Back to school goal setting for parents and their kids. How can we as parents help our children to be more productive? Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), talks about how we can be proactive and help our children plan for success in school.
(C) 2009 Laura Stack. All rights reserved. http://www.TheProductivityPro.com
In their recent study Learning in Tough Economic Times: How Corporate Learning is Meeting the Challenges, ASTD and i4cp report that in this economic downturn, more organizations maintained their commitment to learning, and that commitment correlates strongly with better performance in the market. These organizations are not only trying to survive the downturn, but also to emerge strong when the economy recovers. Maintaining the learning function helps the organization stretch the lean workforce, while keeping their workers prepared for the future.
Download an Executive Summary of the report or purchase the full report from ASTD.
The August edition of The Productivity Pro(R) Newsletter has been released. In the newsletter you will find tips on office productivity, Laura Stack’s latest article on Greensizing for Productivity and more. To view the latest newsletter, visit The Productivity Pro(R) August 2009 Newsletter, and to have the newsletter delivered to your email inbox each month, subscribe here. This month’s newsletter includes a special coupon code for Laura’s streaming online learning library of Microsoft Outlook videos. Ten one-hour modules available for 2003 or 2007—includes detailed workbook with screen shots and step-by-step instructions. Here’s what some folks had to say about the Microsoft Outlook Training:
I just want to say that Laura was terrific, and I thoroughly enjoyed the hour presentation and learned so much! My schedule is so busy, but this was an excellent use of my time, and I know I will put to use many of the tips and tricks I learned today. I had no idea that there was SO MUCH information for Outlook and so many steps that I know will help me save valuable time! – C.L.
Thank you for providing an affordable training session that did not take me away from the office! I sincerely appreciate your effort. – K.E.
These are some of the best (maybe the only) Outlook training I have had. I am actually effectively implementing some things. – A.P.
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The latest issue of Productive! Magazine features Laura Stack’s article “I spend waaaaaay too much time on…” The digital magazine has already exceeded 6,000 downloads. Visit Productive! Magazine online at www.productivemagazine.com for your free digital subscription filled with great articles and tips on being more productive. Laura’s featured article talks about time managment, what some of the biggest timewasters are, and how to avoid them. Enjoy!
We all want to do our part to help the environment. But if you can give the Earth a break and increase your productivity at the same time, that’s a real no-brainer! Luckily, a lot of the things you can do to help sustain the planet can help sustain your productivity as well. Read on for tips on how to green-size your life and get more done at the same time.
Use less paper. About 80 percent of papers that are filed are never referenced again. What a waste! A good solution? File less. An even better solution? Produce less paper to begin with. That doesn’t mean you have to constantly inconvenience yourself or feel guilty about ever sheet that comes off the printer. It just means you should think twice before you hit “print.” Do you really need a paper copy of that e-mail message or status report?
Why you’ll get more done: The less paper you allow into your day, the less time you’ll spend managing it. I’m talking about filing things, shuffling them around, and tearing through the heaps to find what you need. Keeping less paper means you’ll have an easier time finding the things that really matter and also eliminate some of the stress that inevitably comes from stacks of paper clutter.
Give your PC (and yourself) a rest. When was the last time you gave your PC a break? Letting it sit with the screensaver on doesn’t count. I mean actually shutting it down, all the way. The next time you finish working for the day, turn your computer off (black screen, no blinking lights). You’ll save energy and let the machine cool down for the night.
Why you’ll get more done: Shutting down your PC at the end of the day not only saves electricity, but it can also work wonders for your personal energy level. It’s easy enough to leave a computer untouched at the office, but I’ll bet your home computer is buzzing away whenever someone is nearby. This leads to technological burnout. You’re constantly checking e-mail. Mindlessly surfing the web. Compulsively scanning social networking sites. The next thing you know it’s deep into the night and you never really took time to unwind. Shutting the computer down means you’ll be less likely to plop down in front of it for “just a minute” and more likely to accomplish things around the house, spend time relaxing with family, or go get some exercise.
Drive smart. Does it ever feel like you’re losing time every day running errands or zipping around from appointment to appointment? If you think ahead, you might be able to consolidate all those quick trips into one or two longer outings, especially if you can batch them together based on where in town you need to go. Also consider making your regular commute outside of rush hour. You’ll travel the same distance in a shorter time and pollute less along the way.
Why you’ll get more done: Driving smarter isn’t just going to save gas, money, and harmful emissions, but it’s also going to save you time. Planning ahead and spending less time running around or stuck in traffic will do nothing but add precious productive minutes (or hours!) to your day.
Recycle and declutter. Don’t you always feel better after getting rid of stuff? It doesn’t matter if you’re at home or the office, getting rid of clutter is always a liberating experience. Tackle problem areas one at a time by identifying clutter and dividing it into “storage,” “trash,” and “recycling” piles. Recycling can mean sending junk to a traditional recycling facility or simply passing items along to those who can make better use of them than you can. Sites like www.freecycle.org can help you find a good home for your unused stuff and local schools and libraries often have a need for any extra office supplies you may have lying around.
Why you’ll get more done: Getting rid of clutter is just plain good for your state of mind, which is good for overall productivity. On top of that, getting rid of clutter will have the same effect as getting rid of paper – less junk to sort through, fewer storage hassles, and more space to live and work.
Travel less. Lots of companies learned this lesson from the recession, but there’s an environmental impact as well. Is all of your business travel necessary? Think about the trips you take, whether they’re across town or across the county. Would it be possible to get the work done remotely? Technology allows us to accomplish an awful lot from afar, from conference calls to complete virtual presentations. If you can manage to stay in town in a few instances where you’d usually pack up the car or hop on an airplane, you’ll be doing Mother Nature and yourself a favor.
Why you’ll get more done: Business trips can eat a lot of time. Sometimes you’ll literally need to spend days on the road for the sake of engaging in a few hours of productive activity once you’re there. Sure you can get work done on the go, but it isn’t the same as being close to home base. Skipping an out-of-town trip or two can free you up to make a serious dent in your workload.
When you get down to it, greensizing is just a matter of paying a little more attention to the habits that you wouldn’t usually give a second thought. Often, productivity is the same way. I hope you’ll join me in thinking twice and finding simple ways to conserve not only precious resources but valuable time as well. The planet will thank you and you’ll get more done. That’s what I call a win-win.
Make it a productive day! ™
(C) Copyright 2009 Laura Stack. All rights reserved. www.TheProductivityPro.com
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