My Latest Productivity Killer: Periscope
Smartphones are in many ways a productivity blessing. They provide you with instant access to hundreds of apps designed to help you get more out of your day. However, smartphones can also be a productivity curse. Because you also have access to hundreds of apps designed to get you addicted and take up all your time!
As much as I write about the importance of not being distracted – I too, sometimes get addicted to apps and get thrown off course.
The latest being Periscope.
The app allows you to live stream video from your phone from anywhere in the world. It’s very exciting for me, as a news producer, to think of all the possibilities. When I downloaded the app I had expected to watch a few videos of people going about their lives, but I quickly found myself becoming addicted.
Here are some of the things I’ve watched so far:
- Pizza delivery guy arriving at a house in Utah
- Kid playing super mario brothers for the first time
- Pearl Jam tribute band
- Guy hiking in Arizona
- Person hanging out near the Golden Gate Bridge
- Guy walking through the mall in NJ
- Little girl learning to ride her bike for the first time
- Guy who couldn’t sleep in the UK drawing
- Newsroom tours in Waco, TX, Lexington, KY, Las Vegas, CNN
- A puppy that is afraid of a cat in Alabama
- Mother daughter dance at wedding
- Malibu Beach sunset
- Some nascar race
- A firehandler on the beach in Florida
- A cat yawning
- A puppy eating
- The MTV Movie Awards red carpet
- Cherry blossoms in DC
- Behind the scenes tour at The View
You can download the app here. Follow me — I’m @listproducer of course. Remember it is seriously addictive – so consider yourself warned! So use is as a reward when you get something checked off your to-do list. Then you can check out someone walking through Times Square or a Disney parade in real time. Let me know what you think if you check it out.
I’m on the “So Money” Podcast
What do lists have to do with money — you might be thinking? Well a lot actually. If you’ve read my book Listful Thinking, you’ll know that I believe a list can be adapted to any situation. In particular, lists can be really helpful when your trying to stick to a budget and get a handle on your finances.
I met Farnoosh Torabi a few weeks ago and we connected immediately. She is also an avid list maker – she’s been making lists since middle school. Plus she used to be a TV producer and is an author too. She asked me to be a guest on her daily podcast So Money! I’m not into numbers so much but you’d be surprised how much a list can help you keep track of financial stuff.
In the podcast we discuss:
- How using lists can help you lead your best life.
- The idea of a permission list when it comes to budgeting and how it can help.
- My biggest habit – besides list making – that helps keep my finances in check.
Listen to it here:
My Productivity Must Reads
I always have an ongoing book list. Books I love, books I’d like to read and books that lots of people suggest. Mostly I keep the list in GoodReads or Evernote. Last week I was a guest at a book club because they were reading my book Listful Thinking.
It was great to hear how people are using lists in their everyday lives because of my book! It’s really thrilling. But someone asked me what some of my favorite productivity books are and I realized I’ve never listed it out here on this blog.
So here goes:
Checklist Manifesto (Dr. Atul Gwande) – Dr. Gwande is a surgeon who worked with the World Health Organization to get checklists into operating rooms. Those checklists helped to cut down on mistakes made by the medical staff during surgeries.
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast (Laura Vanderkam) – Nobody likes waking up early. But the truth is doing things before work in the morning means there’s a higher chance you’ll actually get those things done and out of the way to feel much more accomplished and productive before you sit down at your desk. This book gives you some great ideas and examples on how to do it.
Getting Things Done (David Allen) – To me, David Allen is the father of productivity and he always has amazing tricks to save you time. I was fortunate enough to get his endorsement of my own book. He just released a brand new version with updates — so be sure to check it out.
Happiness Project (Gretchen Rubin) – Have you ever wished you were happier? I think a lot of people think about this but do nothing about it. Author Gretchen Rubin did something about it and spent a year focusing on ways to be happier. If you haven’t read it — you must. It’s funny, cute, insightful and thought provoking. And she loves lists and talks about using them to be happier!
Time Management from the Inside Out (Julie Morgenstern) – Julie’s productivity tips are well known, I regularly reference them on this blog. She wrote the foreword for Listful Thinking and revealed that as a former actress and creative person she really shied away from “being organized.” She thought she would lose her edge but it turns out getting her act together really paid off in the end.
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Marie Kondo) – Transform your home into a permanently clear and clutter-free space with the incredible KonMari Method. Japan’s expert declutterer and professional cleaner Marie Kondo will help you tidy your rooms once and for all with her inspirational step-by-step method. I’ve become completely obsessed with this book.
Things to Bring, S#!t to Do (Karen Rizzo) – As far as we’re aware we are not related, but since Karen’s first book is a memoir told entirely in lists, we may well be. There’s plenty of stuff for list makers to relate to in this book. From how our needs change over time, to that one thing that never gets done.
What’s on your must read list?