Reduce Stress | List Producer

Eliminate Small Annoyances to Boost Productivity

August 3, 2015/3 Comments/in Apps, Decision Making, Decorating, Happiness, Health, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tea, Technology, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

We all experience them, those little everyday things that get in our way.

But you deal with them even when they set you back. I do it too.

I’m sent tons of magazines and books at work and they are good resources for story ideas. However they take up so much space.

I keep them on my desk because I always plan on looking at them. But in the end they just get in my way and slow me down and create clutter.

They topple over onto my keyboard.

They spill onto my notes and pencil and often I can’t find what I’m looking for — but there they are…under that stack of magazines.

So why don’t I just move them! Right? We’ll it’s a lot easier said than done. These types of irritants are only slightly annoying so we let them slide. Read more

The Most Productive 15 Minutes of Your Work Day

July 29, 2015/2 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

For those of you who work a typical 9 to 5 job, looking at the clock and seeing it’s 4:45pm can be quite a relief. Only a quarter of an hour and you’re out of there! Yay!

For others it can be quite stressful – only 15 minutes to get everything done!

But would you believe the way you spend those final 15 minutes could completely change what happens the next day?

Every day, when I’m nearly finished with work I create a “roadmap” for the following day. I’ve stolen the idea from my time as a live news producer. We always have a rundown to keep us on track during a live show. Your work day should run the same way. Read more

What Google Headquarters Taught Me About Productivity

July 13, 2015/4 Comments/in Happiness, Health, Increase Productivity, People, Reduce Stress, Technology, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Paula & Jay with Gopi at Google

Last week I decided to use the 4th of July weekend as an excuse to go on vacation. I have always wanted to go to San Francisco and figured now was the time. My husband Jay and I toured around the city — saw the Golden Gate Bridge, walked up Lombard Street, strolled along Fisherman’s Wharf and even tasted some amazing wine in Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

While there – we were amazingly lucky to get a tour of the Google headquarters in Mountain View, CA. That’s about 50 minutes south of San Francisco. Anyone can check out the grounds but to get a real look inside the buildings an employee has to take you around. I was lucky to be introduced to Gopi Kallayil by a mutual friend and he was our very gracious host. He’s the Chief Evangelist at Google for Brand Marketing — isn’t that the coolest title ever? Read more

Checklist to Finish What You Started

July 8, 2015/0 Comments/in Decision Making, Happiness, Health, Increase Productivity, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I have loads of advice about how to get started with a big project on this blog. But what about finishing a task? Most people assume that when you’re in that final stretch it will all fall into place. However, sometimes finishing can be just as difficult! Especially if you’ve put all your motivation into getting started.

Here’s a checklist to help you finish what you started!

1. Stop asking for advice – My friend Terri wrote about this recently, she calls it an addiction to advice. When you’re addicted you become so wrapped up in getting all the best possible advice from the best people that you never get around to actually doing it. Sometimes you just have to get on with it! Plus once your project has started to take shape you will find yourself getting more specific feedback. Read more

Tricks To Remember Something Before You Forget It

June 29, 2015/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Reduce Stress, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

You are only as good as your list. So if your list is missing a few items, you’re in trouble!

Lists are there to jog your memory, so how can you remember something if you didn’t write it down? Sometimes we can be talking to friends and then we have an “Aha” moment, and we remember a task we’ve forgotten. Often it’s completely unrelated to the topic being discussed.

Below are some tips to help you have more “aha” moments!

Put Up Post-It Notes – Is there a task you’re supposed to do regularly, but still manage to forget? Stick a Post-It note in places you often see but won’t ignore. Make it a place that is kind of in your way so you don’t just overlook it. Sure the bathroom mirror is a fine place but you might just use the other side of the mirror. Instead put it on a door handle or in the cutlery draw so you have to physically move it to use that item. Plus the bonus is the more you remind yourself the harder it is to avoid that task. Read more