A picture may be worth a thousand words, but having a thousand pictures with no organization is a disaster and a headache! Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all organization system. You need to spend a little time deciding what you want from your system. Here are a few questions to get you started: Do you [...]
Most of us spend a huge amount of time in front of the computer. Why not become more productive by saving yourself time maneuvering? Several of my clients were blown away by the following little-known shortcuts: Switch from one open application on your computer to another Windows users: Hold down the Alt key, and [...]
The Pomodoro Technique® just might be one of my favorite time management tools, and not just because it features a lovely vegetable (or wait, is it a fruit?) shaped kitchen timer as its hallmark. For those unfamiliar, the Pomodoro Technique® is ridiculously simple. The idea is to break your work down into 25 minute [...]
This is a question I get asked by almost every client I work with. They want to know if I’ll make them “go electronic.” The answer is that everyone’s needs are different. The first thing I ask clients is “Do you gravitate towards paper” (for calendars, to-do’s, etc.) If the answer is decidedly “yes”, [...]
Email chains are painful, aren't they? Your inbox is overwhelming, it isn't always clear what you're supposed to respond to and what you can delete, and prioritizing is a nightmare. While you can't eliminate email from your clients, prospects, and vendors, you can make your work team operate entirely outside of your inbox. Enter Slack Slack [...]
Procrastination is the easiest thing in the world to do; that's why so many of us are guilty of it. And some of the most procrastinated projects are cleaning and organizing. The reasons we procrastinate vary but generally breakdown to disorganization or dislike of the project. While we can't make unpleasant tasks more pleasant, [...]
Technology solutions can be great for productivity, but they can also cause distractions. Follow these simple steps to get all of the productivity benefits from your technology solutions without destroying your productivity! 1. Check and respond to email at set times. Checking and responding to emails as soon as they arrive is detrimental to [...]
People who are resistant to setting up routines often tell me that they don't need them. They are afraid routines will tie them down and they are hesitant to commit to doing things the same way each week. I will fully admit that I was resistant to establishing routines myself for these reasons. Plus, [...]
The "touch it once" rule has long been the golden rule of paperwork. The idea is that when you pick up a piece of paper, you should immediately handle whatever action is associated with it. This keeps you from shuffling through the same stack of paper over and over again which saves a tremendous [...]
