Productivity after dark – Making the Most of Short Winter Days and Long Winter Nights

Making the Most of Short Winter Days and Long Winter Nights

The holidays are over, the snow doesn't seem so pretty anymore, and we’re all ready to see some sunshine again.  This is the time of year when even on those really dreary days it’s important to remember that spring is right around the corner.  If you aren't careful, it is much too easy to end up in a late winter slump, which can cause good spirits and productivity to go right down the drain. Take heart!  Long days and beautiful weather will be here again before we know it.  And in the meantime, there’s plenty we can do to get the most out of short winter days and long winter nights. Read on for some thoughts on maintaining your personal productivity (not to mention your sanity). Avoid working nights.  When the weather is nice, we have a great incentive to be productive … [Read more...]

Social Media – What, Why – And How To Be Productive

Social Media – What, Why – And How To Be Productive

Like it or not, social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are here to stay – and it isn’t just kid stuff anymore.  In fact, businesses and individuals worldwide keep finding interesting ways to use social networks and other interactive online media to do some pretty amazing things – from building their brands to getting to know their customers. Where do you stand in this new phase of the internet revolution, which many techies are calling “Web 2.0”?  Perhaps you avoided it altogether…or you’re an addict…or you’re somewhere in between. Like most technology, social networks and other social media tools are great resources but lousy masters.  You could spend all day hopping around to different sites, updating your information, and connecting with people all over the … [Read more...]

Importance of Productivity during Down Times

Importance of Productivity during Down Times

In the summer of 1900... • The average life expectancy in the United States was 47. • A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost $11, which was an incredible sum because the average American made .22 cents an hour, or about $400 per year. • Most women only washed their hair once a month and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo. • Only 6% of all Americans had graduated from high school. • Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. • There were about 230 reported murders in the US annually. Amazing what a century will change. Amazing what a few months will change. Growth ends, recession sets in, the stock market stops booming, and companies go bust. The recession is impacting our clients in various ways: we're hearing of … [Read more...]

What’s a ROWE? Understanding the Results-Only Work Environment

Understanding the Results-Only Work Environment

The biggest workplace revolution since the cubicle might someday make those stuffy little offices obsolete. It’s a whole new way to look at work. Picture this…what if…work weren’t a place that you GO…but it was a thing that you DO. That’s the idea behind the Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE)—a concept originally conceived at Best Buy that has spread to organizations across many industries. It sounds so simple, but it can be a very tricky concept for some of us to wrap our heads around, especially for those that have been in a traditional workplace for a long time. Think about it. We talk about “burning the midnight oil.” We notice which cars are always in the parking lot at the end of the day. We listen to self-proclaimed go-getters brag about their 80-hour workweeks. But … [Read more...]

Technology: a Productivity Blessing or Curse?

Technology: a Productivity Blessing or Curse?

Anyone who works in the business world knows that technology can be both a blessing and a curse. At its best, it allows us to do more in less time. At its worst, it’s a frustrating, productivity draining distraction. As we rely more and more on our various gizmos and gadgets, productivity can become a tricky thing. It’s like the prescription drugs they advertise on TV—sure the stuff works as advertised—but just listen to all those side effects! Read on for a few technological side effects that might be creeping into your work or home life: May cause drowsiness. The best and worst thing about technology is improved access to information and the ability to work from virtually anywhere. For you this might mean traveling with your laptop, never being without your Blackberry, or … [Read more...]

Productivity for Leaders

Productivity for Leaders

Personal productivity is one thing. But once you take on leadership responsibilities, productivity is a whole new ball game. Suddenly it is no longer just a matter of being the best you can be, but of bringing out the best in those around you. This can be hard! Priorities compete. Personalities conflict. And let’s face it: some folks just won’t always be as committed as you are to putting in a productive day’s work – bad days happen (even to the best of us). So how do you go about creating a productive team environment that contributes not only to individual productivity, but also to that of the group as a whole? Teach others that “not in their job description” should be “not in their vocabulary.” It’s a fact of life: sometimes, employees will be asked to do things outside of their … [Read more...]

Lean and Mean in 2008: Go on a Low-Information Diet

Lean and Mean in 2008: Go on a Low-Information Diet by Laura Stack #productivity

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 on a continuous … [Read more...]

How Do You KNOW When You Are Being Productive?

How Do You KNOW When You Are Being Productive?

Well folks—here it is. I don’t know if you’ve been counting, but you are now reading the 100th issue of The Productivity Pro news"E"letter. How exciting! I spent some time going through the archives and simply could not believe how much time has passed since that first issue in 1999. I changed the name of my company, got married, and had two more children. But one thing that has not changed is my passion for personal productivity. It was then—and continues to be—my professional mission in life: to help people leave the office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it. Anyway, it got me thinking…with all of the tips and tricks that we’ve discussed (including tons of great reader suggestions), we’ve all hopefully learned HOW to be more productive, personally and … [Read more...]

Get Ready for Tax Time…in October?

Get Ready for Tax Time…in October?

“What? Laura, you’ve got to be kidding! You want me to start thinking about tax time in October? Halloween hasn’t even passed yet.” That’s precisely the reason. Once my kids’ third favorite holiday is over at the end of this month, all minds will be focused on the holiday season. Thanksgiving will come and go, then the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza season will go by in a flash, and then it will be the New Year. Once again, you’ll be stressed out and scrambling trying to get everything pulled together. Why not start getting organized for tax time now, before the flurry of wrapping paper hits? By putting yourself in tax mode nice and early, you can DRAMATICALLY reduce the amount of stress in your life down the road. Imagine kicking back with your refund already in hand (yes, the early bird … [Read more...]

Having a Value Focus

Having a Value Focus

We’ve all been there. It’s the end of the day. Your schedule was jam-packed. You crossed 27 things off of your to-do list. And still, you have that nagging feeling that the whole day slipped by before you got the chance to really accomplish anything at all. Being busy is one thing. Being productive is something else. On the surface, it can be hard to tell the difference. And that’s why it is so easy and tempting to fall into the “busy” trap. In today’s workplace, as much as we supposedly revere productivity, “busy” is the badge of honor. Stacks of papers covering a desk, a frazzled dash to the coffee machine, and all those blue streaks of Outlook (un)availability—wow, you are important. It’s easy to show how busy you are, but productivity is something much more personal—and much more … [Read more...]