So What’s the Big Deal Over Dot Journaling?

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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.

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Thanks to listproducer.com I’ve met a lot of people in the productivity community and the more people I meet the more I find we have in common. We tend to be stationary nerds, who love Marie Kondo and are always looking out for the best way to get organized. So it’s no surprise that the latest to-do trend, that combines a to-do list with a planner and a diary, has become a big success in the productivity community. I’m talking, of course, about dot journaling.

If you don’t know what that is, dot journaling is, simply put, making a lot of bullet point lists. (You’ll quickly find with dot journaling that there’s a lot of overly complex names for simple things.) While I normally think it’s better to keep your lists separate, dot journaling allows you to put all your long and short term goals, as well as daily tasks, into one notebook. And you use a code-type system to keep everything from getting muddled together. Read more

Eat The Frog to Get More Done

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Do you ever get that feeling when you first wake up, the fear of knowing that today you have to do THAT task.

The thing you’ve been putting off for weeks now and the deadline has finally arrived. Maybe it’s paying your bills or deciding which contractor to sign with.

I’m a natural procrastinator myself so I will try to do these kinds of tasks at the last minute and if it has to be done on a particular day then you know I’ll be dreading it.

But there is another way.

A few weeks ago during my Listful Thinking MasterClass my web designer and media strategist Cass hosted my class because she has a very unique way of looking at productivity and I thought they would learn a lot from her. And they did! During Cass’s talk, while discussing the perils of procrastination, she explained her belief that you have to “eat the frog”

What?

Eat the Frog is a productivity concept in which you do the tasks you want to do the least  first. By getting the awful tasks out of the way your burden for the day is lifted and you can actually enjoy the remainder of it. And be more productive because you crossed off something that was looming large.

This simple concept really resonates with people and the fact that it frees up the rest of your day is a built in reward that encourages you to banish those procrastination habits!

Ok so what task will you use to Eat the Frog today?

5 Friends to Boost Your Productivity

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Whenever I start a new project or I want to try out a new idea for ListProducer.com I always run it past my friends first. It’s not just for their great advice, but because talking it through can often help me understand what I want from my project or idea.

Friends aren’t just great for advice they can help you to get more done. I’ve written before about having a friend as an accountability buddy, but friends can also push you to achieve more than you thought possible. For example, my friend Terri and I run an online course called Lights Camera Expert, which  helps experts, entrepreneurs and authors get media attention. Read more

Is Being on TV on Your Bucket List?

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No matter who you are or where you’re from, if you’re reading this blog, I can almost guarantee that you’re an expert in something?

Don’t believe me?

Well let me explain. An expert is defined as someone who is “very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area”. Too many people think that being an expert means you have to be the best or the most knowledgeable on the earth.

But that’s not true! There’s plenty of space for multiple experts to exist in any given field.

And you could be an expert at a bunch of topics that don’t even have to do with “what you do” for a living.

Take me for instance, I’m a TV producer by day but I’m also a list-making expert. It’s a skill I use as a producer but I’ve perfected my method and teach it to others – like those currently enrolled in my Listful Thinking Masterclass.

What are you an expert in?

Maybe it’s how to pick out the perfect outfit or  brunch spot or raising picky eaters or maybe it’s marine biology or something else.

You have something to say about what you know.  People deserve to hear it. So now what?

My other expertise aside from list making is having a keen eye for talent and who would make a great media feature or guest. I deal with experts all in day in my job as a news producer. I work specifically on health news so I’m always looking for doctors and health professionals to interview. Because of this I have a finely tuned sense for what makes a person ‘media’ ready.

The question I’m asked most often is “How do I get on TV?”

So I created a FREE 3-part video course called “How to Be a Media Magnet” with my friend and colleague Terri Trespicio.  Terri is a former magazine editor for Martha Stewart and brand strategist with a TEDx talk that’s gotten almost 2 million views.

In our FREE 3-part video series, “How to Be a Media Magnet,” you’ll learn:

  • What the media wants and what pitches will grab their attention
  • What mistakes to avoid when approaching the media
  • Overcoming the fear of not being “good enough”
  • How to get spots on TV, radio, and magazines

Don’t wait, because the free course is available for a limited time.

Cross These Tasks Off Your To-Do List

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I love outsourcing. I mean who wouldn’t? You get to take your to-do list and hand it off to someone else!

What’s not to love?

However it’s one of the few productivity suggestions that when I mention to people, the response I get tends to be dubious.

The answer I always get is, “Well, I dunno, I like to do things myself.”

Sound familiar?

I’m a control freak, so I get it. Letting someone else be responsible for a part of my business (even if it is only a very small one) can feel scary. But if I can get past the control freak fear, then why can’t other people.

I think that most people actually aren’t afraid to outsource – they just don’t know where to start!

For example, if you asked a child if they wanted to give up their chores, of course they’d be happy. But when you tell them they have to pick just one — the choice becomes a bit more difficult. Read more