Life Of E's

Successful people are productive people. Part of being productive is taking control over those areas where you can exert some control. Here are 10 areas of your personal and professional life over which you can exert some control: What you wear. I’m assuming that if you are reading this article, you are an adult. So you [...]

Tags: control, productive, Productivity, success, successful

Recently a professor of art history sent me this question: I came to one of your workshops when I was a visiting professor and found your suggestions very helpful. Now, I’ve moved into a tenure-track position and I have a BIG problem. I have lots and lots of computer-generated data. Some of the files I [...]

Tags: computers, files, filing, organization, organizing, productive, Productivity

There are thousands of people who will be reading this post. I know we have people reading who have one drawer (and only one drawer) that is a little over-stuffed and that clutter stresses them out. It may not be necessary for them to repeat this process. However!  For everyone else, you can identify with [...]

Tags: clutter, focus, Productivity, stress, tips

Delegating is an essential part of being productive both at home and at work. There are certainly tasks that I am sure you have done where you asked yourself “did I earn a master’s degree to qualify me to stuff these envelopes?” Other times, you wonder, “Hmmm….why am I doing this when a machine can [...]

Tags: delegate, distractions, Productivity, time, tips, work

There are a variety of ways that your office, workspace (and home) end up partially cluttered with things that belong somewhere else (or to SOMEONE else). You can do some major de-cluttering just by designating a box or some other type of container labeled “belongs elsewhere.” Depending on your situation, this could be a rather [...]

Tags: clean-up, clutter, cluttered, relocating

Write down a problem that you have been trying to deal with (or that you’ve ignored) in your business. I’ll wait. OK. I’ll assume you have that written down. Now, change the wording of that problem into a question. I’ll wait. OK. I will assume that you now have a great question posed. You want [...]

Tags: answers, creativity, overwhelm, overwhelmed, positive, problems, questions, solutions, stress

Your desk should be the place that simply works (and works simply) for you. It shouldn’t be a place of distraction or entertainment. If you don’t feel productive, schedule a Saturday or off-work day (give yourself a productivity furlough day) to give yourself a mini-makeover. If you spend money, save the receipts for tax time. [...]

Tags: clutter, distractions, focus, Productivity, tips, work, writing

In today’s world, people think that the height of productivity is responding instantly (or as close to instantly as possible). In fact, in many cases, this lessens your productivity. In business, we can’t afford to be less productive. Here are tips for downshifting your ability to be responsive so you can upshift your productivity. Email: Getting [...]

Tags: distractions, focus, overwhelm, productive, Productivity, tips

Knowing what your strengths are and then working through your strengths will change your business and professional life. Here are three books worth reading (and I have read them more times than I can count). Now, Discover Your Strengths – Buckingham, Marcus & Donald O. Clifton I cannot recommend this book enough and even though [...]

Tags: book review, productive, Productivity, profits, strengths, work

Do you think you are productive when you’re crazed? Do you think others around you appreciate it when you are on a rampage (or even something shy of a rampage)? Hm… probably not. A question, which comes from my definition of “pockets” as being the difference between being calm and crazed is this (and it’s [...]