Minimalism Is About Getting Rid of Distraction

Minimalism Is About Getting Rid of Distraction

I recently heard on a podcast that minimalism is a mind game - that it's not about getting rid of stuff as much as it is about getting rid of distractions.

I've never heard it phrased that way before, but it clicked. I've dabbled with simplicity for years. In fact, my long-time readers will remember when this blog was called "simple productivity" - and focused as much on simplifying as it was on productivity. But minimalism? I could never get behind having 100 items in my life or 30 pieces of clothing or a single pen (a single pen? I'd get the shakes from withdrawal!)

And when you look at minimalism as a mind game to eliminate distractions, it becomes clear why no one person's minimalism will be anothers - just like productivity systems.
What To Do When Crisis Hits

What To Do When Crisis Hits

Crisis can happen in the blink of an eye. One minute life is normal, and then everything is different. It could be anything that rocks your stability: death, divorce, accident, layoff, shutdown. But crisis comes to us all, and it's important to know what to do.

My own personal experience with crisis was major - eleven years ago my husband fell twenty feet off of a ladder and spent two days in neuro ICU. But I learned some lessons about what to do before and during a crisis, and how to support others in their own.
Name Your Tasks Properly

Name Your Tasks Properly

Have you ever been going over your task list and come to a screeching halt? Did you stumble over the task because your brain didn't know what to do with it? Properly naming tasks is one way to keep that from happening.

I am not very good at naming tasks. Even after years of doing Getting Things Done and absorbing productivity information, all which emphasize to keep tasks do-able. So here is how - and why - you need to properly name tasks.
Limiting Tasks to Get More Done

Limiting Tasks to Get More Done

To get more done, you need to do more things. That's self-evident. But what if I told you the secret to getting more done was limiting your tasks?

I am one of those people, who, when faced with a huge list of things to do, will shut down and do none of it. It's not uncommon. Most people, faced with a pile of work where they don't know where to begin, will not being at all.

So how do you get past that? Read on.
4 Productivity Lessons From A Matching Game

4 Productivity Lessons From A Matching Game

There are productivity lessons everywhere, if you just look. Here are four lessons I learned from a video game my daughter got me into, "We Bare Bears Match 3 Repairs."

I like matching games, and when my daughter started playing this one (based on one of her favorite cartoons), I peeked over her shoulder. What makes this game different from most is that there is no time pressure - a round is governed by the number of moves that you make. Make less than "par", you win the round. Otherwise you need to try over. It's fun, and it made me think about the general rules I was applying to select my moves...and all can be applied to productivity.
Managing Personal Tasks

Managing Personal Tasks

Few people would say that work and life are the same. Yet we try to apply work task management techniques to the rest of our lives, and are frustrated when it doesn't work.

I have very little problem staying on task at work. I have multiple priorities and multiple projects, and yet I consistently meet my deadlines. I began to wonder why I had problems at home, and so I started to read books on task management and to-do lists, hoping to find the answer. Instead, I had an epiphany.

I figured out how to manage my personal tasks in a way that takes into account their differences.
Why Most Task Advice is Worthless

Why Most Task Advice is Worthless

As part of my quest for productivity, I read a lot of articles and books on the various aspects. I get frustrated from time to time, because I think a lot of the authors miss the points.

For example, I have been reading a lot about building a better task list. And I’ve discovered that most task advice is worthless.
Getting A Fresh Start On Email

Getting A Fresh Start On Email

If you are like most people, you have a lot of emails in your inbox, either unread or waiting for action. In fact, one study found that the average worker had 199 unread emails in their inbox. Another study found that workers receive 121 emails per day.

That is a lot of email to be confronted with every time you open your inbox.

The problem with this is that if you don’t empty out and process the emails (also known as “keeping up with it”), you will have to scan all those emails every time you open the program. And the longer the list, the longer the scan, and that means a whole lot of wasted time.

But what can you do about it? You can clear out and get a fresh start.
Things To Put on a New Calendar

Things To Put on a New Calendar

You have a beautiful blank calendar before you. What should you put on it to ensure you get the most use out of it? This article addresses the basics.

In spite of my dedication to electronic calendars (because of their portability and shareability), I still maintain a paper calendar in my kitchen. This is simply for the visibility without extra steps. But both types of calendars have benefited from my adding the following types of items.
Things To Do For A Better New Year

Things To Do For A Better New Year

January 1 is when all the calendars recognize the start of the New Year. And as we have just passed that date, I thought I would talk about some things you can do to make your New Year get off to a great start.

I have discovered that when I take time to acknowledge the new year and its potential, I get off on a productive beginning that will carry me through the doldrums of January. I do certain things every new year that I’ve learned by experimentation, but that really help me get some direction.