Productivity for Dummies

✍ Scribed by Conlon, Ciara

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2016
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 355
• Series: For Dummies
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Take your productivity to the next level and make the most of your time! Do you have too much to do and not enough time to do it? Don't we all! "Productivity For Dummies shows you how to" overcome this common problem by tackling key issues that are preventing you from remaining focused and making the most of your time. This insightful text gets to the root of the problem, and shows you how to identify and analyse the items on your to-do list to deliver on deadlines and maximise your schedule. Numerous techniques and technologies have been developed to address productivity needs, and this resource shows you which will work for your situation.

Productivity is crucial to your success - whether you want to find a new job, earn a promotion you've had your eye on, or generally progress in your career, understanding how to improve your productivity is essential in increasing the value you bring to your organisation. At the very least, increased productivity means that you get things done faster--which translates into fewer overtime hours and more time concentrating on the things that are most important to you. Eliminate procrastination and laziness from your daily routine Organise your work environment to create a space conducive to productivity Increase your concentration and stay focused on the task at hand Make decisions quickly, and stay cool, calm, and collected no matter what the situation is

"Productivity For Dummies" helps you solve the age-old problem of having too much to do and not enough time to do it.

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page......Page 3
Copyright Page......Page 4
About This Book......Page 19
Icons Used in This Book......Page 20
Where to Go from Here......Page 21
Part I Getting Started with Productivity......Page 23
Understanding the Importance of Productivity......Page 25
What can productivity mean to you?......Page 26
What can productivity mean to your business?......Page 27
Productivity from systems......Page 28
Productivity from technology......Page 30
Productivity from behaviour......Page 31
Reducing personal stress......Page 34
Improving your quality of life......Page 35
Moving Forward – Ready, Steady, Go......Page 36
Doing more with your own time......Page 37
Earning more with your time......Page 38
Making your life easier......Page 39
Doing more on other people’s time......Page 40
When to set goals......Page 41
How to set goals......Page 42
Doing the essential steps......Page 45
Overcoming obstacles......Page 47
Staying motivated......Page 48
Reducing the chaos......Page 51
Improving work‐life balance......Page 52
Lowering operational costs......Page 55
Reducing waste and environmental impact......Page 56
Improving morale......Page 57
Investments in information and communications technology (ICT)......Page 58
Benchmarking......Page 60
The habit of gratitude......Page 61
Flexibility for workers......Page 62
Part II Getting Organised for Action......Page 63
Believing in another way......Page 65
Detoxing your mind......Page 66
Finding the source of the clutter......Page 67
Starting the spring clean......Page 68
Designating the space......Page 69
Creating declutter rituals......Page 70
Getting Organised at the Office......Page 71
Organising paper files......Page 72
Introducing a paperless office......Page 73
Keeping desks clear......Page 74
Sorting your electronic files......Page 75
Chapter 5 Embracing a Holistic Approach......Page 77
Increasing Productivity with Exercise......Page 78
Having clear intentions......Page 79
Using triggers to encourage the new habit......Page 80
Overcoming the voice......Page 81
Reaping the benefits of meditation......Page 82
Learning to be mindful......Page 83
Focusing with mindfulness......Page 84
Avoiding foods that zap your energy......Page 85
Sleep......Page 86
Avoiding doing too much......Page 87
Deciding what to do......Page 88
Creating the habit of mornings......Page 89
Experiencing muscle tension and headaches......Page 91
Suffering from depression......Page 92
Getting insufficient sleep......Page 93
Workplace stress......Page 94
Wedding stress......Page 96
Acknowledge the source of stress......Page 97
Eat right......Page 98
Regulate sleeping habits......Page 99
Eat the elephant......Page 100
Learn to meditate......Page 101
Get a massage......Page 102
Clarifying the big picture......Page 103
Communicating the problem......Page 104
Work flexibly......Page 105
Create a fun culture......Page 106
Water the plants......Page 107
Listen to feedback......Page 108
Part III Applying Productivity Techniques......Page 109
Clarifying your goals......Page 111
Pareto productivity......Page 112
Using your calendar......Page 113
Allocating a time box......Page 114
Batching your work......Page 116
Blocking out the noise......Page 117
Creating a stop‐doing list......Page 118
Disconnecting......Page 119
Stopping the multitasking......Page 121
Automating the habitual......Page 122
Choosing supportive habits......Page 123
Lacking clarity......Page 127
Lacking focus......Page 128
Lacking vision......Page 129
Lacking energy......Page 130
Beating Procrastination......Page 131
Scheduling ‘next actions’......Page 132
Practising the two‐minute rule......Page 133
Saying no to perfectionism......Page 134
Discovering Good Procrastination......Page 136
Slowing down big decisions......Page 137
Taking time for creativity......Page 138
Planning for procrastination......Page 139
Keeping Track of It All......Page 141
Tracking your time......Page 142
Tracking your energy......Page 143
Using time‐tracking tools......Page 144
Remembering that your time costs money......Page 145
Prioritising......Page 146
Winning with the Eisenhower matrix......Page 147
Using an action priority matrix......Page 150
Managing Interruptions......Page 151
Interruptions from people......Page 152
Making interruptions a thing of the past......Page 153
Introducing the GTD Workflow......Page 155
Clarifying......Page 156
Engaging......Page 157
Your email inbox......Page 158
Voice mails......Page 159
The task management system......Page 160
Out of your head......Page 161
Horizons of focus......Page 162
Next actions......Page 164
Contexts......Page 166
Reconnecting and Reflecting: The Weekly Review......Page 167
Email......Page 168
Project lists......Page 169
Getting Familiar with GTD Tools......Page 170
GTD‐compatible apps......Page 171
Labeller......Page 173
The tickler file......Page 174
The Pomodoro Technique......Page 175
Gaining from Pomodoros......Page 176
Reaping the benefits of Pomodoros daily......Page 179
Making decisive decisions......Page 180
Benefitting from stillness......Page 181
‘Don’t Break the Chain’......Page 182
Adopting New Habits......Page 183
Understanding your intentions......Page 184
Personal Kanban......Page 185
Creating the basic Kanban......Page 186
Moving along the Kanban......Page 187
Part IV Productivity at Work......Page 189
Leading by example......Page 191
Creating a high-performance team......Page 192
Improving team communications......Page 193
Utilising team tools......Page 195
Planning......Page 197
Running the meeting......Page 200
Following up......Page 201
Filing (your finding system)......Page 203
Evaluating the change......Page 204
Looking into paperless storage benefits......Page 205
Exploring the tools and technology of going paperless......Page 206
Introducing the Power of Lists......Page 209
Saying Goodbye to the Traditional To‐Do List......Page 210
Introducing the Benefits of Task Management......Page 211
Todoist......Page 212
Evernote......Page 213
Wunderlist......Page 215
Toggl......Page 217
RescueTime......Page 218
Deciding what goes into the calendar......Page 219
Recognising the benefits of using a calendar......Page 221
Checking out the views in your electronic calendar......Page 223
Exploring calendar solutions......Page 224
Theming your calendar......Page 227
Sharing your calendar......Page 228
Mastering Email Management......Page 229
Taking control of your inbox......Page 230
Living life email-free......Page 234
Cloud storage......Page 235
Cool productivity apps......Page 236
Setting up boundaries......Page 240
Assessing the ROI......Page 241
Digital file storage......Page 242
Document management systems......Page 244
Creating a productive work environment......Page 245
Inventing boundaries for your working day......Page 247
Outsourcing Like a Pro......Page 249
Knowing what to outsource......Page 250
Becoming a virtual CEO......Page 251
The virtual assistant (VA)......Page 252
The finance specialist......Page 253
Communicating clearly......Page 254
Setting up virtual meetings......Page 255
Part V Personal Productivity......Page 257
Productivity for Parents......Page 259
Budgeting: Keeping tabs on the spending......Page 260
Planning meals and shopping......Page 262
Defining what work‐life balance means to you......Page 263
Identifying what needs to change......Page 265
Doing anything but not everything......Page 266
Identifying work priorities......Page 267
Teaching children positive habits......Page 268
Sharing chores for one and all......Page 270
Creating a daily routines checklist......Page 272
Storing the kids’ stuff......Page 273
Creating the space......Page 274
Investing in storage solutions......Page 276
Keeping electronic information......Page 278
Ridding your life of stuff......Page 279
Living consciously: The power of one......Page 280
Focussing on gratitude......Page 281
Following the minimalist movement......Page 282
Clearing the bedroom......Page 286
Clearing the garage......Page 288
Clearing the office......Page 289
Buy quality......Page 290
Convince the stakeholders......Page 291
Practise the clean sweep......Page 292
Working with paper......Page 293
Taking notes electronically......Page 298
Making use of your calendar......Page 300
Creating Good Habits......Page 301
Take part in something active......Page 302
Have a place for everything......Page 303
Listing your expenses......Page 304
Tracking your spending......Page 305
Keeping your finances organised......Page 306
Making connections that matter......Page 307
Finding a mentor......Page 309
Asking for help......Page 310
Switching off to focus......Page 311
Using your tablet......Page 312
Part VI The Part of Tens......Page 313
Decluttering Your Life......Page 315
Being Mindful Every Day......Page 316
Redefining Your Goals and Priorities......Page 318
Using the Pomodoro Technique......Page 319
Listening to Music with Headphones......Page 320
Exercising Every Day......Page 321
Remembering to Breathe......Page 322
Scheduling the First Step......Page 323
Eating Elephants......Page 324
Creating Positive Habits......Page 325
Learning to Delegate......Page 326
Dealing with Lingering Tasks......Page 327
Understanding When Procrastination Is Okay......Page 328
Zen Habits......Page 329
SaneBox......Page 330
‘The 4‐Hour Work Week’ by Timothy Ferris......Page 331
‘Focus: The Art of Clear Thinking’ by Valerie Pierce......Page 332
Index......Page 333
EULA......Page 355

✦ Subjects

Nonfiction;Psychology