Take A Break With Some Tea

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teaI love tea. Besides water and wine – it’s the only thing I drink. I love all different types like Green Tea, English Breakfast and Darjeeling. I often write on this blog about its productivity benefits. I believe making a cup of tea is a great way to relax and take a break. We all have our favourite mugs to drink from, especially if you drink tea as much as I do! A friend of mine gifted me a personalised mug (or Mug Personnalisé as they’d say in French), so I do love using that pretty much all the time. Anyway, I thought before it’s too late — I should share with you that January is National Hot Tea Month.

To celebrate Tetley USA reached out to me and told me that they are challenging Americans to take the Tetley Five-Day Teatime Challenge. Every day, on or around 4pm, shut down your devices and take time for yourself to recharge. Just 15 minutes is all you need to clear your mind, savor some of your favorite tastes and give yourself the time you deserve. They also sent me some yummy new tea to try! It’s in my desk at work just waiting to be steeped! Read more

Productivity Tips You Learn on the Job

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Productive ProfessionsI have often credited my job as a news producer for honing my time management skills. Working in television has not only taught me the value of a minute, but also how to stick to a strict deadline. That’s because the news happens with or without you and you better be ready as a producer.

But what about other professions? Here are some example of jobs and the productivity tips we can learn from them.

Firefighters – These guys and gals are known for being ready to go at a moment’s notice. All their equipment is laid out, the tanks are filled, the whole process is geared to take as little time as possible. Because a couple of minutes can make all the difference when it comes to a fire — preparation is key. While your day to day might not be as important it’s still a good idea to do as much as you can in advance.

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Get a List-Making Makeover

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makeoverI’m a sucker for the makeovers on morning TV shows.  I just get so excited and I love watching the transformations.  I always think “Will she keep up with that look? Her hair looks so cute!”

When I did my very first book signing last week it was a great opportunity to meet some of the readers of this blog and give them a little makeover of their own.  A few people brought me their lists to take a look at and help rework their list making techniques. Read more

Bobby Flay is also a List Producer

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Fast Company recently compiled an article on the most successful people’s productivity secrets. One of the featured celebrities is Bobby Flay who admits that he uses lists to keep on top of things.

Bobby Flay

Bobby says:

Whether I’m cooking Thanksgiving dinner or starting a new menu at [his newest restaurant] Gato, I make lists. When I cross things off, it makes me feel accomplished. It’s the only way I can get things done. It wasn’t something I learned in school—I dropped out of high school, so anything I did then wasn’t successful. I learned it later.

Bobby also talked about how he keeps his lists on a yellow legal pad. Check out my pinboard to find your favorite list making celebrity:

Follow Paula Rizzo – ListProducer.com’s board Successful List Producers on Pinterest.

The Story I Was Never Going to Tell

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I didn’t want to write this post. I’ve been putting it off for months. Part of me still doesn’t want to admit this actually happened to me. And I really never wanted to admit it to anyone. But the truth is — the recent purchase of our first apartment, renovation of said apartment and the act of moving into it, shattered me.

January 21st marks exactly one year that my husband and I closed on our co-op in Manhattan. And so I thought it finally fitting to talk about my experience.

I’m known for having my act together, being organized, thinking on my feet, problem solving in my sleep and being productive and efficient. I mean — I’ve dedicated this blog to these things and even wrote an entire book on the subject!

But I was none of these things during this time period. I was literally frozen, paralyzed and I felt pretty helpless.

I’m not typically dramatic and as a journalist – I’m very good at just stating the facts. But I’m also an optimist and that got in my way for sure. Read more