ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

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ProdPod: Episode 32 -- Meditation's Power on Productivity Apr 04, 2012

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 32 of ProdPod, the podcast of productivity lessons in two minutes or less. I'm Ray Sidney-Smith, your productivity guide.

What do MRIs, Buddhist monks and meditation have to do with each other? It turns out, your productivity. There are many studies past and ongoing [here's a recent article of one such study] that reveal that meditation has innumerable benefits for helping the mind focus, which is one of the key ways in which we can take advantage of our productive hours of the day. However you express yourself secularly or spiritually, calling it meditation, prayer, quiet time, introspection or otherwise, as long as you focus your attention calmly and steadily, you can gain the mental benefits. By the act of teaching your brain to focus, the rest of the collateral benefits in your productive life follow naturally. I've meditated for many years and here's a quick exercise that I still practice to this day when I find it difficult to let go of my day ahead, or the day's events. With eyes closed, sit in a relaxed, quiet space. You may need ear plugs. And, you should turn your electronic devices off and put them somewhere outside of the room. Start at a small number, say, 20. Breathe deeply through your nose into your stomach (otherwise known as "diaphragmatic breathing" or "yogic breathing"), hold for a moment, and then slowly exhale to the count of three. As you do this, keep your hands rested supine on your legs to combat restlessness and raise your chest slightly as you inhale on occasion to fix your posture. Count silently, "Twenty." Take another deep breath into your diaphragm and repeat as you count down to one. Increase the number of your breaths as you find more time to meditate or reduce the number and tuck several sessions throughout the day. There are many meditative practices, so while this exercise may not fit you forever, use it while you find one that does. Your productivity will be glad you did.

ProdPod: Episode 31 -- Your Digital Productivity System Needs a Paper-Based Redundancy Mar 27, 2012

Show notes

Have you ever been at the bank and the power goes out? They can't do anything! It's quite frustrating and you basically need to step out of line and come back later. Period. Now, let's jump over to your personal productivity system. You've set up the perfect system using your desktop or Web-based tools. You're on top of the world. And, then, the power goes out, or you're on the road and your smartphone runs out of battery life. What now?

Of course, the power going out isn't the only frustration with digital productivity systems. If you have to work somewhere (like a satellite office location or a client's office) that lacks Internet access to outsiders, proper cellular signal or (as in the US Department of Defense) permission to bring in electronic devices, how will you manage? What happens when you fall off the wagon? Projects and tasks pile up or stagnate on your digital lists, right? Are you going to trust your inboxes and lists to manage yourself at that point? Probably not. These are just a few reasons I advocate that everyone who spends the effort developing a robust digital productivity system do themselves the favor of establishing a redundant framework in good old-fashioned paper. Some basic questions to ask yourself about a paper-based redundancy:

Where will I put tasks and projects on paper should my computer or smartphone not be available?

Can my digital system print to a paper list format? I happen to think this is a critical determinant for deciding to use any desktop or Web-based tool.

How often will you test your paper system? Once a year, once a quarter or more often?

I think that how often you test is a result of this next question: what aspects of my system do I need if my paper system needs to be around (a) just for today, (b) for the next week or next few weeks, or (c) for the near long-term?

And, finally, how can I reduce transition cost (time, energy and other resources) between digital and paper?

ProdPod: Episode 30 -- Two-Minute Book Summary: 18 Minutes by Peter Bregman Jan 10, 2012

Show notes

One of my favorite productivity reads of 2011 was 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done by Peter Bregman. Mr. Bregman assembled his book from his highly popular Harvard Business Review blog, and he endeavors to give insights and highly practical tips for just what the title states...and he delivers. In this episode, a summary of his concept of the 18-minute day, a powerful concept anyone can use for a more highly-productive and fulfilled life.

Five minutes at the beginning and ending of the day, plus one minute of every 8-hour workday equates to his 18 Minute Ritual.

1) At the beginning of the day, decide what you'll do today and calendar it.

2) Check in every hour with yourself. As Peter notes, "manage your day hour by hour. Don't let the hours manage you."

3) The end of day ritual.

1. How did the day go? What success did I experience? What challenges did I endure?

2. What did I learn today? About myself? About others? What do I plan to do differently or the same tomorrow?

3. Whom did I interact with? (Actions: And I need to update? Or thank? Or ask a question? Or share feedback?)

(Bregman gives this "end of day" ritual 5 minutes but it always takes me more time than that. Notwithstanding, there's his 18 minutes.)

Paraphrasing the author about this "end of day" ritual, "These minutes" of reflection and quick actions "are the way to making tomorrow even better than today."

I'll leave you with my favorite quotation in the book from Peter Bregman.

"The world doesn't reward perfection/ It rewards productivity."

ProdPod: Episode 29 -- Personal Stress Audit Dec 27, 2011

Show notes

I recently re-read a book I picked up a few years ago by Clare Harris called Conquer Stress, Achieve Success, and it describes something I advocate highly: doing a personal stress audit.

Here's Clare's process:

First: Find a quiet space where you're comfortable and won't be disturbed. You may even want to do a relaxation technique or meditate for a few minutes to release any tensions from the outside world at that moment. Then, with pen and a notepad, make a list of all the most important events that occurred in the last two years.

Next: Create a list or pie chart of the different areas of your life. In GTD, we call these Areas of Focus and Areas of Responsibility combined.

Now, you can go category by category and write down anything that makes you feel stressed, tense or anxious, sad, angry, limited or judged. The author notes you should make sure not to self-judge or self-censor while doing this part of the exercise. Continue writing down items with their categories until you've exhausted ideas.

Then, lay out the categorized lists, mindmaps or however you created them, and look for commonalities, patterns and relationships among the categories' items. From here you should be able to do two things: 1) note which items need change, and 2) asterisk which items need change as soon as possible!

Finally, the part most people leave out when doing any kind of assessment: create a strategy for change! Using SMART goals (see episode 19), create steps for achieving a lower-stress lifestyle. Make sure to include key players in your life: your boss, your spouse, family, friends, coworkers and children.

You know you've reached a point of success when you can start checking off items from your SMART goals list for reducing stress.

ProdPod: Episode 28 -- Creating Flow: Learning to Fully Use Our Current Productivity Tools Dec 20, 2011

Show notes

Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life.

Bernard M. Baruch once said, "Only as you do know yourself can your brain serve you as a sharp and efficient tool. Know your own failings, passions, and prejudices so you can separate them from what you see."

Many times people ask me for the latest tool, hack or tip that will get them an edge on their life and work productivity. While I don't mind giving that advice, so often I'm baffled that more people don't look at the tools we already have available to us.
Have you ever noticed that of the many tools available to us, there is usually one right tool for the job? You know you shouldn't hammer a screw into the wall or call your father with your washing machine. One of the most prevalent productivity crimes I see is using your calendar as a task or projects list. What tool may you be misusing when it comes to your own productivity system?
Finally, learn how to the use the tools you have fully and correctly. Nine times out of 10 you don't need the newest features on a tech gadget that's just been released; honestly, you've lived for how many years without it and you've done pretty well, right? Your current tools probably have features and functions that you've yet to explore completely. Learn them well and you'll trust your system more than ever.
Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."
I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less.
Have you ever noticed that of the many tools available to us, there is usually one right tool for the job? You know you shouldn't hammer a screw into the wall or call your father with your washing machine. One of the most prevalent productivity crimes I see is using your calendar as a task or projects list. What tool may you be misusing when it comes to your own productivity system?
Finally, learn how to the use the tools you have fully and correctly. Nine times out of 10 you don't need the newest features on a tech gadget that's just been released; honestly, you've lived for how many years without it and you've done pretty well, right? Your current tools probably have features and functions that you've yet to explore completely. Learn them well and you'll trust your system more than ever.
Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."
I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less.
Finally, learn how to the use the tools you have fully and correctly. Nine times out of 10 you don't need the newest features on a tech gadget that's just been released; honestly, you've lived for how many years without it and you've done pretty well, right? Your current tools probably have features and functions that you've yet to explore completely. Learn them well and you'll trust your system more than ever.
Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."
I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less.
Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."
I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less.
I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less.

We have one of the greatest miracles in the universe, our bodies and specifically as Mr. Baruch mentioned, our minds. There's a world of knowledge at our fingertips about the way we work if we're willing to pay attention.

ProdPod: Episode 27 -- Parkinson's Law Dec 13, 2011

Show notes

In 1955, a British naval historian and prolific author, Cyril Northcote Parkinson, wrote an essay for The Economist, in which he wrote what now has become the renowned Parkinson's Law, that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

Unfortunately for Mr. Parkinson, the meaning of the phrase he named "Parkinson's Law" has birthed several corollaries, many of which have computer-related meanings, and his meaning has all but bit the dust.

Now we have several versions such as...

Data expands to fill the space available for storage.

Storage requirements will increase to meet storage capacity.

and...my favorite...

Nature abhors a vacuum.

However, it's the Parkinson's Law corrollary in regard to time management that I think will pique your interest:

It states...the amount of time which one has to perform a task is the amount of time it will take to complete the task.

I recently read about a study in which several groups of undergraduate students were allowed to choose their own course deadlines in varying degrees, some were allowed no deadline, that is, to have everything submitted before the end of the course, some got to choose their deadlines during the semester but once chosen they were fixed dates, and then there was a control group with the professor's normal deadlines. Surprisingly, the ones with the professor's deadlines, scored the best. The second best were the ones with the self-prescribed, staggered deadlines throughout the semester. This provides at least some statistical evidence that humans are naturally bound to healthy pressure when it comes to the productive use of our time, and once again gives us heed to listen to Parkinson's Law when deciding how much time to dedicate to a particular task or project.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. I'm Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening. Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less.

ProdPod: Episode 26 -- Technology and Simplicity Dec 06, 2011

Show notes

For those of you who suffer from carrying too much with you on a regular basis, or feeling the clutter of technology accumulate on your desk or around the house over time, think about these three questions to see if you can simplify your technology infrastructure.

1- How often do you use each of the devices you own? Like with your wardrobe, if you haven't worn it this year, it's likely you won't use it next year.

2- Can you consolidate functionality? If you've had a printer, scanner and fax machine sitting around your office or home office for several years, now might be the time to think about consolidating to a wireless, network multi-function printer/scanner/copier and getting a service such as MyFax or eFax that allows you to send/receive faxes by email. This will reduce the devices, clutter and gives you more telecommunications options.

3- Are there new Cloud-based technologies that help you become more device-independent? For example, if you carry a smartphone and an MP3 player, you may want to try out Google Music (the new Web-based music player hosts up to 20,000 of your songs for free so you can access them anywhere) by going to music.google.com and phasing out the extra device.

The beauty of living in an age of advanced technology is that you can also streamline, so why not take advantage!

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE OF PRODPOD. THIS IS RAY SIDNEY-SMITH AND THANKS FOR LISTENING! HERE'S TO YOUR PRODUCTIVITY SUCCESS...IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS.

ProdPod: Episode 25 -- Is your system too complex? Nov 29, 2011

Show notes

Is your system too complex? Well, it is if you spend more time managing your system than your system helps you manage getting things done.

We all have an idea that benefits should be greater than the costs, whether they're tangible or intangible. And, this naturally implies that your developing, implementing and evaluating a productivity system should be outweighed by the amount of time spent actually getting things done.

Said another way, your productivity system should be divided into three areas (as we discussed in episodes 3 and 4 regarding the special theory of productivity): plan, implement and evaluate. For those prone to plan too much or procastinate, planning and evaluating should be contained to about 20% of your time and energy, while implementing (what we call "Doing" in GTD lingo) should be about 80% of your productive time and energy.

This may seem simple, but for many people who are highly interested in productivity, we spend an inexplicable amount of time on lifehack.org, gtdtimes, 43folders and zenhabits, learning about new and innovative topics about productivity and organization, We are actually going beyond the 20% of our time devoted to planning and evaluating instead of the activities that are on our lists. Think about this reality the next time you set aside your focus on getting things done and open up a site that distracts you from being productive. Once you start to be mindful and return to your to-do list, I have no doubt you'll be satisfied that you did!

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE OF PRODPOD. THIS IS RAY SIDNEY-SMITH AND THANKS FOR LISTENING! HERE'S TO YOUR PRODUCTIVITY SUCCESS...IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS.

ProdPod: Episode 24 -- Thanksgiving and Interdependence Nov 24, 2011

Show notes

Every Thanksgiving, I'm reminded about all the wonderful people in my life as my greatest blessing. In our modern, global society, though, it's easy to take many of these important people for granted the rest of the year.

Every Thanksgiving, I'm reminded about all the wonderful people in my life as my greatest blessing. In our modern, global society, though, it's easy to take many things for granted the rest of the year. As way of example, when's the last time you've harvested your own fresh produce or livestock for your family? Even with our deeply interdependent lives, we aren't given many opportunities to highlight the unsung heroes and unseen everyday people who work behind the scenes to make sure our lives are productive.

Interdependence will forever remind me of the words of Dr. Stephen Covey from his 1989 book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
Independent thinking alone is not suited to interdependent reality. Independent people who do not have the maturity to think and act interdependently may be good individual producers, but they won't be good leaders or team players. They're not coming from the paradigm of interdependence necessary to succeed in marriage, family, or organizational reality.
I bid you to be thankful for the great blessing of a productive, interdependent life during this and every Thanksgiving!

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE OF PRODPOD. THIS IS RAY SIDNEY-SMITH AND THANKS FOR LISTENING! HERE'S TO YOUR PRODUCTIVITY SUCCESS...IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS.

ProdPod: Episode 23 -- Nov 01, 2011

Show notes

Perseverance is a definite key to success. And, there are opportunities to persevere in everyday life. "Become a 'possibilitarian.' No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities-- Always see them, for they are always there." ~Norman Vincent Peale I'd like to invite everyone listening to the podcast to my new live, monthly Twitter conversation, Productivity Chat or prodchat. Please visit productivity.podbean.com to learn more, and see how easy it is to join the conversation!

Perseverance is not the prettiest word. It sounds harsh and dark and sharp. It turns out, though, that to persevere is the one characteristic unique among all successful people. Whether it's in love, a kid's soccer game or corporate America, the fact that you didn't give up is the key for moving beyond the short-term wins and losses and onto the greater goal. I started to think about my own life and how I could think about perseverance vis-a-vis my productivity. I persevere when I don't feel like working anymore for the day and I do that *one more item* on my Next Actions list that doesn't take much energy. I persevere when I decide to dive into a large project by doing just the next thing (e.g., that first phone call, email or the first sentence of a vision/mission statement) and then decide to continue on with the next action on that project. In what ways do you persevere every day?

I encourage you to think about these possibilities to persevere whenever you can, every day. There are opportunities to overcome challenges, competing priorities, and take advantage of openings in your schedule throughout the day to greater productivity.
"Become a 'possibilitarian.' No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities-- Always see them, for they are always there." ~Norman Vincent Peale
I'd like to invite everyone listening to the podcast to my new live, monthly Twitter conversation, Productivity Chat or prodchat. Please visit productivity.podbean.com to learn more, and see how easy it is to join the conversation!
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE OF PRODPOD. THIS IS RAY SIDNEY-SMITH AND THANKS FOR LISTENING! HERE'S TO YOUR PRODUCTIVITY SUCCESS...IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS.

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