This week, from the 21st to the 25th of May, the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show celebrates the beauty of nature and the skill, passion and talent of the worlds greatest gardeners. Here at One Octopus we are passionate about skills development and growth so it is fitting that our ‘Thought for the day’ is…
If you are of a certain age there’s a chance that you’ll know the Frank Sinatra song ‘High Hopes’ about the ants who move the rubber tree plants and the silly old ram who bursts the dam. At One Octopus HQ we had high hopes of launching our fantastic online goal setting and personal development…
We do enjoy an inspirational quote here at One Octopus HQ and today’s ‘Quote of the Day’ is by Albert Einstein. One Octopus is an online personal development and goal setting tool. We passionately believe in the value of ongoing learning, and as individuals striving to get the most from life by achieving our dreams…
Actions speak louder than words and the inspiration for today’s blog is a quote by Ben Franklin; ‘Well done is better than well said’. In order to achieve our goals we need to face reality. If you want to change career you need to go through the process of filling out application forms, trying to…
It’s Wednesday, or ‘hump day’ as it’s often referred to. A day half way through the working week, where your desk has amassed an extra pile of paperwork and there are post-it notes marching up the wall. Sound familiar? Regardless of how organised you are or how on top of things you feel the majority…
Guest blog by Andy Boam. Anyone who enjoys an occasional pint of beer will I’m sure tell you that being served a slightly short measure, ranks highly in the league table of irritability. Am I right guys? You eagerly await the taste of your favourite brew, only to have the moment ruined when the head…
Today is Saint George’s Day and one of the many legendary folklore tales surrounding the patron saint of England involves him slaying the dragon to protect Princess Cleolinda. We all love a story where a hero saves a damsel in distress but dragon slaying requires courage, skill and persistence. What ‘dragons’ do you need to…
Today, One Octopus guest blogger, Andy Boam, writes about daring to say YES! It’s early morning and it’s been snowing all night, it’s -10c and I find myself stuck in the wilderness on an unknown mountain. This would have been my vision of hell if I had dug my heels in and said NO when…
We love this video of Channel 4 news anchorman Jon Snow doing the Harlem Shake in support of the wonderful organisation SPAT. SPAT UK is an organisation which supports innovative running, fitness and nutritional programmes providing unique opportunities to inspire and motivate vulnerable and disadvantaged young people, based in London. You can find them on twitter…
The wonderful people at the Institute of Management & Learning are conducting a survey about Office Etiquette. The questions complement our hot topic for this week which is Awareness, focusing on the importance of our own actions and how they make us and others feel. The ILM survey asks a variety of questions about what…
This week the hot topic in the One Octopus office is Awareness. Awareness was chosen following a confusing conversation with a Dutch lady where it took a few attempts for us to understand each other. Language can be a barrier and expression often gets lost in translation, for example, who actually jumps in the shower?…
Recently I decided it was time for a clearance. A tidy house always makes me feel more on top of things and de-cluttering helps me feel in control and organised. My wardrobe had started to buckle with the strain of years of keeping things ‘just in case’. Like that dress I bought in the sale,…
It’s time to stop talking and start doing! Take control, take action, give yourself the opportunity to grow and succeed with One Octopus supporting you every step of the way. Make things happen by registering your interest here. This short video provides more information and you’ll find all the latest news on our Facebook and twitter…
Life would be simple if all we had to do was go to the store cupboard and collect the items we need to succeed. It wouldn’t need much thought or effort, just a clear list of instructions and a desire to complete the task in hand. There are days in life where this concept would…
How many times as a child did you utter the phrase ‘When I grow up I want to be…?’ Can you remember when you stopped talking about growing? It may have been when you left school, or when you reached a particular rung on the career ladder? For others the ambitious dreams of childhood got…
This is the view from 35,000 feet above the earth. The image was taken during a flight to London where I spent most of the journey gazing out the window into gorgeous sunshine. No internet connection, no phone, no passenger chatting beside me, no newspaper or magazine to distract me from my thoughts. It was…
The Oxford versus Cambridge Boat Race is a great British tradition which, snow permitting, will take place this weekend on Easter Sunday. We are an office full of sports fans, Jessica Ennis and Chris Hoy being particular favourites after their outstanding achievement at the Olympics, and we will be cheering the rowers on as they…
Take a minute and ask yourself, ‘What about me?’ To quote the Spice Girls ….yes, bear with me here, ‘Tell me what you want, what you really, really, want’. A simple question and one we should ask ourselves on a regular basis. What is your goal? What would make you happy? Where are you now…
Monday morning. How are you feeling? Did you bounce out of bed this morning ready to face the week with a spring in your step? Are you excited about that 2pm appointment? Are you feeling motivated and in control? Are you feeling confident in your ability to cope if things don’t quite go to plan?…
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to exercise more or live a healthier lifestyle? How’s that going for you? Sometimes good intentions get pushed aside when work and day to day life take over. This can be frustrating and you feel like you are treading water rather than racing to the finish line. One…
