Saving Money | List Producer

Don’t Let Your To-Do List Bully You!

April 12, 2012/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Do you sometimes feel like you are being bullied by your to-do list? You’re not alone. Even I feel that way sometimes. But the key is taming the to-do list to allow you to check everything off of it. It takes discipline and know how. I was recently interviewed about to-do lists and how to take charge of your to-do list.

A lot of times people set themselves up for failure with their to-do lists right off the bat. What I mean by that is that you put too much on your list. You put unrealistic things on the list that you can’t possibly accomplish! Don’t do that!

Here are few things that will help you get your to-do list done:

1. Make bite-sized lists

2. Be realistic

3. Ask for help

4. Don’t mix your lists — to-dos aren’t the same as life lists. Know the difference

5. Read my other tips here

Checklist for Giving Great Gifts

April 10, 2012/4 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

My mother-in-law and I share a love for giving gifts. We love shopping for them even more — but that’s beside the point.

It’s such an amazing feeling when you give just the right gift and the recipient is thrilled with it. It really makes your friend feel appreciated and shows that you have a great attention to detail and care for them a lot. It’s important to think ahead so you can find the perfect gift.

Here’s a checklist for giving great gifts:

1. Start Early

How many times have you waited until the last second to get a gift and either spent too much money or settled on something that was convenient but might not have been the best idea for your friend? If you started early – this wouldn’t happen. Start thinking about friends’ birthdays or events at least two months beforehand. Read more

The Power of Lists

April 1, 2012/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Radio, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

When you put a task down on paper – you set the intention to reach that goal. No matter if we’re talking about doing the best job at work or at home — lists will help you be more successful. From grocery shopping, planning events, keeping track of your projects or going on vacation — a well-organized list will help you do more.

Recently I was asked to give some list-making tips and tricks on “The Joyful Organizer” Internet radio show.

Listen to internet radio with The Joyful Organizer on Blog Talk Radio

Take a listen — we cover these topics and more:

Strategies for staying on task during the day
Preparing for meetings and presentations
Why lists work for almost any task
My favorite kinds of lists
Tips for non-list makers

If You Want It Done Right, Don’t Do It Yourself!

March 30, 2012/4 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Guest Posts, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I used to be like a lot of people who try to do everything themselves. But then I learned — I’m only one person, I need to ask for help sometimes! There are times when I still struggle with this concept but for the most part — I’m pretty good at delegating. In fact — my guest blogger Leah Busque, founder of TaskRabbit.com, says having other people do things for you is the only way to get things done right.

If You Want It Done Right, Don’t Do It Yourself!

by Leah Busque

Consider this…Two men live alone on an isolated island. To survive they must undertake a few basic economic activities like water carrying, fishing, cooking and shelter construction and maintenance. The first man is young, strong and educated. In general, he is faster, better, and more productive at everything; he has an absolute advantage in all activities. The second man is old, weak, and uneducated. He has an absolute disadvantage in all economic activities. In some activities the difference between the two is great; in others it is small. Read more

Backtiming: Producer Tip for a More Productive Day

March 27, 2012/1 Comment/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, TV/by Paula Rizzo

In television news – timing is everything. Producers, anchors, reporters, videographers and editors work on very strict deadlines. Sometimes stories have to come together quickly – this makes time management one of the keys to success in this business. Working in TV news for over a decade has conditioned me to use this skill to be more efficient in everyday life.

Time Management

One of those time management skills is called backtiming. It’s a technique used to make sure all the stories fit into the show and you can get off the air on time. A line producer assigns a time estimate to each story depending how important it is. All those time estimates add up to fill the newscast. You have to make all the news of the day, sports, weather and entertainment fit in that timespan. Read more