TOP PRODUCTIVITY MISTAKES

  

  

The Top 3 Productivity Mistakes People Make (And How to Fix Them!) We all want to be more productive in our day. Sometimes it seems to be an elusive quality. Especially, when your day is filled with meetings, interruptions, and last-minute urgencies. But, you can find more productivity in your day. It’s out there. You may just need to look. Many people overthink their productivity. Time management shouldn’t be complex. Rather, it should simple, efficient, and lifestyle oriented. As a matter of fact, just by fixing some productivity mistakes, you can increase your productivity. Productivity Mistake #1: Living in Your Inbox

How much time will you spend in your email inbox today? Answer: Probably too much.

If you spend all of your day “doing” email, when are you going to have time to get to your most important tasks?

So, get out of your inbox and start getting your work done. Too Much Email Time If you are spending too much time on email, you are not alone. Many people do. And it can be one of the biggest time wasters of your day. The average employee spends almost a third of their workday processing email. That is 2.5–3 hours of email per day. Up to 15 hours a week. Or even 97 complete workdays a year! If you are spending that much time on email, I can tell you what you’re not doing… your work. Instead, you are shuffling low priority messages with co-workers or playing email PingPong when you could be getting your work done. “If you want to get more done, you need to get out of your inbox.” Ironically, too many companies reward this non-efficient behavior. If you want to be more productive in your day, you need to stop playing with your email and concentrate on your most important tasks.

  

Stop spending too much time in your inbox. After all, email is not your job. Email is Not Work Once upon a time, email was supposed to increase the speed and productivity of businesses. However, it is estimated that workers spend a third of their time reading and responding to email. Yet, email is not work. It doesn’t get things done… Email doesn’t write a report. Email doesn’t design new products. Email doesn’t train and mentor others. Email doesn’t create new ideas. Rather is it a slow back and forth of inefficient communication. It is busy work in disguise. Never Getting Out of Your Inbox Are you stuck in your inbox? Responding to every email that arrives. Jumping with a Pavlovian response to each email notification. Co-workers ask you, “Did you get the email I just sent two minutes ago?” This behavior is not productive. In fact, it makes email look like the worst invention ever. Email has its positive uses. However, usually email prevents you from getting to your work. Here Are 5 Tips to Help You Get Out of Your Email Inbox: 1. Consider Turning Off Email on Your Mobile Device – Do you really need to check email at lunch, in the elevator, in the car, in the bathroom, and in bed? The answer is no. Only turn on your email when you need it. 2. Check It Less Frequently – Reduce the number of times you check email per day. Start small. If you are currently checking email 37 times a day, then try cutting that number in half. Set specific times of day when you check it, and eventually you can minimize the number of times a day you look in your inbox. 3. Get Work and Tasks Out of Your Inbox – One reason people get stuck in their inbox is because they use it as their default todo list. Instead, get those tasks out of your inbox and onto your task list. Add the todo to your list and file the email in your archive. Otherwise, you will lose important tasks in the clutter of new messages.

  

4. Communicate Directly – Email is good for some things. However, there are more efficient communication tools out there that will keep your communication on track. My virtual assistant and I communicate mostly via Trello (for projects) and have recently started using Slack (for more immediate messages). 5. Don’t play email Ping-Pong all day long. I have seen instances of 15 email messages to schedule a single meeting. Rather, call or go see the person. Face-to-face is more efficient than the email back and forth.

Email is Not Your Job Email is one of the greatest distraction machines ever created. Don’t respond to each and every message that drops into your inbox. How can you fix this productivity mistake?

 

Productivity Fix #1: Get More Done by Checking Your Email Only Twice a Day

How many times will you check email today? Probably, so many times that you’ll lose track. However, checking your email more often doesn’t make you more productive. In fact, it prevents you from getting your work done. What would happen if you only checked your email twice today? Twice a Day Will Do It Unless you are a customer service representative, email is not your job. “Stop playing the email game. Do your work instead.” So, how often should you check your email? I recommend twice a day. Once early in the morning and once in the late afternoon. Yes, initially you will continue to get people asking, “Did you get the email I sent you 5 minutes ago?” Not checking your email every few minutes is not about being insensitive, rude, or disrespectful. Rather, it is about being productive, and getting work done. By checking it less, you will set expectations for others that you are busy, however, you will get back to them soon. If they need you immediately, they can call, text, or come see you. So, when should you check your email? Check Email in the Morning Check your email in the early morning to get ahead of the game. Note, I did not say first thing. But, rather early in the AM. I do not check email until after I have gotten my morning routine done. (Planning, writing, preparation, etc.) Checking email in the early AM it allows you to: • Be a Step Ahead of Others – Sending your email messages out early gets you ahead of the game. Your email messages will be on top of inboxes when others get to work.

  

• Address Anything Still in Your Inbox – If anything is lurking in your inbox, you can get it done before the work day starts. This also allows you to catch up to those working off hours who may have sent you messages. • Prevent Email Surprises – Checking email early prevents surprises. It gives you time to react to the important email that someone sent you that probably should have been a phone call. • Get Delegations Out Early – If you need to pass something to a team member, the best time to do it is first thing, so that you are not holding up a task or piece of information. Checking email early prevents you from being a bottleneck in the team’s productivity. • Respond to Others – If others are waiting on you for a response, getting them an early answer will make sure they have the response they need when they arrive at work. • Get Tasks Out Of Your Inbox – Getting your inbox cleared out before you start your day is empowering. It gets you started with a spring in your step. Make sure you get those tasks out of your inbox and onto your todo list. Checking your email early in the morning lets you get your day started right. Check Email at the End of Day Checking your email at the end of the day is important to closing open items and responding to inquiries. To qualify this, this email check should be before the end of your work day. It should not be before you go to bed. You also need to leave enough time to react to anything that may be waiting for you in your inbox. So, leave enough time at the end of the day to process your inbox. Checking email at the end of the work day enables you to: • Close Loops – Checking your mail near the end of the day lets you follow-up on unfinished tasks. Maybe something you needed to address or perhaps something you delegated. • Leaves Time to React – If something still needs to be done, you still have time to act before your work day is over. • Respond to Inquiries – Get back to those that emailed you today. By responding before the end of the workday, you will be responding within a few hours for most emails. If an email needs an immediate answer, call the person back rather than emailing.

  

• Plan for Tomorrow – Addressing your email from the day lets you plan for tomorrow. Do you need to set up some project time or schedule a follow-up meeting? Get the time scheduled today, so you are not rushing to set up something last-minute. • End Your Workday – Emptying your inbox at the end of the day lets you finish your day with a sense of accomplishment and awareness. You don’t have to worry about what’s hiding in your email. Close up your email so that you can leave it at work. Checking your email late in the day allows you to address open items and brings closure to your day. Check Your Email Less If you think you can’t check your email only two times a day, then try cutting back in steps, until you check it less and less. You’ll discover that email does not need to be an immediate communication method. You don’t need to sit at your desk monitoring your inbox. You don’t need to check email at lunch, in the elevator, or in the bathroom. Soon, you’ll be getting your work done instead of constantly treading water in your inbox.

 

Productivity Mistake #2 – Letting Technology Rule Your Life When your phone rings, what do you do? You answer it, of course. If you are like most, you answer it no matter where you are, what you are doing, or who you are with. When did technology become the controlling factor in our lives? Why do we drop everything any time our gadgets signal us? You should be in charge of your tech, not the other way around. Does Your Tech Rule Over You? Technology is a topic that often comes up in this discussion, because for many people technology rules over their lives. The irony here is that we like to think of our gadgets as tools to help us get more done with greater efficiency. However, often our technology interrupts us all day long. It tells us what we should be reading, doing, and thinking. “Is your technology a leash that keeps you working 24/7? Or is it a tool that allows you to do your work when and where you want to?” There is a big difference. Ask yourself, “Do you rule your technology or does it rule over you?” Here are just a few signs that technology is ruling your life: • Answering your phone no matter what you are doing • Tweeting during social functions when you are with others • Reading gossip and news (often the same thing) while with family and friends • Checking email 37 times a day • Letting apps interrupt you all day and night with meaningless notifications

  

• Social media taking priority over what is happening IRL • Your technology is a convenience device for other people, instead of a productivity tool for you • Jumping to act anytime your phone makes a noise Take Control of Your Tech Reacting any time your technology rings, dings, or vibrates is not productive. Nor is this stimulus-response way of life very fun. It’s time you start controlling your tech, instead of letting your tech control you. Strangely, allowing tech to rule you seems to have become the new normal. Those in corporate environments are familiar with the conference table phone dance… when random phones buzz and dance their way across the table. This is considered perfectly normal. (At least it didn’t beep, right?) Or you are meeting with someone and their phone seems to beep or buzz 10–20 times per minute. I was in a one-on-one conversation recently where the other person’s phone chimed with every single email they received. By about the 50th “ding” I said, “You know you can turn that off right?” “Your technology is there for your convenience. Remember who’s the boss.” In a world where we don’t go anywhere without our phones… do you rule your mobile devices or do they rule you? Here are 5 Tips to Rule Your Technology, Instead of the Other Way Around: 1. Remember It’s For YOUR Convenience – You don’t carry a smartphone so that people can interrupt your every move. No, you carry it for the tools it provides for you. 2. Be With Those You Are With – Don’t be that person that gives more attention to their smartphone screen than the people they are with. When you are with someone make them priority number one. Your technology should always be second to the person in front of you, whether at home or work. 3. Take a Picture But Be Frugal – Photos are to remember a moment. Make sure you take a few, but you are not a photo journalist on the scene of their biggest career story. You don’t need to take 100 photos, a video of the entire concert, or a snapshot of every course you eat. Take a pic or two, but make sure you enjoy the experience you have having.

  

4. Turn It Off (Really!) – Many people seem to forget that they can silence or even turn off their devices. (I am amazed how many people don’t know that the switch on the side of an iPhone puts it in silent mode. I teach that one daily.) So, turn off the noise, the interruptions, and whatever other sounds your technology wants to make. You don’t need email notifications or pop-ups from every app on your smartphone. 5. Rule Your Technology – Put yourself first. Be the boss of your technology. Resist the urge to jump every time your smartphone tries to demand attention. Put it back in your pocket or purse. It will still be there when you need it.

Rule Your Gadgets Reconsider your relationship with your technology. Remember who is in charge. Your technology and devices are there for your purposes. They should make your life easier, not be a constant interruption. So how can you fix this productivity mistake?

 

Productivity Fix #2 - Free Yourself From Your Technology Leash

Technology has given us great power and flexibility in how, when, and where we work. We can respond to email and messages from anywhere. We can reach and be reached almost anytime. It can be a very powerful tool in getting our work done. However, for many people, their tech tools have become a leash to their work. It dominates their lifestyle. They are never without their trusted smartphone and obsessively check email and other work related items. Why do we allow this? If your workplace doesn’t require that you check email on the weekend, then why do you do it? Are you required by your profession to be “on call?” Then why answer your cell phone anytime, anywhere? It is important to remember that these tech tools are suppose to give us flexibility in our lives, not take it away. For those who are looking to free themselves from their virtual leashes, here are some tips to taking back the power of your gadgets: 6 Tips to Free Yourself From Your Tech Leash: 1. Remember It Is A Tool For YOU – One of the biggest shifts you need to make in order to free yourself from your technology leash is to remember that your tech tools are there for your benefit. Don’t let others interrupt your life just because they managed to get your phone number or email. 2. Stop Answering the Phone – Answering the phone is almost a Pavlovian response: it rings… we answer. Break this habit. Only answer the phone if you are available. If you want to try a powerful experiment, don’t answer you phone for a week. Your productivity will soar and you can get back to people when you are available. 3. Don’t Check Email – Do you check email on weekends? At night? Why? Unless you are required to by your profession or employer, resist checking email more than a couple times a day. Otherwise, you are bringing yourself unneeded interruptions and stress. Often, you are in no position do anything about the email anyway. If you can’t do anything about the email until morning, then don’t check it until morning.

  

4. Don’t Knock Multiple Times – When you are reaching out to someone, don’t knock on multiple doors. In other words, don’t call, then text, and finally send an email. Before your reach out. determine the best method of communication based on the nature and timeliness of the issue. Then reach out once, whether it is by phone, email, text, etc. 5. Leave a message – As a follow-on to #4, when you do reach out, always leave a message. If it was important enough for you to reach out, leave a message so that the person can get back to you. The reverse applies, too. Resist calling back those who do not leave a message. If they didn’t leave a message, it must not have been that important. And if it was, they will call back. I promise. 6. You Don’t Have to Respond – Really? I thought it was law in like 37 states that if someone emails you that you must respond? Kidding aside. Not every email deserves a response. Just like every junk mail you get in your physical mailbox, some email does not require more than placing it in the trash. Just because someone was lazy enough to fire off an email without thought, doesn’t mean you have to do anything with it. I have seen entire workplaces that get by with people forwarding their work to other people via email. Scary. Free Yourself! Don’t let your technology be a leash to your work. Take back your life by applying some common sense and discipline. You also may need to change some of your habits. (Really, you don’t have to answer that phone!) Your smartphone and other tools have great potential to enable your lifestyle, as long as you remember who is in control. Use them for your benefit.

 

Productivity Mistake #3 – A Bad Attitude Makes for Bad Productivity Your attitude determines your productivity. More than almost any other factor, your perspective on the current situation affects your ability to get work done. If you need to be more productive, make sure you bring your positive attitude. Attitude Determines Your Productivity Can you keep a positive attitude even when faced with a bad situation? Or do you let anger, disappointment, and complaining take over? When you are faced with adversity, you can let your mood change for the worse or you can choose to look on the positive side of the situation. “The more positive your attitude, the more you can get done.” As much as hard work, your attitude will determine your productivity. Here are 7 Ways That a Positive Attitude Can Make You More Productive: 1. People Want to Help – A positive attitude makes others want to help you. No one wants to get near the person who is yelling and losing it at the first sign of trouble. Yet, everyone wants to come to the aid of the person who is smiling and keeping their head high despite bad things happening. 2. Avoids Wasting Time Complaining – Complaining doesn’t get anything done. Instead, put your energy into the positive action of doing something to improve the situation. 3. Keeps Your Energy Level High – A positive attitude can lift you up even in hard times. Boost your energy level by looking on the bright side of any situation. No matter how bad things get, there is something you can look positively at. 4. Builds Teamwork – A positive attitude is contagious. It brings people together. Others want to be around people who are positive. Nothing brings a team together and builds relationships like positive energy. 5. Determines Your Confidence – As Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t… you’re right.” Your attitude determines your confidence and ultimately whether or not you can succeed.

  

6. Solves Problems Instead of Making Problems – Have you ever disarmed a tough situation with a smile? (Try it the next time you are stuck at the airport.) Positive attitude is sometimes all it takes to turn a bad situation around. On the other side, a bad attitude can take a problem and quickly make it worse. 7. Helps You Make Good Decisions – Anger clouds your judgement. When you let yourself get upset, you impact your ability to make good decisions. Let your positive attitude clear your mind so that you can take appropriate action instead of reacting to emotion. Positive Attitude Delivers Results Don’t underestimate the power of a positive attitude to increase your productivity. Attitude is often as important as hard work. The next time you need to get more done, make sure you bring your positive attitude. But how? It requires motivation. Maybe a gentle nudge towards action? Or perhaps a swift kick to get you moving? Less Moping, More Making

When you can’t get yourself motivated to a positive attitude, you need to breakthrough. Sometimes, you just need to pick yourself up and make things happen. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” - Walt Disney Stop moping and start making your own positive attitude. Here are 10 Ways to Get Motivated to a Positive Attitude: 1. Win Early – The early bird not only gets the worm, but has a spring in its step all day long. Get something done early, and you’ll get things done all day long. 2. Change the Game – If you aren’t winning, you may need to change the game. Change the rules, even break them. Do things differently if you want different results. 3. Celebrate the Small Wins – Big wins aren’t going to happen every day. Learn to celebrate the small progress. It’s these little victories that add up over the long-term. 4. Believe in Yourself – Nothing generates a positive attitude like confidence. Believe in yourself. No one is going to be your bigger fan than you. You are stronger and better than you think. Believe it.

  

5. Prepare for Your Day – Being “ready” is motivating. When you are prepared for your day, you are excited to get it going. Take some time to prepare and you’ll be ready to charge into your day. 6. Do Something You Enjoy – To kick up your attitude, do something you enjoy. Find a task that you enjoy doing and use that to get you started. 7. Plan Your Dreams – When today has got you down, plan for tomorrow. It’s not about living in a daydream, but putting steps in place to get you to your dreams. 8. Do Something Physical – If you want to pump up your attitude, then hit the gym. Or simply do something physical. Go for a jog or walk. Get your body moving, and it will stay that way. Exercise is a great motivator. 9. Take Care of Loose Ends – Sometimes you are negative because you are carrying around a mental load of undone tasks. Take care of the ones that are weighing on your brain so that you can move forward in your day. 10. Connect With Someone Positive – Positive attitudes are contagious. Connect with other positive people. Multiple positive attitudes lead to exponential motivation as a group. Get Positive

You don’t have to mope through your day. When life doesn’t provide inspiration, create your own. Just a little action can inspire you to big things. So, make your own positive attitude today. How?

 

Productivity Fix #3: Choose to Win with a Positive Attitude Can you win on positive attitude alone? Maybe not. Then again, you might. Sometimes a positive attitude makes all the difference. Bring Your Positive Attitude Plain and simple, you get more done when you are positive. It is an energy source that can motivate and invigorate you. It can drive others, too. In fact, people are attracted to it. A positive attitude can be the tipping point, between mediocrity and excellence. “All other things being equal, it is attitude that separates winners from the rest of the crowd.” Do you bring a positive attitude to everything you do? Attitude Wins When you are feeling unproductive or unmotivated, check your attitude. Consider how your attitude is affecting you and those around you. Don’t underestimate the power of positivity. Here are “10 Ways a Positive Attitude Can Help You Win”: 1. Attitude is Contagious – You influence those around you. A positive attitude is as contagious as the flu. In fact, one positive person can lift an entire team to better performance. 2. Complaining is Procrastination in Disguise – Complaining wastes time. It’s that simple. What could you get done if you put the time you spent complaining to better use? 3. Turn an Enemy Into a Friend – A positive attitude can melt even the toughest opponent. Sometimes you can turn an enemy into an ally simply with your attitude.

  

4. From Bad to Good – Ever turned around a problem simply with your attitude? It can be powerful. While others are upset and losing their cool, keep your positive attitude frontand-center. You will be amazed at the results. 5. Brighten a Stranger’s Day – Spread your positive attitude even with those you don’t know. Make someone smile or look on the bright side of their day. Remember, it’s a small world out there. You never know where you might meet that stranger again. 6. Stand Out in the Crowd – A positive attitude can make you stand out like a shining beacon. Do you know someone like this in your workplace? Someone that everyone looks to for positive energy? 7. Get Through That Tough Task – There is truth in the sayings, “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” and “Whistle while you work.” No matter the task, a positive attitude can make it more enjoyable. 8. Make Others Like You – People are attracted to a positive attitude. No one wants to hang out with Debbie Downer. People want to hang out with those that are positive and fun. Which are you? 9. See the Opportunity – When things seem at their lowest, can you see the silver lining? Lost that contract? Or your job? What now? Sometimes the biggest problems lead to the biggest opportunities. Make sure you look on the positive side even when things are at their worst. 10. The Difference Between Winning & Losing – Attitude wins. Ask the interviewer who gets the job. The interviewee with the positive attitude or the one who tells them about all their troubles? Be Positive Regardless of what life deals today, let’s be positive. Even when walking into a bad situation. It’s a choice, and it’s up to you. Bring your own attitude.

 

Fixing Productivity Mistakes

There is productivity out there. Sometimes you have to get creative to find it. It may be located in places that you don’t often look. Or you may need to do things differently, like ending productivity mistakes with these 3 simple fixes. Use your time to the fullest. Fix your productivity mistakes, and find some extra productivity in your schedule today and every day.

Need more productivity help? Check out these tools from Time Management Ninja … Improve Your Time Management: 31 Days, 31 Ways: Daily Tips for Time Management Mastery is a time management course containing 31 powerful daily lessons and 31 actionable exercises designed to help you take action, reduce stress and reclaim your time for the things that are important to YOU. Each strategy-packed chapter provides you with: • A Comprehensive Lesson — Each of the 31 days presents a valuable, easy-to-understand time management approach. • An Action Exercise — A simple workable activity for you to do that very day. • A Ninja Tip — At the end of each day, you’ll get a clear-thinking takeaway from the ninja book of secrets to take what you’ve just learned one step further! Click here and enroll today!

Coaching: Time Management Ninja’s Craig Jarrow offers one-on-one, private coaching sessions to help you take your leadership and your life to the next level. Whether you’re looking for direction in Time Management, Goal Setting, Productivity or even Email Management, Craig can help guide you in the right direction, and hold you accountable with TMN’s Coaching Plan. TMN’s 4 Week Coaching Plan is only $599.

 

Ebooks: Craig has several ebooks available to increase your productivity! 31 Ways, 31 Days to Time Management Mastery Ebook Edition. Based on the course, you receive the 31 Days, 31 Ways eBook PDF, 31 Days, 31 Ways Kindle Version, and Daily Exercise Workbook PDF. $97.

Crush Your Procrastination. The Best of Productivity from Time Management Ninja is for anyone needing a boost in their productivity. Included are the 25 best productivity posts from Time Management Ninja so that you can join the thousands who’ve successfully implemented the lessons contained in this ebook, to become more productive and better at time management. $4.99

You Are Stronger Than You Think. – The Best of Motivation is a collection of the best and most popular motivational posts from Time Management Ninja, to help you get started, get motivated, and reach your goals. With tips on 10 Ways to Win with a Positive Attitude, How to Remain Calm while Others are Losing it, and 50 Ways to Out Run a Boring Life, you’ll get new insights on reaching goals, building confidence, and living the life you’ve dreamed of. $4.99

Rev 2/2016   

Time Management Ninja’s

The Top 3 Productivity Mistakes People Make (And How to Fix Them!)

By Craig Jarrow

  

The Top 3 Productivity Mistakes People Make (And How to Fix Them!) We all want to be more productive in our day. Sometimes it seems to be an elusive quality. Especially, when your day is filled with meetings, interruptions, and last-minute urgencies. But, you can find more productivity in your day. It’s out there. You may just need to look. Many people overthink their productivity. Time management shouldn’t be complex. Rather, it should simple, efficient, and lifestyle oriented. As a matter of fact, just by fixing some productivity mistakes, you can increase your productivity. Productivity Mistake #1: Living in Your Inbox

How much time will you spend in your email inbox today? Answer: Probably too much.

If you spend all of your day “doing” email, when are you going to have time to get to your most important tasks?

So, get out of your inbox and start getting your work done. Too Much Email Time If you are spending too much time on email, you are not alone. Many people do. And it can be one of the biggest time wasters of your day. The average employee spends almost a third of their workday processing email. That is 2.5–3 hours of email per day. Up to 15 hours a week. Or even 97 complete workdays a year! If you are spending that much time on email, I can tell you what you’re not doing… your work. Instead, you are shuffling low priority messages with co-workers or playing email PingPong when you could be getting your work done. “If you want to get more done, you need to get out of your inbox.” Ironically, too many companies reward this non-efficient behavior. If you want to be more productive in your day, you need to stop playing with your email and concentrate on your most important tasks.

  

Stop spending too much time in your inbox. After all, email is not your job. Email is Not Work Once upon a time, email was supposed to increase the speed and productivity of businesses. However, it is estimated that workers spend a third of their time reading and responding to email. Yet, email is not work. It doesn’t get things done… Email doesn’t write a report. Email doesn’t design new products. Email doesn’t train and mentor others. Email doesn’t create new ideas. Rather is it a slow back and forth of inefficient communication. It is busy work in disguise. Never Getting Out of Your Inbox Are you stuck in your inbox? Responding to every email that arrives. Jumping with a Pavlovian response to each email notification. Co-workers ask you, “Did you get the email I just sent two minutes ago?” This behavior is not productive. In fact, it makes email look like the worst invention ever. Email has its positive uses. However, usually email prevents you from getting to your work. Here Are 5 Tips to Help You Get Out of Your Email Inbox: 1. Consider Turning Off Email on Your Mobile Device – Do you really need to check email at lunch, in the elevator, in the car, in the bathroom, and in bed? The answer is no. Only turn on your email when you need it. 2. Check It Less Frequently – Reduce the number of times you check email per day. Start small. If you are currently checking email 37 times a day, then try cutting that number in half. Set specific times of day when you check it, and eventually you can minimize the number of times a day you look in your inbox. 3. Get Work and Tasks Out of Your Inbox – One reason people get stuck in their inbox is because they use it as their default todo list. Instead, get those tasks out of your inbox and onto your task list. Add the todo to your list and file the email in your archive. Otherwise, you will lose important tasks in the clutter of new messages.

  

4. Communicate Directly – Email is good for some things. However, there are more efficient communication tools out there that will keep your communication on track. My virtual assistant and I communicate mostly via Trello (for projects) and have recently started using Slack (for more immediate messages). 5. Don’t play email Ping-Pong all day long. I have seen instances of 15 email messages to schedule a single meeting. Rather, call or go see the person. Face-to-face is more efficient than the email back and forth.

Email is Not Your Job Email is one of the greatest distraction machines ever created. Don’t respond to each and every message that drops into your inbox. How can you fix this productivity mistake?

 

Productivity Fix #1: Get More Done by Checking Your Email Only Twice a Day

How many times will you check email today? Probably, so many times that you’ll lose track. However, checking your email more often doesn’t make you more productive. In fact, it prevents you from getting your work done. What would happen if you only checked your email twice today? Twice a Day Will Do It Unless you are a customer service representative, email is not your job. “Stop playing the email game. Do your work instead.” So, how often should you check your email? I recommend twice a day. Once early in the morning and once in the late afternoon. Yes, initially you will continue to get people asking, “Did you get the email I sent you 5 minutes ago?” Not checking your email every few minutes is not about being insensitive, rude, or disrespectful. Rather, it is about being productive, and getting work done. By checking it less, you will set expectations for others that you are busy, however, you will get back to them soon. If they need you immediately, they can call, text, or come see you. So, when should you check your email? Check Email in the Morning Check your email in the early morning to get ahead of the game. Note, I did not say first thing. But, rather early in the AM. I do not check email until after I have gotten my morning routine done. (Planning, writing, preparation, etc.) Checking email in the early AM it allows you to: • Be a Step Ahead of Others – Sending your email messages out early gets you ahead of the game. Your email messages will be on top of inboxes when others get to work.

  

• Address Anything Still in Your Inbox – If anything is lurking in your inbox, you can get it done before the work day starts. This also allows you to catch up to those working off hours who may have sent you messages. • Prevent Email Surprises – Checking email early prevents surprises. It gives you time to react to the important email that someone sent you that probably should have been a phone call. • Get Delegations Out Early – If you need to pass something to a team member, the best time to do it is first thing, so that you are not holding up a task or piece of information. Checking email early prevents you from being a bottleneck in the team’s productivity. • Respond to Others – If others are waiting on you for a response, getting them an early answer will make sure they have the response they need when they arrive at work. • Get Tasks Out Of Your Inbox – Getting your inbox cleared out before you start your day is empowering. It gets you started with a spring in your step. Make sure you get those tasks out of your inbox and onto your todo list. Checking your email early in the morning lets you get your day started right. Check Email at the End of Day Checking your email at the end of the day is important to closing open items and responding to inquiries. To qualify this, this email check should be before the end of your work day. It should not be before you go to bed. You also need to leave enough time to react to anything that may be waiting for you in your inbox. So, leave enough time at the end of the day to process your inbox. Checking email at the end of the work day enables you to: • Close Loops – Checking your mail near the end of the day lets you follow-up on unfinished tasks. Maybe something you needed to address or perhaps something you delegated. • Leaves Time to React – If something still needs to be done, you still have time to act before your work day is over. • Respond to Inquiries – Get back to those that emailed you today. By responding before the end of the workday, you will be responding within a few hours for most emails. If an email needs an immediate answer, call the person back rather than emailing.

  

• Plan for Tomorrow – Addressing your email from the day lets you plan for tomorrow. Do you need to set up some project time or schedule a follow-up meeting? Get the time scheduled today, so you are not rushing to set up something last-minute. • End Your Workday – Emptying your inbox at the end of the day lets you finish your day with a sense of accomplishment and awareness. You don’t have to worry about what’s hiding in your email. Close up your email so that you can leave it at work. Checking your email late in the day allows you to address open items and brings closure to your day. Check Your Email Less If you think you can’t check your email only two times a day, then try cutting back in steps, until you check it less and less. You’ll discover that email does not need to be an immediate communication method. You don’t need to sit at your desk monitoring your inbox. You don’t need to check email at lunch, in the elevator, or in the bathroom. Soon, you’ll be getting your work done instead of constantly treading water in your inbox.

 

Productivity Mistake #2 – Letting Technology Rule Your Life When your phone rings, what do you do? You answer it, of course. If you are like most, you answer it no matter where you are, what you are doing, or who you are with. When did technology become the controlling factor in our lives? Why do we drop everything any time our gadgets signal us? You should be in charge of your tech, not the other way around. Does Your Tech Rule Over You? Technology is a topic that often comes up in this discussion, because for many people technology rules over their lives. The irony here is that we like to think of our gadgets as tools to help us get more done with greater efficiency. However, often our technology interrupts us all day long. It tells us what we should be reading, doing, and thinking. “Is your technology a leash that keeps you working 24/7? Or is it a tool that allows you to do your work when and where you want to?” There is a big difference. Ask yourself, “Do you rule your technology or does it rule over you?” Here are just a few signs that technology is ruling your life: • Answering your phone no matter what you are doing • Tweeting during social functions when you are with others • Reading gossip and news (often the same thing) while with family and friends • Checking email 37 times a day • Letting apps interrupt you all day and night with meaningless notifications

  

• Social media taking priority over what is happening IRL • Your technology is a convenience device for other people, instead of a productivity tool for you • Jumping to act anytime your phone makes a noise Take Control of Your Tech Reacting any time your technology rings, dings, or vibrates is not productive. Nor is this stimulus-response way of life very fun. It’s time you start controlling your tech, instead of letting your tech control you. Strangely, allowing tech to rule you seems to have become the new normal. Those in corporate environments are familiar with the conference table phone dance… when random phones buzz and dance their way across the table. This is considered perfectly normal. (At least it didn’t beep, right?) Or you are meeting with someone and their phone seems to beep or buzz 10–20 times per minute. I was in a one-on-one conversation recently where the other person’s phone chimed with every single email they received. By about the 50th “ding” I said, “You know you can turn that off right?” “Your technology is there for your convenience. Remember who’s the boss.” In a world where we don’t go anywhere without our phones… do you rule your mobile devices or do they rule you? Here are 5 Tips to Rule Your Technology, Instead of the Other Way Around: 1. Remember It’s For YOUR Convenience – You don’t carry a smartphone so that people can interrupt your every move. No, you carry it for the tools it provides for you. 2. Be With Those You Are With – Don’t be that person that gives more attention to their smartphone screen than the people they are with. When you are with someone make them priority number one. Your technology should always be second to the person in front of you, whether at home or work. 3. Take a Picture But Be Frugal – Photos are to remember a moment. Make sure you take a few, but you are not a photo journalist on the scene of their biggest career story. You don’t need to take 100 photos, a video of the entire concert, or a snapshot of every course you eat. Take a pic or two, but make sure you enjoy the experience you have having.

  

4. Turn It Off (Really!) – Many people seem to forget that they can silence or even turn off their devices. (I am amazed how many people don’t know that the switch on the side of an iPhone puts it in silent mode. I teach that one daily.) So, turn off the noise, the interruptions, and whatever other sounds your technology wants to make. You don’t need email notifications or pop-ups from every app on your smartphone. 5. Rule Your Technology – Put yourself first. Be the boss of your technology. Resist the urge to jump every time your smartphone tries to demand attention. Put it back in your pocket or purse. It will still be there when you need it.

Rule Your Gadgets Reconsider your relationship with your technology. Remember who is in charge. Your technology and devices are there for your purposes. They should make your life easier, not be a constant interruption. So how can you fix this productivity mistake?

 

Productivity Fix #2 - Free Yourself From Your Technology Leash

Technology has given us great power and flexibility in how, when, and where we work. We can respond to email and messages from anywhere. We can reach and be reached almost anytime. It can be a very powerful tool in getting our work done. However, for many people, their tech tools have become a leash to their work. It dominates their lifestyle. They are never without their trusted smartphone and obsessively check email and other work related items. Why do we allow this? If your workplace doesn’t require that you check email on the weekend, then why do you do it? Are you required by your profession to be “on call?” Then why answer your cell phone anytime, anywhere? It is important to remember that these tech tools are suppose to give us flexibility in our lives, not take it away. For those who are looking to free themselves from their virtual leashes, here are some tips to taking back the power of your gadgets: 6 Tips to Free Yourself From Your Tech Leash: 1. Remember It Is A Tool For YOU – One of the biggest shifts you need to make in order to free yourself from your technology leash is to remember that your tech tools are there for your benefit. Don’t let others interrupt your life just because they managed to get your phone number or email. 2. Stop Answering the Phone – Answering the phone is almost a Pavlovian response: it rings… we answer. Break this habit. Only answer the phone if you are available. If you want to try a powerful experiment, don’t answer you phone for a week. Your productivity will soar and you can get back to people when you are available. 3. Don’t Check Email – Do you check email on weekends? At night? Why? Unless you are required to by your profession or employer, resist checking email more than a couple times a day. Otherwise, you are bringing yourself unneeded interruptions and stress. Often, you are in no position do anything about the email anyway. If you can’t do anything about the email until morning, then don’t check it until morning.

  

4. Don’t Knock Multiple Times – When you are reaching out to someone, don’t knock on multiple doors. In other words, don’t call, then text, and finally send an email. Before your reach out. determine the best method of communication based on the nature and timeliness of the issue. Then reach out once, whether it is by phone, email, text, etc. 5. Leave a message – As a follow-on to #4, when you do reach out, always leave a message. If it was important enough for you to reach out, leave a message so that the person can get back to you. The reverse applies, too. Resist calling back those who do not leave a message. If they didn’t leave a message, it must not have been that important. And if it was, they will call back. I promise. 6. You Don’t Have to Respond – Really? I thought it was law in like 37 states that if someone emails you that you must respond? Kidding aside. Not every email deserves a response. Just like every junk mail you get in your physical mailbox, some email does not require more than placing it in the trash. Just because someone was lazy enough to fire off an email without thought, doesn’t mean you have to do anything with it. I have seen entire workplaces that get by with people forwarding their work to other people via email. Scary. Free Yourself! Don’t let your technology be a leash to your work. Take back your life by applying some common sense and discipline. You also may need to change some of your habits. (Really, you don’t have to answer that phone!) Your smartphone and other tools have great potential to enable your lifestyle, as long as you remember who is in control. Use them for your benefit.

 

Productivity Mistake #3 – A Bad Attitude Makes for Bad Productivity Your attitude determines your productivity. More than almost any other factor, your perspective on the current situation affects your ability to get work done. If you need to be more productive, make sure you bring your positive attitude. Attitude Determines Your Productivity Can you keep a positive attitude even when faced with a bad situation? Or do you let anger, disappointment, and complaining take over? When you are faced with adversity, you can let your mood change for the worse or you can choose to look on the positive side of the situation. “The more positive your attitude, the more you can get done.” As much as hard work, your attitude will determine your productivity. Here are 7 Ways That a Positive Attitude Can Make You More Productive: 1. People Want to Help – A positive attitude makes others want to help you. No one wants to get near the person who is yelling and losing it at the first sign of trouble. Yet, everyone wants to come to the aid of the person who is smiling and keeping their head high despite bad things happening. 2. Avoids Wasting Time Complaining – Complaining doesn’t get anything done. Instead, put your energy into the positive action of doing something to improve the situation. 3. Keeps Your Energy Level High – A positive attitude can lift you up even in hard times. Boost your energy level by looking on the bright side of any situation. No matter how bad things get, there is something you can look positively at. 4. Builds Teamwork – A positive attitude is contagious. It brings people together. Others want to be around people who are positive. Nothing brings a team together and builds relationships like positive energy. 5. Determines Your Confidence – As Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t… you’re right.” Your attitude determines your confidence and ultimately whether or not you can succeed.

  

6. Solves Problems Instead of Making Problems – Have you ever disarmed a tough situation with a smile? (Try it the next time you are stuck at the airport.) Positive attitude is sometimes all it takes to turn a bad situation around. On the other side, a bad attitude can take a problem and quickly make it worse. 7. Helps You Make Good Decisions – Anger clouds your judgement. When you let yourself get upset, you impact your ability to make good decisions. Let your positive attitude clear your mind so that you can take appropriate action instead of reacting to emotion. Positive Attitude Delivers Results Don’t underestimate the power of a positive attitude to increase your productivity. Attitude is often as important as hard work. The next time you need to get more done, make sure you bring your positive attitude. But how? It requires motivation. Maybe a gentle nudge towards action? Or perhaps a swift kick to get you moving? Less Moping, More Making

When you can’t get yourself motivated to a positive attitude, you need to breakthrough. Sometimes, you just need to pick yourself up and make things happen. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” - Walt Disney Stop moping and start making your own positive attitude. Here are 10 Ways to Get Motivated to a Positive Attitude: 1. Win Early – The early bird not only gets the worm, but has a spring in its step all day long. Get something done early, and you’ll get things done all day long. 2. Change the Game – If you aren’t winning, you may need to change the game. Change the rules, even break them. Do things differently if you want different results. 3. Celebrate the Small Wins – Big wins aren’t going to happen every day. Learn to celebrate the small progress. It’s these little victories that add up over the long-term. 4. Believe in Yourself – Nothing generates a positive attitude like confidence. Believe in yourself. No one is going to be your bigger fan than you. You are stronger and better than you think. Believe it.

  

5. Prepare for Your Day – Being “ready” is motivating. When you are prepared for your day, you are excited to get it going. Take some time to prepare and you’ll be ready to charge into your day. 6. Do Something You Enjoy – To kick up your attitude, do something you enjoy. Find a task that you enjoy doing and use that to get you started. 7. Plan Your Dreams – When today has got you down, plan for tomorrow. It’s not about living in a daydream, but putting steps in place to get you to your dreams. 8. Do Something Physical – If you want to pump up your attitude, then hit the gym. Or simply do something physical. Go for a jog or walk. Get your body moving, and it will stay that way. Exercise is a great motivator. 9. Take Care of Loose Ends – Sometimes you are negative because you are carrying around a mental load of undone tasks. Take care of the ones that are weighing on your brain so that you can move forward in your day. 10. Connect With Someone Positive – Positive attitudes are contagious. Connect with other positive people. Multiple positive attitudes lead to exponential motivation as a group. Get Positive

You don’t have to mope through your day. When life doesn’t provide inspiration, create your own. Just a little action can inspire you to big things. So, make your own positive attitude today. How?

 

Productivity Fix #3: Choose to Win with a Positive Attitude Can you win on positive attitude alone? Maybe not. Then again, you might. Sometimes a positive attitude makes all the difference. Bring Your Positive Attitude Plain and simple, you get more done when you are positive. It is an energy source that can motivate and invigorate you. It can drive others, too. In fact, people are attracted to it. A positive attitude can be the tipping point, between mediocrity and excellence. “All other things being equal, it is attitude that separates winners from the rest of the crowd.” Do you bring a positive attitude to everything you do? Attitude Wins When you are feeling unproductive or unmotivated, check your attitude. Consider how your attitude is affecting you and those around you. Don’t underestimate the power of positivity. Here are “10 Ways a Positive Attitude Can Help You Win”: 1. Attitude is Contagious – You influence those around you. A positive attitude is as contagious as the flu. In fact, one positive person can lift an entire team to better performance. 2. Complaining is Procrastination in Disguise – Complaining wastes time. It’s that simple. What could you get done if you put the time you spent complaining to better use? 3. Turn an Enemy Into a Friend – A positive attitude can melt even the toughest opponent. Sometimes you can turn an enemy into an ally simply with your attitude.

  

4. From Bad to Good – Ever turned around a problem simply with your attitude? It can be powerful. While others are upset and losing their cool, keep your positive attitude frontand-center. You will be amazed at the results. 5. Brighten a Stranger’s Day – Spread your positive attitude even with those you don’t know. Make someone smile or look on the bright side of their day. Remember, it’s a small world out there. You never know where you might meet that stranger again. 6. Stand Out in the Crowd – A positive attitude can make you stand out like a shining beacon. Do you know someone like this in your workplace? Someone that everyone looks to for positive energy? 7. Get Through That Tough Task – There is truth in the sayings, “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” and “Whistle while you work.” No matter the task, a positive attitude can make it more enjoyable. 8. Make Others Like You – People are attracted to a positive attitude. No one wants to hang out with Debbie Downer. People want to hang out with those that are positive and fun. Which are you? 9. See the Opportunity – When things seem at their lowest, can you see the silver lining? Lost that contract? Or your job? What now? Sometimes the biggest problems lead to the biggest opportunities. Make sure you look on the positive side even when things are at their worst. 10. The Difference Between Winning & Losing – Attitude wins. Ask the interviewer who gets the job. The interviewee with the positive attitude or the one who tells them about all their troubles? Be Positive Regardless of what life deals today, let’s be positive. Even when walking into a bad situation. It’s a choice, and it’s up to you. Bring your own attitude.

 

Fixing Productivity Mistakes

There is productivity out there. Sometimes you have to get creative to find it. It may be located in places that you don’t often look. Or you may need to do things differently, like ending productivity mistakes with these 3 simple fixes. Use your time to the fullest. Fix your productivity mistakes, and find some extra productivity in your schedule today and every day.

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Ebooks: Craig has several ebooks available to increase your productivity! 31 Ways, 31 Days to Time Management Mastery Ebook Edition. Based on the course, you receive the 31 Days, 31 Ways eBook PDF, 31 Days, 31 Ways Kindle Version, and Daily Exercise Workbook PDF. $97.

Crush Your Procrastination. The Best of Productivity from Time Management Ninja is for anyone needing a boost in their productivity. Included are the 25 best productivity posts from Time Management Ninja so that you can join the thousands who’ve successfully implemented the lessons contained in this ebook, to become more productive and better at time management. $4.99

You Are Stronger Than You Think. – The Best of Motivation is a collection of the best and most popular motivational posts from Time Management Ninja, to help you get started, get motivated, and reach your goals. With tips on 10 Ways to Win with a Positive Attitude, How to Remain Calm while Others are Losing it, and 50 Ways to Out Run a Boring Life, you’ll get new insights on reaching goals, building confidence, and living the life you’ve dreamed of. $4.99

Rev 2/2016