About Steve Toms

I Fixed Things for a Living. Now I Write About Why People Break.

For the best part of four decades, I fixed things. Televisions, radios, HiFi systems, video recorders, satellite boxes, mobile phones, computers, laptops, tablets—if it had a circuit board and a power supply, I probably had it in pieces on my bench at some point.

I got very good at diagnosing faults. Cracked solder joints, failing capacitors, corrupted firmware—I could spot the problem, trace it back to its root cause, and have it working again before lunch.

But here’s the thing no one tells you about fixing electronics for a living: the machines were predictable. The people weren’t.

The Workshop Was One Thing. Their Homes Were Something Else.

About 30% of my work took me into people’s homes. Especially with the massive TVs in the 80s and 90s—you couldn’t exactly pop those in the boot of your car—but later, some customers just preferred me to come to them.

That changed everything.

In my workshop, I diagnosed faults in machines. In their homes, I saw how people actually lived.

I saw the cluttered kitchens, the frantic mornings, the worn-out sofas. I saw the half-finished projects, the stacks of unread post, the quiet moments of calm that people carved out for themselves. I saw chaos. I saw coping. I saw exhaustion. And sometimes, I saw peace.

I wasn’t just a repairman anymore. I was an observer—a quiet witness to how people navigated their daily lives. And I started to notice patterns.

Over the years, I met thousands of people. Not just as customers, but as human beings in their own environment. I watched how they handled frustration, stress, and feeling out of their depth. I watched what tripped them up again and again. And I watched what helped them get unstuck.

I’ve fixed thousands of devices. People are harder. But they’re also more rewarding.

Now that I’m retired, I’ve finally had time to sit down and write down what I observed—and what I learned.

What I Write About (And Why They’re All the Same Book, Really)

My books are for anyone who feels like modern life is running them ragged. They come from the same place as my repair work: a belief that most problems are fixable if you understand them clearly.

Same curiosity. Same practical eye. Same scientific approach. Just different systems.

• Food Noise to Food Freedom – If your head is full of endless chatter about what, when, and how to eat, this one’s for you. It’s about quieting the noise and finding a peaceful, sustainable relationship with food. No diets. No guilt. Just clarity.

• Morning Routine / Evening Routine – Two books about the bookends of your day. Small, intentional habits that turn chaos into calm—whether you’re stumbling out of bed or collapsing into it at night. Think of them as firmware updates for your daily life.

• The Capacity Code: Understanding Your Limits, Protecting Your Energy & Clearing What No Longer Fits – This is the most personal one. It’s about recognising that you only have so much bandwidth—and learning to protect your energy, say no to what drains you, and make space for what actually matters. Battery management for humans, if you like.

Different subjects, yes. But the same philosophy runs through all of them: clear thinking, honest observation, and practical steps that actually work. No fluff. No jargon. No one-size-fits-all answers.

Why Should You Listen to Me?

Fair question. I’m not a doctor, a psychologist, or a lifestyle guru. I don’t have a podcast or a TED Talk (yet—ask me again next week).

What I do have is a lifetime of watching people closely. Not from a lab or a clinic, but from their own homes—in the middle of their real, messy, unfiltered lives. Tens of thousands of interactions. Decades of noticing what trips people up, what helps them get unstuck, and what patterns keep repeating.

I also have a scientific, technical mindset. I like evidence. I like root causes. I like simple, elegant solutions that actually work, not just sound good on Instagram.

And I’ve lived what I write. I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed, to run on empty, to carry things that no longer serve you. Retirement gave me time to reflect on all of it—and to finally share what I’ve learned.

A Few Personal Things

I live in Poole, Dorset, with my family. These days, you’re more likely to find me with a good book than a soldering iron—though I still can’t resist tinkering now and then. Old habits.

I believe a good cup of tea fixes most things. I believe laughter is underrated. And I believe everyone deserves to feel a little less overwhelmed.

Let’s Stay in Touch

If any of this resonates—or if you just want to say hello—I’d love to hear from you. Browse my books, drop me a message, or sign up for my newsletter for practical tips, honest reflections, and the occasional bad joke.

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Steve

I spent 40 years finding the fault, fixing the fault, and sending people on their way. Now I do the same for habits, routines, and energy. Different system. Same approach.

Diagnosing life’s glitches—one book at a time.