If you or someone in your company or organization occasionally brings in outside speakers for training or meetings, please keep reading. As the economy turns around, we are finding training hasn't yet returned to 2006-2008 levels, budgets are still suppressed, and attendees can't get out of their offices for a full day of training. So after successful pilots in Sioux Falls, SD, and Tampa, FL, we think we've stumbled on a solution: we are playing MATCHMAKER. Rather than flying out to work with a single company, we will help you find someone in your area to split the costs. Here's how it will work. I will book a two-day tour in select cities based upon interest. We will use the same discounted in-state "piggybacking" rates we use for Colorado. Four companies will each get a half-day … [Read more...]
Time Management: Match Your Tasks to Your Energy Level
You can know all the productivity tips in the world, but nothing will work if you don’t have the energy to give 100 percent. Personal energy is a measure of how strong, invigorated, or up to a task you may feel at any moment. If you feel down, your zest ebbs, and you tend to produce mediocre work. So know your own rhythms and plan your work around them. If you tend to have a lot of energy first thing in the morning, then do your most challenging work then. High energy gives you the ability to concentrate well, make critical decisions, perform complex analysis, or do any task requiring creativity or problem solving. When your energy is low, however, these tasks become more difficult, take longer, and often have poor results. So if the afternoons are difficult for you and you experience … [Read more...]
Business Productivity: Technology In the Workplace 2010 Study
Intercall recently published the 2010 study on Technology In the Workplace. The findings of the study make it clear that today's workers are feeling the pinch of tough economic times and increased pressure to do more with less and stay connected to the office even in off hours. Almost half of American workers who use technology at work believe that in this economy they must produce more even though they have fewer resources. Twenty-five percent of American workers feel their job security "is partially dependent on their supervisor seeing they are connected to work even after hours." Even with the increased workloads, Americans do see technology as a key part of productivity in the workplace. Job satisfaction increases when companies provide technology tools to help workers do more in … [Read more...]
Time Management: Gracefully Refusing Requests
What do you do when you have the perfect plan set up for the day, then everything and everyone tries to blow up your plan? Part of that could be your fault. Perhaps you’re responding to e-mails as they're coming in or otherwise wasting time. But the other part is no fault of your own. You need to learn some language, verbiage, and techniques to use when someone asks you to do something not on your plan. If you’re thinking, “This is just not that important right now,” you need to know how to decline gracefully. Certainly there are some things that are worth stopping what we’re doing and handling; however, there lots of things that aren't important and don't qualify to be handled immediately. One of the things you can do is always negotiate a due date with the person as they make a … [Read more...]
Time Management: It’s All in the Timing
An important part of being and staying productive is knowing the right time to accomplish a task. This is true not only in the business world, but in our personal lives as well. When we're working on getting things done, we don't always know exactly what the best time is for certain things. I ran across this helpful list of 100 tips and tricks for the best times to do things: The Best Time to Do Everything. I hope you find a few tips to help you make the most of your time! … [Read more...]
YOU Can Be a Productivity Pro® Video Series
Are you working 60-80 hours a week? Would you like to learn how to be more productive at work, so you can achieve the same results in less time and Leave the Office Earlier®? This 20 part seminar is Laura's productivity class that combines key concepts from multiple seminar listings into a comprehensive program. The You Can Be a Productivity Pro® video series covers: * Planning * Prioritization * Scheduling * Multi-tasking * Concentration * Discipline * Organization * Time management systems Topics cover all aspects of your personal productivity—from the start of your day until the end—to help you get Maximum Results in Minimum Time®. Professionals, managers, and administrative staff will gain scores of new ideas from The Productivity Pro® on increasing output without increasing effort … [Read more...]
Business Efficiency: The Productivity Minute Video 27: Meetings Where Minutes are Kept and Hours are Wasted
Laura Stack talks about meetings and how you can make them more productive. (c) 2010 Laura Stack www.theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
Audio Podcast: The 12 Dysfunctional Personal Productivity Personalities
Everyone has a productivity personality. It’s the collection of strengths, weaknesses, and day-to-day habits that come together to determine how a person works best. (C) Copyright 2010 Laura Stack. All rights reserved. Powered by Podbean.com … [Read more...]
Time Management: The Productivity Minute 26: The Value of Hiring Others
Must you do it all yourself? Not necessarily. Laura Stack talks about the value of outsourcing certain tasks to free up more of your time. (c) 2010 Laura Stack www.theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
Business Efficiency: The Productivity Minute #25: Do You Really Need to Answer That?
Is being tied to technology controlling your time? Do you have to answer every cell phone call right away? Laura Stack talks about the interruptions that technology use brings and how to not be controlled by them. (C) 2010 Laura Stack www.theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
