“Productivity is the deliberate, strategic investment of your time, talent, intelligence, energy, resources, and opportunities in a manner calculated to move you measurably closer to meaningful goals.”

Productivity Topics: to make a “quick” Decision, Not being able to say NO !!! Looking for Perfection, Working too long without any Breaks, Not Exercising, Quotes.

Do you have days when you feel like you’ve been working non-stop, but can’t recall what you actually accomplished? In today’s work culture, we usually blame Email, Social Media, & Meetings for our depleted effectiveness. To be sure, you’re not going to get a lot done if you are obsessively checking these too frequently that it disrupts you completing necessary tasks. However, I have tried numerous techniques in a never-ending quest to work faster, smarter, better. And, I’ve found that some of the main Productivity killers are rooted more in my psyche than in external distractions.

1. The “inability” to make a “quick” Decision and move on.

Indecisiveness is one of the key factors of procrastination. It’s caused by a variety of factors, although not thinking you’ll have enough time – is one the major factors. We get anxious about making the wrong decision and so, we do whatever we can to avoid having to commit to a decision. We can hold several meetings without coming to any kind of “actionable” decision. We excessively research, when three sources are usually sufficient to enable us to make a decision. After all, you can spend an excessive time amount of time researching on Google, if you don’t have a limitation guideline.

Hesitation. But each time you hesitate on a decision, you’re simply wasting time & mental energy. And, you’ve just added one more thing to tomorrow’s To-Do list. I’m not suggesting that every decision can and should be made quickly. However, I believe that we all need to evaluate the impact that our decision-making style has on our productivity.

When considering a Decision, do you find yourself putting off to another day?

1) Ask yourself what will be so different about tomorrow that will make it easier to make a decision then. If there’s no good reason why I shouldn’t make the decision right now, then I make a decision.

2) Listen to your inner voice (instinct). It’s usually right. Let it know you have confidence in it and it will get better and more reliable. Now just make that decision and move on. You can (usually) recover from a bad decision. But you are wasting your time, if you cant make a Decision.

2. Not being able to say NO !!!

Do you often say “yes”, for fear of hurting people’s feelings or creating conflict. Of course we’d like to make everyone happy. And that’s why even when our schedule is packed full, we always take on one more thing when someone asks. This habit cold be costing you dearly at work and at home.

The Challenge. Learning to say “No” is a challenge, but it could been an incredibly empowering lesson. With a little practice, realize that saying “no” doesn’t make you rude or unhelpful. You will have more time for those commitments and priorities that matter most to you and your superiors.

3. Looking for Perfection.

It may take you years to understand just how un-productive the quest for perfection is. Projects start bogging down while you get hung up on every small detail. Meanwhile, you get behind in the next Project in the priority que.

Your Goal should be finishing things, not perfecting them. Releasing something to the world that’s 80 to 90% there is far better than wasting all the time on something until it’s 100% right. Once you finish something, you can always go back and start refining the details.

4. Working too long without any Breaks.

If you’re like most people, your focus begins to fade after an hour or so of concentrating on the same task. I used to try to power through this mental fatigue, but then I began looking into different work styles and learned about the importance of breaks. The human mind can focus on any one task for 45-60-90 minutes. After that, a break is needed in order to “recharge” and get back to our full, high performance.

Break it. I now make a point to step away from something when I begin losing focus. You can go outside, walk, meditate, or chat with a friend. Julia Gifford’s book of “Desk Time”,says that to get the most from a break time, you should be “completely removed from the work you’re doing – to clear your mind. If you can, have a Power Nap to re-charge your physical & mental energy.”

5. Not Exercising.

When you’ve got a lot to do, it’s easy to focus on your To-Do list and let everything else fall by the wayside. Things like exercise or seeing friends seem counter to your productivity. But, you’re not going to be productive in the long run, if you don’t take care of yourself. You may not have a lot of time, and that’s okay. Exercising for as little as 5-10 minutes releases a neuro-transmitter that helps relax your brain and boost your mood.

The Gym for him. I now make it a point to hit the gym for cardio & stretching each morning, no matter how full my schedule gets. I make it a priority. It’s non-negotiable – just like a Client meeting. If you’re feeling pangs of guilt about taking time away from your tasks, think of it this way. Regular exercise increases your energy levels + blood to your brain – to make it more productive. So taking time off to exercise helps you get more done.

If you cant work in the Gym, do a little exercise during 2 or more of your breaks (ie, morning & afternoon). A little exercise will get you thru the “after lunch” slump. Do walking, yogurt (yoga), etc. “Get physical to improve your mental”. The time your take will multiply itself and make you more effective and productive.

Conclusion: These are the five lessons I’ve learned to be as effective as possible in the limited amount of time I have. No doubt there are many other strategies.

Comments: What have you found most effective to boosting your Productivity?

from Mashable.com 21 June 17 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz

For more Info, click on Productivity.

Quotes about Productivity

“The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings” LoL

“Manage priorities, not time. If you want to be more productive, you need to become master of your time”.

“Productivity is not just about doing more; it is about creating more impact with less work.

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, then suddenly you’ll find yourself doing the impossible”

“Productivity is never an accident. It is the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, & focused effort”