Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), talks about getting out of a rut. You don't always have to do things they way they have always been done. (C) 2011 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
Increasing Productivity:How Reflective Thinking Impacts Workplace Productivity
Posted on 12/23/2011 by ·
"Reflective thinking requires the continual evaluation of beliefs, assumptions, and hypotheses against existing data and against other plausible interpretations of the data." -- John Dewey, American educator. "Reflective thinking turns experience into insight." -- John C. Maxwell, American author and leadership guru. "By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the most bitter." -- Confucius, ancient Chinese philosopher. As a savvy SuperCompetent, I suspect you take a few moments occasionally to examine your workflow process, carefully considering what works and what doesn't so you can maximize your productivity going forward. Psychologists call this process "reflective … [Read more...]
Time Management Skills: Are the Boxes on Your Calendar Bursting With Meetings
Posted on 12/17/2011 by ·
Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), gives pointers on keeping your schedule under control. (C) 2011 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
Increasing Productivity: Great Personal Productivity Podcasts
Posted on 12/12/2011 by ·
" Remember self-help tapes? You used to throw them into your car [stereo] or Walkman when you were going on a lengthy trip so you could 'grow on the go' and hope to return home all the better for it... Well, podcasts that discuss various aspects of productivity very well could be the evolution of those self-help tapes." -- Mike Vardy, Stepcase Lifehack. "Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort." -- Paul J. Meyer, American motivational speaker. "None of the world's problems will have a solution until the world's individuals become thoroughly self-educated." -- R. Buckminster Fuller, American author, designer, and inventor. From a productivity standpoint, the relentless march of technology allows … [Read more...]
Organizational Skills: Email and Productivity
Posted on 12/06/2011 by ·
How often do you read an email before handling it? In other words, how many times do you click on an email before it before it’s gone from your inbox? Please vote in my poll. Thanks! … [Read more...]
Time Management Skills and the Extreme Work Week
Posted on 12/05/2011 by ·
Let's face it: despite the management cliché claiming otherwise, you can't just "work smarter" if you expect to compete in the modern workplace. You'll also have to work harder, and probably longer. In today's high-pressure office environment, the real go-getters generally put in half again more hours than their 9-5 co-workers; and in many cases, management expects and requires them to do so. Indeed, some professions now view a 40-hour work week as part-time, at best—which means that if you limit your hours to the traditional number, you also limit your opportunities for advancement. As a result, many white collar professionals end up working a minimum of sixty hours a week in order to meet their job requirements. And that doesn't include drive time, work-related calls and email, … [Read more...]
Managing Your Time: Are the Boxes on Your Calendar Bursting With Meetings
Posted on 11/30/2011 by ·
Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), gives pointers on managing your time and keeping your schedule under control. (C) 2011 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
Increasing Productivity: Telecommuting and Your Family and Friends
Posted on 11/21/2011 by ·
In this month's newsletter article, Telecommuting: Creating a Productive Home Working Environment, I discussed some ways of keeping your home office productive. Here are a few more thoughts I'd like to share. Although telecommuting has many advantages, it does have its challenges. One of the greatest lies in getting your family, friends, and neighbors to take your work habits seriously. They may (at least subconsciously) assume that just because you're home all day, you're not really working—and so you can do anything for them at any time. Allowing them to continue to think this way will play havoc with your personal productivity, so nip such tendencies in the bud right away. Let's look at friends and neighbors first. While some may respect your work schedule, others won't think twice … [Read more...]
Managing Your Time: Vacation in the Summer Sun
Posted on 11/15/2011 by ·
Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), discusses a vital part of managing your time: the importance of vacation time as it relates to being productive. (C) 2011 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
Managing Your Time: Laura’s Latest Book
Posted on 11/09/2011 by ·
Need some guidance on managing your time when there is simply too much to do? My new book, What to Do When There's Too Much to Do: Reduce Tasks, Increase Results, and Save 90 Minutes a Day (Berrett-Koehler) is already available for pre-order on Amazon, and the pub date isn't officially until July 2! http://amzn.to/tZ7kAP … [Read more...]
