Home | List Producer

The Story I Was Never Going to Tell

January 20, 2015/in Home, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time/by Paula Rizzo

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

Subtract stuff from your life this New Year

December 21, 2014/in Decision Making, Fab Find, Fellow List Producers, Happiness, Home, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Around this time of year we find ourselves adding more and more to our to do lists. I know I feel like 2015 hasn’t even begun and my list is already stacking up. Especially as my book is being published in January! If you are also feeling a bit overwhelmed maybe it’s time to start subtracting from your list instead of adding.

My friend Cass McCrory runs The Subtraction Project to help you do just that. What the Subtraction Project does is provide 30 days of actionable prompts to subtract the extra in your home, your inbox, your brain and your life. It’s free so there’s no subtraction from your wallet.

The project starts on January 1st — so sign up soon to get a kick start on your new year. Even if you know you have a busy January ahead, don’t worry as each prompt will be short and sweet. They take between 5-15 minutes to complete. Cass is also going to feature my book on day 11, as that day focuses on to-do lists. So make sure to check it out.

What are you going to subtract from your life in 2015?

Apps That Save You In a Pinch

December 16, 2014/in Apps, Decision Making, Home, Increase Productivity, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

If there is one thing organized people fear, it’s when life doesn’t go as planned. It’s because we make lists and detail everything out in order to leave as little room for error as possible. Sadly, no matter how organized you are, things can still go wrong.

I’ve struggled with this my whole life. But I think there’s a reason I became a TV producer – it has helped me deal with this. When I worked in live TV – I always needed a backup plan…just in case.

Here are some apps you should download for when things go awry you aren’t caught off guard and can immediately move on seamlessly: Read more

Productivity Tips You Learned in Kindergarten

October 19, 2014/in Children, Happiness, Home, Increase Productivity, People, Reduce Stress, School, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

You don’t really realize it when your a kid, but kindergarten was probably the most important year in your school career in terms of development. Of course, that school is essential, but we don’t really pay much attention to grades like Pre-K and Kindergarten, but they are important just like any other grade in school. It is where we begin to make our friendships and interact with other kids. A friend of mine learned this when her children started Pre-K and Kindergarten at a school similar to Ravens Croft (RAVENSCROFT.ORG). She reminded me that we learned so much during that time, and not just how to read and write, but believe it or not we also learned plenty of productivity skills!

Here’s a look back at some stuff you learned in kindergarten that you can still use today: Read more

What’s a ‘Listicle’ Anyway?

September 11, 2014/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Fab Find, Fitness, Food, Happiness, Health, Holidays, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Oprah, People, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Shopping, Technology, Tool for Success, Travel, TV/by Paula Rizzo

The 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