The Productivity Pro® Blog by Laura Stack - Time Management, Getting Things Done, How to Be More Productive

I met Larry Chiang of Duck9.com at the National Speakers Association conference this week—smart young man—brimming with ideas and enthusiasm. I liked his formula for blogging called 1-2-3:

1: Have 1 focus
2: Post 2 pictures
3: Write 3 paragraphs

It was fascinating to watch him give out his cell phone number at the beginning of the talk (650-283-8008) and encourage us to use it to send him questions. While he was talking, he intermittently checked it and responded. You could sense the difference in ages, as some were aghast by this behavior, but I thought it was authentic and engaging.

Tweet This Post

Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R) shares tips and tricks on reducing the reading pile and keeping it under control.

(c) 2010 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved

Tweet This Post

In partnership with our sponsor, Day-Timer(R), please join Laura Stack for a complimentary webinar based on her newest book, SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best (Wiley, August 9, 2010).

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/178545971

This work culminates Laura’s 18 years of studying the art and science of personal productivity and describes the six behaviors high-achieving employees demonstrate over their lower-performing peers.
all of us must learn to be competent—and not Simply Competent—but SuperCompetent(R). In this competitive economy, just being able to do your job is no longer enough. Competence is expected; you’ve got to be SuperCompetent(R) to get an edge.

Whether you’re an employee, an entrepreneur, a team leader, or all of the above, SuperCompetent will give you proven methods to reach your and your team’s maximum potential and achieve breakthrough results. You’ll get to your productive best by mastering six keys to peak performance:

1. Activity: the value and importance you place on your work
2. Availability: your ability to master your schedule
3. Attention: the capacity to focus intently and concentrate on tasks
4. Accessibility: the ability to organize the inputs and outputs in your life
5. Accountability: the extent to which you take personal responsibility for your actions and outcomes
6. Attitude: your motivation, drive, and proactiveness

Register today – space is limited!

Tweet This Post

How do you get more out of your busy day? Most of us have at least one area of disorganization which seems to hold us back from being at our most productive. How do we address those areas? Here is a link to one of the Productivity Minutes on Denver’s Channel 7 News. See here: No Time Like Now To Get Organized.

Tweet This Post

Announcing a public seminar sponsored by the Colorado Human Resources Association (CHRA) and Jobing.com! On March 5, 2010, attend a half day of training on Advanced Tips and Tricks for Microsoft Outlook: Discover Little-Known Tips and Tricks for Managing Your Workflow (morning session 2003, afternoon session 2007). Are you buried by hundreds (or thousands!) of email messages? Do you spend hours every day in your inbox? If you have a hard time keeping up with your email, attend this training with Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®, a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) in Outlook. She will demonstrate ADVANCED Outlook methods with her actual Outlook software and an LCD projector. This is not simple computer training—it is workflow processing—where you’ll learn to use Outlook to get more work done and increase your performance. Even Outlook “power users” will be amazed by how much they learn. To reduce frustration for all, please do NOT attend if you don’t consider yourself an intermediate to advanced user. We will not learn to create folders, schedule meetings, create email, or do any task that is considered a beginner-level skill. For more information or to register, visit https://m360.chra.org/event.aspx?eventID=14604&instance=0. Register as a Prospective Member if you’re a guest.

 Monthly productivity webinar: February 22, 2010, 1:00 PM Pacific/2:00 PM Mountain/3:00 PM Central/4:00 PM Eastern. “Organizing the Home Office: Setting up Your Space and Systems for Success.” Are you slowly drowning in a sea of paper? Does the sight of your messy office frustrate you? If you’re disorganized, your daily activities won’t run smoothly, and you won’t operate efficiently. Entrepreneurs are so excited by the “fun” activities of their businesses that they dread doing the important foundational work, like setting up systems. You will learn what you’ll need to succeed in business:
• Purchase the right software, hardware, equipment, and accessories.
• Set up your client files, reference files, subject files, and records.
• Organize electronic information, internet, and research data.
• File and retrieve active work-in-progress.

Only $29 per person! (You can still buy the discounted package of all ten: you’ll get a link to the recording of those that have past. For more information and to register, go to http://www.theproductivitypro.com/s_virtual-webinar.htm 

Monthly Microsoft Outlook webinar: February 22, 2010. Inbox/Outbox/Sent Items/Drafts—Remove Attachments, Automatic Formatting, Notes in Messages, “Out Of Office Assistant,” Add Reminders to Flags, Set Reminders for Others, Distribution Lists, Junk Mail List, AutoName, Tag Your Comments, Stationery, Emailing from Another Office Applications, Message Options, Find Related Messages, View Multiple Folders at the Same Time, Resend a Sent Item, Use Sent Items to Set a Reminder, Attach a Previously Sent Item
Outlook version 2003: 9:00 pacific/12:00 eastern
Outlook version 2007: 11:00 pacific/2:00 eastern

http://www.TheProductivityPro.com/outlooktraining.html

Tweet This Post

Public Seminar in Denver on Tuesday, February 9 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Advanced Outlook 2007 Tips and Tricks

Discover Little-Known Tips and Tricks for Managing Your Workflow

Are you buried by hundreds (or thousands!) of email messages? Do you spend hours every day in your inbox? If you have a hard time keeping up with your email, attend this critical half day of training with Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®, a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) in Outlook. Laura helps Microsoft employees understand Outlook (they don’t get it, either)! She will demonstrate ADVANCED Outlook methods with her actual Outlook software and an LCD projector. This is not simple computer training—it is workflow processing—where you’ll learn to use Outlook to get more work done and increase your performance. Even Outlook “power users” will be amazed by how much they learn. To reduce frustration for all, please do NOT attend if you don’t consider yourself an intermediate/advanced user. Laura moves quickly; you might be seriously lost if you’re a beginner. We will not learn to create folders, schedule meetings, create email, or do any task that is considered a beginner-level skill.

For more details or to sign up visit us online: http://theproductivitypro.com/s_publicworkshops.htm

Tweet This Post

Leave the Office Earlier(R)!  Join Laura Stack in a FREE webinar, sponsored by Day-Timer, on Friday, February 27, 2009 at 8:00 AM pacific/11:00 AM eastern.  Register at www.daytimer.com/elearning

Tweet This Post

Laura continues her tactful advice on how to handle coworkers who drop in with requests that you must refuse—and how to say NO without actually saying the word.
The Productivity Minute video podcast
By Laura Stack, www.TheProductivityPro.com
(C) 2009 Laura Stack.

Tweet This Post

The Productivity Minute, Episode 3.  How do you say NO without saying NO?  Laura Stack explains how to tactfully decline requests by coworkers in this episode.
(C) 2009 Laura Stack.  All rights reserved.

Tweet This Post

Laura Stack discusses how planning has changed over the year and why old planning techniques don’t work.  However, you still must plan to have a productive day, so tune in for her advice.

Tweet This Post