Tag Archive for: productivity

Happy 2nd Birthday to My Blog

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Candles spell out the traditional English birt...

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:

  1. Posting more regularly with themed days! (Who doesn’t love a theme?)
  2. 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)
  3. A Private Productivity Assessment Giveaway! (Yes, I will post more details next week but I want to help you get more productive and
  4. 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!

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Start Your Day Fresh, Not Frantic

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Home Office Toys

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.

 

Never Pick Up Your Phone Again

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Desk Phone

Desk Phone (Photo credit: mnadi)

I’m going to share a productivity tip I learned a long time ago.  In the past when I was working as a line producer of a local news station — I would always pick up my phone when it rang at my desk.  I had to — it might be about that night’s show.  Some people don’t have a choice.

But when I started producing longer-term stories and didn’t have a daily deadline the calls became too much.  I get pitched dozens and dozens of times per day — whether it be through email or phone.  If I talked to every single person who called — my productivity would suffer.  So instead — I use a simple trick that has been extremely successful for me.  Click on my latest YouTube video to find out how to make it work for you too.

9 Unique and Productive Gift Ideas

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Gift giving is such a fun and rewarding activity if you do it right. Around the holidays people get so bogged down with crossing off everyone from their lists that sometimes they miss the best gifts! I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites for productivity, practicality, and fun too, but in case you are still looking for the perfect gift you should head over to giftlist and get some inspiration from their lists too. Hope this helps you put a dent in your holiday shopping.

GustBuster: If you’ve ever had a fight with an umbrella, had one turn inside out or bust through the frame during a downpour — you need to buy one of these for yourself and a friend. I’ve had my current Gustbuster for 11 years! Yep, you read that right. You can find them at most golf stores and online too. They run between $30 and $60. It’s much more productive to buy one umbrella that really works instead of going through one after another of those other ones you can get on the street. Read more

6 Tips for Working Through Distractions

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Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot : FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Being back to work after Hurricane Sandy with my whole team has been a great morale booster.  So happy everyone made it in and I could see all their familiar faces — it’s one more sign that life is returning back to normal.

But it’s easy to get distracted with all the war stories being tossed around.  Plus — many people have to deal with insurance claims (myself mostly) and worries of childcare, heat, hot water and power at home.  So getting actual work done is quite a challenge.  Here’s some tips:

1.  Tune out: I’ve gotten very good at this over the years from working in busy news rooms but it does take some practice.  Engage for a bit and listen to all the stories from your coworkers but then at some point you have to mentally check out.  This will allow you to focus on tasks in front of you.  Sometimes headphones will help — I suggest blasting Dave Matthews Band or your favorite to drown out sounds around you.   Read more