Tag Archive for: productivity tips

Feel Like You’re Stuck? Let Me Help!

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Paula Making ListsI would like to thank everyone who participated in my recent survey, I received a lot of fascinating suggestions on what you would like to see on ListProducer.com. One of the most popular response by far was people looking for one-on-one productivity coaching sessions.  I love this idea and have been doing some sessions unofficially for years.  So I’m expanding my website and adding services to help you get your life back on track.

Who is My Coaching Designed For?

Do you pop out of bed in the middle of the night because you forgot to:

  • Send an email?
  • Pack lunch?
  • Enter a meeting into your calendar?
  • Jot down the items you need at the grocery store?
  • Or any other item on your to-do list?

Let me help you get organized and become more productive.

I know how you feel! I’ve been there myself… constantly worried about looming to-dos and unable to relax. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you’ve tried to “get organized” or “get more done” before and haven’t been able to stick with it… I’m here for you. Sometimes the toughest part of finding a system that works is just getting started. I will help you identify the best tools for you and find the most effective methods to deal with frustrations that are keeping you stuck. Read more

Make THIS List This Summer

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(Photo credit: melodygranger.com)

(Photo credit: melodygranger.com)

Any season is great for list-making but summer is especially perfect. There’s always so much I want to do and hopefully, the weather cooperates. With a busy schedule and summertime just around the corner, it’s a great time to make a list of goals to accomplish by the end of the summer.

My Summer Goals

1. Go to the beach at least two times. I grew up near the beach on Long Island and strangely enough, I haven’t been on the sand in the summer in a few years. I must remember to take a beach chair with me the next time I go so I at least have a bit of protection from the sand! As much as I love the beach, there isn’t anything worse than being covered in a large amount of sand.

2. Read two fiction books. I spend a lot of time reading lots of non-fiction for work and my own research that some of the stories I love to get lost in getting put on the back burner. Right now I’m reading Emily Giffin’s “The One & Only” and I have a few others on my list. Check them out on GoodReads. Read more

5 Ways To Stay Productive While Sick

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Woman with tissue and hot drinkWith winter cold season just beginning, it’s important to be proactive and boost your immune system with extra vitamins and get your flu shot. I got my flu shot last month but there’s always a chance that you’ll catch a bug at some point this season. Most of the time, it’s nothing a few wellness products and some concealer can’t take care of, but there have definitely been times when a cold takes me completely out of commission.

Here are a few ideas to boost your efficiency even when you’re feeling under the weather:

1. Sleep! Even when you’re not sick, it’s important to get enough sleep at night, but when you’re sick and your body needs to recover, sleep is even more important. Think it’s overrated? I was recently at an event with Arianna Huffington and she revealed that she’s crazy about maintaining her sleep schedule. She attributes a ton of her success to getting enough sleep so that she can be more focused and productive.

2. Outsource. With services like TaskRabbit and Wun-Wun, someone else can stock your medicine cabinet and pick up chicken soup for you. Simply send them your wellness list and wait, health is on its way.

3. Maintain your To-Do list. It’s always a good idea to keep a notebook next to your bed for late-night bursts of inspiration. When you’re sick, keep your to-do list bedside so you can easily add tasks you’ll need to accomplish when you’re better. This will allow you to easily prioritize these tasks and head back to work as if you had never been gone!

4. Delegate. Whether it’s your co-workers or family members, most of us have a team we “work” with every day. Delegating tasks to others allows us to stay super-productive while personally only focused on a few tasks. People understand if you lean a little more on them when you’re sick, especially if you’re someone who always makes sure to do a good job.

5. Use the buddy system. I once asked a co-worker to keep an eye on my email as well as hers when I was out sick and to call me if anything needed to be urgently addressed. I could sleep soundly knowing that not every ping of my cell phone meant I had to get up and attend to some task. Later, I was able to return the favor when she took a personal day!

Remember: the most productive thing you can do when you’re sick is focus on getting better. Take care of yourself and try a few of these tips and the rest will follow. Stay well!

Livescribe3 Pen Digitizes Your Notes In Seconds

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livescribe1One of the biggest complaints people have about switching to digital list making is that they really enjoy writing notes down on paper.

I agree completely and that’s why I haven’t totally made the switch myself, I use both. When I take meeting notes on a phone call or in a meeting I usually end up taking a photo of my notes and uploading the photo to Evernote for later use. Then if I misplace my paper notes I know I have a backup that is searchable. There are also some notes just don’t translate to digital well — like if you’re drawing a seating chart or map.

But fear not, now you don’t have to give up your handwritten notes! Some techie geniuses at Livescribe have solved this problem with a pen that transcribes everything you write onto your mobile devices. Sounds like the coolest thing ever, right? Yeah — I thought so too. The company sent me a pen so I could check it out for myself and tell you all about it.

How Does It Work? Read more

Four Ways to Refresh Your Closet For Fall

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Clothes rack

Clothes rack (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To me, fall means leaves changing color, pumpkin-flavored everything (including M&Ms, they’re new!) and that exciting moment when it’s finally cool enough to wear my favorite blazer. If you’re like me and you have limited closet space (thanks NYC,) reincorporating those fall sweaters into my wardrobe means cleaning out my summer clothes to make extra room.

After you’ve regained some precious closet real estate, take advantage of the time it takes to put away all your fall clothes and try a modern technique to be more efficient with your time and closet space. Check out this list of tips and tricks that you can try when reorganizing your closet for fall. Who said productivity couldn’t have style?

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