We collect so many things for our kids over time. How do you keep it organized? (C) 2016 Laura Stack, All Rights Reserved. www.TheProductivityPro.com … [Read more...]
Organizing Your Space
Posted on 11/16/2012 by ·
Tackle a single one-hour organizing project each weekend, such as a drawer, shelf, cabinet, closet, or box. Don’t attempt a huge task, such as an entire bedroom. Break it down into manageable bite-sized chunks. When it’s time to begin, don’t just dump everything out on the floor. You’ll run out of time and steam and shove everything back in, only to be more disorganized than before. Instead, get five sturdy boxes. The Put Away box contains items that are out of place and go somewhere else. The Give Away box is for items that are in good repair that you no longer want or use to give to charity or sell. Use the Store Away box for items that are going to be used again in a reasonable amount of time but not regularly. The Toss box contains items that are broken, old, worn, or in bad … [Read more...]
Tame Your To-Do List
Posted on 10/26/2012 by ·
To-do lists are helpful, because they relieve your brain of the need to remember everything. To effectively organize your time, you actually need TWO different to-do lists: a master list and a daily list. A master to-do list is an on-going, running memory list of everything you want to do someday. A daily to-do list is essentially your plan of what you truly intend to get done today. It's NOT an on-going list of everything you need to do, as in the master to-do list. A daily to-do list is the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night. It keeps you focused and on-target throughout the day. When you think of something to-do, ask yourself when you're going to do it and record it on the appropriate list: the daily list for today and the master list if not. … [Read more...]
Personal Productivity: Why Greensizing is Productive
Posted on 08/11/2009 by ·
We all want to do our part to help the environment. But if you can give the Earth a break and increase your productivity at the same time, that’s a real no-brainer! Luckily, a lot of the things you can do to help sustain the planet can help sustain your productivity as well. Read on for tips on how to green-size your life and get more done at the same time. Use less paper. About 80 percent of papers that are filed are never referenced again. What a waste! A good solution? File less. An even better solution? Produce less paper to begin with. That doesn’t mean you have to constantly inconvenience yourself or feel guilty about ever sheet that comes off the printer. It just means you should think twice before you hit “print.” Do you really need a paper copy of that e-mail message or … [Read more...]
Being Productive During the Slow Times
Posted on 12/15/2008 by ·
Unless you’re in accounting or retail, many businesses slow down dramatically between now and mid-January. Or maybe your normally-humming business has slowed down to a slow sputter due to the economy. Take the opportunity to relax a bit and enjoy your family, but also take advantage of the lull by completing some of those projects that have been sitting on the back burner. You always say, “I’ll get to that someday,” or “I’ll do it when I have more time.” Well, now’s the day you have more time. So knock some things out before things pick up again in February. What could you work on? · Purge your filing cabinets of outdated materials you never refer to. · Pull all your 2008 tax information. · Move old client files to archive boxes in your basement. · … [Read more...]
Staying Productive During Back to School Time
Posted on 08/26/2008 by ·
It’s back to school time! With three kids in elementary and middle school, this is a New Year of sorts for parents. Here are some tips to help you stay sane and productive: Back-to-the-Future. The first step in moving forward with back-to-school resolutions is to take a look back. What were the situations from the previous school year that could use improvement? Did your child often miss the bus? Did they have a hard time making the honor roll or even passing grades? Was everyone too busy to sit down for dinner together? Once you figure out what areas need improvement, it will help set goals for the upcoming year. Talk to your children. Whether your school-age children are in elementary school or high school, talk to them about areas they would like to see change, both personally and … [Read more...]
How to Set Up an Effective Office Space in Your Home
Posted on 07/22/2008 by ·
I’ve worked full-time from my home since 1992 and can’t imagine doing it any other way. Whether you work full time out of your home, occasionally telecommute, catch up on work in the evening, or run a household, you need some sort of dedicated “office” space in your home. Offices can serve as the family computer center, a place to do paperwork, and the occasional work-at-home office. The first big question is where to locate your home office. Until the last few years, most builders didn’t catch on to the popularity of a built-in home office. If you have a computer, you probably need more than an antique writing desk in the living room. But if you only use your “office” to pay bills, write letters, and return phone calls, you can get away with a corner of the kitchen. In most homes, … [Read more...]
