Does your working environment boost or bust your productivity?

Studies have proven that lighting, décor, smell, noise level, temperature, ergonomics, and color can all affect how you feel. If your environment's draining you dry, try these tips for a little refreshment. 1. Make sure your workspace is ergonomically designed.  Constant discomfort is a great way to lose energy fast. Look into the possibility of getting ergonomic tools and furniture for your workplace, so you can stay productive. 2. Avoid RMIs. If you perform the same motions over and over again, you may end up with a repetitive motion injury (RMI) like carpal tunnel syndrome, Blackberry thumb, or bursitis. If you're having a nagging pain, see your doctor and determine what behaviors might be causing it -- and what you can do to avoid it. 3. Create a well-lit office space. Bad lighting … [Read more...]

Kick up your productivity by getting out of your comfort zone

Take a look at yourself. Is your life the same every single day? If you feel like you're wasting your energy because you're unchallenged and uninspired, you're probably right. There's a good reason the saying "Grow or die" is a something of a cliché, because it verbalizes a deep-rooted truth about human nature: you need to keep to growing intellectually all the days of your life. If that sounds good to you, then use these tips to help you get growing. 1. Challenge yourself to learn something new every day. A lack of challenges is a real energy killer. How can you be anything but bored if you don't learn something new occasionally? Human knowledge is so vast and complex that there's always something new to be learned, so get to it. 2. Exercise your creativity. There's a reason a zeal to … [Read more...]

Abandonment, outsourcing, discipline and other difficult productivity questions

Time is your most valuable possession. What tasks do you devote the most energy to every day? You may be working hard to climb the big ladder of success, but you'll waste a lot of energy (and time) if you discover it's leaning on the wrong wall. An intense, personal commitment to achieving your goals gives you the vigor you need to move forward every day. Try these time management tips on for size. 1. Practice purposeful abandonment. If you have too much on your plate, get rid of anything that doesn't meet your objectives or have long-term consequences for your work. Your only other option is overwork and flagging energy. 2. Get some help. Don't try to do everything yourself, especially if you're running a business. Hire someone to deal with all the repetitive or minor tasks anyone can … [Read more...]

Completing personal chores and responsibilities more efficiently

Unfortunately, not all of our tasks excite us, so spending energy on them feels wasteful.  If an activity's not challenging or offers no reward, motivation is difficult. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could complete your tasks more efficiently, so you'd have energy to spare? Well, I can help you with that. 1. Get your domestic duties done. Develop an evening routine, and make sure everyone in the family takes part. This will help you retain your sanity, happiness, and energy level, and teach other family members to respect others' boundaries. 2. Enlist help with meals. Cooking dinner every night can be a real grind. Cook more than your family will eat so that you can browse on leftovers some evenings, and teach your children how to cook -- they need to learn anyway. 3. Divvy up chores. … [Read more...]

Create closure on things that bother you and eliminate frustrations

Isn't it amazing how much energy you can spend stewing about things? If you get too agitated, you might be completely unable to focus on other tasks. If that's the case, you're no good for anything until you can calmly address the issue. You need to learn to create closure on the things that bother you, so you can get on with life. Here's how. 1. Avoid energy vampires. Some people can drain your energy in five minutes flat. Stay away from people who constantly criticize you, who gossip and create drama, who are mean, or who are just incurably rude. 2. Be assertive in annoying situations. If don't state your needs in plain English, you're unlikely to get what you want. Being assertive isn't the same as being aggressive; be polite, and let the people around you know you're willing to help … [Read more...]

See Laura Stack “live” in a public seminar event in Denver

The Productivity Pro staff here.  Have you wanted to see Laura "live" in action but haven't been able to bring her into your organization?  She speaks 100+ times per year at private client events.  But now, you can fly to Denver and attend a RARE public seminar appearance at the University of Denver on Thursday, June 19, 2008.  For more information and to register, visit https://theproductivitypro.com/s_publicworkshops.htm. www.TheProductivityPro.com … [Read more...]

Being a sourpuss steals precious energy from productive work

Attitude, whether positive or negative, is contagious; so what type are you spreading?   Being negative takes extra energy you could otherwise be channeling into your favorite pursuits. Instead of sowing discord wherever you go, learn how to cultivate tolerance instead of impatience; optimism rather than pessimism; and gratitude versus an ungrateful spirit. Here's how to get started. 1. Stop negative thoughts in their tracks. Smother your feelings of pessimism, self-doubt, complaining, whining, and general negativity as they're born, or they're likely to take over your life and poison your relationships. 2. Stop worrying about everything. Instead of worrying about things you can't control, create alternate mental pictures in which you and yours are the winners. Worrying about stuff you … [Read more...]

Relaxation and leisure increase your productivity

It may seem a tad paradoxical, but you can't be productive if you don't know how to relax. Leisure activities and relaxation like reading, talking, playing games, and other non-gadget pastimes can reduce your stress levels and increase your energy.  Want to learn more? Check out these tips! 1. Step off the merry-go-round. If you've recently undergone a particularly busy spell, you may be addicted to going full-throttle. When your mind's sick and tired of working, but your body can't stop, you need to slam on the brakes. 2. Understand that rest isn't a bad thing. You don't feel guilty about going to the bathroom, so why feel guilty about resting? While too much rest can cut into your productivity, an occasional break is necessary to top up your energy reserves. 3. Set aside some "me" … [Read more...]

Help! I feel brain-dead…how can I possibly be productive?

You eat well, you get enough sleep, you exercise every day, but your energy's at rock-bottom. Maybe it's toward the end of the work day. Maybe it's the end of the week.  Maybe it's the first day of your menstrual cycle. Maybe your biorhythms are at a natural ebb. Or maybe it's the dead of winter, and any sane mammal would be hibernating instead of driving to work while it's still dark out. Whatever the problem, here are a few quick fixes that can help you get back on track. 1. Recharge regularly. If you're staring at a computer all day, you're probably not moving much -- and lack of movement translates to lack of energy. Take a break and do something that gets you moving. 2. Get outside and get some sunshine. A lack of fresh air and sunshine deprives your body not only of fresh oxygen … [Read more...]

Bonus resources when you buy Laura Stack’s newest book TODAY

TODAY'S THE DAY!  Buy my newest book The Exhaustion Cure: Up Your Energy from Low to Go in 21 Days on Amazon.com today, Tuesday, May 13.  Email your receipt to [email protected], and you will receive a special link to some great, FREE bonuses resources.  Contributing to this promotion are best-selling authors Mark Sanborn, Dianna Booher, Chris Widener, and Roxanne Emmerich.  This book will help you boost your capacity for personal productivity by increasing your energy level, which will help you achieve your goals in less time. Thank you for your interest and support!  www.TheProductivityPro.com … [Read more...]