Productivity Planner

2009 is definitely the year to be focusing on how to be more productive. Getting more done with less will help to ease some of the stresses and strains of the economic downturn. Increasing workplace productivity through simple changes in your working habits can impact your bottom line in a major way if you and your team take a disciplined approach to your day.

Here are our top 10 suggestions for 2009.

1.) Create a list called “follow up”

When someone asks you to do something via email or telephone, add it to the list. Schedule times of the day or week when you action follow ups. You decide how you run your day.

2.) Turn off your email client.

Make a promise to yourself to only reach for that Outlook button two or three times a day. This is the beginning of you controlling your day as opposed to others dictating your to do list.

3.) Abandon all forms of paper signatures and contracts

Get things signed faster and smarter - avoid delays in contract signature by going digital. It is most definitely legal and doesn’t cost the earth. Echosign is well worth checking out.

4.) Learn what RSS is and use it

Possibly the most powerful, free business tool there is on the planet. It will make you more productive as well as a better business person.

5.) Stop spending hours searching for files and data

Businesses change - information requirements change. Stop right now and reorganise your data structure if its not working for you. Bite the bullet and spend half a day reorganising it - it will save you hours in the long run.

6.) Try this out of office message:

“Thanks for your email. Today, Friday, I will only be accessing email 2 or 3 times a day during the day and so may [Read more →]

Tags: , , Leadership, Inspiration, Management, Organizational Culture by Chris Russell
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All software programs contain hundreds of shortcuts that are not used.

The reasons for this vary but usually include:

1. Memorizing hundreds of the shortcuts is impossible.
2. They force unnecessary hesitation when trying to remember which short cut to use.
3. Users interrupt their workflow because they stumble over all but the most frequently-used keystroke combinations.
4. Most shortcuts are difficult to remember, and are therefore entered incorrectly.
5. The necessity to undo and correct errors from entering the wrong shortcut causing frustration, loss of time, and poor efficiency.
6. Resorting to repetitive mouse commands can cause repetitive strain injury and fatigue for the user.

You intuitively know if you could memorize them and make use of them:

1. Your typing speed would increase.
2. You would have greater accuracy.
3. Your efficiency could really be maximized.

You might know someone who can access hundreds of shortcuts automatically. Without thinking their fingers magically cause wonderful things to happen. Their mouse sits idle while others would be pointing and clicking. They just seem to have an aptitude for shortcuts.

The truth is, among software users, especially those who use several different programs each day, that person is the exception to the rule. Except for the most basic shortcuts, most people can neither remember all those shortcuts, nor move their fingers to the correct keys without hesitating.

So why does software program come with so many build in shortcuts in the first place? Because the traditional keyboard just isn’t enough to cover all the commands that a computer user needs to access its tools. Mouse use and dropdown navigation become necessary evils. Using the mouse can q [Read more →]

Tags: , , Leadership, Inspiration, Management, Organizational Culture by Chris Russell
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On the job training, health insurance, facilities, payroll, etc. A large workforce requires increased management, supervision, and resources; and good leaders usually need to be mentored to carry out the mission important to you. All of these detract from your own personal productivity, time you could spend developing, marketing, planning.

Globalization - It’s no coincidence worldwide economies faltered simultaneously. Globalization has interlinked businesses and individuals without regard to geography. This means you have the world available to you as well.

Freelance workforce? - Much like freelancers offer their unique skills to employers a workforce can offer tremendous assistance to businesses. These arrangements usually work best where high volumes and repeated tasks are necessary.

How does it work? - Many scenarios are available for consideration. But let’s say your business imports seat belt parts from suppliers nationwide or worldwide, and your employees assemble those units before shipping them out. If you experience an unexpected surge in demand that you know is temporary you redirect your import shipments to your freelance workforce who then assembles the units for you.

Why haven’t I heard of this before? - Just in case you may be thinking this sounds like a third world model consider some modern developments. Detroit isn’t the only city losing its industry. Many small towns nationwide have been built on single industries. These communities are left jobless as their industries leave the U.S. Increasing your productivity and lowering your costs by hiring a freelance workforce supports American people while building your business.

Your bus [Read more →]

Tags: , , Leadership, Inspiration, Management, Organizational Culture by Chris Russell
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