Track Your Time Challenge

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waiting-410328_640Are you wasting precious minutes of your day without even realizing it? Many complain there aren’t enough hours in a day to get things done but it turns out you could be the problem. Gasp! I know!

The issue may not be the amount of time you have but how you’re utilizing it. Staying focused is really important in order to have a productive day.

Distractions are what keep us from reaching our daily goals. Hey- we’re in a society of instant gratification. Just today I had a few spare seconds and I was instantly checking Twitter mindlessly without really even noticing.

I want to challenge you this week to track down where all your spare minutes go.  Here’s a few ideas of how to track that “busy” time:

  • Moment is an app that will track how much you use your iPhone or iPad throughout the day. You can set daily limits and receive notifications once you go over the allotted time.
  • iDoneThis is another great tool to keep track of your day. The app will email you at the end of the day to ask “What did you get done today?”  Stop, reflect, and write about your day just by hitting “reply.” This also works well if you are managing a group.  The next morning, you’ll receive an overview that shows everyone’s accomplishments from yesterday to kick off your day.
  • Rescue Time A web-based service that tracks how much time you spend on tasks. You can also set limits on how long you check emails or update Facebook.
  • Daily Journal –  Write down every single thing you do for an entire day.  This is similar to a food journal where you write out every meal, snack and drink you consume. With a time tracking journal you write out where all your minutes go.  You could also do this in an Excel sheet or in Evernote. Be honest!  This is not a judging contest – it’s a way to get to know your habits better so you can improve your focus.
  • Toggl I just learned about this one at a conference where I was a guest speaker.  It’s a digital way to track all your time.  It makes it easy to capture everything on the go so you don’t forget.

Now that you know what to do – go track those minutes.  I want to hear where you are wasting most of your time – it may surprise you!  Please leave a comment below, a Facebook message or tweet me @Listproducer.  Good luck!

Stop Reading, Start Listening to Podcasts

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200364775-002If you follow this blog you probably know how much I’m loving podcasts these days. It’s such an easy way to get smarter! Podcasts are just so convenient for my commute as I spend most of my time walking, making it difficult to read. Podcasts are a great way to learn on the go and make the most of your limited free time.

Here is a list of my favorite podcasts:

Happier with Gretchen Rubin – I’m always inspired by Gretchen and she’s a list maker too so you know how I feel about that! She’s the author of The Happiness Project and the soon to be released book, Better Than Before. This happiness guru always seems to have the right answers and the best ways to love your life. This podcast is new and Gretchen and her sister host it together. It’s worth a listen for sure. Read more

Cocktails Delivered Right to Your Door

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IMG_6549As you know, I’m always on the hunt for easy and efficient ways to get things done. So when I heard about Cocktail Courier I was intrigued. Here’s how it works – you pick a cocktail you’d like to make at home and they send you all the pre-measured ingredients to mix the perfect drink.  Professional mixologists create every recipe, which range from Moscow Mules to a twist on an Old Fashioned.  These are probably drinks I wouldn’t tackle at home.  But with the kit they sent me — I tried took on The Sideshow, which is a variation of a Sidecar. Read more

What’s Your Productivity Style?

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productivity style

Want to be less stressed and get more done too? Check out my book, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You. It will help you design a more productive and less-stressed life.

One of the biggest hurdles people face when they’re trying to be more organized is figuring out what works for them. It’s why I recommend a variety of apps and tips on this blog and created Listful Thinking Masterclass. There is no one solution that suits everyone. Once you understand your productivity style you can cater to your work schedule around your needs.

Follow this list to discover your productivity style.

1. Are you a morning or night person? Most people know when they are most productive, but they often make the error of trying to correct it. Forcing yourself to wake up earlier if you can’t possibly write a sentence at 6am doesn’t help anyone. It may sound simple, but stop trying to change who you are. Instead plan to do your most difficult tasks when you’re at your most productive even if that’s in the middle of the night. Read more

Productivity Tips You Learn on the Job

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Productive ProfessionsI have often credited my job as a news producer for honing my time management skills. Working in television has not only taught me the value of a minute, but also how to stick to a strict deadline. That’s because the news happens with or without you and you better be ready as a producer.

But what about other professions? Here are some example of jobs and the productivity tips we can learn from them.

Firefighters – These guys and gals are known for being ready to go at a moment’s notice. All their equipment is laid out, the tanks are filled, the whole process is geared to take as little time as possible. Because a couple of minutes can make all the difference when it comes to a fire — preparation is key. While your day to day might not be as important it’s still a good idea to do as much as you can in advance.

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