The Productive Woman 012 – 10 Indispensable Productivity Tools [podcast]

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_podcastTemplateEvery woman is unique, and her life and schedule and style are unique. So there's no such thing as one right way to manage your life or time, and there are no tools that work for everyone. Every woman develops the system that works for her, and we can learn from each other by sharing what works (and what doesn't.

In this episode I share 10 of the tools and resources I find most helpful. I hope you'll find something you can use. I talk about:

  1. My smart phone, and all the ways I use it. (Hint: I am loving my new iPhone 6 !)
  2. How a carefully kept calendar keeps me on track. (Check out Busy Cal for the Mac and Calendars 5 for iPhone or iPad.)
  3. Why I carry a reasonably sized purse, and what I keep in it.
  4. Post-It Notes.
  5. A comprehensive project and task manager — I use OmniFocus.
  6. Good old-fashioned legal pads.
  7. A timer. (I love the Timer on Fire app on my iPad.)
  8. The Kindle app.
  9. Getting Things Done, by David Allen.
  10. My ScanSnap S1500M scanner by Fujitsu.

Your turn: Will you try one of the tools I talked about? Or can you suggest something that works for you? I'm especially interested in hearing about Windows- based or Android alternatives to some of the apps I talked about. Please share your tips and thoughts in the comments.

 

Subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher, and join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook. And don't forget to check out the other podcasts that make you think, laugh, and succeed at Noodle.mx!

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me

The Productive Woman 011 – 15 Minutes to Sanity: 9 Steps to Handling Overwhelm [podcast]

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_podcastTemplateSometimes, no matter how organized we are or how carefully we plan, life just takes over and throws way too much at us. When there's too much to do and not enough time to get it done, we can feel panicky, stressed, and overwhelmed. I've developed a simple 15-minute process that can help bring me back from the brink, calm me down, and get me through these crisis moments. It involves 9 steps:

  1. Take 1 minute to breathe and calm your mind.
  2. Take 5 minutes to clear your work space.
  3. Take 5 more minutes to clear your mind by listing everything that needs to get done–don't organize or prioritize; just do a brain dump.
  4. Scan the list and identify tasks that can be delegated–don't be too proud to ask for help!
  5. Scan the list again and find those tasks that can be put off for a day or two without causing a disaster. Circle the tasks that need immediate attention.
  6. Pick one of the circled items–don't agonize about priority: just pick one.
  7. Clear everything else off your desk, gather the materials you need for the chosen task, and get it done. (Try the Pomodoro technique if the task will take more than 30 minutes or so.) It helps me to put on some instrumental music–I use the movie themes channel on Pandora played through my computer speakers.
  8. When you've finished that task, cross it off the list and pick another circled item. Repeat the process until they're all done.
  9. Give yourself a pat on the back, and celebrate surviving the crisis.

Simple but effective!

Your turn: Do you think this process will work for you? Or can you suggest an approach that works for you when it all gets to be too much? Please share your tips and thoughts in the comments.

A couple of helpful resources:

Subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher, and join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook.

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me

The Productive Woman 010 – Tips for Stress-Free Travel [podcast]

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_podcastTemplateTravel can be stressful, but there are lots of things we can do to make it less so. I asked my connections on Facebook to share some of their favorite tips for productive and stress-free travel, and in this episode I share their tips, as well as some of my own.

I won't try to summarize all of them here–you'll need to listen to catch some great suggestions–but here are links for some great resources that are mentioned in the episode, as well as some bonus resources.

Resources:

Thank you to these wonderful ladies* for sharing their tips. Please check out their websites to learn more about them:

* My sincere apologies to those of you whose names I butchered on-air.

What about you? Which of the tips from this episode will you try on your next trip? Or did we miss the travel tip or tool you rely on most? Please share your questions or your best tips in the comments.

Subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher, and join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook.

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me

The Productive Woman 009 – Getting Healthy and More Productive [podcast]

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_podcastTemplateTons of studies show that healthier people are more productive, but modern life makes staying healthy and fit a challenge for all of us. How does health impact our productivity, what are the basics that contribute to good health, and how can we get healthier without spending all our time thinking about it?

Tip of the Week: Use empty Altoids tins to organize small items in your desk drawer or kitchen junk drawer. Check out this photo to see how Altoids tins can help you organize.

Tool of the Week: The Fitbit helps you monitor your health and can help motivate you to move more.

Topic of the Week: Getting Healthy to Get More Productive

How does health impact our productivity?

  • Many studies show that healthy people simply get more done.
  • When our health is poor, we have less energy, less mental focus, less resistance to things that are bad for us, and less ability to cope with stress and bounce back from crises.

What are the basics that contribute to good health?

  • Diet/nutrition – quality fuel in appropriate amounts
  • Adequate exercise – movement is good for our bodies and good for our attitude
  • Adequate, quality sleep
  • Sufficient water

Some simple tips for getting healthier:

  • Set small goals.
  • Don't wait for the perfect situation — a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.
  • Do something every day.
  • Get a physical exam.
  • Change your habits in small ways.
  • Combine exercise and socializing / relationship-building.
  • Write down what you eat.
  • Eat a little bit better each day.
  • At a buffet (or any meal), fill half your plate with a salad, a quarter with other vegetables, and only the remaining quarter with lean proteins and starches, and eat the salad first.
  • Improve your posture.
  • Get more/better sleep.
  • Educate yourself.
  • Don't give up – if you mess up one day, start over the next.

Resources:

“The Most Important Body Language Signal for Success,” by Carol Kinsey Goman, Forbes.com.

“5 Health Hacks for Higher Productivity,” Todoist blog.

“Your Ultimate Guide to Health, Wellness, and Productivity,” by Erica Murphy, Levo League, July 16, 2014 — tons of links to helpful articles on various health and fitness topics.

Sleep:
“How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?”, National Sleep Foundation.

“Sleep Through the Decades,” by Gina Shaw, WebMD.

Water:
“The Consequences of a Lack of Water,” by Louise Tremblay, Livestrong.com, November 27, 2013.

“Why Your Brain Needs Water,” by Joshua Gowin, Ph.D., on Psychology Today online.

What about you? Which area of your health do you struggle with most? Is there a suggestion from this week's episode that you'll try tomorrow to move toward a healthier lifestyle? Or can you suggest a tip that works for you and might help others get healthier and more fit? Please share your thoughts or suggestions in the comments.

Subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher, and join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook.

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me