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Your Desk Can Make You More Productive

April 28, 2013/0 Comments/in Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Not my desk, not my mess. (Photo credit: Jim Carson)

When my desk is messy I feel out of sorts. It’s amazing how a clean desk can lift your mood. I pride myself on being super organized and having it pretty much together but sometimes my desk falls through the cracks. I get lots of mail and lots and lots of magazines (which I love!) — but sometime’s it’s overwhelming.

I’ve had a feng shui expert write about how positioning things on your desk could make you more productive in the past. But there are some other things you should consider like clutter, light, size and monitors. Here’s a look at those things from TheNextWeb.com called “How to arrange your desk for maximum productivity.” How does your desk look?

App Makes Paybacks Quicker

April 25, 2013/0 Comments/in Apps, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time/by Paula Rizzo

Money (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

I’m all about making life easier and that’s why I have to share this new app with you. It’s called Venmo and it’s basically a way to pay back all your debts to your friends instantly.

Say you are out to dinner with your friend and the restaurant only accepts cash (ugh -you should have done your homework before hand and skipped this place!). Your friend only has credit cards so you kindly pick up the tab because you have cash. Now she owes you.

This scenario has happened to me time and time again and depending on the friend has either been an quick repayment or one that I’m waiting weeks to receive. Enter Venmo…the instant way to pay people back. Think of it as PayPal with your iPhone.

Make an account and link your bank account (don’t worry, it’s safe) and connect with other friends who also have accounts through Venmo. Now pay them back and get payments instantly. It’s really that simple. I tried it out recently and it works perfectly. It’s a good system for group payments too. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Happy 2nd Birthday to My Blog

April 4, 2013/4 Comments/in Increase Productivity, Learning With a List/by Paula Rizzo

Candles spell out the traditional English birthday greeting (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My blog is two years old today! Happy Birthday! I can’t believe it — what started as a list to help me find an apartment has turned into one of the most fun things I’ve ever done.

Thank you to all who read regularly and all of you newbies too. This year I’ve learned that it’s OK to take a break here and there — and not beat myself up over it! I hope no one minds too much when I disappear for a few days.

Like some of my favorite things (wine!) in intend for this blog to get better with age! Here’s some of the upcoming projects that I’ll be working on to make this blog even more fabulous:

Posting more regularly with themed days! (Who doesn’t love a theme?)
Uploading more tips and tricks via video. (Sometimes talking is so much easier than typing. And I get to talk with my hands which speaks to my Italian heritage)
A Private Productivity Assessment Giveaway! (Yes, I will post more details next week but I want to help you get more productive and
Connect with my readers more often! (I’m thinking Twitter chats and more events with my Lists & Libations group)

If you have any ideas for blog posts or would like to team up on a project I’m all ears! Please shoot me an email to Paula (at) ListProducer (dot) com.

Thanks for reading!

7 Tips for Traveling Abroad

March 27, 2013/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Travel/by Paula Rizzo

While traveling abroad there were a few things that made my trip even easier so I’ve decided to share my list with you:

1. Use Airplane Mode: When you board the plane – put your phone on airplane mode and leave it on for your entire trip. This way you will avoid any crazy expensive
data charges. Your phone won’t access any cellular towers this way but you can turn WIFI on if you want to check your email. I found this to be a really easy way to stay connected but also not have to worry about spending a fortune.

2. Pack a Carry-On Only: Between going through customs and waiting for your luggage – getting out of an international airport can take forever, but to make it easier for you, you could check out this carry-on luggage size guide before you jet off! As this way you won’t have to worry about bringing the wrong size luggage on your trip. My advice is to pack everything you need in a carry-on. You will save time and money this way. My friend Nicole has quite a system for this. Click here for her techniques. Read more

Start Your Day Fresh, Not Frantic

February 17, 2013/4 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Increase Productivity, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Video/by Paula Rizzo

Home Office Toys (Photo credit: cogdogblog)

It happens to everyone from time to time. You walk into your office and your day is completely derailed because of added meetings, ringing phones and creeping deadlines. But there is a way to tame the beast. Check out my latest YouTube video for my number one tip on how to start your day fresh, not frantic. It’s a technique I’ve been using for years as a tv producer and it’s served me well! Hope it works for you — let me know how you do.

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