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With Us or Against Us?

Posted on 09/19/2012 by ·

Do your coworkers consider you a productive team player—or an annoying bottleneck in the workflow process? You may find this a hard question to face, but unflinching self-honesty is essential to maximizing your personal success. So no matter how helpful you believe you are, take the time every once in a while to review your workplace productivity through the eyes of your teammates. Never forget: your work represents part of a group effort that requires everyone involved to pull in the same direction. You may very well pull harder than anyone else on the team...but if you pull the wrong way, you're hurting, not helping. Seven Questions If you can't determine your productivity status at a glance, then ask yourself these seven questions—and answer them truthfully. 1. How much do I really … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: , ,

Top Ten Things to Do Before Ten to Ensure a Productive Day

Posted on 09/17/2012 by ·

"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." -- Benjamin Franklin, U.S. publisher and Founding Father. "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." -- Mark Twain, American humorist.   Whether you achieve full alertness within minutes of waking up or require a caffeine infusion before you can think straight (like me), the early morning hours represent a crucial productivity period. What you accomplish in the first few hours after rising can set the tone for your entire day's productivity at work. New research into sleep habits emphasizes the value of early-morning productivity. According to a recent study in the journal Emotion, early risers … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity · Tagged: ,

Stuck Waiting for Information

Posted on 09/13/2012 by ·

Laura Stack,The Productivity Pro(R) Gives advice on what to do when waiting on someone for information you need to finish a project. (C) 2012 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal Productivity · Tagged:

A Booster Shot for Your Productivity

Posted on 09/12/2012 by ·

"Stressing output is the key to improving productivity, while looking to increase activity can result in just the opposite." -- Paul Gauguin, French Post-Impressionist painter. Feeling off track lately? Have you fallen into an unproductive rut you just can't escape? Well, then—you could use a productivity booster shot! By adopting just a few generalized tactics, you can clear up those cloudy productivity skies and let the sunlight of your hard-earned time management skills shine through.   Include in your vaccine these four multi-positive strategies—good habits that boost productivity in a number of ways. Get healthy. Admit it: your productivity takes a nosedive when you feel poorly—whether you've got a touch of the flu, didn't sleep well the night before, or simply don't have … [Read more...]

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Structure is Your Friend

Posted on 09/06/2012 by ·

Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), discusses the importance of structure. (C) 2012 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal Productivity · Tagged: ,

Unstylish Efficiency: On Delivering Substance Over Style

Posted on 09/05/2012 by ·

"The closest thing to a law of nature in business is that form has an affinity for expense, while substance has an affinity for income." -- Dee Hick, founder and former CEO of VISA. "Don't settle for style. Succeed in substance." -- Wynton Marsalis, American jazz musician.   If you've been working in your chosen profession for more than a few years, then you've probably run into your share of co-workers who seem to value style over substance. To these individuals, perception trumps reality—and sometimes even defines it. Remember comedian Billy Crystal's stint on Saturday Night Live back in the 1980s? Among other things, he portrayed a smarmy talk show host who liked to say, "It is better to look good than to feel good. And dahling, you look...mahvelous!" That captures the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Time Management · Tagged: , ,

Setting Boundaries is a Process of Negotiation

Posted on 08/31/2012 by ·

Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), gives advice on setting boundaries in a positive way so that people have realistic expectations. (C) 2012 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal Productivity · Tagged: ,

Overcoming the Paralysis of Analysis

Posted on 08/28/2012 by ·

"You've heard the saying, 'Analysis creates paralysis.' You can't be 100 percent sure of anything." -- Mark Burnett, British television producer. "The maxim 'Nothing but perfection' may be spelled 'Paralysis.'" -- Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister. As a reader of this blog, I suspect you take your professional development quite seriously. No doubt you've dedicated yourself to constantly refining your time management skills, blocking distractions, trimming task lists, and otherwise doing whatever it takes to maximize your personal productivity at work. That's only logical, since honing your workplace productivity to a keen edge represents the best way to move your career forward without abandoning the "life" part of your work/life balance. Therefore, you'll want to use … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Time Management · Tagged: , ,

Reevaluate Your Productivity Habits

Posted on 08/23/2012 by ·

How are your habits affecting your personal productivity? Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), talks about taking time to look at your habits to see how they are helping or hurting your abililty to get things done. (C) 2012 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal Productivity · Tagged: ,

Hard Work vs. Talent: The Eternal Debate

Posted on 08/21/2012 by ·

"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." -- Albert Einstein, German-American physicist. "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." -- Michael Jordan, American pro basketball player. "Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." -- Stephen King, American writer. One of the cornerstones of American culture is the concept of human equality: the notion that while some of us may be born into better circumstances than others, we all have equal rights as human beings to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We've enshrined that status in the very documents that declare and outline our system of government. But as equal as we may be in the eyes of the law, … [Read more...]

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