Beyond Folders : productivity rules

Productivity Myths

Community Manager — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Optimizing productivity, and doing more with less, fuel our days at Pendaflex. So we were intrigued when we stumbled across the eye-catching title: Debunking Three Productivity Myths. First bit of wisdom the article discredits: "Surfing the Internet is bad for productivity." Given that our surfing turned up an eye-opening article that inspired this blog post, we'd have to agree: sometimes aimless surfing bears fruit.

What's more, the article cites a study that says that workers who take breaks to surf the web return to their tasks with greater focus and concentration. Hmmm. What other productivity myths may need to be reconsidered?

"Faster is better" and "You can catch up on work by eating at your desk," also come under fire. Turns out that better decision-making is linked careful, methodical thinking, not faster turn-around. Ditto taking time for lunch: short breaks refuel energy and decrease stress. Both are necessary for true, sustained productivity.

Looking to reexamine other common productivity claims? You'll enjoy 10 Productivity Myths that Hold You Back and 10 Productivity Myths.

What productivity claim to you think is the biggest myth? Share your thoughts here and on the Pendaflex Facebook and Twitter pages.

Making the Most of a Long Commute

Community Manager — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:00 GMT

Long commute got you down? You're not alone. The average American commutes almost 50 minutes a day says the Census Bureau. And the number of "super-commuters," who live far outside a metropolitan area, but commute in for work is growing fast.

Commuting isn't fun, virtually everyone agrees. In fact Time Magazine last year ran a health piece called Why Commuting Sucks the Life Out of You which cited all sorts of depressing statistics including the fact that couples facing long commutes have higher divorce rates than those without.

While long commutes, often in crowded conditions, will never make anyone's list of a good time, we've rounded up some tips to make commuting more bearable and perhaps even productive.

Finish up Work: Technology means commuting time can be used to finish up work that might otherwise cut into home time. Laptops let you send emails, proof reports or read documents. Bluetooth technology allows for hands-free meetings from inside your car.

Get to that Book: Reading is probably one of the most popular commuting pastimes and e-books, read on the slim iPad or e-readers, makes reading even the weightiest tome manageable. Car commuters can get in the action with audio books. Or collect useful articles in your e-reader for subway or train perusal.

Advance Your Career: Use your commute time to fit networking into your busy schedule. Update your LinkedIn profile; send networking e-mails to industry contacts and schedule future lunch and drinks dates with peers. Keep abreast of industry trends by reading useful articles or listening to podcasts. If you commute in the car, use your hands-free device to schedule calls with your mentors.

Scheme, Daydream: Downtime is a rare commodity. While you may not have chosen a long commute, you're stuck with it, so make the most of the idle hour to let your mind wander. Keep a notebook handy or download a note-taking app on your smart phone to jot down any inspiration that strikes.

Unwind: Can't find time to get to that crossword puzzle? Squeeze in a nap? Download that new album and play it from start to finish? You're in luck - you're commute provides a window of time to devote to the little leisure pursuits that you enjoy. Hey, it's not 18-holes of golf but it's a start!

How do you make the most out of your commute? Share your thoughts here and on the Pendaflex Facebook page.

The Only Three Tips You Need for a More Productive January

Community Manager — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:12:00 GMT

Don't you just love January's clean slate? After a hectic holiday season, capped off by a late night of champagne and streamers, January 1^st dawns as a low-key, fresh start. Looking to make this January a time to reset and rev up for the upcoming year? Kick off your 2012 with the only three tips you'll need for a productive January.

Prioritize: The ability to prioritize, to assess your to-do list and triage the most pressing, vital tasks, is a must-have productivity skill. Effective prioritization is also a major stress-buster.

Need help mastering this must-have skill? Study up on the three components of effective prioritization:

Time-constraints: Determine if a project can be put off or if there's a deadline that can't be missed. Next, asses how long each project will take and decide if tackling the shortest projects first makes sense.
Potential upside: Assess which projects or tasks are likely to be more beneficial or profitable.
Consequences: Finally, examine your to-do list and determine the consequences of not getting to a certain action item. If the fall-out would be major if a project is unfinished, that item moves up the priority list.

Decluttercize: Clutter creates stress and inhibits productivity and efficiency. January is a time to tackle those piles, streamline your files, and reboot your efficiency with a thorough office and home decluttering.

Get tossing: Grab that wastebasket; it's time for Decluttering 101. Broken, out-of-date or stained items need to go. If an item is gently used but unneeded, donate to friends or charity.
A place for everything: Asses what remains and find every item a home. Stock up on containers and files to corral items you want to keep. Take advantage of January sales to stock up bins, baskets, closet organizers and files and folders.
Maintaining: Commit to a maintenance schedule of 10 minutes each night and morning to keep order. Set aside larger blocks of time weekly and monthly for projects that require more time.

Exercise: Using and moving your body is a must for energy and productivity. Great feats of athleticism or hardcore time at the gym are not required; even a brisk walk taken daily can do the trick.

Schedule fitness: Break out that new colander and schedule fitness just as you would any important appointment. Find a block of time that works for you, such as first thing in the morning or midday, and make that your regular exercise time.
Buddy up: Partner with a friend or family member and commit to a regimen you both enjoy. Having a buddy keep you honest; it's harder to skip an early morning run when you know your friend is waiting on the corner.
Start small: Get off on the right foot by starting small. You don't need to train for a marathon, or hit the gym every day, but a daily routine of simple stretches as well as 20-minutes of light cardio (a quick walk, taking the stairs at work) can reap a boost in energy and vigor. Don't let an all-or-nothing approach derail you; be realistic about your time and ability.

How do you create and conserve productivity and energy? Share your thoughts here and on the Pendaflex Facebook page.

How to Head Home While There's Still Daylight

Community Manager — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:44:00 GMT

Hurrah! Daylight savings has arrived to add a few extra hours of light during the waning cold-weather days. But what good are the extra hours if you're spending them with your nose to the office grindstone?

Do yourself a favor and learn to get out of the office on time: working late is a habit that gets harder to shake the longer you do it. We have seven tips that will help you leave work at a reasonable hour each night.

Make it a Priority: To begin, make heading home at 5pm, or an appropriate quitting time, a priority. You can't meet a goal you haven't set, so pick a time and stick to it.

Manage Your Time: Leaving the office at a reasonable hour requires managing your time well during the day. Too much time spent in idle chit chat, surfing the web, or in putting off must-do tasks will derail a timely exit each evening. Need help managing your time effectively? Read our tips for time-blocking .

Say Good-bye to Guilt: Don't feel guilty about leaving work on time. If your colleagues are still toiling away, it's easy to feel embarrassed about heading out. But you may be a more efficient or focused worker than your peers. As long as your work isn't being shortchanged, leaving on time is okay.

Farewell to Face Time: Some office cultures unwittingly encourage or reward "face time" making it harder to head home at a reasonable hour. If this is a problem, take time to talk with your boss or colleagues. Demonstrating how efficiently and productively you use your time makes it easier to head for the door.

Ask for Help: When faced with an overwhelming amount of work, rather than burning the midnight oil, consider talking to your boss about redistributing the load. Prep for that conversation by spending time keeping track of your hours so your boss understands the scope of work and hours required.

Baby Steps: Start incrementally; shoot to leave work by 5 or 6pm one night a week and then add a day at a time. Starting small betters your odds of success.

HomeWork: When all else fails, plan to finish work from home. Bringing work home isn't an ideal solution, but sometimes you just want to put the kids to bed or meet a friend for dinner. So head out the door to attend to your personal needs and commit to wrapping up the remaining work at home.

Do you consistently head out the door at a reasonable hour? What are your tips for leaving work on time? Share your thoughts here and on the Pendaflex Facebook page.

The Best Way to Spend 20 Extra Minutes

Community Manager — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:54:00 GMT

When was the last time you heard someone complain about having too much time on their hands? Between juggling work, family and other important commitments (sleep anyone?), every minute of the day is generally booked solid.

But every now and again, an extra 15 or 20 minutes pops up. Skeptical about how much can be accomplished in a mere quarter of an hour? Read on for some tips about maximizing even small chunks of time.

Get Fit: Exercise is the perfect activity to squeeze into short chunks of time. Numerous exercises can be done in just a few short minutes. We like The 20-Minute Workout options from Real Simple and the inspiration provided by WebMD's article, 15 Minutes of Exercise Every Day Reduces Risk of Death.

Get Food: Fresh, healthy delicious meals can easily be whipped up in less than 20 minutes. True, you need to prep with shopping ahead of time, but a big Sunday shop and 20 minutes each night will have a home-cooked dinner on the table every night of the week. Rachel Ray makes it easy with a selection of 15-Minute Meals and for those who want fast and foodie, check out what gourmet food site Epicurious.com has to say in Dinner in 5-Minutes: Fact or Fiction?

Get a Good Book: No time to read? Portable technology like the iPad and Kindle make downloading a book a snap whenever you have a minute. Make the most of your commute or the wait at the doctor's office or DMV. Go ahead, feed your brain. Visit eBooks best-seller list for ideas.

Get Happy: Instantly improve your mood with Real Simple's list of 9 Things You Can Do to Be Happy in the Next 30 Minutes. Many of these are common sense-take a walk outside, stretch-but others are a bit out of the box such as doing a good deed for others by becoming an organ donor.

Get Busy: Productivity blogger PicktheBrain.com doesn't like to waste a minute: check out 20 Useful Things You Can Accomplish in 15 Minutes for productive uses of short periods of time. Ideas include: networking, blogging, talking to a friend, researching and taking the time to eat slowly and savor a snack.

Think you're too busy to find even an extra 20 minutes in your day? Time to study some of our past posts on time-management and organization. You'll be happy you did!

What would you do with an extra 20 minutes? Share your thoughts here!

Organizing for the Weekend

Community Manager — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:43:00 GMT

The days are growing shorter. Too bad your to-do list is still long. When the week evaporates at warp speed, work and chores too often encroach on the weekend. Find free time every weekend by managing your week days better. We've rounded up some smart advice that is sure to give you extra hours for weekend leisure pursuits.

25 Ways to Find Free Time: Huffington Post blogger Zen Habits offers numerous suggestions to carve out more time in the day. With 25 smart, simple solutions, one or two of them will surely stick. Ideas include: waking earlier, watching less TV, delegating, prioritizing and getting the kids to help out.

Find More Free Time This Fall: CBS Moneywatch.com contributor Sarah Lorge Butler too often finds her freelance work creeping into all her quote unquote free time, including holidays. Her solution? Practice self-discipline, manage expectations and be truthful about availability. This means no late night emails; send too many and you'll train your bosses and clients to think you are available at all hours.

Find Time for Fun: NYT best-seller Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, finds more time for fun by being true to herself. Rubin recommends jettisoning those activities that ought to be fun such as jogging, learning French, reading the New Yorker, etc. and doing the things that are actually fun for you.

Too often people spend time on aspirational activities, things people think they are supposed to do and enjoy, rather than activities that are truly fun for them. So say goodbye to stacks of unread Sunday papers, and hello to the novel you've been dying to read. Master the fine art of saying no...to yourself. Voila! More time; less guilt.

How do you find time for leisure pursuits and downtime? Share your thoughts here and on the Pendaflex Facebook and Twitter pages.

Remember Not to Forget: Tips for Enhancing Memory

Community Manager — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:03:00 GMT

Imagine if memories could be retrieved with the flick of a switch. Scientists have recently made that very breakthrough with rats. But since the nascent technology is a long way from use in more complex mammals, anyone looking to boost memory is better served with the tips we've rounded up from across the web.

Clean Desks & Mind Games Make Sharp Memories

Clinical psychologist and author of the Total Memory Workout, Dr. Cynthia Green, has eight tips for helping your memory rival those elephants who never forget. We like the first: keep your desk clean. Studies show organized individuals can better remember.

Green also advocates simple steps such as aerobic activity and stretching breaks to enhance memory. Other ideas include using "neurobic" activities such as mind exercises, puzzles and teasers to keep the brain's cells firing away. For more, read about Dr. Green's eight strategies here.

Be Interested, Be Visual & Be Well-Rested

It's probably no surprise to learn that the better rested your body and brain, the better your memory, says Dr. Alex Lickman in Psychology Today. Sleep deprivation causes all cognitive functions, including memory, to dive off a cliff. But you may be unaware of the link between memories and images.

Memory making is primarily a visual process so if remembering where those car keys are is a challenge, create a visual memory by zooming in on the details, colors and dimensions of the spot where you put them.

Lickman also emphasizes that interest plays a role in memory-making. The more interested you are in a person or information, the easier it is to make and maintain a memory. For more strategies, read Linkman's article How to Remember Things: Proven Strategies to Improve Your Memory.

How do you remember not to forget? Do you have a foolproof means for remembering important items? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.

Shorts Cuts that Don’t Short Change Productivity

Community Manager — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:21:00 GMT

Who doesn't love a short cut? Is there any better feeling than beating traffic on the back roads? Getting to the goal with less time and less effort is exhilarating. Harness that heady feeling at work with computer shortcuts that will have your productivity humming along with a few quick key strokes. We've assembled a list of resources on computer short cuts including:

Microsoft Suite of Products

PowerPoint

Excel

Do you make use of computer shortcuts? What is your go-to shortcut? Share your thoughts here and on the Beyond Folders Community's Facebook and Twitter pages.

by Bradley Eggers

Breaking Those Productivity Rules

Community Manager — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:46:00 GMT

Go ahead, check your e-mail in the morning

Productivity "rules" are great - in a few words, they quickly remind you of what you need to do (or not do!) to have a productive a day. But what about when one of these "always do this" or "never do that" rules don't work for you?

Let's take "never check e-mail in the morning." Great advice that works for many. But if checking your e-mail in the morning doesn't throw you way off course, and you find that once you get a few key e-mails out of the way you are then better able to focus on more important work, that's a successful routine for you - keep doing it, and stop feeling guilty about it.

Now, if the reason you keep trying to embrace this rule is because you do end up lingering in your inbox and wasting time, customize the rule to fit that reality. One way you can do that is by asking "if I were to check e-mail in the morning and make the best, most productive and genuine use of my time, what would that look like?"

For example:

When I check e-mail in the morning...

I check for e-mail only from Bob, Angie, and Mark

I do not open any personal or irrelevant e-mail

I deal only with urgent, deadline-based, or quick action items, and leave the rest

Having these "do's and don'ts" spelled out in black and white can help pull you out of an e-mail trance on those days when you might need a little help to keep you focused. And you can go through this process for any other activities that tend to throw your day off course. Keep these reminders to 3-5 points, visible, and handy (index cards work well), so you can read them every day.

Make productivity rules work for you: they can best help keep you on track to a productive day when you customize them to fit your personality, situation, and the way you work.

Claudine Motto is a Productivity Coach and Professional Organizer in Wellington, Florida. She works with women business owners who want to work smarter and get more done so they can have more time to grow the business that they love, and have more fun doing it. For more tips and information, go to www.vistalnorte.com, connect with her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.