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Another week, another study!  The topic this week – ‘What makes a ‘full’ life?’ a poll commissioned to mark the release of the Oscar-winning film ‘Life of Pi’ on DVD.

Researchers surveyed 2,000 people aged from 18 to 65 to compile the list of 50 things we must do for a fulfilled life.  And it would seem the old saying ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really is true, as many of the results focus on experiences and achievements rather than material possessions.

The top answer was that we needed to ‘stop worrying about money’.  Others ranged from ‘losing a stone in weight’ to perhaps the more simple ‘go outside more’ – maybe an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone!

Also making the 50 essentials to be a ‘happy Brit’ were ‘stay up drinking all-night at least once’ and ‘graduate from university with a degree’ – I’m not revealing which of these I’ve done, but some are just more achievable than others!

According to a ‘poll spokesman’ what exactly does the term ‘living life to the full’ mean – “it’s getting to that point in life where you are enjoying each moment, from the thrills and adventures to the routine of everyday.”

The study revealed the average person has ticked off just eight of the 50 achievements listed.  I am delighted to say I’m above average … and I’m pretty fulfilled!

So, how many goals have you ticked off?

1. Stop worrying about money

2. Stop worrying about what other people think

3. Take two holidays a year

4. Enjoy little comforts in life

5. Experience different cultures

6. Work to live rather than live to work

7. Pay off all debts

8. Be true to yourself

9. Concentrate on what you have instead of what you don’t have

10. Use money on experiences rather than saving for a rainy day

11. Make time for family and friends

12. Try all types of food

13. Find true love

14. Travel to at least 25 different foreign countries

15. Go outside more

16. Learn a new language

17. Be well thought of by family and friends

18. Help a member of your family out when they really need it

19. Lose a stone in weight

20. Treat each day like it’s your last

21. Visit all of Britain’s historical landmarks

22. Book an impulsive last minute holiday

23. Volunteer for a good cause

24. Take up a challenge

25. Go on safari

26. Blow a load of money in one shopping trip, just because you can

27. Learn a new instrument

28. Be married for longer than 20 years

29. Have enough money left for the grandchildren to enjoy

30. Start a family

31. Earn more than your age

32. Have a pet

33. Drive a really fast car

34. Travel alone

35. Be able to keep the kids on the straight and narrow

36. Meet strangers

37. Move away from home to an unfamiliar place

38. Have a one night stand

39. Pass your driving test

40. Get a degree

41. Rescue someone so that you’re a hero for a little while

42. Date someone exciting but completely wrong for you

43. Get a promotion

44. Reach the desired career peak by age 40

45. Have an all-night drinking session

46. Perform something on stage in front of others

47. Snog a stranger

48. Plan a surprise party

49. Embark on adrenaline packed activities such as sky diving or bungee jumping

50. Spend time with children even if they aren’t yours

Yesterday, The Daily Mail published an interesting report about UK workers’ most irritating habits and it’s safe to say that if the research is true, I am definitely a less than perfect colleague. So which of these office faux-pas are you guilty of?

Work place jargon: Phrases such as ‘thinking outside of the box’, ‘going forward’ and ‘let’s touch base’ were found to be the most irritating.

Taking too many cigarette breaks: For the non-smokers in the room, constant cigarette breaks only act as a reminder of the missed ‘break’ opportunities.

Coming into work ill: Putting on a brave face is often seen by colleagues as just spreading germs and taking them down with you.

Being late for meetings: Put simply, turning up last minute (or afterwards) looks unprofessional and can be the cause of embarrassment for colleagues and clients.

In any office, it’s often the case that we spend more waking hours in the workplace than in our own homes so why not take this opportunity to make a small change and brighten a colleague’s day?

Simple things like keeping the office tidy, taking turns making the tea and coffee and even just talking to each other helps to relieve tension and create a more positive working environment.

I’m not a tea or coffee drinker so mine’s a glass of water girls!

Iain Duncan Smith, our country’s Work and Pensions Secretary, has caused a bit of a stir after he claimed he could live on £53 a week, following a raft of benefits cuts and freezes.

Making the rather tall claim, Mr Duncan Smith said he was certain he could stem his cash-flow having already done it twice in his life after finding himself unemployed. So it probably came as no surprise when Iain, who earns £1,600 a week after tax, was challenged to put his money where his mouth is – with an online petition set up asking him to step up to the plate for a whole year.

The petition now has nearly 500,000 supporters in favour of stripping Iain of his dosh, but the cabinet minister is seemingly having none of it. Not only is he now eating his words but many of his peers have branded him as being out of touch and having no grasp of the reality of life for ordinary working class people – the reality is that many people across Britain have to make £53 stretch further than a week and for those that do, it’s no mean feat.

The saying ‘think before you speak’ really could not be more fitting because as Mr Duncan Smith is now discovering, not doing so can be rather costly. The rise in online media has meant that Iain’s words had gone viral quicker than some had made it out of bed for breakfast. It also shows that on the web, anything is possible.  Last week Dom Aversano, who set up the petition, was just a part time shop worker from London. Now, through the power of the internet, he’s become a household name and has certainly given Mr Duncan Smith a run for his money.

I was slightly perplexed to learn that a council was planning on removing all apostrophes from street names on the premise it will help avoid confusion.

Under the new grammar regime in Tiverton, Devon St Paul’s Square would become St Pauls Square and Blundell’s Avenue would be, well you get the idea. A council spokesperson was quoted saying that for many years now they’ve gone as far as avoiding putting apostrophes in street names, but a move towards removing them from existing names just seems a ridiculous step too far.

The apostrophe has long been feared amongst school pupils and adults alike, but is that a good enough reason to start challenging and changing the rules of the English language – the most widely used language in the world?

And, if we start dropping the odd apostrophe what will be next? Capital letters? Commas? Or a complete move to text speak!

However, grammar groups and protectors of our sacred, albeit I admit complex language, came to the apostrophe’s defence and Mid Devon Council made the sensible decision to back down.

In a world where we can work the most complicated mobile tablets and technical devices I do question why this unassuming symbol has become such a nemesis.

I strongly agree with many of the apostrophe’s champions. The best way to learn is to see and use practical examples of it. Completely removing it will surely only lead to even more confusion and a further lack of understanding!

According to reports out this week, life today is harder than it was 40 years ago.

A study, commissioned by health retailer Holland & Barrett – whose slogan is ‘The Good Life’ –  revealed that not only does the current younger generation believe their parents had it easy – the over 50’s agree!

The reasons for this thinking – life was more simple back then, with better job security, comfortable pensions, a ‘clock on’/‘clock off’ approach to work, a stable housing market and the absence of high interest loans and credit cards all contributing factors.

Young men and women in their twenties today are already planning for the future, investing time in healthy eating and exercise, and worrying about their finances – rather than living for the moment.

Despite the consumer revolution in personal technology, comparatively bigger salaries and better working conditions, those in their twenties say they face a more significant range of threats to happiness – and it’s stressing them out.

So in a world where we’re constantly rushing around and connected 24/7, take a break this Bank Holiday weekend.  Have a rest and enjoy the Good Life – you can guarantee your parents and your grandparents will be!

Earlier in the week it was revealed that London’s NHS has spent more than £13 million on public relations over the last three years; a revelation which has proven to be extremely controversial.

Although a monumental amount of money, this is by no means the highest amount that has been spent on a company’s PR. Let’s take a look back at some of the most expensive and exuberant PR campaigns from the past three years.

XXXX Gold leases an island: Australian beer company XXXX Gold leased a 15 acre island off the coast of Queensland and asked the public to suggest how they’d like to see the land developed in exchange for the chance to win a holiday for themselves and three friends.

Uunique iPhone case launch: December 2012 saw the launch of the most expensive iPhone case in history. Valued at £189,000 the London Lotus case, designed by OC star Mischa Barton, featured quality cut diamonds and saw a host of A-list celebs flock to Kensington Roof Garden’s ‘Secret Garden Party’. The event took months of preparation and before the night was up, a bid to purchase had already been made by a Saudi Arabian party-goer.

Virgin launches superfast broadband: To celebrate the launch of a brand new 100mbs broadband, Virgin hired a fleet of supercars to transport shoppers around London; giving those lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time a private ride in a Porsche 997 Turbo Gen 1, a Ferrari 430F1 Coupe or an Aston Martin DBS, and all the while promoting its brand.

Tropicana brightens up Trafalgar Square: January saw Tropicana suspend a giant sun weighing more than 2,500kg from Nelson’s Column in order to promote its ‘brighter mornings’ campaign. Taking over six months to create, and producing rays in the equivalent of close to 60,000 light bulbs, passers-by were encouraged to take photographs and ‘enjoy the sunrise’ from Tropicana branded sun loungers.

Mr Kipling unveils cake dispensing ads: ‘Exceedingly good cake’ brand Mr Kipling transformed advertising boards across the country to dispense free angel slices at the touch of a button in order to promote its new ‘snap-pack’ format. Releasing one slice a minute, the stands in locations including Birmingham, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Glasgow proved to be extremely popular and raised the profile of a product which otherwise would not be seen to be ground-breaking.   

The above examples all go to show that expensive PR campaigns do have merit and can result in huge interest from both press and consumers. However PR needn’t cost the earth. One example of a great campaign on a budget was for the promotion of The Muppets Movie.

Muppet themed cupcakes were sent to influential Twitter personalities including Stephen Fry, Claudia Winkelman and Jameela Jamil. Photographs of the sweet treats took social media by storm and gained worldwide recognition for the movie.

We’ve all heard the old adage, ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity’ but this idea is clearly open to question.

For someone seeking fame and notoriety such as Kim Kardashian, this certainly appears to be true. Earlier this week it was reported that the Kardashian family has racked up an eye watering $80 million fortune with Kim’s leaked sex tape and consequent $5 million settlement deal seen by many as the catalyst for the family’s fame.

But how does bad publicity affect an already established personality such as Lord Alan Sugar who’s currently fighting a tribunal with previous Apprentice winner, Stella English. Accused of only doing The Apprentice ‘for the PR’ and not giving a *** about the winners, the potential negative repercussions could be huge. However, with Lord Alan Sugar’s determination not to settle and his PR team working overtime to roll out all the other happy winners, I wouldn’t be surprised if the publicity results in record numbers of viewers for the next series of The Apprentice. In fact, the real question is how all this publicity will affect Stella’s chances of securing a job when the tribunal concludes.

Audrey Hepburn has come back to life to seduce us all into eating Galaxy chocolate bars!

The new ad from Galaxy, which first aired during the ad break of ITV’s Mr Selfridge last week, features footage from Hepburn’s 1953 film Roman Holiday and sees her leave a busy Italian tour bus to join a handsome stranger in a car. Galaxy chocolate bar in tow, Hepburn zooms off with her new man and takes a satisfying bite of her silky Galaxy chocolate bar. Yum!

The advert went ahead after receiving the go ahead from Hepburn’s sons who control her estate. According to the Independent,  Hepburn’s children Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti say their mother would be “proud” of her new role and that she “often spoke about her love of chocolate and how it lifted her spirit”.

This is not the first time past Hollywood starlets have taken to our modern day screens. The well-known Christian Dior J’Adore advert featuring Charlize Theron alongside Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Marlene Dietrich first hit our TV screens back in 2011 and is still a popular prime time advert.

Watch the new Galaxy chocolate advert with Audrey Hepburn here.

 

With just three days left to submit nominations to the annual Birmingham Young Professional of the Year awards, can you afford not to enter?

As a BYPY alumna, it won’t come as a surprise that I’m going to sing the award’s praises, and I’m not alone. But it’s not all about getting your hands on a glittering trophy. One of the great things about entering BYPY is the network of people that you meet and connect with, from the shortlisted candidates waiting in line for the big interview, to the judges across the table, the category winners celebrating on the dance-floor and the previous BYPYs only too happy to share experiences and advice.

Those connections are what make BYPY different to any other awards ceremony or scheme that I have ever known. Connections that will stay with you throughout your career and help you open doors and find opportunities.

It’s seven years since I nervously took to the stage at BYPY, but the connections I made that night and in the years to follow have only grown in strength, from a great mentor to a sounding board of peers and a couple of fabulous clients thrown in for good measure.

So what are you waiting for? Time to apply!

This week Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour announced its list of the 100 most powerful women in Britain.

It’s the first time the 67 year old discussion programme has compiled a ranking of this kind and as with most high-profile lists the reason behind the idea was to create debate.

Woman’s Hour editor Alice Feinstein says, “The Power List is about more than just a series of names.  We wanted to start a conversation about women and power.”

The criteria – the movers and shakers who shape the way we live today.  Women who have the greatest impact on British politics, society, culture and the economy.

So has there been a conversation about The Power List in the Rewired office – which is predominantly women –  this week?

Honestly?

We mentioned it; we scanned the top 20; we were generally all pretty pleased that HM The Queen was at the top – and not Katie Price; we questioned why we hadn’t made the cut …. and then we moved on to more pressing and ‘powerful’ subjects!  Things that really matter like who watched The Big Reunion, what’s for lunch and whether it was a ‘radio day’ (don’t ask!).

So for anyone who hasn’t seen it and who might like a quick chat with colleagues or friends, here is the top 20 of the Woman’s Hour power list:

1 HM The Queen
2 Rt Hon Theresa May MP (home secretary)
3 Ana Botin (CEO, Santander UK)
4 Baroness Brenda Hale of Richmond (Supreme Court judge)
5 Elisabeth Murdoch (chairman, Shine Group)
6 Professor Dame Sally Davies (chief medical officer)
7 Justine Roberts and Carrie Longton (co-founders, Mumsnet)
8 Lady Justice Hallett (appeal court judge)
9 Angela Ahrendts (CEO, Burberry)
10 Dame Gail Rebuck (chairman and CEO, the Random House Group)
11 Frances O’Grady (general secretary, TUC)
12 Moya Greene (chief executive, Royal Mail)
13 JK Rowling (author and philanthropist)
14 Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP (deputy leader, Labour Party)
15 Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell (president and vice-chancellor, University of Manchester)
16 Rosemary Squire (co-founder and co-chief executive, Ambassador Theatre Group)
17 Rt Hon Maria Miller MP (secretary of state for culture, media and sport)
18 Sara Thornton (chief constable, Thames Valley police)
19 Ann Glover (chief scientific adviser to the European Commission)
20 Nicola Sturgeon MSP (deputy first minister of Scotland)

Other ladies in the list include comedienne Sarah Millican, former Spice Girl and style-icon Victoria Beckham, David Cameron’s speechwriter , all-conquering singer Adele and TV presenter Clare Balding.