Your Projects: Getting A Lot Done Fast
In every job, we can find ourselves in the middle of a tug-of-war between the big things and the little things. The big things include [...]
We’re Due for a Simple Productivity Tip
Many people are overwhelmed by the thought of getting organized. Managing the avalanche of information can be a bit like drinking from a fire hose. [...]
What Can Picasso Teach Us About Productivity?
Pablo Picasso once said “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” Despite the unquestionable talent of the artist, he knew that his masterpieces [...]
Kids Write the Funniest To Do Lists
Productivity is not for the faint of heart. It requires discipline and hard work. But it’s all for a good reason. Our driving motivation boils [...]
Book Your Vacation Now … And Get More Productive
Almost one-third of Canadians (29 per cent) aren't using their fully allotted vacation. Things are worse south of the border. About half of American workers [...]
How to Free up Time for Two More Weeks of Vacation Each Year
Here in North America, we are notorious for not using all of our vacation time. Business Week cites that “more than 50% of Americans fail [...]
Prioritizing in 3 Simple Steps
Help! I Need to Prioritize Last night my head was spinning. I couldn’t wrap my head around all the things I had to do. Clients, workshops, assessment [...]
How to Create the Perfect To Do List
The To Do List Backlash At a recent productivity workshop, I was telling everyone that the root of any good productivity system comes down to [...]
The Checklist: If it’s good enough for Van Halen, it’s good enough for me
I love when lessons are wrapped up in good stories, like in the book The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. One story described Van Halen’s concert contracts. These contracts clearly request a bowl of M&M’s “with all the brown candies removed, upon pain of forfeiture of the show, with full compensation to the band”. The story goes on to say that Van Halen actually followed through on this clause at least once. My first reaction to this was: “Wow – another example of a ridiculous rock star request”. But my reaction changed as I read more …
Partnering with your Assistant
One of the biggest benefits of working with an assistant is they can push us to plan ahead. What is the plan for today? Who do we need to follow-up with? What do we need to start working on? Yet many people struggle with how to partner with their assistant most effectively. Here are some more detailed suggestions.