Reduce Stress | List Producer

Tested Strategies to Get More Done

November 18, 2015/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, People, Reduce Stress, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I don’t have ADHD or ADD, but I know a lot about it. That’s because I cover health news for a living. Although having this blog has taught me a lot about it too. Turns out a lot of the tips that I’ve given through the years are particularly useful to people with ADHD and other attention issues and they’ve reached out to me about it. It’s true — I struggle with distractions too and have systems to cope.

Recently I listened to Peter Shankman’s webinar on how to be productive when you have ADD. If you don’t know of him, Shankman is a public relations and marketing expert who has written three books including “Nice Companies Finish First: Why Cutthroat Management Is Over–and Collaboration Is In.” He also created HARO (Help a Reporter Out) which is a journalism tool I use daily. And he also has ADHD and travels all over the world regularly. So there are a lot of amazing sights that catch his eye throughout the day! Read more

How To Change Your Luck And Live A Happier Life

November 11, 2015/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Happiness, Reduce Stress, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Do you ever just feel unlucky?

Always getting caught in a traffic jam when you’re running late, or the printer runs out of ink five minutes before you’re due to give a presentation?

Does everyone else around you seem to be getting their dream job, but you never seem to be in the right place at the right time?

So what is the key difference separating them from you?

They believe they’re lucky.

No really, that’s it. Read more

Don’t Be A Scrooge This Christmas With This Checklist

November 2, 2015/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Holidays, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time/by Paula Rizzo

I get that we are all busy people and money is always tight around this time of year, but there is nothing I hate more than people who ring you one week before Christmas and say “Sorry we – insert excuse here – so maybe we just shouldn’t exchange gifts this year.” As though Christmas somehow managed to take them by surprise despite being an annual holiday.

I know most people don’t buy their Christmas presents quite as early as me, but the majority have them sorted by the week before and a last minute cancellation can really throw them off.

Be considerate of others this Christmas and follow this checklist:

Have the ‘Christmas’ talk – If you’re going to spend your time finding the perfect present for someone, it’s important to make sure they actually want it.

Now’s the time to drop your friends and family a quick text to find out “Are we doing presents this year?” Read more

The Productivity Hangup You Probably Have Too

October 12, 2015/1 Comment/in Children, Decision Making, Happiness, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, People, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tea/by Paula Rizzo

A few weeks ago I was invited to a dinner party to celebrate my book Listful Thinking. My friend and colleague Joya Dass runs a women’s networking group called LadyDrinks and hosted the event.

So I was thrilled when she asked me to recreate the magic with an afternoon tea theme in Princeton, NJ. (You know how much I love tea if you read this blog regularly! So I was all in on this.)

Most of the women at the tea were professional moms who juggle careers in industries ranging from technology to medicine. They all had one question – “How can you balance everything?”

It’s not easy, I struggle with this too and it’s only me and my husband at this point!

One of the pitfalls and mindset issues I noticed coming up time and time again as we went around the room chatting was the idea of setting boundaries. I think mothers who work outside of the home tend to feel guilty about not spending enough time with their families. And then they feel guilty about not working enough when they are with their families. That’s a recipe for overwhelm and disaster.

Taking time for yourself is super important for your productivity and for your sanity. Here’s the fix: boundaries. Read more

A List to Lift Your Spirits This Fall

September 28, 2015/0 Comments/in Happiness, Holidays, List Making, People, Reduce Stress/by Paula Rizzo

September is coming to an end and there’s definitely a chill in the air here in New York. It’s that “back to school” weather finally kicking in. My husband Jay hates winter! Around this time of year he starts getting sad about the colder weather and says we need to move to California for some sunshine!

The winter blues aren’t just a feeling – it’s a real problem called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and it’s caused by a lack of vitamin d. So what else can you do to lift your mood this fall? Short of moving to California? Read more