If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed follow me on twitter or download my FREE beginners guide to creating your own WordPress Blog
Ben Yoskovitz is holding a group writing project called The Ultimate Guide to Productivity Char at Essential Keystrokes tagged me to take part. It is also well worth taking a look at Randa Clays secrets to productivity
Its kind of ironic really, Char tagged me for my input on productivity when I was reading her blog and not doing what I was supposed to be doing. Still I guess minor lapses are allowed 
.
I think one of the biggest tips I have is to write everything down – lists, lists, list. At the beginning of the week I create a list of all the live jobs I have and the dates they are due in. Then I try and break that down into days of the week to try and plan in all the work I need to get done I generally do this in quark and keep updating the list but I have created a work planner pdf to show you the method I use. As soon as a job comes in I try to write it down even if its something as simple as remembering to email someone later in the day. I also find that a list makes me far more aware of what I have to do during the day. You set yourself a goal for the day and hopefully you achieve it. Its kind of satisfying to delete things from the list too. There have been a few times I have thought I had done everything I needed to do for the day, glance at my list and realised I have missed something – so although it might sound a bit obsessive it works for me.
If I have a lot of work on I find starting earlier in the morning more effective than working late. When you start early there are no distractions – few emails and no phone calls, whereas I find in the evening you there are many more distractions and it is harder to concentrate.
One other tip that I try not to do too often – is if I am really busy I will turn my email off for an hour or two. Email is incredibly disruptive, a reply here and there, a quick sending someone a logo all adds up to a lot of lost time not used very effectively.
Anyone can take part in writing their tips to productivity, but if any of you have time or are interested I would like to tag -
Kevin at Blogging Tips
Ahsan at Barely Average Blog
Asgeir at Asgeir Hoem.no
David at David Airey
Santosh at Santosh P
Twitter
RSS
Facebook
8 Comments
Nice post and some good tips here. Getting a picture at the beginning of the week of what deadlines are falling where is a great way to keep on top of things. Thanks for mentioning my post – that was nice of you.
Trying out a similar work schedule just now – will see how it works out.
So far, not so good as I’m meant to be doing letterheads just now…
Hi Randa,
Thanks and no problem for the mention.
Matt, I know the feeling its easy to get diverted.
I have to make another suggestion.
Have you by any chance visited Google Calendar? (that is if you have a gmail account)
Google Calendar is an amazing way to Organize yourself and keep track of everything.
btw, if you dont have a gmail account now it is free to Sign Up.
Really cool blog! I like designers because I have always wanted to be one!!!
Any who, I hope to get some pointers on some projects I am working on…Keep up the blog!!!
For me I’d have to cancel my internet and cable tv accounts. But that’s a little hard to do…
Thanks for the link back.. But requesting to change my initial its ‘Santosh P’ NOT Santosh pP.
I am doing a detailed review of yours and few other blogs very soon
Sorry Santosh,
My finger must have got stuck on the P, its changed now.
10 Trackbacks
[...] tagged by Tara, I’m giving my contribution to Instigator Blog’s productivity [...]
[...] Graphic Design Blog – Secrets to productivity [...]
[...] Secrets to Productivity by Tara [...]
[...] – Secrets to Productivity Randa – Secrets to Productivity StevieB – 100 Ways To Be More [...]
[...] need more information on this, try to read: – aaron’s 5 tips – chris’s flow state – tara’s productivity [...]
[...] Blog. Other excellent posts in this meme areAaron’s 5 tips Chris’s flow state Tara’s productivity [...]
[...] graphic design blog: write everything down — lists, lists, lists. [...]
[...] need more information on this, try to read: – aaron’s 5 tips – chris’s flow state – tara’s productivity [...]
[...] Secrets to Productivity by Tara [...]
[...] graphic design blog: write everything down — lists, lists, lists. [...]