6 Productivity Shortcuts To Save You Time

/2 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Recently, a friend told me she heard a statistic that claimed that the average American living in suburbia can spend up to 3 years of their life waiting at traffic lights. I live in NYC so this time-waster doesn’t apply to me directly, but it really got me thinking about how I might be wasting time even in my very productive life. I’ve written before on the basics – laying out your clothes the night before, having a plan for the morning, etc – but I believe that just like goals are achieved by focusing on the small steps, maximum productivity is achieved through shortcuts.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Using keyboard shortcuts – The tech experts at brainwave.com estimate that you save 2 seconds per minute when you use keyboard shortcuts (vs. reaching for the mouse). If that doesn’t seem like a lot of time – that 2 seconds per minute adds up to 8 workdays per year – that’s an extra vacation!

Read more

Join Me Tonight for My Webinar!

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

Tonight’s the night! I’ll be hosting my webinar tonight, January 15, 2014 at 8 pm ET

 

If you want to do more in less time, the solution could be as simple as downloading the best app or making the right list. That’s why I’m here to help!

 

Join me tonight to learn:

  • How to prioritize your lists
  • How to make the best lists for your life needs
  • Why list making is so beneficial
  • How to be more efficient day-to-day

Lists are my secret to success – join me to find out how! RSVP here

If you have any issues you’d like me to address, please don’t hesitate to reach out and drop me a line.

When you sign up you will get a reminder email with a link to the webinar. See you there!

 

De-cluttering Advice From Katie Couric

/1 Comment/in , , , , /by

English: Katie Couric at the Tony Bennett Birt...Recently, I read a Woman’s Day article where Katie Couric admitted that her nickname in college was “Pig-Pen” because of her messy dorm room. I’ve admired her forever, so I was shocked to discover that someone I would have bet money was a list producer would admit to being so disorganized!

It’s pretty cool that Katie admitted to still battling her “hoarder ways” and it helped me realize that my list making is actually a tool I use to prevent getting burnt out from balancing too many things on my plate. Sometimes, we all need tips and hacks to keep us on track, so here are a few tips on de-cluttering from Katie and me!

Katie’s Tips: Read more

What Preschoolers Can Teach You About Productivity

/2 Comments/in , , /by
English: Children in classroom during lunch break.

English: Children in classroom during lunch break. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I remember when my nephew was in preschool and learned “The Cleanup Song” – he hated it because it meant playtime was over. But, learning to clean up a mess is a valuable lesson, not only for preschoolers but even for all of us grown ups!

A UCLA study found that when women were near clutter their stress hormones skyrocketed! This proves that clutter makes you more anxious and less focused. The act of organizing can actually help us feel more in control, decreasing stress even in the most out-of-control situations.

That’s why I make it a point to tidy up my desk at the end of every workday and my apartment every night. It’s really worked for me because the next time I enter those spaces they feel inviting instead of stress-inducing.

Here are a few tips to make “cleanup time” more fun than it was for my nephew! Read more

Fab Find: Stop Waiting On Hold With Fast Customer

/4 Comments/in , , , , , /by

As far as annoying things go — waiting on hold is right at the top of the list. It can literally take hours out of your life that you will never get back. Talk about being unproductive — well, luckily there is another way and it’s my Fab Find.

I recently had to call customer service to report a duplicate charge on my credit card. Instead of being aggravated and waiting on hold, I tried out a new app called FastCustomer. It does the waiting for you! Skip the menus and bad hold music – with a few taps you can choose what business you need to speak to and then sip coffee, check email, whatever – a representative will call you when the wait time is over!

It works for major companies like American Express, Bank of America, 1800 Flowers, insurance companies and even airlines. It is really a great way to outsource a necessary but irritating task. When I used it — the app called me back and I waited an additional three minutes for a representative. I think that’s time well spent.

Think about all the things you can do while someone else is waiting on hold for you!

1. Read a few articles on ListProducer.com for a more productive day

2. Clean out your email inbox Read more