Increase Productivity | List Producer

Try This Tip To Be Less Stressed

April 10, 2013/2 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Google Calendar (Photo credit: HRC)

I have a productivity tip that will help you save time, your sanity and make sure you arrive stress free to dinners, meetings, phone calls and appointments.

The way to do this is to prepare and think ahead. Whenever I make plans for anything I instantly import them into my digital calendar. I use Outlook for work and Google Calendar for home stuff. As soon as I make the appointment I type in the time, date and how I will get there.

I make sure to do this right then and there so I don’t forget. If I move on to something else I’m sure to get wrapped up in that other project and might not remember what I’ve committed to do. So I put in all the pertinent information and figure out how exactly I’m getting there. If I’m taking the subway, walking or driving I make sure to get directions and include them in my calendar notes.

Then I set the reminder alarm for however long I think it will take me to get there plus 15 minutes. Sometimes you need a little time to get ready to go if you are doing something else. So I add in this extra pad for myself.

When I’m ready to leave , I just glance down at the directions I’ve already laid out — and I go. It’s a great system for arriving on time and unstressed.

Carrot: Bossy To-Do List App Makes Productivity a Game

April 7, 2013/4 Comments/in Apps, Benefits of List Making, Increase Productivity, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I don’t usually respond well to bullies but for some reason I’m really liking the Carrot app because of it’s pushy ways. I downloaded the to-do list app after a friend told me about it and I’ve been using it for several days.

The idea is that this to-do list with a personality will help you to get all your tasks ticked off. And when I say “personality” I mean “attitude.” Carrot’s mood changes depending on how productive you are. It’s pretty funny actually. But as you finish a task you earn points and unlock new features and get rewards.

Here’s my list of pros and cons:

PROS:

The fun game-type format makes you want to complete tasks to find out what Carrot has in store next.
It’s very easy to use and intuitive.
One of the gifts I was given was a cat named Captain Whiskers. How cute!

CONS:

Not very forgiving if you make a mistake at first. As you work your way through the levels you are able to edit, undo and change tasks.
There aren’t any pictures of Captain Whiskers. I think they will probably improve on this in future versions to increase the fun factor.
I could see people getting tired of Carrot’s schtick and not using it after the novelty wears off.

I think this could be a fun way to get more done for a lot of people. It’s definitely worth a try. Let me know what you think of Carrot if you’re using it. Also — I have no idea why it’s called Carrot.

Happy 2nd Birthday to My Blog

April 4, 2013/4 Comments/in Increase Productivity, Learning With a List/by Paula Rizzo

Candles spell out the traditional English birthday greeting (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My blog is two years old today! Happy Birthday! I can’t believe it — what started as a list to help me find an apartment has turned into one of the most fun things I’ve ever done.

Thank you to all who read regularly and all of you newbies too. This year I’ve learned that it’s OK to take a break here and there — and not beat myself up over it! I hope no one minds too much when I disappear for a few days.

Like some of my favorite things (wine!) in intend for this blog to get better with age! Here’s some of the upcoming projects that I’ll be working on to make this blog even more fabulous:

Posting more regularly with themed days! (Who doesn’t love a theme?)
Uploading more tips and tricks via video. (Sometimes talking is so much easier than typing. And I get to talk with my hands which speaks to my Italian heritage)
A Private Productivity Assessment Giveaway! (Yes, I will post more details next week but I want to help you get more productive and
Connect with my readers more often! (I’m thinking Twitter chats and more events with my Lists & Libations group)

If you have any ideas for blog posts or would like to team up on a project I’m all ears! Please shoot me an email to Paula (at) ListProducer (dot) com.

Thanks for reading!

Pack These Items When You Travel

March 31, 2013/0 Comments/in Apps, Benefits of List Making, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Travel/by Paula Rizzo

Paula & Nicole at the Trevi Fountain in Rome

Traveling can be very stressful no matter how much you plan. People go travelling for a whole host of reasons. Some people are interested in doing something like this Cultural Care Au Pair, whilst others are only interested in being tourists. But there are some tips and tricks that I’ve found to help you out. Recently, Jay and I went to Italy and Paris with our friends Nicole and Peter. They were the ones we went to visit in Paris in July.

Anyway — Nicole is a crazy planner/researcher like me. She makes lists and is super organized. She even wrote a guest post about ways to pack for a two week European vacation in a carry on. It’s brilliant advice. We had a blast planning out every stop on our two-week Italian tour. So we teamed up with this list of travel must haves: Read more

7 Tips for Traveling Abroad

March 27, 2013/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Travel/by Paula Rizzo

While traveling abroad there were a few things that made my trip even easier so I’ve decided to share my list with you:

1. Use Airplane Mode: When you board the plane – put your phone on airplane mode and leave it on for your entire trip. This way you will avoid any crazy expensive
data charges. Your phone won’t access any cellular towers this way but you can turn WIFI on if you want to check your email. I found this to be a really easy way to stay connected but also not have to worry about spending a fortune.

2. Pack a Carry-On Only: Between going through customs and waiting for your luggage – getting out of an international airport can take forever, but to make it easier for you, you could check out this carry-on luggage size guide before you jet off! As this way you won’t have to worry about bringing the wrong size luggage on your trip. My advice is to pack everything you need in a carry-on. You will save time and money this way. My friend Nicole has quite a system for this. Click here for her techniques. Read more