I like a new service by Catalog Choice, in which you decide which catalogs you want to receive. When you receive a catalog you don't want, you enter it on your account and select "Decline Catalog." They contact the merchant on your behalf and request that they no longer send you their catalog. Reduce the number of catalogs you receive in the mail! One-stop-shop method keeps you from having to unsubscribe to each one individually---a real time saver! … [Read more...]
How to Concentrate: Act Like a Postage Stamp and Stick To It!
Posted on 02/20/2008 by ·
Nowadays, so many things compete for your attention in the workplace that it can be hard to concentrate on what's important. If you need to improve your ability to stay on target and focus on the task at hand, implement the tips outlined below. 1. Set up your office for maximum productivity and minimum distractions. You need privacy to concentrate and discuss sensitive issues. Don't just take what you're given; reorganize it into a configuration that works best for you. 2. Avoid wasting time by daydreaming. Daydreaming can be a real productivity bandit -- but as long as you don't use it to procrastinate, it can be very helpful. Harness its creative powers, and use it for thinking time that can lead to productive ideas. 3. Remember things more easily. Busy people need good memory … [Read more...]
Deadlines Are Fallin’ On My Head: Easing the Stress of Daily Work and Life
Posted on 02/14/2008 by ·
The "faster, cheaper, do more with nothing" approach has created a workplace in which workers are always in high gear. Ironically, this work style usually increases stress while reducing productivity. If you find yourself whizzing along out of control without any idea of how you're going to make it though the day, use these tips to gently apply the brakes. 1. Determine the sources of your stress. Identify and work to eliminate things that trigger stress reactions and drain your energy. For example, limit your time commitments, stop worrying, and avoid stressful, demanding relationships. 2. Take personal responsibility for your own stress level. Stop believing you have no control over your stress. Ultimately, you're responsible for how your life turns out. Refocus your … [Read more...]
Discipline and Self-Control: You Can Be Your Own Worst Productivity Enemy
Posted on 02/11/2008 by ·
Discipline is your ability to maintain consistent, productive behavior. To maximize your productivity, you need to learn to do what must be done, and to exercise restraint over your own impulses, emotions, and desires. If you're self-disciplined, you exhibit consistent focus in your daily work -- even when you don't feel like it. Try these tactics to keep you on track during the day. 1. Know your natural energy cycle and work effectively during peak times. We all have a natural time during the day when we feel up (prime time) and a natural time when we feel down (down time). Knowing both your prime and down times and knowing how to handle them is an important productivity enhancer. 2. Control perfectionism. Realize that some things are good enough as they are. If you suffer from the … [Read more...]
Taming the Messy Monster: Bringing Order to Your World
Posted on 02/06/2008 by ·
Order relates to your level of organization: your ability to sort, filter, and process information effectively. It also involves your ability to find what you want when you want it, and how tidy your work area looks -- especially to the people who matter. Here are a few ideas to help you control the paper, email, reading material, and inputs that flow into your office. 1. Realize that some people aren't born more organized than others. Understand that organization is a skill that can be learned, just like riding a bike. Getting organized is a process of trial, error and persistence, but you can master it if you're serious about it. 2. Keep a clutter-free work surface. You don't have to be creative and disorganized, if you're willing to learn and the pain is bad enough. No matter … [Read more...]
Are You Prepared to Be Productive Today?
Posted on 02/01/2008 by ·
Preparation relates to how well you've planned and laid the foundations for your daily activities. The goals you set will focus those activities and provide direction for your life. An established direction, outlined with purposeful thought, ensures your life won't be governed by whim. These tips will help you set a direction and stick to it. 1. Abide by a personal mission statement for your life. Much like a corporate mission statement, your personal mission statement defines who you are, what you're all about, and why you're on this earth. 2. Track your long-term goals and aspirations. Future goals will give you a sense of purpose. It's not enough to set your mind to something; you must also plan your time around your goals. With them in mind, you can start logically preparing, … [Read more...]
Bulldoze Those Workday Speed Bumps
Posted on 01/30/2008 by ·
With a finite amount of time available, the temptation is to go faster and work more hours if you want to get more done. But productivity isn't just about squeezing more into your day: it's also about reducing the "speed bumps" -- things like poor administration, red tape, bureaucracy, and unclear priorities -- that waste your time. Here are a few ways you can streamline that reduction process. 1. Eliminate the causes of most problems, and avoid crises. There's a difference between an emergency and a "crisis" that occurs because something wasn't done. If you delay something long enough, you're contributing to a future crisis. 2. Control and prevent interruptions. To avoid getting bogged down by interruptions while still managing to stay informed, establish … [Read more...]
It’s About Time
Posted on 01/24/2008 by ·
Its About Time Pareto is very busy in the sales world. You know the 80-20 rule. In this case, it means that only 20% of salespeople spend 80% of their time on selling activities. Are you in this group? See if you recognize yourself. If not, here’s how you can join the group. Put your fingers on it fast. Laura Stack is a professional speaker and author of Leave the Office Earlier® and Find More Time. She sees several time wasters that cost salespeople valuable selling time. One of the biggest time wasters is lacking a system to track client history. The system should include notes on conversations that took place, with whom, and when they took place. Stack says, “To be truly organized you should be … [Read more...]
Lean and Mean in 2008: Go on a Low-Information Diet
Posted on 01/16/2008 by ·
Pretty much anybody you ask will tell you they’re pressed for time. There just aren’t enough hours to get it all done, yadda yadda yadda. So we prioritize, streamline, and simplify. You can improve your efficiency until you’re blue in the face, not to mention very tightly wound, but you still aren’t addressing one of the biggest time and energy wasters in your day: incoming information. As my 12-year-old daughter, Meagan, would text on her phone: “TMI” (translation: Too Much Information). If the 21st century has brought us anything, it is WAY too much information. You can watch several channels full of cable news 24 hours a day. You can surf the internet on any topic until you can’t see straight. Most people could heat their home with the amount of junk mail they receive … [Read more...]
What Does the Super Bowl Have to do with Time Management?
Posted on 01/07/2008 by ·
By studying the game of football, you can learn a lot about how to set and achieve goals and spend your time more productively. What does time management have to do with Super Bowl football? Everything! Football pros competing in the Super Bowl use great goal-setting techniques. By studying the game, you too can learn a lot about how to set objectives. Successful football teams devote a great deal of thought and time to planning how to move the ball down the field. And successful people devote time to planning what they’ll accomplish in business and in life. Ask the coaches who’ve led teams to the Super Bowl. They know you can’t win without a good game plan. The term “SUPER BOWL” describes nine components for making touchdowns in your life: S = Specific. Progress in football is … [Read more...]
