Skip to main content

How to Be More Productive (Graphic)

People are always complaining that they do not have enough time anymore.  Most of the cause of this is that there are more distractions and useless activities than ever before that suck time away from your productivity.  Here is a graphic designed by infographic author Ana Vital.  Follow these easy to follow "rules" and viola, more time.


TECHNOLOGY
  • eMails – Limit your email replies to only 1 per minute
  • eMails – If you cannot understand what the email asks of you, do not reply
  • TV/Radio – Tune out the News. Nothing really happens most of the time
  • Phone – Do NOT answer the phone unless it is a true emergency. (Emergencies are Rare)
  • Computer – Use Computer Shortcuts and Macros
CLOTHING
  • Define your fashion uniform. Wear it Daily
  • Wear Smart Fabrics (and natural ones if not)
  • Be Prepared: Carry an all-occasion outfit with you
  • Discard what you stop using (use a 3 year rule)
WORK HACKS
  • Visualize your end product
  • Start BEFORE you feel ready. Avoid the chicken-and-the-egg.
  • Assume you are right when in doubt. Decisiveness if productive.
  • If you have a mind block make a mind map of your thoughts
  • If you do not write it down, record it
  • When you read something useful, write the author 
BODY CARE
  • Manage anxiety – run, swim, dance…exercise is key
  • Sleep more – you will actually get more done well rested
  • Take naps when tired – recharge you batteries 
SCHEDULE (TIME MANAGEMENT)
  • Do what is easiest first (small victories)
  • Prioritize one item (to complete) per day
  • Set a daily routine (and break it every now and then)
  • No meetings unless they are decisive
  • Better done than perfect (get it done)
FOOD
  • Routinize your diet
  • Eat healthy food (no junk, you are what you eat)
  • Use delivery service to save time
  • Negotiate a daily deal with your favorite local cafe
WORK
  • Notice the 80/20 Rule. What 20% gets 80% of the work done?
  • Focus on the important, suppress the urgent
  • Decide the outcome before starting
  • Start an “Idea Dump” journal for genius ideas you cannot work on now
  • Eliminate time on trivial decisions, like what to wear
  • Learn to ignore the insignificant. No need to respond to everything
  • Do a bad draft first. You cannot edit a blank page.
  • Treat time as your money (it is!!!) 

Comments

Unknown said…
I can definitely use these tips and tidbits to be more productive while working on-the-go. Great article.
Profit Prophet said…
Thank you Thomas Watson!

Popular posts from this blog

The Moldy Middle

While taking statistics during my quest to get an MBA and while earning my engineering degree, the professors always emphasized the importance of finding the statistical mean of any population by using the Central Mean Theorem (a.k.a the highest point of the Bell Curve). As an engineer, this was essential in order to maximize throughput, minimize cost and waste, and ultimately make a better, faster, cheaper widget. A funny thing happened on the way to the dark side of marketing. I discovered that the only thing in the middle of the road was quite literally dead road kill. I do not know if you remember stores like Bradlees, Ames and Service Merchandise (just to name a few), but they all folded because the environment changed and they were caught trying to service the mythological “average customer.” Part of that change came when Wal-Mart began its juggernaut with the discount department store. Wal-Mart did two things right: 1) Focused on “mobile” consumers, and 2) Fo

The Rush to Bottom

I cannot take credit for these words of wisdom, and sadly I do not know who wrote it originally. So, I cannot acknowledge them by name but I can acknowledge their exceptional talent to get a message across with clarity and hard-hitting truths.   Whomever this author is, I thank and admire you and take pleasure in sharing this with others!   I have also included a video if anyone is interested in sharing it. “When the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great...but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.” An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism. All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one wi

How Much is Enough?

I have been thinking about integrity and honesty, and frankly should humanity even continue, but that is another thread. In my thinking, I keep coming back to the same question: How much or little cheating is enough? Or stated another way? How much of a lie makes you a liar? How much cheating do you have to do to be a cheater? How much do you need to steal for you to be considered a thief? How much infidelity do you need to be considered an adulterer? How much fraud to you need to commit for it to be criminal? How much of the truth needs to be changed for it to be untrue? How much shit exactly, does something need to have to be considered a shit sandwich? How dead must a person be to be considered murdered? How pregnant do you have to be to be considered pregnant? OK, the last two were off topic but the answer is “any”.. Any amount of lying makes you a liar. Any amount of cheating makes you a cheater. Any amount of stealing makes you a thief. Any amount of infidelity makes you an adult