How to increase your productivity with Dermot Crowley

Hi everyone,

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2025. I am just back after some time spent in Sydney. It was a lovely combination of work and time with friends and my family. Sydney is a special place and it was great to be back in the sparkling city that has a special place in my heart. PLUS, I got married while there, which was a very special moment for us as a couple and as a family. I am now back in the UK and getting fired up for the year ahead!!

To kick off 2025, we have special guest Dermot Crowley on our latest Better@Work episode to help us all get fired up and productive.?

With over 25 years of experience, Dermot shares insights from his extensive background in productivity training and discusses the key theories behind his book Smart Work.

?? Input, Action, Outcome

In the digital age, we are inundated with a barrage of inputs—emails, messages from collaboration tools, meeting notes, and phone calls - we need efficient systems to help us turn the chaos and noise into action!

Dermot’s Smart Work theory argues there are three components to managing our work productively:

1. Actions. The systems and strategies that you use to manage your schedule and priorities will dictate whether you feel in control or out of control, work proactively or reactively, or get bogged down in low value work or gain momentum with your real priorities.?

2. Inputs. The flow of incoming emails, interruptions, paperwork, meeting actions, phone calls and mind-clutter needs to be tamed if you want to stay focused and on target. You need to give special focus to your Inbox and how you manage your emails.?

3. Outcomes. We need to ensure that the bulk of our time, energy and focus is on what really matters.?

Dermot unpacks Actions, Inputs and Outcomes in detail in this week’s episode, tune in here:

??? Cathal’s Shortcuts - 5 email habits to transform your productivity

Dermot was such an amazing guest, and one of my favourite moments from our conversation was when he delivered a speedy round-up of five tiny behaviours around our email habits that can supercharge our productivity - watch below!

Wishing everyone a happy start to the new year - we can’t wait for the journey ahead discovering how to be better at work in 2025. And remember, if you have any specific questions you’d like us to answer or find a special guest to tackle, reach out to us anytime at [email protected]?

Cathal & Annette