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Published on May 02, 2007, by in Business.

guruOkay so you won’t become a guru just by using these tips and they probably aren’t all that secret. But you did use the secret handshake on the way in… didn’t you?

False advertising and unreal expectations aside, here’s some ideas that could help you become just a little more productive and a little less frustrated.

Remember… a tip is only valuable in the application thereof.

Plan the night before

Such a simple non-unique tip. It was probably stolen from some other productivity guru in the past but it works. When you plan the night before, you sleep better and you wake up focussed rather than discombobulated (I’ve been trying to use that word for weeks). Without a clear plan, it may take several hours to really get on track in the morning. Make a list before you sleep.

Reward yourself

For every task, or at least those that require some motivation there should be a reward. The reverse would be a punishment (I don’t know what else to call it) for an unfinished task. Wendy Piersall implements that idea in her monday motivation posts.

Leave the office

Sometimes the most distracting place in the universe is where you are working. At your desk or home office, with the phone ringing, people stopping by and all the other things you need to do just sitting there and staring at you. Simply changing your enviroment will take you away from a lot of the things that distract. Although it may not be for everyone, working in a local cafe helps me to focus and I get much more done there than in the home office. You go wherever you won’t be distracted. Does an office phone make a sound when you are not there to hear it??

Rest

One majorly underappreciated productivity tip is the ability to rest. A proper resting routine keeps your mind clear, helps reduce stress and promotes better health. If you are rested you will be able to concentrate better and be more productive. Although it is counter-intuitive, taking a needed break just works.

Smart Mailboxes

Use software features that help you focus. Setup your email client so that incoming emails are automatically sorted into relevant mailbox folders. Only check the folder of the project you are currently working on. So junk mail, goes into the junk folder, blog mail into the blog folder, cool news into the cool news folder and so on.

Want more productivity tips? Do you dare?

Ben Yoskovitz is collecting the ultimate guide to productivity and by the looks of the tips already submitted it’s going to be a great collection.

Oh yeah.. I tag Mark W. Shead :wink:

So what do you think? What’s your best tip for getting more productive? Let’s talk!

 
  • http://terrycressman.com/ Terry Cressman

    For me the biggest help is planning the night before, just like you mentioned above. I’ll have my work bag sorted and stocked, outfit layed out, lunches and drinks prepared and ready to take out of the fridge.

    In fact somethings I try preparing even a week ahead. Thinks like laundry and outfits I plan on wearing the following week (make sure all the ironing is done and outfits are put together and ready). There’s nothing better than waking up each morning and having everything organized, you’re not in a panic or rushing around.

    Oh! and leaving a bit early for wherever you have to go. It’s nice not feeling stressed in traffic, worried that you’ll be late.

  • Dave

    Hi Terry,

    Welcome to the conversation. I sure appreciate your contribution.

    Getting prepped the night before is huge. However, I prefer having my wife pick out my outfit. You don’t want to know how bad my fashion instincts are.. :smile:

    Thanks for coming by.

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  • http://ME? Dave

    My tip is simple,

    do it NOW!

    Procrastination is the way to doom.

    The trouble is if you clear your desk someone will give you something else to do.

  • DaveOlson

    Dave… welcome. Thanks for you input. NOW! It’s such an amazing concept that few people get. :grin:

  • http://ME? Dave

    Hi Dave,

    It was a hard lesson however, when you’re sat there reading and you’re asked why you aren’t working you can say I already did it! Of course that is assuming that you are still there. Of course not many of us have the option of leaving work early if we’ve finished out stint so I would suggest carefully sighting your monitor so it can’t be overlooked and then a game of Mahjong or Solitaire.. Or anything you like. Don’t tell the boss it was me that suggested it though.. :)

    :)

  • DaveOlson

    Dave… As an employer I prefer to give my staff productivity goals over hourly time frames. So if they get it done… they can go. Now not all of my staff can do that. We do have certain hours we are open but for the rest… get it done NOW. Great thought. :grin:

  • http://ME? Dave

    Greetings Dave the enlightened one.

    I work for a large Telco and as an IT person work at various sites in different roles. If my job list is empty then I can manage my work from the garden in the shade. If there is lots to do then its down to the farm with the rest of the headless chickens.

    I would like to make guitars for a living, but we can’t have eeything so I will settle for what I have got. I opted out of the managerial game. Playing the ‘mine’s bigger’n yours’ game seems such a waste of time now. Life is short isn’t it?

    It isn’t a new concept, it has just been forgotten by a lot of people. Pick the least enjoyable job and do it now. You end your day with the enjoyable jobs abd then you go home feeling as though you achieved something. Making people smile is part of my ethos too.

    :)

    Dave