1.
Productivity: The Secret Sauce
Catherine Morgan
Career Transition Coach | Business Consultant
Point A to Point B Transitions Inc.

2.
Time is scarce
• Time is your most valuable commodity
• No matter how much time we have,
it never seems like enough
– Family
– Career
– Fitness
– Volunteering
– Hobbies
– Other?

3.
Who gets more done?
• Someone with a lot of spare time?
• Someone with a lot of commitments?

4.
The inner game of productivity
• Need to create good mental space
• Invalidate negative self-talk

5.
Taming the “monkey mind”
• How do you calm the “chatter”
– Exercise like walking, running, swimming
– Meditation
– Yoga
– Other?

6.
Know when your peak times are
• When are you usually at your best?
– Are you a morning person?
– Do you prefer late night for thinking?

7.
How to find more time
• Find out where your “leaks” are
– Keep track of what you do for a week
– Usual time-sucks include:
• Watching TV
• Internet surfing
• Interacting on social media
• Playing video games
• Writing long e-mails
• Meetings
• Volunteering

8.
What causes overwhelm?
“Overwhelm is caused by
NOT knowing WHAT to do,
not by having too much to do.”
~ Michael Port

9.
How to get past overwhelm
• Get things out of your head
– Trying to remember too many things can
cause immediate overwhelm

10.
Capture all tasks
• Overwhelm will subside when you
get into action
• Capture everything you need to do
in some way (paper, software, phone app)

11.
Out of the brain and on to…
• Everybody is different
– No tech: Lists and sticky notes
• Sticky note fun:
– Write each task on a sticky note
– Put all notes on your left
– When a task is done, move
note to the right side for a
visual sense of completion

12.
Software that really helps
• WorkFlowy
• Evernote
• iDoneThis

13.
Create logical groups
• Once out of your head, tasks can be combined
into logical groups or projects
– Business projects
– Personal chores
– Administrative tasks

14.
First way to prioritize: Cha-ching!
• #1. Do the task that is the most important
– Hint: The fast path to the cash

15.
Second way to prioritize: Gulp
• #2. Do the dreaded task first
“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and
nothing worse will happen to you
the rest of the day.”
~ Mark Twain

16.
Third way to prioritize: Check
• #3. Do the easy things first
– Build momentum

17.
Fourth way to prioritize: Whoo-hoo!
• #4. Gauge your enthusiasm
– Which task gets you excited?
– Do that first to get a little energy that can
carry over to the ones that are not so fun

18.
Your friend the calendar
• Be hands-on: Use your calendar!
– Go through your commitments and
other projects
– Define specific tasks and block out times
– Also schedule in breaks and fun

19.
Add in constraints for productivity
• Work will expand to the amount of
time you give it
• Set deadlines - even if they are fake
• Bracket your time with other things
that can’t move
• Keep some kind of a schedule (and
keep your sanity)

20.
Some bonus tips
• Try using a timer with 45 or 50 minute blocks
and then take 15 or 10 minute breaks
• Write a list for the next day when you are
finished with your work day or at night
– You may relax and sleep better – and feel more
productive in the morning

21.
Notice avoidance behaviors
• This happens frequently when what we need
to be doing is scary or tedious
• Notice when you start doing something
(anything!) to avoid the dreaded task
– Laundry
– Organizing your office
– Cleaning
– E-mail

22.
Need to have or nice to have?
• Job seekers can get sidetracked thinking they
need to:
– Learn some software package
– Get a specific certification

23.
Banish crazy-busy
• Forget crazy-busy
– It’s the new normal

24.
Questions?
Catherine Morgan
Career Transition Coach | Business Consultant
Point A to Point B Transitions Inc.
877.672.5333
Catherine@PointAtoPointBTransitions.com
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/PointAtoPointB
Twitter @PointA_PointB
Catherine speaks on:
- Productivity
- Entrepreneurship
- Small Business
- Career Transition