book

Productivity For Dummies

by Ciara Conlon

March 2016

Beginner

352 pages

8h 45m

English

For Dummies

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About This BookFoolish AssumptionsIcons Used in This BookBeyond the BookWhere to Go from Here
Understanding the Importance of ProductivityChecking Out Sources of ProductivityDiscovering Why Productivity Matters to YouMoving Forward – Ready, Steady, Go
Discovering Your Reasons to ChangeSetting Goals to Get What You WantConquering the Obstacles
Finding the Personal Benefits of ProductivityEmbracing Business BenefitsHarnessing Employee BenefitsReaping Business BenefitsNurturing Productivity with Happiness and Positivity
Clearing the WayLiving in an Organised HomeGetting Organised at the Office
Increasing Productivity with ExerciseAdopting Meditation and MindfulnessNourishing Your BodyWorking with Your Energy FlowRising Early to Succeed
Recognising the Signs of StressIdentifying Possible Sources of StressReducing StressManaging Work StressReducing Employee Stress

Identifying Your FocusFocussing Like a MonkRefocussing: What You Need to Stop DoingMaking New Habits for Focussing
Understanding ProcrastinationBeating ProcrastinationDiscovering Good Procrastination
Keeping Track of It AllPrioritisingManaging Interruptions
Introducing the GTD WorkflowUnderstanding the Capture ToolsKnowing the Organising ToolsChecking Out the Core GTD ConceptsReconnecting and Reflecting: The Weekly ReviewGetting Familiar with GTD Tools
The Pomodoro TechniqueSlowing Down to Speed Up‘Don’t Break the Chain’Adopting New HabitsPersonal Kanban
Introducing the Productive TeamRunning Productive MeetingsDiscovering Paper ProductivityStreamlining to a Paperless Office
Introducing the Power of ListsSaying Goodbye to the Traditional To-Do ListIntroducing the Benefits of Task ManagementChoosing Your Task Management AppKeeping Track of Your Time
Using Your Calendar to Get Things DoneFiguring Out How to Use Your Calendar
Mastering Email ManagementStaying Productive with Your TabletStaying in Control of Social MediaManaging Electronic Files
Getting the Basics RightOutsourcing Like a ProBuilding Your Virtual TeamManaging the Virtual Team
Productivity for ParentsFocusing Your Attention on Work-Life BalanceRaising Productive ChildrenOrganising the Home Office
Living a Life of SimplicityDecluttering Your Home and OfficeMaintaining the Order
Taking and Storing NotesScheduling Your TimeCreating Good HabitsGetting the Budget RightNetworking Like a ProChecking Out Some Clever Tips for Clever Students
Decluttering Your LifeGetting It Out of Your HeadBeing Mindful Every DayRedefining Your Goals and PrioritiesGetting Some Fresh AirUsing the Pomodoro TechniqueListening to Music with HeadphonesUnplugging from the DistractionsExercising Every DayRemembering to Breathe
Scheduling the First StepGetting Better GoalsEating FrogsEating ElephantsCreating Positive HabitsUsing the Ten-Minute RuleEmbracing AccountabilityLearning to DelegateDealing with Lingering TasksUnderstanding When Procrastination Is Okay
LifehackZen HabitsRescueTimeThe Pomodoro TechniqueSaneBox‘The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business’ by Charles Duhigg‘Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity’ by David Allen‘The 4-Hour Work Week’ by Timothy Ferris‘Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience’ by Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi‘Focus: The Art of Clear Thinking’ by Valerie Pierce

Content preview from Productivity For Dummies

Introduction

Ten years ago, the word productivity had no meaning for me. Apart from the fact I am the most naturally disorganized person I know, I had no inclination to make it any other way. I tended toward chaos, hence the title of my first book Chaos to Control. But having reached my early 30s with three boys to look after and very little achievement to speak about, the time had come for change.

I wasn’t clever enough to go out and seek ways to improve my cluttered and disorganized life; a chance meeting on a sunny day in South Africa was what changed the course of my life. I met productivity expert Gerrit Cloete of Productivity Pit Stop, who sparked my interest and guided me while I learned the things that were about to rock my world and my business for the next ten years.

About This Book

This book is about all the techniques, tools and behaviours that you can adopt to change your life. Most of them have been tried and tested by yours truly. Note that some of the resources I speak about are apps and websites, and although I aim to be as accurate and up-to-date as possible, new applications and software changes happen all the time.

This book is a comprehensive guide to how and why you should become more productive, more organized and more in control of your life. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent who wants better ways to organize your day, a senior manager who is responsible for a large team or a student who wants time to fit it all in while acing your tests, this book ...