Nicholas Bate

Matthew Cornell

-productivity plus-guru has a new book out.

Attention is your Greatest Asset...

Divide it and your superhero power weakens as if Green Kryptonite has been dropped into your pocket without you noticing...Give full attention to something and it happens. It develops. It starts working. Don't know how to cook? Probably never given it any attention. Pretty knowledgeable on baseball? You probably give it regular attention. The subtle point is that simply by giving attention fast progress can be made. It's worth considering how you can:

1. trigger attention: make a forward note in your schedule to give attention to your finances, or garden or...
2. give undivided attention: remove all distractions, especially electronic ones; productivity and creativity will soar.
3. maintain sustained attention: understand the bigger picture of what you are trying to do e.g. not just pass this exam but get on the first rung of your career.
4. switch attention: take a 5 minute walk to clear the head and then return to the new topic
5. improve attention: see 2.

Squeezing More Out of Time 7

1. Batch Process i.e. do similar activities (e.g. making some tricky telephone calls) together.
2. Match The Task to your daily flow i.e. don't waste your good energy times on mundane/easy tasks.
3. Time Goal e.g. give yourself just 30 minutes to write the report
4. Before The Crowd i.e. be at your desk before the milling crowd. But don't stay late.
5. Dip e.g. do a first pass of a slide-deck, leave it  and then return a couple of days later with a fresh view.
6. Take Breaks.
7. Invest in the Task at the start e.g. spend more time getting a fuller and deeper project briefing. 

Big, Big Thanks

to Matthew Lang for his cool work on one of my recent posts. Thanks, Matthew.

Productivity 7

Seven no hassle ways to boost your productivity:

1. The Forward View. At a time period change: day/week/month/quarter, cast an eye through your diary/schedule and see what's coming up. An easy way to anticipate work-load.
2. Add One, Drop One. The day is not ever-expanding; when you take on a new responsibility, seriously identify what needs to get dropped. Or quality will suffer.
3. Break, Break and Date. The human brain does not cope too well with very big tasks. Break them down. And again. Then decide when you will do those small chunks.
4. Get Out of The Swamp. Once a day-at the very least-drag yourself from the mire, climb a tree and get some perspective.
5. 8+8+8. Of work, of play, of sleep. Break that rule at your peril.
6. Prioritise. By pay-off. Not ease, urgency nor who's shouting loudest.
7. Regularly review your productivity practices. Urgency is a dangerous drug which wrecks good intentions and practices.

Effective vs Efficient

with  InternationalSharkMonastery.

Espanol y Productividad

con canasto.mini.

The Redux (ii) Series: 1, Productivity

1. Productivity is what times when;
2. What is what has/needs to be done (e.g. pay a utility bill) and what you want to do (e.g. start learning the guitar);
3. Capture what has to be done on a single list: call this your Master list;
4. Brainstorm what you want to do (and it may flush out a few further 'have to do's) in the six core areas of your Life-your Personal Compass:
5. Career: where do I want my career to go?
6. Mind/Body: what next for super wellness?
7. Finance: what's their state and what next?
8. Relationships: which need some time?
9. Fun: am I having fun? If not,  why not?
10. Contribution: how can I give back?
11. Add the Personal Compass actions to your Master List ;
12. Review your Master List (that's 1 list in 1 place of all you need to do and want to do) at the end of every day; 
13. Generate clear, specific actions; 
14. Break big actions down into smaller ones; 
15. If you take on a new action (learn yoga) , drop another one (go to Pilate's class). Get real! 
16. Allocate the action a date and time when you will do it. 
17. Build peace and space to think and do your best work into your day by batching. Batch e-mail in particular. Don't be constantly checking it.  
18. Productivity is dependent on wellness: to make the best decisions and to work with focus and stamina. Take breaks, go home on time. Get enough sleep. 
19. Productivity is not 'getting stuff done', It is getting the right stuff done. 
20. Too many productivity 'techniques' can make you unproductive. Keep It simple. 

Bonus 1:  Productivity Stream

Bonus 2: Productivity 101

bonus 3: Boost Your Productivity Mini-Book, free PDF down-load.

1 September: Back to School?

Maybe you need one of David Seah's planning forms?

Hurricane Paul

Paul Schwend is a man you need to know. I call him Hurricane Paul. Hurricane in the sense he'll get you the insurance you need to avoid the disaster you don't want. But also hurricane in the sense of make things happen. And Paul's just let me know of a handy document you can be the first to read. Co-ordinated by top blogger and thinker Rajesh Setty, here it is.

Thanks Rajesh for the work and investment.

Thanks Paul for the notice.