I’ve been writing this blog (or its variants) since 2007. And yet I still feel like a beginner on so many things!
Someone challenged me, in response to a comment I made about not really knowing anything about productivity, to write a list of 30 things I know about productivity. Here it is:
We’ve all been there: we spend hours working on things, only to look at our lists to find we didn’t do anything on them. Busy, but not planned. I call these rabbit trails. I don’t go down rabbit trails very often, but when I do, I can count on losing at least an hour of productive time. Today we will look at how to spot them and what to do when you’re on one.
Three types of office vampires have existed in every place I have worked, leaving trails of negativity behind them. And there are other types of vampires as well, more subtle in their approach to sucking out your energy and happiness. Can you spot and neutralize them?
With the economy tanking, and people facing job loss at record levels, I thought I would share what I learned from my three months of unemployment.
I used to be on the cutting edge of productivity software. If there was a new tool out there, I tried it. I would spend days wrestling all my tasks, dreams, lists and whatnot into the new software, learning all the ins and outs of the software, only to be disappointed in the results, and repeat the process the next time new software would come out.
It occurred to me about years ago that this behavior is just a way of playing at being productive. After all, I was busy, and even if I wasn’t getting anything done, it was in the name of productivity, right?
I am big into the idea of menu planning. Besides allowing me to limit my shopping time, it takes off the afternoon pressure of trying to figure out what we will have for dinner.
However, there are days when the planned menu just doesn’t work. It could be because we have already eaten all the leftovers, schedules are in conflict, or because the cook (read: me) is ill. Fast food used to be the only option, but we discovered that it is easier and more healthy to have a few backup pantry meals on hand.
I am not a morning person. In fact, I have great difficulty in waking up unless there is sufficient light. And since winter is a time of insufficient morning light, coupled with cold mornings, it is very difficult for me to get up and get things done. Yet getting those things done is what sets the tone for the whole day. Here are five ways that I get past the groggies:
Not everyone can maintain a filing system.
I do a moderate amount of web reading, and I thought I would share my system.
I thought I would present a list of other shortcut keys that can make things easier.
