sarkar brings heat. *Minority Rule* explores many of the same questions—freedom, justice, identity—but from a different angle. Where Grayling speaks from the liberal centre, Sarkar writes from the radical left. Sarkar focuses on the lived experience of marginalised groups in Britain. She critiques the systems that uphold inequality: policing, media, borders. The tone of Minority Rule is urgent, sometimes angry, always personal. Grayling speaks in more general principles, Sarkar speaks from the margins. Both writers value clarity and truth, but their audiences differ. Grayling appeals to a more rational citizen. Sarkar speaks to the disillusioned, the unheard, the politicised minority. She demands structural change. Grayling hopes for better reasoning within the system. They disagree on method—but not on the need for moral clarity. Reading them side by side is powerful. One offers a map of how we got here. The other lights a match. ### #30 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/30-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-07-20T09:45:56.000Z ### Updates A super busy week in the day job, meant a few late evenings that slowed down my work on [the side project](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did manage to spend a few hours refactoring the code and making something a little more lean and robust. On Monday, we went to see [The Cave at the Abbey Theatre](https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats-on/the-cave/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), a play that tells the story of two brothers living in a cave in the hills near Sligo. It's an odd story, about mental health and brotherly connection - and featured Tommy Tiernan and Aaron Monaghan as the lead roles. My [quiz team played the final game of this season on Wednesday night](https://quizcentral.net/qc/Online%5FQuiz%5FLeague%5FUK?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and despite a loss - we picked up a 'close defeat' bonus and escaped relegation - it's the first time in a while that we've been in a relegation battle - so it was good to stay up in Div 3! In other news - I've kept the daily meditation practice going and I'm really enjoying that quiet time each day. **Reading: Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber** ### Recommended Music My musical recommendation this week is the latest album from the always excellent '[The Black Dog](https://www.theblackdogma.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)' - an electronica/ambient band from Sheffield in the UK. 'My Brutal Life 2' continues their reflections on time spent observing the Brutalist architecture of their home city. It's full of gentle, reflective and sometimes foreboding analog sounds that transport you to an era of futuristic promise. There is a consistent thread in this music back to the stuff that formed my taste back in the late seventies and eighties - John Foxx, Cabaret Voltaire, Human League and Gary Numan all share a lineage here. I absolutely love hearing this sound continue forward. Highly recommended. ### Watched Stuff Caught a couple of movies over the last week - as well as draining the first series of Mobland on Paramount TV. [A ★★★★ review of Lee (2023)Excellent biopic of wartime photographer Lee Miller... great cast, with Kate Winslet, Andy Samberg, Marion Cottiard and Josh O’Connor all putting in a great shift was we move from 1930’s France, to London and then back to France/Germany at the end of the Second World War. Really enjoyed this…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-17.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/zxF6LtaYPyBSk8N6ngdqGowhw2W-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/ap5b6f?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★ review of The Commitments (1991)Late night rewatch of the Alan Parker classic - seen through slightly different eyes now that I live in modern Dublin. Huge amount of fun, the music scenes really stand the test of time.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-18.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/the-commitments-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/ap5dAV?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - wet leg - Abul Mogard (exploring older albums) - Bloc Party - Beth Gibbons - Lorde - Clipse - Nick León - Anohni and the Johnsons - Lankum - The Black Dog #weeknote ### TWIL #80 - secret languages URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-80-secret-languages/ Last updated: 2025-07-20T05:00:41.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there was a secret British language that helped beat the Nazis in the [Channel Islands.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel%5FIslands?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [The secret British language that was used to outwit the NazisVery few people outside the island know that Jersey has its own language – or that it was cannily used as a clandestine code during German occupation in WW2.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-17.png)BBCOliver Berry![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0g0tw5h.jpg)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20230716-jerrais-the-secret-british-language-that-was-used-to-outwit-the-nazis?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #247 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-247/ Last updated: 2025-07-14T05:00:37.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ How to feel better and achieve your goals| ✅ Discover Switchtracking | ✅ Using AI for productivity - a leaders guide | ✅ Build a Pyramid Shaped Career | ✅ Non Sleep Deep Rest | ✅ 50 ways to unplug and feel human again | 🔗 Outlier --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [How to feel better and achieve your goals.](https://bakadesuyo.com/2025/04/hope/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love this principled approach to hope *(via Bakadesuyo)* - Discover how you pick goals can drive your success - Learn how to identify multiple pathways to get where you want to go. ### 🔌 [Discover Switchtracking](https://www.npr.org/2015/09/22/434597124/trying-to-change-or-changing-the-subject-how-feedback-gets-derailed?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Understanding how your brain handles feedback. *(via NPR.org)* - Insights into a mental tactic we often don’t know we’re using. - Superb advice on processing feedback in real time. ### 🤖 [Using AI for productivity - a leaders guide](https://barryoreilly.com/explore/blog/optimizing-personal-productivity-with-ai-a-leaders-guide/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Stop thinking about the tools you use - start with the tasks you do *(via Barry O'Reilly)* - How AI can be a critical part of your workflow - If you are looking for hacks, look elsewhere - this is more important. ### 🛕 [Build a pyramid shaped career](https://jackdanger.com/pyramid-shaped-career/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The traditional career path is changing. *(via Jack Danger)* - Climbing the ladder is harder nowadays, and a trap - Building a solid, wide foundation is the way forward. ### 💤 [Non-Sleep Deep Rest](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/prescriptions-for-life/202505/non-sleep-deep-rest-replace-lost-sleep-and-reduce-anxiety?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A simple, free tool/video that can calm your nervous system and create rest. *(via Psychology Today)* - A science and evidence based stress reduction tool. - Replenishes dopamine and reduces cortisol. ### 🧘🏼‍♀️ [50 ways to unplug and feel human again](https://www.insidehook.com/mental-health/analog-life-50-ways-unplug-feel-human-again?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some fantastic suggestions for taking some time out to reset. *(via Insidehook)* - There is important life beyond the infinite scroll. - I love the concept of finding devices that do one thing well. ### Finally - [Tap the tile that doesn’t match](https://outlier.land/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), but go fast! --- ### Below the Fold ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What are some comfortable aspects of your life that you sometimes take for granted? Use your writing to appreciate them fully [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and movie & book recommendations. 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #79 - a million bucks URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-79-a-million-bucks/ Last updated: 2025-07-13T05:00:35.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that counting $1,000,000 dollars is not as easy as you might think. [The Fed says this is a cube of $1M. They’re off by half a million. - Calvin LiangTrust me, I counted.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-19.ico)Calvin LiangCalvin Liang![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/cover.D1AXFeVc.png)](https://calvin.sh/blog/fed-lie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #29 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/29-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-07-12T14:12:14.000Z ### Updates A week in Dublin, and something of a gentle 'heatwave' has made the city feel bright and alive this week. I even saw a 'pirate' ship in Killiney Bay (above). I spent more time on [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- my micro-journaling app. Over 1000 unique users visited the site this week, which was very gratifying. I have a ton of ideas for enhancements, which I'm gently working on at the moment. This is a great learning journey! I finished reading The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh - [review here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-living-by-thich-nhat-hanh-review/) **Reading: Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber** ### Recommended Music My recommendation this week is another beautiful and gentle album; A Dawning, by Olafur Arnalds and Talos. This is work that was in progress before the sad and untimely death of Talos (Cork based musician Eoin French) in August 2024\. The eight tracks here, combine work from both musicians and vocals from Talos and some other artists. It's a wonderfully thoughtful and gentle collection that peaks with an ensemble piece that includes Niamh Regan and Ye Vagabonds. Highly recommended. ### Watched Stuff Caught a couple of movies over the last week - as well as a whole bunch of tennis! [A ★★★★ review of Heads of State (2025)An absurd premise - The US president is played by someone more famous in wrestling and the UK Prime Minister is a dour Arsenal fan. Wait a minute... When Cena and Elba find themselves behind enemy lines and facing a threat, they need to work together like never before. Wildly absurd, quite funny in places.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-15.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Vm9bGGBRqu4gp2EcmXf07gr9cp-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/aef8mb?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★★ review of The Amateur (2025)Rami Malek plays a slightly disassociated computer geek, who spends most of his time hunched over a laptop as he plots revenge for losing a loved one. Like a really nerdy Bourne. There were a few holes in the plot here, some 0-100 leaps in assumption that didn’t make sense - but, the hackery and f\*ckery that go on are fun. Excellent Friday night escapism that I enjoyed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-16.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/qV4rDtBqloOn8H3G1OfePlN0A9R-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/aiwExP?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Olafur Arnalds & Talos - Abul Mogard - Rival Consoles - The Swell Season - Erland Cooper - Kae Tempest - Richard Ashcroft - Placebo - Nadah El Shazly - The Cure #weeknote ### The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-living-by-thich-nhat-hanh-review/ Last updated: 2025-07-12T11:20:55.000Z If you’re feeling scattered, stretched thin, or simply worn out by the noise of modern life, *The Art of Living* offers a gentle way back to yourself. It's written by the late Thich Nhat Hanh - Zen master, poet, and peace activist, and often referred to as 'The father of mindfulness'. This book doesn’t shout or try to impress. It quietly invites you to come home. Not to a place, but to the present moment. Each chapter has maybe a story or some general advice, ends with one or two short meditations - things like mindful breathing, deep looking, or just silently observing your thoughts. There is very little religious content here, although Thich does reference Bhuddism - but I did feel the book was spiritual, and some ways quite connected to stoicism. Here’s what stood out for me. ### A book to be felt, not analysed This isn’t a book you read in one go. I carried this with me, and read chapters on my commute or over coffee. Each chapter blends mindfulness practice with reflections on impermanence, death, consciousness, and interbeing (a concept central to Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching—more on that below). What struck me most wasn’t the content itself. It was the way the book *feels*. Calm, spacious and kind. ### Core idea: You don’t have to wait to live fully The title isn’t a metaphor. *The Art of Living* really is about how to live in the here and now. You don’t need to “fix” yourself first. You don’t need to buy more time. You just need to stop running. Some key points: - **Life is only available in the present moment.** When you breathe mindfully, you’re already home. - **There’s no separation between body and mind.** Nourish one, and you help the other. - **You don’t have to fear death.** Nothing truly disappears. It just transforms. These might sound abstract, but in context they land differently. ### Interbeing: a beautiful, practical concept At the heart of the book is the idea of *interbeing*. It means we don’t exist as isolated selves. We’re made of non-us elements - sunlight, water, ancestors, culture, kindness. A cloud becomes rain, becomes tea, becomes you. This isn’t just poetic. It’s practical. Thich references the science we know in our brain, but connects it with the heart. - **Feeling overwhelmed?** Pause and sense how connected you are. - **Caught in anger**? Look more deeply. See the suffering beneath it—in yourself and others. - **Struggling with loss?** Remember: nothing is ever truly gone. It doesn’t remove pain, but it changes how you relate to it. ### Meditation as everyday life This isn’t a guide to long sessions with your legs crossed. It’s about bringing mindfulness into everything you do. - **Walking to work?** Be aware of your feet. - **Washing the dishes?** Feel the water. - **Talking to a loved one?** Really listen. The aim isn’t perfection. It’s presence, which, he says, is the true miracle—not walking on water, but walking on the Earth with awareness. You don’t need a retreat. You just need to notice what’s already here. Thich has another book about creating a personal retreat, I've added it to my list. ### **His writing voice: soft, clear, reassuring** There’s no flash here. No jargon. No pressure. The words are simple, but never simplistic. I felt like he was speaking directly to me. Not as a guru, but as someone who’s been where you are (in fact much worse places) and has learned how to find peace in the middle of it. Some lines that stayed with me: - 'You have an appointment with life. That appointment is now.' - 'When you are breathing mindfully, you are already practicing resurrection.' - 'Let go of the notion that you are a separate self.' You could write each one on a sticky note and let it work on you for a week. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/07/1--1-.jpeg) ### Not a how-to book—and that’s the point If you’re looking for a structured programme or checklist, this isn’t it. There’s no “7 steps to peace”. No diagrams. No chapter summaries. And yet it’s more useful than many self-help books I’ve read. Because it gave me *space*—to reflect, to slow down, to feel. That space is often where real change begins. ### Small shifts that stayed with me Here are a few things I am trying to do differently since finishing the book. - **I've restarted my Headspace daily meditation practice.** I did that a while ago, and found it very enjoyable, this week I did it every day and can already feel the basic benefits of a short time of mindfulness every day. - **I notice my feet when I walk.** It pulls me out of my head. Thich talks about mindful walking; the art of focusing your footsteps and being present in every step. - **I try to acknowledge my anxiety instead of fighting/supressing it.** That alone has softened how it shows up. I had a moment this week when I was doing something that would typically make me very uncomfortable, saying 'hello' to the anxiety helped me. These aren’t huge moves, but they can make a difference. ### A few limitations (depending on what you’re looking for) - If you want strong narrative or deep psychology, this book doesn’t offer it. - Some ideas (like reincarnation or energy continuation) may not land if you’re sceptical of spiritual frameworks. - The structure can feel a bit loose. It drifts more than it drives. These points didn't distract me, the overall tone and message was enough. ### Final thought: read it like a conversation, not a manual I finished *The Art of Living* slowly, over several days, each time I picked it up, I felt a little more grounded. It reminded me that peace doesn’t come from mastering your schedule, fixing your flaws, or achieving enlightenment. It comes from stopping, breathing, listening. And remembering that this moment, just as it is, is enough. ### Would I recommend it? Yes, especially if you’re feeling burned out, pulled in too many directions, or just want to reconnect with something quieter inside you. It won’t solve your problems, but it might change how you hold them, and sometimes, that’s all you need. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/07/1--3-.jpeg) ### Stuff that MattRs - #246 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-246/ Last updated: 2025-07-07T05:00:31.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Micro Journaling: Why 3 minute sessions work| ✅ How to run a project | ✅ Don't set goals, create limits | ✅ How to rest without guilt | ✅ Save your Brain | ✅ Be Kind to Yourself | 🔗 Timdle --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [Micro-Journaling: Why 3 minute sessions work](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/) I’ll help you unlock the secret to journaling. - Journaling has multiple benefits for your career and life in general. - I’ve even built [the tool to get you started](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ### 💪🏼 [How to run a project](https://www.benkuhn.net/pjm/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Super practical guide to an essential skill. *(via BenKuhn)* - Excellent principles for running large projects. - The (over)communicate step is essential learning. ### 🥅 [Don’t set goals, create limits](https://www.joanwestenberg.com/p/smart-people-don-t-chase-goals-they-create-limits?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Goals are for games, constraints are for worlds. *(via Joan Westernberg)* - Decide when to use a goal or create a constraint. - Practical advice on doing things differently. ### 💤 [How to Rest without Guilt](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/urban-survival/202503/how-to-rest-without-guilt?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Rest isn’t a waste of time - it's a necessary step towards success. *(via Psychology Today)* - Find and keep times for active rest. - Stay engaged and restore your energy. ### 🧠 [Save your brain](https://thegrowtheq.com/save-your-brain-a-digital-survival-guide/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A digital survival guide for modern times. (via The Growth Equation) - Every one of us is on our phones or digital devices too much. - Six practical ways to reduce distractions. ### 👌🏼 [Be kind to yourself](https://zenhabits.net/self-care/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Do something caring for yourself, each day. *(via Zen Habits)* - Why it’s important to show some self-care. - Just a little time looking after #1 is worthwhile. ### Finally - [Timdle](https://www.timdle.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Build a timeline of historical events. Score Points. Harder than it sounds! --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and some pictures from a superb live show. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What can I learn about myself through moments of uncertainty? [Start Writing Now.](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #78 - Fireworks URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-78-fireworks/ Last updated: 2025-07-06T08:47:47.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that all the fireworks have different names, and there are way more than I expected! [Types of Fireworks Effects - Keystone FireworksBrocade – A spider like effect in the sky, much like fine lace. The brocade effect is generally a silver tail effect, and is brighter than the willow or tiger... Continue Reading![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/footer-logo.png)Keystone Fireworkskshaub![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/fireworks-post.jpg)](https://keystonefireworks.com/news/types-of-fireworks-effects/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Now - July 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now-july-2025/ Last updated: 2025-07-05T13:32:02.000Z I'm living in Dublin, Ireland. I ***love*** my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. - I started an [email newsletter four years ago called "Stuff that MattR's"](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. - I just launched [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) a frictionless journaling app that reduces procrastination and gets you journaling quickly. [Here's why I did this. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/) - I run a [30-day journalling challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). A free service to help you start your journaling practice. - In 2024 I launched [Build Your Best Year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) \- a simple and free service to help you plan your best year ever. - To help my own journalling practice, I've started writing [Weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/weeknote/) on my blog, inspired by Giles Turnbull - [Doing Weeknotes](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I still DJ a little bit, [all of my DJ Mixes are available here](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the latest and best is [The Stack #10\. ](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/stack-10-summertime-badness/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - In 2025, I'll post new music nearly [every day to a list on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=f81a1457b5254646&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did the same in [2024](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=65d3ed3d8fc04ac1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [2023](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nKbhvL8ZbH346FrxFkQwW?si=89b25f5f641c4b8d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - I compile and update an every growing list of music for focus and relaxation - it's called [FlowStuff and you can find it here!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) - I make amazing mixtapes. You can [get involved here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/) - I spend my days working at [Meta](https://about.meta.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as a Global Head of Change Management, I'm part of a team helping people stay safe on our platforms. ### #28 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/28-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-07-05T12:51:31.000Z ### Updates A week in Dublin - great to be back to some semblance of a routine. I spent the evenings this week working on a project I had been designing/defining in my notebook on recent travels, and this weekend I'm shipping/launching! The project is [startwriting.now](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- it's a micro-journaling app. [I explain the background to the app here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/), and how I built it. I'd love you to test it out and let me know what you think. We went to see Lana Del Rey on Monday night at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, it was a slightly odd (and short) gig - but she has a great voice and some excellent songs. I would have liked a few more of them! **Reading: The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh** ### Recommended Music My recommendation this week is a beautiful new album from Abul Mogard entitled Quiet Pieces. It does what it says on the tin, 6 stunning pieces of ambient electronica, with deep drones and gentle keyboards throughout. Superb music, which I already added to the ever growing [flowstuff](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) playlist. Highly recommended. ### Watched Stuff Last week, I only caught one movie, Havoc - starring Tom Hardy. Here's my short thoughts about it... [A ★★★½ review of Havoc (2025)Look at his face. Battered, bruised, grazed and grumpy. It’s exactly how I felt after I watched this 150mph ride through the nastier looking streets of Chicago (?). It had all the elements required of it, triadish gangs, car chases, bent coppers and those guns that NEVER seem to run out of bullets. All of that said, I kind of enjoyed it - Tom Hardy’s American accent aside. (They could have got Jon Bernthal and saved a voice coach) Utter nonsense, but good Sunday evening entertainment![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-14.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_4746-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/aaGotZ?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Little Simz - Lorde - Adrian Quesada - Mogwai - Hayden Pedigo - Duran Duran - Human League - Abul Mogard - Rival Consoles - Kae Tempest #weeknote ### Micro-Journaling: Why 3 minute sessions win URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/micro-journaling-3-minute-sessions/ Last updated: 2025-07-05T10:29:18.000Z I've tried to start journaling probably a dozen times over the years. Each attempt followed the same pattern: buy a beautiful notebook, commit to writing "meaningful reflections" every day, manage it for about a week, then watch the notebook gather dust on my shelf. The problem wasn't motivation. It was friction. ## The Journaling Paradox Traditional journaling advice sets you up for failure. "Find a quiet time each morning." "Write three morning pages." "Dig deep into your emotions." For most of us, this creates a barrier. Who has a quiet hour? What if you can't think of 750 words? What if you just want to capture a quick thought without diving into existential philosophy? > What if you just need a small nudge? I realised I needed something different: a way to write that was so frictionless, so quick, that I couldn't make excuses not to do it. ## Benefits of Micro-Journaling The research on habit formation is clear: the easier you make a behavior, the more likely you are to stick with it. James Clear talks about ["two-minute rules"](https://jamesclear.com/how-to-stop-procrastinating?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) in Atomic Habits. BJ Fogg's research at Stanford shows that [tiny behaviours](https://tinyhabits.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) create lasting change. But most journaling apps ignore this completely. They're designed for people who already love writing, not for people trying to build the habit. > So I built something different. ## Introducing startwriting.now [**startwriting.now**](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is a micro-journaling app that removes every possible barrier between you and writing: ### How startwriting.now Works 1. **You see a random writing prompt** (no decision paralysis) 2. **Start typing** (the 3-minute timer begins automatically) 3. **Write freely** (no pressure for perfection) 4. **Save or copy when done** (or let the timer run out) That's it. No accounts, no subscriptions, no complex features to learn. ### Why 3 Minutes? I tested different durations and found 3 minutes hits the sweet spot: - **Long enough** to move past surface thoughts - **Short enough** that you can't procrastinate - **Feels achievable** even on busy days ### The science behind micro-journaling **Prompt-driven writing** eliminates blank page syndrome. Instead of "What should I write about?" you're responding to something specific like "What's something you're curious about right now?" **Auto-starting timers** remove decision friction. The moment you start typing, you're committed. No "Should I start the timer now?" overthinking. **Streak tracking** leverages our natural desire for consistency. There's something satisfying about seeing "🔥 7 day streak" that makes you want to keep going. **Dark mode by default** creates a focused, distraction-free environment that feels more like a thinking space than a productivity tool. ## Real Benefits of Micro-Journaling Since using this approach, I've noticed: **Consistency**: I've written more in the past month than in the previous year of traditional journaling attempts. **Clarity**: Three minutes is enough to capture important thoughts without getting lost in rabbit holes. **Less pressure**: Knowing it's just 3 minutes makes it feel like a quick check-in rather than a major commitment. **Better insights**: Sometimes the best reflections come from constraints, not unlimited time. ## Built for Real Life I designed this for people like me who want the benefits of journaling without the overhead: - **No app downloads** \- works in any browser - **No accounts required** \- your entries save locally - **Mobile-friendly** \- write on your phone during commutes - **Completely private** \- nothing leaves your device unless you choose to export - **100% free** \- I'm not charging to use this. I'll deal with monetisation later ## The Technical Story Building this was surprisingly straightforward. Sometimes the best products solve simple problems with simple solutions: - **100 carefully curated prompts** covering life and career and including gratitude, reflection, creativity, and growth - **Automatic timer** that starts when you begin typing - **Streak tracking** that motivates without being pushy - **Clean, distraction-free interface** that gets out of your way - **Pleasant chime** when your session completes (because small celebrations matter) ## Try It Yourself I believe micro-journaling could be the key to making writing a sustainable habit for people who've struggled with traditional approaches. **Try it now:** [**startwriting.now**](https://startwriting.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) No signup required. Just pick a prompt and start writing. See if 3 minutes might be all you need. ## What's Next? This is just the beginning. Based on how people use it, I'm considering: - Custom timer lengths for different preferences - Prompt categories for specific types of reflection - Better export options for those who want to keep long-term records - Team features for workplace wellness programs But for now, I'm focused on one thing: making it as easy as possible for anyone to start writing. Because sometimes the best way forward isn't a grand gesture. Sometimes it's just three minutes and a single prompt. > **Have you tried micro-journaling? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this approach - drop me a line or try the app and let me know what you think.** ### Stories of Ireland by Brian Friel URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stories-of-ireland-by-brian-friel/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T04:55:26.000Z *This was a recent holiday read, I always try to take something that reminds me of home as a perverted placebo for homesickness. There is something about reading of the mist of Ireland, or the home counties of England whilst sitting in the sunshine that appeals to me.* I picked up Stories of Ireland not really knowing what to expect. I knew Brian Friel by name as a playwright (Dancing at Lughnasa), but I hadn’t read any of his fiction. This collection of short stories changed that. These are quiet, slow-burn stories. Not much 'happens' in a big dramatic sense, but the stories stay with you. Friel has a way of capturing small moments, a glance, a silence, a decision not to speak and letting them reveal something much bigger. None of the stories have twists or big resolutions. They’re about people, place, and what gets left unsaid. The tales are set in rural Ireland, Donegal featuring heavily. There are farmers, schoolteachers, civil servants, people trying to hold their lives together with limited options and even fewer words. Friel never makes a big show of their struggles, but they are there, just below the surface. The Saucer of Larks is one of the standouts. It’s about two men. one Irish, one German, going up into the hills to recover the body of a German pilot who crashed during the war. On paper, not much happens, but Friel turns the landscape into something alive. The bog, the mist, the silence all carry weight. It’s a story about grief, war, and unlikely connections, but it never tells you that outright. There’s some dry humour here too. The Diviner, about a man hired to find something important, gently pokes fun at rural superstition, but with affection, not mockery. Friel never looks down on his characters, even when they’re being stubborn or misguided, he treats them with care The stories feel like mini-plays. You can hear the rhythm in the dialogue, the pauses, the subtext. Characters talk, but what matters most is what they don’t say. What I took from the book is this: these aren't stories about Ireland. They are stories about what it feels like to live in a country where people carry a lot; history, regret, love, loss but rarely say it out loud. The land, the weather, the daily routine, all becomes a language in itself. I really enjoyed this book, easy to read and full of depth - as well as a strong sense of place, and the people in it. Recommended. ### Stuff that MattRs - #245 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-245/ Last updated: 2025-06-30T05:00:25.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ How to build your Personal Board of Directors| ✅ How to tell your boss they're wrong | ✅ 20 soft skills for leaders | ✅ Create the habit of not being busy | ✅ How temptation works | ✅ Shut the f\*\*\*up and listen | 🔗 Summle --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [How to build your Personal Board of Directors](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/design-a-personal-board-of-directors-to-guide-your-career-and-goals/) The team in your corner that could transform your career. - How to design the perfect team of advisors. - Plus an AI trick to onboard them today. ### ❎ [How to tell your boss they’re wrong](https://hbr.org/2025/04/how-to-tell-your-boss-theyre-wrong-tactfully?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Practical and tactful ways to disagree with your boss. *(via HBR)* - Disagreeing with your boss is tricky, because of the power dynamic - Use these practical steps to improve your relationship ### 💪🏼 [20 soft-skills for leaders](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/02/02/20-essential-soft-skills-leaders-should-build-in-the-workplace/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) As the workplace evolves, so do the skills required to stay relevant. *(via Forbes)* - These are the valuable skills that will be required in the future - What are you focusing on to stay ahead? ### 🏆 [Create the habit of not being busy](https://zenhabits.net/not-busy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A methodology for more focused and meaningful ways to work *(via ZenHabits)* - Stop saying yes and taking on too much work - Coupled with a simple way to put this into practice. ### 💪🏼 [How temptation works](https://psyche.co/ideas/how-temptation-works-and-why-it-nearly-stopped-me-writing-this?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) What is happening in your brain when you are tempted by something? *(via Psyche)* - This for everyone who wants just one more bite, or five minutes more scrolling. - Understanding what is happening can help you handle the temptation. ### 👂🏼 [Shut the f\*\*\* up and listen](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jun/26/i-was-one-of-those-men-who-couldnt-stop-talking-heres-how-i-learned-to-shut-up-and-listen?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) One man's quest to stop interrupting, and tune into conversations more. *(via The Guardian)* - How to talk less and listen more. - Practical advice that supports better relationships at work and home. ### Finally - [Summle](https://summle.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A daily maths game that will get you thinking. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote/), a great music recommendation and some pictures from a superb live show. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** List three things you love about yourself. [Another random prompt.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### Design a Personal Board of Directors to Guide Your Career and Goals URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/design-a-personal-board-of-directors-to-guide-your-career-and-goals/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T15:41:33.000Z Last week, I was in a discussion panel at work - we were debating the role of a coach or mentor, and the merits of both in the workplace. I don't believe you need to choose. You can build an entire team to support you when you are facing a challenge. **Who do you turn to when you’re stuck?** When you’re making a career move, starting something new, or feeling lost—most of us rely on gut instinct, a quick search, or a chat with a friend. **But what if you had a trusted team in your corner?** A *Personal Board of Directors* is exactly that. A group of people—real or imagined—who offer guidance, challenge your thinking, and keep you focused on what matters. --- ## Why You Need a Personal Board - You get **diverse perspectives** beyond your own bias. - You stay **accountable** to long-term goals, not just short-term emotions. - You build a **system for better decision-making**, not just advice on the fly. Think of your Personal Board as your bespoke support crew—part coach, part challenger, part cheerleader. ## Who Should Be On It? You’re not looking for 'yes' people. You want team members who: - Have values or experiences you admire - Will speak honestly, not just say what you want to hear - Help you stretch your thinking and grow Here are some roles to consider: ### 1\. A Coach Someone who pushes you to grow. They ask tough questions and won’t let you hide. > *“What’s really stopping you from doing this?”* ### 2\. An Expert A specialist in a field you’re exploring. They bring credibility and clarity. > *“Here’s what you need to understand before making this move.”* ### 3\. A Challenger They think differently than you. They force you to see blind spots and break assumptions. > *“Have you considered a completely different path?”* ### 4\. A Cheerleader They believe in you, even when you don’t. They remind you of your strengths. > *“You’ve come further than you think.”* ### 5\. An Historian They’ve known you for years. They spot the patterns and remind you what you’ve learned. > *“You always thrive when you’re working with others.”* ### 6\. The Future You Visualise the person you want to become in 5 or 10 years. Ask: what would they do? > *“What decision brings me closer to that version of myself?”* --- ## How to Build a Personal Board You don’t need to ask people formally. Start small: - List people you already trust. - Add public figures, authors, or thinkers whose work has shaped you. - Imagine a few ideal voices (they can be fictional or dead). > Example: [Simon Sinek](https://simonsinek.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), your old mentor, your best mate, [a stoic philosopher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and your future self. Now, use them. When faced with a tough choice, run it past your board: - What would each one say? - Where do they agree or disagree? - What insight stands out? You’ll be surprised how much clarity this brings. ## Keep It Alive This isn’t a one-off exercise. Revisit your board regularly: - Rotate members as your goals shift - Check in during big decisions or transitions - Reflect on whose voice is missing ## Try This Today - Write down the names of 3-6 people for your board - Assign each one a role (coach, expert, etc.) - Journal through a current challenge using their voices ## The AI approach - Identify 3 / 5 people on your personal board - Try this prompt in your AI of choice: 💡 My personal board of directors is Brene Brown, Simon Sinek and Marcus Aurelius. I am trying to make the following decision: xxxxxxx What questions would these people ask me to help make the decision. ## Your Turn Who’s already on your board—formally or not? Who would you *love* to add? And what decision are you facing right now that could use their wisdom? If you’re stuck, start there. You don’t need to figure everything out alone. You just need the right voices in the discussion. ### TWIL #77 - Bears cancel flights URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-77-bears-cancel-flights/ Last updated: 2025-06-29T09:53:39.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a Japanese airport recently had to cancel flights due to a bear on the runway. [Bear on runway forces airport in Japan to cancel flights: “We’re in a stalemate”Airport staff used a car to chase it away and closed the runway again, with the bear still at large somewhere in the facility.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/icon-1.svg)CBS News![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/yamagata-airport-screenshot-2025-06-26-061210.png)](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bear-runway-airport-japan-flights-canceled-stalemate/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #27 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/27-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-06-29T11:10:46.000Z ### Updates Spent the week in New York, for work. Meta has two great offices in Manhattan and I spent a little time at both of them. The buzz of New York was as intoxicating as ever, and a heatwave (35degC plus) made the city even more enjoyable. Travel both ways was OK - first time I've tried JetBlue, which had excellent service and a modern plane. **Currently (still) reading:** Discriminations by A.C. Grayling Some snaps from my trip... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---3.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---4.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---5.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---6.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---7.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---8.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NY_June2025_---9.jpeg) ### New DJ Mix ### Recommended Music My recommendation this week is the new release from Adrian Quesada, the Grammy winning guitarist and founder of the Black Pumas. Boleros Psicodélicos II is another album of latin influenced psychedelia tinged interpretations of Boleros, both classical and new. With a host of guest singers, there is something for everyone on this summery and relaxing album. Highly recommended. ### Watched Stuff Last week, we saw a couple of movies worth mentioning: [A ★★★★½ review of Parthenope (2024)Beautifully made story of a young woman enjoying the summers of her early life in Naples and beyond. Some great scenes, including a super performance from Gary Oldman. I loved this - highly recommended.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-11.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/xDa0GxpM86HTNkD1O0Gr3ilcmyD-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000-1.jpg)](https://boxd.it/9ZUdeX?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★★ review of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025)More of the usual - great escapism.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-12.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/78Bgar8OaUalLNLWNtD4xr6AD8T-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/a5o66n?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★★ review of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 (2024)Watched this on the plane to the US. Saga is the right word, 3.5 hours - but well constructed western with some great characters in it. I mostly enjoyed it, but wondered if it could have been a mini-series rather than a movie.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-13.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/a613n9?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Adrian Quesada - The Beloved - Marconi Union - Arab Strap - Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan - Biosphere - Matt Berninger - David Sylvian - Count Basie - Antony Szmierek #weeknote ### Stuff that MattRs - #244 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-244/ Last updated: 2025-06-23T05:00:45.000Z 👓 ****Ideas | Growth | Clarity**. [I redesigned my website this week to make it easier to find things, and bring a new look to my content.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/) Enjoy! **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Tell me about yourself | ✅ You should only work for four hours per day | ✅ Timeless Principles of Time Management | ✅ It's time for a delete week | ✅ How to Regulate your Nervous System | ✅ How to wake up | 🔗 Codes --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [Tell me about yourself](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/tell-me-about-yourself/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Practical ways to answer this common question. *(via The Good Trade)* - You shouldn’t feel anxious about answering this key question. - Spending some time preparing will pay dividends when it comes up next. ### 💪🏼 [You should only work four hours per day](https://theweek.com/articles/696644/why-should-work-4-hours-day-according-science?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The best thinkers reduce working time, but increase focus. *(via The Week)* - How Darwin, Dickens and Poincare managed their days. - Less time + more focus = outstanding results. ### ⏰ [Timeless Principles of Time Management](https://makemeacto.substack.com/p/timeless-principles-of-time-management) A deep dive into a system to manage time and productivity. *(via MakemeaCTO)* - Some great ideas for planning and executing. - Taken from multiple systems and sources. ### ✏️ [It’s time for a Delete Week](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thatjoshspector%5Fwant-to-free-yourself-from-digital-clutter-activity-7337497351906893824-oQsm/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love this simple approach to tidying up for a week. *(via Josh Spector)* - Take some time each day, and get rid of all the rubbish. - You can customise this around the principle of of one area a day. ### 🧠 [How to regulate your nervous system](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-regulate-nervous-system/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A therapist explains what to do when you feel overwhelmed. *(via The Good Trade)* - Practical advice on what to do when you feel unsettled and exhausted. - Healthier coping mechanisms to help you move forward. ### 🌅 [How to wake up](https://www.popsci.com/diy/how-to-wake-up/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Optimising your morning can help you hit the ground running. *(via PopSci)* - Skip the snooze button and feel refreshed. - Some great tips to help you get started every day. ### Finally - [Codes](https://www.playsillylittlegames.com/codes?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A silly little game (really) that will be great fun every day. --- ### Below the Fold 💡 ****Weeknote**: [Updates from the last seven days](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/26-from-dublin/), a great music recommendation and some pictures from a superb live show. ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Journal your favorite books to read. What books or music inspires you? [Another random prompt.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. 🔥 Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Get your own here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/subscribe/) ### TWIL #76 -Who's in space? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-76-whos-in-space/ Last updated: 2025-06-22T05:00:05.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there are currently 10 (ten) people in space right now. [How Many People Are In Space Right Now?How many people are in space right now?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/touch-icon.jpg)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/app-photo.png)](https://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #26 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/26-from-dublin/ Last updated: 2025-06-21T04:55:53.000Z ## Updates Home in Dublin for the week, nice to get back into a routine after weeks of travel. I'm off to New York next week, so it doesn't last long! I spent some time redesigning and rebuilding the website, so if you're reading this - hopefully you'll like the new look! **Currently Reading:** Discriminations by A.C. Grayling ## Live Went to see Nine Inch Nails at the 3Arena in Dublin last Sunday, the first night of the 'Peel it Back' tour. It was an excellent show, with a dual stage setup, brilliant visual, a strong DJ (Boys Noize) playing support, fierce sound and some face peeling tunes. The production quality was excellent, and tune selection was strong from across the catalogue. Superb show all round. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---7.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---10.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---9.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---4.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---6.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---3.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/NiN_June2025_---8.jpeg) ## Recommended Music My recommendation this week is the new album from Biosphere, a Norwegian musician from Tromsø with a great catalogue of ambient and electronica. The Way of Time is the new album, with 8 tracks of beautiful, lush electronics overlaid with sampled vocals from a nove called The Time Of Man, sampling Joan Lorring’s voice from the 1951 radio play adaptation. Its a lovely listen that adds to an excellent catalogue of work. Highly Recommended. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Caribou - Rival Consoles - Sinners OST - Nine Inch Nails (live) - John Foxx - Royksopp - Biosphere - Marconi Union - Khruangbin - John Foxx #weeknote ### Stuff that MattRs - #243 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-243/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T05:00:25.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ The Power of a Side-Quest | ✅ Nine (silly) ways to maximise productivity | ✅ How to keep your network warm | ✅ A science backed way to sharpen your brain | ✅ What are your invisible habits? | ✅ Reduce Anxiety and Manage Stress with 4-7-8 breathing | 🔗 MidWord --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [The Power of a Side-Quest](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/) With small experiments, come big shifts. - Find out how I use experiments to spark growth. - And get 20 side-quest suggestions you can start today. ### 💪🏼 [Nine (silly) ways to maximise productivity](https://www.verywellmind.com/silly-productivity-tips-that-work-11737338?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Tiny tricks that will get you moving on the next task. *(via VeryWell)* - Simple tips that might seem crazy. - I use #1 and #7 to get stuff done nearly every day. ### 📞 [How to keep your network warm](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/how-to-keep-your-network-warm?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A practical approach to networking that will boost your career. *(via Kellogg)* - Having a generous mindset is the key. - This three pronged approach is useful and ‘non-icky’. ### 🧠 [A science backed way to sharpen your brain.](https://theconversation.com/heres-a-simple-science-backed-way-to-sharpen-your-thinking-and-improve-your-memory-253751?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This time, it’s not sudoku or logic puzzles. *(via The Conversation)* - New research takes data from 2700 studies. - Benefits that work for all age groups. ### 🫆 [What are your invisible habits?](https://nickwignall.com/invisible-habits/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Most of our habits are invisible, and impact our mental wellbeing. *(via Nick Wignall)* - Explore three types of invisible habits. - Find ways to address them. ### 🫁 [Reduce Anxiety & Manage Stress with 4-7-8 breathing](https://www.breathbelly.com/exercises/4-7-8-breathing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This simple exercise triggers your natural relaxation response and slows your heart rate. - Just two minutes can have a direct effect on how you feel. - [More #freestuff here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/) ### Finally - [MidWord](https://midword.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A daily word guessing game with a twist. --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, great media & music recommendations and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-25/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** What habits or routines help me stay grounded when things feel unclear? [Another random prompt.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### Now - June 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/now-june-2025/ Last updated: 2025-06-15T13:41:46.000Z I'm living in Dublin, Ireland. I ***love*** it here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my music and books. - I started an [email newsletter four years ago called "Stuff that MattR's"](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. - I run a [30-day journalling challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). A free service to help you start your journaling practice. - In 2024 I launched [Build Your Best Year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) \- a simple and free service to help you plan your best year ever. - To help my own journalling practice, I've started writing [Weeknotes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/weeknote/) on my blog, inspired by Giles Turnbull - [Doing Weeknotes](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - I still DJ a little bit, [all of my DJ Mixes are available here](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the latest and best is [The Stack number 9 - a disco special!](https://www.mixcloud.com/rutherfordmatt/stack-9-disco-special/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - In 2025, I'll post new music nearly [every day to a list on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=f81a1457b5254646&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I did the same in [2024](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=65d3ed3d8fc04ac1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [2023](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nKbhvL8ZbH346FrxFkQwW?si=89b25f5f641c4b8d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - I compile and update an every growing list of music for focus and relaxation - it's called [FlowStuff and you can find it here!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) - I make amazing mixtapes. You can [get involved here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/) - I spend my days working at [Meta](https://about.meta.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as a Global Head of Change Management, I'm part of a team helping people stay safe on our platforms. ### The Power of Side Quests: Small Experiments, Big Shifts URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-power-of-side-quests-small-experiments-big-shifts/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T07:20:34.000Z At a party recently, someone asked me about my hobbies. I mentioned my newsletter, some DJ’ing, and my Wednesday night quiz team. They laughed and said, “You’re obsessed with side quests.” I loved that. It’s the perfect way to describe someone who’s always exploring new things. A few years ago, I *experimented* [with a newsletter](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/newsletter/). That side quest became one of the most meaningful parts of my week. It didn’t start with a big plan. Just a little curiosity. And that’s the point. ## What is a Side Quest? Feeling stuck, bored, or unsure what’s next? That’s your brain asking for a side quest. A side quest is a small, optional project you take on alongside your main goals. It’s a mini-adventure that sparks energy and creativity—without the pressure of success or failure. You’re still working on your big ambitions. But side quests help you stay fresh, motivated, and curious along the way. ## Why Side Quests Matter Here's why they're powerful - even if they seem small. - Spark creativity by breaking routine - Build new skills without pressure - Help uncover hidden passions - Create small wins that boost momentum - Make life more interesting and playful Instead of feeling like you are grinding through your task list, side quests help you **enjoy the game**. In [*Tiny Experiments*, Anne-Laure Le Cunff](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-tiny-experiments-by-anne-laure-le-cunff/) describes a lifestyle built on small acts of curiosity. That’s what side quests are. A fun, low-stakes way to experiment—and sometimes transform your life. ## **20 Side Quests You Can Start Today** You don’t need to overhaul your life. Pick one or two that excite you. See where they lead. ### **Creativity & Self-Discovery** - Take one photo every day for a month - Write a letter to your future self - Sketch something badly every day without judging yourself - Create a “life soundtrack” playlist - Memorise a short poem or speech ### **Learning & Growth** - Read a book from a genre you never read - Complete a free online course on a random topic - Learn one new recipe from scratch - Learn the basics of a new language on an app ### **Movement & Environment** - Walk a different route every day for a week - Try a new form of exercise just once - Declutter one drawer or shelf a day - Visit a free museum or gallery - Plant something and watch it grow ### **Connection & Kindness** - Handwrite a thank-you note - Do one random act of kindness a week - Volunteer for one event or cause ### **Wellbeing & Mindset** - [Start a five-minute journalling habit](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-stuff30-journaling-challenge/) - Set a 30-day challenge - Build a reverse bucket list ## How to Make the Most of it. - **Keep it small:** Focus on curiosity, not performance - **Balance it out**: Mix ease with small challenges - **Celebrate often:** Every small win counts - **Stay open:** A side quest might just change your direction ## Your turn What side quest could you start this week to shake things up? Choose one. Keep it light. Start today. And if you’ve got a favourite side quest or tiny experiment that changed you—even a little—let me know. I’d love to hear it. ### TWIL #75 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-75/ Last updated: 2025-06-15T05:00:30.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a spacecraft has taken photographs of the Sun's 'South Pole' for the first time. [Solar Orbiter spacecraft snaps first images of Sun’s south poleNever before seen pictures will help scientists learn how the Sun’s activity changes from stormy to quiet periods![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-16.png)BBC News![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/aba09000-46ef-11f0-84b6-6bf0f66205f1.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyqry9ppl9o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #25 - from over the Atlantic URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-25/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:46:03.000Z ## Updates A week in Austin, Texas for work. It started with a cancelled flight on Monday morning, a reroute and an uncharacteristic week of stormy weather in the Texan capital. The return travel was uneventful, and the travel gods got me on an early flight home where I am writing this update. The work was good though, a chance to sit with my new team and make some plans for the new half. Have been reading Discriminations by AC Grayling on my travels, more of that to come. ## Watched *Enjoyed a great TV series over the last couple of weeks, and a few movies whilst travelling.* On the TV front, I recommend [Department Q on Netflix](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72hK6FUmm8o&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (trailer on Youtube). The familiar story of a broken cop solving a big case - but done in an excellent style. Give it watch if you can. Movies I watched whilst travelling: [A ★★★★½ review of Parthenope (2024)Beautifully made story of a young woman enjoying the summers of her early life in Naples and beyond. Some great scenes, including a super performance from Gary Oldman. I loved this - highly recommended.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-10.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/xDa0GxpM86HTNkD1O0Gr3ilcmyD-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://letterboxd.com/mattrutherford/film/parthenope/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★½ review of Queer (2024)I thought this was well acted, but I found it hard to warm to the characters. Some fairly trippy sequences included in the story by William S Burroughs. Might be worth a second watch to get into it more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-9.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/queer-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000-1.jpg)](https://letterboxd.com/mattrutherford/film/queer-2024/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★½ review of A Working Man (2025)Enjoyable, but 100% throwaway movie with Statham playing the part of an ex-marine, trying to live out a ‘normal’ life in construction but ending up involved in a people trafficking crime ring. Typical fight & action sequences. A lot of fun in places.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-8.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/working-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://letterboxd.com/mattrutherford/film/a-working-man/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Recommended Music My recommended listen this week is the new Album from Rival Consoles, MindsEye. Rival Consoles is the ongoing project from Ryan Lee West from London, and MindsEye is the Soundtrack from a video game of the same name. Some blistering electronica here, and a great snack to tide us over before another new album due in early July. Highly Recommended. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Marconi Union - The Cure - Luke Howard - Myles O’Reilly - Rival Consoles - Woodkid - Little Simz - Turin Brakes - Nine Inch Nails - Olafur Arnalds/Talos #weeknote ### Stuff that MattRs - #242 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-242/ Last updated: 2025-06-09T05:00:13.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ How to be great | ✅ How successful people timebox | ✅ Do you have a third place? | ✅ A guide to doing nothing | ✅ Root for your friends | ✅ The art of stillness | 🔗 Lazy Tetris --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [How to be great](https://blog.stephsmith.io/how-to-be-great/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It’s much simpler than you think to be successful ([via Josh Spector](https://fortheinterested.com/subscribe/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - Greatness is something that you need to earn - Fortunately, it is achievable through consistency ### 📆 [How successful people timebo](https://www.nirandfar.com/timeboxing-success/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)x A reminder of the most effective productivity tool ([via Nir Eyal](https://www.nirandfar.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - Find out how high performing people set up their calendar - Then learn how you can do the same for maximum success. ### ☕️ [Do you have a third place?](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/radical-sabbatical/202407/the-power-of-third-places-in-effective-leadership?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Psychologists believe having a place that isn’t work or home is important. - Find out what a third place can do for your leadership - Here are some more ideas for ‘[third places](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/third-place-community-spaces/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)’. ### 🛌 [A guide to doing nothing](https://www.self.com/story/guide-to-doing-nothing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some great guidance on chilling out. ([via Self Magazines Rest Week](https://www.self.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - We all need some rest - Reframe how you view ‘me time’. ### 👯 [Root for your friends](https://josephthacker.com/personal/2025/05/13/root-for-your-friends.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Discover how the ‘Hypeman Flywheel’ can benefit EVERYONE involved. - Learn how to find the friends who root for you - And uncover ways you can be a great friend for those around you ### 🧳 [The art of stillness](https://www.ted.com/talks/pico%5Fiyer%5Fthe%5Fart%5Fof%5Fstillness?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Travel writer Pico Iyer explains a quest for calm. ([Video via Ted](https://www.ted.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - With stillness comes incredible insight. - Iyer explains strategies for us all to find a few minutes or hours of each day for calm ### Finally - [Lazy Tetris](https://lazytetris.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), an idle update to the classic timewaster. --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, great media & music recommendations and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-24/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Write about a person who has positively influenced your life. [Another random prompt.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### TWIL #74 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-74/ Last updated: 2025-06-08T05:00:42.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned a man in Norway recently wokeup to find a container ship in his back garden. The photos are extraordinary! [Man in Norway wakes to find huge container ship in gardenJohan Helberg says he was “quite astonished” to look out of his window and see the vessel.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-15.png)BBC News![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/21ea2650-379a-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8nk279ydyo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #24 - from Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-24/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:46:37.000Z ## Updates Back in Spain for the end of this week after a fun few days in Marrakech. It's such an *intense* city, with traffic, noise and people everywhere. Howwver we had a great time. The last few days in Spain have been chilled, and I've been spending time thinking through some design changes I'll be making to this site and some content ideas for the weeks/months ahead. Tomorrow, I head back to Dublin - then off to the US for a week of work. A final few snaps from the trip... from the Jardins Majorelle and around the city. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/IMG_0617.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/IMG_0622.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/IMG_0623.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/IMG_0625.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/IMG_0633.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/06/IMG_0654.jpeg) ## Recommended Music My recommended listen this week is the album from English ambient band, Marconi Union. The Fear of Never Landing is their 12th Studio album, and is full of beautifully detailed and lush instrumentals. I particularly love 'In Motion' where the synths drift away and we're left with a beautiful piano to finish the track off. It's been a strong week for albums, with Pulp and Little Simz releasing huge LP's - but this is worth investing some time in. Highly Recommended. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Marconi Union - Little Simz - Pulp - Shura - Mogwai - Natalie Lafourcade - Turin Brakes - Maribou State - Royksopp - Olafur Arnalds #weeknote ### Stuff that MattRs - #241 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-241/ Last updated: 2025-06-02T05:00:30.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ The 30 second rule for every conversation | ✅ Think INSIDE the box | ✅ How to refocus a wandering mind | ✅ What is the Value of Your Time | ✅ The Number One Tool for Personal Growth | ✅ An Optimal State of Consciousness | 🔗 TippyCoCo --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [The 30 second rule for every conversation.](https://www.upworthy.com/simple-30-second-rule-can-you-win-almost-every-conversation-even-if-you-re-a-little-awkward?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A simple technique that can help every conversation, even when you feel awkward. - I had a great boss that started every conversation with a genuine smile. - This is an excellent layer on to that technique that will help every interaction. ### 📥 [Think INSIDE the box.](https://shaan.beehiiv.com/p/one-minute-blog-creativity-3-s-constraints?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Creativity loves constraints. Solving problems is easier when something is limited. - Some great examples of how creativity abounds when you place an artificial limit on the solution. - What restrictions can you put on YOUR creativity this week? ### 🧠 [How to refocus a wandering mind.](https://www.lifehack.org/903136/wandering-mind?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Our attention is being pulled in multiple directions simultaneously. - Find out what happens when you lose focus. - Fifteen practical ways to you can address the situation. ### ⏱️ [What is the value of your time?](https://programs.clearerthinking.org/what%5Fis%5Fyour%5Ftime%5Freally%5Fworth%5Fto%5Fyou.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This calculator will help you understand HOW you value your time. - Learn what an hour of your time really costs. - Once you know, you can find purpose for your hours. ### ✍🏼 [The number one tool for personal growth](https://nesslabs.com/writing-personal-growth?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I write this newsletter so that BOTH of us can grow. - It’s all down to something called the generation effect. - Just a few minutes each day can start you on the journey. ### 🌊 [An optimal state of consciousness.](https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/may/08/what-is-flow-psychology?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finding ‘flow state’ can feel like a magical trick for getting shit done. - Experts share how to get in the zone. - I find myself in flow when I work with purpose, [and have the right soundtrack.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) ### Finally - [TippyCoco](https://tippycoco.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), a very simple and silly game. --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, great media & music recommendations and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-23/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** What is your favorite memory from the past month? [Another random prompt.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### TWIL #73 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-73/ Last updated: 2025-06-01T05:00:30.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned you are statistically more likely to die on your birthday, than any other day of the year. [Are you more likely to die on your birthday?Yes. We’ll run a study to show you how, and why.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-17.ico)The PuddingThe Pudding![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/social.png)](https://pudding.cool/2025/04/birthday-effect/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #23 - From Marrakech URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-23/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:47:10.000Z ## Updates Sending this weeks quick note from Marrakech, where we are taking a few days to explore the city again and see some sights. So far, it has been super hot (37degC), and the city feels more crowded than it did when we visited ten-ish years ago. More to follow, but here’s a few snaps from our first couple of days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0531.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0533.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0523.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0511.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0510.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0495.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0501.jpeg) ## Recommended Music My recommended listen this week is the new soundtrack album from Scottish post-rock heavyweights, Mogwai. This accompanies the new Netflix series 'The bombing of Pan-Am flight 103' about the Lockerbie tragedy. I haven't seen the TV presentation yet, but the soundtrack is excellent. Highly Recommended. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Natalie Lafourcade - Mogwai - Turin Brakes - Nicolas Jaar - Sly and the Family Stone - Kruder and Dorfmeister - Saba Alizadeh - Rival Consoles - Dalham - The Cure #weeknote ### Boost Your CV with AI: The Secret Weapon Top Candidates Are Using URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-cv-with-ai-the-secret-weapon-top-candidates-are-using/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T07:24:23.000Z Most CVs don’t get read. They get scanned — for seconds, maybe less. If your impact isn’t instantly clear, you’re out. It’s not because you lack experience. It’s because your value is buried. Drowned in vague language. Packed with filler. Written to explain instead of impress. That’s where AI could change everything. Tools like ChatGPT can help you turn a decent CV into a standout one — fast. Not with generic templates or fake flair. But by sharpening what’s already there. You bring the experience. AI can help you shape it. With the right prompts, you can: - Rewrite weak bullet points into strong, punchy achievements - Replace bland tasks with measurable outcomes - Cut clutter and say more with fewer words - Match the exact language hiring managers and ATS systems are scanning for - Show leadership, ownership, and results — without bragging This isn’t cheating. It’s clarity. You’re not inventing anything. You’re showing your value in the clearest, most confident way possible. That’s what employers need to see. Here’s the best part — it doesn’t take hours. It takes minutes. In this post, I’ll show you how to use AI to: - Tailor your CV to any job description - Polish your tone to sound executive-level - Strip out fluff and boost your impact - Optimise for ATS without sounding robotic - Pitch yourself in a way that gets interviews Each prompt will give you a specific use case. A targeted prompt. And a quick way to turn a good CV into a great one. If you’re job hunting — or just want to future-proof your profile — this is for you. Stop blending in. Start standing out. > Let’s build a CV that opens doors. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Stuff that MattRs - #240 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-240/ Last updated: 2025-05-26T05:00:17.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ From Manager to Leader | ✅ How to use AI in your daily work | ✅ Mental Health Habits that Make a Difference | ✅ New Free Stuff | ✅ Declutter your Brain | ✅ A Tool to help YOU make tough decisions | 🔗 Connections. --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [From Manager to Leader.](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/how-first-time-managers-can-make-the-successful-jump-to-leadership??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Arguably to the most difficult transition in a career. *(via Kellogg)* - Practical advice for new managers and leaders that support them. - Understanding of the journey from *it’s really about me* to *it’s all about others* ### 🔨 [How to use AI in your daily work (Video).](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv779vmyPVY&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A Stanford professor explains simply how ANYONE can use AI every day. *(via Youtube)* - Some superb examples of using AI as a teammate. - Tips that really work for non-technical people as well. ### ⛑️ [Mental Health Habits that make a difference.](https://www.roxana-cristina.com/blog/mental-health-matters-build-supportive-habits?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Simple habits that can reap benefits for your (and others) Mental Wellbeing. *(via Roxana-Cristina Coaching)* - May is Mental health Awareness month - These five habits will take proactive care of your wellbeing. ### 🎁 [FreeStuff - new and improved!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/) For the last couple of years I’ve been sharing free tools that I have found. - Now, I’ve built them all into a single page - And there are a bunch of new tools added in. ### 🧹 [Declutter your Brain. (Video)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNp1CrlnlNk&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A great explanation of the best technique for gathering your thoughts. *(via YouTube)* - Mental overwhelm can stop us making progress - Use this technique - [and this trigger list to get the best of the process](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-the-brain-dump/). ### ⚖️ [A tool to help YOU make tough decisions.](https://programs.clearerthinking.org/decisionmaker.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A completely free workflow that will help you make some of the toughest decisions. *(via Clearer Thinking)* - Reduce stress about the big life choices - Perfect for ANYONE making a major decision. ### Finally - if you like the Connections game, [here's a cool variation.](https://www.4x3game.app/game?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, great media & music recommendations and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-22/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Describe a recent experience that made you feel grateful. [Another random prompt.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### TWIL #72 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-72/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T05:00:11.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned twins sometimes have the same allergies, but not always. As with life, it's complicated. [Do twins become allergic to the same things?If one of a pair of twins is allergic to something, does that mean the other twin will be sensitive too?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-14.png)BBCBreanne Hayes Haney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0l6h11h.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250425-do-twins-become-allergic-to-the-same-things?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #22 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-22/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:47:23.000Z ## Updates Spent the week in Spain, working by day and relaxing in the sunshine where I can. We had a rental car breakdown which was fun and a day of storms, but on the whole it’s lovely to be in the warmth. I leaned into AI a little bit this week, and experimented with writing some code through a GPT engine. I used Claude, and managed to add a couple of features to the site which I think are really exciting. I’ve added a page that pulls a [random journal prompt](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/), and one that pulls a [random icebreaker](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ice/) as well as a page that lists all of the [free stuff links](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/freestuff/) that I have shared in a filterable list. It has been a while since I did any coding, and so using Claude to help develop was a fantastic boost, learning how to ask the right questions and explain exactly what I wanted was an interesting exercise. I have more ideas to follow here. I also finished Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman, [my thoughts are here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-moral-ambition-by-rutger-bregman/) ## Media Not much TV time but we did finish ['Four Seasons'](https://www.netflix.com/es-en/title/81750702?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) which was a lot of fun. I'd recommend it, and I’m pleased to see that it is coming back for a second season. ## Recommended Music My recommended listen this week is the brand new album from a Stuff favourite, Turin Brakes. Spacehopper is their tenth studio album, and is the usual high standard of fun, acoustic pop. I’m looking forward to seeing Turin Brakes back in Dublin later this year, but I suspect this will be on heavy rotation until then! Highly Recommended. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Ane Brun - Peter Doherty - Royksopp - Nils Frahm - Natalie Lafourcade - CTM - Olafur Arnalds - Turin Brakes - Archive - Rashad Becker #weeknote ### Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-moral-ambition-by-rutger-bregman/ Last updated: 2025-09-04T14:30:26.000Z Moral Ambition by historian [Rutger Bregman](https://rutgerbregman.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is one of the most important books I've read in a long time. It sits alongside his previous works Humankind and Utopia for Realists in offering an alternative (and optimistic) view of the future. All three books are enlightening and uplifting, without getting too preachy. I enjoy the fact that Bregman uses stories from history as metaphor for the ideas he is trying share in todays world. In Moral Ambition we learn about abolitionists, lobbyists and scientists as examples of the scale challenges that still need to be solved in todays world. Moral Ambition acts as a alarm call for anyone stuck in a job that feels pointless. It challenges the reader to use their skills for something bigger than personal success. ### **What is Moral Ambition?** Bregman defines moral ambition as the drive to apply your talents to solve the world’s biggest problems—like climate change, poverty, and pandemics. It’s about measuring success by the good you do, not by your salary or job title. In discussions I have with people who are talking about their career and personal development, it seems many them are searching for 'purpose'. Moral Ambition helps define that, steering people away from 'bullshit jobs' ([per David Graeber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit%5FJobs?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- my review of Bullshit Jobs is [here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/bullshit-jobs-summary/)) and towards jobs with purpose and intention. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0421-Large.jpeg) Bullshit Jobs - from Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman ### **My Key Takeaways** - **Redefine Success:** Bregman argues that many high-paying jobs, especially in finance and consulting, waste talent that could be used to address global issues. - **Learn from History:** The book shares stories of individuals like Thomas Clarkson and Ralph Nader, who made significant societal changes through moral ambition. - **Avoid Burnout:** Bregman warns against the “noble loser” trap - being so idealistic that you become ineffective. He emphasizes the importance of self-care and realistic goals. - **Build Movements:** The book encourages forming communities of like-minded individuals to support each other in making a difference. ### **Why It Matters** We don't have to look far to find a bullshit jobs. Many jobs feel meaningless. The chances are you know someone who is in a role that you don't feel adds much to society. Moral Ambition offers a compelling alternative. We can use our abilities to make a real impact. It’s a call to action for those who want their work to matter. ### **Final Thoughts** This is not as simple as 'unfilling job' = 'quit and find something with purpose' - but Bregmans ambitions are righteous. If you ARE feeling unfulfilled in your career, this book might be the push you need to seek more meaningful work. But even if you are enjoying your career, there is some inspiration in here for aligning your career with your values to contribute to a better world. Bregman ends the book with a rally cry for us all to 'take responsibility to keep and protect our world'. ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #239 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-239/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T05:00:00.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ How much are meetings costing you? | ✅ Avoid these words on your CV | ✅ How to be creative | ✅ How to develop your Empathy | ✅ Embrace the terror of keeping a journal | ✅ Anything could happen, and it probably will | 🔗 UnZoom! --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [How much are meetings costing you?](https://www.reworked.co/collaboration-productivity/what-are-meetings-costing-you/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) You don’t have to cancel ALL meetings (Like Shopify did) - Here’s how to filter out unnecessary meetings. - And then maximise what you get from the ones you really need. ### 👓 [Avoid these words on your CV!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/avoid-cv-buzzwords/) Overused words and phrases on your CV can kill your chances of landing the role. - I read a LOT of CV’s, and I know where the red flags are. - I’ll show you which words to get rid of, and why. ### 🪄 [How to be creative](https://www.shaanpuri.com/creativity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This 20 minute deck will explain how you can think like Rick Rubin - Understand the reasoning behind the phrase ‘less is more’. - Find ways to be creative every single day. ### ♥️ [How to develop your empathy](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/empathy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The 15 habits of highly empathetic people. - Many people want to know how to be empathetic. - Practice these 15 habits to develop your empathy skills! ### ✍🏼 [Embrace the Terror of Keeping A Journal](https://www.printmag.com/creative-voices/poor-mans-feast-the-quiet-terror-of-keeping-a-journal/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Blank journals are representations of negative space. - Read how this writer overcomes fear. - I’ve got you covered with the [Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/) \- and my new [random Journal prompt](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) ### 🧠 [Anything could happen, and it probably will.](https://www.oliverburkeman.com/anythingcouldhappen?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) And, as Oliver Burkemann explains, you’ll definitely survive. - Anxiety is a logical response to the unknown - Oliver Burkemann reframes thoughts about the future perfectly. ### 🫆 [UnZoom](https://www.unzoomed.com/en?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)! Finally, an interesting and fun game, especially for travelers and map nerds. Identify the city from its aerial shot. Zoom out with each guess. --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, great media & music recommendations and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-21/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Describe a time when you felt truly loved. [Another random prompt.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/prompt/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### #21 - From Spain URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-21/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:47:35.000Z ## Updates Last weekend was a great one, I finished my Coaching Diploma and now I'm a qualified 'Executive and Business Coach'. It feels good to have my first certificate for something since about 1986\. This week, we travelled to Spain for some sunshine. Unfortunately, the first few days a weather system moved through and we had a bit of rain. As the end of the week came around, the sun returned and I'm writing this in about 27degC. Work has been interesting, a fairly sizable reorganisation and some management shifts, but my team is all good and we're working through the impact of the change. Finally, I started reading 'Moral Ambition' by the always excellent Rutger Bregman, so far it is a brilliant book that I think could be quite important for people to read. More to come on that. ## Media Travel and work meant not a lot of time for movies, although I did sit and watch about three quarters of Paddington last weekend. Such a well crafted film. We did manage to catch a few episodes of the new N[etflix Comedy 'Four Seasons' ](https://www.netflix.com/es-en/title/81750702?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)during the cooler evenings earlier in the week. It's very funny, with Tina Fey, Colman Domingo and Steve Carrell putting in some excellent comic turns. I'd recommend it. ## Recommended Music My recommended listen this week is Earcandy by Miso Extra. I've been tracking this London based singer/producer since a track called [1013](https://open.spotify.com/track/3oyBAaIYPangSdBZKzR4oh?si=78a5d61fa5a64900&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) came across my radar. Thew new album is another whipsmart collection of Anglo/Japanese pop with some infectious hooks and super production. It's light but not shallow, and fantastically dancefloor ready in places. Love this. Highly Recommended. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Sault - Kara-Lis Coverdale - Fink - Pye Corner Audio - Leonard Cohen - Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke - Miso Extra - Pantha Du Prince - Natalie Lafourcade - [SummerStuff](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4CBhI1myvcZnvQYNGkqpdt?si=47a9d9b6a2df4fc5&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #weeknote ### TWIL #71 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-71/ Last updated: 2025-05-18T05:00:06.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned in some part of America, you can still hear the clack of typewriter keys, every day. [‘We use them every day’: In some parts of the US, the clack of typewriter keys can still be heardComputers and smartphones might be where most writing is done these days, but typewriters still have work to do in the US.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-13.png)BBCChris Baraniuk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0kzmf41.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250321-the-people-who-still-use-typewriters?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 25 Words and Phrases to Avoid on Your CV URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/avoid-cv-buzzwords/ Last updated: 2025-05-15T18:58:38.000Z I read and help write **a lot** of CVs, and I keep a list of the words that are ‘red flags’ for me. Your CV is your first impression. You cannot waste any words or miss any opportunities to maximise your impact. Avoiding overused or vague terms can make it more impactful. Here are 25 of the words and phrases from my list to steer clear of, along with reasons why: ### **25 Words and Phrases to Avoid on Your CV** 1. **Motivated.** Overused; demonstrate motivation through achievements. 2. **Hard-working.** This is an expected trait; show your dedication via results. 3. **Team player.** Too generic; illustrate your work in a team with specific examples. 4. **Detail Oriented**. Commonplace; prove attention to detail through error-free work. 5. **Results-driven**. Vague; quantify outcomes to showcase effectiveness. 6. **Strategic thinker**. Abstract; provide examples of strategic decisions and projects executed. 7. **Go-getter**. Informal; highlight proactive initiatives undertaken. 8. **Synergy**. Buzzword that lacks clarity; specify collaborative successes. 9. **Think outside the box**. Heavily overused; demonstrate your creativity with unique problem-solving examples. 10. **Best of breed**. Jargon that can seem boastful; focus on specific skills and achievements. 11. **Ninja**. Informal and unprofessional; use standard job titles (unless you are *actually* a Ninja!) 12. **Rockstar**. Colloquial; opt for conventional descriptors of expertise (same caveat…) 13. **Guru**. Can appear arrogant; let your experience speak for itself. 14. **Seasoned**. May imply age; specify years of experience instead. *(I had this on my CV for a while, and learned my lesson).* 15. **Dynamic**. Ambiguous; describe specific actions that show adaptability & flexibility. 16. **Self-starter**. Expected trait in most organisations; illustrate this with examples of initiative. 17. **Proactive**. Too generic; detail proactive measures that you have implemented. 18. **Problem solver**. Too broad; lay out specific problems resolved. 19. **Assisted**. Minimises your role; clarify the specific contributions you made. 20. **Responsible for**. Passive; use active verbs to describe duties. 21. **Utilised**. Overcomplicated; simpler verbs like ‘used’ are clearer. 22. **References available upon request**. Redundant; it’s assumed you’ll provide them if asked. 23. **Objective**. Outdated; replace with a concise professional summary. 24. **I, me, my**. Avoid personal pronouns; write in a professional tone. 25. **Unpaid**. Diminishes the value of volunteer work; focus on the experience gained. By eliminating these overused or vague terms and focusing on specific, quantifiable achievements, you can create a more compelling and effective CV. By focusing on clear, specific, and quantifiable achievements, your CV will stand out to potential employers. My Career Boost Playbook has CV exercises, and much more to help you on your way to the role of your dreams. [Career Boost Playbook - download instantly](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/) ### Stuff that MattRs - #238 (and a bonus!) URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-238-and-a-bonus/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T14:43:50.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Do you want to grow your career? | ✅ Discover the Domino Effect | ✅ Reduce Screen Time | ✅ 12 ways to rewire your brain | ✅ How long until you die? | ✅ How to be brave | 🔗 Can you beat the Cryptic DJ? --- ## Bonus Stuff Today I'm launching my free **CAREER BOOST PLAYBOOK**. A set of 15-minute actions for huge growth in your career. You can get it here, first. [Career Boost Playbook - download instantly](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/careerboost/) --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [Do you want to grow your career?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/want-to-grow-your-career-have-this-conversation-now/) Then you need to start this conversation with your manager now. - The best time to have a career conversation is right now. - I’ll show you how, and even write the first email for you. ### 🏆 [Discover the Domino Effect](https://jamesclear.com/domino-effect?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How small habits can compound into a bigger success. *(via James Clear)* - Human Behaviours are often tied to one another. - James Clear explains how getting started with a single habit can drive a compound effect. ### 📺 [Reduce Screen Time](https://speedbumpapp.com/en/blog/how-to-reduce-screen-time/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Actionable advice and apps to help you spend less time staring at screens. *(via Speedbump)* - Start by understanding WHY you want to reduce your screen time. - Then take some practical steps and experiments to decrease & detox. ### 🧠 [12 ways to rewire your brain](https://www.thepocket.io/p/12-ways-to-rewire-your-brain-beyond?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) You can take advantage of your brain's ability to change itself. *(via The Pocket)* - Neuroplasticity means that your brain can constantly reshape itself. - This isn’t about hacks, it goes way deeper than that. ### ⏰ [How long until you die?](https://msingularian.github.io/deathclock/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This death clock can calculate your (approximate) age at death. *(via Tiago Forte)* - So now you know the timeline - what will you do with your remaining years? - It’s time to start finding your purpose, and working towards REAL goals. ### 💪🏼 [How to be brave](https://aestheticsofjoy.com/how-to-be-brave/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Ingrid Fetell Lee explores way to increase your courage *(via Aesthetics of Joy)* - Courage is not action in the absence of fear – it’s acting in the presence of fear - Make your curiosity bigger than your fear. ### 🫆 [Can you beat the Cryptic DJ?](https://crypticdj.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finally,a clever little game, identify 3 out of 4 songs, and then guess the link between them. 🎧 on for this one! --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, great movie & music recommendations and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-20/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Write about something that always brings you joy and happiness. [More Journal Prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### TWIL #70 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-70/ Last updated: 2025-05-11T06:23:06.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned what the Cardinals eat during a Papal Conclave. Here's a clue, they don't live on the strictest of rations - but there is nowhere to hide a message! [The great conclave secret: What do would-be popes eat?For more than 750 years, strict rules have guarded what cardinals can and cannot eat to prevent hidden messages stuffed inside chicken, ravioli and napkins.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-12.png)BBCElisa Tersigni![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0l7ddz7.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250430-the-secrets-of-feeding-the-papal-conclave?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #20 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-20/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:47:54.000Z ## Updates A much better week, meant I could focus on some interesting announcements at work for me and my team, as well as the final parts of course work for my coaching diploma which finishes this weekend. I also got back into my daily reading practice and finished Minority Rule by Ash Sarkar. [I've put some notes together and a short review here. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-review-minority-rule-by-ash-sarkar/) Next week, we're off for a bit of sunshine and relaxation - so I'm looking forward to that. ## Movies Watched a couple of films last week, and one that we really enjoyed was 'The Last Showgirl' starring Pamela Anderson as a Vegas dancer coping with the end of her career. Beautiful performances from Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis. [A ★★★★½ diary entry for The Last Showgirl (2024)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-6.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/gwMXaHsYtfI9FkMVtrRhtr7dvXO-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://letterboxd.com/mattrutherford/film/the-last-showgirl/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Recommended Music My recommended listen this week is Tall Tales, the new collaboration between producer/DJ Mark Pritchard, and Thom York of Radiohead/The Smile. Its a cool album, well constructed beats and samples with Yorkes distinctive vocals over the top. In some cases the music feels ambient and chilled, and then switches gears to something altogether darker and driven. I highly recommend a listen to this. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Baxter Dury - Vegyn - Djrum - Dean Blunt - Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke - Arcade Fire - Nils Frahm - Natalia Lafourcade - Sault - Rival Consoles 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #weeknote ### Minority Rule by Ash Sarkar URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-review-minority-rule-by-ash-sarkar/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:43:54.000Z Ash Sarkar’s *Minority Rule* is not a quiet book. It’s sharp, fast-paced and deliberately provocative—cutting through the polite discomfort of British liberalism with clarity and purpose. High-profile commentator and academic, Sarkar uses her platform to interrogate the limitations of contemporary “progressive” politics and argue for a new kind of solidarity. This isn’t a book about incremental change. It’s about asking different questions entirely. ## Central Thesis - Sarkar argues that the UK is governed by a “minority”—not of marginalised groups, but of elites who manipulate cultural divisions to maintain power. - The book contends that culture wars distract the public from systemic inequalities, only truly benefiting those in positions of wealth and authority. ## Key Themes ### Culture Wars as a Distraction - Media and political elites amplify cultural conflicts (e.g., immigration, gender identity) to divert attention from economic disparities. - This strategy keeps the working class fragmented and less likely to unite against shared societal & economic challenges. ### The Real “Minority Rule” - Contrary to an often touted narrative suggesting minorities wield disproportionate influence, Sarkar says that true minority rule is exercised by Neoliberalist financial and political elites. - These elites use cultural divisions to obscure their role in perpetuating inequality. ### Identity Politics - Sarkar critiques the left’s focus on identity politics (there has been a lot of this in the recent UK and wider debates about trans rights), suggesting it has led to internal divisions and detracted from broader class-based solidarity. - Sarkar calls for a reorientation towards collective action that addresses the systemic issues affecting all disadvantaged groups. ### Media Role in Shaping Discourse - The book examines how media outlets (including social media companies), driven by profit motives, sensationalise cultural issues, thereby reinforcing divisions and distracting from substantive policy discussions. - Sarkar highlights the transformation of journalism into a click-driven industry that prioritises outrage over informative content. ## **My Review** *Minority Rule* is an interesting analysis of how cultural conflicts are leveraged to maintain & grow existing power structures in the UK and beyond. The insights challenged me to reconsider the sources of societal division and the beneficiaries of such discord. The critique of both right-wing manipulation and left-wing infighting provides a balanced opinion that encourages introspection across the political spectrum. By highlighting the role of (social and mainstream) media in perpetuating these divisions, Sarkar underscores the need for critical & curated media consumption and a focus on *real* issues. The book’s strength lies in its exploration of Sarkar’s personal evolution, offering a relatable narrative that underscores the complexities of political engagement in the digital age. I found the book heavy going in places - with multiple examples of points being made (and lots of references to carry on researching). The overarching message remains clear and impactful. *Minority Rule* is a thought-provoking contribution to contemporary political discussion, and it pushed me to look beyond surface-level conflicts and think about some of the underlying structures that shape society. *I saw this book as a good follow up to the* [*George Monbiot book - The Invisible Doctrine* ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-the-invisible-doctrine-by-george-monbiot-and-peter-hutchinson/) *\- about the rise and history of Neoliberalism that I read in 2024.* ### Want to Grow Your Career? Have This Conversation Now URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/want-to-grow-your-career-have-this-conversation-now/ Last updated: 2025-05-08T10:44:30.000Z > *“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”* —Steve Jobs If you want to move your career forward, waiting quietly is a mistake. You need to take control. You need to start a real conversation with your manager. I'm going to share how you can do it, and even write the first email **for** you. Here’s how you do it: ## Your Career Is Your Responsibility _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Stuff that MattRs - #237 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-237/ Last updated: 2025-05-05T05:00:34.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Find Joy at Work | ✅ Simple and Painless Productivity | ✅ The Power of Small Goals | ✅ Get Back More Than You Put In | ✅ 25 principles of adult behaviour | ✅ What Can I Do? | 🔗 Solve a Visual Mystery --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [Find Joy at Work](https://aestheticsofjoy.com/7-key-joy-indicators/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Implement some Key Joy Indicators (KJI's) to close the enjoyment gap. *(via Aesthetics of Joy)* - How to measure what *really* matters at work. - Joy is an essential metric of success - I fully approve of finding more joy in your work. ### ⏰ [Simple and Painless Productivity](https://seths.blog/2025/04/simple-and-painless-productivity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Nine super simple ways to save hours of wasted time. *(via Seth Godin)* - Many of these proven basics are missed every day. - See if you can action some of these simple items this week. ### 🥅 [The Power of Small Goals](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/workforce/big-power-small-goals.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Setting small daily goals can make you more disciplined in your achievements *(via PWC)* - A study of more than 12000 workers showed benefits in disciplined daily goals. - Here’s how you can implement this strategy for yourself AND in your teams. ### 📈 [Get back more than you put in](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-most-powerful-asymmetries-in-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Understand how the most powerful asymmetries in life work for you *(via Sahil Bloom)* - Find ways to get back more than you give. - Pick 1 or 2 of these actions to implement this week and start winning. ### 💪🏼 [25 principles of adult behaviour](https://www.mail-archive.com/silklist@lists.hserus.net/msg08034.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This list might be nearly 50 years old, but some of these principles count more than ever. *(via Mail-Archive)* - Written way before we really spent our time online, or on the phone. - #4, #19, and #22 resonate really well with me. ### 🙋🏼 [What can I do?](https://www.whatcanido.earth/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The world won’t unf\*ck itself. Do something positive. - By taking some action, you can contribute to making the world a better place - From the makers of Important, not Important ### 🫆 [Solve a visual mystery](https://vystery.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finally, just click until you can guess what it is. Simple daily puzzle, but can you beat sixty clicks? --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, the new Stuff Mixtape, and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-19/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Write about a recent experience that made you feel really good. [More Journal Prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### #19 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-19/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:48:15.000Z ## Updates This week has honestly been a bit of a write-off for me, we visited Belfast last weekend and had a fun couple of days exploring the city again. Some favourite photographs below. Then I arrived home with a cold/covid type affair and spent a few days in bed, so not much got achieved apart from some planning and TV watching! By the end of the week, I'm back to full fitness and ready to get back at it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---8.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---10.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---9.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---6.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---4.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---5.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/05/Belfast_April2025_---11.jpeg) ## Recommended Music My recommended listen this week is of course, [the new Stuff Mixtape - #36](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/36-april-2025/). I can't believe I've been pulling these together for three years now, maybe its time for a change of format, or something! This month contains some great music from Test Card, Lulu Gainsbourg, Sister Nancy, CMAT, Lana Del Rey, Rufus Du Sol, DJ Koze, Kelly Finnigan and many more... ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Memory Pearl - Natalia Lafourcade - Anthony Naples - Chihei Hatakeyama - Maribou State - John Glacier - Adrian Quesada - Djrum - CMAT - The Cure 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #weeknote ### TWIL #69 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-69/ Last updated: 2025-05-04T05:14:00.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there is an annual competition for imitating the screech of a seagull. It is as extraordinary as you might imagine. [‘Seagull boy’ swoops in to retain European screeching titleCooper, 10, retained his screeching crown - though his little sister gave him a run for his money.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-11.png)BBC News![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/1bb4a540-2407-11f0-a686-ebbae6481125.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz795vx73z4o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [“www.gullscreeching.eu”![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)](http://www.gullscreeching.eu/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #36 - April 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/36-april-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T15:46:22.000Z Stuff Mixtape #36 is an even dozen of tunes that sum-up April 2025, taking us from spring toward a summer of sunshine. Here's why each of these incredible tunes made it into my playlist. - **Looking Back like Hours for Fools (Octophonic Remix) - Test Card** | 100% the best Uncle Albert sample I've heard, beautiful electronica. - **L'intranquilitié - Kazy Lambist & Lulu Gainsbourg** | Fabulous collaboration between two vital voices. - **Oxygen - Anika** | Still giving me strong Nico vibes, loving Anikas current output. - **Pure Love - DJ Koze & Damon Albarn** | German Deep House DJ meets voice for hire Damon Albarn on this lazy, summer vibe track. - **Running/Planning - CMAT** | Fantastic new track from CMAT, could listen to the "I'm not good enough for you..." line over and over. - **Keep me in Mind - Kelly Finnigan & Renaldo Domino** | What a belter of a soul duet between two amazing Colemine artists. Superb. - **Year of the Snake - Arcade Fire** | Nice comeback tune from the Canadian ensemble that remain on my bucket list for a live show. - **Henry, come on - Lana Del Rey** | Not straying much from an excellent pathway. Looking forward to seeing her in July. - **In the Moment (Adriatique Mix) - Rufus du Sol** | Not my usual bag, but great piece of desert house from the Australian band. Will feature on dancefloors. - **Far Away - Martha Wainwright with Garth** | 20th anniversary rerelease, but a beautiful version of this ballad. - **Bam Bam - Sister Nancy** | No idea how this came into my head this month, but had to give it a listen. Full on Summer Vibes! - **Stalag 17 - Ansel Collins** | And one thing led to another, and now we're fully ready for the arrival of the sunshine. [Listen to #36 Here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2RS6EC9oO0pVgeARrSxrC7?si=0ee19b96ae004240&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #236 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-236/ Last updated: 2025-04-28T05:00:29.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ List one task, do it, cross it out | ✅ Win or Learn this week | ✅ Five ways to stay calm | ✅ Paper or Keyboard? | ✅ Learn to Validate Others | ✅ Eject Disk | 🔗 Play Which Year? ### Before we start - will you answer my ONE QUESTION survey? [Click here - one question](https://forms.gle/kGnSzYucvpvU6C9G9?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [List one task, do it, cross it out. ](https://www.oliverburkeman.com/onething?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Oliver Burkemann gets back to basics for task management. *(via Oliver Burkemann)* - This is the most basic (and effective) way to manage a task list. - Reducing your focus to the next most important thing keeps you moving forward. ### 🏆 [Win or Learn this Week](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-tiny-experiments-by-anne-laure-le-cunff/) Learn the power of a Tiny Experiment as a low-stake way of improving your life. - Run a small pact with yourself to see exponential growth. - Everything you test is data for the best version of you. ### 🧠 [Five ways to stay calm](https://open.substack.com/pub/postanly/p/the-calm-life-method-5-habits-of) You deserve to be relaxed, focused and in control of your day. *(via Postanly)* - #3 in this list is a superb reminder of why many of us feel anxiety - Five excellent ideas on what it takes to be more calm. ### 📝 [Paper or Keyboard?](https://theconversation.com/which-type-of-note-taking-is-better-for-learning-laptop-or-pen-and-paper-250404?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An objective look at which note-taking method is better. *(Via The Conversation)* - I use both, every day - paper for notes, electronic for building a [PKM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal%5Fknowledge%5Fmanagement?wprov=sfti1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - Which do you use and why? ### **👀** [Learn to Validate Others](https://psyche.co/guides/learn-to-validate-others-and-transform-your-relationships?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Making someone feel seen and heard will improve personal and work relationships. *(via Psyche)* - Understand what validation is, and isn’t - Learn validation skills and watch the quality of your relationships sky rocket ### 🔋 [Eject Disk.](https://brilliantcrank.com/eject-disk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) What follows here isn’t a framework or a fix—it’s a declaration. *(via BrilliantCrank)* - A manifesto for everyone that feels overwhelmed or burned out. - A fascinating call to action for anyone that feels stuck in a system. ### 📆 [Which Year?](https://whichyr.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Super simple, guess the year that the photo was taken - closest to the pin wins! --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, highly recommended music, and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-18/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Describe a recent adventure or new experience you had. [More Journal Prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for updates. ### TWIL #68 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-68/ Last updated: 2025-04-27T10:08:49.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that scientists have discovered a previously unseen colour, a saturated blue-green. [Scientists claim to have discovered ‘new colour’ no one has seen before“Olo” is said to be a saturated blue-green - but some say the existence of a new colour is “open to argument”.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-10.png)BBC News![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/edda3260-1d04-11f0-b379-817a4ad4e9d8.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyq0n3em41o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #18 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-18/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:49:02.000Z ## Updates A second short working week after a quiet and rainy Easter weekend in Dublin. Springtime seems to be on pause, so we're hoping for a brighter week. I'm off for an adventure this weekend, updates next week - but I'm hoping to have some dry weather to get some photographs taken. I'm enjoying [Minority Rule by Ash Sarkar](https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/minority-rule-9781526648334/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) at the moment, full review to follow - but this is a run through of the 'culture wars' of recent years, with some detailed explanations how some big stories have played out (albeit a little one-sided). I'm finding a strong connection to the [George Monbiot book](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-the-invisible-doctrine-by-george-monbiot-and-peter-hutchinson/) \- The Invisible Doctrine that I read last year, but this is more about where the 'rubber hits the road'. ![A flay lay photograph of the book 'Minority Rule' by Ash Sarkar.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_0215.jpeg) ## Recommended Music My album of the week is the brand new release from Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade. Cancionera is lovely collection of new tunes in a modern Latin American style. Natalia has previously worked with Adrien Quesada, and has won a slew of Grammy awards along the way - as well as having performed at Carnegie Hall. I'm really enjoying the sunshine feel of this new album - as well as her extraordinary voice. Highly Recommended listen. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - John Foxx - Natalia Lafourcade - The Cure - Elijah Fox - Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Purity Ring - Lana Del Rey - Meursault - Yui Onodera - Stellardrone 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #weeknote ### Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-tiny-experiments-by-anne-laure-le-cunff/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:44:04.000Z Anne-Laure Le Cunff believes small changes lead to big results. In *Tiny Experiments*, she shows how you can build better habits, make smarter decisions and design a life you actually enjoy — one tiny test at a time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a thoughtful and practical way to try new things on a journey to increased purpose, and an antidote to the obsession with goals and strategies. Below, I'm sharing my notes from the book as well as some practical takeaways. ## What is a Tiny Experiment? - A tiny experiment is a small, low-risk test you run in your life. - It lets you explore new ideas without committing fully. - You treat everything as a learning opportunity — not a pass/fail test. **Example**: Instead of deciding to “become a runner,” you try running for two minutes a day for one week. ## Why Tiny Experiments Matter - **Lower pressure**: You feel less fear because the stakes are small. - **Faster feedback**: You get real-world data quickly, not just guesses. - **Greater flexibility**: You can adjust or stop at any time. Anne-Laure argues most self-improvement advice fails because it demands too much change too fast. Tiny Experiments create progress without overwhelming you. By focusing on these low-stakes exercises you can live more freely in a world that is obsessed with goals. ## Foundation Work Anne-Laure suggests that a starting point for Tiny Experiments is to keep a 'field notes' journal of how life is going for you. By capturing feelings and emotions at regular intervals, you have a source of data about you and your world. This doesn't need to be a journaling exercise, but maybe just a note of random thoughts, ideas, emotions as they occur to you. The aim here is to create a 'trail' that you can review as data for your experiments. ## How to Run a Tiny Experiment 1. **Pick a question:** What do you want to learn? *Example: “Will I feel more focused if I write first thing in the morning?”* 2. **Design a small test:** Choose a simple action you can take. *Example: “Write for five minutes every weekday at 8am.”* 3. **Set a time frame:** Give yourself an end date. *Example: “I’ll try it for five days.”* 4. **Reflect on the outcome - a**fter the test, ask: - What worked? - What felt easy? - What felt hard? - What would I change? The author describes these steps as 'making a pact' with yourself. You do not label the result as “success” or “failure.” You treat them as information. ## Principles Behind Tiny Experiments - **Curiosity over perfection -** Focus on learning, not proving you are right. - **Iteration over intensity-** Improve through repetition, not massive effort. - **Sustainability over speed -** Build habits you can maintain, not quick fixes. Anne-Laure reminds us: “If it feels too big to start, it is too big.”. *I love this approach to thinking about something new.* ## Real-Life Applications Examples of pacts that can drive real world achievement and learning are throughout the book, I pulled some out that resonated with me" ### Building New Habits - Instead of “meditate daily forever,” - Try “breathe deeply for 30 seconds every morning for one week.” ### Making Career Moves - Instead of quitting your job tomorrow, - Try volunteering for a project in your area of interest. ### Improving Wellbeing - Instead of launching into an extreme fitness plan, - Try stretching for five minutes before bed for five days. Anne-Laure refers to these ideas as “prototyping your life.” None of them feel like they are BHAG (big hairy-assed goals) but achievable nuggets that help you feel like you are making progress day by day. ## The Mindset Shift You Need Tiny Experiments encourage you to value **learning over winning**. In coaching, I often talk to people about using experiences as data for future improvements. By carrying out experiments, you are creating MORE feedback to learn and grow from. > Most people ask “How can I succeed?”, Tiny Experimenters ask “What can I discover?” This shift builds resilience. It turns every outcome into progress. ## Favourite Quotes - “Action is the fastest form of clarity.” - “When you shrink the stakes, you grow your courage.” ## Practical Takeaways for You - **Start ridiculously small**: If it feels easy, you are doing it right. - **Frame it as an experiment**: You are testing, not committing. - **Review without judgement**: Every result is useful. - **Stack experiments over time**: Progress builds faster than you think. ## Questions to Ask Yourself - What tiny experiment could I run this week? - Where am I stuck because I fear getting it wrong? - How would my life change if I saw everything as a test? ## Final Thought: You do not need to have it all figured out. You just need to be willing to test, learn and tweak. Tiny experiments make growth safe, doable and fun. > What tiny experiment will you start today? ### Stuff that MattRs - #235 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-235/ Last updated: 2025-04-21T05:00:31.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ What type of company do you work for? | ✅ Make Virtual Communication work FOR you | ✅ Is it time for micro-retirement? | ✅ How to Cope with Mood Swings | ✅ Discover Life with Purpose | ✅ What are the benefits of flow state? | 🔗 Play Letterlinks. --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [What type of company do you work for?](https://www.elenaverna.com/p/the-types-of-companies-you-can-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Are you working at a unicorn, or a tanker - and what will that do for your career? *(via elenaverna.com)* - There are six *common* archetypes of company. - Establishing which one you are at, will help you define your next moves. ### 📧 [Make Virtual Communication work FOR you](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-ping-by-andrew-brodsky/) Thoughtful communication boosts your productivity, reputation, and mental health. - By using this simple framework, you can maximise the impact of your comms. - Responding faster is not the same as responding better. ### 🧩 [Is it time for micro-retirement?](https://theconversation.com/some-gen-zs-are-taking-a-micro-retirement-its-one-way-to-address-burnout-but-it-comes-with-risks-252505?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Humans shouldn’t just work themselves into the ground. *(via theconversation.com)* - Some Generation Z-ers are taking a break to avoid burnout. - It might sound like a great idea, but it might not be without risks. ### 😒 [How to Cope with Mood Swings.](https://psyche.co/ideas/how-to-understand-mood-swings-to-better-cope-with-them?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Understanding how your moods work will help you regain balance and control. *(via psyche.co)* - Learn the important difference between emotions and moods. - Practical steps to help you figure out what drives your moods and how to rebalance. ### 📈 [Discover Life with Purpose](https://fs.blog/munger-operating-system/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Charlie Munger knows a thing or two about life, and success. *(via Farnham Street)* - To get what you want, deserve what you want. Trust, success, and admiration are earned. - The Charlie Munger Operating System is worth investigating. ### 🌊 [What are the benefits of flow state?](https://www.headspace.com/articles/flow-state?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finding that sense of total balance between physical and mental energy is a powerful tool. *(via headspace.com)* - Some actionable advice to help identify and find a flow state. - I use my [flowstuff playlist](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) as a way of finding and keeping flow state. ### 🧩 [Letterlinks](https://playletterlinks.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Another Scrabble like puzzle. Place your letters on a grid for high scores, play against a global leaderboard. --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some updates from the week, highly recommended music, and some great listens from my ears to yours. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-17/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Write about a positive habit you've developed. Think about your success. [More Journal Prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for the social updates. ### TWIL #67 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-67/ Last updated: 2025-04-20T06:12:19.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the Uber Lost and Found Index is a strange and mysterious place. Who leaves their **Chainsaw** in a taxi? [The 2025 Uber Lost & Found IndexThe 2025 Uber Lost & Found Index provides a snapshot of riders’ most commonly forgotten and most unique lost items. The 2025 Uber Lost & Found Index provides a snapshot of riders’ most commonly forgotten and most unique lost items.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-16.ico)Uber NewsroomBecky Davis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Uber-2025-Lost-Found-scaled.jpg)](https://www.uber.com/newsroom/the-2025-uber-lost-found-index/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #17 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-17/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:57:56.000Z ## Updates A shorter working week here in Ireland as we get ready to enjoy the Easter weekend, so slightly busier at work as we try and cram five days into four! I spent some time last weekend [launching an Instagram account](https://www.instagram.com/stuffthatmattrs/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to support the [newsletter](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/newsletter/), and posting some graphics to find new subscribers. Follow me there for more daily updates to the site. I also spent the morning celebrating Record Store Day 2025 last Saturday, it was great to see [my favourite shop](https://spindizzyrecords.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) packed out with punters and I managed to pick up some great vinyl. I kept my reading routine in place and finished Ping by Andrew Brodsky, a useful book that outlines some great insights into Virtual Communication. I wrote a full review here which I hope is useful for some. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_0127-1.jpeg) ## Recommended Music Releasing (and listening to) a three hour album is a huge undertaking, but I have been enjoying the new collection from the active Nicolas Jaar this week. **Archivos de Radio Piedras** is a substantial collection of lengthy tracks that take excellent electronica from the Piedras albums and then overlay with samples from various radio stations and other found sound. It's a hypnotic listen, in places relaxing and gentle and in others skittering and unsettling. I absolutely love it. Highly Recommended listen. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Nicolas Jaar - John Foxx - Röyksopp - Aaron Landsman & Norman Westberg - Lana del Rey - Kelly Lee Owens - Sages - Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan - Aphex Twin - Kazy Lambist 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #weeknote ### PING by Andrew Brodsky URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-ping-by-andrew-brodsky/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:44:12.000Z There are a LOT of books about handling communication overload. Shelves are full of great advice about achieving Inbox Zero, and working in '[Deep Focus](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-slow-productivity-by-cal-newport/)' mode. Andrew Brodsky's **PING** is slightly different. Whilst there is some great advice about managing the technology, the *real* insight comes from the way that Brodsky prompts you to *choose* the right method of virtual communication. [Brodsky is a workplace communication expert](https://abrodsky.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and digs into the almost ubiquitous world of virtual communications — and *how to use them*. He offers practical, research-backed advice for anyone who wants to regain control of their communication and attention without harming their career. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of virtual communication and contains a practical, real-world example followed by some scientific or academic study that backs up the proposed solution. The chapter then rounds out with learnings using the PING framework: - P - Perspective Taking - I - Initiative - N - Non-Verbal - G - Goals This framework encourages you to think differently about how you handle virtual communications. Here are some main insights I took from the book. ## Core Idea You are not imagining it. Workplace communication is speeding up, fragmenting your day and killing your focus. Most modern workers are drowning in meetings, emails, instant messages, and Zoom/Teams calls — without any real system to manage them. Brodsky argues that simply trying to “keep up” is not the answer. Instead, you need a deliberate communication strategy. You must consciously choose **how** and **when** you communicate. Otherwise, you will stay trapped in reactive work, unable to make meaningful progress. ## Why PING Matters - Studies show workers spend **70% or more** of their day communicating. - Communication overload reduces productivity, increases stress, and drives burnout. - Organisations reward responsiveness — but few teach people how to be effective communicators. Brodsky insists you must **manage communication like any other critical resource** — or risk letting it manage you. ## Key Concepts from the Book ### 1\. Communication isn’t neutral - Every ping demands your attention, even if you ignore it. - “Quick” communications often cause hours of context switching and lost focus. **Example:** If you answer a Slack message while deep in a project, you could lose 20–30 minutes getting back into flow. > **Question for you:** How often do you let someone else’s urgency set your priorities? ### 2\. The communication triangle: Speed, Richness, Effort Brodsky introduces a simple framework to think about with every virtual communication. When you communicate, you need to always balance: - **Speed:** How fast the message is delivered and responded to. - **Richness:** How much emotional and contextual information is conveyed. - **Effort:** How much time and energy it takes to craft and consume the message. **Practical insight:** You cannot maximise all three at once. You must choose based on what the situation demandss **Example:** - A face-to-face meeting = high richness, high effort, low speed. - An instant message = high speed, low richness, low effort. > **Question for you:** Are you matching your communication method to the real needs of each situation? How often do you even evaluate the correct methodology for communication before you press send? ### 3\. Default to asynchronous communication - Most meetings are unnecessary. - Email, recorded videos, voice notes, and project management tools often work better. - Asynchronous communication gives people time to think, respond, and do deep work. **Data point:** Workers rate 50–70% of meetings as “wasteful.” My workplace has recently asked for an audit of meetings, and it has been eye-opening. > **Actionable idea:** Before you call a meeting, ask yourself: *Could this be an email, a video recording, or a Workplace/Slack post?* ### 4\. Protect your attention with communication “windows” - Brodsky recommends **blocking specific times** for reactive communication. Whilst many practitioners suggest once or twice per day, brodsky suggests that you need to tune this to your role, and the demands of your organisation. - Outside these windows, focus fully on proactive work. **Example schedule:** - 9–9:30: Check and reply to urgent messages - 12–12:30: Respond to emails and messages - 4–4:30: Final inbox sweep **Personal tip:** You can even put your communication hours in your email signature or online status. > **Question for you:** What one block of time could you protect tomorrow to focus without interruptions? ### 5\. Set and communicate boundaries - You must **teach others how to work with you**. - Be clear about your availability, preferred communication methods, and response times. **Sample script:** “I check email three times a day and will get back to you within 24 hours unless urgent.” > **Question for you:* What boundaries could you set for your time, and how could you share those with the people you work with?* ### Favourite Quotes from PING - "We're being judged by a new yardstick: not just by how smart we are, or by our training and expertise, but also how well we handle ourselves and each other." (Daniel Goleman) - “Communication is not just a necessary evil — it is the work itself.” - **“Responding faster is not the same as responding better.”** - “The best communicators are the ones who know when not to communicate.” ## Final Takeaways - Communication overload is one of the biggest productivity drains. - You cannot eliminate workplace communication — but you can manage it better. - **Thoughtful communication boosts your productivity, reputation, and mental health.** - The best strategy: fewer, richer, more intentional communications. **Simple reflection for you:** > If you improved your communication habits by just 10%, what would be the impact on your focus, stress, and results? ### Stuff that MattRs - #234 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-234/ Last updated: 2025-04-14T04:55:56.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Multitasking is Impossible | ✅ Implement the No Triangles Rule | ✅ Stop Reading News | ✅ Get the Job You Want | ✅ Who do you call? | ✅ Unleash your Superpowers | 🔗 Daily Scrabble Puzzle --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [Multitasking is impossible](https://nicenews.com/humanity/multitasking-is-impossible-productivity-techniques/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Let an expert tell you what you should do instead. *(via Nice News)* - The solution here is to become better at SWITCHING tasks. - Getting better at having deep focus is a critical skill. ### ⚠️ [Implement the No Triangles Rule](https://www.rachaelrobertson.com.au/no-triangles?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Rachel Robertson shares a super easy way to build trust in relationships. *(Via Rachel Robertson)* - We all have to face into difficult relationships - By using this simple rule we can foster respect, innovation and build productivity ### 🗞️ [Stop Reading News. ](https://fs.blog/stop-reading-news/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Does the news make you wiser, or happier? *(via Farnam Street)* - The more news we take in, the less we actually understand - The solution isn’t abstinence, its discipline. [It’s digital minimalism.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-digital-minimalism/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 💪🏼 [Get the job you want](https://creative.artisantalent.com/cold-email-job-search?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A great guide to writing the email that will get you the role of your dreams. *(Via Artisan Talent)* - Doing a little bit of homework before hitting send pays dividends. - This easy template will help you make a superb first impression. ### 📞 [Who do you call?](https://www.highagency.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) You wake up in a 3rd world jail cell. You’re only allowed to call one person you know to get you out of there. Who do you call? *(Via High Agency)* - The person you thought of probably has ‘High Agency’ - a mindset that ‘gets shit done’. - Having a [high agency mindset](https://nickwignall.com/high-agency-mindset/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is a powerful weapon. ### 🔋 [Unleash your Superpowers](https://nicenews.com/humanity/determine-your-personal-strengths/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Do you know your personal strengths and how to use them? *(via Nice News)* - Uncover the differences between talents and strengths - Practical advice to help you leverage your strengths ### 🧩 [Daily Scrabble Puzzle.](https://scraple.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Every day, a new Scrabble Puzzle, see if you can be the best in the world. --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some travel, highly recommended music, and some great listens from this week. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-16/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** Describe a time when you helped someone and felt great about it. [More Journal Prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for the social updates. ### TWIL #66 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-66/ Last updated: 2025-04-13T04:54:46.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a day on Uranus just got 28 seconds longer - all thanks to the Hubble telescope. [A day at Uranus just got 28 seconds longerA day at Uranus just got a little longer. Scientists reported Monday that observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed it takes Uranus 17 hours, 14 minutes and 52 seconds to complete a full rotation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-9.png)AP NewsMARCIA DUNN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/90-3)](https://apnews.com/article/uranus-nasa-hubble-19a4d69e0778704a4fd01e6a6f6bd814?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #16 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-16/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:09:58.000Z ## Updates We've had a glorious week in Dublin, bright sunshine and Spring like weather all week which has made the mornings a pleasure. Last weekend I finished the penultimate module of my Coaching Diploma, just one more weekend to go and hopefully I will have passed the programme and can become a member of the Association of Coaches. I've been keeping up my daily reading practice, and finished On the Clock by Claire Baglin. A story translated from French about social inequality across multiple generations of a family in Brittany. Not always an easy read, but worth persevering with. Finally - I reached 100 days of not drinking at all. I decided to try 'dry January' and then ended up sticking with it. I'm not a huge drinker, so this hasn't been too difficult but I'm curious how it will play when I'm on holiday and the tempation is a bit higher. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_0024.jpeg) ## Recommended Music I'm enjoying the new album from Stuff favourites Röyksopp - True Electric is a live project, with slightly remixed versions of tracks from across multiple albums. This is super dancefloor friendly, and completly euphoric in places. I'm slightly disappointed that the live show isn't coming anywhere near me, but I'll console myself with the video versions that are emerging online. This album is a complete belter - and you won't be disappointed. Highly Recommended listen. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Pan-American - Arcade Fire - Wolfgang Flur - DJ Koze - Marlon Williams - Royksopp - Bon Iver - Imprints - John Foxx - Sandwell District 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #weeknote ### Stuff that MattRs - #233 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-233/ Last updated: 2025-04-07T04:16:24.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Ask Better Questions | ✅ Max Out your Monday | ✅ Use AI to complete tasks automatically | ✅ Play Your Way to Success | ✅ Keep Your Attention | ✅ Kill Your Feeds | 🔗 Swap the Frogs --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff: [Ask Better Questions](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/how-to-create-meaningful-connections-by-asking-great-questions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Create meaningful connections by asking the right questions. - This model identifies five types of question asker, and how they make stronger connections. - By knowing the styles, you can switch up to [precision questioning.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/precision-questioning-skills/) ### 📅 [Max out your Monday](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/monday-motivation/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 99 Ways to start the week motivated - You have a lot on your plate, here’s how to make a great start to the week. - I'm a big fan of [#3](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-focus-with-the-pomodoro-technique/), [#15](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/eisenhower-prioritisation/) and #72 is a superb option for Monday morning. ### ✅ [Use AI to complete tasks automatically](https://dariusforoux.com/ai-daily-reading-routine/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ChatGPT can now run queries on a schedule. - ChatGPT can’t replace the hard work of getting through your task list. - I'm testing this with a daily search of news about my workplace, and it's excellent. ### 🍋 [Play your way to success](https://nicenews.com/health-and-wellness/lemonading-playfulness-face-adversity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). When life gives you lemons, start 'lemonading'. - Research shows that playfulness actively changes challenging situations. - You can surprise yourself by being spontaneous and playful ### 👀 [Keep your attention](https://www.techforgood.net/guestposts/the-art-of-attention-how-the-worlds-most-creative-minds-stay-focused-online?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How the world's most creative people stay focused online - Focus is an endangered talent - By following a few simple rules, you can make sure you’re in the zone. ### 🗞️ [Kill your Feeds.](https://usher.dev/posts/2025-03-08-kill-your-feeds/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Five ways to get out of your algorithms and connect to the information YOU want. - We’re all being boiled alive like frogs in algorithm soup. - By being more intentional with your online behaviour, you can dictate where your attention is spent. ### 🐸 [Swap the Frogs.](https://rvlabs.ca/jumping-frogs?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Last week it was stack the pigs, this week it's 'Swap the Frogs' - starts easy. It’s not! --- ## My Week Elsewhere Some travel, highly recommended music, and some great listens from this week. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-15/) ✍️ ****Weekly Journal Prompt:** What surprising opportunities have come from moments of ambiguity? [More Journal Prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for the social updates. ### TWIL #65 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-65/ Last updated: 2025-04-06T12:27:16.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that before the invention of the bicycle, the average distance between the birthplaces of spouses in England was one mile. [Love is but a field away – Galibier![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/cropped-logo-png-copy-270x270.jpg)Galibiergalibier![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/The-first-Tour-de-France-1903.--1024x509.jpg)](https://www.galibier.cc/love-is-but-a-field-away/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #15 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weeknote-15/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:08:28.000Z ## Travel We spent last weekend in London, to celebrate our sons birthday - there was a party on Friday night where I was honoured to play a back to back DJ set with the birthday boy. I don't think I embarrassed anyone as we smashed out some UK Garage. On Saturday we wandered the West End, visiting Selfridges and then walking down to Trafalgar Square to the [National Portrait Gallery](https://www.npg.org.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for a retrospective exhibition on [The Face magazine](https://theface.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It was great to see covers and photography from a magazine I devoured in the 80's and 90's. We finished the day with dinner at Balthazar. On Sunday we met back up with our son for Mothers Day / Birthday celebration lunch at the excellent [Acme Fire Cult](https://www.acmefirecult.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) in Dalston. Highly recommended if you are looking for some interesting BBQ food. Some pictures from the week below: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/872d3e8d-54e6-47af-b5c7-eb1677695195.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5527.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/FullSizeRender.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5469.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5492.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5499.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5518.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5519.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5525.jpeg) ## Recommended Music Only one game in town this week - the new [Stuff Mixtape](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/) is out - [Issue #35](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/35-march-2025/) is almost exactly one hour of perfect tunes that showcase the transition into springtime in my ears. Featuring 14 great new tunes including Matt Berninger, Turin Brakes, Royskopp and much more. Recommended listen. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Perfume Genius - Timber Timbre - John Foxx - Tamino - Momus - Dirty Projectors & Bjork - Sandwell District - Bryan Ferry and Amelia Barratt - Marlon Williams - Panchiko 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### #35 - March 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/35-march-2025/ Last updated: 2025-04-04T10:13:37.000Z Stuff Mixtape #35 is a beautiful hour that reflects the transition into Spring in my ears... I hope you enjoy! Here's why each of these incredible tunes made it into my playlist. - **Major Tom (Völlig losgelöst) - Peter Schilling |** All over the TV on a commercial at the moment, a forgotten signal from the 80's. - **Bonnet of Pins - Matt Berninger |** New solo material from The National front man, dense and interesting. - **Calvados - Peter Doherty** | Bucolic french fun from Libertines/Babyshambles singer - love this - **Spacehopper - Turin Brakes** | First track from returning Stuff favourites, first heard this whilst walking around Seattle. - **Stranger - Gabriels |** Just wow, what a voice and what a track. - **Dark will Fall - Bonobo and Jacob Lusk |** Taken from the soundtrack to Lazarus, blistering tune - **Different - Barry can't Swim |** New dancefloor burner from the really likeable DJ/Producer. Sounds of summer here. - **Running to the Sea (True Electric) - Röyksopp & Susanne Sundfor |** Amped up live version of this excellent pop song from Norwegian geniuses. - **World Away - Etienne de Crecy & Alexis Taylor |** Bouncy, frenchtouch tune with brilliant vocals from Hot Chip front man Taylor - **raat ki rani - Arooj Aftab & Khruangbin |** Beautiful track, remixed with the unmistakable sound of Texas Soul. - **Ça n'existe pas - Iliona |** Ethereal singer-songwriter from France, one to watch? - **In the sound of Breathing - Sages |** Scandinavian supergroup collaboration, Olafur Arnalds with Loreen on vocals. - **I remember - Molly Drake |** The mother of Nick Drake, saw this covered at a live show by Chanele McGuinness, such a lovely gentle song. - **Futō - Shida Shahabi |** From Sweden, but full of beautiful Eastern influence. This is a stunner. - **On Being - Max Cooper & Felix Gerbelot |** Ambient, chill masterclass from one of the best. [Listen to #35 Here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4clMIVLTk0KN6Z0rmPinp3?si=b3b7437d5323415c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #232 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-232/ Last updated: 2025-03-31T04:26:26.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Build Rituals, not Habits | ✅ Ace Challenging Interview Questions | ✅ Do not Plan your Career | ✅ Explore Analog Wellness | ✅ Declutter your Life | ✅ Touch Grass Now | 🔗 Styscraper --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff : [Build Rituals not Habits.](https://www.fastcompany.com/91126014/why-rituals-not-habits-make-you-more-productive?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) To be more productive, build rituals that animate your day. (*via Fast Company)* - While rituals and habits can coexist, its important to understand they are different. - My [Friday Closedown Ritual](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/friday-closedown-ritual/) is a great place to get started with one hour that will start your weekend AND set you up for Monday. ### ⁉️ [Ace Challenging Interview Questions.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2025/01/30/how-to-put-the-best-spin-on-4-challenging-job-interview-questions/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Expert advice on answering some of the hardest job interview questions. (*via Forbes)* - The rule of thumb is to never lie on a resume or in a job interview - However, there are ways to spin some answers to give you an advantage. ### 💪🏼 [Do Not Plan your Career.](https://pmarchive.com/guide%5Fto%5Fcareer%5Fplanning%5Fpart1.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Marc Andressen knows a thing or two about careers, his career planning guide is essential reading. (*via the Pmarchive)* - The world is an incredibly complex place and everything is changing all the time. - Career planning = career limiting. ### ❤️‍🩹 [Explore Analog Wellness](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-analog-wellness/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). People are starting to get serious about logging off to increase their wellness. (*via the Good Trade)* - The rise of analog tech, like vinyl records, in recent years is undeniable. - The Global Wellness Summit detailed the top ten wellness trends of 2025\. And the number one item on their list? “Analog wellness.” ### 🧹 [Declutter your life.](https://ryanholiday.net/how-im-decluttering-my-life-this-spring/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Spring cleaning, stoic style. *(via Ryan Holliday)* - Ryan Holliday is working on ways to declutter, using stoic principles - [There is a clear connection between clutter and worsened mental wellbeing.](https://nicenews.com/culture/declutter-your-home-and-mind/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### ✌🏼 [Touch Grass Now.](https://touchgrass.now/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This app is an interesting way to reduce social media use. - Actually TOUCH grass before you arte allowed to use your socials. - There are some [good reasons to quit social media](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/play-your-way-sane/202502/the-psychology-of-quitting-social-media??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ### 🐷 [Styscraper](https://vole.wtf/styscraper/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Stack the pigs. This made me laugh so much. --- ## My Week Elsewhere Recommended Music, a live music experience and some great listens from this week. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-elsewhere-14/) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How did I show up for myself and others in meaningful ways? [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [More Journal Prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for the social updates. ### TWIL #64 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-64/ Last updated: 2025-03-30T10:58:46.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a Swiss town is prescribing Museum Visits as therapy for patients. I fully subscribe to this idea! [Stressed? Sick? Swiss town lets doctors prescribe free museum visits as art therapy for patientsThe Swiss town of Neuchâtel is offering residents a novel form of preventative or preparatory medicine.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-8.png)AP NewsJAMEY KEATEN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/90-2)](https://apnews.com/article/museum-art-therapy-neuchatel-switzerland-55bcf5c4830261e35a3b8704671418f8?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #14 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-elsewhere-14/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:58:20.000Z ## Live Music Last Saturday night I was lucky to see Anna B Savage in Dublin. It was the first time I have visited the [Unitarian Church in St Stephens Green](https://www.dublinunitarianchurch.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) which is a tiny venue, I estimate only 180/200 people in the place, but as always in a church - the acoustics were lovely. *It was notable that in a venue without a bar, the focus was 100% on the music rather than the craic, which sometimes annoys me at gigs in Dublin.* Support was from Donegal singer [Chanele McGuinness](https://www.chanelemcguinness.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) who did a short but lovely set of gentle folkish songs with a guitar. First time I have heard her, but very enjoyable - finishing with a cover of [I Remember by Molly Drake.](https://open.spotify.com/track/0GLEe9YYMIOhrvMWH5nhsl?si=8bcf88dd193d4893&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Then came Anna B Savage, who was full of an edgy, bouncy energy and channeled that into a fearsome performance. She delivered a pile of songs from the current album 'You & I are Earth', and a couple from 'in|Flux' and 'A Common Turn'. Accompanied by a small band that were super talented, and a lot of fun this was an intimate, powerful performance that will live on my memory for some time. We were in the front row, and to watch this talent up close was a real privilege. I only took my phone out one song from the end, so not many pictures but I think the couple I have are a good representation of a fantastic show. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5419.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5420.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5422.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5423.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5426.jpeg) ## Recommended Music I've heard of Tamino before, and didn't really tune into a previous listen - but a new album has been on my 'to listen' list for a couple of weeks so I gave "Every dawn's a mountain" a go. Tamino is from Belgium, and is the son of a famous Egyption singer. This is their 3rd album after Amir, and Sahar. I really enjoyed this one, a real singer-songwriter album with a duet from Mitski in the middle and some beautiful vocals throughout. A very easy listen, with some outstanding songwriting. Recommended listen. ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week. - Nick Drake - Tamino - Molly Drake - Royksopp - Timber Timbre - Hekla - Jorg Tuning - Susanna Sundfor - Adrian Crowley - Anna B Savage (Live) 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Stuff that MattRs - #231 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-231/ Last updated: 2025-03-24T07:18:17.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Beat Procrastination Now | ✅ Calm your Inner Critic | ✅ Balance Work & Life | ✅ The Benefits of Laziness | ✅ Be Happier Now | ✅ Start a Personal Archive | 🔗 Slow Roads --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff : [Beat Procrastination Now](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/beat-procrastination-before-it-starts-use-this-10-step-checklist/) A ten step checklist that will help you tackle procrastination and get anything done. - Ten simple steps that will help you push past resistance. - Five minutes now will save you hours in the future. ### 🧠 [Calm your Inner Critic](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/inner-critic/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A psychologist explains how to work with your critical voices. *(via The Good Trade)* - No-one would speak to a friend the way that we speak to ourselves. - Using self-compassion, loving kindness, and non-judgmental language will help. ### ⚖️ [Balance Work & Life](https://au.indeed.com/lead/eight-amazing-women-on-achieving-work-life-balance-and-a-more-gender-balanced-workplace?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Eight inspiring leaders explain how they balance work & life, and create a more equitable workplace for everyone. *(via Indeed)* - Intentionality is a common thread through all of these insights. - I love the [No Triangles principle](https://www.rachaelrobertson.com.au/no-triangles?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) mentioned in here. ### 🛌 [The Benefits of Laziness](https://nesslabs.com/benefits-of-laziness?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Why being a lazy person can be good for you. *(via Nesslabs)* - Lazy solutions to problems can be some of the smartest. - Anne-Marie Le Cunff shares the ten benefits of being lazy. ### 🎈 [Be Happier Now](https://bakadesuyo.com/2025/03/happier-3/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Neuroscience reveals three tricks that will make you happier. *(via Barking Up the Wrong Tree)* - Understanding how habituation impacts your thinking can be a key factor in being happy. - These three tips will help you fond more happiness in your day. ### 📘 [Start a Personal Archive](https://cultishcreative.com/p/why-you-need-a-personal-archive-and-how-to-start-one?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) You need somewhere to put all the stuff you are trying to remember. *(via Cultish Creative)* - You carry and process a huge amount information, every day. - The tool is not important, its the principle. ### 🛣️ [Slow Roads](https://slowroads.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#A2-0ff1bcc9@1.65) Finally - a beautiful, zen driving experience where you can change your scenery and relax as you mosey along. --- ### My Week Elsewhere Recommended Music, Movies and an update on my Coaching Journey [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-elsewhere-13/) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What expectations or pressures can I release? [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for the social updates. ### TWIL #63 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-63/ Last updated: 2025-03-23T05:11:12.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that ancient Greek statues often had clothing, and perfume for a full sensory experience. [News - Ancient Greek Statues Smelled of Perfume - Archaeology MagazineDELOS, GREECE—Many museums around the world are filled with marble statues from ancient Greece and \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-15.ico)Archaeology MagazineJason Urbanus![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/ArchaeologyDefaultImage@2x.jpg)](https://archaeology.org/news/2025/03/17/ancient-greek-statues-smelled-of-perfume/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #13 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-elsewhere-13/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:59:12.000Z ## Updates It's been a while since I updated on my [Coaching Journey](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-this-manager-is-still-learning-my-new-coaching-journey/). Myself and my cohort are now approaching the end of our diploma course with the [Coach Institute of Ireland.](https://coachinstitute.ie/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) We've completed hours of peer and pro-bono coaching, and written essays and case studies, alongside weekends of classroom experiences. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I can feel the influence of the coaching creeping into my daily work. Most of all, it's been a blast making new friends in class. A first for me since the 1980's! I'll update more when the Diploma is complete. ## Recommended Music I don't listen to a huge amount of Jazz, and while (Steve) Okonski often gets lumped in there, I've found the album Entrance Music to be more accessible and light. Released in 2025 on [Colemine Records](https://www.coleminerecords.com/collections/okonski?srsltid=AfmBOoqU8ti9UMsArvBlqgLB%5F0RYk5atUNHE7wU7VblzWUaSW95tnGUE&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), this is a laid back and chill journey led by piano but with some irresistable grooves. Highly recommended listen. ## Recommended Watching Cinema trip last Sunday, to see the new Robert Pattinson movie, directed by Boon Jong-Hoo. An absolute riot of a film, here's my Letterboxd review: [A ★★★★★ review of Mickey 17 (2025)My first five stars of the year. Superb performance from Robert Pattinson (in Forrest Gump / Stan Laurel mode) with great support from Mark Ruffalo going full Tr\*mp as well as Toni Collette. Fantastically funny sci-fi romp that will be a classic.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-3.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/7Oh1xRB8QbMduhqXEUHKlnwxMJi-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/997Jm9?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Like almost everyone, everywhere we drained Adolescence in two nights on Netflix. Nothing I say is going to surpass the millions of words online, but suffice to say, its a five star review from me. [A ★★★★★ review of Adolescence (2025)So many words already written, performances are outstanding. The one-shot technique is superb and the story is chilling. A must watch, sure fire award winner next time around.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-4.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/adolescence-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/9chMF1?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finally on Friday we decided to catch up on a movie we missed at the cinema, and watch the beautiful Maria. [A ★★★★ review of Maria (2024)Beautifully made and with a deep sadness running through every scene. I didn’t know much about Maria Callas - but I think Jolie’s portrayal is excellent.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-5.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/maria-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/9bTGk9?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Listened Stuff Here's ten artists I have listened to this week... - Okonski - More Eaze - Etienne De Crecy - LCD Soundsystem - Mono - Richard Ashcroft - Fink - Royksopp - Adrian Crowley - Kae Tempest 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Beat Procrastination Before It Starts: Use This 10-Step Checklist URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/beat-procrastination-before-it-starts-use-this-10-step-checklist/ Last updated: 2025-03-22T14:24:58.000Z We all know the feeling. We sit down to work — and suddenly we’re checking emails, tidying our desks, or deep in a scroll hole. Starting is the hardest part. That’s where this checklist comes in. It’s a quick pre-task ritual to help you beat procrastination, focus on one thing, and actually begin. Each step is simple, practical, and designed to get your brain in gear. Use it before any work session. Five minutes now will save you hours later. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Stuff that MattRs - #230 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-230/ Last updated: 2025-03-17T05:17:20.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Consistency Wins | ✅ Two Hours to Greatness | ✅ Tame your Task List | ✅ Be More Interesting | ✅ Reclaim Sleep | ✅ Be Happier | 🔗 WordLink --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff : [Consistency Wins](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/how-to-be-consistent-7-strategies-that-actually-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Seven strategies that will actually help you build consistency AND get ahead. *(via Sahil Bloom)* - Consistency is a common thread behind every success story. - Not many people explain HOW to be consistent. ### ⏰ [Two Hours to Greatness](https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/steve-jobs-used-the-2-hour-rule-to-come-up-with-some-of-his-greatest-ideas-so-can-you/91106373?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Steve Jobs used a simple rule to generate his greatest ideas, here's how you can use that hack for yourself. *(via Inc)* - Constant busyness is the enemy of great ideas. - Operationalise time for 'noodling' in your calendar. ### ✅ [Tame Your Task List](https://joshspector.com/enough-list/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A great way to make your to-do list less overwhelming, I do exactly this with my daily list. *(via Josh Spector)* - Using an 'enough' list can help you get ahead of the day. - Josh Spector shares six ways to optimise this productivity technique. ### 👁️ [Be More Interesting](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/how-to-be-more-interesting/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Most people have a secret wish to be more interesting, Vanessa van Edwards explains **how** to be more interesting in 11 simple steps. *(via Science of People)* - The biggest barrier to becoming interesting is fear. - Your fear of being uninteresting **makes** you uninteresting ### 🛌 [Reclaim Sleep](https://www.vox.com/explain-it-to-me/400087/how-to-sleep-better-chronotypes-night-owl?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Is our sleep getting worse? This, and other urgent sleep questions get answered. *(via Vox)* - Learning about your sleep chronotype can help you make sure that you get enough rest. - For more help with Sleep Hygiene - [check this out.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) ### 🎈 [Be happier](https://theconversation.com/how-to-be-happy-with-what-you-have-and-avoid-the-trap-of-comparison-235476?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Avoid the traps of envy, and learn to be happier with with what you have. *(via The Conversation)* - Comparison is the thief of joy. - Three ways to combat comparison and revise how you understand yourself. ### 🔗 [Wordlink](https://playwordlink.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finally - beautifully executed daily word game, can you make the links between the words? --- ### My Week Elsewhere Trying something new, a weeknote with music, movies and Stuff that happened away from the newsletter. [My Week Elsewhere](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-elsewhere-12/) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How has gratitude allowed you to find joy in the present moment? [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for the social updates. ### #12 - From Seattle and a plane URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-elsewhere-12/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:11:10.000Z ## Travel I spent this week on the move, flying to Seattle on Monday for a week with my team. I didn't get a huge amount of time to reacquaint myself with a city that I enjoy, but I did get a few hours on Friday afternoon to head downtown and see how the skyline of the city had changed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5390.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5392.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5394.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5397.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5398.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5400.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5401.jpeg) Whilst exploring I found [Seattle Antiques](https://www.seattleantiquesmarket.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and found piece of all-American ephemera from my birthdate, which I'd never seen before. A June 1969 copy of Playboy magazine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/C5D2E12A-518D-401E-848A-5D05B9EA6961.jpeg) The Meta office in Seattle is a beauty, loads of space and fun for a work environment. The office was busy every day, but we found some time to explore. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5348.jpeg) ### **Recommended Music** My recommendation this week is a playlist created by Richard James (Aphex Twin) for Supreme clothing which is a mammoth affair containing 12 hours of (mostly) mellow tunes. There are some terrific tunes on here. Highly recommended. ### Recommended Watching I watched three movies on the way to the US. Here are my short [Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/mattrutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) reviews: [A ★★★★½ review of Bird (2024)Phenomenal film. Great performances. Harrowing at times, but worth pushing through.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/nueVVebU9F78VwWLy5wxPubelDM-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/95uxsp?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★½ review of The Outrun (2024)I enjoyed this, the story of a young alcoholic who escapes from London to the Orkney Islands to reclaim life. Some lovely performances and wild island views.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-1.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/TheOutrun-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/95EJjT?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) [A ★★★½ review of Wolfs (2024)Enjoyable caper of a movie, Pitt and Clooney play two ‘fixers’ who get assigned the same clean-up job after a dead body is found in an upscale hotel. A lot of fun, and worth the time.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/letterboxd-decal-l-16px-DorUFlWn-2.svg)Letterboxd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/ulGCG6slLkfCGi0yVRtYSVV6TCO-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg)](https://boxd.it/95EKlB?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### **Listened Stuff** Here's ten artists I have listened to this week... - Turin Brakes - Okonski - Arooj Aftab - Khruangbin - Aphex Twin - Brian Ferry & Amelia Barratt - Lambert - Kelly Finnigan - Ciara Mann - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachments 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### TWIL #62 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-62/ Last updated: 2025-03-16T11:38:16.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there is a 'volcano' constantly erupting in East London. It seems that no-one is able to stop it. [The Rainham volcano: a waste dump is constantly on fire in east London. Why will no one stop it?Under Arnolds Field, tonnes of illegally dumped waste have been burning for years, spewing pollution over the area. Locals fear for their health – and despair that no one seems willing to help![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-512-1.png)The GuardianWilliam Ralston![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/4999.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/04/the-rainham-volcano-arnolds-field-toxic-fires-waste-dump?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Stuff that MattRs - #229 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-that-mattrs-229/ Last updated: 2025-03-10T05:44:40.000Z **This Weeks Stuff:** ✅ Solve Problems Faster | ✅ Seize Ownership | ✅ Make Friends with Failure | ✅ Nail Public Speaking | ✅ Reclaim your Life | ✅ Thoughts on Turning 40 | 🐓 368 Chickens --- ### 🔥 Key Stuff : [Solve Problems Faster](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/solve-problems-at-the-root-with-the-five-whys-technique/) The Five Whys Technique will help get you to the root cause of a issue quickly, and propel your problem solving. - Five Whys is a technique invented by Toyota to resolve issues quickly. - You can use [Five Whys](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/solve-problems-at-the-root-with-the-five-whys-technique/) for both professional and personal challenges to improve efficiency and decision-making. ### 💪🏼 [Seize Ownership](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/productivity/how-to-take-ownership-of-your-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Taking ownership of problems and opportunities is guaranteed to power-up your career. (*via Atlassian)* - An internal [locus of control](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/locus-of-control?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is a key predictor of life satisfaction. - [Extreme ownership](https://www.lifehack.org/973560?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is a powerful tool for leadership and growth. ### 🤜🏼 [Make Friends with Failure](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/makes-friends-failures-steph-robin-cpcc-7xk4e/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) When we fear failure we play small and safe. Learn to embrace failure and we may even be able to laugh at it. *(via LinkedIn, thanks JG)* - Practical advice on dealing with failures, and turning them into learning opportunities. - Dig deeper into [Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck](https://fs.blog/carol-dweck-mindset/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🎤 [Nail Public Speaking](https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/10-tips-for-improving-your-public-speaking-skills/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The confidence to present something to an audience can turbo charge your personal brand. *(via Harvard Professional and Executive Development)* - Ten tips that will help you conquer your anxiety and deliver a pitch perfect presentation. - Superb advice on how to prepare and practice for your big moment. ### 💡 [Reclaim your Life](https://www.ted.com/talks/simone%5Fstolzoff%5Fhow%5Fto%5Freclaim%5Fyour%5Flife%5Ffrom%5Fwork?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Simone Stolzoff shows what it takes to reclaim your time and sense of meaning beyond the office. *(8 minute video via TED Talk)* - Some practical advice on redrawing the lines between work and life, and what this means for our identity. ### 🎂 [Thoughts on turning 40](https://newsletter.pathlesspath.com/p/40-thoughts-on-turning-40-287?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Life 'milestones' generate insights and wisdom that we may not otherwise see. - Some great nuggets on work, life, relationships and more. - #6, #12 and #36 are particularly resonant. ### 🐓 [368 Chickens](https://368chickens.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finally - simple, infuriating. My record is 219 so far. Can you beat me? --- ### My Week in Media Music from Pye Corner Audio, some top-notch TV from Netflix and more: [My Week in Media](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-in-media-11/) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Journal what day-to-day stress is keeping you stuck. [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 📍 ****Elsewhere:** More insights and updates on my [Website](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.rutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for the social updates. ### TWIL #61 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-61/ Last updated: 2025-03-09T06:47:29.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that teeth are radioactive. Just how radioactive are your teeth? This short video will help you understand. ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing to support YOU and YOUR career, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #11 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/my-week-in-media-11/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:58:35.000Z ### **Recommended Music** My recommendation this week is the new album from Pye Corner Audio, called 'Where things are Hollow: No Tomorrow' - this is an excellent double album of really listenable electronica from Martin Jenkins. Starting out from the Black Mill Tapes through to this latest collection, Pye Corner has been delivering high quality synth driven music that explores ambient, techno and even hauntology in places. Definitely worth a listen. ### Recommended Watching We've been slowly working through [Toxic Town on Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/ie/title/81372304?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) this week, with a host of UK stars including the excellent Jodie Whittaker, Robert Carlyle and Rory Kinnear. The four part series tells the story of a cluster of birth defects that affected children born in Corby (UK) in the 1990's. The local steel work was being decommissioned and ground water became contaminated with heavy metals. The performances are great here and the story by the brilliant Jack Thorne is top notch. Highly Recommended. ### **Listened Stuff** Here's ten artists I have listened to this week... - Doves - Public Service Broadcasting - Marlon Williams - Shida Shahabi - Sharon Van Etten & Attachment Theory - Pye Corner Audio - Chris Eckmann - Fink - Will Saul - Aphex Twin 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Vinyl Additions The previously mentioned album from Saba Alizadeh arrived this week. ### Solve Problems at the Root with The Five Whys Technique URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/solve-problems-at-the-root-with-the-five-whys-technique/ Last updated: 2025-03-07T19:16:56.000Z Developed by [Toyota](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiichi%5FOhno?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), the Five Whys method asks *“why?”* five times to trace a problem back to its source. It works in business, engineering, and personal development to fix recurring inefficiencies and bad habits. ## **How to use the Five Whys** ### **1\. Identify the Problem** _This post is for subscribers only._ ### #228 - you are enough... URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/228-you-are-enough-2/ Last updated: 2025-03-03T05:21:24.000Z ✍️ Introducing [JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a new Journaling prompt every day, delivered through BlueSky. [Find it here.](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you set up an incredible work-life balance hack for a Monday morning. The best time to set yourself up for Monday success is Friday afternoon so I’ve documented [my ideal Friday Closedown Ritual](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/friday-closedown-ritual/), it’s a routine that lets me start the week positively AND eliminate [Sunday scaries.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday%5Fscaries?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Relationships**. [How to handle difficult conversations early in your career.](https://theconversation.com/how-to-handle-difficult-conversations-in-your-early-career-from-salary-negotiation-to-solving-conflict-245340?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Resolving conflict is an important soft-skill to have. From negotiating salary to setting boundaries , this article has some great insights. **Focus**. [How multitasking drains your brain.](https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-multitasking-drains-your-brain/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A great reminder that however busy you are, focusing on one important task at a time is the best way forward. **Goals**. [Science says you should only tackle one goal at a time](https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/want-to-be-more-successful-science-says-tackle-only-1-goal-at-a-time/91102343?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I’ve heard of the [Critical Few](https://personalmba.com/critical-few/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), but this theory really narrows things down. **Career**. Not every company has good work-life balance or structured career paths, and those things might be great for your career growth. [Find out why working for a chaotic company might be a good thing.](https://www.yourtango.com/self/underrated-benefits-working-company-complete-disaster?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Leadership**. [Seven things introverted leaders should know](https://bigthink.com/business/7-things-all-introverted-leaders-should-know/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). #5 in this article is sound advice for a leader with ANY personality style. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How does competition make you feel? Do you believe you must be competitive to win? Write about your feeling around competition. [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![you are enough text](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1554498808-d3ae8f23540c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGVub3VnaHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NDA5MjcxMTV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Felicia Buitenwerf](https://unsplash.com/@iamfelicia?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Enough**. [How to cope with the hedonic treadmill that often leaves us wanting more,](https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/24091379/how-to-be-enough-habituation-hedonic-treadmill-comparison?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) all the time. This is in-line with [my theme #2 for 2025,](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome-to-2025-intentions-2/) finding enough. **Self-Sufficient**. [99 ways to be self-sufficient](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/self-sufficiency-tips/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I’m not advocating [the Good Life](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAh2xAhEbuQ&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), but there are some great tips in here. **Life**. [19 science backed ways to improve your life.](https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/19-ways-improve-your-life??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Speaking**. I like rhythm and cadence. [Comedian Jimmy Carr explains how to use a specific rhythm to improve your public speaking](https://www.tiktok.com/@doac.clips/video/7467674622570269984?%5Fr=1&%5Ft=ZT-8tqdFi5T3GN&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Superb idea. **Agency**. Agency is the belief in your ability to positively influence yourself and the world around you. [People with high agency all have these common ten traits. ](https://nickwignall.com/how-to-identify-high-agency-people/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [A Better World.](https://abw.blue/index%5Fen.php?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An interesting concept. Change the course of history, and see what impact that would have on the world today. OK, so you want a **real** timewaster game - [try Cursor Drifter.](https://soffu.itch.io/cursor-drifter?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 Have you tried ****FlowStuff**? It's my ever growing and changing playlist of music for concentration and relaxation. Just shy of 50 hours of mostly beatless and wordless music. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/03/IMG_5240-1.jpeg) My recommendation this week is latest edition of the Stuff Mixtape - a great selection of tunes from my orbit in February. [Listen to Stuff Mixtape #34 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XBbDWlFpRWeoLM5C6RhSj?si=fc76e838891742f0&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/2025/03/-228-1.png) ### #34 - February 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/34-february-2025/ Last updated: 2025-03-02T14:17:40.000Z Stuff Mixtape #34 is small but mighty, reflecting the short month and the move toward the end of winter. Here's why each of these incredible tunes made it into my playlist. - **Major Tom (Völlig losgelöst) - Peter Schilling |** All over the TV on a commercial at the moment, a forgotten signal from the 80's. - **Don't get Me Started (James Holdem Mix) - The Smile |** From the savage drumline to the haunting vocal, this is a perfect remix. - **Orchestra - Brian Ferry & Amelia Barratt** | An album which seems to be spoken word pieces over light instrumentals with Ferry vocals. Riveting stuff. - **Back in the Game - Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke** | Pulsating, throbbing electronica with a typical Thom Yorke vocal. - **Arrhythmia - Loma** | Beautiful Piano, brushed drums and an ethereal vocal make for an enchanting collaboration. - **Blind Tunnel - The Last River Bottomed Fig Plucker** | Stand out track from [recent Stuff recommended album](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-10/). - **Genevieve - Chris Eckman** | Stunning solo material from lead singer of Seattle based rock/folk band The Walkabouts. Reminds me of Lanegan in places. - **Its amazing to be young - Fontaines D**C | New material from Dublin based post-rock sprechegesang gods. Jangle-pop guitars make this a signal of spring. - **Live Forever - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory** | Sharp, electronic and beautifully produced - a new direction for Van Etten. Wins the key change of the month. - **Do it Again (True Electric) - Röyksopp (feat Robyn)** | Fresh lease of life for this classic ScandiPop banger. From the forthcoming live album. - **Talk to Me - Keeley Forsyth** | New material inbound from British Actor/Singer Forsyth. Reminiscent of Scott Walker circa Tilt, this album looks really interesting. - **Florist -** **Brian Ferry & Amelia Barratt** | A final taste of the new material from Bryan Ferry, as enigmatic as always. [Listen to #34 Here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XBbDWlFpRWeoLM5C6RhSj?si=2a2b51da7d354843&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### TWIL #60 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-60/ Last updated: 2025-03-02T06:51:37.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that free roaming Bison are making a comeback in the UK, and they are making a real difference... [Bison Are Bringing Back Biodiversity to BritainIn just a few years, the only free-roaming bison herd in the U.K. has already made a tangible difference in the surrounding ecosystem.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/logo.png)Reasons to be CheerfulPeter Yeung![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/shutterstock_1603954945-scaled-e1739482933933.jpg)](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/uk-bison-rewilding-biodiversity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Friday Closedown Ritual URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/friday-closedown-ritual/ Last updated: 2026-02-01T11:27:53.000Z One of the best in the business, [Nicholas Bate](https://blog.strategicedge.co.uk/2025/02/the-greatest-productivity-tips-146.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) puts it really well: > Never let a Friday finish before a plan for the next Monday. Oh boy, will you appreciate your tenacity and wisdom on Monday morning. Starting a regular closedown ritual helps clear your mind at the end of the week AND sets you up for the following week. Ensuring you have captured open loops, and starting some planning for the following week means that you can start Monday morning positively. A bonus benefit is that you can eliminate Sunday Scaries, but knowing you have Monday morning in the bag. I've been developing my Friday Closedown ritual for a while, and when I'm consistent, this is an essential part of my routine. See my routine below. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### #227 - Messy Thinking URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/227-messy-thinking/ Last updated: 2025-02-25T11:58:45.000Z ✍️ Introducing [JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a new Journaling prompt every day, delivered through BlueSky. [Find it here.](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you take a look at your calendar, and clear some things out. [Five steps to take that will help deal with Calendar overload.](https://mailchi.mp/charterworks.com/charter-five-steps-for-solving-calendar-overload-and-unnecessary-meetings-for-your-team?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some serious practical action to take when the schedule looks too heavy. *Bonus Stuff.* [*How to get control of your time.*](https://theconversation.com/how-to-get-control-of-your-time-235801?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Some excellent inspiration on prioritising for the important things.* **Management**. [FIve of the most difficult people you’ll find in your team, how to identify them and how to handle them](https://newsletter.canopy.is/p/the-5-most-difficult-employees-and?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Brilliant summary, and a great bookmark for any manager. **Skills**. [The five soft-skills that will be more important in the age of AI. ](https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2025/01/19/5-soft-skills-critical-in-the-age-of-ai/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Career**. [How to make a successful career change.](https://theassist.com/how-to-make-a-career-change/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This step-by-step guide is a great starting point if you are thinking about that pivot. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Google introduces the Career Dreamer tool*](https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/19/googles-career-dreamer-uses-ai-to-help-you-explore-job-possibilities/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *to help you shape your career, with the help of AI.* **Goals**. [Lay off the goals a bit will you?](https://www.kouroshdini.com/lay-off-the-goals-a-bit-would-you/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Most that matters cannot be measured, an alternative view of goals. *Bonus Stuff.* [*This video explains some of the reasons why you are not reaching your goals.* ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRvllZqOu78&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Service**. [Find your purpose in the service of others.](https://admiredleadership.substack.com/p/finding-your-purpose-in-the-service)I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes me tick, this is just one of the pieces that resonated with me. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What matters most to you in life? Do you think you have your priorities straight? [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![airline window viewing white clouds](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1525254134158-4fd5fdd45793?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDU1fHx0cmF2ZWx8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzQwMzE1MTgwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [xx liu](https://unsplash.com/@liuxx?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Travel**. [Fifty years of travel tips.](https://kk.org/thetechnium/50-years-of-travel-tips/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Kevin Kelly has travelled a lot, and he has some great ideas to help you maximise your trips. **Networking**. You don’t **need** to start a newsletter, [here’s how to build a strong network with just four emails a year. ](https://www.fastcompany.com/40414066/the-networking-secret-that-only-requires-writing-four-emails-a-year?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Thinking**. [How to be a messy thinker. ](https://invertedpassion.com/how-to-be-a-messy-thinker/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)There may be value in adjusting the way that you think about some things. **Conspiracy**. [What can we do to stop the thread of Conspiracy Theories?](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what%5Fcan%5Fwe%5Fdo%5Fto%5Fstop%5Fconspiracy%5Ftheories?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An important interview that explains why som brains like a conspiracy, and what we can all do to limit the spread of them. **Asshole**. To have deeper conversations,[ maybe it’s time to stop being so nice.](https://psyche.co/ideas/to-have-deeper-conversations-try-being-more-of-an-asshole?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I don’t advocate being an ass, but I can see how a little more honesty can stimulate a debate. **Finally**. [Dodeku. A very simple, but tricky daily number puzzle.](https://dodeku.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Place the tiles on the grid, and make the sums work. 🎵 Have you tried ****FlowStuff**? It's my ever growing and changing playlist of music for concentration and relaxation. Just shy of 50 hours of mostly beatless and wordless music. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5183-1.jpeg) Zaho De Sagazan - Dublin 2025 My recommendation this week is Chill Country album from Wisconsin, and I got out to see some live music. [Read My Week in Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-10/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/-227-1.png) ### #10 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-10/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:59:33.000Z ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is categorised on Spotify as 'Chill Country' and I guess thats not a bad definition of Syrup Revival by The Last River Bottomed Fig Plucker aka [Derek Allen Lind](https://derekallenlind.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). This is a project born out of a garage based jam band in Wisconsin, and this latest album is a quiet, gentle collection of bluesy-country that drew me in with great lyrics and a superb voice. Highly recommended. ## Live Music - Zaho De Sagazan Lucky enough to get out and see some live music on Friday. Zaho De Sagazan had previously featured on the [Stuff Mixtape back in 2024](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/25-may-2024/), and was visiting Dublin to the play at the Academy. A great evening of performance, lights and electronica with some blistering tracks. Very enjoyable. Highly recommended if you can get to the current UK and Europe tour. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5171.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5202.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5175.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5182.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5183.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5186.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/IMG_5190.jpeg) ### **Listened Stuff** Here's ten artists I have listened to this week... - Momus - Saba Alizadeh - Mogwai - usof - Lankum - Saya Gray - Zaho De Sagazan (Live) - Dovs - X.Y.R. - Eddie Chacon 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Vinyl Additions No new vinyl this week - although I scoped out my list for [Record Store Day 2025](https://recordstoreday.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### TWIL #59 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-59/ Last updated: 2025-02-23T05:16:14.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the Amazon River doesn't have any bridges, and there is a great reason for it. [The Amazon River Doesn’t Have Any Bridges – And For Good ReasonLike a bridge over troubled water.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-7.png)IFLScienceTom Hale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/amazon-meta.jpg)](https://www.iflscience.com/the-amazon-river-doesnt-have-any-bridges-and-for-good-reason-77154?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #226 - real bird, fake bird? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/226-real-bird-fake-bird-2/ Last updated: 2025-02-17T05:21:15.000Z ✍️ Introducing [JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a new Journaling prompt every day, delivered through BlueSky. [Find it here.](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you increase your resilience by [understanding the 3P framework for optimism when things are challenging.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/the-3p-theory-how-to-stop-overthinking-and-build-resilience/) *Bonus Stuff.* [*Forty practical ways to handle stress.*](https://theassist.com/stress-management-40-easy-ways-to-deal-with-stress/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Number 19 and 20 are essential tactics for reducing anxiety around work.* **Communications**. [Nine excellent business communication tips.](https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/feb/11/digital-communication-tips-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Includes brushing your hair before camera on, and a warning about typos. **Networking**. If networking gives you the ick (it certainly does me), maybe it’s time to be a little more intentional about the new relationships you build. [This guide to conscious networking is a great starter.](https://theconsciouspublicist.com/conscious-networking-tips-for-building-authentic-relationships/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff.* [*Seven barriers to building strong connections, and how to overcome them.*](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/seven%5Fbarriers%5Fto%5Fbuilding%5Fmore%5Fmeaningful%5Fconnections?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Motivation**. [Here’s how to use the power of your mind to prepare for ANY task.](https://psyche.co/ideas/heres-how-to-use-your-imagination-to-prepare-for-any-task?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Your imagination is a powerful tool, learning how to harness it for positivity can be life changing. **Skills**. [Five ways to have difficult conversations with ANYONE at work.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2024/04/04/5-steps-to-have-difficult-conversations-with-literally-anyone-at-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #2 on this list is essential, and seeking to understand is a great way to start those tricky chats. **Free**. [Another ten free sites that you should bookmark](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/february-free-sites-for-you-to-bookmark/). The entire archive is [here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/). ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What is something that makes you uncomfortable in a good way? How could you do more of that? [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![man sitting on bench reading newspaper](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1495020689067-958852a7765e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fG5ld3N8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzM5NjAzMzk0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Roman Kraft](https://unsplash.com/@iamromankraft?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Outrage**. [News fatigue](https://ukrant.nl/we-should-be-sharing-the-burden-of-news-fatigue/?lang=en&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is a real thing. [Here’s how to identify those feelings, and practical steps to take action and combat the emotional exhaustion](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/outrage-fatigue-is-real-heres-why-we-feel-it-and-how-to-cope/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Emotions**. [Seven ways to shift difficult emotions](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/seven%5Fways%5Fto%5Fshift%5Fyour%5Fdifficult%5Femotions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Emotional management is an important life skill that can bring you calm, here’s how you can grow it. *Bonus Stuff.* [A framework for ‘letting it go’](https://socurious.co/heres-a-framework-for-letting-it-go-whatever-it-is/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk).p Pactical steps for allowing a negative emotion to leave gracefully. **Solutions**. Why is it much easier to solve other people's problems? [You can harness Solomon's Paradox to use this skill on yourself.](https://bigthink.com/smart-skills/solomons-paradox-psychology/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Relationships**. [99 great conversation starters for deeper connections.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/conversation-topics/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **FInally**. [Real bird, fake bird?](https://realbirdfakebird.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A daily game that challenges you to separate the real from the fake, a different category every day. 🎵 Have you tried ****FlowStuff**? It's my ever growing and changing playlist of music for concentration and relaxation. Just shy of 50 hours of mostly beatless and wordless music. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/saba.jpg) My recommendation this week is a great album from Iranian Composer and Instrumentalist, Saba Alizadeh. Read why I immediately bought this one on vinyl in my week in music... [Read My Week in Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-9/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/-226-1.png) ### TWIL #58 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-58/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T13:07:15.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there are over 350 different shapes of pasta... and even more names for them! [So, How Many Pasta Shapes Are There?Quanti formati di pasta esistono? Our latest dual-language article explores the seemingly endless shapes of pasta.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-14.ico)Italy MagazineSilvia Donati![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/pasta_shapes.jpg)](https://www.italymagazine.com/dual-language/so-how-many-pasta-shapes-are-there?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #9 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-9/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:01:05.000Z ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is the music of Iranian composer and instrumentalist Saba Alizadeh and their new album, Temple of Hope. The album interprets the [Woman Life Freedom movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman,%5FLife,%5FFreedom?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) through sound collage and electronica, creating a wide soundscape in turn feels expansive and claustrophobic. It's an astounding listen. Highly recommended. ### **Listened Stuff** Here's ten artists I have listened to this week... - Ela Minus - Robert Leiner - Saba Alizadeh - Pantha Du Prince - zaké - Salvia - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - FKA Twigs - Mogwai - The Last River Bottomed Fig Plucker 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Vinyl Additions No new vinyl this week - although I ordered the Saba Alizadeh album recommended above from Bandcamp. ### February Free Sites for you to Bookmark URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/february-free-sites-for-you-to-bookmark/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T11:06:26.000Z Nobody should have to pay big money for useful tools. Here are another ten sites I recommend you save. [Click here for more free tools](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) - [Quazilla](https://www.joinsquad.co/quazilla?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a whatsapp based, AI driven personal coach who can keep you on track. - [Terrific Tools](https://www.terrific.tools/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- an excellent set of browser based tools that are all useful and all free. - [Class Central](https://www.classcentral.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a search engine to help you find academic courses for free. - [Netflix Codes](https://www.netflix-codes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- A comprehensive list of the codes that will help you find unusual content on Netflix - [House of Calculators](https://www.houseofcalculators.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Every conceivable calculator. - [Wikitok](https://wikitok.vercel.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- A mashup of tiktok and wikipedia, a great way to learn new facts every visit. - [Invoice Pizza](https://invoice.pizza/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Need a one off invoice for something? These guys have you covered. - [Pay Once Alternatives ](https://payoncealternatives.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- no more subscription software when you pay once for a great tool - [Radiocast](https://radiocast.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Radio stations from around the world in a lovely visualisation. - [Good Sign Offs](https://www.are.na/meg-miller/good-sign-offs?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a great gallery of inspirational email sign offs. [Click here for more free tools](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) ### The 3P Theory: How to Build Resilience in difficult times URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-3p-theory-how-to-stop-overthinking-and-build-resilience/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T11:16:03.000Z Martin Seligman introduced the **3P theory** as a framework to understand and challenge unhelpful thought patterns. The three Ps—**Personalisation, Pervasiveness, and Permanence**—explain why people struggle with setbacks and how they can develop greater resilience. If you tend to overthink mistakes, dwell on negative experiences, or feel stuck after a failure, the 3P theory can help you break free. In this article, I explain how the 3P framework can help - and use it to describe some daily strategies you can use to build your resilience. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The Voices of Marrakesh by Elias Cannetti URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-the-voices-of-marrakech/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:44:27.000Z Elias Canetti was a Bulgarian-born writer, raised in Vienna, Zurich, and Germany, with a deep interest in philosophy, psychology, and social behaviour. Best known for his novel *Auto-da-Fé* and his monumental study of crowd psychology, *Crowds and Power*, Canetti’s work often explored themes of power, identity, and human behaviour. In 1981, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his insightful and unconventional body of work. Travel informed much of his writing, and *The Voices of Marrakech* reflects his observational skills, capturing the atmosphere of the Moroccan city during a brief visit in the 1950s. *The Voices of Marrakech* is an evocative portrait of a city that feels both distant and familiar. The short stories capture the sights, sounds, and lives of Marrakech with a sharp and compassionate eye. Reading it, I was transported back to Marrakech, but to a different time, one that remains in the margins of the modern city. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20-5-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20-2-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20-3-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20-4-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20-6-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/2020-11-20-7-.jpg) Marrakech in 2013 What struck me most was Canetti’s ability to observe without judgement. His descriptions of beggars, merchants, and Jewish communities are deeply human, observed with curiosity rather than analysis. The book reminded me of my own visit to Marrakech, stirring memories of winding alleys, the rhythmic calls of market vendors, and the mix of chaos and beauty in Djemm al-Fnaa. At times, Canetti’s writing feels detached, as if he is watching rather than engaging. Yet, this distance allows the reader to absorb the atmosphere without the weight of interpretation. He captures the contradictions of the city—the allure and the hardship alongside the hospitality and the isolation. For those who have visited Marrakech, this book serves as a nostalgic window back into its energy. For those planning to go, it offers a glimpse of its essence, even if the city today is inevitably changed. I’d recommend *The Voices of Marrakech* to anyone who wants to reconnect with the feeling of wandering its streets, observing its people, and absorbing the character. ### #225 - Bend the Curve URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/225-bend-the-curve/ Last updated: 2025-02-10T05:03:32.000Z ✍️ Introducing [JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a new Journaling prompt every day, delivered through BlueSky. [Find it here. ](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this be the week you take a look at your focus. [No apps, no hacks.](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/03/health/productivity-tips-wellness/index.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some excellent insight in here, similar to the superb advice in [Meditations for Mortals](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-meditations-for-mortals-by-oliver-burkeman/). *Bonus Stuff.* [*7 different task management strategies*](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/task-management-method?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *that can drive your productivity.* **Coaching**. [Ten questions for difficult team members.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2024/12/29/coaching-difficult-employees-10-questions-for-increased-productivity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some excellent questions to help gain insight - I particularly like #2 and #9 here as ways to expand the discussions you’re having. *Bonus Stuff.* [*How great leaders inspire personal growth.* ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m905SoJWWEI&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(Superb 3min Youtube video from Simon Sinek)* **Balance**. [Japanese concepts that can help your work-life balance.](https://hulry.com/japanese-philosophies-work-life-balance/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love the idea of Naikan for evaluating the health of a relationship. **Results**. [The benefits of a results only work environment.](https://subscribe.marissagoldberg.com/posts/ditching-the-40-hour-trap?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Forty hours per week is a trap from the industrial revolution. **Kindness**. [Why kind workplaces are more successful.](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why%5Fkind%5Fworkplaces%5Fare%5Fmore%5Fsuccessful?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Turns out that kindness can impact the bottom line positively, how kind are you in the workplace? **Hustle**. [Start your side business today.](https://www.forstarters.co/p/issue-1?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This newsletter is mine, and brings me a lot of joy, some superb inspiration here. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** When do you feel like you rush too much? How could you slow down and enjoy the process? [From JournalBot](https://bsky.app/profile/journalbot.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![brown egg](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1575278220902-cdf1a07a0421?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGVtb3Rpb25zfGVufDB8fHx8MTczODk1MDEyNnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Олег Мороз](https://unsplash.com/@tengyart?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Emotions**. [Ten things I learned about emotions.](https://brenebrown.com/articles/2024/11/21/stressed-and-overwhelmed/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The always inspirational Brene Brown breaks down some key learnings about emotions that will change the way that you feel. **Security**. [1 in 10 people use the same PIN](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-28/almost-one-in-ten-people-use-the-same-four-digit-pin/103946842?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Don’t be in that group. **Brainpower**. [The one simple thing you can do to help your brain.](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/22/neuroscientist-the-no-1-thing-you-can-do-for-a-healthier-brain.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I really rate this advice, in just 10 minutes you can use this free trick to increase your brain health and wellbeing. **Happiness**. [22 happiness hacks I wish I had known at 22.](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/22-happiness-hacks-i-wish-i-knew-at-22?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Sustainability**. [Lets bend the curve](https://www.letsbendthecurve.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is an interactive and interesting way to understand the impact of tech use on the carbon footprint of the world. **Finally**. Pitfall was one of the earliest and best Atari games, [now you can play it on the web - and it will still drive you crazy!](https://meatfighter.com/pitfall-web/app/app.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 Have you tried ****FlowStuff**? It's my ever growing and changing playlist of music for concentration and relaxation. Just shy of 50 hours of mostly beatless and wordless music. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/1212164-signals_160619-3.jpg) My recommendation this week is the stunning Signals, by Test Card - an album of lush sounding electronica with a beautifully organic feel... find out more in My Week in Music. [Read My Week in Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-8/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/02/-225.png) ### #8 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-8/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:01:37.000Z ### **Recommended Stuff** Test Card (Lee Nicholson) brings us this gorgeous, lush sounding album of electronica with a gentle Kosmiche feel. Each track feels organic in structure, but rendered in beautiful electronics alongside a few conventional instruments. Highly recommended. ### **Listened Stuff** Tried to find some new artists to listen to alongside some comforting end of January old favourites - here's ten that I have enjoyed this week: - Bonny Prince Billy - Will Long - Test Card - The Last River Bottomed Fig Plucker - Mogwai - Wish Defense - Rain Tree Crow - Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Yussef Dayes - Turin Brakes 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Vinyl Additions No new vinyl this week... ### TWIL #57 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-57/ Last updated: 2025-02-09T07:50:44.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that my sleep is regulated by a little blue dot in my brain. [How the brain’s little blue dot regulates your sleepThe locus coeruleus is emerging as a major new area of research interest, with many important functions such as regulating our attention and sleep.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-6.png)BBCDavid Robson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0kncw45.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250131-how-the-brains-blue-dot-regulates-your-sleep?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-meditations-for-mortals-by-oliver-burkeman/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:44:36.000Z My first read of 2025, was this excellent 'self-help' book from Oliver Burkeman, which shares a short chapter designed to be read each day for 28 days. Burkeman builds on previous work to talk about productivity - but in a way that is not focused on becoming faster or more efficient - rather provoking us to define what is truly important, and focusing on that. I really enjoyed the analogies and references quoted throughout, and found the one chapter a day format a nice way to get through a book at a sensible pace. At the end of each chapter, I made a single note to help me recall the best insights I read. ## Notes from Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (highlights are mine) 1. Everything is much worse than you think. Once you accept that, you can get on with making the rest of your life **meaningful**. 2. Just do it. Pick something you genuinely care about and then for at least a few minutes, do some of it. Today. 3. The notion that you ‘have to do it’ in truth, means that you‘ve chosen not to pay the price of refusing… there are no solutions, **only trade-offs**. 4. Our default stance is to measure our actual accomplishments against all the things we could, in principle, still do… but instead compare your output to the hypothetical situation that you stayed in bed and did nothing. 5. Moving more quickly through an infinite incoming supply of something never gets you to end of it. Treat your to-read pile as a river, not a bucket. 6. Pick your battles, and don’t feel bad doing so. In an age of attention deficit, the greatest act of good citizenship maybe learning to withdraw your attention from everything except the battles you’ve **chosen** to fight. 7. Most of the bridges we worry about never end up needing to be crossed at all. 8. To move forward, you need to choose. And keep on choosing. 9. **Completion** replenishes energy rather than using it up. Getting into the habit of finishing what you start creates fuel for more **meaningful** productivity. 10. It is never the case that there is no next step to take. What is the life task here? 11. Befriend a gnawing rat by asking yourself what you would truly be **willing** to do. 12. If you want to be good at something, you should **do it a lot**, preferably more days than not. 13. Limiting the amount of time allotted to high-stakes work also helps reduce the feeling of being intimidated or oppressed by it, which causes some people to procrastinate. 14. Beyond the mountain are more mountains, until you reach the final mountain. In the meantime, there are few things more **exhilarating** than mountain **climbing**. 15. What if this is a lot easier than I’ve been **assuming**? 16. Do not treat yourself in punishing and poisonous ways that you would not dream of treating someone else. How would **YOU** like to spend your time today? 17. Each time the thought of giving arises, act on it. Generosity never leads to remorse. 18. Other people’s negative emotions are ultimately a problem that belongs to them. And you have to allow other people to their problems. 19. The more we try to render the world **controllable**, the more it eludes us, and the more daily life loses its resonance, its capacity to touch, move and absorb us. 20. A pragmatic way to ease up on a fixation with (perfect) outcomes is to set a quantity goal. 21. We try so hard to cling to the **rock face of fixed focus**; we fall off, again and again - yet when we do, the world catches us every time. 22. We have to show up as fully as possible here, in the swim of things as they are. 23. Decide who you want to be. Act from that identity immediately. Thirty minutes spent actually **Doing the Thing** today, are more valuable than all the hypothetical hours spent doing it in the future. 24. You need not project a facade of flawless **competence** before you start daunting work or reaching out to others…understand that everyone else has a similarly messy inner world. 25. It is nice to collect memories, but the way to do that isn’t to go about trying to collect them. It’s living them as fully as possible, so as to remember them **vividly** later. 26. What additional satisfaction could you take in your life…once you glimpse a truth that must have come intuitively to premodern people - which is that life is so **inherently confusing and precarious**, then joy is going to have to be found **now** in the midst of the confusion and precariousness. 27. Once you stop struggling to get on top of everything, to stay in absolute control, or to make everything perfect, you are rewarded with the time, energy and psychological freedom to accomplish the most of which anyone could be capable. 28. The truth is, reality doesn’t need me to help operate it. It carries on fine regardless. ### #224 - click for stimulation URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/224-click-for-stimulation/ Last updated: 2025-02-03T05:49:35.000Z 🎵 I've added more to my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one that you learn how to [run useful & productive meetings.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-N1SkFyhmA&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This Youtube video describes an excellent example of rhythm of business that makes meetings a must-do, rather than a must miss. *Bonus Stuff. Fifty amazing prompts to improve your meetings.* **Creativity**. [EIght strategies to help you thrive when things are changing around you.](https://www.creativityatwork.com/creative-resilience-5-strategies-to-help-you-thrive-during-times-of-transition/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I think #2 and #6 are particularly important pieces of insight. **Backlogs**. Do you have a list of things to-do that is getting out of hand? Admin Tasks, emails or even household jobs. [Carl Pullein explains how to tackle a backlog.](https://www.carlpullein.com/podcast/how-to-clear-your-bcklogs/3/11/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Focus**. [Eleven stoic concepts that can help you stay calm and focused.](https://thomas-oppong.medium.com/11-stoic-concepts-i-try-to-live-by-a41e8505ad48?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #2 and #10 resonate well with me. **Career**. [The illusion of being stuck.](https://www.engineeryourexistence.com/blogs/bein-stuck?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) If you are feeling ‘stuck’ in your career, Benoit Malige has some excellent insight on how to move forward. *Bonus Stuff. How to decide if*[ *you need a career coach?*](https://hbr.org/2022/02/do-you-need-a-career-coach?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Or are you someone* [*who spends time listening to career influencers.* ](https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221028-the-young-workers-flocking-to-career-influencers?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Productivity**. [Lets end toxic productivity.](https://hbr.org/2024/11/lets-end-toxic-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It’s time to stop wearing busy as a badge and end the era of overdoing everything. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How do you plan to achieve your next career milestone? [From my Career focused prompts. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-career/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![woman in gray turtleneck long sleeve shirt](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1618616191524-a9721186cbe4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fG1pbmR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzM4MjU5NzI2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Uday Mittal](https://unsplash.com/@mittaluday?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Mindset**. [100 one-sentence mindset rules](https://thomas-oppong.medium.com/100-reality-shifting-one-sentence-rules-i-swear-by-to-persist-through-absolutely-anything-73a3dba8262d?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that will make you mentally unstoppable. Bonus Stuff. [50 Gratitude prompts that will increase your resilience](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-gratitude-50/) **Awesome**. [Fun ways to make your life awesome.](https://bakadesuyo.com/2024/12/carpe-diem/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some clever variations on the concept of ‘carpe diem’ that could help you do more than just ‘seize the day’. **Curiosity**. Being curious about people can be a strong enabler for your career, and relationships in general. This article explains why: [4 Surprising Benefits of Curiosity.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/unexpected-breakthroughs/202412/4-surprising-benefits-of-curiosity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Selfish**. [A practical exercise to help you be more selfish.](https://d15k2d11r6t6rl.cloudfront.net/public/users/Integrators/669d5713-9b6a-46bb-bd7e-c542cff6dd6a/4b524724a3db4adfacde456c5332f1cc/2025/01%20January/Exercise%203%20%E2%80%93%20What%20Do%20I%20Want/The%20Confidence%20Workbook%5FWhat-Do-I-Want-Exercise%5FExtract.pdf?utm%5Fsource=Iterable&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=campaign%5FJanuary%20-%20Content%20-%20Exercise%204:%20What%20Do%20I%20Want?%20-%2024/01/25%20) Bought to us by the School of Life, this is not really about being selfish, but more focused on what is meaningful to us. *Bonus Stuff.* [*A Productivity Consultant’s practical guide to cultivating selfcare.*](https://www.inc.com/rashelle-isip/a-productivity-consultants-practical-guide-to-prioritizing-self-care/91063525?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Meditation**. [What meditation does to your mind.](https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/392634/how-meditation-works-new-science-consciousness?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Stimulation Clicker.](https://neal.fun/stimulation-clicker/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I make no guarantee for your sanity here. I suspect this is a great analogy for how our minds work on the modern internet. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Ten hours of Interstellar Soundtrack*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR8kuofFY7M&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 Have you tried ****FlowStuff**? It's my ever growing and changing playlist of music for concentration and relaxation. Just shy of 50 hours of mostly beatless and wordless music. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/dreaming-3.jpeg) My recommendation this week is the 33rd edition of my [monthly mixtape](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/33-january-2025/). It's another great collection of tunes to kick off the year. [Listen to Stuff Mixtape #33 Here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2jE1CP1J9nSNZthYHsBXhx?si=3b6219ce139b4702&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/2025/01/-224-1.png) ### TWIL #56 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-56/ Last updated: 2025-02-02T10:36:29.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned why cooling towers have that peculiar shape. Spoiler... its for the cooling. [Why Are These Structures So Common In Large Factories?Have you ever wondered why cooling towers are shaped that way? Why don’t they have some other shape? Does this shape has a particular benefit?![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)ScienceABCAshish![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/cooling-tower.jpg)](https://www.scienceabc.com/pure-sciences/why-cooling-towers-are-shaped-that-way.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #33 - January 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/33-january-2025/ Last updated: 2025-01-30T21:22:26.000Z Stuff Mixtape #33 is the first mix of 2025 - and we start as we mean to go on, with some terrifc tunes to kick off the year. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **I Like it Like That - The Fugitives** | Terrific anthem from 1965, rereleased by The Numero Group. - **Everyday - Celeste** | Based on Dirge by Death in Vegas, excellent new single from British singer Celeste. - **Bother You - Reverend Baron** | Seems fitting with the news in January. If it don't bother you, ain't none of your concern. - **I got to Sleep - Anika** | Superbly dark cover version of The Pretenders - puts me in mind of Nico. - **Pure Love (Night) - DJ Koze and Damon Albarn** | Crisp production for a laid back dancefloor... featuring the super productive Damon Albarn. - **Most of us are Sad - Charles Brown** | Fresh soul, sounding classic. - **These Arms of Mine - Otis Redding** | Classic Soul, sounding as fresh as ever. - **The Secret is Out - The River Bottomed Fig Plucker** | This reminded me of Johnny Cash. - **cosa rara - Lucretia Salt & David Sylvian** | Ethereal - **Wish I could - Galine** | Belgian-Dutch singer with fresh Indie Pop. [Listen to Stuff #33 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2jE1CP1J9nSNZthYHsBXhx?si=a69919f4db1543b3&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Meeting 50 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-meeting-50/ Last updated: 2025-01-30T19:47:48.000Z 1. No agenda. No meeting. 2. Start and end punctually. 3. Define meeting objectives upfront. 4. Keep discussions goal-focused. 5. Encourage active participation. 6. Assign clear action items. 7. Avoid unnecessary meetings altogether. 8. Limit meeting lengths. 9. Encourage concise communication. 10. Stick to relevant topics. 11. Follow up with notes. 12. Set expectations beforehand clearly. 13. Use structured time blocks. 14. Minimise distractions and interruptions. 15. Rotate facilitator for engagement. 16. Establish speaking time limits. 17. Address key issues first. 18. Use visual aids effectively. 19. Encourage diverse viewpoints openly. 20. Keep everyone accountable. 21. Balance listening and speaking. 22. Prioritise urgent topics first. 23. Make meetings actionable, not theoretical. 24. Foster a collaborative environment. 25. Summarise key takeaways clearly. 26. Assign tasks with deadlines. 27. Encourage solution-focused discussions. 28. Use digital tools wisely. 29. Avoid repetitive discussions completely. 30. Capture decisions in writing. 31. Keep meetings purpose-driven. 32. Seek alignment, not consensus. 33. Encourage honest, constructive feedback. 34. Record meetings when necessary. 35. Check engagement levels frequently. 36. Invite only necessary attendees. 37. Use breakout groups strategically. 38. Ask for meeting feedback. 39. Schedule breaks for long meetings. 40. Eliminate buzzwords. 41. End with a summary. 42. Clarify next steps immediately. 43. Keep discussions respectful, inclusive. 44. Use structured brainstorming techniques. 45. Start with key priorities. 46. Encourage critical thinking. 47. Limit status updates. 48. Follow up consistently. 49. Make virtual meetings engaging. 50. Keep meetings meaningful. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #223 - Tame the Impostor! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/223-tame-the-impostor/ Last updated: 2025-01-27T05:40:53.000Z 🎵 I've added more to my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you squish the imposter syndrome doubts that sometimes nag you. [My guide to recognising and overcoming Imposter Syndrome will guide you.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-recognise-and-overcome-imposter-syndrome/) **Career**. It might be that [the secret to your career path lies in your childhood dreams](https://subscribe.marissagoldberg.com/posts/the-answer-lies-in-your-childhood-dreams?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *Bonus Stuff.* [*How to take responsibility for your career in a bad market.*](https://cate.blog/2025/01/07/how-do-you-dri-your-career-in-a-bad-market/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Accountability.** [The power of extreme ownership](https://www.lifehack.org/973560?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). This simple skill can power up your leadership impact. **Tasks**. [How to reduce your to-do list.](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/how-to-reduce-your-to-do-list/8/9/2021?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) NOTHING is more powerful to your productivity than having LESS things to do, Carl Pullein explains ways to rid yourself of stubborn tasks on the list. **Deadlines**. [Why you never meet your own deadlines](https://www.engineeryourexistence.com/blogs/deadlines?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and what you can do to make sure that you do. *I love the practical advice here about accountability and visibility.* **Hello**. You shouldn’t **just** say hello or hi in chat. [Get straight to the message.](https://nohello.net/en/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Light hearted, but also true - the anxiety between hello and the message is real!* ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a project you completed recently that you're proud of? [From my Career focused prompts. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-career/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![selective focus photo of brown and blue hourglass on stones](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1501139083538-0139583c060f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHRpbWV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzM3ODkzMTgzfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Aron Visuals](https://unsplash.com/@aronvisuals?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Time**. [Ten ways to make your time matter. ](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/ten%5Fways%5Fto%5Fmake%5Fyour%5Ftime%5Fmatter?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Oliver Burkemann shares ten practical pieces of advice for getting the most out of your time. *Bonus Stuff.* [*How to slow down time in 2025.*](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/29/does-life-feel-like-its-speeding-up-how-to-slow-down-time-in-2025?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Wellbeing**. [Seven simple strategies for wellbeing.](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2024/dec/21/from-mindfulness-to-learning-something-new-seven-simple-strategies-for-wellbeing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I really resonated with #3, exercising your work skills in other environments. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Mindfulness exercises for a Cold Day.*](https://przekroj.org/en/soul-body/mindfulness-exercises-for-a-cold-day?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Good practical advice for positive reinforcement.* **Screens**. [What excessive screen time does to your brain.](https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2024/05/30/what-excessive-screen-time-does-to-the-adult-brain/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Maybe it's time to stop that evening doomscrolling and put some limits on the screen usage. **Habits**. [Seven small habits that will make you a more interesting person.](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-be-more-interesting-tips%5Fl%5F673288e6e4b07ebab7421973?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I really like #3 and #6 which have transformed my life in more recent years. **Overthinking**. [How can we rethink the way we think?](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-stop-overthinking/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some practical steps to take if you find yourself overthinking things. *Bonus Stuff.* [*How to stop wasting your life overthinking every decision.*](https://www.engineeryourexistence.com/blogs/decisions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Eightile letter word](https://eightile.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Against the clock, find the anagrams working up to an eight letter word. I did Sunday in 51 seconds. 🎵 Have you tried ****FlowStuff**? It's my ever growing and changing playlist of music for concentration and relaxation. Just shy of 50 hours of mostly beatless and wordless music. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/anna-1.png) My recommendation this week is the new album, you&i are Earth, from Anna B Savage. It's a love letter to Ireland, and a man - and is a stunning collection from a rich voice. Plus - my top ten artists of the week. [Read My Week in Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-7/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/-223-1.png) ### #7 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-7/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:05:56.000Z ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is the new album from singer-songwriter, Anna B Savage. You&i are Earth is a love letter to Ireland, and to a man in 10 beautifully written songs. Savage has a beautiful, rich voice and these songs are stunning. Im off to see her live in Dublin in the Spring, and I'm really looking forward to it. Highly recommended. ### **Listened Stuff** This week I refreshed my 'to listen' list - and have found some good new music - here's ten that I have enjoyed this week: - Depeche Mode - Anna B Savage - Mogwai - Civilistjävel! - Michael Kiwanuka - David Bowie - Anika - King Creosote - Marlon Williams - Margo Guryan 🎵 Some these have made my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Vinyl Additions Picked up a few new records this week, including an album that was there right at the beginning of my music discovery - and has just been rereleased on vinyl. - John Foxx - Metamatic - Anna B Savage - You & I are Earth - Mogwai - The Bad Fire - Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes - Studio - West Coast ### TWIL #55 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-55/ Last updated: 2025-01-26T11:52:06.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that Sweden is building the worlds largest city made entirely from timber. [Sweden is Building the World’s Largest City Made Entirely From TimberStockholm Wood City is swapping polluting steel and concrete for a more climate-friendly construction material: timber.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-13.ico)TimeMaddy Savage![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-1602028151.jpg)](https://time.com/7207873/sweden-stockholm-wood-city-sustainability/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to Recognise and Overcome Imposter Syndrome URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-recognise-and-overcome-imposter-syndrome/ Last updated: 2025-03-07T19:18:33.000Z I have been in many meetings, surrounded by talented and experienced colleagues. I've worked hard to get into the room, but instead of feeling proud, I’ve been bothered by a single thought: “What if I’m not as capable as they think I am?”. It’s happened to me in coaching sessions, mentoring calls and even 1:1’s. “What if this is the day that I get found out”. My experience? A fluke. My past success? Overrated. > I’ve been convinced that it’s only a matter of time before someone exposes me as a fraud. Sound familiar? This is the voice of imposter syndrome—a persistent feeling of self-doubt and inadequacy despite clear evidence of competence and success. It’s an insidious phenomenon that affects people across all industries, from students to CEOs. The good news? You’re not alone, and there are ways to silence that inner critic for good. > I’ve encountered Imposter Syndrome in others, through management and coaching, and have found some practical steps that have helped. Let’s dive into what imposter syndrome is, how to identify it, and some practical strategies to overcome it. ## What Is Imposter Syndrome? Coined in 1978 by psychologists [Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes](https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1979-26502-001?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), imposter syndrome refers to the internal experience of believing that you are not as competent as others perceive you to be. It is not a clinical diagnosis but a psychological pattern, often linked to perfectionism, fear of failure, or comparisons with others. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Default Apps 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/default-apps-2025/ Last updated: 2025-02-04T16:02:43.000Z - ♻️ Automation: [Email Octopus](https://emailoctopus.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - ✍🏻 Blogging: Ghost, Google Docs - 🔖 Bookmarks: [Raindrop.io](https://raindrop.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 🌐 Browser: Chrome - 💰 Budgeting: *No chance!* - 📆 Calendar: Google Calendar / Outlook at work / [Moleskine](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/personal-productivity-in-2025/) - 💬 Chat: WhatsApp Desktop / Occasional Messenger / Workplace Chat - 🙎🏻‍♂️ Contacts: Contacts - 📁 Cloud storage: Google Drive / iCloud - 🎮 Gaming: Occasional iOS Game - ✔️ Habit tracking: Apple Reminders - 📖 Ebooks: Kindle (*although I prefer real books)* - 📨 Mail: Gmail + [Simplify Gmail](https://simpl.fyi/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / Outlook at work - 🚗 Maps: Google Maps - 🎥 Media tracking: [Discogs for Vinyl](https://www.discogs.com/user/thebigman/collection?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Letterboxd for Movies](https://letterboxd.com/mattrutherford/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 🧘‍♂️ Meditation: [Headspace](https://www.headspace.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (lapsed user) - 🎵 Music: Spotify, Bandcamp and Vinyl - 📝 Notes: Apple Notes, [Moleskine](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/personal-productivity-in-2025/) - 🔐 Passwords: [1password](https://1password.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 📷 Photography: Fujifilm x100v, iPhone - 🎞️ Photo library: Apple Photos, [Slidebox](http://slidebox.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 📊 Presentations: Google Slides - 📊 Projects: Google Sheets - 📖 RSS: [Inoreader](https://www.inoreader.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 💻 Screenshot Tool: [Shottr](https://shottr.cc/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Social: [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Desktop, [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rutherfordmatt.bsky.social?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \+ [deck.blue](https://deck.blue/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 📈 Spreadsheets: Google Sheets - ✅ Tasks: Apple Reminders / [Moleskine](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/personal-productivity-in-2025/) - ⛅ Weather: [XCWeather](https://www.xcweather.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \+ default in MacOS - 🔗 Websites: [mattrutherford.co.uk](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ([Ghost](https://ghost.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - 🏋️‍♂️ Wellness: iFit / [Lungy](https://www.lungy.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - 📜 Writing: Google Docs, Apple Notes, Hemingway ### #222 - plodder or burster? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/222-plodder-or-burster/ Last updated: 2025-01-20T05:05:04.000Z 🎵 I've added the first tunes to my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you stop measuring yourself against other people's timelines and [redefine what success means to you.](https://camillestyles.com/wellness/career/how-to-redefine-success/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff.* [*Seven reasons why you are STILL not successful.* ](https://durmonski.com/self-improvement/reasons-you-are-unsuccessful/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)If you are thinking about how to make more progress in your career, [maybe it’s time to find a great career coach.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-questions-to-ask-before-hiring-a-career-coach/) **Feedback.** For many, it’s annual review time. You might be getting unexpected feedback in the process. [Here’s a great way to take feedback without getting defensive.](https://nickwignall.com/how-to-take-feedback-without-getting-defensive/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff.* [*Here’s my series on feedback.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) **Productivity**. [Are you a plodder or a burster?](https://stevepavlina.com/blog/2012/10/plodding-and-bursting/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) And how do you work with others with different styles? *I like this simple explanation of working styles.* **Luck**. [Last week](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/221-ping-time/), I shared how to improve your luck by increasing its surface area. This week, some understanding of [what we gain by recognising the role of chance in our lives.](https://psyche.co/ideas/what-we-gain-by-recognising-the-role-of-chance-in-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Badass**. [How to be a badass.](https://soulsalt.com/how-to-be-a-badass/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Three practical steps that will make you a badass at work ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How has your career path differed from your initial expectations? [From my Career focused prompts. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-career/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![silver and white round analog clock](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1595516239376-c777c32a72a4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fGFsYXJtJTIwY2xvY2t8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzM3Mjg2ODA5fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Catherine Hughes](https://unsplash.com/@cathughes6?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Morning**. [Five ways to find YOUR perfect morning routine.](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/productivity/best-productive-morning-routines?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Adding 30 mins of reading to my morning has been a game changer for learning, and also relaxation - how are YOUR morning routines setting you up for the day? **Breathing**. [How conscious breathing can reduce depression and anxiety.](https://theconversation.com/conscious-breathing-can-reduce-anxiety-and-depression-tips-for-how-to-do-it-242527?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff.* [*I’ve been using the Lungy app during my daily commute*](https://www.lungy.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *to practice some mindful breathing, I recommend it.* **Declutter**. [Questions to ask your self that will help you declutter. ](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jan/05/questions-to-ask-yourself-to-declutter-your-home-and-organise-your-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)These are a bit more useful than the standard Kondo question about ‘joy’, helping you find ways to use your space more usefully. **Exercise**. How to get back into working out. S[ome practical advice for anyone looking to get back on the road to regular movement.](https://www.forhers.com/blog/how-to-get-back-into-working-out?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Life.** [33 ways to improve your life, Japanese stye](https://www.mrporter.com/en-us/journal/lifestyle/life-lessons-people-tokyo-japan-style-food-24538500?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). #10 and #24 are particularly cool. **Finally**. [Betweenle](https://betweenle.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Brilliantly executed and hugely frustrating daily word game, based on Wordle - but a real challenge. 🎵 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) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/Parchman-Prison-Prayer-1024x1024-1.jpg) My recommendation this week is an extraordinary field recording of long term prisoners at a Mississippi maximum security jail. The Parchman Prison Prayer is full of soul and some incredible voices. Plus - my top ten artists of the week. [Read My Week in Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-6/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/-222.png) ### #6 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-6/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:07:50.000Z ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is Another Mississippi Sunday Morning by Parchman Prison Prayer. This is a field recording of prisoners at a maximunm security jail in Mississippi who gather each week for a gospel revival style session of prayer and music. The short tracks are full of soul, longing and sense of repentance - and the back stories behind the singers are extraordinary. Highly recommended listening. ### **Listened Stuff** This week I refreshed my 'to listen' list - and have found some good new music - here's ten that I have enjoyed this week: - Radiohead - Masalem Houssam Guinia - Phillip Jeck - Parchman Prison Prayer - Perfume Genius - Kele - Daniel Blumberg - Royksopp - Jamie XX - Godspeed! You black emperor. ### ### TWIL #54 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-54/ Last updated: 2025-01-19T09:28:56.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the Grand Canyon is also home to a poop museum. Of course it is called the Poozeum. [The National Poo Musuem![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-12.ico)The National Poo Musuem![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/15741284_376685266019543_5378256565222707898_n.jpg)](https://poomuseum.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #221 - Ping time! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/221-ping-time/ Last updated: 2025-01-13T05:36:10.000Z 🎵 I've added the first tunes to my [Highs of 2025 playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), where nearly every day I'll try and post a new track that interests me. [You can follow here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38iyZrpL0wOBNVFvuWvyR0?si=0d8e6467d224441c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you take **action**. [The difference between being in motion and taking action.](https://jamesclear.com/taking-action?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some pracitcal steps from the incredible James Clear. I do #1 in this advice all the time, but #2 is a habit I need to be better at to get to the next level. **Leadership**. [How to lead a team when you are not in charge.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaroepe/2016/11/21/how-to-lead-a-team-when-youre-not-the-boss-10-tips-that-wont-alienate-your-coworkers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Ten practical pieces of advice that will help you take responsibility but not piss off your co-workers. **Motivation**.[ 23 ways to motivate people.](https://maxogles.com/how-to-motivate-people/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love some of the oblique suggestions here, all could be useful as you navigate your work. ([via Josh](https://joshspector.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) **Ping**. [What is ping fatigue, and why does it hurt productivity?](https://www.worklife.news/culture/wtf-is-ping-fatigue-and-why-it-hurts-productivity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) And could it also [change laws for workers?](https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/366616973/Ping-fatigue-sparks-push-for-right-to-disconnect-laws?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Success**. [What the Matthew Effect can teach you.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/mindful-leadership/202411/what-the-matthew-effect-reveals-about-career-success?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some great practical advice for building the snowball of success in your career. **Decisions**. [How the 10-10-10 rule helps leaders make emotionally intelligent decisions.](https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/how-emotionally-intelligent-leaders-use-the-10-10-10-rule-to-make-the-right-decisions/91070239?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is a super smart model to use when working through a complex decision and needing to stay authentic. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How can I invest in my personal or professional development this year? [From my prompts for a New Year.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-a-new-year/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![person holding black ace and king spades playing cards on poker table](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1446669052213-5dcff53f1f3f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGdhbWJsZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MzY3MDg5OTZ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Michał Parzuchowski](https://unsplash.com/@mparzuchowski?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Luck**. You can improve your luck, [by taking some simple steps to increase its surface area.](https://modelthinkers.com/mental-model/surface-area-of-luck?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is a superb mental model to improve your life. **Curiosity**. [How to use natural curiosity to help build relationships with anyone](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-practise-curiosity-and-see-the-humanity-in-anyone?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), whatever the differences. *Bonus Stuff.* [*101 ways to make and keep friends*](https://www.asociallifewithfriends.com/p/101-ways-to-make-and-maintain-friendships?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*.* **Rules**. [Eight rules of the School of Life.](https://www.theschooloflife.com/article/eight-rules-of-the-school-of-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is an excellent set of rules that can guide you #1, #5 and #7 are particularly insightful. **Alive**. [Three ways to feel more alive this year.](https://dariusforoux.com/feel-alive/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Darius Foroux shares three simple ideas that could change your approach this year. I like #3 a lot. *Bonus Stuff.* [*What would a year of curiosity look like*](https://nesslabs.com/a-year-of-curiosity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *\- some amazing practical advice for a better life from Ness Labs.* **Presence**. [Ways to boost your life by being more attentive. ](https://www.lifehack.org/971250/how-to-be-more-present?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Includes 100 tips for being more present. **Finally**. [Wordfall is a simple daily game](https://www.wordfallgame.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that will give you a short challenge each day. 🎵 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) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/legowelt_47096-1.webp) My recommendation this week is a great slice of electronica kosmische music from the Netherlands. **A Field Guide to the Void** by Legowelt is full of amazing sounds, twists and turns PLUS new vinyl, and a top ten artists of the week. [Read My Week in Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-5/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/-221.png) ### TWIL #53 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-53/ Last updated: 2025-01-12T07:49:00.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that Saturns rings are going to 'disappear' for a while - this only happens once every 29 years. [Saturn’s rings are disappearing!Updates on your cosmos and world![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon.png)EarthSky | Updates on your cosmos and worldKelly Kizer Whitt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Saturn-rings-Titan-NASA-JPL-Caltech-Space-Science-Institute.jpg)](https://earthsky.org/space/saturns-rings-are-disappearing-march-2025/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #5 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-5/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:11:59.000Z ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is a slightly older album that I missed in 2024, but is definitely worth a listen. Legowelt is a Dutch producer/DJ, who released 'A field guide to the void', an excellent collection of electronica/[Kosmiche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krautrock?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that reminds me of one of my all-time favourite acts - Kraftwerk - if they went to a massive rave in a field. The album is over an hour long, so the tracks have time to build and develop and theres a lot of fun in here. Recommended album. ### **Listened Stuff** This week I refreshed my 'to listen' list - and have found some good new music - here's ten that I have enjoyed this week: - Amelia Warner - Turin Brakes - Farah Kaddour - Arooj Aftab - Soshi Takeda - King Creosote - Franz Ferdinand - Llyr - Legowelt - Natalia Lafourcade ### **New Vinyl** I managed a little vinyl shopping over the holiday season - and I added the following to the vinyl collection: - Various Artists - Eccentric Soul: The Forte Album - Various Artists - Eccentric Soul: Consolidated Productions Vol 1 - Various Artists - Eccentric Disco - Tee National - Rome (Live) - Zaho De Sagazan - La Symphonie des éclairs ### Media Gluttony 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-2024/ Last updated: 2025-01-08T16:37:55.000Z **BOLD** \- indicates at the cinema (17x) / all movies unless indicated 74 Movies in total! ### **January** - Maestro - Leave the World Behind - Saltburn - **One Life** - Decision to Leave - **Poor Things** - **Fremont** - The End we Start From - The Kitchen - The Creator - Asteroid City - Corner Office - Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning ### **February** - The Holdovers - **All of us Strangers** - **The Zone of Interest** - The Stronghold - A Prayer Before Dawn - TV - Deadwater Fell - TV - Masters of the Air - **The Iron Claw** - **Anatomy of a Fall** - The Abyss - The Old Oak - Scrapper - Maggie Moore(s) - No Hard Feelings - Tarrac ### **March** - TV - Constellation - TV - The Gentleman - **Perfect Days** - Past Lives - Dune - **Dune II** - Wicked Little Letters - Femme - Gray ### **April** - Argylle - TV - Three body problem - TV - Baby Reindeer - TV - Ripley - **Baltimore** - TV - Fallout - **Civil War** ### **May** - Le Chant du Loup (2019) - TV - The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Quartet (2012) - TV - Yellowstone s1 (unfinished) - Into the Inferno (2016) - The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare - Adagio (2023) ### **June** - TV - Loudermilk s1-3 - The Darkest Hour - TV - A Man in Full - TV - Bridgerton s3 - TV - Eric - TV - The Days ### **July** - **The Bikeriders** - TV - Supacell - The Snowman - The Beast - **Fly me to the Moon** - TV - Presumed Innocent - TV - Mr Bigstuff - The Batman - TV - Kin S2 - Villain (2020) - Mrs Harris goes to Paris - TV - The Wire S1/S2 - **Twisters** ### **August** - Joyride (2022) - **Kneecap** ### **September** - Back to Black - Rebel Ridge - Furiosa - Scarface (1983) - Roy (short) - Verdigris - TV - Kaos - TV - The Wire S3/S4 ### **October** - Empire of Light - Daddio - Treasure - Bad Boys - Ride or Die - Sumotherhood - TV - Suburra S1-3 - TV - Suburraeterna - TV - The Penguin ### **November** - **Gladiator II** - **Small things Like These** - Kinds of Kindness - TV - The Diplomat (S2) ### **December** - Woken - Classified - Deadpool vs Wolverine - TV - Black Doves - TV - Jackal - TV - The Madness - Subservient - Carry On - Paddington (2014) - The Italian Job (1969) - Father Goose (1964) ### #220 - not before noon! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/220-notbeforenoon/ Last updated: 2025-01-06T05:50:16.000Z 💡 ****Build your Best Year** \- It isn't too late to commit to some meaningful goals for 2025\. You can use my [my free email series](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) to Build ****your** Best Year. Seven days of simple exercises that will help you plan a year of success and fulfilment. [Just 15/20 minutes a day that will yield huge impact. Join us!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) ## The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you spend a little time [thinking about your goals & commitments for the year](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-set-achievable-goals-2025-utkarsh-narang-zo4rc/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). You don’t really need to get them locked for another month, but [this article with help you](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-set-achievable-goals-2025-utkarsh-narang-zo4rc/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *Bonus Stuff. You can use my* [*annual review*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/one-year-one-review-endless-growth/) *template to help you review and get started, and my* [*guide to SMART goals*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) *will support you.* **Wrong**. [Don’t be afraid to be wrong.](https://nlopes.dev/writing/dont-be-afraid-to-be-wrong?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I use the phrase ‘help me make this better’ when I’m sharing ideas and opinions at work, by doing this I have discovered I am wrong more than I am right. *And it’s OK, I’m surviving.* **Planning**. [Maximise your planning process by asking your team these powerful questions](https://www.getharvest.com/blog/boost-the-planning-process-by-asking-your-team-these-powerful-questions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I think a scene setting 1:1 with team members at the start of the year is a good use of time. **Action**. [How a ‘bias to action’ looks in practice.](https://henrysward.medium.com/a-bias-to-action-4add3bd9ab77?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Great explanation of how you can influence your team to move fast and ship often. **Notetaking**. Handwriting > Typing. [A regular reminder that the simplest tools are often the best.](https://www.psypost.org/handwriting-activates-broader-brain-networks-than-typing-study-shows/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff.* [*My personal productivity stack for 2025.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/personal-productivity-in-2025/) **Productivity**. [No meetings before noon](https://ondrejmarkus.com/no-meetings/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). An excellent idea to prioritise [deep and focus work](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-slow-productivity-by-cal-newport/). ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How do I want to feel at the end of the coming year? [From my prompts for a New Year.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-a-new-year/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![trees under cloudy sky during sunset](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1470252649378-9c29740c9fa8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fG1vcm5pbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzM2MDgzNTIxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Dawid Zawiła](https://unsplash.com/@davealmine?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Morning**. 21 steps to a great day, [an optimised morning routine](https://asana.com/resources/best-morning-routine?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I couldn’t possibly subscribe to all of these, but take what you need and build a great routine to kick off each day. **Thinking**. Are you too self critical? Some great advice on how to change your thinking and turn your destructive voices around. [MORE](https://nickwignall.com/self-criticism/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Cheerful**. [144 ways that the world got better in 2024](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/the-year-in-cheer-2024/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I have no reason to believe that 2025 will be any worse, lets be optimistic. **Principles**. [63 principles for life](https://nabeelqu.co/principles?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I love these, and they are nearly all 100% accurate. **Finally**. [Spotle](https://spotle.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Guess the artist in 10 attempts, data from Spotify will correct you as you go. Lots of fun over Christmas with this one! 🎵 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) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2025/01/wolf-3.jpeg) My recommendation this week is No. 32 in my monthly Stuff Mixtapes - with tracks from Penelope Trappes, Marie-Flore & Julien Doré, Michelle Davies & The Truetones, Cloth, Rokysopp feat Susanne Sundfor, Fennesz feat David Sylvian and more. [Listen to Stuff #32 Here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5HICs6N7tkHoM4iSPRjwGj?si=184dc8f1ab694293&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/2025/01/-219.png) ### #32 - December 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/32-december-2024/ Last updated: 2025-01-05T12:59:46.000Z Stuff Mixtape #32 is a shorter mix - but still has some amazing tunes to finish out 2024\. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Platinum | Penelope Trappes** \- Ethereal, chilled and unsettling, beautiful stuff from this Australian singer and songwriter. - **Lighthouse | Anna B Savage** \- I'm already excited for the new album due to drop in 2025, and live shows in Dublin in the Spring. - **Transit | Fennesz feat David Sylvian** \- Beautiful Electronica from this prolific Austrian producer and composer with one of the all-time great voices. - **Palmiers d'hivers, un 13 decembre | Marie-Flore & Julien Doré -** Almost translucent, gossamer light pop from this French duo. Found via Mrs R. - **Sleep | Penelope Trappes -** A second intervention from Trappes, stunning track peppered with doomy chords. - **Agnes | Anna B Savage & Anna Mieke** \- An earworm for most of December, lovely duet between two superb Irish singers. - **Leave it There | Michelle Davies & The Truetones** \- Live soul/gospel crossover that showcases an extraordinary voice and gets better with every listen. - **Polaroid | Cloth** \- Glasgow based twins, back with a lovely Britpop sounding single for 2025\. - **In these binds | Emilia Sisco** \- bluesy, soulful single from a new talent from Finland. - **Beacons | Rokysopp feat Susanne Sundfor** \- epic ambience from the new Royksopp project shared in [MWIM#4](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-4/) [Listen to Stuff #32 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5HICs6N7tkHoM4iSPRjwGj?si=48e11c458fc64228&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Personal Productivity in 2025 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/personal-productivity-in-2025/ Last updated: 2025-01-05T10:44:54.000Z This year, I'm making my personal productivity stack a lot simpler. This is in-line with [my intentions for the year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome-to-2025-intentions-2/). I'm going to keep my personal calendar and notes in paper form, with a everyday book and a simple week to view diary for planning my time, and holding myself accountable. Of course, I need some electronic tools to help connect and communicate with others, and I'm keeping those as simple as possible: - Apple Notes - Google Docs / Sheets - mainly for content creation and design - Google Calendar - Work calendar (based on Outlook) - Work 1:1 tool - basically a rolling 'source of truth' for 1:1 meetings And thats it. What does your productivity stack look like this year? ### TWIL #52 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-52/ Last updated: 2025-01-05T10:17:35.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned why humans have toenails... [Why Do Humans Have Toenails?Toenails probably originated with our primate forebears, and they still serve a big purpose.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/MFFavicon_216ef394-60ef-4fac-9984-97a8819af760_400x.png)Mental FlossShayna Murphy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/01jgcpy1fbpkjyazjchn.jpg)](https://www.mentalfloss.com/why-do-humans-have-toenails?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Welcome to 2025 - Intentions URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome-to-2025-intentions-2/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T05:00:38.000Z Hey, Matt here... > Welcome to 2025! *I've deliberately stayed out of your inbox to ensure a full disconnect. The regular newsletter will start again next Monday, but I want to check-in and wish everyone a very Happy New Year!* I use the time between the Holidays and New Year to reflect and celebrate success. In [2023](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/themes-for-2023/), and [2024](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/welcome-to-2024-intentions/), I set some intentions for the New Year. I also completed my [annual review](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/one-year-one-review-endless-growth/) and some of the steps in [my 'Build Your Best Year' process](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) as a way of reconfirming my values and thinking afresh about the year to come. This year, my intentions are: **Service**, **Enough** and **Simplify**. ### Theme #1 - Service I believe in [Servant Leadership](https://nesslabs.com/servant-leadership?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and take my role as a people manager very seriously. I started building on that in 2024 with my [coaching journey](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-this-manager-is-still-learning-my-new-coaching-journey/), and I'll continue to deliver content and resources here as a service to you. I'm going to refine and improve where I can be of service, and commit to improving what I can deliver here, through my work and in my coaching practice. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What am I most grateful for from this past year? [From my NEW prompts for a New Year.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-a-new-year/) ### Theme #2 - Enough I have spent a lot of time in 2024 talking to people about what it means to be happy, and a theme that has emerged frequently is the idea of having 'enough'. I'm blessed to have a good life, and my intention this year is to focus on what 'enough' means, and know when I might be trying a bit too hard for more. ### Theme #3 - Simplify This one is a repeat of a 2023 intention. I think I succeeded in making my life simpler then, and I believe it could be **even easier** in 2025\. My intention this year is to continue to reduce open loops ([covered in #199](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-199-credibility-and-confidence/)), and reduce more friction in my work & life processes. I'll ask myself the same three questions regularly: - What if this (action, task, process) was simple? - How can I make this easier? - What would it mean if I didn't do this at all? ### No Resolutions Once again, I'm not making resolutions. I don't like the idea that a resolution needs to be kept or failed. I prefer intentions that set my direction for the year, and then building small habits and systems that will support those intentions. See you all next week for the first Stuff of the Year! Take care, ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- 🎯 I reflected on my [Albums of 2024,](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/albums-of-the-year-2024/) many of which featured as musical recommendations in the weekly newsletter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/_Stuff-New-Year--1--1.png) ### Journal Prompts for a New Year URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-a-new-year/ Last updated: 2024-12-29T08:46:42.000Z Finding time for introspection and reflection is a vital tool for growth, journaling offers a space for self-discovery and expression. Some people enjoy freeform writing, others enjoy the spark of a prompt. I have found journaling an excellent tool to help plan, reflect and decide on direction. In this blog series, I'm going to share some of the best prompts I've found and used. [More Journal Prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/) ☝🏼 ****The simple three step Stuff guide to Journaling...** 1\. Find a quiet place and a blank page - paper or electronic. 2\. Settle on a prompt to use, fully immerse yourself in the words and allow your thoughts and memories to surface. 3\. Capture everything you can, edit and reread as you need. **Remember - there is no right or wrong answer when journaling, use the prompts to unlock your authentic inner voice.* _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Albums of the Year - 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/albums-of-the-year-2024/ Last updated: 2024-12-29T08:19:58.000Z Right, it's that time... my albums of 2024, in no particular order: - Fink - Beauty in your Wake - Caoilfhionn Rose - Constellations - Mariam the Believer - Breathing Techniques - Nick Cave and the Black Seeds - Wild Gods - Khruangbin - A La Sala - Erland Cooper - Carve the Runes then be content with silence - Mono - Oath - Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan - Your Community Hub - The Cure - Songs of a lost world - Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes The next ten - which deserve honorable mentions: - James Blake and Lil Yachty - Bad Cameo - Muireann Bradley - I Kept these Old Blues - Nadine Shah - Filthy Underneath - Arab Strap - I’m totally fine with it, don’t give a fuck - Vegyn - The road to hell is paved with good intentions - Hermanos Gutierrez - Sonido Cosmico - Idles - TANGK - Jamie XX - In Waves - Kelly Finnigan - A lover was born - Ane Brun - Live 20th Anniversary Tour #AOTY2024 ### #219 - Purushartra or Ikigai? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/219-purushartra-or-ikigai/ Last updated: 2024-12-23T05:00:33.000Z 💡 ****Build your Best Year** \- Thanks to everyone that has [joined my free challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) to build their best year. Seven days of simple exercises that will help you plan a year of success and fulfilment. [Just 15/20 minutes a day that will yield huge impact. Join us!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this (quieter?) week be the one you sit down and do a [personal annual review](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/one-year-one-review-endless-growth/). I’m sharing my [lightweight methodology for reviewing the year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/one-year-one-review-endless-growth/), and then planning my intentions and goals for next year. **Career**. [This change to your CV could yield real results.](https://theeverygirl.com/what-is-a-functional-resume/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How having a ‘functional’ CV can help you land the job you need. I’ve been seeing these more and more in recent hiring, and I believe there are some real benefits here. **Productivity**. [How to break free from your “toxic productivity” cycle.](https://bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/toxic-productivity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Aligning your actions with your values can help you allocate time and energy more effectively, leading to a more fulfilling, balanced life. *Bonus Stuff.* [*How to discover your core values, and why they are important*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/values/)*.* **Team**. [When personal productivity isn’t enough.](https://thenextweb.com/news/team-personal-productivity-isnt-enough?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) What happens when team cohesiveness causes issues with productivity? **Focus**. Eight excellent ways to improve your focus and achieve your goals. Including my personal favourite piece of advice at #2 - start, then focus. [MORE](https://fortheinterested.com/improve-your-focus/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What would I say to a friend struggling with uncertainty, and how can I apply that advice to myself? [From my prompts for Ambiguity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![woman leaning on top building rail during daytime](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1478719050108-41b67a7bc956?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fHJlc3R8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzM0NzgzMTU3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Hernan Sanchez](https://unsplash.com/@stillsbyhernan?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Rest**. [Rest isn’t the opposite of work](https://www.remoteworkprep.com/blog/rest-isnt-the-opposite-of-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). You might need to adjust the way you think about rest. [The seven types of rest that you need to feel your best.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/7-types-of-rest/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is something I’m really going to focus on over the holiday season and into 2025\. **Habits**. [Daily sleep and exercise practice can have lasting effects on the brain.](https://www.psypost.org/daily-habits-like-sleep-and-exercise-can-shape-brain-connectivity-for-weeks/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) More science that seems to support the idea that cognition is improved by good habits. *Bonus Stuff.* [*My guide to great sleep hygiene.* ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) **Learning**. If nothing else, this newsletter (and blog) are about fostering a habit of lifelong learning and curiosity. So, how do you become a lifelong learner? [MORE](https://leadership.garden/tech-lifelong-learner/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Purpose**. How Japanese and Indian wisdom can direct us to finding purpose in our life. I find the questions asked in the Indian concept of Purushartra easier to understand than Ikigai. [MORE](https://community.thriveglobal.com/the-shared-wisdom-of-ikigai-and-purushartha/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Finally**. Travle. [Get from Country A to Country B by naming the countries in between](https://travle.earth/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Fiendish and Fun! 🎵 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) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/0038068124_25-3.jpg) My recommendation this week is surprise release from a Stuff favourite, plus updates to FlowStuff, some new vinyl and my usual top ten artists of the week. [Read My Week In Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-4/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/_Stuff--219-1.png) ### TWIL #51 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-51/ Last updated: 2024-12-22T10:26:13.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that athey don't make love songs like they used to, and someone has done a thorough investigation of the change. [Is the Love Song Dying?We categorized songs in the Billboard Top 10 to see if love songs are on the decline.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-11.ico)The PuddingThe Pudding![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/social-facebook.png)](https://pudding.cool/2024/11/love-songs/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #4 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-4/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:07:04.000Z ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is a new release from Stuff favourites Royksopp who have surprise released a 30-track ambient reinterpretation of their *Profound Mysteries* project which I loved last year. Nebulous Nights is a beautiful reworking of the triple album that was Profound Mysteries and features many of the original vocalists in a largely beatless journey. Every track here will be added to [my Flowstuff playlist](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) as it perfectly fits the vibe. ### **Listened Stuff** This week I have been trying to catch up with my 'to listen' list - and have found some great new albums to put in my rotation - here's ten that I have enjoyed this week: - Arin Aksberg - Ane Brun - Laura Marling - Kali Malone - Royksopp - Lara Sarkissian - toechter - Bibio - Sasha - Deathbed Convert ### **New Vinyl** I did some christmas shopping at my favourite Vinyl store last weekend, but its important to look after yourself, so I added the following to my vinyl collection: - Yannis and the Yaw - Lagos Paris London - Sasha - Da Vinci Genius (The Score) ### Five Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Career Coach URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-questions-to-ask-before-hiring-a-career-coach/ Last updated: 2024-12-21T12:09:50.000Z The right coach can help you navigate challenges, clarify your goals, and unlock your full potential. With so many options available, how do you choose the best fit for you? Here’s a guide to selecting a career coach who will help you succeed, plus key questions to ensure you're making a smart choice. --- ## Why You Might Need a Career Coach So you can choose the right coach, try identifying the challenges you are facing. A career coach can support you if you are: - **Navigating a career transition.** Whether you’re changing industries, aiming for a promotion, or returning to work after a break, a coach can help you create a clear path forward. - **Developing leadership skills.** Moving into a leadership role can be daunting. The right coach can help you build confidence, improve your management style, and become the leader you want to be. - **Feeling stuck.** If work feels unfulfilling or you’re unsure what your next step should be, a coach can help you explore your strengths and find renewed purpose. - **Looking for a better work-life balance.** Feeling burned out? A coach can help you redefine your priorities and create sustainable habits. - **Trying to improve performance.** Whether it’s productivity, communication, or decision-making, a coach can help you level up your skills. > If any of these resonate, it’s likely time to invest in a coach who can guide you. --- ### Top Questions to Ask When Selecting a Career Coach Not all career coaches are created equal. To find the right one, ask yourself (and potential coaches) these key questions: > 1\. *What are my goals, and does this coach specialise in helping people like me?* Clarify your goals first. Do you want to move up in your current role, change careers, or improve your leadership skills? A coach’s expertise should align with your objectives. Don't be afraid to make a list of the goals you want to achieve and share those with your prospective coaches. > 2\. *What is this coach’s approach and style?* Coaching styles vary. Some coaches are direct and action-oriented. Others focus on reflection and self-discovery. Think about what style will keep you motivated and accountable. Ask your prospective coach about their approach, and how they adjust. > 3\. *How does this coach measure success?* A good coach will help you define clear outcomes. Do they focus on helping you achieve specific results, or do they offer vague promises? Ask how they track progress. > 4\. *Does this coach ask insightful questions?* A great coach asks powerful questions that make you think deeply and help you build your own solutions. Pay attention to how they engage with you during an initial call. > 5\. *Do I feel a sense of trust and connection?* Trust is essential. You should feel comfortable sharing challenges and ambitions openly. If something feels off, they’re probably not the right fit. --- ### Why I Might Be the Right Coach for You If you’re exploring these questions, you’re already on the right track. The best coaching relationship is built on trust, alignment, and a commitment to your growth. I specialise in helping professionals who are: - Moving through career transitions - Building career confidence - Seeking clarity and purpose - Balancing ambitious goals with well-being - Exploring and growing Leadership skills My approach is both professional and motivating, designed to challenge you while keeping you inspired. I believe in actionable insights, deep reflection, and creating lasting change. --- ### How to Get Started with a Career Coach? > Your career is too important to leave to chance. Let’s make sure you’re on the path to success with a clear career growth strategy. If you’re ready to invest in your career growth, let’s have a conversation. I’d love to learn more about your goals and see if we're a good fit. [Contact Matt](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/contact/) ### One Year. One Review. Endless Growth. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/one-year-one-review-endless-growth/ Last updated: 2024-12-20T15:12:45.000Z > An annual review isn't just a corporate exercise. It's a powerful personal development tool. Done the right way, it can give you clarity, confidence, and a plan for the year ahead. Whether you’re celebrating your wins or learning from your challenges, this review will help you reflect, reframe, and realign your path. In this post, I’ll guide you through the same detailed and introspective exercise that I do to perform a thorough personal annual review. --- ### Why Do a Personal Annual Review? Before we dive into the exercise, let's talk about *why* this matters. I use my personal annual review to do the following: - **To Celebrate Progress**: We often forget our achievements. Reflecting helps us acknowledge how far we've come. - **To Learn from our Challenges**: Reviewing obstacles helps extract lessons so we don’t repeat the same patterns. - **To Set Intentional Goals**: With a clear picture of where we've been, we can set more intentional and realistic goals for the year ahead. I always enjoy taking the time to check in, celebrate, and course-correct. Your future self will thank you for completing a review like this. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### #218 - Start... Ping! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/218-start-ping/ Last updated: 2024-12-16T05:56:49.000Z 💡 ****Build your Best Year** \- Thanks to everyone that has [joined my free challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/). Seven days of simple exercises that will deliver your best year ever. [Just 15/20 minutes a day that will yield huge impact. Join us!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you finish the year by clearing down that to-do list. I’m a [big fan of the Pomodoro Technique](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-focus-with-the-pomodoro-technique/) for kickstarting AND maximising output. For deeper work, y[ou might want to try Pomodoro 2.0\. ](https://lifehacker.com/work/try-pomodoro-20-to-focus-on-deep-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) However you choose to get through the list, there’s only one thing to do - [List one task, do it, cross it out. ](https://www.oliverburkeman.com/onething?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Career**. [Eight Linkedin Profile mistakes that will reduce your chances of getting a new job.](https://theeverygirl.com/linkedin-profile-mistakes/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Don’t fall for any of these simple mistakes. *Bonus Stuff/.* [*Seth Godin talks about the technology and the wider job market.*](https://seths.blog/2024/12/thinking-about-jobs/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Flow**. [Tap into the ‘Hemingway Effect’ to finish what you start.](https://bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/the-hemingway-effect/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Hemingway used to stop projects at “an interesting place” and when “you know what’s going to happen next.” There was sound psychology behind this tactic. **Management**. [How to get closer to your team, without overstepping the mark](https://www.forbes.com/sites/sallypercy/2024/02/12/how-to-get-closer-to-your-team--without-overstepping-the-line/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Some practical advice to help you build better relationships with your team members. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Five tips for becoming a better manager.*](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/five-tips-effective-manager?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *#1, #4 and #5 are super important.* **Standards**. [You are what you tolerate.](https://www.justinwelsh.me/newsletter/you-are-what-you-tolerate?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) If you don’t set some uncompromising standards, you’ll compromise. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How has dealing with ambiguity shaped my personal or professional growth? [From my prompts for Ambiguity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![brown track and field](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1534185372994-55f9e64235c4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fHN0YXJ0fGVufDB8fHx8MTczNDI2MTUzNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Adi Goldstein](https://unsplash.com/@adigold1?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Start**. [You’ve got a thing, it’s time to start it. Today.](https://fortheinterested.com/start-today/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Life**. [12 obvious (and not so obvious) tips for living better.](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2024/09/15/12-obvious-foundations/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Scott Young shares a great list for a better life, including some oblique advice. **Joy**. [How to deal with loneliness and find space for small moments of joy.](https://community.thriveglobal.com/how-to-deal-with-loneliness-and-make-space-for-small-moments-of-joy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) From the late & fantastic Dr Ruth Westheimer - I **love** the concept of indulging yourself as a way of tackling loneliness. If you are looking for joy, [here are 100 glimmers you might see this week.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/glimmer-100/) **Love**. [99 Ways To Show Love Besides Gifts This Holiday Season.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-show-love/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’ve deliberately steered away from gift guides, but this is a lovely list of ways to appreciate those around you. **Finally**. [Open the Microwave door as close to 0 as possible.](https://microwave.vercel.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) My Record is 8650. 🎵 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) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/snow-3.jpeg) My recommendation this week is an amazing holiday season playlist, with some classy holiday tunes to keep you company... [Read My Week In Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-3/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/_Stuff--218-1.png) ### TWIL #50 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-50/ Last updated: 2024-12-15T14:58:36.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that a man recently won the Spanish Scrabble Championship, despite not beng able to speak Spanish. Turns out, [he has form](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel%5FRichards%5F%28Scrabble%5Fplayer%29?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). [Scrabble star wins Spanish world title – despite not speaking SpanishNigel Richards has also been champion in English and – after memorising dictionary in nine weeks – French![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-512.png)The GuardianAshifa Kassam![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/4376.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/10/scrabble-star-nigel-richards-wins-spanish-world-title-despite-not-speaking-spanish?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #3 - From Dublin URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-3/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T10:06:37.000Z *I’m trying something new for my music recommendations, rather than post in my email I’m putting these on my blog so I can include more or less as I go.* ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is my [annual holiday season playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1aWl0cs3famX2j4k8dvTAy?si=13ead122cf424198&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) which I updated this week for 2024\. It's nearly four hours of acceptable christmas music, nothing too wild - but some great tunes that will see you through the season. Every year I share this and it's one of my most saved playlists. I hope you enjoy, and I wish you all a very happy holiday season. **Listened Stuff** I took a quick trip to New York this week for work, and these are the artists that kept me company while I was travelling. - Leadbelly - Bruce Springsteen - Kings of Convenience - The Cure - Michael Kiwanuka - Otis Redding - Kelly Finnigan - Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin - Khruangbin - The Sextones ### #217 - fix your meetings! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/217-fix-your-meetings-2/ Last updated: 2024-12-09T05:19:18.000Z 💡 ****Build your Best Year** \- Thanks to everyone that has [joined my free challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/). Seven days of simple exercises that will deliver your best year ever. [Just 15/20 minutes a day that will yield huge impact. Join us!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you [take control of your meetings ](https://www.themuse.com/advice/from-chaos-to-control-how-to-lead-superproductive-meetings?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)and make them more memorable. [Five more actionable strategies for running better meetings.](https://www.fastcompany.com/91210286/5-strategies-for-leading-better-meetings?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff.* [*An endless stream of icebreakers to help kick off your meetings in style.*](https://thequestions.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Management**. [Schedule Syncing is an excellent way to get your team working well together](https://www.reworked.co/collaboration-productivity/cure-micromanaging-with-schedule-syncing/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and avoids the risk of micromanagement. Creating meeting free (or light meeting) days is another way to reduce the drag that management can place on team members. **Emotions**. [Improving your emotional self-control can make you a better leader](https://www.truity.com/blog/improving-your-emotional-control-can-make-you-better-leader-heres-how-do-it?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Discover practical ways to get things under control and develop your leadership skills. **AI**. [What does AI know about you and your working style?](https://www.forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2024/11/07/find-out-what-chatgpt-knows-about-you-5-prompts-for-instant-answers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Here are five prompts that you can put into your favourite AI tool to find out. Found via [Further Faster Fridays](https://furtherfasterfridays.substack.com/p/70-111524-four-cs-of-crisis-communication) \- one of my current favourite newsletters. **Winter**. In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re settling into the darker, colder months. Could that signal a change in your productivity? [Maybe you are wintering.](https://nesslabs.com/wintering?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What affirmations can I use to build confidence when dealing with the unknown? [From my prompts for Ambiguity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![brown and white abstract painting](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599073499036-dc27fc297dc9?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGZpZnR5fGVufDB8fHx8MTczMzUwMDMxOXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Kendall Scott](https://unsplash.com/@kendallmscott?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **50\.** [Fifty things I learned in 2024.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-things-i-learned-in-2024/) Every week I learn something new whilst writing this newsletter - here [are 50 of the best from this year](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-things-i-learned-in-2024/). **Memory**. Are you always forgetting things? [Here’s a great way to fix that.](https://time.com/collection/live-well/5474432/drawing-helps-boost-memory/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff. Psyche magazine also has a* [*great guide to improving your memory.*](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-get-better-at-remembering-names-and-shopping-lists?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Life**. [36 ways to live differently.](https://chrisguillebeau.com/36-ways?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some excellent advice in here, #18, #22 and #30 resonate especially with me. **Travel**. Some top 25 bucket lists for 2025, first [from the National Geographic](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/slideshow/best-of-the-world-2025?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and then [from CNN Traveller.](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/best-places-to-go-in-2025?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally.** [How many digits of Pi can you remember](https://pi-test.replit.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- I got to eight, can you do better? *Bonus Stuff.* [*The colour clock.*](http://www.thecolourclock.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 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) ### 🔈 My week in Music... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/jono-1.jpg) My album of the week is from Jono McCleery, plus some other music updates... [Read My Week In Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-2/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/_Stuff--217.png) ### TWIL #49 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-49/ Last updated: 2024-12-08T15:28:13.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that sausage kiosks (Würstelstand) in Vienna are to be listed by UNESCO as part of the 'intangible cultural heritage' of Austria. [The Vienna sausage stand is more than just a snack stall. Now it has a UNESCO heritage recognitionThe Vienna sausage stand is a place where the street sweeper, the manager, the tourist and the celebrity converge for the same tasty snack. The culture of the humble “Würstelstand” became this week one of the latest additions to the national list of intangible cultural heritage, overseen by the Austrian UNESCO Commission. It joins the Austrian capital’s distinctive wine taverns, or “Heurigen,” which have been listed since 2019, and the city’s famous coffee house culture, which was honored in 2011.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-10.ico)Yahoo LifePHILIPP JENNE![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/2c578c79d772fc849236779362d67576)](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/vienna-sausage-stand-more-just-160709129.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #2 - again URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-2/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:41:36.000Z *I’m trying something new for my music recommendations, rather than post in my email I’m putting these on my blog so I can include more or less as I go.* ### **Recommended Stuff** My recommendation this week is the new album from Irish singer/songwriter Jono McCleery, who brings us a new collection of delicately written and performed songs in a chilled, folky style. I only recently discovered Jono, and I like his laidback sets which remind me of early Damien Rice or similar. **Recommended album.** ### **Listened Stuff** Here are ten artists I listened to this week… - Father John Misty - Blixa Bargeld - Michael Kiwanuka - Khruangbin - Sheherazaad - Mariam the Believer - Fennesz - Porridge Radio - Black Pumas - The Dears ## **Vinyl Collection** Had a quick trip to my favourite Vinyl shop in Dublin last weekend, to pick up some pre-orders and have a browse - here’s what I bought home: - The Cure - Songs of a Lost World - Black Pumas Live - Leadbelly - Huddie Ledbetter's Best...His Guitar, His Voice, His Piano - Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependance (Reissue) - Kings of Convenience - Riot on an Empty Street (Reissue) - Beloved - Conscience (Reissue) ### 50 things I learned in 2024... URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/50-things-i-learned-in-2024/ Last updated: 2024-12-06T14:18:50.000Z Every week, I share a link to something I learned in the previous 7 days... these are things that grab my interest, but don't make it into my weekly newsletter. 1. Europe has an Island that swaps nationality every six months. Pheasant Island spends half the year French, and half the year Spanish. [Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of history behind this strange arrangement.](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220706-europes-island-that-swaps-nationalities?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 2. [Good quality audio makes you sound 19% cleverer](https://tips.ariyh.com/p/good-sound-quality-smarter?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). So, it's worth investing in that better headset or microphone. 3. [China's ROOFTOPS have more solar capacity than entire other countries' capacity.](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-10/china-s-new-solar-test-is-finding-enough-grid-space-for-rooftop-panels?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The challenge is getting all that solar into the grid. 4. Apple used to have a door-to-door repair service. [Not so much a genius bar, as a genius car.](https://matduggan.com/fixing-macs-door-to-door/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (geddit?) 5. [Someone dug a hole that is 12km deep.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola%5FSuperdeep%5FBorehole?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) To put that in context, Mount Everest is 8.84km high. 6. Jigsaw puzzles are now a competitive sport. [Enter the world of Speed Puzzling](https://www.speedpuzzling.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) where 500-piece jigsaws take just 37 minutes. 7. The plague is back. A disease more associated with medieval times, is back in Oregon. [Don't panic though, all is under control.](https://apnews.com/us-news/plague-oregon-general-news-6d5a71b8a45e5e38ec321fd48fdb9576?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 8. [The American Revolution was (partly) planned in a beautiful UK seaside town.](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241118-the-quaint-english-town-where-the-us-future-was-planned?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 9. [US roadsigns look very different to everywhere else in the world.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzr0GYfRsKI&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Turns out that the US trialled European (and other) signs, but preferred their own. 10. In pagan-era Finland, bears were given elaborate funerals and were [treated like high ranking humans.](https://littlewomen.medium.com/bear-in-finnish-mythology-33f9ad30fa91?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 11. Each Oscar Nominee gets [a goodie bag containing over $100k worth of gifts](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/heres-whats-in-oscar-nominees-100k-gift-bags-this-year--including-things-you-can-actually-afford-183126015.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)... including multiple holidays, kitchen products and 10,000 donated pet meals! 12. Tornadoes can be predicted by a 'low frequency infrasound' that is inaudible to the human ear. [Knowing this means scientists can build early warning systems that can save lives](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231212-the-sound-that-warns-a-tornado-is-coming?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). 13. Other planets have 'Northern Lights' or Aurorae. [Scientists at Reading University are currently studying aurora on Saturn, in some research that could change the way we understand those planets](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgxdz15zw7do?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). 14. Barbie Pigs are a (potentially) new to science species found deep in the Pacific Ocean. [Down near the sea potatoes, rattail fish and unicucumbers, things start to get weird.](https://www.iflscience.com/barbie-pigs-among-strange-and-possibly-new-to-science-species-discovered-in-the-pacific-73539?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 15. NASA has approved 12 plants that can improve air quality. [If you need better air in your living space, choose one of these.](https://food52.com/blog/27219-nasa-approved-plants?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 16. Research has shown that some people think that Scrabble is too competitive. [This has led Mattel to design a new version of the word game that is less 'intimidating'.](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68769981?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 17. Some [fish communicate with each other](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240418-boops-hums-and-farts-the-mysterious-world-of-fish-communication?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) by hums and farts. 18. A mirrorball is made in [a way that I didn’t exactly expect.](https://youtu.be/CnnTzKPM6tw?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 19. Birds get their colours through a multitude of factors, [including evolutionary trade-offs and selective pressures](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2024/04/27/how-do-birds-get-their-colors/73285448007/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). 20. Philadelphia (the state - not the soft cheese) now has a 24-hour cheese vending machine. [For all your emergency cheese needs.](https://www.foodandwine.com/perrystead-dairy-cheese-vending-machine-philadelphia-8644521?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 21. Kami Rita Sherpa has broke a record by [summiting Everest for the 29th time.](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce4383v4wwno?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 22. [Power washing can actually improve your mood. ](https://newatlas.com/mental-health/power-wash-video-game-improved-moods/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 23. [Slap Fighting' is now a professional sport.](https://www.esquire.com/sports/a60828501/professional-slap-fighting/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *That's where two people 'slap' each other in the face until one goes down.* 24. ‘Encephalartos woodii’ is the loneliest plant in the world, with only one known living example. Scientists are using technology to try and find a female. [If they can't find a date, then they might try and change the sex of the one they have!](https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2024/05/the-high-tech-hunt-for-a-lonely-plants-partner.page?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 25. Soda cans are concave on the bottom [for a very important reason.](https://youtu.be/hUhisi2FBuw?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 26. Scientists have made a [connection between sleep deprivation and memory.](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01732-y?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 27. [Laying down is not a good way to avoid getting struck by lightning.](https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/lightning-safety-facts-hikers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It seems that there really is no escape, but lightning can be good for crops. 28. [It is still 2016 in Ethiopia](https://edition.cnn.com/travel/ethiopian-unique-calendar-year/index.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It’s actually 2017 now. 29. Wild horses are returning to the Steppes of Kazakhstan [for the first time in two-hundred years.](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/10/przewalskis-horses-only-wild-species-return-central-asian-steppes-kazakhstan?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 30. Sir David Attenborough helped change [tennis balls from white to yellow](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8FF2vhCgob/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink) 31. The American Library Association has for nearly 40 years been putting out [“Read” posters featuring celebrities and their books.](https://lithub.com/100-of-the-greatest-posters-of-celebrities-urging-you-to-read/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 32. [Scientists have discovered a source of 'dark oxygen' on the floor of the oceans.](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c728ven2v9eo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) These are lumps of metal, that act as batteries, generating oxygen into the sea. It might mean that we need to change the way that we think about mining the ocean. 33. The habit of sending your partner or friends random pictures during the day, is similar to [a behaviour that penguins have, pebbling.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202407/pebbling-a-delightful-dating-trend-inspired-by-penguins?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 34. East Germany invented ‘unbreakable’ glass - [and this year, it made a comeback.](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/article/2024/aug/06/superfest-unbreakable-drinking-glasses-east-germany?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 35. Someone has built [a robot that can solve a jigsaw puzzle 200x faster](https://youtu.be/Sqr-PdVYhY4?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) than the fastest human. 36. The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) look pretty incredible when viewed from space. [This footage from the International Space Station is a revelation.](https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/crlrx4zk717o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 37. Scientists have found out where love lives in the brain. [Turns out, different love = different places.](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-reveals-brain.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 38. There are multiple ways of making decaffeinated coffee - [the science is incredible](https://theconversation.com/retaining-flavor-while-removing-caffeine-a-chemist-explains-the-chemistry-behind-decaf-coffee-233196?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 39. [There are 3142 counties in the United States of America](https://gavinr.com/usa-counties/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- 31 states have a Washington County. 40. You need a dictionary when you learn how to count in Japanese. [Everything seems OK when you go from 1-10, but after that - things become more complicated.](https://aethermug.com/posts/in-japanese-you-need-a-dictionary-to-count-things?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 41. If you own a restaurant that sits high in the Arctic Circle, [you'll need to get creative with some of the ingredients.](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240724-the-strange-tastes-of-a-restaurant-at-the-end-of-the-world?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 42. [Earth had TWO moons for a period of time this year.](https://apnews.com/article/mini-moon-earth-asteroid-astronomy-d68656845bd2762095bb39ce9d619e6b?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 43. In the past, [there was a phone number with a (sort of) Wikipedia at the end of it. ](https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/the-varieties-of-travel-experience/articles/the-department-of-everything?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 44. [You don't really own your username](https://sherwood.news/tech/social-media-username-handles-unregulated-market/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), so keep an eye on your credentials. 45. Modern technology has uncovered long lost cities along the Silk Road. [Using drones and LIDAR scientists were able to map cities that have since disappeared. ](https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/10/lidar-mapping-reveals-mountainous-medieval-cities-along-the-silk-road?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 46. [Japan launched a WOODEN satellite into space](https://www.firstpost.com/tech/japan-launches-worlds-first-wooden-satellite-will-test-if-wood-is-suitable-building-material-in-space-13832570.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), using traditional techniques with no screws or glue. 47. [An emperor penguin was found thousands of miles away from his natural home.](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/surfer-spots-an-emperor-penguin-on-a-beach-in-australia-thousands-of-miles-from-its-antarctic-home-180985421/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 48. Orcas (Killer Whales) sometimes wear a dead salmon as a hat,[ in what looks like a fashion statement.](https://www.iflscience.com/wearing-a-salmon-on-your-head-is-back-in-fashion-for-orcas-after-a-37-year-break-76971?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 49. [Sausage kiosks (Würstelstand) in Vienna are to be listed by UNESCO](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/vienna-sausage-stand-more-just-160709129.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as part of the 'intangible cultural heritage' of Austria. 50. The 2025 colour of the year is ‘Mocha Mousse’ - [so say Pantone, who decide these kind of things.](https://www.npr.org/2024/12/05/nx-s1-5203003/pantone-mocha-mousse-color-of-year?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt... Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #216 - Exquisite Listening URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/216-exquisite-listening/ Last updated: 2024-12-02T05:54:47.000Z 💡 ****Build your Best Year** \- Thanks to everyone that [joined my free challenge last week](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/). Seven days of simple exercises that will deliver your best year ever. [Just 15/20 minutes a day that will yield huge impact. Join us!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one that you [establish great ways for your team to work together](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/establish-team-norms-to-drive-excellence/). I’m sharing a simple but mighty exercise that sets your team up for high impact success - [establishing team norms. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/establish-team-norms-to-drive-excellence/) **Freestuff**. [Another batch of ten great free websites that you should bookmark](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ten-more-free-websites-for-you-to-bookmark/). I have some great tools this time around, including a clever timezone display, a useful speed test and a personalised workout builder. [Previous freestuff here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/). **Productivity**. [One key Idea from each of the ten best business books.](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2024/11/19/10-important-books-productivity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I’ve read all of these except #8 which looks like a great book.* Some excellent tips included here. **Momentum**. [Schedule the meeting before the work is done.](https://admiredleadership.substack.com/p/schedule-the-meeting-before-completing) Not only do you keep momentum, you also create a forcing function to get the work completed. **Mindset**. [The difference between a growth mindset and a reset mindset.](https://community.thriveglobal.com/the-difference-between-a-growth-mindset-and-a-reset-mindset/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like the differential here, and how your approach to understanding the world around you can be altered. *Bonus Stuff. We never stop growing,* [*whatever stage of life you are at.*](https://kottke.org/24/11/we-never-stop-growing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How does my long-term vision help me stay focused during uncertain times? [From my new prompts for Ambiguity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![person holding white and black i love you print card](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1609114215005-d2a87febd22b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fGdyYXRpdHVkZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MzMwNTI3NTR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Nathan Dumlao](https://unsplash.com/@nate%5Fdumlao?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Gratitude**. [How to be thankful for your life.](https://moretothat.com/thankful/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A simple reset that can really help you find gratitude for what you have. Beautifully illustrated article. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Scientific proof that gratitude has a positive influence on your life.* ](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5085955/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Habits**. Drinking more water. [Journaling](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). Working out regularly. Writing a page of that book. All habits that can be formed. [Here’s how to form habits in real life.](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2024/10/15/orm-habits-in-real-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Listening**. Beyond active listening, [there is exquisite listening](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-exquisite-listening/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I like this concept, if you need to build those skills, then [my guide to active listening is a great start](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/). **Meditation**. [How to get started, and why it’s great for your mental health.](https://time.com/collection/live-well/3479384/meditation-benefits/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally.** [Binary Game](https://learningcontent.cisco.com/games/binary/index.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). To be an engineer, binary conversion is a great skill. Here’s a fun way to practice. 🎵 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/2024/12/binfire-4.jpeg) 🎧 This week, I'm trying something new with music recommendations. [Alongside the new mixtape](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/31-november-2024/) \- I have a whole raft of other music updates. [Read My Week In Music here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-1/) ### Stuff Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/_Stuff--216.png) ### #1 - again URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mwim-1/ Last updated: 2025-06-18T09:41:02.000Z *I’m trying something new for my music recommendations, rather than post in my email I’m putting these on my blog so I can include more or less as I go.* ### Khruangbin (live) My week started with a Sunday evening trip to see Khruangbin at the 3 Arena in Dublin on their ‘A La Sala’ tour. As you might expect, they played the whole of the new album straight through and then after a quick interlude off stage came back to share some older tracks. I loved it, from creeping around the wide tiered stage to some unusual ‘dancing’, I thought their show had a great sense of humour alongside some great psyche sounds. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/11/87CE2F38-234B-4CFE-8E32-70054461D4ED_1_102_a.jpeg) ### Recommended Stuff ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/12/binfire-3.jpeg) Top of the tree this week has to be [the new Stuff Mixtape](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/31-november-2024/) \- 16 tracks that have been floating around my ears this month, lovingly prepared into an old fashioned mixtape for you. It's sixteen great tracks that I think you’ll enjoy. ### Also recommended this week Kendrick Lamar dropped a surprise album late last week - [GNX is absolutely worth the listen](https://open.spotify.com/album/0hvT3yIEysuuvkK73vgdcW?si=OQbGVOXUQtCQOnxoQFv6XA&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), especially the Vandross sampling ‘Luther’ and the single Squabble up ### Something New Another great album this week is from London based band - [Porridge Radio with Clouds in the Sky, They will always be there for me](https://open.spotify.com/album/2iXwKeYYKuXjalgAXtx9sd?si=nO4Bvkj1Qra33iTmJXgKpw&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Fantastic chamber-pop with excellent vocals, recommended. ([Website](https://porridgeradio.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) ### #31 - November 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/31-november-2024/ Last updated: 2024-12-01T11:13:31.000Z Stuff Mixtape #31 is slightly shorter and tighter collection of random tunes that were in my ears during October 2024\. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Young Lion - Sade** | A return from the beautiful voice of Sade with song for her Trans son. Superb. - **Dying Star - Caoilfhinn Rose |** Stand out track from a great new artiste who was my recommendation of the week in [Stuff #214.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/214-is-it-arse-or-ass/) - **Gold (Synths and Strings) - Tusks |** Presented to me by an algorithm, beautiful chilled track with choral voices and violins. Recommended. - **Like the End - James Blake |** Stunning new track from a Stuff favourite, a voice that keeps on giving. - **Girl in Amber - Neil Smith & The Flaming Lips |** A few weeks after seeing Nick Cave live, this cover version emerged from somewhere, very well done. - **Mystery or Misery? - Vegyn** | Always with the shimmering keys, and the slightly distorted drums - epic electronica. - **Nameless - Hak Baker |** Sound of London, love this laidback sprechgesang insight into a pastoral life. - **Lavender, Raspberries - Porridge Radio |** The other side of London, great vocals on this indie anthem. - **Renegade - Doves |** A welcome return from Jimi and the boys - looking forward to hearing the rest of this new album. - **Be the Hammer - Andrew Wasylyk |** Alter ego of former Hazey Janes singer Andrew Mitchell - paired with vocals from Aiden Moffat of Arab Strap - like a scottish indie super group. - **Completement Fou - Yelle |** From a friends playlist during a ride through the outskirts of rainy Birmingham, this bubble gum French pop sounds perfect. - **Moda Disko - Kazy Lambist |** Beautiful pop from this inclusive artiste from the South of France. - **Under Belly - Blawan |** I had forgotten about this bass-led banger from UK DJ/Produce Blawan, but it sounded excellent in the warmup before the Idles gig. - **Luther - Kendrick Lamar & Sza |** Surprise album from Kendrick, this was my early favourite with a lovely Luther Vandross sample. - **Baltimore - Talos and Atli Örvasson |** Posthumous music from Cork based Talos who left us in 2024\. - **Nobody Loves you More - Kim Deal |** Stand out track from Pixies bass player Kim Deal on her new solo project. [Listen to Stuff #31 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0v1m1YWtm4TbNH8ljpxe8W?si=e61b7f20aa4c42ab&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### TWIL #48 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-48/ Last updated: 2024-12-01T10:37:40.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that Orcas (Killer Whales) sometimes wear a dead salmon as a hat, in what looks like a fashion statement. [Wearing A Salmon On Your Head Is Back In Fashion For Orcas, After A 37-Year BreakIn 1987, there was a strange trend amongst killer whales. Recent sightings show it’s back in fashion.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-5.png)IFLScienceJames Felton![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/orca-wearing-a-salmon-as-a-hat-meta.png)](https://www.iflscience.com/wearing-a-salmon-on-your-head-is-back-in-fashion-for-orcas-after-a-37-year-break-76971?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Establish Team Norms To Drive Excellence URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/establish-team-norms-to-drive-excellence/ Last updated: 2025-04-14T10:51:50.000Z *I was recently coaching a manager who was struggling to get their team engaged at the beginning of their journey together. I described a team norming exercise which can deliver great impact. I thought it was worth writing up so that more people could benefit from it.* It is easy for teams to operate on autopilot, assuming that everyone shares the same expectations about how to work together. However, misaligned expectations can steadily erode trust, productivity, and morale. This is where the magic of setting **team behaviour norms** comes into play. > As a leader, I’ve seen teams transform when they intentionally define **how** they will work together, communicate, and solve problems. A simple exercise like brainstorming team norms not only builds clarity but also fosters a sense of shared ownership and accountability. Read on to find a great way to reap the benefits and impact of team norms. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Ten MORE free Websites for you to bookmark URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ten-more-free-websites-for-you-to-bookmark/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T11:43:15.000Z Nobody should have to pay big money for useful tools. Here are another ten sites I recommend you save. [Click here for more free tools](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) - [Public Works ](https://public.work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- Explore 100,000+ copyright-free images from The MET, New York Public Library, and other sources - [Network of Time](https://networkoftime.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Connect random people across time through photographs. - [I don’t have Spotify](https://idonthavespotify.donado.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- useful page for converting a playlist to the streaming service of your choice - [Speedtest](https://speed.cloudflare.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- a comprehensive speed test page, useful for diagnosing internet performance issues. - [Things In](https://things.in/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- All of the important things to see and do, wherever you visit. - [Watch Without](https://watchwithout.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- A really useful page to watch tiktok without downloading the app. - [Which Country to Move To ](https://whichcountrytomoveto.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- find your next living location based on how you rate the important dimensions. - [Muscles](https://musclewiki.com/workout-generator?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Musclewiki will generate a personalised workout based on what muscle group you want to exercise. - [Timezones](https://there.pm/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- A free MacOS app to show friends/colleagues timezones in your menubar. - [Temporary Email](https://tempmail.so/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Get an email address that lasts ten minutes, great for a sign up! ### Microstuff: Active Listening 50 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-active-listening-50/ Last updated: 2024-11-27T17:39:40.000Z 1. Focus fully on speaker. 2. Avoid interrupting their thoughts. 3. Maintain consistent eye contact. 4. Show interest through nods. 5. Reflect on what’s shared. 6. Ask clarifying questions kindly. 7. Paraphrase to confirm understanding. 8. Stay patient, avoid rushing responses. 9. Notice speaker’s tone changes. 10. Respond with empathy always. 11. Summarise key points briefly. 12. Avoid forming premature opinions. 13. Use encouraging verbal cues. 14. Clarify unclear points politely. 15. Respect pauses in conversation. 16. Avoid multitasking while listening. 17. Keep body language open. 18. Avoid jumping to solutions. 19. Ask open-ended questions thoughtfully. 20. Validate speaker’s feelings genuinely. 21. Stay curious, not judgemental. 22. Respect their emotional boundaries. 23. Recognise unspoken cues attentively. 24. Avoid making assumptions prematurely. 25. Repeat important details occasionally. 26. Avoid imposing personal views. 27. Reflect on speaker’s emotions. 28. Encourage elaboration with questions. 29. Be present in moment. 30. Observe non-verbal communication carefully. 31. Acknowledge speaker’s perspective openly. 32. Stay calm and composed. 33. Refrain from defensive reactions. 34. Minimise external distractions immediately. 35. Seek deeper understanding sincerely. 36. Avoid correcting unnecessarily mid-speech. 37. Stay engaged, not reactive. 38. Be respectful during disagreements. 39. Give undivided attention consistently. 40. Restate shared concerns briefly. 41. Listen beyond the words. 42. Appreciate their shared insights. 43. Seek clarity before responding. 44. Focus on what’s unsaid. 45. Avoid dominating the discussion. 46. Keep an open mind. 47. Respond to speaker’s priorities. 48. Show gratitude for sharing. 49. Be curious, not critical. 50. Stay attentive to details. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #215 - Build Your Best Year URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/215-build-your-best-year/ Last updated: 2024-11-25T05:02:40.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you start to plan for [your Best Year ever.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) I’m launching a [free seven-day email course](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) that will walk you through an annual review process that will set you up for success. In just 15/20 minutes per day you can [build an actionable plan for your Best Year ever!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/byby/) **Communication**. [The skill that sets great leaders apart from everyone else](https://www.fastcompany.com/91214077/a-stanford-professor-explains-how-to-develop-the-communication-skill-that-sets-great-leaders-apart?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The SIMPLE framework documented here is an excellent tool to improve your communication skills. [My Business Communication microprompts are great extra guidance](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-business-communications/). **Productivity**. [The power of single tasking](https://nesslabs.com/single-tasking?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *Bonus Stuff.* [*My guide to reducing multitasking*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-stop-multitasking-and-become-more-productivetitled/) *can help you get started.* **Toxic**. [35 toxic positivity phrases to avoid](https://parade.com/living/toxic-positivity-phrases?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I like the fact this page gives some alternatives to use in their place. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Simon Sinek explains how to lead without toxic positivity.*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xveJmeLeJWI&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Simplify**. [Three minutes reading that will simplify your work forever.](https://fortheinterested.com/simplify-your-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Five simple suggestions that make perfect sense. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How can I view ambiguity as an essential part of life rather than something to avoid? [From my new prompts for Ambiguity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![grey and black barn owl near glass window during daytime](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1433717077923-00033095838d?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHdpc2RvbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MzIyNjgyMzl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Cliff Johnson](https://unsplash.com/@cliff%5F77?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Wisdom**. [1000 Save wisdom questions](https://savewisdom.org/the-1000-word-save-wisdom-questions/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Some really thought provoking enquiries here, a recommended read. **Flow**. [The five pillars of creative flow.](https://nesslabs.com/creative-flow?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The ever impressive Ness Labs breaks down what it means to be in creative flow, and practical ways to get there. *Bonus Stuff.* [*I do my best flow state work with this playlist.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) **Friends**. [How to make and keep friends.](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/a-guide-on-building-lasting-connections-how-to-make-and-keep-friends?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Loneliness continues to be a problem, here’s my suggestion for [connecting with someone today](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/get-in-touch/). *Bonus Stuff. Now you’ve made contact, here are some great ways to* [*connect and build community.*](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/a-sporting-way-to-build-community/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Happiness.** [How to stop overthinking your happiness.](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how%5Fto%5Fstop%5Foverthinking%5Fyour%5Fhappiness?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Practical ways to adjust how you think about your life and maybe achieve even greater happiness. **Nap**. [How to nap like a pro without destroying your sleep quality](https://www.cnet.com/health/sleep/heres-how-to-nap-like-a-pro-without-destroying-your-sleep-quality-at-night/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I’m a massive advocate for a nap, but there need to be rules. *Bonus Stuff. If you need a nap too frequently, then maybe it’s time to* [*review your overall sleep hygiene to maximise your rest.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) **Finally**. [Double the number](https://playdoubles.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Keep going, quickly, until your maths fails. 🎵 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/2024/11/image-4.png) 🎧 This week, I'm recommending the brand new album from Michael Kiwanuka. An artist that I often forget about but every time I hear a track I find myself really enjoying. Small Changes is the latest offering, blurring the line between soul and psych and showcasing some beautiful songwriting alongside a soulful voice. I particularly like Rebel Soul with its drifting piano and vocal combination that feels both brand new and from another time. Highly recommended. [Listen to Small Changes by Michael Kiwanuka here](https://open.spotify.com/album/6dM03QWc4fgMFHqn2Qhrww?si=PtJ6zOi6T0OF3vSYgDjwxg&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/2024/11/Stuff-215.png) ### TWIL #47 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-47/ Last updated: 2024-11-24T12:03:34.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the American Revolution was (partly) planned in a beautiful UK seaside town. [The quaint English town where the US’ future was plannedThe English town where one of America’s Founding Fathers, and the world’s first international revolutionaries, sparked a spirit of rebellion that continues to this very day.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-4.png)BBCRussell Higham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0k59h0l.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241118-the-quaint-english-town-where-the-us-future-was-planned?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Gratitude 50 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-gratitude-50/ Last updated: 2024-11-20T18:17:33.000Z 1. Appreciate small moments. 2. Thank someone today. 3. Cherish loved ones. 4. Reflect on positives. 5. Notice daily blessings. 6. Appreciate your health. 7. Value supportive relationships. 8. Celebrate personal achievements. 9. Recognize nature's beauty. 10. Be thankful daily. 11. Appreciate simple pleasures. 12. Count your blessings. 13. Acknowledge others' kindness. 14. Find joy everywhere. 15. Thank a mentor. 16. Appreciate your journey. 17. Reflect on growth. 18. Notice everyday comforts. 19. Celebrate small wins. 20. Be grateful always. 21. Appreciate your home. 22. Value meaningful work. 23. Acknowledge small gestures. 24. Focus on abundance. 25. Recognize supportive friends. 26. Appreciate life's lessons. 27. Celebrate your progress. 28. Value good health. 29. Thank a friend. 30. Cherish happy memories. 31. Appreciate daily routines. 32. Notice positive changes. 33. Celebrate life's joys. 34. Value your experiences. 35. Recognize daily miracles. 36. Appreciate your skills. 37. Thank your family. 38. Be grateful today. 39. Notice the good. 40. Value life's journey. 41. Reflect on kindness. 42. Appreciate your talents. 43. Recognize your strengths. 44. Thank a colleague. 45. Celebrate life's moments. 46. Value supportive community. 47. Appreciate life's gifts. 48. Notice positive aspects. 49. Reflect on abundance. 50. Be thankful now. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #214 - Is it Arse or Ass? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/214-is-it-arse-or-ass/ Last updated: 2024-11-18T05:34:51.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you improve your [presentation skills](https://ie.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/presentation-skills?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I don’t often think about making slides or telling stories, but I liked this guide to [planning a presentation in one hour or less.](https://www.estherstanhope.com/blog/2021/9/30/how-to-plan-a-presentation-in-one-hour-or-less?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff. for more slide-based skills,* [*my presentation 50 will help.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-presentation-50/) **Productivity**. If you want to be productive,[ start saying ‘no’ to these 12 things](https://hackspirit.com/if-you-really-want-to-be-productive-in-life-start-saying-no-to-these-things/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *I’ve shared some tactics for HOW to say no before,* [*here’s a reminder of techniques that work.* ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/) **Email**. [How to ask for things, and get a response.](https://zapier.com/blog/email%5Fstrategies/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Earlier this year I went on a communications course and we talked a lot about how to maximise comms over email. These tips are an essential read, I specifically like #6 as a way of improving your email. **Global**. [Best practices for working in a global team.](https://subscribe.marissagoldberg.com/posts/communication-best-practices-for-global-teams?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I read this with interest, my team are all in the US while I’m here in Europe. I used the guidance here to check in on whether I was doing the right things.* **Feedback**. [Turn criticism into career growth](https://www.linkedin.com/advice/0/heres-how-you-can-turn-criticism-career-growth-otpkf?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Some great insight in this LinkedIn article. *Bonus Stuff.* [*My guide to turning feedback into development.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/how-to-receive-feedback-actionable-tips-for-professional-growth/) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What emotions arise when I face ambiguous situations, and why? [From my new prompts for Ambiguity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![black flat screen tv turned on at the living room](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1617575521317-d2974f3b56d2?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fHN0b3J5fGVufDB8fHx8MTczMTg0NTYwNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Etienne Girardet](https://unsplash.com/@etiennegirardet?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Journaling**. Some new prompts to help you with your journaling practice - this time, I’m [covering ambiguity, and how you deal with it](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/). *If you haven’t practised journaling recently,* [*I have you covered with my free 28 day challenge.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-stuff30-journaling-challenge/) **Arseholes/Assholes.** [Eight steps for dealing with assholes](https://www.nickycullen.com/articles/dealing-with-assholes?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It’s a few years old, but I love this article on dealing with unpleasant people. I guarantee you’ll know some of the types of people identified. *Should it be arse or ass, feel free to let me know in the comments!* **Principles**. [63 great principles to follow](https://nabeelqu.co/principles?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). #15, #30 and #62 are great lessons to learn. **Stories**. [How to tell a better story.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-tell-a-better-story-with-tips-from-a-pro-storyteller?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Psyche magazine takes you through the building blocks of building and telling a great story, an essential skill in the workplace and beyond. **Finally**. Tetris is 40 years old this year. [Let’s play it again as a reminder of how addictive it was!](https://tetris.ing/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 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/2024/11/image-3.png) 🎧 This week, I'm recommending Caoilfhionn Rose and their new album 'Constellation' which I have been enjoying for the last few weeks. Even though I can't pronounce the name yet, I've been enjoying this beautiful, ethereal sound that sits somewhere at the intersection of jazz, folk and electronica. It's a gentle album that is both soothing and invigorating. Highly recommended. [Listen to Constellation by Caoilfhionn Rose here](https://open.spotify.com/album/1gwFi1rWlsDPs5OGk034Yr?si=OgFk3niDTvevPMsNQx5Cvg&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/2024/11/Stuff-214-1.png) ### TWIL #46 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-46/ Last updated: 2024-11-17T18:26:42.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that an Australian surfer recently came across an Emperor Penguin who was THOUSANDS of miles away from his Antartica home. [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/surfer-spots-an-emperor-penguin-on-a-beach-in-australia-thousands-of-miles-from-its-antarctic-home-180985421/](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/surfer-spots-an-emperor-penguin-on-a-beach-in-australia-thousands-of-miles-from-its-antarctic-home-180985421/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Journal Prompts for Ambiguity URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-for-ambiguity/ Last updated: 2024-11-17T11:05:48.000Z Finding time for introspection and reflection is a vital tool for growth, journaling offers a space for self-discovery and expression. Some people enjoy freeform writing, others enjoy the spark of a prompt. I have found journaling an excellent tool to help plan, reflect and decide on direction. In this blog series, I'm going to share some of the best prompts I've found and used. ☝🏼 ****The simple three step Stuff guide to Journaling...** 1\. Find a quiet place and a blank page - paper or electronic. 2\. Settle on a prompt to use, fully immerse yourself in the words and allow your thoughts and memories to surface. 3\. Capture everything you can, edit and reread as you need. **Remember - there is no right or wrong answer when journaling, use the prompts to unlock your authentic inner voice.* _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Microstuff: Presentation 50 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-presentation-50/ Last updated: 2024-11-15T18:06:59.000Z 1. Know your audience. 2. Start with impact. 3. Practice thoroughly beforehand. 4. Maintain eye contact. 5. Use clear visuals. 6. Speak clearly, confidently. 7. Control your pace. 8. Engage your audience. 9. Use body language. 10. Tell compelling stories. 11. Simplify complex ideas. 12. Stay on topic. 13. Avoid filler words. 14. Use a strong opening. 15. Prepare for questions. 16. Practise active listening. 17. Summarise key points. 18. Keep slides simple. 19. Rehearse with feedback. 20. Use appropriate humour. 21. Limit text on slides. 22. Manage time effectively. 23. Dress professionally. 24. Stay calm, composed. 25. Encourage audience interaction. 26. Know your content. 27. Use a pointer. 28. Address all questions. 29. End with impact. 30. Practice breathing techniques. 31. Project your voice. 32. Vary your tone. 33. Be enthusiastic, passionate. 34. Connect with the audience. 35. Check technical equipment. 36. Use transitions smoothly. 37. Avoid reading slides. 38. Emphasise key messages. 39. Provide real-life examples. 40. Use positive body language. 41. Stay flexible, adaptable. 42. Create memorable moments. 43. Practice storytelling techniques. 44. Include interactive elements. 45. Highlight key statistics. 46. Practice hand gestures. 47. Start with a question. 48. Avoid jargon. 49. Use relevant anecdotes. 50. Close with summary. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #213 - Discover your value(s) URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/213-discover-your-value-s/ Last updated: 2024-11-11T05:11:18.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where we [(re)discover our personal values](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/values/). My step-by-step guide will take you through an exercise to refine a list of core values that will help drive goal-setting and productivity. **Decisions**. [Three brilliant critical thinking tools.](https://bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/3-brilliant-critical-thinking-tools-used-by-daniel-dennett/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Learn these three tools, and you’ll be able to lean into any problem solving situation. Bonus Stuff. Your [decision making toolkit keeps getting stronger. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/decisionmaking/) **Productivity**. [Make time to do your best work.](https://thedolectures.com/manifestos/make-time-to-do-your-best-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love the way this article talks about the small things that you can do to get better every day, that's the spirit of this newsletter. **Preparation**. [The danger of overpreparing.](https://nesslabs.com/overpreparation?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How to get started before you feel ready. Some great advice from the excellent Nesslabs. **Problems**. Some problems are easy to solve, others are difficult. [Seth Godin explains which ones you should be working on.](https://seths.blog/2024/10/important-problems/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff.* [*How convergent thinking can help you tackle tricky problems.*](https://www.sunsama.com/blog/convergent-thinking-explained-how-to-sharpen-your-problem-solving-skills?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Notifications**. Email, WhatsApp, Chat, Calendar, Text Messages, Reminders. How do you deal with all the notifications you receive whilst working. [Here’s some ways to stop you being distracted by them.](https://subscribe.marissagoldberg.com/posts/how-do-you-deal-with-endless-work-notifications?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Write about something that always makes you smile. [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/). ![man in black coat holding black metal candle holder](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1582036683068-7842b873954e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fHdpbm5lcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MzEwNTg3NzF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Museums Victoria](https://unsplash.com/@museumsvictoria?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Wins**. There is a lot to be happy about in the world, here’s some inspiration. [Ten wins you can take right now. ](https://jessicahagy.substack.com/p/10-wins-to-take-now) **Peace**. [Nineteen ways to protect your peace.](https://nielsbohrmann.com/protect-your-peace/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some excellent advice here, #6 is useful ([we spoke about here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/)) and #16 is truly a game change ([we covered that here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-stuff30-journaling-challenge/)) **Life**. [Twenty-two lessons on life and love.](https://michaelthompson.art/22-lessons-on-life-love-and-choosing-what-matters-most/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love #4, and #19 is the reason I keep writing this newsletter. **Positivity**. [How you can use neuroscience to build yourself a more positive reality.](https://bigthink.com/perception-box/nicole-vignola/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some great practical tips towards a more optimistic outlook. **Breathing**. [Using a screen can affect your breathing.](https://www.npr.org/2024/06/10/1247296780/screen-apnea-why-screens-cause-shallow-breathing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Screen apnea is impacting our breathing, here are some practical things we can do to avoid it. **Finally**. [Battleships](https://lukerissacher.com/battleships?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Redesigned as a daily game. *I played battleships a lot as a child, first on paper and then a plastic/electronic thingy - this is a great reminder of the game!* 🎵 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/2024/11/image-2.png) 🎧 This week, I'm recommending Qasr, a short EP from Sheherazaad - a performer composer from the US who produces a beautiful blend of electronica and South-Asian folk. Woven around Hindi-Urdu poetic forms, are electronics and traditional instruments creating a gentle, meditative sound which is perfect to soothe our busy minds. I suspect this is the start of something really interesting. Highly recommended. [Listen to Qasr by Sheherazaad here](https://open.spotify.com/album/2glk2fxTUqqLTAh1sUADAt?si=jCsxIxI5SvKI8UMMSPXSDA&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/2024/11/Stuff-213.png) ### TWIL #45 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-45/ Last updated: 2024-11-10T08:28:05.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that Japanese scientists have just launched a WOODEN satellite into space. They're testing whether wood is a viable material for space, and they build their satellite using traditional joint methods - with no screws or glue. [Japan launches world’s first wooden satellite, will test if wood is suitable building material in spaceLignoSat’s wooden panels, is made using magnolia wood using a traditional Japanese method that avoids screws and glue. This represents a novel approach to satellite design. Researchers believe wood could one day replace certain metals in space technology![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/favicon-9.ico)FirstpostFP Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/Japan-Wooden-satellite-2024-11-9d1de4ecb0d8f97322c25136711f29fe-1200x675.jpg)](https://www.firstpost.com/tech/japan-launches-worlds-first-wooden-satellite-will-test-if-wood-is-suitable-building-material-in-space-13832570.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Productivity 5 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-productivity-4-copy/ Last updated: 2024-11-06T05:02:56.000Z 1. Avoid overcommitting yourself. 2. Track time spent productively. 3. Seek feedback for improvement. 4. Take mindful, relaxing breaks. 5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. 6. Schedule time for creativity. 7. Optimise your work processes. 8. Stay motivated with rewards. 9. Limit interruptions during work. 10. [Focus on one task.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-stop-multitasking-and-become-more-productivetitled/) [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #212 - 100% Glimmer & Rizz URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/212-100-glimmer-rizz/ Last updated: 2024-11-04T05:52:15.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where we continue to [improve our decision making](https://asana.com/resources/decision-making-process?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Are you an athlete or a grandmaster when it comes to making decisions. [The psychology of decision making will help you find out.](https://bigthink.com/business/athlete-vs-grandmaster-the-psychology-of-decision-making/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Your first step should be to [build a good toolkit.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/decisionmaking/) *Bonus Stuff.* [*Six great books to read that will improve your decision making.*](https://zoia.org/posts/six-books-for-improving-your-decision-making?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Rapport**. [How to build rapport.](https://www.lifehack.org/973471/mastering-rapport?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some practical steps to help ease your way into digital and in-person communication. **Priorities**. [The No Excuse Hour.](https://www.threads.net/@wtfudad/post/DBMNZTrtdqe?xmt=AQGzkgQJkn1LYavwgkHYbsYsstXMo5nhr7zQBTPs5VhTCA&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Read how a variation on ‘[Eat The Frog](https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/eat-the-frog?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)’ can help get the most important tasks done early in the day. *Bonus Stuff. Some people suggest that we work best in short, intense bursts.* [*Find out why that might be true, based on how our brains are hard-wired.* ](https://bigthink.com/smart-skills/hyperefficient/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Career**. [A simple formula for making career decisions.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/wander-woman/202410/a-simple-formula-for-making-career-decisions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) In just three words you can make important life decisions, rationally and simply. **Politics**. It’s a big week in the US and [soon in Ireland](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx9xnl033do?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) where Stuff is written, [but how do you handle political discussions in the workplace?](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oKR-GUR1pX-CRal%5FH8oxX9JpivXuL5Xk/view?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This short pdf explains how to keep things mindful and respectful when tensions are raised. **Books**. [Read my book notes and review of CoActive Coaching](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-co-active-coaching-by-kimsey-house-sandahl-and-whitworth/) \- an essential textbook for aspiring coaches, managers, leaders and even parents. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a time when you helped someone and felt great about it. [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/). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/11/image.png) **Glimmers**. The opposite of a trigger, [tiny moments of joy](https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/mental-health/what-are-glimmers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that can change your day. [How many of these 100 glimmers can you find in your days?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/glimmer-100/) **Rizz**. [How to be a more charismatic person.](https://www.self.com/story/how-to-be-more-charismatic?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Science backed ways to increase your charisma. *I think if you’re subscribed to Stuff, you already have max rizz!* **Perfectionism**. Philippa Perry is a font of sound advice, [this reply to someone who worries about giving 100% to different aspects of life](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/oct/06/i-feel-i-cant-give-100-to-anything-including-my-family?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is insightful and useful for all of us. **Walking**. [Have a stroll, stop for a bit.](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/oct/16/strolls-with-stops-use-more-energy-than-continuous-walking-scientists-show?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Researchers have found that walks with stops require more energy than continuous walking. I’d imagine[ fart walks will start to look different now. ](https://theconversation.com/fart-walk-the-health-benefits-of-going-for-a-walk-after-a-meal-233688?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [2048 is 10 years old, and it has been redesigned to celebrate.](https://play2048.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I cannot count how many train trips I have spent on this game! 🎵 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/2024/11/teri-3.jpeg) 🎧 This week, I'm sharing the latest edition of [the Stuff Mixtape](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/), a collection of tracks that I have put together especially for you. From dancefloor bangers, to ethereal cover versions all the way back to vintage Ska and crisp electronica it's a great collection of stuff that you may not have heard before. I hope you enjoy the 30th issue of my mixtape. [Listen to the Stuff Mixtape - Edition 30 - here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZEVXcWPzPe6Yt4py?si=16b4f2dbc5d04f91&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/2024/11/Stuff-212.png) ### TWIL #44 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-44/ Last updated: 2024-11-03T15:21:12.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that modern technology has uncovered long lost cities along the Silk Road. [Lost cities of the Silk RoadLidar mapping shows large walled cities thrived along the Silk Road in the Tien Shan mountains.![](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cropped-ars-logo-512_480-300x300.png)Ars TechnicaJacek Krywko![](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/GettyImages-499837794-1152x648.jpg)](https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/10/lidar-mapping-reveals-mountainous-medieval-cities-along-the-silk-road/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #30 - October 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/30-october-2024/ Last updated: 2024-11-02T09:02:32.000Z Stuff Mixtape #30 is slightly shorter and tighter collection of random tunes that were in my ears during October 2024\. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Old Friend - Zaha de Sagazan & Tom Odell |** Stunning collaboration between two great voices, between French and English there is a euphoria I love here. - **Santa Fe - Luke Sital-Singh & Lisa Hannigan |** Another great duet, two beautifully delicate voices combine to great effect. - **Il Cielo in una stanza - Mina |** Vintage Italian stunner taken from the finale of an episode of Suburra. - **Army Dreamers - The Last Dinner Party |** Classic Kate Bush tune gets a modern, live update from a previous Stuff favourite band. - **Gumbri - Kaktus Einarsson & Damon Albarn |** Icelandic goodness featuring the hyper productive Blur singer. - **Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves - Roisin O** | Another cover, this time from Ireland. Love this version of the Cher classic. - **Better Off Alone - Midwife** | Eerie, ethereal rave classic cover. - **Alone - The Cure** | Back, and sounding as awesome and gloom filled as ever. - **Land of the Tyrants - Benefits and Zara Tønin** | Pulsating, angry dancefloor friendly. - **Mum does the Washing - Joshua Idehen** | Not fully sure how to describe this, excellent explainer for political systems. - **Neptunes - Kaitlyn Aurelis Smith & Joe Goddard** | Housey, bouncy electronica that lifts the spirits from start to finish. - **Sunshine - Kelly Lee Owens** | Concert was postponed in Dublin, but newmusic will see us through until 2025\. - **Feast - Sprints** | Dublin rock band, back with this urgent and noisy banger. - **Do Nothing - The Specials** | Featured in a TV programme I can't quite remember, but a great reminder of how good The Specials were. - **To conquer pain with Love - Mariam the Believer** | Fantastic torch song, other-worldly and reverent. Led me to an amazing album. - **Mambo in Piscina - Piero Umiliani** | More vintage Italiana, great vibes for late night. [Listen to Stuff #30 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1lakH3d6HukBH5t96NvREp?si=0375c9a184814678&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Co-Active Coaching by Kimsey House et al URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-co-active-coaching-by-kimsey-house-sandahl-and-whitworth/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:44:55.000Z *Co-Active Coaching* is regarded as one of the foundational texts in coaching. It’s also a core text book for my Coaching course with the Coach Institute of Ireland. > I read the fourth edition of the Co-Active Coaching - [available on Amazon here.](https://amzn.to/4f7mnxY?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The book introduces the Co-Active coaching model, a collaborative and holistic approach that emphasises partnership between coach and client. It also provides both practical tools and philosophical insights to help coaches build impact with client-centred practices. ### Overview The Co-Active coaching model revolves around the idea that clients/coachees are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. Rather than viewing clients as people who need to be fixed or given solutions, the Co-Active approach sees them as capable individuals who already possess the answers to their challenges. The role of the coach, therefore, is not to direct but to partner with the client in discovering and tapping into their inner resources. > *This aligns with the model of coaching I have favoured in my career, so I found the framework the book gives easy to absorb.* The book is structured in three main sections. The first lays the groundwork by explaining the principles of the Co-Active model, the second goes into specific coaching skills and techniques, and the final section covers topics like deepening the coach-client relationship and creating a sustainable coaching practice. ### Key Insights and Takeaways #### 1\. **The Balance of Being and Doing** One of the central themes in *Co-Active Coaching* is the balance between "being" and "doing." Traditional coaching often focuses on goal-setting and action steps, which is the "doing" side of coaching. However, Co-Active coaching places equal importance on "being"—the emotional, psychological, and relational aspects of the client. This dual focus ensures that the coaching relationship is not only about achieving results but also about personal growth and self-awareness. > **My Takeaway:* Coaches should encourage clients to reflect on both actions *and* emotional states. This approach leads to a more sustainable and meaningful change, as clients not only reach their goals but also grow as individuals.* #### 2\. **Clients Are Naturally Creative, Resourceful, and Whole** A core belief of the Co-Active model is that clients already have the answers they need. They don’t need to be ‘fixed’ by the coach; rather, the coach’s role is to facilitate the client's self-discovery. This mindset shifts the coaching dynamic from ‘instruction’ → ‘partnership’, where the coach and client work together to explore solutions. > **My Takeaway:* By seeing clients as capable and whole, coaches foster improved self-confidence and greater empowerment in their clients. This belief encourages a coaching style that is supportive, non-directive, and respectful of the client’s abilities.* #### 3\. **Powerful Questions and Active Listening** One of the key skills described in the book is the art of asking powerful, open-ended questions that challenge the client to think more deeply and creatively. Coupled with this is the emphasis on active listening - the book outlines three levels of listening that ‘tune-in’ to the coachees words, emotions, and underlying messages. These skills enable the coach to guide the client toward new insights without imposing their own ideas or solutions. > **My Takeaway:* The quality of a coaching conversation is determined by the coach’s ability to ask thought-provoking questions and listen attentively. These skills help clients gain clarity, explore new perspectives, and take ownership of their decisions.* #### 4\. **The Importance of Accountability** While Co-Active coaching is not prescriptive, it does highlight the importance of accountability. Coaches help clients create clear commitments and follow through on their intentions. By holding clients accountable in a supportive manner, coaches help them maintain momentum and stay aligned with their values and goals. > **My Takeaway:* Accountability is a critical part of coaching. Coaches should work with clients to set realistic commitments and follow up on progress, ensuring that the client remains accountable for growth and development.* #### 5\. **Coaching as a Partnership** In the Co-Active model, the relationship between coach and client is a partnership built on trust, respect, and mutual engagement. This partnership approach fosters a deep level of connection and safety, allowing clients to be vulnerable, take risks, and explore uncomfortable areas of their lives. > **My Takeaway:* Coaches should focus on creating a strong partnership with their clients, where both parties are equally engaged in the process. This relationship is foundational to the client’s willingness to explore new ideas and take action.* ### Practical Application The book provides some practical tools and techniques for coaches to use. Each chapter includes exercises and sample conversations to illustrate how the concepts work in practice. For example, there are detailed instructions on how to conduct a “designed alliance,” where the coach and client agree on the terms and expectations of their working relationship. This exercise ensures that both parties are aligned on how they will collaborate throughout the coaching process. Additionally, the authors present the Co-Active coaching skills framework, which includes: - **Listening Levels** – different levels of listening that range from internal listening (focused on oneself) to global listening (taking in the whole person and environment). - **Powerful Questions** – how to ask questions that stimulate insight and reflection. - **Intuition** – trusting your instinct as a coach and using intuition to guide the conversation. > **My Takeaway:* There are enough examples, and good practical suggestions and tools that this can be a useful ‘toolbox’ to refer to when working through coaching situations. In addition, there is an online toolkit of forms/templates that are a useful starting point for a coaching practice.* ### Conclusion *Co-Active Coaching* is an excellent read for coaches looking to build a collaborative, client-centred coaching practice. The model’s balance between action and reflection, fostering deep self-awareness, and creating a partnership with clients makes it an effective approach for long-term personal and professional development. Some readers may prefer a more straightforward and direct approach to guidance about coaching, and as this book uses a more open-ended inquiry approach, it might feel a bit unstructured. Overall, *Co-Active Coaching* offers a toolkit of techniques that can be used to create deeper, more meaningful coaching conversations. It can provide both the philosophical foundation and practical skills needed to excel in the art of coaching. > I’d recommend *Co-Active Coaching* to anyone that is building a coaching practice or wants to reinforce their coaching skills. ### Why this manager is still learning - my new Coaching Journey. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/why-this-manager-is-still-learning-my-new-coaching-journey/ Last updated: 2024-11-01T11:27:18.000Z About 25 years ago, I was a new manager working on an Internal Helpdesk team. After about 4 months in the job, I got sent on a one-day training course called ‘Coaching for Performance’. I got given [a shiny new book](https://amzn.to/3YAhEOm?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and after 8 hours working through the GROW model I was ‘officially’ a coach. I felt empowered to make a positive impact on those around me. Fast forward some years, and I’ve supported lots of teams, and I’ve developed my own coaching style and toolset. However, there is always room for a lot of improvement, and so I’m practising what I preach and going back to get some formal learning and accreditation. In October, I started a year-long journey with the [Coach Institute of Ireland](https://coachinstitute.ie/home.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) for a Diploma in Business and Executive Coaching. Alongside a group of other professionals, I’ll be spending time learning the techniques and tools to help me deliver professional coaching to colleagues and clients. We’ve started digging into some foundation work on CoActive coaching, and we’re already working with peers to practice what we’re learning. I’ve started on the reading list and worked through the CoActive Coaching textbook over the last weeks. I’ll be journaling my experiences on the course here, and I’ll be bringing some of what I have learned to my regular newsletters. I’m excited to build on my coaching skills, and get some structure around my coaching practice. ### Glimmer 100 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/glimmer-100/ Last updated: 2024-11-01T16:43:45.000Z A *glimmer* is a small, positive experience that triggers feelings of safety, peace, or connection. The term became popular within trauma-informed therapy as a way to counterbalance *triggers* (experiences that cause distress or negative responses). Glimmers are micro-moments of calm or positivity in daily life. These experiences can help nurture resilience and emotional well-being by grounding us in positive feelings, even if just briefly. Recognising and savouring glimmers can be powerful in building emotional strength. I brainstormed 100 glimmers to help you spot them in your life. 1. The first sip of hot coffee (or tea) on a cold morning 2. Sunlight streaming through the window 3. A warm, cosy blanket around your shoulders 4. Spotting a rainbow after a storm 5. Hearing your favourite song unexpectedly 6. The scent of freshly baked bread 7. Feeling grass beneath your bare feet 8. Finding a perfectly smooth pebble 9. Receiving a smile from a stranger 10. A gentle breeze on a hot day 11. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind 12. Petrichor. The smell of rain on dry earth 13. A hug from a loved one 14. Laughing until your stomach hurts 15. Watching the sunrise or sunset 16. Seeing a puppy or kitten playing ([my recommendation](https://www.instagram.com/dachshund%5F%5Fdynasty/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 17. Finding money you’d forgotten in your pocket 18. A compliment from a colleague 19. Catching the scent of flowers 20. Watching birds ([for example](https://youtu.be/V4f%5F1%5Fr80RY?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) 21. Listening to a calming instrumental song 22. Hearing laughter from children playing nearby 23. Holding a warm drink 24. A handwritten note 25. Listening to the sea 26. The smell of a favourite book 27. A butterfly 28. Fresh laundry 29. Warm sunlight on your skin 30. Witnessing a random act of kindness 31. A gentle pat from a pet 32. The first flower in spring 33. Watching a flickering candle 34. A perfectly timed joke that makes you laugh 35. Realising someone remembers a small detail about you 36. Watching snowflakes fall 37. Finding a feather on the ground 38. A spontaneous compliment 39. The sight of the stars on a clear night 40. Reading a line in a book that resonates deeply 41. Catching the scent of pine 42. Finding a penny on the ground 43. The smell of freshly ground coffee 44. Seeing a baby smile 45. The sight of waves crashing on the shore 46. Being wrapped in a towel fresh from a radiator 47. Getting the perfect spot in a busy car park 48. The feel of sand beneath your feet 49. Feeling a soft breeze through your hair 50. Receiving an unexpected, thoughtful message 51. The calmness after a storm 52. Watching clouds drift by on a lazy afternoon 53. Finishing a task you were putting off 54. The quiet of the early morning 55. Seeing a friendly face in a crowded place 56. Your favourite food prepared just right 57. Parking your car, first time 58. Holding someone’s hand 59. The sight of a full moon 60. Laughing at a memory from years ago 61. Feeling grateful for something small 62. Watching fireflies flicker in the dark 63. Finding a seat on a crowded train 64. The crisp smell of autumn leaves 65. Taking a deep breath of fresh air 66. The taste of cold water on a hot day 67. Getting a gentle massage 68. The sight of a beautiful piece of art 69. Warm socks 70. Watching the sun’s rays break through clouds 71. The joy of finishing a good book 72. The smell of lavender or eucalyptus 73. Watching a squirrel 74. Noticing a lovely texture, like tree bark 75. Seeing a child’s curiosity and wonder 76. The sound of wind chimes in the breeze 77. Watching a peaceful animal 78. A sip of water after feeling thirsty 79. The stillness of a library 80. Getting a postcard or letter in the post 81. Seeing an old couple holding hands 82. The sound of a train rumbling in the distance 83. Finding an unexpected freebie 84. The joy of petting a cat or dog 85. Watching the flicker of a bonfire 86. Feeling the warmth of the sun 87. Spotting your favourite flower on a walk 88. Seeing kids playing without a care 89. Watching rain fall from inside your home 90. The smell of lemon or fresh herbs 91. Witnessing a small bird take a drink of water 92. Watching fish swim calmly in a pond or aquarium 93. Feeling a light, warm rain on your skin 94. A cool breeze after a hot day 95. Seeing your reflection smiling back at you 96. Watching a butterfly flutter past 97. Reading an inspiring quote 98. Spotting the shape of an animal in the clouds 99. Seeing twinkling fairy lights or stars 100. Taking a deep, slow breath and exhaling fully ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #211 - The Monk Inside URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/211-the-monk-inside/ Last updated: 2024-10-28T05:04:15.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you focus on improving your delegation skills. Only [30% of managers think they can delegate well.](https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/leadership/how-to-delegate-properly-without-feeling-guilty/425659?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It’s a vital skill to help develop yourself, and grow your teams' skills. Here are [some ways to improve your skills](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/the-art-of-delegation-techniques-to-enhance-effectiveness/), and here are [50 micro-prompts to drive your delegation](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-delegation-50/). **Meetings**. [Is working online causing a rise in meeting rudeness?](https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/pov-is-working-online-causing-a-rise-in-rudeness-insights-digital-211024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Etiquette in meetings is definitely changing, lateness, distractions and downright rudeness is on the increase in both video and in-person settings. *Bonus Stuff. No one minds the hours you keep, but there are some behaviours that your colleagues hate.* [*Make sure you don’t do any of these five things.*](https://fortune.com/2024/09/17/worst-workplace-behaviors?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Time**. [Saint Benedict had a good rule about time management.](https://bigthink.com/thinking/rule-of-saint-benedict-oliver-burkemans/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Oliver Burkeman believes a medieval monk might have an answer to our modern time management. *Bonus Stuff.* [*The hidden cost of any new commitment.*](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/beware-of-the-hidden-time-costs-of-each-new-commitment/15/5/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *plus, if you price your time,* [*are you too generous with it?*](https://yfsmagazine.com/2024/07/08/time-is-money/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Career.** [Do you have an anti-mentor at work?](https://slate.com/business/2024/09/workplace-mentorships-career-advancement-toxic-boss-coworker-feud-motivation.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)Having someone you don’t aspire to could be the key to unlocking the next level at work. *I found this on the excellent* [*Further Faster Fridays newsletter*](https://furtherfasterfridays.substack.com/about)*, a great source of Personal Growth insights.* **Environment**. Five years ago, I moved to Ireland and changed my life. Last week, I moved to a different location in the office to get a task done that I was struggling with. [If you want to make a real change, maybe you should change your environment. ](https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyblaschka/2018/09/27/if-you-want-to-change-your-life-change-your-environment/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*Bonus Stuff.* [*How the buildings you work in can affect your brain.*](https://psyche.co/ideas/how-the-buildings-you-occupy-might-be-affecting-your-brain?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Some fascinating science in here, and provokes the thought that offices may not be the best things for us.* ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What are some small joys in your life that contribute to your overall positivity? [From my prompts for Positivity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). **Confidence**. [The two sides of confidence.](https://nickwignall.com/the-2-sides-of-confidence/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like the concept of self-efficacy. Some strong advice (and resources) for building your courage and determination. *Bonus Stuff.* [*21 ways to build your confidence*](https://www.brilliancebrief.com/p/21-confidence-building-secrets-you-can-use-today?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *that you can start and use today.* **Balance**. [Why Work-Life Balance is a lie](https://www.thebestleadershipnewsletter.com/p/work-life-balance?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). An excellent reframing of questions around work-life, and a way to rethink how balance works. **Models**. Good mental models are a great way to enhance your thinking and decision making. This seven-minute video explains [30 of the strongest mental models and how they can help you.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHJch5F5OKo&t=2s&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Things**. [Discover the best things in cities around the world.](https://things.in/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This really savvy and lightweight travel guide has some good recommendations for the city I am lucky to live in, and many others. I’m off to New York in December, [and have some great ideas already](https://things.in/newyork?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Finally**. [Scrambled Maps.](https://www.tripgeo.com/scrambledmaps?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Exactly what it says, a fiendish take on the sliding tiles puzzle you played as a kid, now with maps instead of numbers. I unscrambled Berlin in 33 moves before I wrote this. Brilliant! 🎵 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/2024/10/image-3.png) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is from Sweden, in the shape of Mariam the Believer who has recently released 'Breathing Techniques'. It's hard to describe the music, sitting somewhere between electronica and classical with sweeping melancholic vocals that are in one breath both delicate and powerful. There's a feeling of jazz in some of the songs, but I get a feeling of 'uneasy listening' that I'm enjoying. Standout track for me is 'Misty' - which sounds amazing with some lovely harp sounds and an outstanding violin/viola melody. I've had this on heavy rotation for the last couple of days and I'm confident that this will end up in my top albums of the year. *Which reminds me, that needs to be done fairly soon!* Highly recommended. [Listen to Mariam the Believer - Breathing Techniques - here](https://open.spotify.com/album/11MJDSNxgcqkwzLQwMvlMy?si=3orGctQfTiOVC76k3B62Bw&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/2024/10/Stuff-211-1.png) ### TWIL #43 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-43/ Last updated: 2024-10-27T05:28:11.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there is a growing market for second hand user names. You don't really own your username, so keep an eye on your credentials. [You don’t own your handle: The unregulated market of usernamesDespite account transfers being against the rules of most social-media platforms, the practice is widespread — and lucrative.…![](https://cdn.robinhood.com/assets/sherwood/favicon/apple-touch-icon.png)Sherwood NewsRani Molla![](https://sherwoodnews.imgix.net/mwphzyq69oso/en-US/assets/files/156913892_handshake.jpg?w=1600&auto=compress%2Cformat&cs=srgb)](https://sherwood.news/tech/social-media-username-handles-unregulated-market/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Delegation 50 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-delegation-50/ Last updated: 2024-10-25T16:58:40.000Z 1. Delegate tasks strategically today. 2. Assign roles with clarity. 3. Trust your team's abilities. 4. Prioritise what to delegate. 5. Empower others to succeed. 6. Share responsibilities confidently. 7. Match tasks with strengths. 8. Set clear expectations upfront. 9. Communicate deadlines and goals. 10. Encourage ownership of tasks. 11. Foster team accountability. 12. Delegate and reduce workload. 13. Allow autonomy in decisions. 14. Recognise team member contributions. 15. Provide resources and support. 16. Trust your team’s judgement. 17. Empower others through delegation. 18. Encourage skill-building opportunities. 19. Delegate repetitive tasks promptly. 20. Clarify roles and responsibilities. 21. Empower team problem-solving. 22. Give constructive feedback consistently. 23. Encourage collaboration on projects. 24. Focus on big-picture tasks. 25. Assign stretch opportunities wisely. 26. Provide guidance, not micromanagement. 27. Enable learning from delegation. 28. Share authority, not just tasks. 29. Delegate to boost productivity. 30. Emphasise goal-oriented delegation. 31. Delegate time-consuming tasks. 32. Focus on high-impact work. 33. Let go of control. 34. Balance workload through delegation. 35. Encourage cross-functional collaboration. 36. Set regular check-in points. 37. Delegate for skill development. 38. Clearly outline task expectations. 39. Give room for creativity. 40. Foster a delegation culture. 41. Delegate mundane tasks confidently. 42. Trust others to deliver. 43. Emphasise efficiency, not perfection. 44. Empower others’ decision-making. 45. Create a delegation plan. 46. Encourage independent task ownership. 47. Build trust through delegation. 48. Set realistic task expectations. 49. Develop others through delegation. 50. Prioritise what only you handle. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### DJ Mix: The Stack #8 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/dj-mix-the-stack-8/ Last updated: 2024-10-25T10:07:08.000Z My last DJ mix seemed to go down well, so lets have the latest edition! Stack #8 is an hour of progressive bouncy house... ### Stack #8 Tracklist: Kevin de Vries, Y do I - Saga (Original Mix) Agustin Pietrocola - Wild (Original Mix) Hernan Cattaneo - Tranquilo (Franco Giannoni Remix) Ezequiel Arias, Sebastian Sellares - Infinity (Extended Mix) Nick Varon, Callecat - Beyond Perceptions (Hernan Cattaneo & Jamie Stevens Remix) Christian Smith - Flyertalk (Christian Smith 2024 Rework) Estiva - Fine Day (Extended Mix) Gabriel & Dresden - The Clearing (Extended Mix) Hana, Durante, Gorje Hewek - Elysia (Original Mix) Julian Bast, Herr Bernhardt - Paralysed (Original Mix) Kaskade, deadmau5 - I Remember (John Summit Remix) (Extended Mix) ### #210 - Hikea or Lower? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/210-hikea-or-lower/ Last updated: 2024-10-21T04:54:37.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you improve how you organise yourself. [The PARA method can help organise our digital lives more effectively. ](https://bigthink.com/smart-skills/para-method-organize-digital-lives-4-simple-categories/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)The way we currently set ourselves up is largely rooted in how we did things at school, and it doesn’t suit the way we work in a digital environment. *Bonus Stuff: For the full details,* [*Thiago Forte has all the information*](https://fortelabs.com/blog/para/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *\- including a book.* **Negotiation**. I’m hopeless at negotiation, so to improve my skills[ I read one of the best selling books on the subject.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-never-split-the-difference/) Chris Voss was a top FBI hostage negotiator, so he knows a thing or two about getting the best out of a situation. [More book reviews here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/book/) **Pareto**. [Understanding the 80/20 rule that can drive prioritisation](https://asana.com/resources/pareto-principle-80-20-rule?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and empower your goals. What does a Victorian era Italian economist have to do with your task list? This article explains how the principle that Vilfredo Pareto devised can unlock your impact. **Busy**. [The illusion of productivity](https://nesslabs.com/illusion-of-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Ness Labs explains that we are all addicted to being busy, and it’s not healthy. [It’s time to stop bragging about how busy you are.](https://www.truity.com/blog/busy-bragging-new-toxic-trait-coworkers-hate?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Your co-workers hate it, and your stress is contagious. Some practical ways to stop bragging about how busy you are. **Decisions.** Making decisions by instinct might be good for your feelings, [but some situations call for more analysis.](https://psyche.co/ideas/going-with-your-gut-feels-good-but-its-not-always-wise?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff. Second level thinking will help you make better decisions.*[ *Ness Labs explores what second level thinking is, and how to cultivate this skill.* ](https://nesslabs.com/levels-of-thinking?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Coaching**. [Four things I learned from Coaching](https://cate.blog/2024/10/08/four-things-i-learned-from-coaching-that-made-me-a-better-leader/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that made me a better leader. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How do you maintain positivity in a world where negative news is prevalent? [From my prompts for Positivity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/10/image0.jpeg) Photo from Stuff reader - Thanks JG! **Positivity**. [What makes ‘toxic positivity’ different from a healthy attitude.](https://psyche.co/ideas/what-makes-toxic-positivity-different-from-a-healthy-attitude?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How to navigate the fine line between effective and toxic positivity. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Eight exercises that can boost your mood.*](https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/09/27/nx-s1-5082364/anxiety-stress-positive-coping-class-skills?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Some excellent ways to tackle stress or anxiety and improve your mental wellbeing.* **Yes**. [How to break free from the ‘yes’ autopilot.](https://nesslabs.com/yes-autopilot?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Building on last week’s feature about [setting good boundaries](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/), the marvellous Ness Labs takes things further **Life**. [Reflections on Life.](https://reflectionsof.life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is a beautiful site, containing some joyful and wholesome reflections on life. **Emotions.** [Three strategies for dealing with difficult emotions.](https://www.roxana-cristina.com/blog/3-strategies-for-your-difficult-emotions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’ve mentioned this emotions wheel before, but I like the strategies here for dealing with the feelings that we find challenging. Bonus Stuff. [Thirteen spiky opinions on emotional health](https://nickwignall.com/13-spiky-points-of-view-on-emotional-health/??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I definitely don’t agree with all of these, but there are some truly stoic suggestions in here. **Compliment.** If you need a lift, [this site has one for you.](https://complimentme.replit.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Driven by AI, but guided by goodness. [This one, will even read you a generic compliment.](https://thiscomplimentdoesnotexist.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Hikea or Lower](https://hikeaorlower.mildlyupset.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)? Navigate your way through the Ikea catalogue by guessing higher or lower prices. 🎵 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/2024/10/image-1.png) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is from the fantastic Kelly Finnigan, a soul singer from Los Angeles who has just released a new album entitled, 'A Lover was Born'. For his third (?) solo album, Finnigan has been crate digging and there are some lovely references to LA hip-hop woven into this excellent set of soul tunes. This doesn't veer a mile away from the work he has previously done as the lead singer of the Monophonics, a sort of vintage soul sound with an incredible voice out front. Highly recommended. [Listen to Kelly Finnigan - A Lover was Born - here](https://open.spotify.com/album/7jgxifgu2gP2BKSEKXkdjV?si=oxtY07okRsGQ4UExjZSMWA&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/2024/10/Stuff-210-1.png) ### TWIL #42 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-42/ Last updated: 2024-10-20T07:43:33.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that there used to be a phone number you could call that all of Wikipedia at the other end. Kind of. [The Department of EverythingA world that has tossed out the print edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in favor of Wikipedia is not necessarily a richer one.![](https://hedgehogreview.com/images/identity/thr/favicon.jpg)The Hedgehog Review![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/thr-prod/images/472e1208edc7ab3ddb1f05f0c781d704.1500.jpg)](https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/the-varieties-of-travel-experience/articles/the-department-of-everything?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-never-split-the-difference/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:45:08.000Z *Full disclosure, I’m hopeless at negotiation. So I was hungry to read this book and gain some new skills. Members of my team at work recommended it, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of reading and the tone of the book.* Negotiation is an essential skill. Whether you're asking for a raise, closing a business deal, or even planning a holiday with family, how you negotiate can significantly impact the outcomes. *Never Split the Difference* is by Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, who shares insights that go beyond typical win-win strategies, revealing tactics used in life-or-death negotiations. His approach is practical, blending emotional intelligence with well-honed psychological strategies. Here are my key takeaways and notes: ### 1\. **The Fallacy of "Win-Win" Negotiations** "Splitting the difference" – a common practice in negotiations – often results in suboptimal outcomes for both parties. This approach assumes that both sides should compromise to find common ground, but in many cases, it leads to unnecessary concessions. For instance, if two people are arguing over the temperature of a room and one wants it at 30°C and the other at 20°C, a compromise at 25°C leaves neither person happy. In hostage situations, there is no room for compromise. Instead of aiming for win-win, Voss advocates focusing on getting the best possible outcome without giving up value unnecessarily. ### 2\. **Tactical Empathy: The Power of Listening** One of the most powerful tools in negotiation is listening. Voss introduces the idea of *tactical empathy*, which involves understanding and acknowledging the feelings and perspectives of the other party without necessarily agreeing with them. It's about getting inside the other person’s mind and using this understanding to guide the negotiation. Key to this is making the other person feel heard and understood. You achieve this by actively listening and then using phrases like "It seems like..." or "It sounds like..." to reflect their emotions. This validation builds rapport and makes the other party more open to finding a solution. ### 3\. **Mirroring: A Simple but Powerful Tool** Voss encourages the use of *mirroring*, a technique where you repeat the last few words (or the most important words) the other person says. This may sound simple, but it's effective in building rapport, encouraging the other person to elaborate, and keeping the conversation flowing. People feel more comfortable when they see their words reflected back, and it can also help buy you time to think of your next move. For example, if your boss says, "We can’t give you a pay rise right now because budgets are tight," you could mirror by responding, "Budgets are tight?" This invites further explanation and can lead to deeper discussion. ### 4\. **The "No" Strategy: Making Your Counterpart Feel Safe** A real learning for me was that, "no" can actually be the **start** of a real negotiation. Voss points out that when people say ‘no’, they often feel more secure and in control. Rather than pushing for ‘yes’ responses, it can be more productive to ask questions that allow the other party to say ‘no’ comfortably. For instance, instead of asking, "Do you think we could reach a deal today?" (which pressures the other person to say "yes"), you might ask, "Is it a bad time to talk about this?" This allows the other party to feel safe, because "no" is less threatening, and it opens the door to further discussion. ### 5\. **Labelling: Identifying and Verbalising Emotions** Emotions, whether expressed or hidden, play a huge role in negotiations. Voss introduces *labelling* as a way to defuse negative emotions and reinforce positive ones. For me, labelling is when you identify an emotion the other person seems to be feeling and state it out loud, using phrases like "It seems like..." or "It looks like..." For instance, in a heated conversation with a colleague, you might say, "It seems like you’re frustrated with how things are going." This shows that you are paying attention to their feelings, helping to reduce tension and make them feel understood. ### 6\. **Accusation Audit: Addressing Fears Before They Surface** An *accusation audit* is a pre-emptive strike on the other person’s potential fears or objections. By addressing concerns before they arise, you can disarm your counterpart and make them more receptive to your ideas. For example, if you're about to negotiate for a raise, you might say, "You probably think I’m being selfish or that this is bad timing, but…". By anticipating and vocalising their objections, you lower their defences and build trust. ### 7\. **The Importance of “How” and “What” Questions** Instead of making direct demands, Never Split the Difference suggests using *calibrated questions* that begin with "How" or "What." These types of questions prompt the other person to think more deeply and often lead them to solve the problem for you. For instance, instead of saying, "I need you to lower your price," you could ask, "How am I supposed to do that given my current budget?" Doing this shifts the responsibility towards the other party, making them more likely to offer a solution that works for both sides. ### 8\. **Bending Reality with Anchors** Voss explains the importance of setting an *anchor* – a psychological reference point – early in a negotiation. Anchors can shape how the rest of the conversation goes. If you make the first offer, it tends to pull the negotiation in your favour. However, Voss warns that you should always be cautious with where you set the anchor, ensuring it doesn’t turn the other person off entirely. One tactic is to establish a high anchor, then use tactical empathy and mirroring to work your way down to a more reasonable offer. This way, the final deal still feels favourable to you. ### 9\. **The Black Swan: Uncovering Hidden Game-Changers** Every negotiation has *Black Swans*. These are hidden, often surprising pieces of information that can drastically change the outcome. The book stresses the importance of staying curious and probing for these unknowns. Black Swans can be anything from the other person’s hidden motivations to details about their decision-making process. For example, you might discover that a business partner is under pressure to close a deal quickly because they have an upcoming deadline, giving you leverage you didn’t realise you had. ## My Key Takeaways & Insights ### 1\. **Embrace "No" as a Positive Step** - **Takeaway**: "No" is not the end of the conversation. It can be the starting point for deeper negotiation because it makes the other person feel safe and in control. - **Actionable Insight**: Instead of pushing for "yes," ask questions that give the other person room to say "no" without feeling cornered. For example, "Is this a bad time to discuss this?" or "Would it be ridiculous to consider...?" ### 2\. **Use Tactical Empathy** - **Takeaway**: People want to feel heard and understood. Empathy builds trust and lowers defences. - **Actionable Insight**: Acknowledge the emotions of the other party by using phrases like, "It seems like you’re feeling..." or "It sounds like you're concerned about..." Doing this can diffuse tension and create a more cooperative environment. ### 3\. **Master the Art of Mirroring** - **Takeaway**: Mirroring makes people feel more connected and encourages them to share more information. - **Actionable Insight**: In your next conversation, try repeating the last few words or the key point someone has just said. For example, if someone says, "We’re struggling with project timelines," you can respond with, "Project timelines?" This invites them to elaborate and keeps the conversation flowing. ### 4\. **Label Emotions to Build Rapport** - **Takeaway**: Labelling emotions helps to neutralise negativity and enhance positive feelings. - **Actionable Insight**: When you sense someone is frustrated or upset, label it by saying, "It looks like you're a bit frustrated with this situation." This can help de-escalate negative emotions and foster understanding. ### 5\. **Ask Calibrated Questions** - **Takeaway**: Calibrated questions (starting with "How" or "What") give the other party a sense of control and prompt them to think of solutions. - **Actionable Insight**: Instead of making demands, ask questions like, "How can we move forward from here?" or "What would it take to make this work for both of us?" These questions invite collaboration without confrontation. ### 6\. **Conduct an Accusation Audit** - **Takeaway**: Pre-emptively addressing concerns or objections disarms the other party and builds trust. - **Actionable Insight**: Before entering a tough conversation, list out the negative things the other person might think or say. Address them upfront: "I know you might be thinking I’m asking for too much right now, but..." This reduces their objections and makes them more open to negotiation. ### 7\. **Utilise Anchors Early** - **Takeaway**: The first number or idea introduced in a negotiation acts as a psychological anchor, influencing all further discussions. - **Actionable Insight**: In your next negotiation, set the anchor early by being the first to suggest a number or framework. Aim high but be prepared to back it up with facts and empathy. ### 8\. **Uncover the Black Swans** - **Takeaway**: There are always hidden factors (Black Swans) that can shift the dynamics of a negotiation. These can be fears, constraints, or motivations that you aren't aware of. - **Actionable Insight**: Stay curious and keep probing with calibrated questions. For example, ask, "What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now?" to uncover these unknown factors that could change the outcome. ### 9\. **Use Silence as a Tool** - **Takeaway**: Silence is a powerful tactic. It creates space for the other party to fill with more information or concessions. - **Actionable Insight**: After asking a difficult question or making a request, stay silent. Let the other party process the request, and resist the urge to fill the void. Often, they’ll talk themselves into giving you what you want. ### 10\. **Go for "That's Right" Instead of "You're Right"** - **Takeaway**: "That's right" signals genuine agreement and understanding, while "You're right" often just signals someone trying to end the conversation. - **Actionable Insight**: Summarise the other person’s perspective clearly so that they respond with "That’s right." For example, after discussing their concerns, you could say, "It sounds like you're worried about the cost and the timeline," which invites them to agree wholeheartedly. ## Final Thought: Be Comfortable with Discomfort Negotiation is not easy, and this book emphasises the importance of being comfortable with discomfort. Whether it’s waiting in silence after a calibrated question or confronting difficult emotions, these moments often hold the key to achieving the best outcome. The strategies from *Never Split the Difference* are about taking control of the negotiation process, making the other person feel understood, and leveraging psychological tools to your advantage. By incorporating these principles into negotiations, we can move from compromising to mastering the art of persuasion, achieving outcomes that were previously out of reach. --- *What negotiation challenge are you facing? Share your experience in the comments, and let’s discuss how these tactics could be applied in your situation.* ### Microstuff: Productivity 4 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-productivity-4/ Last updated: 2024-10-15T04:00:02.000Z 1. Focus on solutions, not problems. 2. Maintain a work-life balance. 3. Stay accountable with others. 4. Limit unnecessary commitments consciously. 5. [Start with toughest tasks.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/eisenhower-prioritisation/) 6. Create a dedicated workspace. 7. [Review goals](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/supercharge-your-week/) every morning. 8. Use positive affirmations regularly. 9. Allocate time for learning. 10. Set reminders for deadlines. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #209 - Limbo, daily. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/209-limbo-daily/ Last updated: 2024-10-14T04:40:17.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this be the week that you learn [how to set better boundaries](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/). By learning to saying ‘no’ when necessary, you allow yourself the space to grow, focus on what’s truly important, and live a more balanced life. I’ve got you covered with [some polite ways to protect your time.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/) **Listening**. [The four pillars of active listening.](https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/communication-means-paying-attention-four-pillars-active-listening?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I like the thinking about communication here, and how we tune into messages that are being shared.* I have some [practical tips for active listening](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) that people have found useful here. **Energy**. [The A-Z of energy management.](https://www.fractalproductivity.club/p/the-abcs-of-energy-management?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 26 ways to maximise the amount of energy you can bring to your work and productivity. *Bonus Stuff:* [*How to maintain productivity and efficiency in a fast-paced environment.*](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/strategies-for-maintaining-productivity-and-efficiency-in-fast-paced-environments/12/6/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Productivity**. [When time management was easy.](https://calnewport.com/when-time-management-was-easy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Cal Newport reflects on an era where prioritisation was much easier. *Bonus Stuff. These* [*time management tips from 2016*](https://www.thealternativeboard.com/blog/5-timeless-tips-to-more-effectively-manage-your-time?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *are still relevant.* **Confidence**. [Eight things that truly confident people do.](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-things-set-truly-confident-people-apart-dr-travis-bradberry-qts0f?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I really like #3 in this list as a way of building inner confidence on a daily basis. *Bonus Stuff:* [*More ways to build confidence*](https://nicenews.com/health-and-wellness/where-confidence-comes-from-and-how-to-build-more/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*.* **Start**. [The power of deliberate action.](https://nesslabs.com/doing-deficit?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Committing to an action, starting a practice are powerful drivers towards success. *You already know enough, now it is time to start.* ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What are some small joys in your life that contribute to your overall positivity? [From my prompts for Positivity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![grayscale photo of woman's face with freckles](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1541198000119-967143cc6ce0?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDQzfHxzbGVlcHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3Mjg4Mzk0NTJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Rodrigo Pereira](https://unsplash.com/@rfp80?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Sleep**. [How to sleep when you are a perfectionist.](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-sleep-when-youre-a-perfectionist-and-high-achiever?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Your mind could be the thing that keeps you awake at night. *Bonus Stuff. Great sleep is easier than you think,* [*some hacks that can help*](https://www.nirandfar.com/sleep-hacks/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*, and some more in my* [*guide to good sleep hygiene.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) **Notes**. [Forever Notes](https://www.myforevernotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is guidance for implementing a comprehensive [Personal Information Management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal%5Finformation%5Fmanagement?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) (PIM) system with the free, and easy to use Apple Notes. I use Apple Notes for everything, and this methodology makes a lot of sense. I’m working through implementing some of the tips here. **Books**. [You don’t have time to read bad books.](https://aethermug.com/posts/you-don-t-have-time?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Stick with me for some [damn great book](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/book/) recommendations. *Bonus Stuff:* [*A great new app to help track your reading.*](https://hardcover.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Creativity**. [A ten step guide to achieving a creative breakthrough.](https://psyche.co/ideas/your-10-step-plan-for-achieving-a-creative-breakthrough?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some super advice on the preparation, incubation and insight process that will help you overcome an impasse you have in your work. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Seven levers to unlocking your creativity.*](https://tim.blog/2024/10/08/never-play-it-safe-chase-jarvis/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Trust**. The CIA, FBI and Special Forces know about finding out if someone is telling the truth. [Some useful techniques from law enforcement.](https://www.fastcompany.com/91190594/secrets-from-the-cia-fbi-and-special-forces-on-how-to-know-if-someone-is-telling-the-truth?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Contentment**. [Is contentment an underrated goal in life?](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is%5Fcontentment%5Fan%5Funderrated%5Fgoal%5Fin%5Flife?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Most of us seek happiness, but maybe we’d be better off looking for contentment. This study suggests that contentment has unique benefits for people that seek and understand it. **Finally**. [Limbo is a simple daily game](https://www.limbo.today/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) where you have to guess the lowest whole number that *nobody else guesses.* This is like an online version of the game [‘spoof’](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoof%5F%28game%29?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). 🎵 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/2024/10/image.png) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is from Australian electronic producers and DJ's - Rüfüs Du Sol. *(Unnecessary umlauts included!)* Inhale / Exhale is the latest album from the trio. It effortlessly bridges the gap between sunset dance tracks and laid-back electronica that sounds crisp, clean and made for festival soundtracks. A super listen, and perfect for sunshine afternoons. Highly recommended. [Listen to Rüfüs Du Sol - Inhale/Exhale here](https://open.spotify.com/album/3Fda4vhPP0Clk3EQNVipUP?si=ZOvFwoPfRUS6cpspa%5Ftp8g&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/2024/10/Stuff-209-1.png) ### TWIL #41 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-41/ Last updated: 2024-10-13T17:09:15.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that planet earth will have TWO moons for a short period of time. [Earth will have a temporary ‘mini moon’ for two monthsEarth will have a temporary “mini moon” for two months. The mini moon is actually an asteroid about the size of a school bus.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-3.png)AP NewsCHRISTINA LARSON![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/90-1)](https://apnews.com/article/mini-moon-earth-asteroid-astronomy-d68656845bd2762095bb39ce9d619e6b?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Art of Setting Boundaries: Why Saying ‘No’ is Key to Your Success URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-setting-boundaries-why-saying-no-is-key-to-your-success/ Last updated: 2024-10-13T17:01:29.000Z *Often, if I become overwhelmed by work, I spend time reviewing my commitments and seeing where I create some space in my calendar by reducing my open tasks. Usually I can find something that overcommitted to*. We need to find ways to set boundaries to keep work from overwhelming us. Setting boundaries is an essential skill. Yet, many of us struggle with it, often through fear of disappointing others, or because we believe saying ‘yes’ makes us more likeable or valuable. The truth is, saying ‘no’ can be one of the most powerful ways to protect your time, energy, and mental wellbeing. It’s a practice that helps you focus on what truly matters and prevents burnout. Let’s explore why setting boundaries is critical and how learning to say ‘no’ can transform your life. ### Why Setting Boundaries Matters 1. **Prevents Overcommitment**: When you’re always saying ‘yes,’ you are running the risk of spreading yourself too thin. Whether it’s agreeing to extra work projects or social events, overcommitting often leads to stress and a decline in the quality of your efforts. Boundaries help you allocate your time and energy more effectively. 2. **Protects Mental Health**: Constantly taking on more than you can handle can lead to stress, anxiety, and even burnout. When you set good boundaries, you protect your mental health by ensuring that you have time for rest, relaxation, and activities that bring you joy. 3. **Improves Focus and Productivity**. When you say ‘no’ to distractions, you can focus more on your priorities. This leads to higher productivity and better quality work. Boundaries act as a filter, allowing you to concentrate on [deep work.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-slow-productivity-by-cal-newport/) 4. **Fosters Healthy Relationships**. Saying ‘yes’ when you really want to say ‘no’ can lead to resentment and frustration. Being clear about your boundaries with others fosters mutual respect and understanding, which ultimately leads to healthier relationships. 5. **Encourages Self-Respect**. Every time you say ‘no’ to something that doesn't serve your goals or wellbeing, you're prioritising your own needs. This builds self-respect and strengthens your confidence in decision-making. ### Why We Struggle to Say No Many of us fear that saying ‘no’ will make others think we are unhelpful or selfish. There’s also the worry that it might damage relationships or opportunities. The reality is that people often respect those who know their limits. A thoughtful ‘no’ shows that you value your time and are intentional about how you spend it. Remember, every time you say ‘yes’ to something, you're saying ‘no’ to something else. This might be your own personal time, rest, or even another opportunity that aligns better with your goals. ### 10 Polite Ways to Say No Here are 10 ways you can say ‘no’ without coming off as rude or dismissive. These responses allow you to maintain professionalism and kindness while still asserting your boundaries: 1. **"Thank you for thinking of me, but I’m unable to take this on right now."** This response is polite and acknowledges the request while firmly stating your availability. 2. **"I appreciate the offer, but I’m focusing on other priorities at the moment."** Here, you're letting the other person know that you have other commitments that take precedence. 3. **"I’d love to help, but my schedule is already full."** This acknowledges the request while making it clear that your plate is full. 4. **"Unfortunately, I have to decline, but I hope it goes well."** This response is direct, but offers a positive sentiment, showing that you wish them success. 5. **"I’m afraid I can’t commit to this at the moment."** A straightforward yet polite way to decline without needing to go into too much detail. 6. **"This isn’t something I can take on right now, but thank you for thinking of me."** A gentle way of turning down the request while expressing gratitude for being considered. 7. **"I’m honoured you asked, but I need to pass this time."** This response shows that you value the offer but still places your boundary clearly. 8. **"I’d rather not, but thank you for asking!"** Sometimes a brief, honest response is the best way to say no, without over-explaining. 9. **"I’m flattered by the offer, but I don’t have the capacity to help at this time."** You show appreciation for being considered, but also make it clear you can’t take on any more. 10. **"I have to decline, but please let me know if there’s another way I can support you."** This is a great way to maintain the relationship by offering help in a different capacity, while still setting your limits. ### Conclusion Learning to set boundaries and say ‘no’ is a skill that helps you manage your time, energy, and mental health. It is never about being difficult or unhelpful - it's about being mindful of your capacity and recognising your limits. > By saying ‘no’ when necessary, you allow yourself the space to grow, focus on what’s truly important, and live a more balanced life. Start practising these ways to say no and notice the positive shift in your productivity, wellbeing, and relationships. It’s time to take control of your life by setting boundaries that serve your personal and professional goals. ### #208 - Curiosity + Failure = Brilliance URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/208-curiosity-failure-brilliance/ Last updated: 2024-10-07T04:55:35.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you [improve your skills at receiving feedback](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-receive-feedback-actionable-tips-for-professional-growth/). We’ve spoken about how [feedback is crucial for growth](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/), but it can be difficult to hear, especially when it’s critical. Developing the ability to accept feedback and act on it can be a game-changer for your career progress. **Remote**. [How to create serendipity on remote teams.](https://www.remoteworkprep.com/blog/how-to-create-serendipity-on-remote-teams?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some good practical steps that will help create some of the ‘magic’ of working together, when your team is distributed. *Bonus Stuff. Looks like t*[*he pressure of returning to the office will continue to increase*](https://www.the-sentinel-intelligence.com/p/heres-why-they-want-you-back-at-the-office-so-bad?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *for some at least.* **Leadership**. [How to lead your team when the house is on fire.](https://peterszasz.com/how-to-lead-your-team-when-the-house-is-on-fire/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An excellent article on leading during challenging times, with practical steps that you can take. *I love the section on ‘taking care of yourself first’, it’s a critical step when the team is under pressure.* **Unlocked**. [How to tackle a task you have been avoiding for weeks.](https://zenhabits.net/unlocked/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like this gentle and simple process to help you face that task you have been delaying. *I used this for a couple of tasks this week, and it helps.* **Inclusive**. [Five practical ways to change your language to be more inclusive.](https://mailchi.mp/b666da9e620f/5-ally-actions-sep-27-2024?e=d1365bf01e&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #4 is an excellent way to phrase a question that everyone should be able to ask. **Strategy**. [Six key abilities of strategic thinkers.](https://bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/michael-watkins-strategic-thinking/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Great advice here - *don’t focus on the endowment, focus on the improvement.* Every one of these dimensions can be learned and developed. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How do you handle negative people or negative environments? [From my prompts for Positivity.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![A close up shot of water flowing along a path in the shape of a tunnel](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1472783725153-dd7f61cd8b1e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE5fHxmbG93fGVufDB8fHx8MTcyODExOTkyMnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [wu yi](https://unsplash.com/@takeshi2?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Flow**. [How flow state works.](https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/20/flow-state-science-creativity-psychology-focus?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is a great way to understand what happens in your brain when you achieve flow state. You can train your brain, and [take actions that will help you](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/the-flow-state-definition-benefits-and-how-to-achieve-it?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) get into flow state. [My Flowstuff playlist is an ideal way](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) to get yourself in the mood for creativity and productivity. **Curiosity**. [How to turn your curiosity into long term success.](https://bigthink.com/business/5-ways-to-turn-curiosity-into-long-term-success/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A simple mindset shift that can open up new possibilities for your career success. *Bonus Stuff.* [*How to cultivate Intentional Curiosity*](https://nesslabs.com/intentional-curiosity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *and* [*How curiosity + failure = brilliance.*](https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/curiosity-plus-failure-is-a-passport-to-brilliance/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Reslience**. [Six Steps To Success When Life Gets Hard](https://bakadesuyo.com/2024/07/how-to-be-more-resilient?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). #4 on this list is important, and will get you through some of the most challenging times. **Stairs**. It’s time to [take the stairs.](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-finish-line-323c2230-79e8-11ef-aea9-29da84cae70a.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It seems such a simple piece of advice, but the benefits are many. **Blue**. [Is my blue, your blue](https://ismy.blue/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)? My boundary is at 180, bluer than 80% of the population. However, I’m also a bit colourblind so I’m probably wrong! **Finally**. [What came first?](https://artsandculture.google.com/experiment/what-came-first/ZQGBUPErEE3bVg?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Another excellent game from the team at Google Arts and Culture. 🎵 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/2024/10/beachclosed-3.jpg) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is [the latest in my monthly series](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/29-september-2024/) of [mixtapes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/), compiled exclusively for Stuff readers. In September I gathered some great tunes, including some modern rocksteady from The Frightnrs, a beautiful ballad featuring James Blake and dancefloor friendly tracks from Jamie XX and Four Tet. As ever, I have some great cover versions including a fun rendition of an Adele tune, and an Ibiza classic from Sebastian Tellier delivered by a singer-songwriter. I love making these monthly mixtapes, and I hope you enjoy giving them a spin. . [Listen to Stuff #29 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/34IA8YrvTM4UCKr26G5PyJ?si=9ebdc26b109b4389&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/2024/10/Stuff-208-1.png) ### TWIL #40 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-40/ Last updated: 2024-10-06T08:58:20.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week, I had a double learning: 1. I learned that you can play a game which simulates power washing. 2. Science has shown that virtual power washing can actually improve your mood. [It’s official: You can virtually power wash your way to a better moodWe officially have proof that video games are good for your mood – well, at least one in particular. An Oxford University study showed that playing the eponymous game Powerwash Simulator (PWS) showed a small improvement in the moods of more than 70% of its participants.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-2.png)New AtlasSquare Enix![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/90)](https://newatlas.com/mental-health/power-wash-video-game-improved-moods/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #29 - September 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/29-september-2024/ Last updated: 2024-10-04T18:00:51.000Z Stuff Mixtape #29 is another collection of random tunes that were in my ears during September 2024\. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Look me in the Eyes - Rex Orange County feat James Blake |** Two outstanding voices together on this delicate and beautiful piano led duet. - **Vaporous - Elsiane |** Sort of trip-hop-esque, recalling Hooverphonic, loads of fretless bass and keyboard washes taking me back in time. - **The future is our way out - Brigitte calls me baby |** Timewarped crooning romanticism - constant earworm in September. - **I've been Thinking - Handsome Boy Modelling School with Cat Power |** Super producers gonna produce - a laidback funk tune that drops with sunshine. - **Clementine - Yannis and the Yaw |** Excellent collaboration between the lead singer of the Foals and the late Tony Allen on drums. Superb worldy pop. - **About Her - Malcolm McClaren |** Legendary punk manager pulls together a Moby influenced tune for the soundtrack of Kill Bill 2\. - **Show Me Love - Foreign Fields |** Gossamer light vocals and production on this beauty. - **Glimpse - Future Islands |** Stuff favourites Future Islands back with this awesome 80's influenced track. Samuel T Herring sounding as excellent as ever. - **Dafodil - Jamie XX |** Highlight from the new Jamie XX album mentioned in #[206](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/206-thermostat-or-thermometer/). Breaks, bassline and some extraordinary samples. - **In my Dreams - Four Tet & Ellie Goulding |** Crunchy drums and squealing keyboards align with echo-y rave vocals. - **Eusexua - FKA Twigs |** Superb comeback track from forthcoming 'techno-inspired' album. - **Black Poppies - Underworld |** heavily processed stream of consciousness from sons of Essex. Brilliant return. - **Juliet as Epithet - Hamish Hawk |** Dramatic, glamorous power pop with a lovely sense of humour. - **Till Then - The Frightnrs |** Vintage sounding rocksteady from 2016 New York \[TRACK OF THE MONTH\] - **Someone Like You - Lukas Nelson, Sierra Farrell and the Travelling McCourys |** Stunning bluegrass cover version of Adeles seminal track, with superb guest vocals from Sierra Farrell. - **You - RYX & Hermanos Gutiérrez |** Gentle, breathy chillout tune featuring guitars from a duo first seen in [#196](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-196-leave-your-comfort-zone/). - **Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker - I never learned French |** Reminds me a lot of Laura Marling, excellent folk inspired tune. - **La Ritournelle - Jono McCleery |** Another superb cover version, this time of Sebastian Telliers Ibiza classic in gentle singer-songwriter style. - **Lets wade in the Water - Marlena Shaw |** Classic Northern soul track that appeared in a TV show I was enjoying. - **Like a Bird - Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander |** Great bluesy soul track taken from the Soundtrack of Sing Sing - **The Wizard - Jimmie Rodgers |** To bring us home, fantastic vintage track from the 1960s. [Listen to Stuff #29 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/34IA8YrvTM4UCKr26G5PyJ?si=eb883c264bb64d08&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to Receive Feedback: Actionable Tips for Professional Growth URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-receive-feedback-actionable-tips-for-professional-growth/ Last updated: 2024-10-04T11:33:35.000Z *In previous posts, I’ve shared some top frameworks for giving great feedback. However, it is as important to know how to handle feedback and build trust with people around you. I’ve captured some key tips that will help you develop your skills for receiving feedback.* Feedback is crucial for growth, but it can be difficult to hear, especially when it’s critical. Developing the ability to accept feedback and act on it can be a game-changer for your career progress. These tips will help you learn how to receive feedback in a way that enhances your professional growth. ### 1\. Change Your Perspective: Feedback is a Tool, not a Threat The first step to receiving feedback well is framing how you think about it. Instead of seeing feedback as a judgement on your abilities or personality, recognise that it’s simply information. When used correctly, it can be an effective tool to help you reach your goals. > **View feedback as a gift for improvement, not a personal attack.** ### 2\. Don’t Take It Personally When feedback touches on areas for improvement, it’s easy to feel defensive. However, it’s important to separate feedback from your sense of self. It’s not an attack on your character, it’s an opportunity to grow in a specific area. Keep this distinction in mind to prevent emotional reactions from clouding your judgement. > **Remember that feedback is about specific actions or behaviours, not your overall worth.** ### 3\. Create Psychological Safety for Honest Feedback One of the most overlooked aspects of receiving feedback is creating an environment where people feel safe to be honest. If you tend to react defensively, people may hesitate to give you the feedback you need. By staying calm, asking for clarification, and showing gratitude, you’ll make it clear that you’re open to hearing constructive comments. > **Foster an atmosphere of psychological safety by showing you can receive feedback without reacting negatively. This encourages more honest and useful feedback in the future.** ### 4\. Listen Fully Before Responding When feedback is given, our natural reaction is often to explain ourselves, defend our actions, or even dismiss what’s being said. Instead, focus on [active listening](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) before responding. Absorb the feedback without interrupting. It’s crucial to understand the other person’s perspective before you form a response. > **Be an active listener—hear the full feedback before responding.** ### 5\. Seek Clarification When Needed If the feedback you receive is unclear, don’t hesitate to ask for more specifics. Requesting examples or further explanation can help you understand the feedback better and ensure you know what areas need improvement. For instance, asking “Can you give me an example of when that happened?” can provide more context and direction. > **Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up/probing** [**questions**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/precision-questioning-skills/) **to ensure clarity.** ### 6\. Acknowledge and Appreciate the Feedback Whether the feedback is positive or constructive, always acknowledge it. Thank the person for their time and effort in providing you with insights. Creating this positive feedback loop shows that you value their input, making them more likely to offer valuable feedback in the future. > **Saying “thank you” is simple and powerful and can encourage further honesty and openness.** ### 7\. Take Time to Reflect Feedback doesn’t need to be acted upon immediately. Give yourself time to reflect on what was said. Think about how the feedback aligns with your goals and how it can be used to improve your skills or behaviours. This will also help you respond in a thoughtful, rather than reactive, manner. > **Allow yourself time to process and reflect before acting on the feedback.** ### 8\. Turn Feedback into an Action Plan The real value of feedback lies in what you do with it. Once you’ve had time to reflect, create a specific action plan to address the areas for improvement. Break down the feedback into smaller, actionable steps. Whether it’s changing a habit, adopting a new strategy, or seeking out additional training, having a plan will help you turn feedback into growth. > **Create a clear plan to address the feedback and track your progress.** ### 9\. Ask for Follow-Up Feedback Feedback is most effective when it’s part of an ongoing conversation. After implementing changes based on the feedback you’ve received, follow up and ask for further feedback on your progress. This demonstrates your commitment to improvement and keeps the lines of communication open. > **Request follow-up feedback to monitor your progress and maintain continuous improvement.** ### 10\. Filter Feedback with Discernment Not all feedback will be equally valuable. While staying open to feedback is crucial, it’s also important to evaluate the source and relevance of the comments you receive. Consider whether the feedback aligns with your goals and if the person providing it has enough context to offer meaningful insights. > **Be open to feedback, but know when to filter out advice that doesn’t serve your growth.** # How to Use Feedback to Fuel Growth Receiving feedback effectively isn’t **just** about listening to what’s being said, it’s about creating an environment where people feel comfortable sharing, understanding the value of the feedback, and then turning it into actionable steps for growth. By shifting your mindset and developing these skills, feedback can become one of the most powerful tools in your professional toolkit. Remember, the most successful people are those who actively seek feedback and know how to use it to continually evolve. With the right approach, you can turn any piece of feedback into a stepping stone towards success. ### Key Takeaways: 1. View feedback as a tool for growth, not as a personal criticism. 2. Listen fully before reacting or responding. 3. Create psychological safety so people feel comfortable giving honest feedback. 4. Show gratitude for the feedback you receive. 5. Take time to reflect before taking action. 6. Develop an action plan based on the feedback. 7. Ask for follow-up feedback to track your progress. Feedback is a continuous process, and by mastering how to receive it well, you can ensure you remain on a path of improvement. ### Microstuff: Wellbeing 5 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-wellbeing-5/ Last updated: 2024-10-02T04:54:19.000Z 1. Develop a routine. 2. Limit sugar consumption. 3. Seek continuous learning. 4. Practise good posture. 5. Drink herbal teas. 6. Take relaxing baths. 7. [Express gratitude daily.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/28-day-gratitude-a-challenge/) 8. Avoid toxic relationships. 9. Celebrate small wins. 10. Focus on positivity. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #207 - Do it your way! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/207-do-it-your-way/ Last updated: 2024-09-30T04:30:37.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you [refresh your career plan.](https://amivora.substack.com/p/5-tips-to-plan-my-career-like-i-plan) I like the simplicity of this five-step approach to treating your career plan like a product plan. For more guidance on setting goals for the next steps, [I’ve got you covered.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) **Worklife**. Next time you think about checking your emails after work, [take a read of this article,](https://theconversation.com/responding-to-work-emails-after-hours-contributes-to-burnout-hostility-229461?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and put the phone away! **Safety**. [The four stages of psychological safety.](https://www.leaderfactor.com/learn/four-stages-of-psychological-safety?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A practical guide for leaders and managers. **Success**. [Do it your way.](https://collabfund.com/blog/your-way-is-the-only-way/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The only real measure of success that matters is whether you get what you want out of life. *Finding a way to have fun, whilst you are doing the best work of your life is a grail worth fighting for.* **Drama**. [A great way to deal with sticky situations at work](https://www.truity.com/blog/gray-rock-communication-method-what-it-and-how-can-it-save-your-sanity-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Productivity**. [How having a work soundtrack can boost your productivity.](https://www.fastcompany.com/91121320/why-having-a-soundtrack-at-work-could-boost-your-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) My FlowStuff playlist has over [500 tracks that will keep you in the right mindset.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=e50aa676291e454f&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a time you stood up for something you believe in. [From my prompts for Self-Understanding.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![graphical user interface](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1660208030414-8461e1cc68da?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxzaG9ydGN1dHN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzI3NjI1Njg0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [ilgmyzin](https://unsplash.com/@ilgmyzin?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **F\*cks.** [How to stop giving a f\*ck what anyone thinks.](https://www.johnsuder.blog/how-to-stop-giving-a-fck-what-anyone-thinks/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Something that I have been working on over the last few years.* Some great advice in here. #2 and #4 are strong advice. **Habits**. [Thirty short habits of the top 10%.](https://open.substack.com/pub/postanly/p/30-short-habits-of-the-top-10) Number 6 and number 29 resonate with me. **Shortcuts**. [Seven life shortcuts that actually work.](https://www.alexmathers.net/blog/7-life-shortcuts-most-people-rarely-consider-that-actually-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An excellent list of shortcuts that anyone can get behind. Simple and precise. **Social.** A [psychologists advice on social media usage](https://psyche.co/ideas/a-psychologists-tips-for-getting-a-grip-on-your-social-media-use?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Practical advice from a professional on managing your scrolling. I really like the advice about setting specific times that you can use social media, and being more mindful about why. *Bonus Stuff:* [*How social media fasting could help your mental health.*](https://om.co/2024/07/30/intermittent-social-media-fasting/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Self**. [Why being narcissistic can be a useful tool sometimes.](https://www.truity.com/blog/narcissism-gets-bad-rap-little-me-focus-can-do-you-good?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Having a little more focus on yourself can do you some good. **Finally**. [Alphaguess](https://alphaguess.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A simple daily game, guess an English word until you find it in the alphabet. I took 17 guesses to find ‘spend’ 🎵 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/2024/09/image-2.png) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is a deeper cut, from 1972\. I heard about the eponymous album by Zulema in a blog post about melancholy music and had a listen to this amazing album. Zulema was a disco and R&B singer from Florida, and this self-titled album was her debut, released on Sussex records. I love the vocals on this, deeply soulful and in places fitting the melancholy label. Its a terrific recall to era of real soul music. Recommended. [Listen to Zulema by Zulema here](https://open.spotify.com/album/0Bqf5ZYec9pBPcQbMuZB9V?si=e7OnMZHKT026RQt-S-PDBg&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/2024/09/Stuff-207-1.png) ### TWIL #39 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-39/ Last updated: 2024-09-29T13:27:12.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week, I learned that if you own a restaurant that sits high in the Arctic Circle, you'll need to get creative with some of the ingredients. [The strange tastes of a restaurant at the end of the worldWhen your restaurant is high in the Arctic Circle, and most ingredients have to come in on a boat or a plane, you have to get pretty creative with your fine dining.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1.png)BBCVeronique Greenwood![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/p0jd9xpn.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240724-the-strange-tastes-of-a-restaurant-at-the-end-of-the-world?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Business Communications 5 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-business-communications-5/ Last updated: 2024-09-26T04:48:39.000Z 1. Validate others' feelings. 2. Be responsive to concerns. 3. Create an inclusive atmosphere. 4. Align messages with actions. 5. Stay consistent with messaging. 6. Prioritise clarity over quantity. 7. Use [feedback ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/)for improvement. 8. Address issues constructively. 9. Maintain professionalism always. 10. End conversations on positives. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Wellbeing 4 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-wellbeing-4/ Last updated: 2024-09-24T04:52:37.000Z 1. [Unplug from technology.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/digital-detox-your-online-world/) 2. Cook healthy meals. 3. Foster positive relationships. 4. Take mindful pauses. 5. Enjoy a hobby. 6. Reflect on achievements. 7. Spend time alone. 8. Practice forgiveness regularly. 9. Engage in creativity. 10. [Visualise your goals.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #206 : Thermostat or Thermometer? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/206-thermostat-or-thermometer/ Last updated: 2024-09-23T04:51:04.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you learn [how to finish that thing that you started](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-improve-your-completer-finisher-skills-actionable-insights-from-the-belbin-team-model/). Completer-finisher skills are critical to any project, and knowing how you can get something across the line is essential to progressing your career. [I have actionable tips that you can use.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-improve-your-completer-finisher-skills-actionable-insights-from-the-belbin-team-model/) **After**. [Ten things you will not get until after the work is done.](https://jessicahagy.substack.com/p/10-things-you-wont-get-until-after) Now that you have built those completer-finisher skills, here’s what remains AFTER you get your work done. **Focus**. [Eight ways to stop getting distracted.](https://www.becomingminimalist.com/8-ways-to-stop-getting-distracted/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’m a [big fan of number five](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-focus-with-the-pomodoro-technique/) as a way of getting stuff done without distractions. **Flow**. [The neuroscience behind deep work](https://blog.adrianalacyconsulting.com/neuroscience-deep-work-strategies-productivity/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Your brain works differently when you focus deeply on your priority tasks. I’ve talked about Slow Productivity and Deep Work before, in [issue 203](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/203-here-to-get-lucky/) and in my [notes on Cal Newports book](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-slow-productivity-by-cal-newport/) of the same name. **Busy**. [It’s time to stop bragging about how busy you are.](https://www.truity.com/blog/busy-bragging-new-toxic-trait-coworkers-hate?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Your co-workers hate it, and your stress is contagious. Some practical ways to stop bragging about how busy you are. **Journal**. [How to use a work journal.](https://fev.al/posts/work-journal/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A work journal can help clarify your thoughts and find focus. I have journal prompts to help with your [weekly self-review](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-weekly-self-review/), your [career](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-career/) and with [reflection](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-reflection/). *Bonus Stuff: My free 28 day journaling course will help you get started.* ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How does your work or career align with your personal values and goals? [From my prompts for Self-Understanding.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![white and blue round ornament](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1629723515744-9ece210b6ddd?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGJpbmdvfGVufDB8fHx8MTcyNzAxNTg3N3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Alejandro Garay](https://unsplash.com/@chinitogaray?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Life**. [Random ideas about life.](https://jamesclear.com/random-ideas-about-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) From James Clear, who gives this stuff a lot more thought than most people. I really like the point about Average Speed over Maximum Speed, and the final point about giving things away is the guiding principle behind why my newsletter will always be free. **Relationships**. [Be a thermostat not a thermometer.](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Excellent essay on detecting when things ‘feel off’ in a work environment, and what to do in that situation. **Limits**. [Whatever you think your limits are, you’re wrong.](https://stevenpressfield.com/2024/09/whatever-you-think-your-limits-are-youre-wrong/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I love the analogy of undiscovered places in your house that you find when at unexpected times. The idea that we have parts of ourselves that are yet to be uncovered and explored is life affirming.* **Self**. [Five lovely ways to put yourself first.](https://blog.gratefulness.me/put-yourself-first/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The advice to 'simplify your life' is sometimes counter intuitive to self-care, but it works in the long term. **Criticism**. [How to be less self-critical.](https://nickwignall.com/self-criticism/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Five excellent ways to get on top of the inner voice. **Finally**. [Squish the ants.](https://shehzadi.vercel.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Simple, silly fun to distract you for a while. 🎵 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/2024/09/image-1.png) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is the new album from London based DJ, Musician and Producer - Jamie XX. A big favourite on my playlists who has featured on a lot of my [monthly mixtapes.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/) **In Waves** is a collection of dancefloor friendly electronica with some great influences from UK Garage and plunderphonics with some superb samples in amongst squelchy beats. There is even a collaboration with Avalanches on the recent single 'All you People'. I love Jamies music, which is listenable and danceable at the same time. I think this one is superb, and a highly recommended album. [Listen to Jamie XX - In Waves here](https://open.spotify.com/album/57MSBg5pBQZH5bfLVDmeuP?si=Tlo3-wa2Q3mCarGp6jqecg&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/2024/09/Newsletter-Quote-pics-1.jpeg) ### Weekstuff #5 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/weekstuff-5/ Last updated: 2024-09-22T14:09:14.000Z ### **22nd August - Top of Mind** Hey from Dublin, Slightly late this week, lots going on. - Recovered from jetlag pretty well - only one day of waking up ridiculously early. - Completed ‘The Days’ on Netflix, excellent series, got back to watching Kaos which I am quite enjoying. - Played in my [Online Quiz Team](https://quizcentral.net/qc/Online%5FQuiz%5FLeague%5FUK?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) on Wednesday, a loss meaning played 3, won 1. - Did a new DJ mix for Safehouse Radio - will post a link soon. **Next Week.** Working through remaining content items for the site. Till next week, Matt *Inspired by Giles Turnbull -* [*Doing Weeknotes*](https://doingweeknotes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### TWIL #38 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-38/ Last updated: 2024-09-22T09:11:24.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week, I learned that you need a dictionary when you learn how to count in Japanese. Everything seems OK when yo go from 1-10, but after that - things become more complicated. [In Japanese You Need a Dictionary to Count ThingsOn Josuushi and questionable language approaches![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon.png)Aether MugMarco Giancotti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/thumbnail/usagi.jpg)](https://aethermug.com/posts/in-japanese-you-need-a-dictionary-to-count-things?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to Improve Your Completer-Finisher Skills: Actionable Insights from the Belbin Team Model URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-improve-your-completer-finisher-skills-actionable-insights-from-the-belbin-team-model/ Last updated: 2024-09-20T17:38:22.000Z *In my* [*previous article*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/understanding-the-belbin-team-model-and-identifying-the-types-in-your-team/)*, I described team roles according to the* [*Belbin Model*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/understanding-the-belbin-team-model-and-identifying-the-types-in-your-team/)*. There is a role that sometimes gets overlooked, but it is absolutely critical to the success of a project - the Completer-Finisher. This is my personal blindspot as well, so I worked through some ideas to try and improve skills in this role.* According to the Belbin model, a Completer-Finisher is the person who ensures that work is done to the correct standard, delivered on time, and completed with attention to detail. If you find yourself struggling to bring projects to a successful close, improving your Completer-Finisher skills could be the key to unlocking your potential. ## Understanding the Completer-Finisher Role The [Belbin Team Roles model](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/understanding-the-belbin-team-model-and-identifying-the-types-in-your-team/), developed by Dr Meredith Belbin, identifies nine distinct roles that individuals naturally gravitate towards in a team setting. These roles help ensure that a team has a balanced approach to tackling tasks, and each role contributes to the overall success of the group. The Completer-Finisher is the quality controller of the team, the one who ensures that every "i" is dotted, and every "t" is crossed. They are typically perfectionists, highly conscientious, and have an eye for detail that others might overlook. While these traits are incredibly valuable, they can also lead to stress, overwork, and even paralysis by analysis. ## Why Completer-Finisher Skills Matter In any project, the final stages are often the most challenging. It’s easy to lose momentum, overlook details, or rush to completion without thorough checks. A strong Completer-Finisher prevents this by ensuring that every task is carried out to the highest standard and that the project is truly finished, not just abandoned when it gets tough. Whether you're working in a team or managing your own tasks, cultivating Completer-Finisher skills will ensure your work stands out for its quality and reliability. So, how can you improve these essential skills? ## Actionable Tips to Enhance Your Completer-Finisher Skills ### 1\. **Develop a System for identifying the finish line** To be an effective Completer-Finisher, you need a robust system to check your work. This might involve creating detailed checklists, using project management tools, or simply setting aside time to review your work thoroughly. *For example, if you’re completing a presentation or report, break it down into sections and review each one separately, ensuring that each part meets your standards before moving on to the next.* ### 2\. **Manage Your Time Wisely** Time management is crucial for a Completer-Finisher. Without it, you may find yourself either rushing to finish or spending too much time perfecting one aspect of a project. Use time-blocking techniques to allocate specific periods for reviewing and polishing your work. *Set realistic deadlines for each stage of the process, and stick to them.* ### 3\. **Balance Perfectionism with Practicality** Perfectionism can be a double-edged sword. While it drives high standards, it can also lead to unnecessary delays. Learn to identify when "good enough" is truly good enough. *Consider the purpose and audience of your work; sometimes, perfection isn’t required, and aiming for it can be counterproductive.* ### 4\. **Seek Feedback Regularly** Don’t wait until the end of a project to seek feedback. Regular check-ins with colleagues or clients can help you identify areas that need improvement before they become major issues. This can also reduce the pressure on you to get everything right the first time. *Plan milestones in your work where you offer it up for feedback/commentary. I use the phrase ‘Please help me make this better’ as a way to seek out feedback that can help me improve.* ### 5\. **Practice Mindfulness and Stress Management** Completer-Finishers often carry a heavy burden, feeling responsible for the success or failure of a project. This can lead to stress and burnout. Incorporate mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep-breathing exercises, into your routine to help manage this stress. *Learning to step back and view your work with a fresh perspective can also help you maintain a healthy balance between quality and efficiency.* ### 6\. **Embrace Continuous Improvement** The best Completer-Finishers are those who are always learning and growing. After completing a project, take time to reflect on what went well and what could have been done better. *This reflection will help you refine your processes and improve your skills for future projects.* ### 7\. **Learn to iterate** Sometimes, getting a project ‘out there’ is more important than achieving perfection. One way to get around this, is to publish iterations asking for feedback and action at each cycle. *Using iterations of a solution will help test your projects in the real world, and move you towards the finish line.* ## Takeaways Becoming a better Completer-Finisher is about more than just attention to detail; it’s about balancing perfection with practicality, managing your time effectively, and maintaining your mental well-being. By incorporating some of these strategies into your daily routine, you can improve your ability to ‘close out’ and deliver high-quality work consistently. The Completer-Finisher is a vital role in any team, and by mastering these skills, you not only enhance your own performance but also contribute significantly to the success of any project you’re involved in. You can start today - review your current tasks, implement these strategies, and watch as your projects move to the finish line. ### The Invisible Doctrine by George Monbiot & Peter Hutchison URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-the-invisible-doctrine-by-george-monbiot-and-peter-hutchinson/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:45:28.000Z *I carried this book around for three weeks, on holiday in Spain and then working in Austin for a week. I suspect the authors would not look too kindly on my airmiles combined with my work for a tech company. However, in the spirit of sharpening my saw, I read this as a way to educate myself and understand the origins and impacts of Neoliberalism.* The Invisible Doctrine examines the secretive and insidious rise of neoliberalism and its influence on global politics, economics, and society. The book traces the ideology's origins to the 1930s, where it began as a fringe philosophy that celebrated competition as the essential driver of human progress. Over the decades, this philosophy was co-opted by wealthy elites and promoted by think tanks, media, and political figures to reshape societies, turning citizens into consumers and placing corporate power above democracy. There are some extensive explanations of how we can all be manipulated and gaslit by those in real power, many of the ‘dots connected’ were eye opening. . Monbiot and Hutchison argue that neoliberalism, often presented as natural and inevitable, has exacerbated many of the crises we face today, from environmental degradation to economic inequality and the rise of authoritarianism. They connect the dots between the deregulation of corporations, the erosion of public services, and the increase in climate disasters, showing how these issues are deeply intertwined under neoliberal policies. The book finishes with a challenge to neoliberalism by proposing an alternative vision rooted in participatory democracy, mutual cooperation, and sustainability. It calls for a shift toward “private sufficiency, public luxury,” where individuals' basic needs are met, and shared resources are elevated to create a more just society. Ultimately, The Invisible Doctrine serves as both an expose of the destructive impact of neoliberalism and a rallying cry for systemic change. I enjoyed the book, learning about Neoliberalism, but also provoking some questions about my world views and how I understand what is happening in our society. Often, I find Monbiot a bit ‘hectoring’ in his journalism, and while this is clearly a one-sided book, I did enjoy the way the arguments were put forward. I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to challenge themselves and learn more about the economic/political structures which we live in. ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Business Communications 4 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-business-communications-4/ Last updated: 2024-09-19T04:45:59.000Z 1. Provide clear, actionable steps. 2. Maintain a positive attitude. 3. Listen to understand fully. 4. Use silence effectively. 5. Address misunderstandings immediately. 6. Share information transparently. 7. Keep conversations goal-oriented. 8. Acknowledge others' contributions. 9. Stay organised in communication. 10. Use humour appropriately. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 #205 - Clarity affords Focus URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/205-clarity-affords-focus/ Last updated: 2024-09-16T04:02:04.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you increase your skills for dealing with the unknown. [How you deal with ambiguity at work](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/silicon-psyche/202408/ambiguity-at-work-how-your-approach-shapes-your-success?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) can be a key to your success, and it is one of the top competencies [that companies interview for.](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/dealing-with-ambiguity-interview-questions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff:* [*Ten more ways to deal with ambiguity at work.*](https://ronmci.medium.com/ten-ways-to-deal-with-ambiguity-at-work-0a8d4e695423?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Free**. [Another ten free sites that you should be bookmarking.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/another-10-free-websites-that-everyone-should-bookmark-2/) Part five of [my quest to find you the best tools that you don’t have to shell out for!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) **Goals**. [The ABC Goal system.](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-abc-goal-system?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An excellent framework for setting goals that adapt with your success. This system can be applied to both work and personal goals and is simple to implement. **Remote**. [A code of conduct for working remotely](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7230211743208148993/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I really like this, after a week of travelling for work I’ve seen plenty of people in [airport lounges](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford/post/C%5F4AGUZMuMS?xmt=AQGzVW8DODCy6ueloOWOsY2Xthekpg2EHUGSqttPF1YjJQ&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and coffee shops, and a few rules wouldn’t go amiss. *Bonus Stuff.* [*Why written communication is so important when working remotely.*](https://www.forbes.com/sites/miriamgrobman/2021/04/05/why-written-communication-is-important-when-working-remotely-and-other-productivity-hacks-from-the-best-remote-first-startups/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Pivot**. [When is the right time to make a career pivot?](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/your-awesome-career/202408/when-is-the-time-to-make-a-career-pivot?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Knowing *when* is as important as knowing *what* change you will make. *Bonus Stuff. It is never too late.* [*This five minute scene has stuck with me.*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7D8THR%5FosU&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Email**. [How to write an email with military precision.](https://hbr.org/2016/11/how-to-write-email-with-military-precision?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) There is a lot to like about the techniques that the US military employs to write very precise communications. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a time you overcame a fear and what you learned about yourself. [From my prompts for Self-Understanding.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![white and black no smoking sign](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1614638485257-7efdbb2f9495?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGJvdW5kYXJpZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzI2NDIxNTA3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Erin Larson](https://unsplash.com/@erinlarsonphotography?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Boundaries.** [How to say no, and stay happy.](https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/how-to-say-no/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This subject comes up a lot ([#114](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-114/) and [#160](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-160/)), and yet people still struggle to set the boundaries they need. Gretchen Rubin has some great practical advice. **Generous**. I featured a list like this a while ago, and it remains one of my most clicked links. [Fifty ways to be generous.](https://www.youcangetitdone.com/post/50-ways?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) If you can’t be generous today, how about [forty ways to be randomly kind?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/embracing-the-ripple-effect-50-heartwarming-acts-of-kindness/) **Advice**. [Thirty-two pieces of unsolicited advice.](https://meghanpalmer.substack.com/p/edition-173-thirty-two-pieces-of) #14, #19 and on behalf of my wife #28 are the ones that resonate with me. **Rest**. [Why great sleep is the ally of creativity.](https://nesslabs.com/sleep-creativity-cycle?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A reminder of why sleep is so important to your well being AND your career. [Here are my top tips for hacking your sleep hygiene.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) **Politics**. I don’t touch politics at all. However these [five ways to take care of your mental health](https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/07/18/nx-s1-5041980/politics-election-anxiety-mental-health-tips?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) feel like common sense in current news cycles. **Finally.** Moviely. Another interesting [daily game where you need to guess your way to a movie](https://www.moviely.app/daily/movie?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) based on data points from iMDB. Start with any movie, and it’ll help you get closer with clues. *Tip - start with something from the mid-Nineties and made in the US - that’ll help. As I wrote this, it took me six guesses to get to John Wick.* 🎵 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/2024/09/image.jpeg) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is the new album from Irish musician and videographer - Myles O’Reilly. Music from the Threshold is a gentle, electronic album made mainly on one synthesiser whilst Myles travelled the West Coast of Ireland. This is beautiful ambient music that lends itself well to relaxing with a book as autumn starts to appear on the horizon. I think this one is beautiful, and a highly recommend. [Listen to Myles O’Reilly - Music from the Threshold here](https://open.spotify.com/album/220ScVpGMQZSMJoxtpcKxI?si=gg0%5FUgtDTAGGNH6FrMyrOg&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/2024/09/Newsletter-Quote-pics-1.png) ### Another 10 free Websites that everyone should Bookmark URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/another-10-free-websites-that-everyone-should-bookmark-2/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T11:43:50.000Z Nobody should have to pay big money for useful tools. Here are another ten sites I recommend you save. [Click here for more free tools](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) - [Deepfind](https://www.deepfind.co/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Privacy first, AI powered search engine. Some promising technology. - [Current Time UTC](https://currenttimeutc.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- A superfast way to tell the current base time, and then set meetings across timezones. - [Photopea](https://www.photopea.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Free, in the browser photo editing with some advanced features. Very useful. - [Global Grey e-books](https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/index.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- nothing but free e-books, a growing list of publications. - [Netflix Codes](https://www.netflix-codes.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- An easy way to find all of the hidden categories on Netflix. - [Bookmarkish](https://bookmarkish.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Excellent tool for saving bookmarks, with email reminders once per week to review some of the things you save! - [Onelook](https://www.onelook.com/thesaurus/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Powerful thesaurus and word-finding tools. - [WeplayDOSgames](https://weplaydos.games/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- wonderful memories of the games we used to play, all now available in your browser for free! - [Landsat](https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/apps/YourNameInLandsat-main/index.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Spell your name in geographical features captured from satellite. Silly but fun. - [Public Work](https://public.work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Explore 100,000+ copyright-free images from The MET, New York Public Library, and other sources ### TWIL #37 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-37/ Last updated: 2024-09-15T04:09:48.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week, I learned that there are 3142 counties in the United States of America. Unsurprisingly, 31 states have a Washington County. I've always been curious about how and why counties are named when I visit the US, so this page has all the information! *(Written whilst in Travis County - which only appears once in the big list, in Texas)* [USA CountiesInformation and maps of counties grouped by states![](https://gavinr.com/images/apple-touch-icon.png)](https://gavinr.com/usa-counties/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Business Communications 3 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-business-communications-3/ Last updated: 2024-09-10T04:42:15.000Z 1. Use appropriate body language. 2. Be mindful of tone. 3. Provide regular status updates. 4. Foster a collaborative environment. 5. Communicate [goals](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) and objectives. 6. Avoid interrupting others speaking. 7. Keep messages audience-focused. 8. Use storytelling to engage. 9. Practice cultural sensitivity always. 10. Encourage questions and [feedback.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 #204 - Shake it Off! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/204-shake-it-off/ Last updated: 2024-09-09T04:23:17.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you power up your teamwork by [understanding the Belbin Team Model.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/understanding-the-belbin-team-model-and-identifying-the-types-in-your-team/) This is a superb framework to think about the roles being played in your team and how to identify and leverage their strengths. **Management.** [Six things a great manager never does.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2024/08/17/6-things-a-great-manager-never-does/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) We’ve all met a #2 and a #6, here are the key traits you need to avoid to be a great manager. **Resumes**. [How resumes have shifted over five years.](https://www.fastcompany.com/91169318/resumes-more-pages-sections-5-years-ago?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It doesn’t take long for your resume to go out of date, this article explains what has changed. *I schedule time every quarter to look at mine, but I don’t change the format that often. Maybe it’s time to schedule a deep review of your CV.* **Survival**. [Five practical ways to escape survival mode](https://bigthink.com/business/5-ways-to-escape-survival-mode-and-reduce-stress-at-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and reduce stress at work. All of these are proven and recommended, but I’m a big fan of #2\. *When I feel a pang of anxiety or stress, I often find myself pacing. Now, I turn that into a five-minute walk.* **Productivity.** What time of the day do you do your best work? [Here’s a great way to find out.](https://www.getharvest.com/blog/biological-prime-time?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Strategy**. [How to navigate a world of uncertainty. ](https://longform.asmartbear.com/predict-the-future/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)When things are unpredictable, your strategy can get left behind. This article outlines some actions you can take to protect your plans. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How does your work or career align with your personal values and goals? [From my prompts for Self-Understanding.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) ****Bonus Stuff.** [Try my 30 day Journalling Challenge](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/). ![brown dried leaves on sand](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1507652955-f3dcef5a3be5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIwfHxzZWxmY2FyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MjU2OTIyMjd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [sydney Rae](https://unsplash.com/@srz?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Tricks**. [100 tiny tricks to make life better.](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/sep/03/sort-out-your-life-100-tiny-tricks-to-help-with-everything-from-digital-overwhelm-to-lumpy-sugar-and-unpaid-bills?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love this article and the way that it works on the [Law of Marginal Gains](https://jamesclear.com/marginal-gains?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to make life better. #2, #42 and #61 are all excellent advice to get started with. **Selfcare.** [75 little things you can do for yourself as an act of self care.](https://mailchi.mp/ladyswagger/75-nice-little-things-to-do-for-yourself?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I can personally recommend #19, #73 and #38 as things that make an impact on me. *Bonus Stuff: This* [*reddit thread of self-care routines*](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/ug1ob9/what%5Fare%5Fyour%5Fself%5Fcare%5Fgoals%5Fand%5Fdaily%5Fself%5Fcare/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *throws up some other useful ideas.* **Morning.** I’ve been working on my morning routine, getting up at the same time, finding daylight and fresh air early. [Here’s what creative people do in the first hour of the day.](https://creativemarket.com/blog/successful-creatives-morning-routine?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Shake it Off**. [Six ways to shake off the work day.](https://www.self.com/story/how-to-destress-after-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Excellent techniques for transition rituals to mark the end of the working day. *For the last 8 weeks, I’ve been experimenting with #6 here, using a podcast to decompress before the evening.* **Books**. [Five ways to conquer a reading slump.](https://www.realsimple.com/how-to-get-back-into-books-after-reading-slump-8682823?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some excellent practical advice to get you back into reading. *Bonus Stuff:* [*114 books reviewed in (about) one paragraph*](https://markmanson.net/114-books-reviewed-in-one-paragraph?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *\- Mark Manson has us covered with some concise reviews.* **Finally**. Do you remember having to defragment your hard drive? Even if it didn’t solve the problem, it was a great step to fixing your IT issues. [Now you can play the defrag game.](https://defrag-game.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A very silly 5 minutes! 🎵 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/2024/09/image.png) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is 'This Could be Texas' by English Teacher who won the [2024 Mercury Prize](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury%5FPrize?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as I was putting together this week's letter. English Teacher are from Leeds, and it's the first time that the prestigious prize has been won by a band based outside the capital. It's a terrific album, full of energy and sass - I really like the track R&B which I included on my [2024 highs playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=9cd911cfc03446ff&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The rest of the award winning album is highly recommended. [Listen to English Teacher - This could be Texas](https://open.spotify.com/album/4gd3XcQ7dR37m8GimBfiYT?si=Q%5FhmSZfYSXqjtxobI26ktA&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/2024/09/Stuff-204-1.png) ### TWIL #36 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-36/ Last updated: 2024-09-08T04:54:22.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week, I learned about the science behind decaffeinated coffee. I finish most days with a decaf, so it's good to know how it gets made. [Retaining flavor while removing caffeine − a chemist explains the chemistry behind decaf coffeeEven unstimulating coffee has stimulating chemistry.![](https://cdn.theconversation.com/static/tc/@theconversation/ui/dist/esm/logos/web-app-logo-192x192-2d05bdd6de6328146de80245d4685946.png)The ConversationMichael W. Crowder![](https://images.theconversation.com/files/602926/original/file-20240625-17-dvtep.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&rect=47%2C875%2C5267%2C2633&q=45&auto=format&w=1356&h=668&fit=crop)](https://theconversation.com/retaining-flavor-while-removing-caffeine-a-chemist-explains-the-chemistry-behind-decaf-coffee-233196?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Understanding the Belbin Team Model and Identifying the Types in Your Team URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/understanding-the-belbin-team-model-and-identifying-the-types-in-your-team/ Last updated: 2024-09-06T18:26:40.000Z *Through my career, I’ve probably been in 50+ teams and served upwards of 25 groups as a manager. I’m a keen observer of how teams form and take on individual roles. This has allowed me to coach and recruit for obvious gaps.* In a successful team, each member plays a unique and essential role. Understanding these roles can be the difference between a group (or project) that flourishes and one that flounders. This is where a model like the [Belbin](https://www.belbin.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Team Model comes in. It's a framework developed by [Dr Meredith Belbin](https://www.belbin.com/about/dr-meredith-belbin?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to help teams identify and leverage their strengths. The Belbin Team Model identifies nine distinct roles that people naturally assume in a team setting. Each role has its own strengths and blindspots, and understanding these can help build a more cohesive, effective team. Sometimes people perform multiple roles, and switch between them based on circumstances. At other times, not **all** of the roles are present, and knowing this is a good step to managing gaps in your team. In this blog post, I’ll explore these nine roles, how to identify them in yourself and others, and why they matter. ## The Nine Belbin Team Roles 1. **Plant (PL)** - **Strengths:** Creative, imaginative, and innovative, Plants are the idea generators of the team. They are excellent at thinking outside the box and coming up with unique solutions to problems. - **Blindspots:** Plants may struggle with practicalities and can be overly focused on their ideas, sometimes neglecting details or the opinions of others. - **How to Identify:** Look for someone who consistently offers new ideas or approaches and isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo. They might be the person who thrives on brainstorming sessions and enjoys solving complex problems. 1. **Resource Investigator (RI)** - **Strengths:** Outgoing, enthusiastic, and communicative, Resource Investigators are the networkers of the team. They are skilled at making connections, finding new opportunities, and bringing external ideas to the table. - **Blindspots:** They can lose enthusiasm quickly and might struggle to follow through on ideas without external motivation. - **How to Identify:** Spot the person who is always networking, bringing in new contacts, and finding resources. They are often the first to know about new trends or opportunities. 1. **Coordinator (CO)** - **Strengths:** Mature, confident, and good at delegating tasks, Coordinators are the team’s organisers. They are skilled at understanding team dynamics and ensuring that everyone’s strengths are utilised. - **Blindspots:** They can be seen as manipulative or may over-delegate, sometimes relying too heavily on others to get things done. - **How to Identify:** Recognise the person who naturally takes charge, ensuring everyone knows their role and is working towards a common goal. They are often good at mediating discussions and keeping the team focused. 1. **Shaper (SH)** - **Strengths:** Challenging, dynamic, and driven, Shapers are the people who push the team forward. They thrive on pressure and are excellent at overcoming obstacles. - **Blindspots:** They can be prone to provocation, and their drive might lead to conflict if not managed carefully. - **How to Identify:** Find the individual who is always pushing for progress, setting deadlines, and motivating others to keep moving forward, especially when the going gets tough. 1. **Monitor Evaluator (ME)** - **Strengths:** Sober, strategic, and discerning, Monitor Evaluators are the critical thinkers of the team. They are excellent at analysing options and making informed decisions. - **Blindspots:** They can be overly critical or lack enthusiasm, which might dampen the team’s morale. - **How to Identify:** Seek out the person who often steps back to analyse a situation before acting, providing well-considered opinions and ensuring that decisions are made with all the facts in mind. 1. **Teamworker (TW)** - **Strengths:** Cooperative, diplomatic, and perceptive, Teamworkers are the glue that holds the team together. They are skilled at smoothing over conflicts and ensuring everyone feels included. - **Blindspots:** They may avoid confrontation and struggle to make tough decisions when needed. - **How to Identify:** Look for the person who is always checking in on others, facilitating communication, and working behind the scenes to maintain harmony in the group. 1. **Implementer (IMP)** - **Strengths:** Practical, reliable, and efficient, Implementers are the organisers who turn ideas into action. They excel at creating and following through on plans. - **Blindspots:** They can be inflexible or resistant to change, often preferring to stick with tried-and-tested methods. - **How to Identify:** Find the person who is always focused on execution, ensuring that tasks are completed on time and according to plan. They are often methodical and detail-oriented. 1. **Completer-Finisher (CF)** - **Strengths:** Conscientious, diligent, and detail-oriented, Completer-Finishers ensure that every task is completed to the highest standard. They are excellent at spotting errors and refining the final product. - **Blindspots:** They can be perfectionists, which may lead to stress or a reluctance to delegate. - **How to Identify:** Look for the person who takes pride in delivering polished work, double-checks everything, and often stays late to ensure everything is just right. 1. **Specialist (SP)** - **Strengths:** Dedicated, focused, and knowledgeable, Specialists are the experts in their field. They bring in-depth knowledge and skills that are crucial for the team’s success in specific areas. - **Blindspots:** They can be too focused on their area of expertise and may struggle to see the bigger picture or work outside their comfort zone. - **How to Identify:** Observe the person who is deeply passionate about a specific subject, often seen as the go-to expert for anything related to their field of knowledge. ### How to Identify Team Roles Identifying the different roles within your team starts with observation and communication. Here are a few strategies to help you recognise each role: 1. **Observe Team Dynamics:** Pay attention to how people behave in meetings and during collaborative tasks. 1. Who takes the lead? 2. Who offers new ideas? 3. Who ensures that tasks are completed? 2. **Ask for Feedback:** Encourage team members to share their perceptions of their own strengths and the strengths they see in others. [Self-assessment tools ](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1f9JNf8Wjv43JGdFp2rcho54yR6v-jh-%5FCWWs40%5FzV4I/copy?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)based on the Belbin model can also be useful here. 3. **Trial and Error:** Sometimes the best way to identify roles is to assign different tasks and see how team members respond. Over time, you’ll begin to see patterns in behaviour that align with the Belbin roles. 4. **Use Belbin’s Assessment Tools:** Belbin provides a range of assessment tools that can help teams identify their roles more formally. These tools offer insights based on self-perception and observer feedback, helping teams build a balanced skill set. ### Why the Belbin Model Matters Understanding the Belbin Team Model is not just about labelling people, it’s about leveraging their strengths to build a more effective team. By recognising the different roles and ensuring that most or all are represented, you can enhance communication, reduce conflict, and improve overall team performance. By recognising gaps in the team, you can work on strategies to mitigate. > I often use the Belbin model when examining a group performance and seeing if there is an obvious gap, or overplayed strength so that I can manage accordingly. In a collaborative environment, no single person can do it all. The Belbin model reminds us that diversity in skills and perspectives is a strength, not a weakness. By fostering this diversity, you create a team that is greater than the sum of its parts. ## Key Takeaways - The Belbin Team Model offers a valuable framework for understanding the different roles that individuals play in a team. - By identifying these roles in yourself and others, you can create a more balanced, effective team where everyone’s strengths are utilised, and potential weaknesses are mitigated. - Start by observing your team’s dynamics, using feedback tools, and encouraging open communication. - As you become more familiar with the roles, you’ll be better equipped to assign tasks, manage projects, and lead your team to success. ### Microstuff: Business Communications 2 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-business-communications-2/ Last updated: 2024-09-05T04:36:31.000Z 1. Prepare thoroughly before meetings. 2. [Stay open to feedback.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) 3. Follow up on discussions. 4. Use visuals to explain. 5. Keep emails brief, focused. 6. Practice empathy in communication. 7. Address conflicts directly, calmly. 8. [Practice active, respectful listening.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) 9. Clarify roles and expectations. 10. Summarise key points clearly. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Wellbeing 3 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-wellbeing-3/ Last updated: 2024-09-03T04:50:44.000Z 1. Practice self-compassion. 2. Avoid negative self-talk. 3. Seek professional help if needed. 4. Spend time outdoors. 5. Limit caffeine intake. 6. Try yoga or pilates. 7. Maintain work-life balance. 8. Take short breaks. 9. Plan enjoyable activities. 10. Practise positive affirmations. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 #203 - Here to get lucky URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/203-here-to-get-lucky/ Last updated: 2024-09-02T04:17:54.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you level up your communication skills with [six signs that your passive communication is holding you back.](https://www.wellandgood.com/passive-communication/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) We’re all guilty of being passive sometimes, these are some great suggestions of what to do about it. I also have you covered with [eight polite ways to stop people interrupting you.](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/stop-people-interrupting/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff:* [*A Business Communication 10.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-business-communications/) **Boundaries**. [The right to ignore your boss.](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australian-employees-now-have-right-ignore-work-emails-calls-after-hours-2024-08-25/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Australian workers now have a legal right to disconnect when they are not at work. You can make these boundaries work for you now, without the law. *Bonus Stuff.* [*The guide to better boundaries.*](https://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-better-boundaries/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Slow**. [How slow productivity can help avoid burnout AND improve the quality of work.](https://lifehacker.com/work/what-is-slow-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some great practical suggestions to help you get started with a slower pace. *Bonus Stuff: For the detail behind this, read my book notes from* [*Slow Productivity by Cal Newport.*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-slow-productivity-by-cal-newport/) **Confidence.** [Six ways to build your confidence. ](https://www.self.com/story/how-to-build-confidence?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)Excellent, non-cheesy ways to build your self-confidence. *I’m a big believer in #3, give yourself some grace.* **Principles**. [The basic principles of productivity](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/principles-endure-formulas-dont/5/8/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) will outlive any of the formulas and systems. *Bonus Stuff: This* [*list of tips for time management*](https://www.getharvest.com/resources/time-management-skills?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *will always be evergreen.* **Remote**. [How the most successful remote workers structure their day.](https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/work-from-home-habits/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Always great to get a reminder that we still have room to optimise our days when we are working remotely. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Write about a time when you felt really inspired. [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/) ![close-up photography of person holding green leaf plant](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1507667895043-c4de59dda180?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fGx1Y2t8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzI1MTg0Nzc1fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Amy Reed](https://unsplash.com/@amybethreed?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Luck**. [How luck can improve your work life.](https://bigthink.com/business/how-the-4-types-of-luck-can-enrich-your-work-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) You can’t control luck, but understanding how luck works might help you increase the chances of success that come your way. **Writing**. I started this newsletter as a way to improve my writing and handle anxiety. Nesslabs explains the [science backed benefits of writing](https://nesslabs.com/science-based-benefits-writing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I have benefited from all four of the reasons in that article. If you want to get started, how about [my 100% free 28 day journalling course](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journalling/) to help you on your way. **Dumb**. [Why stupid questions can be the key to innovation](https://nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/dumb-questions-key-innovation/18023/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). This is a few years old, but still really timely advice for anyone struggling with innovation. **Declutter**. [The ultimate decluttering checklist.](https://tidymalism.com/declutter-your-life-checklist/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like the way that Tidymalism works through each area of life to help you declutter, includes an amazing downloadable PDF to get you started. **Words**. [What’s the most beautiful word?](https://www.cellar-door.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This one is simple, you are presented with two words and you just need to choose which one you like the most. Currently winning: rut (?!) **Finally**. [Monica will roast you.](https://roast.monica.im/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Get GPT to roast your social accounts, and give you an up-to-date horoscope and potentially a Myers-Briggs readout. Lots of fun, no guarantee it won’t hurt your feelings. 🎵 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/2024/09/IMG_3666-3.jpeg) A garage door in Valencia (Matt Rutherford) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is [edition #28](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vCj6OyxNI54CB55dsD1lC?si=79d41be388984a97&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) of my [monthly mixtape](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/). This is a collection of tracks that have been in and around my ears during August 2024. From neo-classical beauty, to Canadian indie-rock. From nightclub bangers to crisp electronica - this is the mixtape that defies genre and focuses on eclectic tunes to expand your mind. Give it a listen, and explore some new music... [Listen to Stuff #28 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vCj6OyxNI54CB55dsD1lC?si=e9e7aecbede64982&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/2024/09/Stuff-203-1.png) ### #28 - August 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/28-august-2024/ Last updated: 2024-09-01T09:40:36.000Z Stuff Mixtape #28 is another collection of random tunes that were in my ears during August 2024\. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Feel - Sega Bodega, Isamaya Ffrench |** Stumbled across this great album of heavily vocoded cover versions, I love this take on Robbie Williams' classic. - **Dead from the Waist Down - Julia Jacklin |** Another cover version from this Australian singer-songwriter. - **Would You? - Holly Throsby & Bonnie Prince Billy |** Stand out track from the Holly Thorsby album, with the lovely Prince Billy vocals. - **Lost in the Plot (Acoustic) - The Dears |** One of my all-time favourite bands and consistently under rated. The Dears are back with an acoustic version of their 2003 banger. - **Atlas, Eyes - Illumine/Will Samson |** Beautiful ambient guitar and fragile vocals, a moment of tranquility in a busy month. - **Deux Paradis - Domenique Dumont |** Mysterious French (?) vocals and instrumentation from the Leaf Label. - **Don't get me started - The Smile** | From a forthcoming album (two in a year!), the Radiohead offspring project is both menacing and delicate at the same time. Beautiful drums. - **Seize the Day - Wax Tailor |** More Frenchness, effortlessly cool and the perfect soundtrack for a hot summer day. Sounding like the Avalanches with a beret. - **Rafters - Antony Szmierek |** From a stuff mixtape favourite, Manchester flavoured rap with a message. I love the image of a single piece of confetti. - **Want you Back - London Soul Exchange |** Perfectly emulating the sound of late 90's funky house music from the UK, fantastic, soaring vocals on this dancefloor banger. - **Daymaxxing - Physical Therapy & Patrick Holland |** Gliding piece of beach house that sounds as good by the pool as on a late-night dancefloor. - **State 20 - Ben Lukas Boysen |** Glacial piece of electronica that seems to fit in so many genres. - **Then be content (Mvt 2) - Erland Cooper |** Stunning piece of classical music, wild and windswept. Taken from an album where the mastertapes were deliberately buried for year to absorb the sound of nature. Yep. - **Crows - Talos (feat Lisa Hannigan) |** Stand out track from an artist we tragically lost in August, Talos leaves a library of amazing music. - **Cuimhne Guilinn - David Murphy |** To take us home, a gentle piece of Irish music. [Listen to Stuff #28 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vCj6OyxNI54CB55dsD1lC?si=db7f992a0a5f48ae&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### TWIL #35 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-35/ Last updated: 2024-09-01T04:06:58.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow they don't quite fit! This week, I learned that scientists have found out where love lives in the brain. Turns out, different love = different places. [Finding love: Study reveals where love lives in the brainWe use the word “love” in a bewildering range of contexts—from sexual adoration to parental love or the love of nature. Now, more comprehensive imaging of the brain may shed light on why we use the same word for such a diverse collection of human experiences.![](https://medicalxpress.com/favicon.ico)Medical XpressScience X![](https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/hires/2024/finding-love-study-rev.jpg)](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-reveals-brain.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Business Communications URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-business-communications/ Last updated: 2024-08-29T10:30:39.000Z 1. Clarify your main message. 2. Be concise and clear. 3. [Use active listening techniques.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) 4. Maintain consistent eye contact. 5. [Provide constructive feedback regularly.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) 6. Avoid jargon and acronyms. 7. Use positive language always. 8. Confirm understanding through questions. 9. Adapt to audience needs. 10. Encourage open, honest dialogue. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Productivity 3 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-productivity-2-copy/ Last updated: 2024-08-27T04:52:13.000Z 1. Practise deep, undistracted work. 2. Set specific time limits. 3. Use detailed checklists daily. 4. [Prioritise high-impact activities firs](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/eisenhower-prioritisation/)t. 5. Reflect on daily achievements. 6. Limit unnecessary meeting times. 7. Wake up early consistently. 8. Visualise task completion successfully. 9. [Clear email inbox frequently](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-email-management-the-4ds-approach/). 10. Celebrate small achievements daily. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 #202 - Get out of bed! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/202-get-out-of-bed/ Last updated: 2024-08-26T04:56:42.000Z ### 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) ### TWIL #34 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-34/ Last updated: 2024-08-25T04:47:21.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit! This week, I learned that the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) looks pretty incredible when viewed from space. [Watch: The Northern Lights seen from spaceA timelapse captured from the International Space Station shows the Moon setting into streams of aurora.![](https://www.bbc.com/bbcx/apple-touch-icon.png)![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/40bd/live/c78c9980-5adc-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/crlrx4zk717o?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Five Steps to great Public Speaking URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-steps-to-great-public-speaking/ Last updated: 2024-08-22T09:10:31.000Z *Recently I was asked to host a leadership Q&A All Hands at work. I don’t LOVE public speaking, but I know how important these sessions are, so I said yes and started preparing.* *I’ve been in the audience for many of these sessions, and I have some colleagues that do this hosting very well. I thought about what worked well for the sessions I had previously enjoyed.* *After the session, I got some feedback that I ‘looked natural’ doing it, and people seemed to think that it went well. So, I thought it might be an idea to write down how I prepare to speak in front of a large group.* I've seen first-hand the impact that effective public speaking can have on an individual's career and personal life. Whether you're presenting to a room full of colleagues or giving a speech at a conference, being able to communicate your ideas clearly and confidently is crucial for success. For many people, public speaking is daunting. You may feel nervous, anxious, or even paralysed by the thought of speaking in front of others. However, with some practice and preparation, anyone can become a great public speaker. Here are my five steps to help you develop your public speaking skills: ### Step 1: Master Your Content The foundation of great public speaking is a deep understanding of your topic. The more familiar you are with your content, the more confident you'll feel when presenting it. Here’s how to get there: - **Research Thoroughly:** Dive deep into your subject. Know the facts, statistics, and stories that support your message. The more you know, the easier it will be to handle questions or unexpected challenges during your speech. - **Simplify Your Message:** Break down complex ideas into simple, digestible parts. Avoid jargon unless it’s absolutely necessary and be sure to define any terms your audience may not understand. - **Create an Outline:** Structure your speech with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Use bullet points to organise your thoughts and ensure your message flows logically. 💡 ***How I did it:** *I spent time looking at the slides that were prepared for the session, reading and understanding the questions that had been submitted for the panel and thinking about my introduction. I wrote an OUTLINE of my talk track but not ALL the words I would use.* **Practical Tip:** Practice explaining your content to a friend who knows nothing about the topic. If they can understand it, your audience will too. ### Step 2: Practice, Practice, Practice Repetition is key to mastering any skill, and public speaking is no different. The more you practise, the more your speech will feel like second nature. Here’s how to practise effectively: - **Rehearse Aloud:** Speak your entire presentation out loud as if you're already in front of an audience. This helps you get comfortable with the sound of your own voice and the rhythm of your speech. - **Use a Mirror or Record Yourself:** Watching yourself in a mirror can help you become aware of your body language. Alternatively, record yourself speaking and then review the recording to identify areas for improvement. - **Simulate the Speaking Environment:** Practice in the space where you'll be presenting, or create a similar environment at home. This can help reduce anxiety on the day of the event. 💡 ***How I did it:** **Once I had my outline, I ran through my talk track in my head and then out loud in a private room at work to make sure the phrasing was correct and I knew where to pause. After a few practices I could put my notes aside and get through without referring to them.* **Practical Tip:** Time yourself during practice to ensure your speech fits within any time limits you’ve been given. ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Step 3: Engage Your Audience A great speech isn’t just about delivering content. It’s also about connecting with your audience. Here are some ways to make that connection: - **Start with a Hook:** Grab your audience's attention from the start with a powerful quote, a surprising statistic, or a compelling story. This sets the tone and piques interest. - **Make Eye Contact:** Don’t just stare at your notes or slides. Look at your audience as you speak. Eye contact creates a personal connection and makes your audience feel involved. - **Ask Questions or Invite Participation:** Engage your audience by asking rhetorical questions or inviting responses. This keeps them active and invested in your speech. 💡 ***How I did it:** *We had pre agreed a soft question / icebreaker to start the session and introduce the Leadership Team. I then worked up an intro that contained a topical news fact that connected with the story. This allowed me to get a small laugh in the first minute that set the tone for what we were doing.* **Practical Tip:** Tailor your content to your audience's interests and needs. The more relevant your message is to them, the more engaged they’ll be. ### Step 4: Control Your Nerves Even seasoned speakers get nervous, but the key is to manage those nerves effectively. Here’s some suggestions: - **Breathe Deeply:** Take deep breaths before and during your speech to calm your nerves. This helps slow your heart rate and keep your mind clear. - **Visualise Success:** Before stepping on stage, visualise yourself delivering a successful presentation. Imagine the audience reacting positively. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence. - **Channel Nervous Energy:** Turn your nervousness into enthusiasm. Use the adrenaline rush to energise your delivery and engage your audience. 💡 ***How I did it:** *I was nervous, but reminded myself that most people in the room were interested in my success. The LT on stage wanted me to host the event well, and the audience were friendly and wanted a good session. Once I had that in mind, it made my time in the room easier. Tactically, I arrived 30 minutes before I was due to speak and spent a little time walking around the room, deciding where I would stand and checking that the clicker worked for slides.* **Practical Tip:** Arrive early to your speaking venue. Familiarize yourself with the space, test any equipment, and take some time to relax before you go on stage. ### Step 5: Reflect and Improve Public speaking is a skill you can continually improve. After each speaking opportunity, take time to reflect on your performance: - **Seek Feedback:** Ask a trusted friend or colleague for constructive feedback. What worked well? What could be improved? Use this feedback to refine your approach for next time. - **Review Your Performance:** If you recorded your speech, watch it back. Note your strengths and areas where you can improve, such as pacing, clarity, or body language. - **Set Goals for Next Time:** Based on your reflection, set specific goals for your next presentation. Whether it’s improving your eye contact or reducing filler words, focus on one or two aspects to work on. 💡 ***How I did it:** **I asked some trusted people for their feedback on what worked, and if there was anything I could improve. I also watched back on a video stream; I didn’t enjoy that - but it was good to see what worked.* **Practical Tip:** Keep a journal of your public speaking experiences. Track your progress and celebrate your improvements, no matter how small. ### Conclusion Great public speaking isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being prepared, authentic, and engaging. By mastering your content, practising and then connecting with your audience, and reflecting on your performance, you can develop the skills needed to be comfortable in a big room. Remember, every great speaker starts as a beginner - with a desire to improve and a commitment to practise. Remind yourself that everyone in the room WANTS you to be successful, it isn't in anyone's interest for you to fail. So, take these steps and add your own, and soon you’ll find yourself thriving in front of an audience. If you have any other suggestions for great public speaking - feel free to leave a comment below. ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Wellbeing 2 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-wellbeing-2/ Last updated: 2024-08-21T04:48:53.000Z 1. Limit screen time. 2. Embrace mindfulness practices. 3. Set boundaries clearly. 4. Laugh often. 5. [Declutter your space.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/digital-detox-your-online-world/) 6. Read for pleasure. 7. Schedule relaxation time. 8. [Listen to music.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/) 9. Engage in hobbies. 10. Volunteer your time. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Radical Candor by Kim Scott URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-review-radical-candor/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:45:48.000Z *In 1985, I had a summer job working in a camera shop.* *I was there for six weeks, and my boss called me ‘Mark’ throughout. As well as his deep and intimate knowledge of me, the shop owner also used to scream loudly across his shop when things weren’t going as he liked. Sometimes the shouting used to take place in his tiny office, with added personal attacks and humiliation.* *My departure at six weeks was my choice, not his.* At the core, Radical Candor is a simple idea: 'Care personally for your colleagues while also challenging them directly.’ This means being open and honest with your feedback but doing so in a way that shows you genuinely care about the person's development and well-being. It sounds simple, but like my old boss, behaviour around feedback is often lacking. > Imagine you're working on a project, and you've just presented your progress to your boss. Instead of just saying "good job" or giving vague criticism, a boss practising Radical Candor might say, "I see you've put a lot of effort into this, and I really appreciate it. However, I believe if you approach this section differently, it could significantly improve the outcome. Let's discuss how we can make it better." This approach not only provides clear, constructive feedback but also reinforces the boss's support and confidence in the employee. If I could go back in time and coach my boss, I’d start with the need to get my name right. Then I’d move on to how you deliver feedback. "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott teaches the art of improving work relationships through caring deeply while being candid. It offers practical advice for managers and employees to foster a culture of direct feedback, mutual respect, and personal growth. I enjoyed Radical Candor, it clearly lays out a way to improve relationships through good feedback dialogue, using common sense principles. I’d recommend this to anyone who struggles to establish those dialogues, and who wishes to improve their feedback skills. [Buy Radical Candor by Kim Scott here (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/3X4hJtZ?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Key Takeaways from Radical Candor ### 1\. The Radical Candor Quadrant Scott introduces a helpful quadrant to understand interactions in the workplace: - **Radical Candor**: Where you want to be - caring personally while challenging directly. - **Obnoxious Aggression**: Challenging directly without caring personally. This approach often comes off as abrasive or uncaring. - **Ruinous Empathy**: Caring personally but failing to challenge directly. This can lead to a lack of clear feedback and hinder growth. - **Manipulative Insincerity**: Neither caring personally nor challenging directly. This is often seen in passive-aggressive behaviour or backhanded compliments. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/08/Stuff-Infographics---Radical-Candor-1.jpg) ### 2\. Building Trust Through Personal Connections You cannot jump into giving harsh/constructive feedback without first setting up a relationship of trust and respect. Scott emphasises getting to know your colleagues on a personal level. Work to try and understand aspirations, their fears, and what motivates them. This doesn’t mean prying into personal lives but rather showing genuine interest and empathy in their well-being. ### 3\. Encourage Feedback About Yourself Radical Candor is a two-way street. Encourage your team to give you feedback as well. This can be daunting, but it's crucial for creating an open, transparent culture where everyone feels valued and heard. By leading by example, you can create an environment where feedback is seen as a tool for growth rather than criticism. ### 4\. Be Clear, Not Mean Being direct does not mean being harsh. The goal is to provide feedback that is both honest and constructive. Avoid personal attacks or vague comments. Instead, focus on specific behaviours that can be improved and offer suggestions on how to do so. ### 5\. Take Action on Feedback Receiving feedback is just the first step. The real growth comes from acting on it. Show your team that you value their input by making changes based on their suggestions. This process encourages a culture of continuous improvement and shows that feedback is taken seriously. ## Implementing Radical Candor Adopting the principles of Radical Candor can transform the dynamics of your relationships at work. *My recommendation is to start small by practising giving and receiving feedback with a mindset of personal care but also with direct challenge.* Over time, this approach will improve work quality but also strengthens relationships within your team. Radical Candor is about mutual growth and understanding. It’s a journey that requires patience, practice, and intention. But the results are worth the effort. [Buy Radical Candor by Kim Scott here (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/3X4hJtZ?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Feedback Examples using Radical Candor ### Example 1: Project Presentation **Before:** "That presentation was really confusing." **After (Radical Candor):** "I appreciate the effort you put into the presentation. To make your points clearer, maybe we can streamline the slides and focus more on the key data. Let’s work on this together." ### Example 2: Meeting Participation **Before:** "You didn't contribute much in the meeting today." **After (Radical Candor):** "I've noticed you were quiet in today’s meeting. I really value your insights and would love to hear more from you. What can we do to make you feel more comfortable sharing your ideas?" ### Example 3: Handling a Deadline **Before:** "You missed the deadline, which is unacceptable." **After (Radical Candor):** "I know you’ve been juggling a lot, and I see your hard work. Missing this deadline, however, puts the team behind. Let’s figure out together how we can help manage your workload better for future projects." Each scenario demonstrates how balancing direct feedback with personal care leads to more effective communication and better relationships at work. [Buy Radical Candor by Kim Scott here (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/3X4hJtZ?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## Asking for feedback with Radical Candor Asking for feedback using the principles of Radical Candor involves being open and receptive while encouraging honesty and directness from others. *In my experience, asking for specific feedback increases the chances of actionable responses. Vague questions like ‘What should I get better at?’ are unlikely to get what you need, here are some examples of specific questions.* ### Example 1: After Completing a Project **Asking for Feedback:** "I just wrapped up the X project and would really appreciate your thoughts on my execution. Could you share your honest feedback on what went well and what I could improve for next time?" ### Example 2: After a Presentation **Asking for Feedback:** "I value your opinion and would love to know how you think my presentation went today. Could you please give me some candid feedback on both my delivery and the content?" ### Example 3: During Performance Reviews **Asking for Feedback:** "As I aim to grow in my role, it’s important for me to understand my areas for improvement. Can you provide specific examples of where you think I could do better and any successes that stood out to you?" ### Example 4: In Regular One-on-One Meetings **Asking for Feedback:** "I’m working to improve my skills and contribute more effectively in my role. Could we discuss areas where you see potential for my development? I’m particularly interested in any critical feedback you might have." ### Example 5: When Learning a New Skill **Asking for Feedback:** "I’ve been working on improving my \[specific skill\], and I would really appreciate your feedback. Do you think I’m on the right track, or are there adjustments you’d suggest?" [Buy Radical Candor by Kim Scott here (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/3X4hJtZ?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 #201 - A bathtub of beer. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/201-a-bathtub-of-beer/ Last updated: 2024-08-19T04:08:41.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you add ANOTHER useful feedback technique to your toolbox. [The COIN method is a superb framework for delivering any kind of feedback](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/more-feedback-mastery-using-the-coin-model/), and can be used to solicit feedback as well. For more feedback mastery, [check out my series.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) **Optimism**. [How to make decisions like an optimist.](https://fortheinterested.com/how-to-make-decisions-like-an-optimist/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Found in the excellent [For the Interested Newsletter](https://fortheinterested.com/subscribe/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) from [Josh Spector.](https://joshspector.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I find something interesting almost every day from Josh in my inbox.* **Free**. [Ten free sites that you should be bookmarking.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/more-free-websites-that-everyone-should-bookmark/) This is part five of [my quest to find you the best tools that you don’t have to shell out for!](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) **Tasks**. [Time to ditch the to-do list, and try the alphabet method instead](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/stop-doing-your-to-do-list-and-try-this-instead/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *A novel and usable approach to scheduling your work.* **WFH**. If you want to be successful when working from home, [separate the work from the home.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/mapping-your-mental-health-journey/202406/keep-work-and-home-separate-when-working-from-home?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A new study shows that the 'better the boundaries, the better the outcomes'. **Success**. Hot on the heels of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, [11 Olympians share their secrets for success.](https://www.wellandgood.com/olympian-success-strategies/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *Bonus Stuff:* [*Here’s what top olympians eat*](https://time.com/6997596/what-olympic-athletes-eat-for-energy/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *(clue - they eat a LOT)* ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Write about a person who makes your life better? [From my prompts for Optimism.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-optimism/) There are [over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![closeup photo of gray chronograph watch](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1508962061361-bcb4d4c477f8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEwfHxzZWNvbmRzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcyMzgxNzQ0NHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Agê Barros](https://unsplash.com/@agebarros?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Five**. [How to change your life in five seconds.](https://www.inc.com/brenda-barbosa/how-to-change-your-life-in-5-seconds-yes-5-seconds.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like this simple strategy to get your thinking OUT of your amygdala and into your upper brain. Genius. *Bonus stuff:* [*Ways to regulate your emotions using meta cognition.*](https://bigthink.com/the-well/use-metacognition-for-emotional-intelligence/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Log Off.** [An argument for logging off.](https://aaronfrancis.com/2024/an-argument-for-logging-off-9a4de45b?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A clever explanation of why closing down your information circle might be good for your wellbeing. I’ve taken a few steps in this area over the last year, and have found a real benefit. **Slow**. [The rise of the slow living movement](https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240724-why-doing-nothing-intentionally-is-good-for-us-the-rise-of-the-slow-living-movement?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Doing nothing intentionally is one of the hardest things to achieve, but there are some real benefits to taking time to be idle. **Stress**. [The ultimate stress relief cheat sheet](https://beautifulvoyager.substack.com/p/stress-relief-cheat-sheet-part-1). Some excellent actionable advice on how to calm down. **Life**. [The Scale of Life. ](https://thescaleoflife.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)This great website shows you both the scale, and the pace of life on earth. If you’ve ever wanted to know the global consumption of seafood, measured in units of Arnold Schwarzenegger, then this is the site. **Finally**. [Factle is a daily trivia game](https://factle.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) where you need to rank the top five in a given category. Simple to play, but frustrating to get right. [There is also a sports version.](https://factle.app/sports?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 Have you tried Flow Stuff? 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/fink-Large.jpeg) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is the outstanding new album from [Fink](https://finkmusic.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), a British singer-songwriter I have tracked since their debut with Biscuits for Breakfast in 2006\. **Beauty In Your Wake** is a great collection of ten downtempo, but uplifting tracks with simple picked guitars across some rich soundscapes. The joy here is in the lyrics, and the gentle structure of the songs. Everything from Fink is highly recommended, and this is an excellent continuation of some great albums. [Listen to Fink - Beauty In Your Wake here](https://open.spotify.com/album/3NLiwJYdhhF59hWVpPj9IF?si=uSw%5FgcxJQ562rL3SAp4aeg&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-201-header-1.png) ### TWIL #33 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-33/ Last updated: 2024-08-18T04:39:57.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit! This week, I learned that someone has built a robot that can solve a jigsaw puzzle 200x faster than the fastest human. Watch it in action at 16m50s - it's incredible! ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### More free Websites that everyone should Bookmark URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/more-free-websites-that-everyone-should-bookmark/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T11:43:29.000Z Nobody should have to pay big money for useful tools. Here are another ten sites I recommend you save. [Click here for more free tools](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) - [Luggage Losers](https://luggagelosers.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- A live ranking of which airlines are most likely to lose your bags. - [Play Scrabble](https://playscrabble.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- free online Scrabble against real opponents. [You'll find me on here.](https://playscrabble.com/user/mattr?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Hotkey Cheatsheet](https://hotkeycheatsheet.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- From Stuff #192 a database of all the hotkeys to speed up your everyday productivity - [BookRadio](https://luggagelosers.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- 20,000 free audio books, with great search & filters to find the right book for you. - [Minute Logo](https://www.minutelogo.com/app?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- free logo designer with some interesting creative options. Great for some ideas before you hire a graphic designer. - [Terms of Service, Didn't Read ](https://tosdr.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- a website that reads those pesky terms and conditions, so that you don't have to. - [Privacy Checker](https://www.experte.com/browser-privacy-check?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Experte will check the information that your browser is leaking. Forewarned is forearmed. - [Ultimate Personality Test](https://programs.clearerthinking.org/personality.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Get your Big Five, Enneagram and Jungian Type (MBTI) in one single test. - [Codingame](https://www.codingame.com/start/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Learn to code by playing a game, an ideal site for building coding skills. - [Artvee](https://artvee.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- massive database of public domain art for download and exploration - [first featured back in Stuff #104.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-104/) ### Microstuff: Productivity 2 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-productivity-2/ Last updated: 2024-08-13T05:48:36.000Z 1. Plan tomorrow each evening. 2. Limit time on social media. 3. [Track progress and milestones.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) 4. Use productivity apps effectively. 5. Stay hydrated throughout the workday. 6. [Review weekly objectives regularly](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/supercharge-your-week/). 7. Establish a consistent routine. 8. Batch similar tasks together. 9. Say no to distractions. 10. Avoid perfectionism; seek progress. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #200 - Another 100! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/200-another-100/ Last updated: 2024-08-12T04:34:51.000Z ## Another Stuff 100 [The first 100 are here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-100/) 1. Pick the most important thing, do it, repeat. 2. Work hard and be nice to people. *Anthony Burrill.* 3. Champion the underdog. 4. [Are you listening](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/), or waiting for your turn to speak? 5. It doesn’t matter how fast you move if it’s in a worthless direction. 6. You don’t need everyone on the planet to see you as highly valuable; you only need enough people who can drive your price up. 7. For one week, try not to use the word ‘but’. See how conversations change. 8. Sometimes all that is required of us is sincerity, honesty, and humility. 9. Seek art everywhere, in every corner of your life. 10. Print some of those pictures off, let them live outside your phone. 11. Most clutter is a result of indecision. *Barry Fralick.* 12. Read what you love until you love to read. 13. In the moment between stimulus and response, there is a space. Choose your response. *Viktor Frankl* 14. For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. *Ralph Waldo Emerson* 15. There’s always a way out. Your job is to balance emotion, reason and logic. 16. Choose not to be harmed and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed and you haven’t been. *Marcus Aurelius* 17. Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realise they were the big things. *Robert Brault* 18. If you don’t schedule a break, your body will take one for you. And it won’t be at a convenient time. 19. Perfection is boring. Getting better is where all the fun is. 20. Perfection is a myth. Make a choice. 21. Perfect and Imagined is not as useful as Good Enough & Done. *That’s a perfect trio.* 22. Not wanting something is as good as having it. 23. Start simple. Build a unit of one solution, then scale. 24. When it hurts, hire or build. 25. Create a playlist of songs that bring you joy. Listen to it whenever you need. [My joy 20 is here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/47qSoHdGMNEHAHkITyn89C?si=d5dbc6474d2d4d0b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 26. Difficulty reveals character. 27. Associate growth with doing. Not reading/watching/listening. 28. Try not to be a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. 29. Work is not a time or a place; it's the thing you do. 30. Five people in a room for an hour isn’t a one hour meeting, it’s a five hour meeting. 31. Be brave enough to suck at something new. 32. The genius is the one most like himself. *Monk* 33. Falling down is an accident, staying down is a choice. 34. Laughter is carbonated holiness. 35. So much of the technology we lose our patience with today would've looked like magic ten years ago. 36. Get on the dance floor at every wedding. No one ever regrets a dance. 37. The best time to do everything was ten years ago. 38. If you are afraid to write it, that’s good. It means it’s closer to the truth. 39. If there is a boat trip, take it. 40. Remember that everyone is most productive when they’re doing what they are good at. [Delegate that way.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/the-art-of-delegation-techniques-to-enhance-effectiveness/) 41. If you find yourself not liking what you’re doing for a long period of time, consider a job change. 42. Success is a lagging indicator. All the hard work was done a long time before the success happened. 43. Social media makes more sense when you view it as a place people go to perform rather than a place to communicate. 44. The most valuable personal finance asset is not needing to impress anyone. 45. You are replaceable, but your unique value can make you irreplaceable. 46. There are two types of successful people: those with imposter syndrome, and sociopaths. 47. If you only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are. *Montesquieu* 48. You don’t have to attend every argument you are invited to. Especially online. 49. More people are defeated by blisters than mountains. 50. Going for a walk won’t solve every problem, but no problem will get worse while you are on a walk. 51. Most of death is already gone. Whatever time has passed is owned by death. 52. Every fourth book you read should be in translation, the next one should be older than you. 53. Backup your files. In the cloud, on an external hard drive, whatever. Just do it. 54. You are over halfway to everywhere, carry on. 55. Get comfortable saying inane things to strangers. If people want to connect, it doesn’t really matter what you say, it’s simply an invitation. 56. Is an old favourite song playing on the radio? Never miss a chance to turn it up and sing along. 57. Sit with yourself for a few minutes a day to declutter your brain. It will reduce stress. 58. If you can’t walk away, then you don’t have the job… the job has you. 59. Stop caffeine by 2pm, see how much it improves your sleep. 60. Get in touch with someone today. [I’ll show you how. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/get-in-touch/) 61. What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while. 62. You don’t have writer’s block. You’re just scared to say what you actually think. 63. Ships fear fire more than water. 64. If you're ever confused about what to do, just do the right thing. 65. Never miss an opportunity to sit on a balcony. Even ten minutes is enough to see something interesting. 66. if there’s something on your mind, write it down and get it out. Maintain full attention on what you’re doing. 67. Ask the ‘dumb’ question. Feeling stupid now is better than feeling stupid later. 68. You decide whether to live in the past or in the future with your every action. 69. If someone brags about their success or happiness, assume it’s half what they claim. If someone downplays their success or happiness, assume it’s double what they claim. 70. The world is full of people who found their calling in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. It is never too late to find yourself. 71. Learn how to give feedback. [Find your framework.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/feedback/) 72. There is never a social situation where Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway or Etta James can’t improve the mood. 73. Never turn down the opportunity to look through a telescope. 74. Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get. *Ingrid Bergman* 75. Plan. Do. Review. Repeat = Kaizen 76. Never miss date night. Plan one today. 77. Always have your Desert Island Discs playlist ready, just in case they call. [Here’s mine.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3t2mzxsBmWZIh1JG1rH6j9?si=a1ebce5f69604d76&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 78. Failure or feedback. You choose. 79. Don’t let politics fill you with either rage or despair. 80. Avoid drama. 81. Never pass up an opportunity to charge your devices. 82. No matter what the weather is outside, always pack something warm for the plane. 83. If it costs you peace, it’s too expensive. 84. There is always more than one path to the top of the mountain. 85. The work that no one sees is the work that matters the most. 86. Dreams don’t come true, decisions do. 87. Alway change your sheets before you go on holiday, your future self will thank you. 88. If you knew how quickly people forget the dead, you would stop living to impress people. 89. Swap the word ‘exercise’ for ‘movement’. 90. If you want to run 5km, start by [touching the treadmill](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/touch-treadmill-john-stepper/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It won’t get you there, but you will have started. 91. What if it works out exactly as you imagined, or greater. Entertain that thought. 92. Protect your peace. Remove yourself from situations that trigger you. 93. Day by Day, what you do is who you become. *Heraclitus*. 94. Motivation *follows* action. 95. Butterflies rest when it rains so it doesn’t damage their wings. You can fly again AFTER the storm. 96. If you blow on a mug of wine in a zoom meeting, it looks just like coffee. 97. One of the best forms of self-care is to give yourself extra time to get somewhere. An extra five or ten minutes helps your nervous system. 98. If you went back in time and fixed all the mistakes you’ve ever made, you would erase yourself. 99. The efforts you make quietly will ultimately shine through in every aspect of your life. 100. Stop scrolling now. [The first 100 are here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-100/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### TWIL #32 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-32/ Last updated: 2024-08-11T04:27:29.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit! This week, I learned that East Germans invented unbreakable glass - and in 2024, it's coming back! [Smashing idea: how East Germany invented ‘unbreakable’ drinking glassesIn the 1980s, a company called Superfest pioneered extra strong glass – but it disappeared with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now it’s making a comeback![](https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-512.png)The GuardianJens Malling![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f22139510d6b629aef1c3cef9cc6f6a3b4ed9365/164_0_3215_1930/master/3215.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=1263507a74179ff85c1d81d49dc1fc7e)](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/article/2024/aug/06/superfest-unbreakable-drinking-glasses-east-germany?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Microstuff: Wellbeing URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-wellbeing/ Last updated: 2024-08-09T16:46:18.000Z 1. [Practise daily gratitude](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/28-day-gratitude-a-challenge/). 2. Meditate every morning. 3. Exercise regularly. 4. Eat balanced meals. 5. Stay hydrated always. 6. [Prioritise quality sleep](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/). 7. Take nature walks. 8. Practise deep breathing. 9. [Journal your thoughts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-stuff30-journaling-challenge/). 10. Connect with friends. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Mastering the STAR model for success in interviews URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-the-star-model-for-success-in-interviews/ Last updated: 2024-08-17T08:32:10.000Z The job market is competitive. If you are trying to stand out in an interview, you need to showcase your experience and skills in a limited time. One effective strategy to ensure you stand out is the STAR model. Using a model like this can help you answer questions, in a structured way and land the job you are after. I'll explore what the STAR model is and why it is beneficial. Then, I'll share how you can prepare for your next interview using this method. ### What is the STAR Model? The STAR model is a structured way of responding to behavioural interview questions. It stands for: - **Situation.** Describe the context within which you performed a task or faced a challenge at work. - **Task.** Explain the actual task or challenge that was involved. - **Action.** Describe the specific actions **you** took to address the task or challenge. - **Result.** Share the outcomes or results of your actions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/08/STAR-Framework.png) ### Why is the STAR Model Beneficial? 1. **Clarity and Organization.** STAR helps you provide clear and concise answers. By breaking down your responses into four components, you can stay focused on the key points. 2. **Showcases Problem-Solving Skills.** Hiring Managers want to see how you handle real-life situations. STAR allows you to show how you solve problems and overcome challenges. 3. **Highlights Achievements.** The Result step helps you to quantify your success, and shows interviewers the impact of your efforts. ### How to Prepare for an Interview Using STAR 1. **Identify Common Questions.** Research common behavioural interview questions for your field. These often start with phrases like "Tell me about a time when..." or "Give an example of...". You will often get advance notice of the competencies being covered in an interview. Using this inside knowledge will help you prepare. 2. **Reflect on Your Experiences.** Think about past jobs, internships, volunteer work, or school projects. Identify situations where you demonstrated key skills like leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. 3. **Structure Your Responses.** For each experience, use the STAR framework to structure your answers. Write them down and practice delivering them out loud. ### Practical Examples of Forming Answers into the STAR Format Let's go through a couple of examples to see how you can use STAR to structure your responses. **Interview Question 1\. Tell me about a time where you had to deal with a difficult customer.** - **Situation.** In my previous role as a sales associate, we had a customer who was unhappy with a product they had purchased. - **Task.** My task was to address the customer’s concerns and find a satisfactory solution to their problem. - **Action.** I listened to the customer’s complaint and apologised for the inconvenience. I then offered a refund or exchange. I was also able to give a discount on their next purchase as a goodwill gesture. - **Result.** The customer left the store satisfied with the resolution. They even wrote a positive review about our excellent customer service. This incident helped improve our store’s reputation and increased customer loyalty. I learned that even when a problem occurs, there can be a positive outcome. **Interview Question 2\. Can you give me an example of a time when you led a project.** - **Situation.** During my time at university, I was the team leader for a group project in a marketing class. - **Task.** Our task was to develop a comprehensive marketing plan for a new product within a tight deadline. - **Action.** I organised regular meetings, delegated tasks based on each member’s strengths. This process and ensured everyone stayed on track. I also facilitated communication between team members and resolved conflicts that arose. - **Result.** Our team successfully completed the project on time. I was pleased our marketing plan received the highest grade in the class. The professor praised our teamwork and presentation skills ### Final Tips - **Practice, Practice, Practice.** The more you practice your STAR responses, the more comfortable you’ll become. Practice will help you deliver them naturally during an interview. - **Be Specific.** Use specific examples and quantify your results where possible. This makes your answers more compelling and credible. - **Stay Positive.** Even if the situation didn’t have a perfect outcome, focus on what you learned and how you grew from the experience. Using the STAR model can transform your interview responses to clear and impactful. By preparing thoughtful STAR responses, you can impress your interviewers. [Find more about interviews here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/interviews/) ### Media Gluttony - July 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-july-2024/ Last updated: 2024-08-07T22:59:49.000Z This summer, movie watching was slow, but there was some excellent TV sprinkled into the media diet. However, we got back into our cinema routine and saw some great (and not so great) movies. Here's a roundup of my media diet in May, June and July 2024: ### May - **Le Chant du Loup | ⭑⭑⭑½** Excellent French thriller set on board a submarine. Great tension, and some good acting. - **The Tattooist of Auschwitz (TV) | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** Harvey Keitel surfaces the difficult memories of serving time in a German camp. - **Quartet | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** Loveable British comedy about a retirement home for classical / opera performers. Great turns from Billy Connolly and Dame Maggie Smith. - **Into the Inferno | ⭑⭑⭑½** Werner Herzog documentary about life on and near volcanoes. - **The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare | ⭑⭑⭑⭑½** I really enjoyed this Second World war romp about the beginning of the secret service. - **Adagio | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** An excellent drama set in Rome featuring bent cops working the angles on a blackmail, using the son of an old gangster as an undercover grass. ### June - **Loudermilk S1-3 (TV) | ⭑⭑⭑½** Watched this on my commute, and really got into it. Dark comedy about a recovering alcoholic, and his circle of dysfunctional friends. - **The Darkest Hour | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** Rewatch of the biopic of Winston Churchill, played excellently by Gary Oldman. - **A Man in Full (TV)| ⭑⭑⭑½** Jeff Daniels stars in this dark comedy about a larger than life Atlanta real estate agent facing bankruptcy. - **Bridgerton s3 (TV) | ⭑⭑⭑½** Third season of this, not as strong as S1/S2 - but an enjoyable journey through the 'ton'. - **Eric (TV) | ⭑⭑** Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent, but this was overlong and slightly too trippy for my liking. Cumberbatch plays Vincent, an alcoholic puppeteer who hunts for his missing son on the streets of 80's New York. ### July - **The Bikeriders | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** Back to the cinema for this excellent period piece about a US biker gang, stars the extraordinary Jodie Comer alongside Austin Butler and Tom Hardy. Superb soundtrack. - **Supacell (TV) | ⭑⭑⭑½** Like Top Boy with superheroes. Directed by Rapman, excellent TV Series set in London. - **The Snowman | ⭑⭑⭑** A bit muddled, a bit disjointed - Scandi-noir murder mystery starring Michael Fassbender. - **The Beast | ⭑⭑⭑½** Slightly odd science fiction movie set in French and English and about a world were AI controls everything, including peoples memories. - **Fly me to the Moon | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** Didn't expect to love this, but really enjoyed it. Loveable rom-com set in and around the US space programme and the first moon landings. Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum do a great job. - **Presumed Innocent (TV) | ⭑⭑⭑** Jake Gyllenhal stars as an accused Chicago Attorney in this 'did he do it?'. The plot is a bit overwrought, and overacted. - **Mr Bigstuff (TV)| ⭑⭑⭑** Sky Comedy starring Danny Dyer, playing Danny Dyer - lots of laughs in the six short episodes. - **The Batman | ⭑⭑⭑½** Rewatch of Robert Pattinson as angst Batman - still an hour longer than it needed to be. - **Kin S2 (TV) | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** Finally caught up with the second season of this violent, gritty gangster series set in and around the streets of Dublin. Phenomenal ending. - **Villain | ⭑⭑⭑½** More gangsters, this time in London as an ex-con gets involved in a family business and the associated gangsters. - **Mrs Harris goes to Paris | ⭑⭑⭑½** Beautiful fun story of a cleaning lady who goes in search of a Haute Couture dress, really joyful acting from Lesley Manville. - **The Wire S1 (TV) | ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑** I never saw this first time around, so I'm starting the process of watching all five seasons of The Wire. So far, so excellent - great writing, excellent plots and not too dated. - **Twisters | ⭑⭑⭑** Nothing will come close to the original but the special effects in this teen flavoured reboot are superb. Previously: [January](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-jan-2024/) | [February](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-february-2024/) | [March](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-march-2024/) | [April](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-april-2024/) ### More feedback tips: Using the COIN model. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/more-feedback-mastery-using-the-coin-model/ Last updated: 2024-08-17T10:40:37.000Z Effective feedback is the currency of personal and professional growth. Whether you are a manager, team member or parent, how you deliver feedback can make a difference. The COIN model is a framework designed to make feedback clear and actionable. Let’s dive into what the COIN model is and how you can implement it for success. *My essential guide to another great feedback technique is here...* [Mastering feedback with the ‘Situation, Behavior, Impact’ model.Giving feedback can be a minefield. An effective way to give feedback with clarity is the “Situation, Behavior, Impact” model.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/size/w256h256/2022/03/favicon.png)Matt Rutherford 👓Matt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/04/SBI-Graphic-2-1.png)](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-feedback-with-the-situation-behavior-impact-model/) ### Understanding the COIN Model The COIN model stands for: - **C**ontext - **O**bservation - **I**mpact - **N**ext Steps Each step of the model plays a crucial role in ensuring that your feedback is well-received. 1. **Context.** Set the scene. Explain the situation where the behavior or action occurred. This provides clarity and relevance. 2. **Observation.** Describe what you specifically observed without interpretation or judgment. Stick to the facts 3. **Impact.** Explain the effect of the observed behavior. How did it affect you, the team, or the project? 4. **Next Steps.** Offer suggestions for improvement or outline the desired behaviour moving forward. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/08/Four-Steps-Tips-Instagram-Story-1.png) ### Actionable Tips for Implementing the COIN Model 1. **Be Specific.** Avoid vague language. Specific feedback helps the recipient understand exactly what to change. 2. **Stay Objective.** Focus on the behaviour, not the person. This reduces defensiveness and promotes openness. 3. **Be Timely.** Give feedback as close to the event as possible. Fresh context leads to better understanding. 4. **Encourage Dialogue.** Invite the recipient to share their perspective. Feedback should be a two-way conversation. 5. **Practice Regularly.** Make feedback a routine part of your interactions. This helps to build a culture of continuous improvement. ### Roleplay Examples Here are five roleplay scenarios to illustrate how to use the COIN model effectively: #### Example 1: Peer-to-Peer Feedback - **Context.** During Last week’s team meeting... - **Observation.** ...you interrupted several colleagues while they were speaking. - **Impact.** This made it difficult for others to share their ideas and slowed our decision-making. - **Next Steps.** I suggest that we try to wait until someone has finished speaking before we jump in. Maybe we can use a signal to indicate we want to add something. #### Example 2: Manager to Employee - **Context.** On the recent project deadline... - **Observation.** ...you submitted your report two days late. - **Impact.** This caused a delay in our overall project timeline and increased stress for the team. - **Next Steps.** In the future, if you foresee any delays, please communicate them in advance. Then we can adjust our plans accordingly. #### Example 3: Teacher to Student - **Context.** During yesterday’s class discussion... - **Observation.** ...you were using your phone during the lesson. - **Impact.** This distracted you from the discussion and impacted your understanding of the material. - **Next Steps.** Going forward,Please keep your phone away during class. This will ensure you’re fully engaged in the learning process. #### Example 4: Parent to Child - **Context.** At dinner... - **Observation.** ...you didn’t clean up your plate after eating. - **Impact**: This left extra work for someone else and slowed down our evening routine. - **Next Steps**: After meals, please remember to take your plate to the sink and rinse it off. #### Example 5: Colleague to Colleague - **Context.** During yesterday’s client presentation... - **Observation**: you provided very detailed explanations that extended the meeting by 20 minutes. - **Impact**: This left less time for the Q&A session and some clients had to leave before they could ask their questions. - **Next Steps.** In future, I suggest keeping your explanations concise. This will allow more time for client interaction. ### Takeaways - The COIN model is a straightforward way to deliver feedback. - By using the COIN model, you can build feedback that is constructive and actionable. - The goal of feedback is not just to critique but to build a pathway to improvement and success. - Implementing the COIN model can transform and improve interactions. ### 👓 Stuff #199 - Credibility and Confidence URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-199-credibility-and-confidence/ Last updated: 2024-08-16T14:08:00.000Z ### The Stuff that MattRs **Monday Motivation.** Let this be the one where you level up your skills as a leader, or a consigliere. [My latest Book Notes are on Richard Hytners classic ‘Consiglieri: Leading from the Shadows’](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-consiglieri-leading-from-the-shadows-by-richard-hytner/) where he explains how to lead from the shadows, and helps you become a better leader from wherever you sit in the organisation. *This is one of my favourite business books, and one that I recommend the most as a way to understand situational leadership in action.* **Decisions**. [How to make great decisions](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/decisionmaking/). I was shown two options at work this week, and a very clear decision-making matrix helped me. [This guide from 37 Signals has more great questions](https://37signals.com/how-we-make-decisions?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to ask yourself when making a key decision. **Friends**. [The seven types of friend that everyone needs.](https://nicenews.com/humanity/friendship-types-everyone-needs/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) As someone with a relatively small social group, I recognise each of these types, and the role that they play. *Bonus Stuff:* [*Simon Sinek explains how to be better friend*](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/one-really-simple-way-you-can-better-friend-plus-how-resolve-unb2e/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*, and how to resolve conflict at work.* **Finish**. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by work? [The Zeigarnik effect is one of the reasons](https://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-zeigarnik-effect/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). There are practical steps you can take,[ including my sure-fire weekly review process.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/supercharge-your-week/) **Visibility**. [How to become more visible at work.](https://hbr.org/2023/08/how-to-become-more-visible-at-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some great advice from HBR. If you need more practical advice on building your brand, [I have you covered.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/featured/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/) **Managers.** [Are you stuck in survival mode?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr9dOf4PBjo&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love this short video explaining some ways out. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How do your physical health and lifestyle influence your mental state? [From my prompts for self-understanding.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) There are [over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![man on running field](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1461896836934-ffe607ba8211?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fHNwb3J0fGVufDB8fHx8MTcyMjc3NDczOHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Braden Collum](https://unsplash.com/@bradencollum?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Olympics**. [What would your best olympic sport be?](https://apnews.com/what-would-your-best-olympic-sport-be-00000190a37adebeaff0fbffeb6e0000?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) My obligatory mid Olympics post. Put in your weight and height, and this little site will figure out what kind of athlete you’d be. *Unsurprisingly, it has me down for the hammer, discus or shot putt.* **Happy.** [Eight things that are more important than happiness.](https://www.truity.com/blog/8-things-are-more-important-feel-happy?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #3 and #4 feel like they have become more important to me as I’ve got older. **Meetings**. Apparently, [we’re spending less time in meetings than we used to.](https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-spending-less-time-in-meetings-productivity-2024-4?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’m not sure my work calendar believes this fact, but I expect moving to a post pandemic world has made a huge difference. **Connections**.[ Inundation, Addiction and Delusion.](https://thedecisionlab.com/insights/business/500-connections-inundation-addiction-and-delusion-in-social-and-professional-networking?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) All those ‘intimate’ friends. [Dunbar’s number](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s%5Fnumber?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is changing, but are all those professional connections useful? Are they even good for you? **Reading**. [Use the blank sheet method](https://fs.blog/blank-sheet-method/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to get the most out of reading a non-fiction book. [This is similar to how I take book notes.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/book/) **Finally**. [Mojie is another excellent daily game.](https://mojiequiz.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) All you need to do is guess the name of three movies, from an emoji description. Super simple, but a lot of fun. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/08/nothing-1.jpeg) 🎧 This week, my musical selection is the latest [Stuff Mixtape, #27 in the series ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/27-july-2024/)which brings together all the tunes that have been heavy rotation recently. From unusual cover versions to dancefloor dynamite. From brand new music from around the world, to some classics you haven't heard for while. Nothing is off limits in my monthly selection. I highly recommend getting this stuff into your ears. [Listen to Stuff Mixtape #27 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/28ohZ2tnfrqGP1oMidHPsF?si=6dbfd7e6bfcf44fa&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/Newsletter-Quote-pics--4-.png) ### Microstuff: Productivity 1 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/microstuff-productivity-1/ Last updated: 2024-08-04T14:34:53.000Z 1. Prioritise your top tasks. 2. Set clear daily goals. 3. Avoid multitasking; stay focused. 4. Use a [timer method](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-focus-with-the-pomodoro-technique/). 5. Break tasks into steps. 6. Schedule focused work blocks. 7. Minimise distractions intentionally. 8. Take regular short breaks. 9. [Delegate tasks](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-art-of-delegation-techniques-to-enhance-effectiveness/) when possible. 10. Organise your work environment. [More Micro Stuff Here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/microstuff/) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly insights to help you and your career. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to make good decisions. Start by building a good toolkit. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/decisionmaking/ Last updated: 2025-03-07T19:14:11.000Z Making good decisions is crucial. Whether you're a leader, manager, or planning your next career move, the ability to make good decisions can determine your success. But what exactly makes a decision "good," and how can you ensure you're making the best choices? I'm exploring three tools that I use to help guide you on the path to better decision-making. ### 1\. Decision Matrix A decision matrix (or prioritisation matrix), is a tool that helps evaluate and prioritise a list of options. I create a table where I list my options as rows and the factors important to my decision as columns. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### TWIL #31 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-31/ Last updated: 2024-08-04T10:32:42.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit! This week, I learned that my habit of sending random pictures to my wife during the day (a coffee, or a sign I saw) stems from a behaviour that penguins have - **pebbling**. I should say, it's a two-way thing - I get them back as well! [Pebbling: A Delightful Dating Trend Inspired by PenguinsThis new dating trend is reconnecting couples—and it’s all thanks to penguins.![](https://www.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/touch-icons/apple-touch-icon.png)Psychology TodayMark Travers Ph.D.![](https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_91_1_1528x800/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-07/a-hand-holding-a-smooth-pebble-4x3.jpg?itok=2pxjAvuW)](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202407/pebbling-a-delightful-dating-trend-inspired-by-penguins?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### #27 - July 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/27-july-2024/ Last updated: 2024-08-02T18:40:32.000Z Stuff Mixtape #27 is another collection of random tunes that were in my ears during July. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Uummati Attanarsimat - Elisapie |** This beautiful Inuktitut cover version was a constant listen in July, stunning. - **O Astronauta de Mármore - Nenhum De Nós |** Continuing on foreign language cover versions, this Bowie cover from Brazil is a cracker. - **Bang Bang - Betty Chung |** Finishing off a fine trio is this Nancy Sinatra cover via Hong Kong. - **Love Me Or Die - C.W. Stoneking |** This was the closing credits of a comedy series I watched, brilliant Australian blues. - **Plateau - Meat Puppets |** I was reminded somehow of the Nirvana cover of this, and I went back to learn about the original. - **Cuidado - Ki! & Charlotte Schultz |** A Danish/Korean producer with an beautifully summery sound that reminded me of Khruangbin. - **AMAMA - Crumb |** New York Psych chillout. - **You Belong to Me - Patsy Cline & The Jordanaires |** The closing credits of ['Fly me to the Moon'](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly%5FMe%5Fto%5Fthe%5FMoon%5F%282024%5Ffilm%29?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), this stuck in my head for days after seeing the movie. - **I'll Never Learn - The Shangri-Las |** Played over a funeral scene in [the Bikeriders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FBikeriders?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), I didn't really know this track but a great listen. - **Grin - BAYNK |** Beautifully produced and sung, reminded me of Cigarettes after Sex or Rhye. - **Black Water - Emilíana Torrini |** I love this voice, and the latest album is stunner. Particularly enjoy the spoken word on this track. - **Aline - Jarvis Cocker |** Jarvis covering 1960's French singer Christophe. - **Pia Dance - Yin Yin |** Indonesian style funk via the Netherlands. Unmissable. - **Slinky - Molly Lewis |** There is not enough whistling in music today, but Molly Lewis is bringing it back, especially on this dreamy, drifty tune that makes me think of sunny beaches. - **Destiny - Joe Goddard & Findia |** The new album from Goddard has been on heavy repeat here, and this track could be my favourite - uplifting and anthemic, with great vocals. - **Gem Lingo (ovr now) - Overmono, Ruthven |** A dancefloor BEAST of a tune, with an insane bassline. The sound of dancefloors everywhere. - **All You Children - Jamie xx & Avalanches |** New album on the way, and this beaut of a track is a gift. Love it. - **Balloon Ranger (Live) - Ane Brun |** One of my favourite Scandi singers, this live version of her anthem from 2004 is fantastic. - **Together - Nine Inch Nails |** S3E1 of the Bear used this track to great effect, and it sends us home from Stuff 27 [Listen to Stuff #27 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/28ohZ2tnfrqGP1oMidHPsF?si=f3ff75be337948ce&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Follow my mixtapes, and get some great advice along the way... Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Consiglieri, Leading from the Shadows by Richard Hytner URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-consiglieri-leading-from-the-shadows-by-richard-hytner/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T11:46:04.000Z *Note - these are my notes, based on passages & themes that resonated with me. They are not intended as a comprehensive summary.* [Amazon Affiliate link to this book.](https://amzn.to/3A4PIJR?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Hytner knows what he’s talking about. He's been a top executive and consultant, and has seen firsthand how leadership teams work, as well as what makes a good advisor. Instead of focusing on the usual CEOs or presidents, the book looks at the key people *just* behind them. These are the advisors, deputies, and counsels who help leaders make smart choices and keep things running smoothly. Hytner explains that being a leader isn't about one person at the top doing everything alone. It's actually about a whole team, especially those who support and advise the leader. This support helps a leader make good decisions, deal with complex challenges, and keep teams focused. The book shares examples to show how these behind-the-scenes players are key to a leader’s success. They are the ones leaders trust, often handling sensitive information & situations. Only then giving advice that needs to be just right. They are the backbone that keeps the leadership stable and effective. Hytner also gives **actionable advice** to anyone who wants to be good at these supporting roles. He talks about the skills needed, like emotional intelligence. This is crucial because it helps consiglieri communicate well and influence others. Besides being good with people, consiglieri also need to **think strategically**. They must **manage relationships**, give the right advice, and even handle crises calmly. They help plan the big moves the organisation needs to make. And they ensure everything aligned, from resources to timing. Hytner also discusses the challenges that come with being a consigliere, including dealing with **power dynamics**, staying **authentic**, and handling **tough ethical questions**. "Consiglieri: Leading from the Shadows" is more than a book about how to support a leader. It shines a light on the critical roles that make strong leadership possible. For anyone interested in or currently in a leadership role, this book is a valuable guide to being effective and respected. ## Actionable Insights: - **Embrace Your Role.** Understand and embrace the influence and responsibility that comes with being a consigliere. This role is crucial in shaping decisions and strategies from behind the scenes. - **Develop Emotional Intelligence.** To support and sometimes challenge a primary leader, a consigliere needs high emotional intelligence. Understanding your (and others) emotions is critical to manage interactions smoothly. - **Master the Art of Advice.** Giving advice that can be readily accepted and implemented is an art. It requires tact, timing, and transparency. - **Build Trust**. Trust is the foundation of the consiglieri/leader relationship. Consiglieri must build and maintain trust through consistent, reliable actions. - **Stay Informed.** A good consigliere stays informed about internal and external dynamics affecting the organisation. Staying informed enables you to provide valuable insights and make better decisions. - **Be a Communication Bridge.** Consiglieri act as a 'bridge' between the leader and other stakeholders. This involve sharing messages AND interpreting/contextualising them to ensure understanding. - **Prepare to Step Up.** Sometimes, consiglieri need to step into the leadership role temporarily or permanently. Be prepared by understanding the broader vision and operational mechanics of the organisation. - **Encourage and Support Leadership Development.** A consigliere also plays a crucial role in identifying and nurturing future leaders. A good consigliere also maintains a stable succession plan. ## My Key Takeaways from 'Consiglieri' - **Leadership Is a Team Effort.** The success of a leader often depends on the strength and wisdom of their advisors. - **Influence from Behind.** True influence doesn't always come from the front, supporting roles are equally influential. - **The Power of Soft Skills.** Emotional intelligence and the ability to communicate effectively are vital for consiglieri. - **Confidentiality is Key.** Trust and discretion are non-negotiable for effective consiglieri. - **Adaptability.** Be prepared to fill different roles, including stepping into leadership when needed. - **Understand the Big Picture.** Keeping abreast of organisational and external affairs makes an advisor more impactful. - **Foster Leadership.** Help develop the next generation of leaders. - **Stay Humble.** The best consiglieri know that their role, while critical, serves the organisation and its mission. 'Consiglieri: Leading from the Shadows' is more than just a guide for the second-in-command. It is a testament to the vital roles that support and enable leadership. For anyone in or aspiring to these roles, this book offers good insight into how to perform them with skill, loyalty, and foresight. ### 👓 Stuff #198 - what the art? URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-198-what-the-art/ Last updated: 2024-07-29T09:24:57.000Z *Welcome to a new week, it's great to have you here. If you enjoy this edition, please consider forwarding to someone you think might ♥️ it.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. If you want to reach me, hit reply or comment below, and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks again for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you work on your [video interview skills](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-maximise-your-impact-in-a-video-conference-job-interview/). I’m continuing my series on how to master the interview process, and this week I’ll focus on the pesky video calls - whether it’s the first screening, or your 100th video interview - [I have tips that can really help maximise your impact.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-maximise-your-impact-in-a-video-conference-job-interview/) **Imposter**. [What people get wrong about imposter syndrome.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/clearer-thinking-today/202407/what-people-get-wrong-about-imposter-syndrome?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like this breakdown of misconceptions about imposter syndrome, particularly #3 - it’s a state, not a trait. *If you can remember this while you are working through a tricky situation, it will help frame up your next action.* **Work.** Are you a workaholic? [Here’s how to spot the signs](https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/society/2024/are-you-a-workaholic-how-to-spot-the-signs?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and what to do if you think that you might be. **Habits**. [Start small](https://thewhippet.org/unsolicited-advice/forming-a-new-habit-start-big/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). When you are starting a new habit, knowing your minimum effective dose is a really good tactic. **Leadership**. [An excellent illustrated guide to why leaders fail.](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/illustrated-guide-learning-leaders-fail?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I liked this simple way of showing some of the key reasons why Leaders struggle. **Mindstate.** [Exploring the ‘future-ready’ mindstate.](https://bigthink.com/business/why-the-future-ready-mindstate-is-the-best-operating-system-for-your-work-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’ve long been an advocate for a [growth mindset](https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), but the suggestion that we should have an even more agile approach makes sense, especially in our increasingly [VUCA world](https://hbr.org/2014/01/what-vuca-really-means-for-you?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What are your coping mechanisms and their effectiveness? [From my prompts for self-understanding.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-self-understanding/) There are [over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![blue Think Write Drink LED signage](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1575389966063-548c5889d197?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHx0aGlua3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MjIxNjQwODl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Christopher Farrugia](https://unsplash.com/@chrisfarr%5F?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Thinking**. [Twelve areas of life where you can embrace ‘outside the box’ thinking.](https://simpleandstraightforward.substack.com/p/12-areas-of-life-to-embrace-outside) Some of these aren’t too radical, but some good thinking in here. *I’ve embraced a few of these, I don’t own a car, have only one child and rent my house - and I definitely subscribe to the final suggestion : “Give a fuck about far fewer things, especially things that don’t matter.”* **Wisdom**. [Seventeen stoic lessons that will make you wise and wealthy.](https://dariusforoux.com/stoic-lessons/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #1, #4 and #12 are particularly good pieces of advice. **Emotions**. [How to look after your emotional health](https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-look-after-your-emotional-needs-with-human-givens-therapy?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), take an audit and take action on where you have been neglecting your emotional needs. **Life**. [Seven rules for a better life from Einstein](https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/einstein-rules-better-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). By anyone's standards, Albert Einstein was an overachiever, this explains how he got shit done. I live rule #5, and it's one I try to keep. **Go.** [Learn how to play go](https://www.learn-go.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It’s one of the oldest board games still played today, originating in about 2500BC in China. This great little site, explains the rules and introduces you to this fascinating strategy game. **Finally**. [What the art?](https://g.co/arts/hqq51Vz7wzkFSJNS6?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A clever little game from Google where you have to guess a drawing of some favourite art, you can play solo or against friends. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![Chimet | MINING](https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0520457578_65) 🎧 This week, my musical suggestion is something quite unusual. [Chimet](https://mining.bandcamp.com/album/chimet?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is an album by a data scientist, musician and sailor who goes by the name of MINING. Chimet takes data from a weather buoy in the English Channel and turns it into sound - then adds piano, and cello over the top. The data stream here includes weather information taken during Hurricane Ophelia in 2017, the worst storm to hit Ireland in 50 years and battered the British Coast as well. The output is sinister, melancholy and unsettling in places - but the electronics sound amazing and the overlaid melodies are beautiful. I highly recommend getting this stuff into your ears. [Listen to Chimet by MINING here](https://open.spotify.com/album/1IUnRZTW0TjqNVpBtObHBD?si=n8ATxlIOQZmQpHloY8hDNw&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 If you enjoy MINING, [you'll love FlowStuff ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=f38e9657e468481c&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)\- 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 Someone Said (feel free to share) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/07/Newsletter-Quote-pics--4-.png) ### TWIL #30 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-30/ Last updated: 2024-07-28T10:30:09.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit! This week, I learned that scientists have discovered a source of 'dark oxygen' on the floor of the oceans. These are lumps of metal, that generate oxygen into the sea and might mean that we need to change the way that we think about mining the ocean. [Dark oxygen made by deep sea ‘batteries’The discovery that lumps of metal on the seafloor produce oxygen raises questions over plans to mine the deep ocean.![](https://www.bbc.com/bbcx/apple-touch-icon.png)BBC News![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/9eef/live/e4ae0c60-482b-11ef-93c3-ffc52948adf5.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c728ven2v9eo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to maximise your impact in a Video Conference Job Interview URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-maximise-your-impact-in-a-video-conference-job-interview/ Last updated: 2024-07-29T09:25:42.000Z I was discussing recruitment with someone recently. They had to watch about 40 video clips of candidates. Many of the videos were recorded poorly, and didn't show the candidates in the best light. I'm not a fan of [video screening](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/market/video-interviewing-software?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), but I can see why companies do it. Screening large numbers of candidates requires some automation. Video screening can take the pressure from the process. Even if you get through the screening, it's likely that your next conversation(s) will be over video. Remote interviews are normal now. While it is convenient to interview from *anywhere*, they also present unique challenges. To help you make a strong impression, here are some tips to maximise your impact during a video interview. ## 👓 More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 1\. **Environment** - **Choose a Quiet Location.** Ensure you have a quiet, distraction-free space. Inform family members or roommates about your interview time to avoid interruptions. Avoid holding a video interview in a public space if you can. - **Background Matters.** Opt for a clean, uncluttered background. A plain wall or a tidy room works best. If needed, use a virtual background, but make sure it’s professional. - **Good Lighting.** Proper lighting is crucial. Natural light (behind the screen) is ideal, but if that’s not possible, position a lamp in front of you. Avoid backlighting, which can cast shadows on your face. ### 2\. **Test Your Technology** - **Check Your Equipment.** Ensure your computer, camera, and microphone are working correctly. Test them beforehand to avoid any technical glitches. Most video platforms give you a method to test the call. - **Stable Internet Connection.** A stable internet connection is vital. If possible, use a wired connection for better stability. Have a backup plan, such as a mobile hotspot, just in case. - **Get familiar the Platform.** Whether it’s Zoom, Teams, or another platform, know how to use its features. If possible, practice with a friend or family member to get comfortable. ### 3\. **Dress Appropriately** - **Dress for Success.** Even though you're at home, dress as you would for an in-person interview. This not only presents a professional image but also boosts your confidence. - **Pay Attention to Details.** Ensure your clothes are clean and wrinkle-free. Avoid bright colors or busy patterns that might be distracting on camera. ### 4\. **Body Language and Eye Contact** - **Sit Up Straight.** Good posture conveys confidence and attentiveness. Sit up straight and avoid slouching. - **Eye Contact.** If you can, look directly at the camera when speaking, not at the screen. This mimics eye contact and helps build a connection with the interviewer. This takes practice, I sometimes remind myself with a post-it note next to the camera. - **Self-View.** Turn off self-view on the video software so that you do not look at yourself, this can be distracting. - **Smile and Nod.** Show engagement and interest by smiling and nodding at appropriate times. This makes you appear more approachable and enthusiastic. ### 5\. **Prepare Thoroughly (**[**more interview tips here**](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-stand-out-in-a-job-interview-practical-tips-from-an-interviewer/)**)** - **Know the Job and Company.** Research the company and the role you're applying for. Be ready to discuss how your skills and experiences align with the job. - **Practice Common Questions.** Prepare answers to common interview questions. Practice speaking them out loud to ensure your responses are clear and concise. - **Have Questions Ready.** Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer. This shows your interest in the role and the company. I have [21 great questions you can ask in interviews right here.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/21-great-questions-to-ask-in-interviews/) - **Video Screening.** If you are asked to **record** a screening video, spend some time practising what you are going to say. Even a short set of bullets or prompts will help you structure your answers. ### 6\. **Be Mindful of Your Speech** - **Speak Clearly.** Enunciate your words and speak at a moderate pace. Ensure your microphone is close enough to pick up your voice without distortion. - **Avoid Filler Words.** Try to reduce the use of filler words like “um,” “uh,” and “like.” Practice pausing briefly to collect your thoughts instead. ### 7\. **Handle Technical Issues Gracefully** - **Stay Calm.** If technical issues arise, stay calm and composed. Keep the interviewer informed and work to resolve the problem quickly. - **Have a Backup.** Have a backup plan in case of major technical difficulties, such as switching to a cell phone, or even an audio interview if needed. ### 8\. **Follow Up** - **Send a Thank-You Note.** If it's appropriate in your market**,** send a thank-you email to express your gratitude. Mention a specific topic discussed during the interview to personalise your message. ## Takeaways By focusing on these key areas, you will present yourself in the best possible light. This will ensure you make a strong impression on your potential employers. For more tips on interviews - [check out my series 'Mastering Interviews'.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/interviews/) ### 👓 Stuff #197 - The Tao of Stuff URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-197-the-tao-of-stuff/ Last updated: 2024-07-22T09:57:19.000Z *Welcome to a new week. A big *thank you* to everyone that joined me from the marvellous* [*Recomendo*](https://www.recomendo.com/p/say-what-you-seeartists-at-workcreative?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *last week, it is lovely to have you along!* *If you have a moment,* [*please recommend me to your friends*](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#/portal/signup)*, we'll all thank you for it.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. If you want to reach me, hit reply or comment below, and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks again for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you lock in some new [questions to ask in interviews](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/21-great-questions-to-ask-in-interviews/). I’m continuing [my series on preparing for interviews](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/interviews/) with a list of [21 great questions](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/21-great-questions-to-ask-in-interviews/) YOU can ask, and **why** you should be asking them. **Communication**. [Five excellent tips to help you respond rather than react](https://www.calm.com/blog/respond-vs-react?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I love #3, [here is some more practical advice to improve your active listening skills](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/). **Procrastination**. [Three practical ways to beat procrastination](https://www.sunsama.com/blog/overcome-procrastination?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) without wholesale changes in your life. #3 has been a big help. Alternatively, you could take the view that [procrastination doesn’t actually exist.](https://www.thebestleadershipnewsletter.com/p/procrastination-isnt-a-real-thing?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Problems**. [The nature of problems.](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/understanding-the-nature-of-many-types-of-problems??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Finding solutions is much easier when you truly understand the nature of what you are trying to solve. *I love this way of understanding what the real problem being solved is.* **Unspoken**. [Fifteen workplace body language cues you should know.](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/office-body-language/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Understanding non-verbal cues in the office might be just the superpower you need. **Focus**. [How to find time to do things you actually WANT to do.](https://nesslabs.com/timeshielding-time-management?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The always excellent Ness Labs explains how time shielding can help you take control of your schedule. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What activities or habits energized me this week? From my [weekly self-review prompts](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-weekly-self-review/). There are [over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![seven construction workers standing on white field](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1541888946425-d81bb19240f5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGNvbnN0cnVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MjE1NjEyMjR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Scott Blake](https://unsplash.com/@sunburned%5Fsurveyor?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Foundations**. [The universal foundations for a good life.](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2024/07/02/foundations-for-good-life/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *#3 is one of the most truthful things I have ever learned. It took me time, but once you know it’s like unlocking a great secret.* **Stuck**. [If you feel like your life is in a rut](https://www.npr.org/2024/06/26/g-s1-4136/stuck-in-a-rut-how-to-appreciate-your-life-again-according-to-science?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), science has some great ways to get out of that feeling. **Tao**. [Four practical life lessons from Taoism.](https://bigthink.com/thinking/4-practical-life-lessons-from-taoism/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love #4 here, and the idea of not trying so hard. It feels like many people take everything so seriously, we could do with some lightness. **Sleep**. [How and why Pink Noise can help you sleep.](https://apnews.com/article/pink-brown-white-noise-sleep-focus-concentration-f5f24dad1effb09c1cf8b607bd22ebc7?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Once you know the science, you can use [this simple generator to test the theory out.](https://29a.ch/noise-generator/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Defrag**. Especially for readers who remember Windows 98\. [A true blast from the past.](https://defrag98.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *It never really fixed anything, but you felt better whilst it was going.* **Finally**. [What beats Rock?](https://www.whatbeatsrock.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is a fun twist on my favourite game rock-paper-scissors. Starting with rock, make a chain of things that beat the previous one… *I got to 16 this morning, I’m sure you can do better.* 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![Ane Brun: 'I was in a very special, vulnerable state of mind' | Business Post](https://imengine.public.prod.sbp.infomaker.io/?uuid=1ff88a12-0283-568e-a6ce-a4d1ea33c530&function=cropresize&type=preview&source=false&q=75&crop_w=0.99999&crop_h=0.84428&width=2730&height=1536&x=1.0E-5&y=0.15572) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is from the incredible [Ane Brun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ane%5FBrun?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), a Norwegian singer/songwriter and guitarist who has released a live album of their recent 20th Anniversary Live Tour. The 21 song collection revisits tracks from across twelve studio albums, featuring music that swings between ethereal electronica, scandi-pop and a smattering of country for good measure! I have always loved the production and vocals of Bruns music - and this album captures the joy of an amazing live performance. I've added Brun to my bucket list of artistes I'd like to see live. Highly recommended ***If you have any recommendations of music that might feel a bit off the beaten track - be sure to hit 'reply' or comment below on the site and let me know what I should be listening to. Thanks to everyone that has shared some amazing music already.*** [Listen to 20th Anniversary Tour by Ane Brun here](https://open.spotify.com/album/31kUwTWXT4ntEE4ur7Z1TR?si=YgS8cuVGRXes1APSNvt6AA&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/2024/07/Newsletter-Quote-pics--3-.png) ### 21 Great Questions to Ask in Interviews URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/21-great-questions-to-ask-in-interviews/ Last updated: 2024-07-31T14:45:57.000Z *Last week, I looked at* [*Practical Tips to Stand out in an Interview*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-stand-out-in-a-job-interview-practical-tips-from-an-interviewer/)*, this week I'm looking at the best questions to ask when you are in an interview.* I've interviewed hundreds of people. I'm often surprised that people do not have questions ready for me. Asking great questions can be a signal that this is someone I want to hire. I always leave time for questions, and it's the interviewees chance to find out more about the company AND the role. I've compiled a list of SOME of the best questions to ask, and what to listen for to get the insights you need. ## Company Culture and Values ### 1\. Can you describe the company culture? - **Why Ask:** This helps you understand if you’ll fit in with the company’s environment. - **Insight:** You’ll learn about the company's values and work environment. You can also find out how employees interact with each other. ### 2\. How do you support work-life balance? - **Why Ask:** It’s important to know how the company values employees’ time. - **Insight:** You’ll get a sense of the company’s policies on working hours, remote work, and time off. ### 3\. What are the company’s values, and how are they reflected in everyday work? - **Why Ask:** Understanding values helps you see if they align with your own. - **Insight:** You’ll see how the company values influence its operations and culture. Listen carefully to see if the response mirrors the research you’ve already done on company values. ### 4 How does the company handle feedback and performance reviews? - **Why Ask:** This is crucial for understanding how your work is evaluated. - **Insight:** You’ll learn about the frequency and format of feedback and reviews. Listen carefully for a fair and balanced performance process that supports growth, learning AND reward. ### 5\. How long have you been with the company, and what keeps you here? - **Why Ask:** This personal question can reveal a lot about employee satisfaction. - **Insight:** You’ll get an insider’s view of the company’s strengths and areas for improvement. Listen for the amount of enjoyment that your interviewer takes from their role, this can be a good gauge of how the company treats employees. ### 6\. What type of person is typically successful in this role OR What type of person is typically successful at this company? - **Why Ask:** This is an excellent way to understand what competencies are being looked for. - **Insight:** You’ll be able to use this to tailor your responses in future interviews/questions. ## Roles & Responsibilities ### 1\. What does a typical day look like for this role? - **Why Ask:** To help you get a realistic view of the daily responsibilities. - **Insight:** You can assess if the daily tasks align with your skills and interests. You can also get a sense of the 'clock speed' of the company/team and how you'll fit in there. ### 2\. What are the biggest challenges the team or company is facing right now? - **Why Ask:** This shows you are thinking about how you can contribute and how challenges are tackled. - **Insight:** You’ll understand the current issues and how you might help solve them. You can also get a feel for the honesty and transparency about the current situation. ### 3\. How do you measure success in this role? - **Why Ask:** Knowing how success is measured helps you understand expectations. - **Insight:** You’ll get clarity on performance metrics and goals. Listen carefully to see if the hiring manager is clear about what success looks like. ### 4\. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with? - **Why Ask:** Understanding your potential teammates helps you see how you’ll fit in. - **Insight:** You’ll learn about team dynamics, roles, and personalities. If you listen carefully, you might be able to hear if there are any problems being managed, or whether this is a new team being established. ### 5\. What tools and technologies does the team use? - **Why Ask:** Knowing the tools helps you understand the technical environment. - **Insight:** You’ll see if you’re familiar with the tools or if you’ll need training. You also might be able to use this to connect back to previous experiences, or prepare for the next interview. ## Professional Development and Growth ### 1\. What opportunities are there for professional development? - **Why Ask:** This shows you’re interested in growing with the company. - **Insight:** You’ll learn about training programs, career paths, and advancement opportunities. You’ll also learn if the hiring manager is focused on growing **you**, or filling the role. ### 2\. Are there opportunities to work on special projects? - **Why Ask:** Shows you’re interested in contributing beyond your basic duties. - **Insight:** You’ll know if there are chances to work on exciting and challenging projects. Listen for whether there are opportunities to 'stretch' in the role, and whether the hiring manager supports that. ### 3\. How does the company support continued education and learning? - **Why Ask:** Continuous learning is vital for career growth. Some companies will also support outside development or professional qualifications/accreditations. - **Insight:** You’ll find out if the company invests in its employees’ development. This is a good sign of growth culture inside the company/team. ### 4\. Can you provide examples of how you have supported career progression? - **Why Ask:** This shows you’re serious about long-term growth in the role. - **Insight:** You’ll see real examples of career advancement within the company. The best hiring managers will be able to share examples of how they have helped people develop their careers. Listen carefully to understand if the manager enjoys coaching and growing team members. ## 👓 More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Management and Support ### 1\. Can you describe the management style here? - **Why Ask:** Different management styles work better for different people. - **Insight:** You’ll learn if the management style aligns with your preferred way of working. You’ll also get a feel for whether the hiring manager has a style that works for you. ### 2\. How do you ensure diversity and inclusion in your team? - **Why Ask:** It’s important to work in a supportive and inclusive environment. - **Insight:** You’ll learn about the manager (and the company’s) commitment to diversity and inclusion. Listen carefully to understand if your ideas will be listened to and acted upon. ## Future and process ### 1\. What are the next steps in the interview process? - **Why Ask:** It shows you’re eager to move forward. - **Insight:** You’ll know what to expect and can follow up appropriately. If the next steps are unclear, you might be hearing a red flag. ### 2\. Can you tell me about the onboarding process? Or Can you tell me about the first 30/60/90 days? - **Why Ask:** A good onboarding process can make a big difference in your transition. - **Insight:** You’ll learn about the support you’ll receive when you start. Listen carefully to understand if the hiring manager has a clear plan and expectations about your first weeks in the role. ### 3\. What are the company’s plans for growth and development? - **Why Ask:** This shows your interest in the company’s future. - **Insight:** You’ll understand the company’s direction and how your role fits into it. ## Final Question ### Is there anything else I can tell you about myself or my career that will help you in your next steps? - **Why Ask**: This is great way to finish an interview, and let people know that you’re open to more questions. - **Insight:** Listen carefully to see if there is anything that you should highlight or develop in your next conversation for the role. ### TWIL #29 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-29/ Last updated: 2024-07-21T07:07:45.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit! This week, I learned that the American Library Association has for nearly 40 years been putting out “Read” posters featuring celebrities and books. Some of these posters are vaguely unhinged, and I love them! [100 of the Greatest Posters of Celebrities Urging You to ReadThe American Library Association has for nearly 40 years been putting out “Read” posters featuring celebrities and books. Lots of us remember these from school and libraries—my elementary school ha…![](https://s26162.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/favicon.ico)Literary HubJames Folta![](https://s26162.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/posters.jpg)](https://lithub.com/100-of-the-greatest-posters-of-celebrities-urging-you-to-read/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Stuff #196 - Leave your comfort zone URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-196-leave-your-comfort-zone/ Last updated: 2024-07-15T04:46:24.000Z *Welcome to a new week. A big thank you to new travellers on our joint journey of curiosity.* [*Please recommend me to your friends*](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#/portal/signup)*, the more the merrier!* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you [level up on your job interview skills](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-stand-out-in-a-job-interview-practical-tips-from-an-interviewer/). I’m starting to interview for some new roles at work, and I thought I would capture some of the practical tips I give for nervous interviewees. Even if you are super experienced, I hope some of these will refresh your memory. **Feedback.** [Why something so important to growth seems so scary.](https://bigthink.com/plus/the-feedback-frights/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The % of people that struggle to give feedback is very high. [I have some help available for you here, with the SBI model.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-feedback-with-the-situation-behavior-impact-model/) *I coach this frequently and find it a powerful enabler to get past the fear of feedback.* **Stakeholders**. [How to manage your boss, and their boss.](https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/creative-career-conundrums-if-you-could-jobs-advice-030624?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some brilliant advice for ‘managing upwards’, keeping those people happy is key to survival and success. [Here’s some more practical advice for dealing with your boss.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/managing-upwards-practical-advice-and-tools-for-your-career-growth/) **Lazy**. [Eleven great productivity tips](https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jul/10/big-beautiful-goals-but-cant-be-bothered-11-great-productivity-tips-for-lazy-people?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), if you just *cannot be bothered*. The headline might be funny, but the tips are excellent. **Resilience**. [How to succeed when things get tough.](https://bakadesuyo.com/2024/07/how-to-be-more-resilient/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love the idea of being more ‘tigger than eyeore’ when you are faced with adversity. **Freedom**. [The four freedoms that we want at work.](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the%5Ffour%5Ffreedoms%5Fwe%5Fwant%5Fat%5Fwork?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Does your job give you these? ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a recent adventure or new experience you had. [Over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![grayscale photo of woman doing silent hand sign](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1483706600674-e0c87d3fe85b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHNpbGVuY2V8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzIwOTU2MjQwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Kristina Flour](https://unsplash.com/@tinaflour?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Silence**. *I turn the radio down when I’m trying to find a parking space*, [I never understood why until I read this article.](https://thedecisionlab.com/insights/health/the-sound-of-silence?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It turns out the silence affects the way that you make decisions. **Comfort**. [Is it time to leave your comfort zone?](https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/leaving-your-comfort-zone/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) They say that life begins at the end your comfort zone, there are some simple steps to begin pushing yourself. **Smart.** [Smart words from Smart people.](https://collabfund.com/blog/smart-words-from-smart-people/??ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some excellent counsel included here. **Travel**. I was researching for an article on travel advice. Turns out a few people have beaten me to it. [One great list of obvious travel advice](https://dynomight.net/travel/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). And this list, of [your new favourite travel advice.](https://annhandley.optin.com/newsletter/totalannarchy/MjQwODk5Mjc=/ta-166-your-new-favorite-travel-tips.htm?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I still have some ideas, I’ll get onto that soon.* **Rules**. [100 great rules to live life by.](https://druriley.com/100-2/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #4, #80 and #95 are particularly good rules. **AI.** [Suno is a fascinating toy.](https://suno.com/create?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Sign up (free) and give the AI a prompt, in seconds it will create a passable song (with words) from scratch. I asked for an (on brand) ‘sad synth song about a distant lover, set in the winter.’ [and this is what it came up with.](https://suno.com/song/2b337de8-820d-4f95-b60a-a114d5b9de16?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Another fiendish word game that you can play every day.](https://fourwordgrid.web.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#/) Four Word Grid is exactly what it says, you have a limited number of turns to unscramble the grid. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![Hermanos Gutiérrez announce new album 'Sonido Cósmico' – Easy Eye Sound](https://easyeyesound.com/cdn/shop/articles/HG_LP2Front1.jpg?v=1707975357) 🎧 This week, my musical recommendation is 'Sonido Cosmico' by Swiss Latin instrumental band 'Hermanos Gutierrez'. I'm on a month-long discovery of new (to me) music, and this was in my recommendations list on Spotify. Since finding it, I've fallen in love with its relaxed guitar vibes. Simple tunes that sound like they could be folk music, made modern - and the 'cosmic' label is not lost in the gentle psychedelia of this album. I particularly like the sunshine feel of this album. Highly recommended ***If you have any recommendations of music that might feel a bit off the beaten track - be sure to hit 'reply' or comment below on the site and let me know what I should be listening to.*** [Listen to Sonido Cosmico by Hermanos Gutierrez](https://open.spotify.com/album/0FI8JaUH7kqtvM6EkmCm7t?si=vZ9wiS1TQreKPMH9c4sU8A&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/2024/07/Stuff-196-1.png) ### How to Stand Out in a Job Interview: Practical Tips from an Interviewer. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-stand-out-in-a-job-interview-practical-tips-from-an-interviewer/ Last updated: 2024-07-23T10:32:25.000Z Job interviews can be nerve-wracking. You're eager to impress, show your best self, and land that **perfect** position. But how do you stand out in a sea of qualified candidates? To help you shine in your next job interview, I have some practical tips, common interview questions, & strategies to answer them effectively. ## Preparing for the Interview ### 1\. Research the Company Before you dial or walk into an interview, research the company. Understand its mission, values, culture, products, and recent news. This knowledge will help you prepare your answers to show you’re a great fit for the organisation. ### 2\. Read the Job Description **Carefully** read the job description and highlight the key responsibilities and qualifications. Think about how your skills and experiences align with these requirements. ### 3\. Practice Your Answers Prepare answers for common interview questions (we’ll cover these below). Practice with a friend, family member, or in front of a mirror. [You can even use an AI to practice](https://interviewprep-ai.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). The more you rehearse, the more confident you'll feel. ### 4\. Dress Appropriately Dress for the job you want. When in doubt, opt for business casual or business formal attire. It’s better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed. If in doubt, ask the person coordinating your interview. ### 5\. Bring Necessary Documents Carry copies of your resume, a list of references, a notebook, and a pen. Being prepared with these items shows professionalism and readiness. ## 👓 More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them ### 1\. Tell Me About Yourself This is often the first question you’ll be asked. It's your chance to set the tone for the interview. **How to Answer:** - Keep it professional and relevant to the job. - Highlight your educational background and key experiences, - Talk briefly about you’re excited about this opportunity. - Keep it concise, around 2-3 minutes. **Example:** "I graduated with a degree in Marketing from XYZ University. I’ve spent the past five years working with ABC Company. There, I led a team developing digital marketing strategies. I’m particularly proud of a campaign that increased our social media engagement by 50%. I’m excited about this role at your company because I like your approach to marketing. I believe my skills and experiences align well with your needs." ### 2\. Why Do You Want to Work Here? Employers want to know that you’re genuinely interested in their company. **How to Answer:** - Mention specific aspects of the company that you admire. - Align your career goals with the company’s mission and values. - Show enthusiasm for the role. **Example:** "I’m impressed by your commitment to sustainability and innovation. Your recent project on renewable energy solutions is particularly inspiring. I’m passionate about contributing to such meaningful work. I feel my background in project management and environmental studies makes me a great fit for your team." ### 3\. What Are Your Strengths? This question allows you to highlight what makes you a strong candidate. **How to Answer:** - Choose strengths that are relevant to the job. - Provide examples to illustrate your strengths. **Example:** "One of my key strengths is my attention to detail. In my previous role as an event coordinator, this helped me organize large-scale events without any major issues. I meticulously plan every detail and double-check everything to ensure nothing gets overlooked." ### 4\. What Are Your Weaknesses? This question tests your self-awareness and ability to improve. Interviewers might not use the word 'weakness' - I often ask, 'What are you working to develop?' or 'What did your last review highlight as an opportunity for you?', **How to Answer:** - Mention a real weakness/development point, but one that isn’t critical to the job. - Show how you’re working to improve it. **Example.** "I sometimes struggle with delegation because I like to ensure things are done perfectly. I’ve been working on this by assigning smaller tasks to my team members and providing them with clear instructions and support. This has helped me focus on bigger picture tasks and has also empowered my team." ### 5\. Describe a Challenge You’ve Faced and How You Handled It Employers want to see your problem-solving skills. **How to Answer:** - Describe the situation, the task, your action, and the result ([STAR method](https://www.themuse.com/advice/star-interview-method?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)). - Focus on what you did and the positive outcome. **Example:** "In my previous role, we faced a major challenge. A key client threatened to leave due to a missed deadline. I immediately organized a meeting with the client to understand their concerns. Then I worked with my team to come up with a recovery plan. We offered additional services at no extra cost and completed the project ahead of the new deadline. The client was impressed with our dedication and decided to stay with us." ### 6\. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? This question gauges your long-term interest in the role and company. **How to Answer:** - Align your career goals with the company’s growth. - Show ambition but remain realistic. **Example.** "In five years, I'd like to take on more leadership responsibilities, possibly in a managerial role. I’m excited about the opportunities for growth here and am committed to contributing to the company's success." ### 7\. Why Should We Hire You? This is your chance to sell yourself. **How to Answer:** - Summarise your relevant skills and experiences. - Explain how you can add value to the company. **Example.** "I think, I bring a unique combination of technical skills and creative problem-solving abilities. My software development background, coupled with my experience in leading teams, makes me well-suited for this role. I’m confident that I can help streamline processes and drive innovative solutions." ### 8\. Tell Me About a Time You Worked in a Team Teamwork is crucial in most jobs. **How to Answer:** - Describe a specific instance where you worked well with others. ([STAR method](https://www.themuse.com/advice/star-interview-method?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)). - Highlight your role and the successful outcome. **Example:** "In my last job, I was part of a team working on a product launch. My role was to coordinate between the marketing and product development teams. With regular meetings and clear communication, we managed to launch the product on time. Tt was very well received by our customers." ### 9\. How Do You Handle Stress? Employers want to know if you can manage stress effectively. **How to Answer:** - Provide examples of how you stay calm and focused. - Mention any techniques you use to manage stress. **Example:** "I handle stress by staying organized and prioritizing my tasks. When I feel overwhelmed, I take a few minutes to break down my workload into smaller, manageable tasks. I also practice mindfulness techniques like deep breathing to stay calm. During particularly busy times, this has helped me stay focused and meet all deadlines." ### 10\. Do You Have Any Questions for Us? Have questions ready for the interviewer. This shows your interest in the role and the company. **How to Answer:** - Ask about the company culture, team structure, or growth opportunities. - Avoid questions about salary and benefits until later in the process. **Example:** "Can you tell me more about the team I’d be working with? What are the biggest challenges currently facing your department?" ## 👓 More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## During the Interview ### 1\. Make a Good First Impression - Arrive on time, or even a little early. - Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and a friendly smile. - Make eye contact and be mindful of your body language. ### 2\. Be Yourself While it's important to be professional, you should also be authentic. Let your personality shine through. ### 3\. Listen Carefully Listen to the questions asked and make sure you understand them before responding. If you’re unsure, it’s okay to ask for clarification. Practice [good active listening](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) to help ensure you are fully engaged. ### 4\. Use the STAR Method When answering behavioral questions, I recommend using the STAR method. - **Situation** \- the situation you had to deal with - **Task** \- the task you were given to do - **Action** \- the action you took - **Result** \- what happened as a result of your action and what you learned from the experience This ensures your answers are clear and detailed. ### 5\. Show Enthusiasm Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Genuine excitement can be very persuasive. ## After the Interview ### 1\. Follow Up with a Thank-You Note *Optional - this might not be appropriate in the market you are interviewing in.* - Send a thank-you email within 24 hours of the interview. - Express your appreciation for the opportunity. - Reiterate your interest in the position, and highlight a key point from the interview. **Example:** "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I enjoyed learning more about your team and the exciting projects you are working on. I am very enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to your company's success. I believe my skills in project management and team leadership would be a great fit. Looking forward to hearing from you soon." ### 2\. Reflect on Your Performance Think about what went well and what you could improve for next time. This will help you grow and perform even better in future interviews. ### 3\. Stay Patient and Positive The hiring process can take time. Stay patient, continue your job search, and keep a positive attitude. ## Key Takeaways 1. **Research Thoroughly:** Understand the company and the role to tailor your responses effectively. 2. **Practice Makes Perfect:** Rehearse common interview questions and answers to build confidence. 3. **Dress Appropriately:** Choose appropriate attire to make a strong first impression. 4. **Showcase Your Skills:** Highlight your strengths with relevant examples. 5. **Be Authentic:** Let your personality shine through while maintaining professionalism. 6. **Ask Thoughtful Questions.** Show your interest and curiosity about the role and the company. 7. **Follow Up:** Send a thank-you note to express gratitude and reiterate your interest. 8. **Learn and Improve:** Reflect on your performance and continuously improve your interview skills. Standing out in a job interview requires preparation, confidence, and authenticity. By following these tips and strategies, you'll be well on your way to impressing potential employers and landing your dream job. Good luck! ### TWIL #28 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-28/ Last updated: 2024-07-14T10:25:01.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that Sir David Attenborough helped change tennis balls from white to yellow. [Wimbledon on Instagram: “Natural history narrator & tennis innovator 🎾”183K likes, 436 comments - wimbledon on June 11, 2024: “Natural history narrator & tennis innovator 🎾”.![](https://static.cdninstagram.com/rsrc.php/v3/yG/r/De-Dwpd5CHc.png)Instagram![](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/448189337_999403108224954_9087965897615184283_n.jpg?stp=cmp1_dst-jpg_s640x640&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=KwPH4WCSBwEQ7kNvgGqhsSl&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AYAN-2cNBIwGc1sc8GYWZDV7JmowhX7igcgWKzXCPp2hTA&oe=66996CF0)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8FF2vhCgob/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Stuff #195 - have a Lilloerdag! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-195-have-a-lilloerdag/ Last updated: 2024-07-08T04:31:06.000Z *Welcome to a new week. Before we start, I wonder if you could do me a favour and share this week's edition with a friend and encourage them to* [*join us on our journey of curiosity*](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#/portal/signup)*.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you [complete a mid-year review of your goals.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-conduct-a-mid-year-review-of-your-goals-a-step-by-step-guide/) This is the perfect week to sit down and reflect on the first half of the year. If you haven’t been working towards something, [I also have you covered. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/) **Decisions**. [Are you suffering from FOBO?](https://nesslabs.com/fobo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The *affliction of abundance* may mean you suffer from the Fear of a Better Option. This will impact the way that you make decisions. *This resonates with me, as someone who spends ages choosing website colour schemes, or tools for a project.* **AI.** [Five ‘a-ha’ ways that AI can help solve some of your work problems.](https://www.charterworks.com/women-defining-ai-tips/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some excellent ideas, along with prompts that you can re-use and edit to make them work for your challenge. *I really like the idea of using AI as thinking partner for a difficult challenge. I will definitely be testing that.* **Stuck**. [Here’s how to make the most of your job.](https://www.truity.com/blog/feeling-stuck-your-job-heres-how-make-most-it-while-preparing-something-better?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Even if you feel stuck in your current role, there are ways to optimise for a future change. The current market [doesn’t have a huge amount of fluidity](https://www.businessinsider.com/economic-outlook-recession-forecast-job-hiring-expectations-inflation-soft-landing-2024-1?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), so some of the suggestions here are really useful. **Midweek**. [I LOVE this.](https://teuxdeux.com/blog/lilloerdag-why-you-need-a-midweek-break?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The Lilloerdag is the Swedish idea of a ‘little Saturday’ that occurs midweek. A tiny break to get you through the working week. I play in an [online quiz](https://quizcentral.net/qc/Online%5FQuiz%5FLeague%5FUK?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) on Wednesday evening which seems to fit the description of a Lilloerdag. **Productivity**. [Tips designed by a neuroscientist.](https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/health-fitness/productivity-tips?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) All common sense, but great to see the scientific explanations behind. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a small victory you had recently. [Over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![pug covered with blanket on bedspread](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1453227588063-bb302b62f50b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE2fHxzbGVlcHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MjAzNDI0MzZ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Matthew Henry](https://unsplash.com/@matthewhenry?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Sleep.** I have been wearing an [Oura ring](https://ouraring.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to help track and optimise my sleep for six months now, and I’ve seen some improvements in my sleep patterns. Subtle changes in the time I go to sleep have reaped huge rewards, something they describe as [finding your chronotype](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/chronotypes?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Now, science tells us that you can also [optimise your working schedule based on your chronotype.](https://www.newsweek.com/chronoworking-expert-reveals-most-productive-schedule-1884552?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Calm**. [A simple flowchart of solutions to help you feel calm.](https://www.instagram.com/p/C2kgkCBuoLa/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) No complicated hacks here, just the solution you need at the right moment. **Care**. [It’s just work](https://dev.to/netcat5679/it-is-just-work-3k0k?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I was coaching someone this week who is struggling with being on the edge of burnout. During the meeting and another chat I had, [I thought of this article](https://dev.to/netcat5679/it-is-just-work-3k0k?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), it is JUST work. *Try and take good care of yourself.* **Mindfulness**. [Ten questions to help check in with yourself.](https://www.calm.com/blog/check-in-with-yourself?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I think we’re all pretty bad at doing this. #5 and #7 are powerful questions that will increase your sense of wellbeing. **Notes**. [This list of 99 life notes is lovely.](https://slrncl.com/notes?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some beautiful thoughts contained here. **Finally**. [A daily game for music fans.](https://www.pasquiindustry.com/games/jasbiac/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Jasbiac shows you three album covers, all you need to do is guess the style of music. Nowhere near as easy as it sounds! 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/07/everythingcanchange-3.jpeg) 🎧 This week, I'm sharing #26 in my [monthly series of Mixtapes](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/mixtape/), featuring another batch of random tunes that have been in my orbit. There is some fantastic music this month, including the sound of young Dublin from pigbaby, some Japanese post-rock wizardry and the continued resurgence of Kim Gordon and her dark, grinding ECPR. It's a great hour of music - and I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed pulling it together. [Listen to Stuff Mixtape #26 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5s7rzX14AN9gpFCxDZdblE?si=8602afa9949646db&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/2024/07/Newsletter-Quote-pics--2--1.png) ### #26 - June 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/26-june-2024/ Last updated: 2024-07-07T09:23:31.000Z Stuff Mixtape #26 is another collection of random tunes that were in my orbit during June. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Hear the wind sing - Mono** | Atmospheric swirling tune from Japanese post-rock titans. - **Brother - Humanist |** Bluesy rock featuring vocals from Depeche Mode lead Dave Gahan - **Water me Down - Vagabon |** Indie rock from Cameroon via New York City. - **do what - Mike Lindsay |** From acid-folk band Tuung comes this solo effort from frontman Mike Lindsay, great album collaboration with Anna B Savage. - **Contact High - Metronomy |** I love the pop sound of Metronomy, reminds me of the Pet Shop Boys. - **ECRP - Kim Gordon** | The grinding noise from Sonic Youth bassist continues, this is a belter of a track continuing the theme from 'The Collective' - **CPR - Lynks** | Taken from the album 'Abomination', I love the flow of this track which seems to be about saviour complexes. - **Don't - Honeyglaze** | More British indie coming to rule the world. - **Life moves fast, so take my hand - Pigbaby** | Fresh from Dublin, on the same label as Stuff favourites Vegyn and Headache. More weirdness! - **Three dimensional - Susan Bear** | Beautiful synths, gentle listening. - **Black Lion Lane - Emiliana Torrini** | Icelandic singer with the first track taken from new album 'Miss Flower' - **Long Way Home - Ray Lamontagne** | Gentle closing Americana from the ever-reliable voice of Lamontagne.. [Listen to Stuff #26 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5s7rzX14AN9gpFCxDZdblE?si=a682f1df252b4028&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. 100% free forever. ### TWIL #27 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-27/ Last updated: 2024-12-04T17:57:11.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that laying down is not a good way to avoid getting struck by lightning. It seems that there really is no escape, but lightning can be good for crops. [Everything You Know About Lightning Safety in the Backcountry Is WrongMost backcountry lightning education—including what’s taught by major outdoor organizations—is antiquated. Here’s your overdue expert update.![](https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/favicon-194x194-1.png)Outside OnlineCorey Buhay![](https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/lightning-h-1024x576.jpg?width=1200)](https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/lightning-safety-facts-hikers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to Conduct a Mid-Year Review of Your Goals: A Step-by-Step Guide URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/how-to-conduct-a-mid-year-review-of-your-goals-a-step-by-step-guide/ Last updated: 2024-07-05T17:08:49.000Z Conducting a mid-year review allows us to reflect on where we are. We can recognise our success, and identify any goals that are off course and adjust our plan accordingly. Here's my step-by-step plan for a mid-year review and some suggestions to get back on track if things aren't as expected. ## Step 1: Gather Your Goal-Setting Materials Before you start your review, gather the materials related to your goal-setting process. This might include: - Your list of goals for the year ([my guide to setting goals](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/five-proven-tips-for-achieving-personal-and-career-success/)) - Any tracking sheets or apps you’ve been using - [I use this sheet.](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sLCjHLc-FzAMn%5F5Y5eXj9BSlxtDBXVsFz0WKih6AP10/template/preview?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) - [Journals](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/the-stuff30-journaling-challenge/) or notes where you’ve documented your progress - Calendars or planners *Having everything in one place will make the review process smoother.* ## Step 2: Reflect on the Past Six Months Take a moment to think back on the past six months. Consider the following questions: - What were my main goals at the beginning of the year? - How much progress have I made towards each goal? - What successes have I experienced? - What challenges or obstacles have I faced? Write down your reflections. This helps to clarify your thoughts and gives you a record to look back on in the future. ## Step 3: Evaluate Your Progress Next, check your progress for each goal. You can use a simple rating system, such as: - **Achieved:** The goal is complete. - **On Track:** You’re making good progress and should achieve the goal by the end of the year. - **Needs Attention:** You’re behind but still believe you can catch up. - **Stalled/Off Track:** You’ve made little to no progress, and it’s unlikely you’ll achieve the goal without significant changes. > My free [goal setting template](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sLCjHLc-FzAMn%5F5Y5eXj9BSlxtDBXVsFz0WKih6AP10/template/preview?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) has these status fields in a drop-down menu. Be honest with yourself. The purpose of this review is to understand where you stand, not to beat yourself up. ## Step 4: Analyze Why Some Goals Aren’t On Track For the goals that are in the “Need Attention” or “Stalled/Off Track” categories, dig deeper to understand why. Consider: - **Were the goals realistic?** Sometimes we set goals that are too ambitious given our current circumstances. - **Were there unforeseen obstacles?** Life can derail our plans. - **Did you lose motivation?** If so, why? Was the goal not as important to you as you thought? - **Were there external factors?** Other responsibilities can impact our ability to focus on certain goals. Reflecting on the reasons behind your lack of progress can help you figure out what needs to change. ## Step 5: Adjust Your Goals and Plan Based on your analysis, decide how to adjust your goals and plans for the rest of the year. Here are some strategies: - **Revise the goal.** If the goal was too ambitious, scale it back to something more achievable. - **Change your approach.** If your current strategies aren’t working, try a different approach. For example, if you wanted to exercise more but can’t find time for the gym, try home workouts. - **Set new deadlines:** If you’ve fallen behind, set new, realistic deadlines. - **Break it down:** Break larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps. This can make them feel less overwhelming and easier to achieve. - **Seek support:** If you’re struggling, consider seeking help. This could be from a mentor, coach, friend, or online community. ## Step 6: Create a Detailed Action Plan For each goal, create a detailed action plan outlining the steps you need to take to get back on track. Include: - **Specific actions.** Clearly define what you need to do. - **Deadlines.** Set new realistic deadlines for each action step. - **Resources needed.** Identify any resources you need, such as tools, information, or support from others. - **Potential obstacles.** Anticipate any challenges you might face and how you’ll overcome them. Writing down your action plan helps to clarify your path forward and makes it easier to stay focused. ## Step 7: Recommit to Your Goals After revising your goals and creating your action plan, take a moment to recommit to your goals. Remind yourself why you set these goals in the first place and how achieving them will benefit you. > Visualize your success and how it will feel. This can help reignite your motivation and determination. ## Step 8: Track Your Progress Regularly Going forward, make it a habit to track your progress regularly. This could be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on what works best for you. *I put a calendar entry in once per month to check my* [*personal goals sheet*](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sLCjHLc-FzAMn%5F5Y5eXj9BSlxtDBXVsFz0WKih6AP10/template/preview?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *and see where I can.* Regular tracking allows you to see how you’re doing and make adjustments as needed. Use tools like journals, apps, or [spreadsheets](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sLCjHLc-FzAMn%5F5Y5eXj9BSlxtDBXVsFz0WKih6AP10/template/preview?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to keep a record of your progress. ## Step 9: Celebrate Your Successes > Don’t forget to celebrate your successes, no matter how small. Celebrating milestones along the way can boost your motivation and make the journey more enjoyable. Treat yourself to something special or share your achievements with friends or family. ## What to Do If Things Aren’t Going as Expected Even with the best intentions and planning, things don’t always go as expected. Here’s what to do if you find yourself struggling: ### 1\. Reassess and Adjust Don’t be afraid to reassess and adjust your goals and plans. Life is dynamic, and it’s important to be flexible. If a goal no longer aligns with your priorities or circumstances, it’s okay to change it or let it go. ### 2\. Seek Support Reach out for support if you’re struggling. Talk to a friend, family member, mentor, or coach. Sometimes an outside perspective can provide valuable insights and encouragement. ### 3\. Focus on What You Can Control Concentrate on the aspects of your goals that are within your control. Let go of things you can’t change and focus your energy on what you can do. ### 4\. Stay Positive and Persistent Maintain a positive mindset and keep pushing forward. Be relentless and focused. Progress may be slow, but persistence is key. Remember that setbacks are a natural part of any journey, and they don’t define your overall success. ### 5\. Be Kind to Yourself. It is easy to get discouraged if things aren’t going as planned - but self-criticism can be counterproductive. Acknowledge your efforts, forgive yourself for any missteps, and keep moving forward. ## Takeaways A mid-year review is a good opportunity to reflect on your progress. You can celebrate your achievements, and make adjustments to stay on track. By following these steps, you can ensure that you’re making the most of the year and moving closer to your goals. Remember, it’s not about perfection; it’s about progress. Keep pushing forward, stay flexible, and believe in your ability to achieve great things. ### 👓 Stuff #194 - biased for action URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-194-biased-for-action/ Last updated: 2024-07-01T04:55:42.000Z *Happy Monday and welcome to July! I hope this week finds you safe and well. For all my American readers, please enjoy your shorter week!* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you improve the structure of your day. This article explains how [one coach plans their days to maximise effectiveness.](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/how-to-structure-your-day-for-work-rest-and-play/26/6/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’m a real advocate [for time blocking](https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/time-blocking?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and having a regular rhythm to the way that you work. **Action**. [Bias for Action is an important competency](https://getmarlee.com/blog/bias-for-action?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and it’s one that you can build with practice. One way to think about bias for action, is to think ‘Now not How’ - [the excellent Nir and Far explains how to take the next action, now. ](https://www.nirandfar.com/now-not-how/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Direction**. *Are you feeling lost?* [This excellent article contains some practical steps towards finding your path](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/feeling%5Flost%5Fhere%5Fare%5Ffour%5Fsteps%5Fto%5Ffinding%5Fyour%5Fpath?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It’s during the summer months that we often take stock of where we are, and I like the way that this article suggests a value driven approach to that assessment. **Meetings**. During my time at LinkedIn, my calendar became quite full of ‘coffee meetings’. These informal meetings are a great way to get to know people and kick off collaboration. [Here’s an excellent guide on mastering the art of the ‘Lean coffee’ meeting.](https://www.range.co/blog/lean-coffee?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Skills**. [Five useful and overlooked skills.](https://collabfund.com/blog/useful-and-overlooked-skills/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The further I get into life, the more I realise that while the ‘book skills’ are great, its the softer skills that really help. These five examples will really support you. **Communication**. I don’t often recommend Podcasts, [but this one from the BBC is excellent.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j479mc?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Ros Atkins speaks to great communicators and gets their PRACTICAL advice on how to improve the way you communicate. Episodes are just 14 mins, and worth the investment. Bonus Stuff, Ros Atkins is an accomplished [Drum and Bass DJ and producer](https://mixmag.net/feature/ros-atkins-bbc-news-dj-interview-glastonbury-rave?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a moment when you felt proud of yourself. [Over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![woman using gray binoculars](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1515598379512-b60132823a9d?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGN1cmlvc2l0eXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTk3NDc5MDR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Chase Clark](https://unsplash.com/@chaseelliottclark?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Curious**. [Curiosity](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2023/05/17/the-power-of-curiosity-in-the-workplace/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is one of the top skills that I hire for - people who are curious are often great at solving complex problems and hungry to tackle more. [Ness Labs explains the nine habits of curious people.](https://nesslabs.com/curiosity-matrix?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Conversation.** [Fifty excellent ways to fuel a conversation.](https://www.swiss-miss.com/2024/06/50-ways-to-fuel-a-conversation.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #4, #22 and #35 particularly resonate with me. **Life.** [Lifecentereddesign is a curated list of about 350 resources](https://lifecentereddesign.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) to help us design more responsible, sustainable, ethical and all in all more meaningful products, systems, and services. I really like some of these tools as a way to be more life-centered in our thinking. **Anti-Goals.** Last weekend, I nodded off on the train home [from a gig](https://www.instagram.com/p/C8kwEg1NwMI/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and missed my stop. I wonder if that is on [this fun list of anti-goals.](https://cmngoal.com/life-anti-checklist?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How many things can you tick off the list? **AI.**[ This is fun AND educational](https://artsandculture.google.com/experiment/say-what-you-see/jwG3m7wQShZngw?hl=en&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A Google experiment that helps you understand how to write AI prompts by asking you to describe a picture. Starts easy, gets tougher at around Level 5\. **Finally** \- [A daily word search puzzle](https://www.worchle.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that comes in three difficulty levels. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/06/Richard-Hawley-2024-Dean-Chalkley-Far-Out-Magazine-F-1140x855.webp) 🎧 Richard Hawley used to be the guitarist in Pulp and a Sheffield based group called the Longpigs, but since that time has carved out a space as a kind of psych-country artist with a beautiful obsession with Sheffield. 'In this city they call you Love' is his latest album, once again filled with a blend of indie-pop and ballads longing for Yorkshire. Its a gentle, enjoyable mix and shows off some excellent songwriting and singing. Highly recommended. [Listen to Richard Hawley - In this city they call you love](https://open.spotify.com/album/03N3K7HrRPeNORdFjCRQUU?si=JtuKxbRzTLiEbGMAo1OKiw&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/2024/06/Newsletter-Quote-pics--3--1.png) ### TWIL #26 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-26/ Last updated: 2024-06-30T08:37:13.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that it is *still* 2016 in Ethiopia. Due to some quirks in the way that time is recognised in the country, and strong sense of national identity. [The country where it’s still 2016 | CNNOn September 11, Ethiopians will officially celebrate the beginning of the year 2017\. So why is this East African country’s calendar seven years and eight months “behind” the rest of the world?![](https://edition.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/apple-touch-icon.png)CNNTamara Hardingham-Gill![](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/age4231-abel-g.jpg?c=16x9&q=w_800,c_fill)](https://edition.cnn.com/travel/ethiopian-unique-calendar-year/index.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Stuff #193 - maximise your life URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-193-maximise-your-life/ Last updated: 2024-06-24T04:37:55.000Z *Happy Monday, I hope this week finds you safe and well.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you power up your time management. Effective planning[ can transform how you manage your day](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/from-chaos-to-control-transforming-your-day-with-time-management/19/6/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), These[ ten practical tips will give you a great start.](https://slack.com/intl/en-ie/blog/productivity/time-management-tips-at-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) For further inspiration,[ look at how top CEO’s structure their time.](https://hbr.org/2018/07/how-ceos-manage-time?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Feedback**. [The ultimate guide to giving constructive feedback.](https://www.jotform.com/constructive-feedback-guide/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’m in the middle of feedback time at work, with peer reviews running for the next few weeks. I found this guide really useful. I’ll be using this guide, along with [the trusted SBI framework](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-feedback-with-the-situation-behavior-impact-model/) to give the best feedback I can. **Team**. [Twenty great team building questions that aren’t awkward. ](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/team-building-questions/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)If you want more, I have hundreds over icebreakers over on my other site, [The Questions.](https://thequestions.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Stress**. [Don’t manage your stress, manage the stressors.](https://nickwignall.com/manage-your-stressors-not-your-stress/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like this take on reducing stress, specifically the idea of setting clear boundaries to protect yourself. To help, [here are 35 phrases that will help you set boundaries.](https://parade.com/living/boundary-phrases?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Resume.** [How to use ChatGPT to help write your CV](https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/how-to-use-chatgpt-to-write-a-resume/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Nothing will replace carefully writing and reviewing your resume, but ChatGPT can help you find the right words. **Declutter**. If like me, you spend most of your time working online you’ll probably build up some digital clutter. [This excellent article lists some great ways to ensure you stay fully organised.](https://clockify.me/blog/managing-time/digital-declutter/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Describe a small victory you had recently. [Over 650 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![a person is casting a vote into a box](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1540910419892-4a36d2c3266c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGVsZWN0aW9uc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTkxMzg1MjJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Element5 Digital](https://unsplash.com/@element5digital?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Belonging**. [If you really want to belong, you need to find a third place.](https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/24119312/how-to-find-a-third-place-cafe-bar-gym-loneliness-connection?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This is somewhere other than work or home where you can have friends and make connections. A thought-provoking piece about tackling the modern scourge of loneliness. **Elections**. There are multiple elections happening around the world in 2024, [this site can help you decide who to vote for](https://www.isidewith.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) after asking some questions relating to your views on the issues in your country. *You might not think you need help deciding, but I was surprised with what came up for my own choices.* ​ **Life.** [44 reminders to help maximise your life.](https://mikethompsonblog.com/44-one-line-reminders-to-maximize-life-after-44-years/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I know you love a list, and this one resonated with me. #1, #5 and #29 are particularly important. **Detox**. [Last week](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-192/), I shared an article about living without a smartphone for a month. Here are [ten practical steps that you can take to break your cell phone habit](https://nosidebar.com/10-tried-and-true-tactics-to-break-your-cell-phone-habit/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). **Charisma**. [Nine techniques for building charisma and becoming more likeable.](https://www.readtheprofile.com/p/how-to-become-more-likable-charismatic?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I used to believe that this was untrainable, but there are some small things that you can learn that will develop this. **Finally**. [23 words, a tense and fun daily word game.](https://wordnerd.co/23words/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Find the words before the timer runs out. I got 14 today. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![Oath - Mono](https://i0.wp.com/distortedsoundmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Oath-Mono.jpg?resize=800%2C445&ssl=1) 🎧 This week's aural treat is the marvellous new album from Japanese rock band, Mono. Oath is an epic, sweeping bath of ambient guitars and anthemic riffs that is ideal accompaniment while you work and rest. I have found it complex to listen to, but easy to enjoy - soaring and hopeful in one minute and the dark and foreboding in the next. I really enjoyed their [previous album, Buraku](https://open.spotify.com/album/3xPYYJCZLvg3LpjK2xWVrP?si=2eGqYHs3SBCc63%5FsiUe5Bg&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and this one is no different. I urge you give this one a try. Highly recommended. [Listen to Oath by Mono](https://open.spotify.com/album/3BBYFW6zgOQmqFZxlfJExp?si=zJzEibjUTYujITIkk1dd0Q&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/2024/06/Newsletter-Quote-pics--1--5.png) ### Journal Prompts - Optimism URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/journal-prompts-optimism/ Last updated: 2024-11-18T11:07:33.000Z Finding time for introspection and reflection is a vital tool for growth, journaling offers a space for self-discovery and expression. Some people enjoy freeform writing, others enjoy the spark of a prompt. I have found journaling an excellent tool to help plan, reflect and decide on direction. In this blog series, I'm going to share some of the best prompts I've found and used. ☝🏼 ****The simple three step Stuff guide to Journaling...** 1\. Find a quiet place and a blank page - paper or electronic. 2\. Settle on a prompt to use, fully immerse yourself in the words and allow your thoughts and memories to surface. 3\. Capture everything you can, edit and reread as you need. **Remember - there is no right or wrong answer when journaling, use the prompts to unlock your authentic inner voice.* _This post is for subscribers only._ ### TWIL #25 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-25/ Last updated: 2024-06-23T08:19:35.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that wild horses are returning to the Steppes of Kazakhstan for the first time in two-hundred years. Przewalski’s horses, the only truly wild species of the animal in the world and being reintroduced with help from a zoo. [Wild horses return to Kazakhstan steppes after absence of two centuriesSeven Przewalski’s horses, the only truly wild species of the animal in the world, flown to central Asian country from zoos in Europe![](https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-512.png)The GuardianSophie Kevany![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/01ad3195669ec97f5db10f354d4da9c40e3cf5c5/0_457_3683_2210/master/3683.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=fec4bc74465e0f946994f49c5583ea7c)](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/10/przewalskis-horses-only-wild-species-return-central-asian-steppes-kazakhstan?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Stuff #192 - five extra minutes! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-192/ Last updated: 2024-06-17T04:26:53.000Z *Sending this from Madrid where I've been at a beautiful wedding - I hope this week finds you happy and healthy.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you power up your communication skills. [This (short) video by Alan Alda](https://bigthink.com/the-well/alan-alda-how-to-communicate-better/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) explains how changing the way you use language can make your communication more effective AND inclusive. It’s only 7 minutes, but I watched it twice in a row, and the insights are excellent. **Five**. [What would you do with five extra minutes?](https://joshspector.com/five-minute-challenge/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love this tiny little hack. **Mentoring**. [How to get a mentor.](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/mentorship/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’ve had a few requests in my inbox for mentoring, and I’m a massive advocate of having someone to strategise and plan with. [This guide to finding that person is excellent.](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/mentorship/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Cheat**. One of the best productivity hacks is to learn the keyboard ‘cheats’ in your most used apps. [This handy website puts them all in one place.](https://hotkeycheatsheet.com/en?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Stop reaching for your mouse by learning the most common ones. **Detox**. [My month without a smartphone.](https://collabfund.com/blog/my-month-without-a-smartphone/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) An excellent article on reducing smartphone dependancy. I’ve just spent two weeks on vacation, and reduced my phone usage whilst I was there (down 34% according to screentime). I’d still need to focus really hard to [ditch my smartphone.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/ditching-your-smartphone-is-it-for-you/) **Enough**. [How much self-improvement is too much.](https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/24091379/how-to-be-enough-habituation-hedonic-treadmill-comparison?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) The idea of a [hedonic treadmill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic%5Ftreadmill?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) really resonated with me. Knowing when you have had enough is important. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How did I celebrate my achievements, big or small this week? [Over 550 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![shallow focus photography of stack of books](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1491841573634-28140fc7ced7?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE2fHxib29rc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTgyODM5MTJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Chris Lawton](https://unsplash.com/@chrislawton?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Books.** [Littler Books has five minute summaries of hundreds of books.](https://littlerbooks.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) All free and compiled by humans, this an excellent way to test whether a book will be useful to you before you buy it. [Boiling this incredible book down to 17 bullet points is very useful. ](https://littlerbooks.com/summary/mans-search-for-meaning?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Grandma**. [Five life lessons from a 90 year old Grandmother. ](https://www.wealest.com/articles/grandma-life-lessons?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #1 and #3 are absolutely perfect. **Burnout**. [Five ways to protect yourself from stress and work overload.](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five%5Fways%5Fto%5Fprotect%5Fyourself%5Ffrom%5Fstress%5Fand%5Foverwork?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) #2 and #4 really resonate with me as ways that can help. One of these is ‘in the moment’ and one is a more long term strategy. **Breathing**. [Intentional breathing can help control stress](https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) responses in your body. One thing that I have learned from establishing a daily meditation habit in 2024 is that breathing is a powerful way to help get control of my mind. [Back in stuff #123 I shared some other techniques that have helped me.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-123/) **Streets.** [71 of the most beautiful streets in the world](https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/most-beautiful-streets-in-the-world?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I’ve been to a few of these, but there are so many more lovely places to visit. Maybe you have a beautiful road near you that you can make a trip to? **GenderSwap.** [This amazing database has a huge (and growing) list of excellent cover versions](https://genderswap.fm/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). They all have a key theme in common. **Finally**. [Quizl. A daily trivia quiz game](https://quizl.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Simple implementation but with some excellent quiz questions. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![Bolis Pupul: Letter to Yu Album Review | Pitchfork](https://media.pitchfork.com/photos/6567477147e0b8c8cbb50911/16:9/w_1280,c_limit/Bolis-Pupul-Letter-to-Yu.jpg) 🎧 This week's aural treat is something a little more lively, the excellent new album from Belgian electronic artist Bolis Pupul. Letter to Yu is the follow-up to Topical Dancer from 2022\. Whilst the collaboration with Charlotte Adigery is finished, the sound carries on in the same vein. Crisp electronica, made for the dancefloor with pop-friendly vocals and some funny touches. Alongside the dancefloor action, there are some chilled and contemplative moments. I hope you enjoy it. [Listen to Letter to Yu by Bolis Pupul here](https://open.spotify.com/album/4NWbM9F8OhWw9pVM0dVNRk?si=0SA4e4MbRjGmC6I3zPyPkQ&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/2024/06/Newsletter-Quote-pics--2--1.png) ### TWIL #24 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-24/ Last updated: 2025-04-01T12:33:38.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that scientists have made a connection between sleep deprivation and memory. Another reason to check in on your [overall sleep hygiene.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) [Sleep deprivation disrupts memory: here’s whyStudy in rats shows that a key brain signal linked to memory formation deteriorates after broken sleep.![](https://www.nature.com/static/images/favicons/nature/apple-touch-icon-f39cb19454.png)NatureMax Kozlov![](https://media.nature.com/lw1200/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01732-y/d41586-024-01732-y_27197874.jpg)](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01732-y?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Stuff #191 - lead with love URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-191/ Last updated: 2024-06-10T04:47:25.000Z *Sending this from Spain again, still recharging the batteries - I hope this week finds you happy and safe.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you [power-up your Storytelling skills](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2022/03/01/five-keys-to-effective-storytelling-at-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I’ve been trying to use the [Situation, Complication, Resolution framework](https://www.thecuriosityvine.com/post/how-to-tell-a-business-story-using-the-mckinsey-situation-complication-resolution-scr-framework?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) in my role for a while, it’s an excellent way of framing up a complicated story that you need to share. **Success**. [Lead with love and the five principles of energetic success.](https://bigthink.com/business/lead-with-love-and-follow-5-principles-of-energetic-success/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Learn how you and your team can make changes to ensure you operate in a ‘constructive energy zone’. **Disconnect.** [From FOMO to JOMO.](https://nesslabs.com/jomo?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some advantages to disconnecting, when was the last time you really switched off? On my vacation, the JOMO kicked in on day two or three, and I’ve been more relaxed because of it. **Mindfulness.** [Audit your workplace and maximise well-being.](https://www.success.com/mindfulness-at-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I like this methodology for ensuring that your workplace supports your mental wellbeing. There is some strong science behind[ the psychology of your environment](https://nesslabs.com/environmental-psychology?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *I enjoy looking* [*at peoples workspaces*](https://www.workspaces.xyz/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*, and find that I’m drawn to the calmer ones.* **Productivity.** [If you want to be more productive, you need to slow down.](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/want-to-be-more-productive-slow-down/29/5/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Another very sensible article on the importance of thinking while you work. I covered this before in my review of [Slow Productivity by Cal Newport](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/book-notes-slow-productivity-by-cal-newport/). *Bonus Stuff:* [*Lazy Work, Good Work.* ](https://collabfund.com/blog/lazy-work-good-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Meetings**. [How to pick the right seat in a meeting, every time.](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/seating-arrangement/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’ve often walked into a meeting room, and not known exactly where I’d be best located. This guide has all the answers. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Write about a time when your positive attitude made a difference. [Over 550 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![brown and black suitcase with red and yellow plastic toy](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1595475349262-88ba1e1eecaf?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fHN1aXRjYXNlfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNzkyODgzOXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Shamblen Studios](https://unsplash.com/@shamblenstudios?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Travel.** [Can travel make you more creative?](https://www.vogue.com/article/can-travel-make-you-more-creative?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This [artist definitely thinks so](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/graphics/big-sur-creativity-jean-jullien?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and[ these scientists seem to back it up](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8733151/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). *I’m on the second week of a holiday, and I’m finding myself with new ideas almost every day now that I’m not thinking about work.* **Minimal.** [30 areas of your life where subtracting can add more.](https://www.becomingminimalist.com/subtracting-more/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some of these suggestions are golden, #11, #16 and especially #26 have made a difference to my life. **Cards**. [99 things to write in a card for all occasions.](https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-to-write-in-a-card/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Even in our digital world, I love sending a greetings card and I keep a stack of blank cards to send at the right moment. This list has great suggestions on what to write. Why not send someone a card today? **Connection**. [Debunking the rules of conversation.](https://bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/the-7-38-55-rule-debunking-the-golden-ratio-of-conversation/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Improve the way that you connect with people by understanding the real rules of conversation. **Dolphins.** I went on a boat trip this week to see dolphins, after five hours we saw exactly no Dolphins. [I guess that they were all under the deep blue sea. ](https://neal.fun/deep-sea/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally**. [Bullet Time Pong](https://raould.github.io/pn0gstr0m/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Play Pong against an AI opponent. Gets a bit mad after a while! 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![Keaton Henson anuncia su nuevo disco: 'Somnambulant Cycles'. Aquí, la oportunidad de escuchar sus primeros avances](https://www.dodmagazine.es/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/keaton-henson-2024-1200x675.webp) 🎧 This week's aural treat is the new album from Stuff favourite, Keaton Henson. It's called Somnambulant Cycles. This time Keaton lays down the guitar, and gets back to a more classical composition that explores different feelings of subconscious states. It sounds a bit 'hokum', but really its a beautiful album of instrumental tunes described as 'anti lethargy'. I loved it, gentle and thoughtful music that will leave you relaxed. I hope you enjoy it. [Listen to Somnambulant Cycles by Keaton Henson here](https://open.spotify.com/album/3h9QjkAdxLZGgZgbqjU2S4?si=-4VL4eNzQdCJO%5Fs3ns%5Fbpg&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/2024/06/Newsletter-Quote-pics--1--1.png) ### TWIL #23 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-23/ Last updated: 2024-06-09T09:35:01.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned why soda cans are concave on the bottom - I thought it was for stacking, but turns out its more important than that. ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Stuff #190 - do nothing, be happy URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-190/ Last updated: 2024-06-03T04:37:13.000Z *Sending this from Spain, recharging the batteries - I hope this week finds you safe and well. Today, I'm also sharing* [*the latest Stuff Mixtape*](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5iiqrrpkLhg4tH7QlkfMxU?si=3a82216b49194fc1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)*, which is a great accompaniment to the list.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you power up your coaching [with 100 GROW Coaching Questions](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/100-grow-coaching-questions-to-ignite-your-conversations/), a simple list of prompts that will help you get the best out of yourself and others. I pulled this list together in response to [my article on GROW coaching](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/coaching-excellence-how-to-use-the-grow-model-to-drive-performance/) from a few weeks ago. **Email.** [71 ways to open your next email.](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/email-greetings/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I have to confess that most of my emails start the same way, so maybe its time to shake things up a bit and try some new openings. The key thing is to match the greeting to the email you are sending. **Productivity**. [Why having a soundtrack for work can improve your productivity.](https://www.fastcompany.com/91121320/why-having-a-soundtrack-at-work-could-boost-your-productivity?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) One suggestion is my [Flow Stuff playlist, which contains hours of music that will help you focus.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/) **Happiness**. [Is doing absolutely nothing the key to real happiness?](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/may/27/life-sabbatical-doing-absolutely-nothing-secret-of-happiness?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I love the idea of the one-day sabbatical, I’m going to tell myself thats what I am doing when I have a day where I do zilch! *Bonus Stuff:* [22 small things that people say make them drastically happier](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/small-things-that-people-say-made-them-drastically-happier%5Fl%5F661426fbe4b02bf8071858dc?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Ritual.** [Six ways to switch off after work.](https://www.self.com/story/how-to-destress-after-work?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I really like these ideas that will help round out your day. Simple practical advice that will prepare you for some quality rest. **Joy.** [How to trigger joy on demand.](https://nesslabs.com/joy-triggers?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) What are your joy triggers? Knowing what makes you joyful can reap huge benefits. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** Write about a time when your positive attitude made a difference. [Over 550 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![silhouette of trees](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1562969311-f86bd3a9d719?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDM2fHxkdXNrfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNzMyMDAwM3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Frédéricke Boies](https://unsplash.com/@fred%5F22?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Light.** [This is a new one to me, but it makes a lot of sense.](https://bigthink.com/the-well/dusking-end-addiction-light/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Dusking is the practice of observing day turn into night as a respite of our hyper-productive days. As I read this, I remembered that some of my favourite times are watching sunset, and feeling the day slow down. **Sleep.** [Can’t sleep reads.](https://cantsleepreads.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A lovely collection of short stories that will help you relax, ready for sleep. **Narcissism.** [What if YOU are the problem?](https://www.truity.com/blog/what-do-if-you-recognize-narcissism-yourself?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How to recognise if you are the narcissist. **Income**. [Imagine the world as one street ordered by income](https://www.gapminder.org/dollar-street?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Dollar Street takes photographs of families and their possessions at every income level. It is a stark reminder of the gaps between rich and poor. **Influence.** The Time Magazine guide to the [100 most influential companies in the world in 2024.](https://time.com/collection/time100-companies-2024/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some interesting businesses in there, and some real game-changers. **Finally.** [Unzoomed](https://www.unzoomed.com/en?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). A simple, but fun daily game where you identify a city from a satellite image. You get clued in as you guess. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/06/iwilllook-3.jpeg) 🎧 This week's aural treat is the new [Stuff Mixtape - #25](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5iiqrrpkLhg4tH7QlkfMxU?si=930b713b63d0434d&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) in the series! As we reach a quarter of the century, I've pulled together another great playlist of tunes that have been in my orbit during May. Cover versions of Blondie and David Bowie, huge dancefloor tunes, a couple of classic oldies and some beautiful piano music. Its a great listen - I hope you enjoy it. [Listen to Stuff #25 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5iiqrrpkLhg4tH7QlkfMxU?si=930b713b63d0434d&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/2024/06/Newsletter-Quote-pics-1.png) ### #25 - May 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/25-may-2024/ Last updated: 2024-06-02T09:11:41.000Z Stuff Mixtape #25 is a collection of random music that crossed my path in May 2024, and there are some wonderful tunes here. Here's why each of these amazing tunes made it into my playlist. - **Quando Quando Quando – Tony Rennis** | Inspired by devouring Ripley over the last couple of months. - **Turn Me Inside (Zero 7 Remix) - Vegyn** | Beautifully chilled version from one of my favourite albums of 2024 so far. - **Thrown Around - James Blake** | Always love Blakes stuff, but the high note in the middle of this tune is truly a moment. - **Modern Love - Zaho de Sagazan** | Sublime cover version of a Bowie classic, introduced to me by my girl [who found a lovely live YT version](https://youtu.be/ml-Q1sVAFNc?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). What a performer! - **You're not there - Arab Strap** | A Stuff favourite band, love this tune from their new album. - **Warning - Britizen Kane** | The sound of young Britain. Phenomenal Grime track with bars from Manga St Hilaire. - **Geno (Live) - Dexys Midnight Runners** | Kevin Rowlands voice is still something to behold, this live collection is excellent. - **Dreaming - Say Sue Me** | Excellent showgazey cover version of the Blondie Classic - **Everything Blooms About Her - Anish Kumar** | Dancefloor friendly version of a classic Indian song. Brilliant stuff. - **numb - Julia-Sophie** | English-French electronica, lovely pulsating bassline reminded me of Moroder at his finest. - **New World - Tindersticks** | A favourite band, coming to Dublin next year. Will try and organise tickets to tick this group off my bucket list. - **Rotten Mind - Fashion Club & Julie Byrne** | Ethereal, orchestral, beautiful - **Awake/Alive - Keaton Henson** | New album is set to be an absolute classic, this beautiful piano track is just a taste. [Listen to Stuff #25 here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5iiqrrpkLhg4tH7QlkfMxU?si=d74284fd2778452e&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## More from Matt? 👓 Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. 100% free forever. ### TWIL #22 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-22/ Last updated: 2024-06-02T07:20:55.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that the ‘Encephalartos woodii’ is the loneliest plant in the world, with only one known living example. Scientists are using technology to try and find a female. If they can't find a date using AI, then they might try and change the sex of the one they have! [The high-tech hunt for a lonely plant’s partner | University of SouthamptonArtificial intelligence is being employed in the hunt for a female partner for a critically endangered male plant species that predates dinosaurs.![](https://cdn.southampton.ac.uk/assets/schools/design/favicon.ico)The University of Southampton![](https://cdn.southampton.ac.uk/img/comms/news/Dr%20Cinti%20&%20Kew%20woodii_web.jpg)](https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2024/05/the-high-tech-hunt-for-a-lonely-plants-partner.page?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Introducing: FlowStuff URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/introducing-flowstuff/ Last updated: 2024-05-27T18:01:14.000Z I'm pleased to introduce [FlowStuff](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=fba3a58ade084475&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), an evolving and organic Spotify playlist of music that can support your flow state as you work and relax. I've pulled together tracks from my collection which are largely instrumental, and often beatless as a rotating playlist of music that you can relax and work to. There are no distractions here, just gentle background music that will help you focus and concentrate. The list is regularly randomised so that there will be very few patterns or connected tracks. I'll be adding and improving this playlist constantly, so there will always be something new to find. I hope you enjoy it. ### 👓 Stuff #189 - Slice the Pizza! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-189-slice-the-pizza/ Last updated: 2024-05-27T04:08:35.000Z *I hope that my US readers are enjoying the Memorial Day weekend. Wherever your read from, thanks for joining me on our shared quest for improvement.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you [fire up your personal brand at work](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/). Building a strong brand can be a great way to propel your career forwards, [I’ve covered five key strategies to help you get started.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/) **Free.** [Ten additional websites that everyone should bookmark.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/10-additional-free-websites-that-everyone-should-bookmark-2/) The fourth in my series of link dumps that help you with tools that you can use for free. *Includes an amazing way to make your Google searches much much better.* **Management.** [How to manage former peers.](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-manage-former-peers-bobby-powers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I have promoted from inside a number of times, knowing that one of the bigger challenges that new managers will face is dealing with former peers. [This article explains some of the pitfalls](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-manage-former-peers-bobby-powers/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and ways to solve them. **Goals.** [ Are SMART goals a triumph of style over substance?](https://psyche.co/ideas/so-called-smart-goals-are-a-case-of-style-over-substance?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some great theory about why it might be a good time to try a new way of setting goals. **Lifecoach.** [What is a lifecoach?](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-life-coach-4129726?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) And how can you benefit from having one? Some sound advice for defining what kind of support you need, and how to go about choosing the right person. **Gratitude**. [Don’t wait to say thank you.](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2024/05/21/dying-teacher-gratitude-thanks/73774503007/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) A lovely story about gratitude and the need to share it early and often. A good reminder that [my 28 day gratitude challenge can kickstart your gratitude practice. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/28-day-gratitude-a-challenge/) Connected. [Six ways to give that don’t involve money.](https://ideas.ted.com/6-ways-to-give-that-arent-about-money/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How can you turn your anxious energy into something creative or productive? [Over 550 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![photo of empty park during daytime](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1519331379826-f10be5486c6f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHBhcmt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE2NzIwMzc1fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Mike Benna](https://unsplash.com/@mbenna?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Park.** Take a break,[ just for a minute and visit a random park.](https://oneminutepark.tv/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *This site will take you to a random park for one minute. It is an excellent way to quieten your mind.* **Memory.** [How actors remember their lines.](https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-actors-remember-their-lines/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) *I went to a poetry reading on Saturday night, and one of the poets recited long tracts from memory. It connected me to this article. Could be great for working up your next presentation.* **Self**. [How to Stop Obsessing About What Other People Think of You](https://www.self.com/story/how-to-not-care-what-people-think?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). #1 is excellent advice here. **Birds.**[ Listen to the sounds made by birds from around the world](https://birdify.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk#home). A pleasant diversion. **Slice.** The web equivalent of a fidget toy. [Slice those Pizzas!](https://memalign.github.io/m/slice/index.html?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally.** [Eye Spy](https://eyespy.world/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- play I Spy in five new locations every day. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![body of water under sky](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1518837695005-2083093ee35b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGZsb3d8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE2NzIwNDU4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Matt Hardy](https://unsplash.com/@matthardy?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) 🎧 This week's aural treat is something new I'm building. [FlowStuff](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=fba3a58ade084475&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is an evolving and organic playlist of music that can support your flow state. I've pulled together tracks from my collection which are largely instrumental, and often beatless as a rotating playlist of music that you can relax and work to. There are no distractions here, just gentle background music that will help you focus and concentrate. The list is regularly randomised so that there will be very few patterns or connected tracks. I'll be adding and honing this playlist constantly, so there will always be something new to find. I hope you enjoy it. [Listen to Flow Stuff here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=fba3a58ade084475&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/2024/05/Stuff-188-Header-4.png) ### TWIL #21 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-21/ Last updated: 2024-05-26T09:35:37.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that 'Slap Fighting' is now a professional sport. That's where two people 'slap' each other in the face until one goes down. *It's a pretty ugly sport, but then all combat sports are - maybe that's why people love them.* [Inside the Savage, Surreal, Booming World of Professional Slap FightingPropelled by its made-to-go-viral moments of violence, the combat sport—in which combatants take turns smacking each other in the face—is soaring in popularity.![](https://www.esquire.com/_assets/design-tokens/esquire/static/images/apple-touch-icon.1801cd0.png)EsquireAnder Monson![](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/3-664cec5e4a01b.jpg?crop=0.466xw:0.187xh;0,0.0269xh&resize=1200:*)](https://www.esquire.com/sports/a60828501/professional-slap-fighting/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Boost Your Professional Presence: Strategies for Personal Branding in the Workplace URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/boost-your-professional-presence-strategies-for-personal-branding-in-the-workplace/ Last updated: 2025-07-24T17:15:03.000Z Someone asked me this week to define how to go about building a personal brand at work. There are thousands of articles which mainly focus on building an online brand. I wanted to focus on how I would build a brand inside the workplace. Here are the five steps I recommend to anyone trying to build their brand. ### **1\. Define Your Professional Identity** _This post is for subscribers only._ ### 10 additional free Websites that everyone should Bookmark URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/10-additional-free-websites-that-everyone-should-bookmark-2/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T11:43:41.000Z Nobody should have to pay big money for useful tools. Here are another ten sites I recommend you save. [Click here for more free tools](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/tools/) - [Ten Blue Links](https://tenbluelinks.org/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- very simple instructions to make Google cleaner, remove all the AI generated garbage by changing the way you search. *I absolutely love the results this gives.* - [News Minimalist](https://www.newsminimalist.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- Let ChatGPT read the news for you and then filter out all the noise to give you the most important stories. - [My Noise](https://mynoise.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- seen in newsletter [#188](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-188/) \- this site helps you to create the right noise generator for you. - [Remotists](https://remotists.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- 18000 jobs that allow remote work, a great search engine for your next work from home gig. - [Just the Recipe](https://www.justtherecipe.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- input a link to a recipe, and this site strips off all the clutter to give you a clean guide to creating a perfect meal. - [Webkay](https://webkay.robinlinus.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- see everything your browser knows about you, information that gets shared when you visit websites. - [Spotify Playlist Randomiser](https://stevenaleong.com/tools/spotifyplaylistrandomizer?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- useful tool to permanently shuffle a playlist. [See my 'flow' playlist for an example](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rXoop87aCB6oe1HBERtyn?si=bb8f827deb734964&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). - [Bookpecker](https://www.bookpecker.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- nearly 15000 books summarised into 5 bullet points. - [Typelit](https://www.typelit.io/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- improve your typing by typing along with famous books you live. - [Hacksplaining](https://hacksplaining.com/lessons?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) \- how hacking works, simple lessons to understand how hackers get into our data & systems. *Know thine enemy.* ### 100 GROW Coaching questions to ignite your conversations. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/100-grow-coaching-questions-to-ignite-your-conversations/ Last updated: 2025-02-13T14:06:16.000Z Coaching requires a curious mind, and active listening. I've compiled a list of the best questions to support your coaching conversations. ### Goal Stage 1. What is the ultimate outcome you want to achieve? 2. What specific milestones do you want to reach along the way? 3. How will you know when you’ve achieved your goal? 4. How does this goal align with your broader life or career objectives? 5. What would be the first sign that you’re on the right track? 6. What personal values does this goal reflect? 7. How will achieving this goal change your life or work situation? 8. What will achieving this goal enable you to do that you can’t do now? 9. Who else will benefit from you achieving this goal? 10. What smaller goals or sub-goals do you need to accomplish first? 11. How urgent is this goal? 12. What sacrifices might you need to make to achieve this goal? 13. What resources will you need to accomplish this goal? 14. What might happen if you don’t achieve this goal? 15. What is your level of commitment to this goal? 16. How does this goal fit into your long-term plans? 17. What are the potential risks associated with this goal? 18. What makes this goal realistic and achievable for you? 19. How will you prioritise this goal among other responsibilities? 20. What steps can you take to make this goal more specific? 21. What criteria will you use to measure your success? 22. How will you handle setbacks or obstacles along the way? 23. What skills or knowledge do you need to develop to achieve this goal? 24. What previous experiences can help you with this goal? 25. How will achieving this goal impact your confidence and motivation? ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Join us! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. 100% Free. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Reality Stage 1. Where are you now in relation to your goal? 2. What progress have you made so far? 3. What challenges or obstacles are you currently facing? 4. What resources do you have available to help you achieve your goal? 5. How do you feel about your current situation? 6. What is holding you back from progressing further? 7. What have you tried so far to achieve your goal? 8. How do your current skills and knowledge align with your goal? 9. What feedback have you received about your progress? 10. What patterns or trends do you notice in your current performance? 11. What assumptions are you making about your current situation? 12. What internal and external factors are influencing your current reality? 13. What are your strengths that can help you achieve your goal? 14. What areas do you need to improve to reach your goal? 15. How are your current habits and routines affecting your progress? 16. What support systems do you have in place? 17. How does your current mindset impact your ability to achieve your goal? 18. What recent successes can you build on? 19. What resources do you lack that are necessary for your goal? 20. How are you managing your time and priorities? 21. What is the biggest challenge you face right now? 22. How do you typically respond to setbacks or challenges? 23. What opportunities are available to you right now? 24. How do your current actions align with your goal? 25. What is the impact of your current situation on your motivation and confidence? ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Join us! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. 100% Free. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Options Stage 1. What are the possible ways you could achieve your goal? 2. What options have you not yet considered? 3. What could you do differently to move closer to your goal? 4. What are the pros and cons of each option? 5. Who could support you in achieving your goal? 6. What resources or tools do you need to explore your options? 7. How could you overcome the obstacles you identified? 8. What would be the most effective first step? 9. What are some creative or unconventional approaches you could try? 10. What past successes can you draw upon to inform your options? 11. What are the short-term and long-term impacts of each option? 12. How can you leverage your strengths in each option? 13. What would you do if there were no limitations? 14. What advice would you give to someone else in your situation? 15. What are the potential risks and how can you mitigate them? 16. How do your options align with your values and priorities? 17. What are the costs (time, money, effort) associated with each option? 18. What is the easiest option to implement? 19. How do each of the options fit into your long-term plans? 20. What would happen if you chose not to act on any of the options? 21. Which option excites you the most and why? 22. How can you test or pilot one of your options? 23. What are the potential barriers to each option and how can you overcome them? 24. What option would give you the quickest results? 25. How do your options align with the resources you have available? ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Join us! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. 100% Free. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Will Stage 1. What actions will you take to achieve your goal? 2. When will you start taking these actions? 3. What is the first step you need to take? 4. How will you stay motivated and committed to your plan? 5. What obstacles might you encounter, and how will you address them? 6. How will you track your progress and stay accountable? 7. Who can help you stay on track and provide support? 8. How will you celebrate milestones and successes along the way? 9. What will you do if you encounter setbacks? 10. How will you ensure that your actions align with your overall goal? 11. What resources or support do you need to implement your plan? 12. How will you measure your progress and success? 13. What specific actions will you take this week/month? 14. How will you adapt your plan if circumstances change? 15. What commitment are you making to yourself? 16. What could derail your progress and how will you handle it? 17. What is your contingency plan for unexpected challenges? 18. How will you maintain focus on your goal amidst other responsibilities? 19. How will you know if your plan is working or if adjustments are needed? 20. What can you do to keep your energy and motivation high? 21. How will you integrate new habits or routines to support your goal? 22. What is your deadline for achieving each milestone? 23. How will you involve others in your plan to ensure success? 24. What steps can you take to make your action plan more realistic? 25. How will you review and reflect on your progress regularly? ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development, with a sideline in joy and curiosity. Join us! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. 100% Free. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 👓 Stuff #188 - rock, paper, scissors! URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-188/ Last updated: 2024-05-20T04:30:15.000Z *Thanks for joining me on our shared quest for improvement.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation**. Let this week be the one where you develop your coaching skills by leveraging the GROW model. [I explain the four stages of the GROW model, and share some example questions that will ignite your next coaching conversation.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/coaching-excellence-how-to-use-the-grow-model-to-drive-performance/) **Pep.** [Eight ways to give yourself a motivational pep talk when you feel stuck](https://psyche.co/ideas/eight-ways-to-give-yourself-a-pep-talk-when-you-feel-stuck?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Psychology driven practical advice that you can use when things aren’t going as you want. I like #3, the act of finding a win can really change your perspective. **Projects**. [The history of project management](https://height.app/blog/history-of-pm?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), including some of the key techniques you can use. **Remote**. [How successful people structure their remote working.](https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/work-from-home-habits/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I have been watching my wife onboard into a new remote role this week, having routine and structure has been part of the process. **Solutions**. [Problem solving techniques that work for all kinds of challenges.](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/problem-solving-techniques-that-work-for-all-types-of-challenges?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Simple explanations of 26 excellent techniques for tackling the big problems. I like the way each of these is explained with clear examples. **Sleep**. [Stop your sleep procrastination](https://www.valetmag.com/the-handbook/living/fight-sleep-procrastination.php?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). We all know how important sleep is to our health and wellbeing, as well as our career. As part of a good sleep hygiene practice, [reducing late screentime is important](https://www.ajmc.com/view/screen-time-inhibits-sleep-for-most-americans-survey-finds?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). For other sleep hygiene tips, [I’ve got you covered.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How do you preserve your happiness during times of change? [Over 550 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![gray and brown corded headphones](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1484704849700-f032a568e944?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGhlYWRwaG9uZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE2MTAyMjY3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Lee Campbell](https://unsplash.com/@leecampbell?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Background.** I have featured these tools before, but [this background noise generator is clever](https://mynoise.net/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It explains WHY each sound works, and in what context it can help you. Then it lets you customise each sound so that it is perfect. **Friends.** 101 ways to make and maintain friendships. A lot of common sense on this list, but a good reminder of what it takes to build friendships. If you have someone you haven’t spoken to for a while, [why not get in touch today?](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/get-in-touch/) **Music**. [Record.Club is a new free social network focused on the love of music](https://record.club/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). It’s an excellent place to discover music, and also meet fans who share your taste. The design and interface are excellent and it integrates with streaming services. [ It’ll come as no surprise that I’m a member there](https://record.club/mattr?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), I’m looking forward to seeing how this one develops. **Writing**. [A reminder that hand writing your notes is better for your brain than typing](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/11/1250529661/handwriting-cursive-typing-schools-learning-brain?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). With [new AI note taking services](https://tactiq.io/ai-tools/ai-note-taker?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) rolling out that require neither, I wonder what the view of this will be in a year. **Movies.** [A Good Movie to Watch](https://agoodmovietowatch.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Really simple site that suggests a good film, very simple interface and so far, I’ve seen some great recommendations that I’ve added to my watchlist. **Finally**. [Rock, Paper, Scissors.](https://www.luduxia.com/showdown/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Play against a moustache wearing cowboy that adapts to your strategy. 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... 🎧 This week's aural treat is the album from Beth Gibbons, who most of you will know as the 'voice' of Portishead. The new collection is called 'Lives Outgrown' and takes a gentle folky tone, and over the ten years since her last output (with Rustin Man) - there have been a lot of life events documented in the music. I love Beth Gibbons' voice, and this is a beautiful showcase of a real talent. Highly recommended. [Listen to Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown here](https://open.spotify.com/album/0YC5MWwUmsTpJrRumtBdZA?si=1dZ6ttz7TK-rZyJ3qoOxGQ&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/2024/05/Stuff-188-Header-4.png) ### TWIL #20 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-20/ Last updated: 2024-05-19T07:36:31.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that Kami Rita Sherpa has just broken a record by summiting Everest for the 29th time. [Mount Everest: Record summits made by Nepali and British climbersKami Rita Sherpa scaled the world’s tallest mountain for a 29th time while a Briton marked his 18th.![](https://www.bbc.com/bbcx/apple-touch-icon.png)BBC News![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/23b7/live/58d18a10-10e4-11ef-82e8-cd354766a224.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce4383v4wwno?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Coaching Excellence: How to Use the GROW Model to Drive Performance URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/coaching-excellence-how-to-use-the-grow-model-to-drive-performance/ Last updated: 2024-05-17T17:55:58.000Z *I attended a coaching refresher at work this week. It was a great reminder on the power of the GROW model and the benefits it can bring.* The ability to foster growth and development in others can be a powerful enabler. Effective coaching gives you the power to unlock potential and inspire progress. Coaching is a process where an individual helps another person unlock their potential. The coach provides guidance, support, and feedback. They guide the coachee's self-discovery and personal growth. The GROW coaching model is a framework that will help you guide others towards their goals. The beauty of the GROW model lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. It offers a step-by-step approach that can help guide coaching conversations. If you're working with employees, clients, or friends the GROW model is a way to make progress. In this blog post, I'll share the mechanics of the GROW model, and how to apply it. I'll also share a list of questions tailored for each stage of the framework. By the end, you'll have the knowledge to help build your coaching practice. This will position you to drive performance, skills and success. ### What is the GROW Coaching Model? The GROW model was developed in the 1980s by business coaches Graham Alexander, Alan Fine, and Sir John Whitmore. GROW stands for: - Goal - Reality - Options - Will Each stage represents a step in the coaching conversation. First, helping individuals clarify their goals. Then understand their current situation and explore options. Finally, you can help them commit to taking action. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2024/05/GROW-Coaching.png) ### How Does the GROW Model Work? Let's break down each stage of the GROW model and see how it guides a coaching session: - **Goal**: Define what the coachee wants to achieve. - **Reality**: Explore the current situation and the obstacles in the way. - **Options**: Brainstorm possible strategies and solutions. - **Will**: Determine the specific actions the coachee will take and their commitment level. ### Applying the GROW Model at work The GROW model can be integrated into workplace coaching. Here's how you can apply each stage with your colleagues: - **Goal**: Start by helping your coachee set a clear and achievable goal. This could be related to their career, a project they're working on, or improving a specific skill. - **Reality**: Encourage them to take assess their current situation. What's working well? What challenges are they facing? Understanding the reality helps to identify the gap between where they are and where they want to be. - **Options**: Facilitate a brainstorming session to explore different ways to achieve the goal. Discuss various strategies, resources, and actions they can take. This stage is all about considering many options. - **Will**: Finally, help them commit to a plan of action. What specific steps will they take? How will they stay accountable? Ensuring they have a clear action plan and a strong commitment is crucial for success. ### Example Coaching Questions for Each Stage To make your coaching sessions more effective, here are example questions you can use at each stage of the GROW model: ### Goal - What do you want to achieve in this session? - What are your short-term and long-term goals? - Why is this goal important to you? - What would success look like for you? - What specific outcomes are you aiming for? - What is the time frame for achieving this goal? - Who else needs to be involved or informed about this goal? - What motivates you to pursue this goal? - What could be the impact of not achieving this goal? - How will achieving this goal benefit you or your team? ### Reality - Where are you now in relation to your goal? - What progress have you made so far? - What challenges are you currently facing? - What resources do you have available to help you achieve your goal? - How do you feel about your current situation? - What is holding you back from progressing further? - What have you tried so far to achieve your goal? - How do your current skills and knowledge align with your goal? - What feedback have you received about your progress? - What patterns or trends do you notice in your current performance? ### Options - What are possible ways you could achieve your goal? - What options have you not yet considered? - What could you do differently to move closer to your goal? - What are the pros and cons of each option? - Who could support you in achieving your goal? - What resources or tools do you need to explore your options? - How could you overcome the obstacles you identified? - What would be the most effective first step? - What are some creative or unconventional approaches you could try? - What past successes can you draw upon to inform your options? ### Will - What actions will you take to achieve your goal? - When will you start taking these actions? - What is the first step you need to take? - How will you stay motivated and committed to your plan? - What obstacles might you encounter, and how will you address them? - How will you track your progress and stay accountable? - Who can help you stay on track and provide support? - How will you celebrate milestones and successes along the way? - What will you do if you encounter setbacks? - How will you ensure that your actions align with your overall goal? ### Summary By working through the GROW steps, you (and your coachee) can help find clarity, explore possibilities, and commit to actionable steps. Whether you're a manager or a professional coach, incorporating the GROW model into your practice can unlock potential and drive success. Remember, the key to effective coaching is asking the right questions and [listening actively. ](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) Use the example questions provided as a starting point, and adapt them to fit the unique needs of each coachee. --- ### Further reading There are lots of excellent resources for developing your coaching practice, here are a few that I recommend: - **Recommended:** Coaching for Performance - Sir John Whitmore ([Amazon](https://amzn.to/3wQcR14?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - Coaching Habit: How to Say Less, Ask More and Change the way you Lead forever - Michael Stanier Bungay ([Amazon](https://amzn.to/3wQcR14?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) - GROW Model Demonstration ([Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JM1gXkzrnk&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)) ### Media Gluttony - April 2024 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-april-2024/ Last updated: 2024-05-13T19:51:28.000Z *This is very late this month, I thought I had posted it earlier but it remained in my drafts!* April movie watching was slow, but there was some excellent TV sprinkled into the media diet. However, we got back into our cinema routine and saw some great (and not so great) movies. Here's a roundup of my media diet in March 2024: - **Argylle | ⭑⭑⭑½** Absurd but fun, spoof spy movie with Henry Cavill camping it up throughout. Good escapism - **Three Body Problem | ⭑⭑⭑⭑** Made my head spin at times, but a brilliantly epic science fiction series. Let down a little with a simplistic ending. - **Baby Reindeer | ⭑⭑⭑⭑½** Everyone is talking about this 'based on real life' tale of a comedian and his stalker. Took me from WTF to wow over the season. - **Ripley | ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑** Beautifully made and acted remake of the Talented Mr Ripley. Andrew Scott is superb, and supported by an excellent cast. Italy is the real star though, sumptuous scenery and sets. - **Baltimore | ⭑⭑⭑** Real life story of Rose Dugdale, who led an art theft in support of the IRA. Hitchcockesque direction and soundtrack coupled with a great performance by Imogen Poots. - **Fallout | ⭑⭑⭑** 'Based on a video game' is never a great start for me, but watched this on recommendation of a friend. A vintage post-apocalyptic USA is a great setting for a fun adventure. Great soundtrack. - **Civil War | ⭑⭑⭑⭑½** I really enjoyed this drama set in the US during a total societal breakdown, excellent performance from Kirstin Dunst and surrounding cast. Three movies and four boxsets watched in April. Previously: [January](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-jan-2024/) | [February](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-february-2024/) | [March](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/media-gluttony-march-2024/) ### 👓 Stuff #187 - 26 billion chickens URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-187/ Last updated: 2024-05-13T03:57:26.000Z *Thanks for joining me on our shared quest for improvement.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you unlock more potential. [Five ways to unlock new potential today](https://www.becomingminimalist.com/wake-up-to-new-potential-today/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and then some ideas on what you can do with that new motivation. **Career.** Do you need a career coach? [Eight signs that the answer is yes. ](https://www.themuse.com/advice/do-you-need-a-career-coach?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I spend a lot of time helping people define what the next steps are for their career, these guidelines are strong. **Habits**. [Thirty habits to help lead a more peaceful life.](https://www.lifehack.org/343637/30-small-habits-lead-more-peaceful-life?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It feels like we could all use a bit more peace and tranquility right now, there are some great ideas on this list. #1, #9 and #25 resonated particularly well with me. **Strategy**. [Super explanation of how strategic vision works](https://thestrategystory.com/blog/strategic-vision-explained-with-examples/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), with clear examples. This article will save you a whole module of MBA work. **Leadership.** [Eight myths about leadership that hold us back](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/leading-for-success/202404/where-leadership-lies-8-leadership-myths-that-hold-you-back?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Some sage advice in here. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** What's the most rewarding aspect of your current job? [Over 550 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![five brown hens on ground beside fence](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1556316918-880f9e893822?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGNoaWNrZW58ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE1NTE0MTIwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Ben Moreland](https://unsplash.com/@relentlessjpg?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Time**. The *average* human being spends 9 hours asleep each day, and works for about 2.6 hours each day. [What do you do all day? ](https://bigthink.com/the-present/average-human-day/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) How much we work obviously [changes over the stages of our lives.](https://flowingdata.com/2024/05/02/how-much-we-work/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Thinking.** Daniel Kahneman was a colossus of psychology. [Here are some ways that you can use his teachings to understand yourself better. ](https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/remembering-daniel-kahneman-7-theories-that-can-help-you-understand-how-you-think?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Clothing.** What are you wearing? [The fashion psychologist investigating our clothing choices and how they make us feel. ](https://www.positive.news/society/dion-terrelonge-fashion-psychologist/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Walking.** [This gentle Japanese walking programme](https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/fitness/the-japanese-3x3-interval-walking-workout/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) could be just the thing to maintain fitness. **Chickens**. There are over 26 billion chickens on Earth. [Here they all are.](https://www.chicken.pics/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Finally.** [Balanc3d](https://www.balanc3dgame.com/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Mobile only game that uses your phones balance to make progress. *Open this one on your phone for a neat challenge.* 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... 🎧 This week's aural treat is the new soundtrack from Back to Black, a biopic about Amy Winehouse. The death of Amy Winehouse upset me more than most, I thought she had a terrific voice and was an interesting, if destructive character. I still wonder what kind of music she’d have made if she’d conquered the demons. Another film of her life has been made, and the soundtrack is really worth a listen. It has a combination of cuts from her discography and music used in the movie. There are some excellent tracks, including Thelonius Monk, The Shangri-Las, The Specials and Nick Cave - who contributes the theme tune. It also contains one of my top songs of all time, the marvellous Donny Hathaway singing ‘I love you more than you will ever know’. A lovely album and an excellent reminder of a great talent. [Listen to Back to Black - Original Soundtrack here](https://open.spotify.com/album/5SYN1dxT7qz79VBKQSv2ot?si=hNCeltxqRjSyijXsxqcAcA&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/2024/05/Stuff-187-Header.png) ### TWIL #19 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-19/ Last updated: 2024-05-12T09:57:30.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned that Philadelphia now has a 24-hour cheese vending machine. For all your emergency cheese needs. [There’s a Cheese Vending Machine in Philadelphia You Need to Know AboutPerrystead Dairy, located in the Olde Kensington neighborhood, has officially opened the city’s first self-service cheese dispensary — and it sells everything you need to put together a charcuterie board. (Yes, even the actual boards.)![](https://www.foodandwine.com/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Food & WineFood & Wine’s Editorial Guidelines![](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/hvM2__IqCnrtGdML-6V8__HEvUk=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cheese-Vending-Machine-FT-BLOG0524-04-d573a94dc9ee4b1299b4c8032a624327.jpg)](https://www.foodandwine.com/perrystead-dairy-cheese-vending-machine-philadelphia-8644521?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### DJ Mix: The Stack #7 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/dj-mix-the-stack-7/ Last updated: 2024-05-07T05:44:19.000Z My last DJ mix seemed to go down well, so lets have the latest edition. Stack #7 is another hour of disco flavoured house music, perfectly mixed for your listening (and dancing) pleasure. ### Stack #7 Tracklist: Alma Negra - Madrugada Rayko - Looks Like Love Opolopo - Bebeccie's Theme Lux Experience - My Disco Church Seamus Haji, Mike Dunn - Serious (Extended Mix) Art of Tones/Chatobaron - Ban The Disco (Crackazat remix) Disco Incorporated - Black Soul (Original Mix) Disco Incorporated - Don't Stop (Ministry Of Funk rework) Dennis Cruz - Bonito (Original Mix) Jo Paciello - Love Sax and Disco Rhodes (Original) SIS - Chan Chan (Extended Mix) ### 👓 Stuff #186 - total recall URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-186/ Last updated: 2024-05-06T04:15:03.000Z *Thanks for joining me on our shared quest for improvement.* Each week, I seek out great content to support **our** personal growth. I’ll couple that with some links that I know you’ll find interesting. Elsewhere, you can find my [daily notes here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/daily-notes/), and I’m [posting on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@matt.rutherford?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as well. Thanks for joining me - now, onto the list! ![upload in progress, 0](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/2e/c22ecd6b-9412-4701-b914-97051141e207/content/images/2023/05/mattsig_personal-Background-Removed-1.png) --- **Monday Motivation.** Let this week be the one where you level-up your influencing skills. [I’ve put together a guide to this often misunderstood competency](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-influence-eight-ways-to-create-connection-in-the-workplace/), and some practical ways that you can improve your influencing and connections in the workplace. **Skills**. [How to identify 12 hidden skills that you definitely have.](https://joshspector.com/hidden-skills/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Once you find them, [discover which ones are the transferable skills](https://www.themuse.com/advice/what-are-transferable-skills-examples?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) that help you build an unstoppable career. **Learning.** [The Feynman technique](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrNqSLPaZLc&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) is a great hack for learning a new subject. [Here are five keys to get the most out of the Feyman technique.](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2024/03/26/5-keys-feynman-technique/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Tasks**. [80% of your todo list items come from two places](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/are-you-protecting-your-time/24/1/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). Are you doing enough to protect your time? [If you are feeling overwhelmed, don’t panic.](https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/dont-panic-dont-panic/1/5/2024?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) **Emotions**. [Seven Rules for Emotional Health](https://nickwignall.com/7-rules-for-emotional-health/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). #6 in this list really resonated for me, I’m sure I have spent too much time solving the wrong problems. **Silence**. [How the absence of noise can help you make better decisions.](https://thedecisionlab.com/insights/health/the-sound-of-silence?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Some interesting science on why it pays to get a little ‘peace and quiet’ when you are working on important things. ✍️ ****Random Journal Prompt:** How does helping others contribute to your happiness? [Over 550 more journal prompts here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/journal-prompts/). ![view of Earth and satellite](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1446776811953-b23d57bd21aa?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fHNwYWNlJTIwc3RhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTQ5MDgzNzd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [NASA](https://unsplash.com/@nasa?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) **Memory.** [Four secrets from neuroscience that will improve your recall.](https://bakadesuyo.com/2024/04/improve-your-memory/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Interesting information on the types of memory that you use. **Energy**. [Thirty-three reasons why you feel tired all the time.](https://www.self.com/story/health-issues-that-can-make-you-tired?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I’m a huge advocate for optimising sleep, [this article has the key things to address.](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/sleep-hygiene-the-secret-to-restful-nights-and-energized-days/) **Productivity.** One of the best ways to save time is to learn the most common keyboard shortcuts. Here’s a [great list for Windows users](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/keyboard-shortcuts-in-windows-dcc61a57-8ff0-cffe-9796-cb9706c75eec?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and [for Mac users](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201236?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). I regularly look at things I repeat frequently using my mouse and see if there is a way to keep my hands on the keyboard. **AI**. [What can Artificial Intelligence do today?](https://thedecisionlab.com/insights/health/the-sound-of-silence?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) This site analyses over 5000 AI tools, and identifies their capabilities. A useful catalogue of tools and use cases. **Space**. [Where is the International Space Station?](https://iss.matteason.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Is it over your head? **Finally.** LinkedIn has added some daily games to its platform. [You can find them here](https://www.linkedin.com/games/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk), and team up with people in your company to play. Bonus: If you use Slack, you can use this tool to [keep slacking and appear super busy.](https://lab.aizastudio.com/officeslacker?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 🎵 My mammoth 2024 playlist has fantastic tunes added every day. [You can follow along here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WDYisQq2nyIS2pqqvh8gr?si=8d9f596fc62f4e7b&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### 🔈 Stuff to Listen to... ![It's Sega Bodega -- my new album Dennis is out now and I'm going on tour later this year! AMA! : r/popheads](https://external-preview.redd.it/its-sega-bodega-my-new-album-dennis-is-out-now-and-im-going-v0-uEXinP3cnmNfBh16mthv-57ftI7V16FM7Mgpym3xd4I.jpg?auto=webp&s=711e64e5171eba561b4c14b54002215571c841ee) 🎧 This week's aural treat is the new album from Irish-Scottish music producer and musician Sega Bodega. Dennis is a collection of tracks based on the idea of disorientation, and features some swirling keyboards alongside acoustic guitars and distant vocals. I really love the sound of the production on this, super easy to listen to but layered enough to stay interesting. Highly Recommended. [Listen to Dennis by Sega Bodega here](https://open.spotify.com/album/40kTY3AQkWQuo6yA8SnT5s?si=L-4-PZAJSjuB-ljzKYxzpw&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/2024/05/Stuff-186-Header-1.png) ### The Art of Influence: Eight ways to create connection in the workplace. URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/mastering-influence-eight-ways-to-create-connection-in-the-workplace/ Last updated: 2024-05-05T11:20:08.000Z *In 1:1's, I often support people that are trying to influence a peer or stakeholder to get something done. Influencing is a misunderstood skill. I've captured some of my thoughts on how influencing skills help your career, and how you can develop them.* Influencing is a competency that plays a crucial role in achieving professional success. It's the capacity to have an effect on the behaviour or actions of someone or something. It's about persuading others to align with your ideas, without resorting to authority. **Influence is the currency of effective leadership and collaboration in any workplace setting.** So, why is developing this skill important? Here are a few key benefits that effective influencing can bring to your career: - **Facilitating Collaboration.** Influence enables you to bring people together and foster collaboration. When you can effectively influence, you can navigate conflict and drive consensus. - **Driving Change**. Change is constant, and is the lifeblood of modern organisations. Having influence allows you to mobilise support for change projects or strategies. - **Building Relationships.** Influence tied to your ability to build and nurture relationships. By earning trust and respect, you can leverage connections to achieve shared goals. Influence will also help you cultivate a positive work environment. - **Career Advancement.** Individuals who possess influence often find themselves in positions of leadership and authority. Cultivating influence can open doors to new opportunities. Now that we understand the importance of influence, here are eight practical ways to cultivate it in the workplace: 1. **Lead by Example.** Actions speak louder than words. Show integrity, professionalism, and dedication. As embody these values, people are more likely to follow. 2. **Listen Actively.** Effective communication is a cornerstone of influence. Practice active listening and seek to understand other perspectives before expressing your own. Show empathy, ask clarifying questions, and acknowledge the validity of different viewpoints. [My guide to active listening is a great starting point for developing your Active Listening skills](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/). 3. **Build Credibility.** Be an expert in your field by continuously building knowledge and skills. Share your insights and expertise openly. This will position you as a trusted resource and thought leader. 4. **Cultivate Relationships.** Invest time and effort in building genuine connections with your colleagues and stakeholders. Get to know them on a personal level. Lead with gratitude and show appreciation for their contributions. This will help you strengthen your connections. 5. **Adapt to Different Styles.** Recognise that different individuals have unique communication and decision-making styles. Flexibility is a key to influencing. Tailor your approach to suit the style and needs of those you're seeking to influence. Consider studying [Situational Leadership](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-situational-theory-of-leadership-2795321?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) as a way to build this flexibility. 6. **Highlight Mutual Benefits.** When presenting ideas or proposals, emphasise the mutual benefits for all parties. Build suggestions on shared objectives, and articulate how they can contribute to shared success. 7. **Seek Feedback and Input.** Invite feedback from others and incorporate their ideas and suggestions. This fosters a sense of collaboration and enhances your credibility as an inclusive leader. 8. **Exercise Patience.** Influencing others can be a gradual process that requires patience and persistence. Stay committed to your goals, even in the face of resistance or setbacks. Building influence is a journey, not a destination. Influence is a powerful tool that can enhance your career and drive change within your organisation. By leveraging these strategies, you can cultivate influence in the workplace. This will help you become a more effective leader and collaborator. Remember, true influence stems from authenticity, empathy, and genuine desire to create value for others. ### TWIL #18 URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/twil-18/ Last updated: 2024-05-05T04:37:00.000Z Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. This week, I learned how birds get their colours. And more importantly why. [How do birds get their colors? A guide to your vibrantly hued, winged friendsLearn how birds chirping near your feeder get their rainbow of colorful feathers, how they serve them, and why we perceive them the way we do![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/gannett-web/properties/usatoday/logos-and-branding/logo-icon.png)USA TODAY, USA TODAY![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/04/19/USAT/73382598007-birdtopper-2.jpg?auto=webp&crop=7512,4225,x123,y442&format=pjpg&width=1200)](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2024/04/27/how-do-birds-get-their-colors/73285448007/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ## 👓 More from Matt? Weekly writing on self-development and joy, with a sideline in curiosity and music. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. _Includes the latest 500 public posts. Use `/sitemap.xml` for the complete archive of public content._