Tag Archive for: productivity tips

Eliminate Small Annoyances to Boost Productivity

1_525527379346252552737934a0We all experience them, those little everyday things that get in our way.

But you deal with them even when they set you back. I do it too.

I’m sent tons of magazines and books at work and they are good resources for story ideas. However they take up so much space.

I keep them on my desk because I always plan on looking at them. But in the end they just get in my way and slow me down and create clutter.

They topple over onto my keyboard.

They spill onto my notes and pencil and often I can’t find what I’m looking for — but there they are…under that stack of magazines.

So why don’t I just move them! Right? We’ll it’s a lot easier said than done. These types of irritants are only slightly annoying so we let them slide. Read more

The Most Productive 15 Minutes of Your Work Day

How-to-Never-Feel-Stressed-at-Work-Again-722x406For those of you who work a typical 9 to 5 job, looking at the clock and seeing it’s 4:45pm can be quite a relief. Only a quarter of an hour and you’re out of there!  Yay!

For others it can be quite stressful – only 15 minutes to get everything done!

But would you believe the way you spend those final 15 minutes could completely change what happens the next day?

Every day, when I’m nearly finished with work I create a “roadmap” for the following day.  I’ve stolen the idea from my time as a live news producer.  We always have a rundown to keep us on track during a live show.  Your work day should run the same way. Read more

What Google Headquarters Taught Me About Productivity

Paula & Jay with Gopi at Google

Last week I decided to use the 4th of July weekend as an excuse to go on vacation. I have always wanted to go to San Francisco and figured now was the time. My husband Jay and I toured around the city — saw the Golden Gate Bridge, walked up Lombard Street, strolled along Fisherman’s Wharf and even tasted some amazing wine in Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

While there – we were amazingly lucky to get a tour of the Google headquarters in Mountain View, CA. That’s about 50 minutes south of San Francisco. Anyone can check out the grounds but to get a real look inside the buildings an employee has to take you around. I was lucky to be introduced to Gopi Kallayil by a mutual friend and he was our very gracious host. He’s the Chief Evangelist at Google for Brand Marketing — isn’t that the coolest title ever? Read more

Join Me For Tea!

ProductiviTEA social media (1)People often assume that coffee is the most productive drink as it helps keeps you going. However while coffee makes you feel more awake, it doesn’t really help you think any better. If you want to get more out of your day I would recommend switching to tea. The lower caffeine content in tea keeps you alert but doesn’t make you jittery. Tea can really start off your whole day in the best way, there are so many different types out there for people to try such as black, green, herbal, matcha, the list is endless!

I also find that making a cup of tea perfectly fills a five-minute break, and gives you a chance to reflect on your work. There have even been studies that show drinking tea will make you more productive.

Join me for ProductiviTEA

To celebrate tea�s contribution to productivity – I am hosting a ProductiviTEA event in New York.

Get it? Tea plus productivity equals ProductiviTEA!

It will be held at Podunk Tea Room in the East Village. We will have a discussion and workshop on how to boost your efficiency, hone your own productivity style and harness the power of downtime.

There will also be a chance to relax and enjoy hot tea, iced tea and boozy tea with scones & jam too!

Tickets to the event are $25 each or $40 for two people. I�m excited to see you there and share a nice cup of tea!

Why Quitters Always Win

Quitting-credit-iStock-450515949-630x418

Photo credit: iStock

It’s a common misconception that quitting is easy.

In fact, quitting can be quite difficult due to how we view our investment of time. The more we put into something, the less likely we are to quit. Because if we quit then we feel as though those resources have been wasted.

It’s why people keep playing the lottery week after week, despite the fact that you’re more likely to be struck by lightning twice than win! Quitting comes with the constant paranoia that once you stop playing your numbers will come up. Isn’t that the worst feeling ever?

All that said — not only am I telling you it’s OK to quit, I’m also going to give you some tips on how to do it right: Read more