Have you ever felt snowed under because of the commitments you have to other people? If you have then you may be training them to depend on you either practically or emotionally. Even worse your act of kindness might not be as kind as you think.

We all like to be smug. Who doesn't like the feeling of proving ourselves right and proving others wrong? It's a great feeling. Or at least it should be. 

I'm always amazed at how some people are so pleased to prove themselves right even when it means sabotaging themselves. 

Fitspo' quotes. Do you love them or hate them? 

I love seeing quotes and memes on social media. Mostly on weight loss or fitness pages. I'm intrigued to see if I can tell what a person's motivations are. I think a lot of people post these quotes and memes to show how positive they are but they probably aren't aware that they are revealing more negativity than they realise. 

I've been doing a lot of research into procrastination recently for an online course I've written on productivity.  I uncovered loads of loads of great tips and 'hacks' for overcoming procrastination. Lots of cunning methods of tricking yourself into greater productivity but none of the dozens and dozens them of the articles or books I read addressed the cause of procrastination. 

It's the question we rarely ask, what if it all goes right? Following my last blog on presupposing failure I thought it would be good to follow up one on presupposing success. We seem to live in a society that encourages us to imagine the worst. And while forewarned is forearmed, it can cause us to become really unstuck when things go surprisingly well. 

Last week England limped out of the Euro 2016 with an abysmal performance, prompting Roy Hodgson to deliver his resignation speech to the waiting press conference. Not a surprise. But what did surprise many commentators was the speed at which his resignation speech was put together. Did he have his resignation in mind before the match even kicked off? What difference would it make if he did?  

Working from home sounds like the ideal gig but the reality can be anything but. Some people take to it like a duck to water but for others, loneliness can creep in and before you know it you can be overcome with feelings of isolation. Why does this happen and more importantly how can you overcome it?  

Ever wished you had an owners manual for your mind? In this blog I give an overview of the 'prime directives of the unconscious mind'. Any material on behavioural change will feature frequent references to the unconscious mind. There's a good reason for that. All change, learning and behaviour is performed in the Unconscious Mind. But what does the unconscious mind actually do and why does it cause us to think and do all sorts of random and seemingly self-defeating stuff? 

Ever described yourself as being in two minds about something? Have you ever stopped to wonder if there's some meaning to that? 

In this blog I explore the difference between two types of thought, or processing, our minds use and the importance of appreciating the role each is designed to play. If you often experience a conflict between what you feel you should do and what you actually want to do, it might be helpful to ask "Am I using the best part of my brain to solve the problem?"

Ever pursued a goal, only to achieve it and not feel as happy you thought you would? Or maybe you achieved it but it didn't really change anything in the long term like you thought it might? Ever set yourself a goal but never really knew why? It begs the question, "do you know what you really want?" 

Can you have a rewarding job and a good work-life balance?

Katy Carlisle seems to have found a way. In 2014 she left security of her full-time job to set up her own business. She has crafted a life whereby she carefully balances finding new and exciting work whilst always finding time for herself and her loved ones. How does she do it?

How do you go from a nine to five job to living and working on the UKs inland waterways?

In this blog I talk to Ali Ashton who owns and runs a floating hotel on a pair of narrow boats. I take a look at how she made the transition, what challenges she faced and what she has learnt from her experiences.

Willpower doesn't exist.

We've all experienced a lack of what we call 'willpower' so we think it must be real. That sounds reasonable until you think about what willpower actually means . Here's why willpower isn't what we think it is.

I often like to work in public spaces as I like the atmosphere and the company but working out of a bar was new to me. In December I was pleased to learn I had won the hopdesk in Brewdog Manchester and took up the offer of an alternative workspace. Here's what I learnt: