Essential Productivity Habits
Productivity isn't about cute tricks nor flashy tools. [Insert Link] It's a matter of buckling down and getting your work done. But that doesn't mean that there aren't things that help. This is my list of essential productivity habits (and yes, they are automatic) that make me hit peak productivity week in and out.
Productivity Hacks Are Distractions, Not Helps
True productivity isn't about shaving off time. It's not about the notebooks, the software, the pens or the stickers. But people, including myself, are always looking for a better way. The problem is that productivity hacks are distractions. They keep you from doing the real work as you look for that better way.
The Journey of Productivity
It's really interesting to me that people invariably understand that in order to get to a destination, you have to have some idea where it is. Once that is known, a strategy for getting there is decided on. In the old days, it was a map and/or turn by turn directions. Now we use GPS to do the work for us. But in spite of this familiar set of actions we perform every time we go somewhere new, most people don't understand that this same techniques can be applied to achieving your goals.
Picking Things To Stink At
Most of us are not experts at everything. (You might know someone who claims to be - and aren't they annoying?) The real deal is that we all have to pick the things we're going to work on being good at. As a consequence, we end up having things to stink at.Today we will look at making sure this is a conscious decision - and how to mitigate the consequences.
When A Tool Becomes A Black Hole
Productivity tools don't have to be complicated. They simply have to work. A solution isn't a solution if it's too complicated, unusable, or a black hole. If it's too hard to use, you won't use it. Today we'll look at rules for good tools, and what to do when a tool becomes a black hole.
5 Things To Do On Sunday To For A Calm Week
I see Sunday evenings as the jumping board to a successful week. While some people bemoaned that their free time is coming to an end, I use Sunday evenings to make sure that I will have a good start and continued success throughout the week. These 5 simple steps make the difference between chaos and calm.
Infographic: 15 Ways To Improve Your Memory
I learned quite a bit about memory and how we remember things during my teacher training. I saw enough in the classroom to see that these things were actually true. But most people aren't aware of what it takes to remember things. Today I have an infographic that talks about 15 ways to improve your memory. The infographic was provided by GetVoIP.
Timer Tricks To Boost Productivity
Time has always seemed variable to me. Sometimes the same fifteen minute block went by in the blink of an eye, and sometimes it stretched into eternity. The speed of time seemed proportional to my motivation to do a task. When doing a tedious task, I would spend more time looking at the clock than doing the task, and therefore the task took even longer in real time. So how can you remove the perception of time from the equation? Use a timer. A dozen years ago, timers were something I used in the kitchen. I used them to time kitchen things, like boiling eggs and baking cakes. But their use was limited to the kitchen. So when I began to hear about "pomodoros" (which at first I took to be some sort of Italian dessert), I was intrigued. A kitchen timer as a productivity tool? But…