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Jul31
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Ever get lost on the way to a client appointment? It's embarrassing, particularly if you end up having to call your client for directions.
I'm not bad at reading maps, but it's not an activity that goes well with driving.
Where I live, there are lots of hilly neighborhoods that are snakepits of 1 and 2-block long streets, and the driving directions typically have you zigzagging up a dozen different streets. I don't know about you, but I can't keep 12 street names and the direction to turn on them in my head at once. But I hit upon a good solution the other day.
I pulled over to the curb, and got out the map and my handy electronic voice recorder (I have an inexpensive one that records about 20 minutes total). Then I read the driving directions into the recorder as I looked at them on the map. I played back the message as I drove along so I was prepared in advance for each turn. Worked like a charm. Almost like having my own in-car navigation system!
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Jul31
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I started carrying a larger handbag recently and I've noticed how tempted I am to stuff things into it. Actually, that's not the problem; it's nice to have that extra room. The problem is when I never take things out...
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Jul28
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How can you be more productive at your job? Think of your job as a company.In her book, Making Work Work, Julie Morgenstern talks about being an entrepreneur at your job. She means that no matter what your job is,...
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Jul26
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My best friend, who is moving away (waaaah!), told me about a process she’s been using to help her with the onerous job of purging and packing. Whenever she comes across something she doesn’t know what to do with, she...
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Jul25
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Here's a quick tip for winnowing down your email inbox. First, sort your inbox by sender. (Usually, you can just click on the desired header section to resort your inbox. Click again to sort in reverse order.) This is a...
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Jul24
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How do you know if you're doing too much? Hint: don’t look outside yourself for the answer. If it feels like too much, it is. If you’re a competent high achiever, you’re used to getting a lot done. You...
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Jul21
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Focusing on what’s in front of you is an effective way to declutter or just tidy up your office. Messies Anonymous founder Sandra Felton recommends the Mount Vernon method. This technique involves starting at one spot in your office and...
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When you’ve got too much to do, it’s a good idea to slow down and focus just on what’s in front of you. If you’re having trouble doing that, roll a piece of paper up into a pretend telescope and...
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Jul20
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Why spend big money every year on a new datebook? If you’re the type who likes lots of specialized forms, this really can run into some money. Years ago, I made my own datebook pages on my word processor....
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Jul18
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We put a high value on personal freedom in this country, but don’t let that fool you into giving yourself the short shrift. According to Brian Tracy, "Self discipline [aka self management] is the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."
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Jul17
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For some people, a lot of e-mail is repetitive and routine. It's about regularly scheduled meetings, product information, company services, process descriptions, etc. You'll be able to get through those emails faster if you keep a library of stock answers...
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Jul14
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In a presentation I gave this week, I offered, as I usually do, lots of tips and tricks to help my listeners be more organized. One attendee raised her hand to ask, “Doesn’t this tip completely contradict the other one you...
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Jul13
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Sometimes when people are overwhelmed with work, it turns out they’ve increased their own workload by taking on too much. If you never say no, you’ll have plenty not to say no to. You must set your own boundaries for what’s too...
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Jul11
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One of my causes in the interest of promoting productivity is to uphold the value of low-tech solutions. I often speak to people who immediately assume that I'll insist they use a PDA or other electronic device for staying organized. ...
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Jul10
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You really can't go too small when creating change. Change may be simple, but it's not always easy. It may seem like a no-brainer to spend 2 minutes sorting your mail everyday, but it's not the amount of time or...
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Even when it's desirable, change can be hard to undertake. We are creatures of habit. Anytime you make a change, no matter how positive, it can throw off the rest of your daily routine. Give yourself plenty of time to...
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Jul 7
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A NASA study on pilots found that napping for less than half an hour increased their performance 34%. That's a pretty hefty boost for an age-old, low-tech solution. Many workers are already napping on the job, but they do it secretly...
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Jul 6
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Here are some other ways people fill their "Stimulation and Excitement Quotas.*" Triumphantly surmounting obstacles (which they created themselves); "I'll show 'em" Having all eyes upon them as they make a late "grand entrance" to a dinner party Pulling an...
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Jul 5
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Sometimes, otherwise productive people find themselves indulging in unproductive behavior prompted by a new, negative situation. In her book How to Put More Time in Your Life, Dru Scott writes about a woman who got a new manager at work...
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Jul 4
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If you'd like to be on time for appointments, think about being early instead. Chronic lateness won't be cured by trying to be on time because there's usually some unreality about how you perceive time. Focus on being early and...
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Jul 3
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This is the second in a series of posts I'm writing about How to Put More Time in Your Life by Dru Scott. This 1980 book has some terrific tips on time management that I'll share with you.Scott writes that...
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