Sue White

Journalist. Copywriter. Travel Writer. Writing Coach.

Tips for success from Siimon Reynolds

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Looking at Siimon Reynolds' (yes, two i's) list of achievements, it's clear he's a busy guy. A former adman, Reynolds shot into the public eye in the 1980s, when he created the controversial Grim Reaper ads - one of Australia's first HIV education messages. His creative businesses boomed, and he then moved into writing books (five at last count), … [Read more...]

3 tools you’ll need to set up your mobile office.

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Living the dream? You tell me. In theory, I can work remotely any time I like. I’m freelance. If I want to, I can work from a plane (where this post is being written) or a beachside cafe (where I’m hoping my next post will be written from). But working remotely takes planning and (I believe) some investment in the right tools. Here are a few I … [Read more...]

7 easy ways you could work smarter, starting now

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Feeling frazzled? Sometimes it's the small stuff that chips away at our productivity. Changing one little thing can have a big pay off, if you choose well. This week I've been working on #3 - it's been great! (As for number #4, well, I'm a big fan of that, even on a bad week.) 1. Pick one work related task that's been annoying you lately. You … [Read more...]

How I organise my stories

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Nice work - you've got a story on the go. Congrats! Now what? First, celebrate. Second, if it's your first commission, freak out (just a little, to get it over with).  Third, you're ready to write.  Actually, not quite yet...  Instead, you're ready to set up a few systems that will help you keep track of your writing.  The systems I use to keep … [Read more...]

Why it’s time to use a timer

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There's nothing like a good footrace to motivate a person.  And even if you're not motivated by beating others, you may just be motivated to race yourself to world domination success. If so, there's nothing like a timer to help you do it. With bezillions (yes, that's a real number*) of people, businesses and tasks clambering for our time, it's … [Read more...]

What slow yoga taught me about fast thinking

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I'm big into yoga. "Big" in that I like it a lot,  it's helped me through various difficult points in my life, and in a former career, I used to teach it.  Now I just write about yoga, and go to classes. My life has definitely sped up since my days of yoga teaching.  Journalism, public speaking, teaching; these are 'busy person' tasks.  And … [Read more...]

My favourite time saving tips

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'Time is money'. It's an old cliché, but still rings true for me.  Here are some tips from my Sydney Morning Herald/The Age columns on how to make the most of this valuable commodity: Are you an Owl or Lark? (view as PDF or read online).  Learning what time of the day you are most productive can really help tick things off your to-do list … [Read more...]

Here’s 2 quick ways I stay focussed online

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It's the beginning of the year, and motivation is high.  Here's some of my productivity tips on how to get the most out of your working week from my monthly columns in MyCareer (SMH & The Age) Checking your email 935 times each day can really interrupt your work. Learn how to Stop time slipping away (read online) by chunking tasks … [Read more...]

5 simple tips to keep your mind and body firing

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I see it every year: as the end of the year approaches, our energy levels start to dwindle.  Let's face it - about now, our zest for work can be a little lacklustre and our 'to do' list can often suffer as a result.  Trust me, looking after yourself will really help boost your productivity.  Here are my best tips for looking after your mind and … [Read more...]

Here’s how I clear my inbox with (relative) ease

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It's true that I'm regularly on a productivity bent. Why take more time than needed to do boring tasks like checking email, paying invoices and dealing with the humdrum side of work? I've previously posted about my love of The 4-Hour Work week by Tim Ferriss, and I recently wrote a story for My Career about our work life becoming overloaded … [Read more...]