Productivity is not simply just about how you do your work. Peak productivity takes into account your physical state, distraction level, energy, and organization. Today we will look at 20 essential productivity tips for your daily life. I used to be a person who would make a list and just plow through it, regardless of how I felt, what was going on, or any other consideration. I hated the phrase "work smarter, not harder" because it seemed a wimpy way out. But there is a lot to be gained from working smarter, and that means I have to take into account all of the areas of my life in order to hit peak productivity with minimal effort. Here are the…
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Many years ago I saw the effect of simplifying spaces in my home. By taking away the immediate choices my daughter had for activities, she was able to settle quicker and play longer.I've used this principle in other areas of my life, always with the same result: a boost in productivity and creativity. Today we look at this and how I stumbled on it.
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It is really easy to get bogged down in the minutiae. We can start thinking of all the steps that need to be done to get a specific result, and lose sight of the end game: the result itself.I find that instead of writing down the next actions, it is better to write down what I am trying to accomplish.
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I've talked about how you can take a tool that is not quite right and make it work for you. This is good if you cannot use a tool optimally, or don't really know how to use it fully. There are times, though, when you do know how to use a tool, but are forced to use a sub-optimal or substitute tool. And this can be a major hit to your productivity.
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I was working with a colleague recently, helping him through a process that was unfamiliar with a tool he had not really used. What we were doing is less important than the conversation. "Paste the item three times." I'll admit it, I was bored He moved his mouse, clicked, went to the menu, clicked a couple of times in the menu to paste, then clicked in the new place. "Did you know you could use control + V to paste things?" I didn't want to sit there all afternoon. "I don't like to use my keyboard." I don't think he saw me roll my eyes, but I now have a really good idea about why overall productivity level is so…
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Not all tools can be used optimally by all people. This applies whether it is a physical tool like a hammer or a productivity system. Today we will look at an approach to allow you to get as much out of a tool as you can. I've always maintained that there is no magic bullet in productivity. The best we can do is assemble a toolbox of methods and systems and make them work for us. No one system is going to work for everyone in all circumstances. It's a matter of how we use the tools to get things done.
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Back about 10 years ago, multi-tasking was touted as the way to get more done. Doing two things at once is better than one, after all, right? Not so fast...(literally and figuratively!) When I first heard about multi-tasking, I really thought it was a good idea. After all, who doesn't want to do two things at once? But I quickly realized that when I was doing two things that required the same skills/senses/appendages, I seemed to lose track of what I was doing altogether. Today we'll look at what multi-tasking is, why it is bad, and what to do instead.
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Productivity advice can be found pretty much wherever you look. I was watching the Princess Bride a few days ago and realized how much of the movie can be applied to make my life more productive. I work on a team of men that constantly quotes movies. Apparently it is catching, because there are a few that I toss in myself. But the Princess Bride is one that has so many quoteable lines that when I decided to write an article on finding productivity in odd places, it was the first one I thought of. So let's have fun storming the castle!
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Teachers have an immensely difficult job. Faced with a classroom of children, they have to plan the lessons, produce the materials, manage the classroom and deal with the politics of the front office and parents. If a teacher is not productive, they end up working hours beyond their contract hours and adding to their stress burden. It has been four years since I entered the classroom to teach high school math. Even though I only lasted a year in that environment, it was enough to pull lessons for my own productivity that I still use today. In this article we will look at the 8 productivity lessons I reinforced during that time.
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Tablets are a great way to have productivity on the go. With the latest hardware and apps, some people are using them to replace their computers. Today I'll give you an update on how I use my iPad. When I first bought an iPad, I thought it would be an asset, but I never thought it would become a mainstay of my productivity. I use my iPad every day, and on a recent vacation didn't even open the laptop, using the iPad exclusively instead. Here is how - and when - I use my iPad.
