The Lost Art of Productivity

Do you find yourself always running late? Do you avoid hard work like the plague? Does the thought of rolling up your sleeves make you cringe?

Wouldn't it be nice to always be prepared? Imagine how refreshing it would be to bounce out of bed early, ready and eager for any new challenges that come your way?

Here are 5 tried and true tips that will get you on your way to living a more productive and efficient lifestyle.

1. Declutter

   The very first step in becoming a lean-mean production machine is to declutter. Clearing out all useless junk from your desk, home office and ultimately your home will do wonders for your psyche. You will find yourself thinking clearer and creativity and imagination will become amazingly unleashed. It may seem like a daunting task. The typical procrastinator will think of 101 excuses why it's way too overwhelming to even begin such a process. Stop making excuses! Get serious and regain your common sense. The less "stuff" lying around that suffocates your work space, the more "time" will be opened up for you to accomplish much more. Clutter represents stress, time-wasted and emotional bondage. In order not to become overwhelmed, start with one space, a garbage bag and a "get ready to be brutal" attitude. The more things you are able to toss, the more valuable time you have regained. Less to put away. Less to clean. Less to distract. Free yourself and free your mind.

2. Claim Your Priorities

   In today's world, we face an avalanche of choices. Options galore and a vast array of offers that need to be sifted through. Going through all the tasks that seem worthy can be a time-consuming mess. A definitive killer of the productivity machine. It's much easier to prioritize a list of 10 goals, then it is to pare down 100. Start by making a condensed top ten list of things that absolutely need to get done. Prioritize is the name of the game. This magical list will become a life-saver to the organized mind and set up your tasks in a leaner and more concise fashion. There is a lot to be said for the power of the written word. To see your goals in print, brings them to a powerful reality. This is a known key secret of the most successful. The best way to decide on what's the most pressing, is to take a deep breath and write down everything you'd like to get done as soon as possible. Things that have "final" notice issues, things that have been nagging, and especially anything that immediately rings urgent. Then choose your top ten things and create your mission. When each task can be checked off, your sense of accomplishment, will feed your feelings of empowerment.

3. Squelch the Noise

   There are some that claim that they need "noise" to concentrate. While some may really believe this insane concept, I'm here to shake you out of denial. Your mind has to be clear in order to make decisions, figure out solutions and hear that creative inner-voice that's got plenty of ideas. You can't seriously process these inspirations, if music is blaring, the television is on or the kids are fighting. Background static will only lure you to destructive distraction. The procrastinator in you might welcome such diversions, but your metal and physical energy will be robbed. Twice as much can get done when noise is eliminated, and your stress-levels will also be easily lowered.

4. Eliminate the Interruptions

   Phone calls, unexpected visitors and colorful magazine lying around, can seem inviting. Don't be fooled. These are the biggest and most disguised time wasters. Phone calls from friends and family, stop-by visits, or Cosmo magazines, can turn into hours. When the latest gossip needs to be discussed, the latest drama needs your advice or pretty pictures seem to be calling your name, it sure can get tempting. When things need to get done, and you are truly committed to finishing what you've started, you will politely but firmly let these very sweet people know that now is not the time to talk. Hiding away magazines will be out of sight and therefore out of mind. You'll be more then happy to call them or visit with them, during a more appropriate time. The magazines will patiently wait until your list is completed and tea is brewing.

5. An Apple a Day

   Taking care of your health is essential. Maintenance, if you will. The nagging aches, the recurring headaches, the tooth that is forcing you to chew on the other side are all drainers of concentration. You need to get checked! You need to take your health way more seriously. After all, don't you realize that your health is everything! Failure to do so will only lead to a costlier and more painful inconvenience. Working out, eating right, and getting enough rest will double your output, increase your mental clarity and allow you to look gorgeous every step of the way.

I wish all of you increased prosperity, peace of mind and the ability to get all of your tasks done in a fraction of the time.