March, 2012 | List Producer

If You Want It Done Right, Don’t Do It Yourself!

March 30, 2012/4 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Guest Posts, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I used to be like a lot of people who try to do everything themselves. But then I learned — I’m only one person, I need to ask for help sometimes! There are times when I still struggle with this concept but for the most part — I’m pretty good at delegating. In fact — my guest blogger Leah Busque, founder of TaskRabbit.com, says having other people do things for you is the only way to get things done right.

If You Want It Done Right, Don’t Do It Yourself!

by Leah Busque

Consider this…Two men live alone on an isolated island. To survive they must undertake a few basic economic activities like water carrying, fishing, cooking and shelter construction and maintenance. The first man is young, strong and educated. In general, he is faster, better, and more productive at everything; he has an absolute advantage in all activities. The second man is old, weak, and uneducated. He has an absolute disadvantage in all economic activities. In some activities the difference between the two is great; in others it is small. Read more

Finding Success Through List Making

March 29, 2012/4 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Video/by Paula Rizzo

Dr. Shannon Reece

Making lists will make you successful. I’ve said it a zillion times because it’s definitely worked for me. I’m an Emmy award winning TV producer and staying organized through list making has helped me to stand out in my field.

This is just one tactic for achieving more at work and in other aspects of life. Dr. Shannon Reece has a website that offers strategies and tips for women in business. I was included in her post “89 Famous Quotes That Will Rock Your World,” — I’m number 55. And she gave us “10 Ways to Create Free Time Out of Thin Air.”

I was honored to speak with her on her YouTube show “Spotlight on Success.” The show is designed to give you a leg up on starting and maintaining a great business. I’m excited to hear what you think!

A List Built For Two

March 28, 2012/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Fellow List Producers, Guest Posts, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I’m mostly a solo list maker. I document daily to-dos, goals and task checklists. But from time to time I share a list with my husband or friends to be more efficient. My husband and I both add to our grocery list throughout the week. And my friends and I share lists about things we want to talk about or make sure we do. I haven’t used this technique at work yet but as my guest blogger Kirsten Bischoff, founding partner of HATCHEDit.com, tells us — sharing makes you more productive.

A List Built For Two

by Kirsten Bischoff

An individual’s approach to list making is almost as unique an identifier as their fingerprints. After all, every brain works in a unique way. Lists can be rigid and precise, or completely abstract; they can be well laid out plans or vague strings of abbreviations. So the challenges when two people get together to create a list (or lists) can seem insurmountable. Read more

Backtiming: Producer Tip for a More Productive Day

March 27, 2012/1 Comment/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, TV/by Paula Rizzo

In television news – timing is everything. Producers, anchors, reporters, videographers and editors work on very strict deadlines. Sometimes stories have to come together quickly – this makes time management one of the keys to success in this business. Working in TV news for over a decade has conditioned me to use this skill to be more efficient in everyday life.

Time Management

One of those time management skills is called backtiming. It’s a technique used to make sure all the stories fit into the show and you can get off the air on time. A line producer assigns a time estimate to each story depending how important it is. All those time estimates add up to fill the newscast. You have to make all the news of the day, sports, weather and entertainment fit in that timespan. Read more

Difficult Discussions Are Easier With a List

March 26, 2012/2 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I had lunch with a friend recently and she was telling me about her boyfriend troubles. They’d come to a point in the relationship where it made sense to start talking about the future and if each other was in it.