In Leave
the Office Earlier, Laura
shows you how you CAN get more done than you ever thought possible
and still get home to your real life sooner.
Preorder this
indispensable tool for the overworked and time challenged at Amazon.com
and receive 20% off its retail price.
Publication
date, May 2004.
More
of The Productivity Pro's Resources
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Where in the World
is Laura? |
April
23
:: Austin, TX :: 12:00 PM
27 :: Denver, CO :: 08:00 AM
May
3
:: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
7 :: TBA, MI :: 09:00 AM
10 :: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
11 :: Denver, CO :: 12:00 PM
12 :: Denver, CO :: 08:00 AM
13 :: Chicago, IL :: 08:00 AM
18 :: Denver, CO :: 08:00 AM
19 :: Denver, CO :: 01:00 PM
20 :: Albany, NY :: 08:30 AM
27 :: Nashville, TN :: 12:00 PM
June
2
:: Denver, CO :: 09:00 AM
3 :: Denver, CO :: 09:00 AM
8 :: Denver, CO :: 08:00 AM
9 :: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
10 :: Denver, CO :: 02:00 PM
12 :: Phoenix, AZ :: 08:00 AM
15 :: Denver, CO :: 12:00 PM
16 - 17 :: TBD, SD :: 07:30 AM
22 :: Denver, CO :: 07:30 AM
23 :: Denver, CO :: 08:00 AM
24 :: Denver, CO :: 09:00 AM
29 :: New Orleans, LA :: 02:15 PM
July
1 :: Denver, CO :: 08:00 AM
7 :: Denver, CO :: 09:00 AM
8 :: Boulder, CO :: 12:00 PM
14 :: Atlanta, GA :: 08:00 AM
22 :: Denver, CO :: 07:30 AM
26 - 27 :: Denver, CO :: 01:30 PM
August
10 :: Denver, CO :: 09:00 AM
24 :: Denver, CO :: 09:00 AM
September
16 :: Denver, CO :: 08:00 AM
20 :: Boston, MA :: TBA
21 :: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
October
8 :: Los Angeles, CA :: 10:45 AM
11 :: Elkton, VA :: 08:00 AM
21 :: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
29 :: New Orleans, LA :: 08:30 AM
November
3 :: Denver, CO :: 09:00 AM
9 :: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
15 :: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
18 :: Denver, CO :: 08:30 AM
Visit Laura's
Calendar On-line for her complete availability.
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Reader Survey |
If
you could wave your magic wand and create a work climate that would
transfer into excellent employee productivity, what would you change?
In other words, what happens in your company that inadvertently
makes it difficult for employees to perform that their productive
best? Visit here
to give us your answers. |
Words of Wisdom |
"There
is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except
from within; no really insurmountable barrier, save our own inherent
weakness of purpose." -- Kin Hubbard
"Perseverance
is the most overrated of traits, if it is unaccompanied by talent;
beating your head against a wall is more likely to produce a concussion
in the head than a hole in the wall." -- Sydney Harris
"The
difference between perseverance and obstinacy is, that one often
comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't."
-- Henry Ward Beecher
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PQ
Preview
With
the publication of my new book just around
the corner, we'd like to invite you to discover
your Productivity
Quotient by taking the PQ quiz here.
This assessment is the heart of Leave the Office Earlier
and will provide valuable insight in helping you improve your
own productivity. We will broadcast a special edition of
this news"E"letter with further details about both
the book and the PQ tool, so stay tuned.
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Feature
Article |
Achieving a State of 'Flow' at Work
Do you ever
feel like your mind is a million miles away? You can watch someone
in a meeting who is "somewhere else," and they have a
far-away, glassy look to the eye. You know they are not hearing
a word of what is being said. They may be with you physically, but
their minds are somewhere else, thinking about some meeting, worrying
about that errand, or trying to figure out what someone meant by
a passing comment.
Contrast that
with a time you were so immersed in an activity that time just stood
still? Your stomach suddenly growls, and you look up at the clock
to discover you worked right over your lunch hour and didn't notice!
You were totally immersed in what you were experiencing or doing.
What are the benefits of this extreme focus?
- Output is
increased. You simply get more done when you are 100% attuned
to your task. You'll get more letters written and more projects
completed.
- You perform
optimally and do your best work. If you are giving your total
attention to something, the quality will be better. Isaac Newton
said, "If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has
been owing more to patient attention than to any other talent."
- The time
invested in projects is decreased. If you don't feel like doing
something in the first place (like paying bills), wouldn't you
rather have it over in an hour instead of stretching it out over
three?
- Less rework.
Your focus reduces the time it would have taken you to correct
the mistakes and omissions that are a byproduct of inattention.
- Peace of
mind is enhanced. There is an old legend about a man who travels
the world searching for the meaning of life. One day he climbs
a high mountain to a monastery to get the advice of a monk who
is reputed to be the wisest man on earth. When asked for the secret
to happiness, the monk replies simply, "DO whatever you're
doing."
What are some
of the characteristics of the non-flow state?
- Continually
stopping one task and starting another
- Not establishing
a goal or "end" state
- Constant
disruptions and interruptions, which make it difficult to concentrate
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Low energy
period
What are some
characteristics of the flow state?
- A vested
interest in the outcome
- A strong
belief that you can and will accomplish your goal
- Total focus,
with no interruptions
- High energy
period
- Passion/fun/enjoyment
- Proper environmental
conditions (temperature, smells, noise)
- Minimal effort
required (low learning curve)
How do you achieve
this wonderful state of flow and become fully present-focused?
- Master
your job. Research shows that your ability to experience flow
is related to your mastery of the mechanics of your job. The more
unfamiliar you are with your work, the harder it is to achieve.
Just as learning to drive was at first a conscious behavior, when
mastered, it became subconscious. If you're on a learning curve
in a new activity, it will be harder to achieve intense focus.
The more you learn the job, the better your ability to concentrate
and "let go."
- Prepare
for and expect to achieve focus. Set your mind properly. Consciously,
willfully decide that you are going to concentrate. Have a positive
attitude going into the task. Prepare your materials in advance
of getting started and have what you need at your fingertips.
- Clear
your desk. Do your piles talk to you? "Do me!" "Don't
forget me!" Clutter can be psychologically distracting. You
will focus better on what's in front of you if you don't have
ten other things surrounding you. Clear the piles, so everything
is out of your line of sight except the single thing you're working
on.
- Set aside
some time. Estimate how long the task will take and schedule
an appointment with yourself on your calendar. Total absorption
is very relaxing. It's splitting your attention-between what you're
currently doing and what you have to do next-that's exhausting.
When you become focused on the task of the moment, time seems
to fly, and you get the job done easier and faster.
- Ensure
no interruptions. The ability to work uninterrupted is very
important to devote your complete attention to an activity. Having
privacy will help you achieve a state of flow. Tom DeMarco and
Timothy Lister, co-authors of Peopleware:
Productive Projects and Teams, claim reaching a state of flow
requires at least 15 minutes of ramp-up concentration. People
are especially sensitive to interruptions during this time. When
people are disrupted, they can't go right back in. They require
an additional 15 minutes of time to get started again. This leads
to increased frustration and reduced productivity. Close your
door if you have one, or leave your office and retreat to an empty
office where no one can find you.
Take each step
deliberately and with full attention. Strive to be "in the
moment." When you read a book to your child, really READ a
book to your child. Don't be focused on all the to-dos that you
must do when you're finished. Be present and available and in the
now for those people and tasks you care about.
Make it a productive
day!
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Hot Links |
Productivity
is killing US jobs, Economic Times - New Delhi, India. The real
culprit is productivity. Yep, that simple measure of output that
translates into revenues and profits per employee. (Laura's comment:
interesting to see how other countries perceive the U.S.) See economictimes.indiatimes.com
Grokker
information maps are an innovative information currency that radically
improves the way people, groups, and organizations discover, organize,
and convey large amounts of information. See www.Groxis.com
ROAD
Ahead, Hawaii Business, HI. How employee productivity is impacted
by substance abuse. See www.hawaiibusiness.cc
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Featured
Seminar |
Leave
the Office Earlier: How to Get More Done in Less Time…and Feel Great
About It.
Burning the
midnight oil is harmful to employees and employers. But deadlines
loom, emails pile up, and the next thing you know, you've put in
another thirteen-hour day. Getting to the heart of why we experience
these logjams-and how to abolish them once and for all-acclaimed
personal productivity expert Laura Stack shares her proven strategies
on improving output, lowering stress, and saving time in today's
workplaces. You will learn skills to be more effective during the
day, get your work done earlier, leave the office on time (perhaps
5:00 instead of 6:30), and get home to your life.
Mention this
newsletter and receive 10% off when you schedule (not
hold) this program by May 30, 2004.
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Laura Stack, MBA, CSP
Publisher |
Message
from Laura |
Two
weeks and counting! Leave
the Office Earlier is soon to be released (May 4)! We are
already #4 on the top sellers list on Amazon in the "Health
and Stress" category. An Italian translation has been sold,
and Spanish and Japanese versions are pending. Working Mother,
Parents, and Ladies Home Journal have printed excerpts or tips
from the book. Great things are happening! I really appreciate
your support.
If
you haven't already purchased a book, would you please do so
on MAY 4? I'm trying to get as much momentum as possible
on that day, to attract the attention of Amazon and the media.
View
Laura's Demonstration
Video
|
Time Tips & Traps |
Any Password - www.romanlab.com/apw
- will both store and create random passwords for you. It's a
very handy little tool if you need help with passwords. The only
catch: you have to remember the password you used to access the
software!
Automagic
To automatically insert the "www" and the ".com"
in any web address within Internet Explorer, simply type in
the domain name (middle part), then hit <Ctrl> and <Enter>.
Don't
Worry
Worrying can be a big waste of time. Legitimate worries are
real concerns and are actually problems to be solved. Other
worries may never happen, such as, "The company lost money
this quarter. I wonder if that means we're in trouble and I'm
going to lose my job." This type of worrying is often a
symptom of insecurity and reflects a lack of self-confidence.
Worrying about the future causes nervous fatigue and can destroy
your focus. So make an appointment with yourself to worry. Start
a brainstorming session with, "What should I do about.
. ." and write down possible solutions. If you discover
there's nothing you can actively do to reduce your concerns,
it's probably not a worthy thing to worry about. Promise yourself
you'll worry about it when and if it happens. You can only afford
to spend time and energy on legitimate concerns. - Laura
Stack
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(C) 2004 Laura Stack, MBA, CSP.
All rights reserved.
Portions of this newsletter
may be reprinted in your organization or association newsletter,
provided the following credit line is present:
"Laura M. Stack, MBA,
CSP, is "The Productivity PRO!"(R),
helping people leave
the office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it.
She presents keynotes and seminars on time management, information
overload, and personal productivity. Contact Laura at 303-471-7401
or Laura@
TheProductivityPro.com."
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