Things to Bring, S#!t to Do!

Your List as Your Memoir

BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

I recently spoke with Karen Rizzo, author of “Things to Bring, S#!t to Do.” As far as we’re aware we are not related, but since Karen’s first book is a memoir told entirely in lists, we might well be! List making might be in our blood because like me, Karen inherited her list-making tendencies from her father.

Our Lists Reveal Our Personalities 

Our lists are usually very personal.  The lists I write probably say a lot about who I am.  Karen explained to me that this was the idea behind her book. She had been asked to write some words of wisdom for a new mother, and as she sat with the blank paper in front of her, all she could think of were things she needed to do. This spark of inspiration became the central theme of her book. Read more

What’s a ‘Listicle’ Anyway?

ListiclesThe word listicle, a combination of the words list and article, has officially made it onto OxfordDictionaries.com. It is defined as ‘An article on the Internet presented in the form of a numbered or bullet-pointed list.’ While it may have only recently come into common use, I’ve been writing listicles on this blog for years now. So to celebrate the new dictionary entry I’m making a listicle of my favorite listicles from ListProducer.com!

1. 10 Gluten Free Grains For Everyone – I spoke with Leslie Cerier from ‘The Organic Gourmet’  and she gave me list of grains everyone should try. This is one of my most popular lists, especially as more and more people are going gluten free. Read more

Join Me Tonight For a Call

speekJust wanted to remind you all that I’m doing a live call tonight to help you get more done! If you have an endless to-do list sitting in front of you — listen up. You do not have to do all the things on that list. It’s true! Give yourself a break and get a little help. I’m talking about outsourcing your tasks to get someone else to do them for you so you can get your time and your sanity back.

Just because you CAN do all the things on that list, doesn’t mean you HAVE to do all those things yourself. There are major benefits that come from having an extra set of hands.

If you’d like ideas on what exactly you can outsource from your to-do list and how to get it done cheaply — join me and Speek’s Chief Operating Officer, Konrad Waliszewski, for a virtual fireside chat on Speek:

When: Wednesday, September 10 at 8:00 PM Eastern

Where: www.speek.com/SpeekOut Read more

Boost Your Productivity in Just 15 Minutes

yogaWe’ve all been there, working on a difficult project where everything seems to take so much longer.  Or a Monday morning when our minds are just moving a little slower.  What you really need is something to help kick start your energy.

Here are some quick things you can do in 15 minutes or less to make you more productive and help you get motivated:

10-Minute Yoga –  Exercise is a great way to stay healthy, reduce anxiety and  elevate your happy hormones.

Listen to Music – According to a recent study listening to music for 15 minutes can not only helps to improve your mood, but it also increases your creative problem solving abilities and task performance. So next time you need to brainstorm ideas – plug in your headphones and put on some of your favorite tunes!

Add a plant to your desk – Plants can help to liven up an otherwise dull office, and studies show that productivity can increase by up to 15% when plants are introduced into the workplace. This is most likely due to the perception of improved well-being. As well as the calming effect that plants and greenery naturally have on humans.

Go for a Walk – Like yoga, walking can help to boost creativity and mood, but an article in The New Yorker claims it goes beyond that. Writing and walking use similar parts of our brain. When we walk, we are surveying the world around us and constructing a mental map. This mental exercise can help us to organize our thoughts and come up with a plan of action.

Sniff a Lemon – It’s true — Scent Psychology finds the scent of lemon sends your concentration and energy skyrocketing.  It can also calm you down without making you less alert. So start using all those senses to get stuff done. 

What are some of your quick tips for boosting productivity?

Go on a ‘Fake-ation’ and Get More Done

vacationThe week before you go on vacation is filled with excitement, tension and anxiety as you rush to get all your work done before you go. For some, that last-minute panic is the only thing that can inspire them to get completely caught up on your work. So why not use the “vacation feeling” to get more done? If you want to catch up on your back log at work just act like you’re going on vacation so you can stay laser focused.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

Clean up & Close up – Make a list of everything you need to get done. Think about all the odd jobs you haven’t gotten around to finishing. If you know there’s something you’ve been putting it off, best to get it over and done with and then you really can relax over the weekend. Read more