Ask The Expert
The Productivity PRO® answers your questions! Submit a question for Laura to
be posted on this page on any aspect of personal productivity.
- What are your greatest time management challenges?
- What organizational difficulties do you face?
- What is the biggest waste of time in your work?
- What keeps you from being productive each day?
- What is the #1 thing that negatively impacts your effectiveness?
- What stresses you out the most?
Questions to "The Productivity PRO®"!
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Question 1
Brenda W. writes, "I'm one of those visual people that have to have my work in front of me. So, my desk always looks a fright..."
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Question 2
Melissa L. writes, "I am a young chemical engineering professional working in the manufacturing industry. I am a very organized person, but sometimes use organizing as a mechanism for procrastination. I have packrat tendencies, and think that as long as everything is organized..."
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Question 3
I love receiving these "E" letters! One of the things I get from them is learning that I am not the only one experiencing some of the issues you describe. Can you write about being both productive but succinct when corresponding via e-mail? I tend to write too much detail...
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Question 4
I am totally overwhelmed with paperwork at my house, because I don't know what to keep and what to toss. Can't remember a time...
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Question 5
I still really enjoy your newsletter. Even on a busy day, when it pops into e-mail, I stop and read it all the way through.
My question for you -- I know it is important to choose one calendar/planning method to use. And each of us has different needs...
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Question 6
I have a long question for you. I feel like my workday is completely out of control. I have a Palm Pilot, and a huge list of To-Do's, ...
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Question 7
I am totally overwhelmed with paperwork at my house, because I don't know what to keep and what to toss. Can't remember a time that I have needed a past gas bill to see my check number written on the stub and when I paid it, yet I do file the darn thing. Sometimes it may be a month or two later when I finally get around to putting statements in the folders. Is there an answer to how long you should keep old bills (i.e. phone, gas, water, sanitation, electric, etc.)? I keep these items filed in a file drawer in folders labeled the month in which they were paid. Any suggestions?
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Question 8
I really like the idea of The Productivity Pro® Answers Your Questions column, although to give you a new question I really had to rack my brain. You've done such a good job of covering a variety of subjects and keeping me engaged.
The columns you've written translate to both home and work. But, I still find that I'm much more organized "feeling" at work and seem more productive. I get home and I think I'm so overwhelmed by it all...
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Question 9
I know it is important to choose one calendar/planning method to use. And each of us has different needs - but how to best make that decision? Is it ever best to use more than one method? ...
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Question 10
Laura: I spent about five hours straight yesterday reading and answering email messages. This area has gotten completely out of control. While this is probably an extreme case, it seems that I have been spending more time on email messages each week. Can you help me with techniques for controlling this time waster? ...
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Question 11
Laura, I disagree with your Office Survival Tip related to frequent interruptions...
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Question 12
Laura, what’s the difference between the “notes,” “tasks,” and “calendar” features on Outlook? I get confused...
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Question 13
Hi Laura, Just a quick question on organization to the Master. I have a whole lot of articles from Reader's Digest that I would like to tear out...
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Question 14
Laura, Do you have any suggestions that would help those of us that are adults with ADHD...
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Question 15
Laura, of the many managers I support in my purchasing position, there are two in particular that greatly decrease my efficiencies by very slow, and sometimes, inadaquate reponses or actions. I have complained to my manager, and her answer is to just bug them often, because they are so busy, they just need to be reminded constantly that I am waiting on them before I can proceed. But, I personally, feel this is a form of babysitting, and I would rather be productive at my desk, than sitting at their desks waiting and nagging. What do
you think?
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Question 16
Laura, in the professional services (accounting) firm where I work, productivity is measured by billable hours, but most of our time is spent doing administrative tasks (imposed by managers) plus we have to strive for effectiveness to try and stay within the client's budget. It's a constant, and stressful merry go round. Any advice?
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Question 17
Hi Laura, I've enjoyed getting the monthly update e-zine and this month's I found especially interesting. I copied and pasted the shortcut keys for quick reference! I think your point about being permanently connect to a Blackberry or other communication device is very relevant.
Over the last few months, I've noticed two items in my own experience that have even further heightened both the speed of my communications, and the need for brevity in my messages.
Specifically, I am referring to Instant Messaging and Text Messaging. Although some companies block instant messaging services like AOL, or MSN messaging in their network, many companies have shifted to either allowing them, or opting for a messaging service through the company email system (Lotus Notes, etc.)
As if email wasn't fast enough, instant message is quickly becoming the dominant form of communication for routine day-to-day messages within my office, and at my clients' offices. Boss to subordinate, and even provider to client messaging have become commonly accepted ways to exchange info. In other words, my boss EXPECTS me to be on IM most of the time.
In addition to IM, text messaging is also taking over as the primary means of exchange on many cell phones. Besides the obvious advantage of being able to send messages while in meetings (or at a noisy bar!) there are some subtle implications in how data is transferred and thoughts exchanged in the world of texting. Abbreviations, symbols and even media files are rapidly fired and responded to in real time.
Of course then you can combine the two—as I do now—forwarding my instant message account to my cell phone - and getting an almost endless stream of messages from the time I leave the house to all hours of the night if I leave my phone on. (And since I also use my cell phone as an alarm clock that is pretty much 24/7).
I would love to see a list of IM shortcuts or text messaging tips in your next newsletter! Or of course, would like to know any other thoughts you have on the subject.
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Question 18
I have enjoyed your website immensely. I wanted to ask you, I noticed on your wall you have a color-coded system on your calendar. Could you tell me how you organize things?
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Question 19
Q1: How do you deal with ongoing projects? For instance, if I'm waiting for someone to call me back on an item, how do you follow up to make sure the project is still moving ahead? I know you manage two lists, long term and short term. But it is difficult to manage the long-term list when some items are out of your control. Q2: Hi Laura! I attended one of your sessions at SHRM and have been working on clearing the desk. It was the best motivation to get me organized! One of my issues is what to do with papers that I am waiting on a follow up from someone else before I can get back to the employee (not related to a project or on-going assignment, just a one-time question/issue that I will have to follow up on. I started by putting it in my tickler file for a week out so I can follow up, but then how do I know where to find it if the response I'm waiting on comes in before the date I file it. For example: I have an employee who inquired as to the status of a request. Unfortunately, I have to rely on a vendor for the response and it may take a couple days. What do I do with the note from the employee? Thanks!
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Question 20
What does one do with a co-worker who rarely puts in a 40-hour week? How do you come to terms with a co-worker who somehow manages to nearly always come in after you and nearly always leaves before you, yet claims to put in a 40-hour workweek? How do you handle somebody who spends several hours out of every day on the telephone with their spouse and relatives, who takes 2 hours plus for lunch and reading the morning paper virtually every day, but who honestly believes they are working hard and putting in the time?
I work with an individual who spends plenty of time telling anyone who will listen how much they are responsible for, going on and on about how they just never really have enough time. These remarks are usually followed soon after by a phone call to a family member or a break to do word puzzles in the newspaper or some other non-work related task. I know this person feels pressured primarily as a direct result of their own failure to stay on task and use time at work to do work. Understanding that does not make it less annoying to have to put up with this sort of negative behavior. I find it VERY difficult to have to listen to this person expound and whine about how busy they are and how much they have to do and how they have no time - when I can see they generally spend no more than 3 hours per day on work related tasks.
I know there is somebody like this in almost every department and office - somebody who believes they are working hard and have a great work ethic - primarily because they have told everyone around them that is how they are for so long they have come to believe it. I also know that it can be quite demoralizing to work with people like this. I see how much time this person is actually spending on work related activities and I know very well it isn't anywhere near what others are being told. Suggestions?
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Question 21
I am a high school Social Studies teacher. I feel that I am a very organized person and have been complimented for my organizational/time management skills. However, I feel that I am not as productive as I could be. It is necessary for teachers to multi-task with lessons to plan; papers to grade; meetings to attend; etc. I would appreciate any suggestions/ recommendations that you could give as I prepare for the next school year.
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Question 22
Laura, could you help me understand the differences between all the different items listed in the folder list (EDITOR NOTE: Navigation Pane) on the left side of Outlook? What are all of those different things for, such as Journal, Notes, etc.?
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Question 23
I learned of your area of expertise through the MS Office "Work Essentials" CD that I recently received from Microsoft Corp. I've read most of the articles on the CD and viewed some of the templates, and they are all very good. I was hoping you might offer some insight on how best to arrange my day.
I have 6 long-term (i.e. on-going from year to year) projects in my area of responsibility.
On any given day, there are between 15 and 20 "action items" (in addition to and/or resulting from the projects) on my "to do" list that should be completed daily, or within a 48-hour period if at all possible.
I have a very "high maintenance" boss who calls me on the intercom no less than 6 to 10 times a day for basically nuisance stuff! (Yesterday, she called me on the intercom just to tell me that she sent me an email... and then proceeded to tell me what was in the email!). She also calls me from her cell phone "numerous" times a day while she is traveling -- again, mostly for nuisance stuff.
The major obstacle to keeping current with my work (besides the interruptions from my high maintenance boss) is that my boss insists that I do a little bit of everything each day (she calls it "keeping the plates spinning") instead of working on one task to completion. I've been doing things "her way" for several months now, but I'm beginning to understand that this is very stressful for me. It generally means that there is almost never a time when I can say that my work for the day is "complete" -- it's always carried over to the next day. For instance, If I'm in the middle of one portion of a long-term project that perhaps has a deadline, and I have to stop what I'm doing because it's "time to switch plates," or because my boss interrupts me to work on something new, I sometimes can't get back to my original task until a couple of days later -- if I don't forget completely -- because the same scenario occurs day after day! That puts me behind, and if I’m not careful, sometimes in danger of missing important deadlines.
I know that there are times when it is absolutely necessary to interrupt current tasks for “special” emergencies, phone calls (in addition to my own incoming calls, my boss expects me to screen her calls), etc. I already schedule times to read and respond to email messages, but I am not allowed to let the phone go to voice mail because the call may be for her.
If you can offer any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. I've tried coming in early and staying late, but we are not authorized for overtime so it's all "gratis" -- which just adds to the frustration and stress levels. The other admins in my office (there are 4 of us, each working for one boss each) don't seem to have this problem. Is it something I'm doing wrong? Can you help?
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Question 24
I have a question for you. I was recently promoted to a created position in which I have two bosses. As you know, this has presented a few challenges. Number 1: what is expected of me. Number 2: How to juggle my assignments from two bosses. Both of my bosses say they are open to suggestions. Basically, whatever I think needs to be done. This is a first for me. HELP! Please offer some suggestions.
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Question 25
I really liked your article last month on lists. When do lists become unwieldy? When do lists become time clutter? When do lists become the task, and not task management?
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Question 26
I’ve often used journals and logs in my
research to record and track activities
and have had great results when
disposable camera photography was
included. These create excellent visual
stories for analysis!
When you work with people using time
logs, do you find it more useful to ask
them to record their activities then
give them tools to determine if they are
being productive, or have them record
their ‘opinion’ of their own
productivity? For instance, you could
ask people, “Do you think you were
productive today - on a scale of 1-10?”
Have you ever surveyed your readers to
find out what they think productive
means? Like, describe your most
productive day in the last six months;
or how do you know when you are being
productive? What words to you associate
with productivity / with
non-productivity?
I’m really interested in getting at this
idea that productivity means more than
just ‘number of tasks completed.’ This
idea seems out of date – industrial
revolution thinking, and not suited for
today’s creative, flexible knowledge
worker economy. It surprises me, coming
from (xxx) where the whole business
model for selling software is based on
improving productivity, that there is
not a more specific and rigorous way to
measure it.
From your articles it seems like one of
the major keys to productivity is
eliminating distractions and staying
focused. Have you ever worked with data
on how often people are distracted and
what their primary distractions are?
Have you read Flow by Csikszentmihalyi,
to correlate his ideas of ‘optimal
experiences’ to productivity?
Thanks again for letting me share some
ideas. I signed up for the monthly
newsletter / looking forward to hearing
your thoughts.
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Question 27
Laura, I'm a retail manager and work
different hours all the time sometimes
it's 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM or later and
others it's 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM. I'm
required to work 44 hours a week (in
November to January it’s 50 to 60). I do
work out 3 to 4 times a week. I don't
have cable or anything like that, so I
see the news, just so I know what going
on, but I don't spend more then an hour
in front of it. On my days off I try to
get as much done as I can, I go to the
store on Sundays because I get off about
7:00. The rest of the week I get off too
late to get much done, and I spend my
days off running to get everything done.
On the days I go in at 12:00, I do get
some cleaning done. I don't make much
and am saving for a house. I have looked
in to having someone come and clean but
it's too much. I feel as if I never have
time to get any real house work done,
and when I do have time, I'm so tired I
just don't want to. I have not been able
to do anything for my self in a long
time. I don't have the time to go out
and meet people. Oh, did I tell you that
I'm 23 with NO LIFE!!!! HELP PLEASE!!!
Sarah
A: Sarah, Sarah, take a deep breath!
You’re being waaaay to hard on yourself.
You just need to do a little bit every
day. Try to clean as much as possible as
you go. Spray your glass shower walls
with no-spot cleaner after showering.
Wipe up kitchen spills immediately so
they don’t bake on the counter or the
floor. Wipe up coffee drips on the
counter, so they don’t stain the grout.
Do a “quick vacuum” if you see a mess on
a high-traffic carpet. Keep a container
of disinfecting wipes in each bathroom
and quickly wipe down surfaces and
toilet seats every few days.
Don’t save it all up and try to get
everything done on your day off. Days
off are supposed to be relaxing. Rather
than running all your errands on the off
days, divide up your errands and
complete one or two each evening. After
working hard all week, you need a period
of time to take a deep breath, recover,
and get ready for another hard week.
I’ve found that by planning for my work
to get done during the week, I can rest
easily and enjoy the weekend once it
arrives.
I’d also encourage you to really think
about the housekeeping and possibly hire
someone for a few hours every other week
to do the hard cleaning. You can post a
notice at your grocery store or church
and find someone for $10-$15 an hour.
Perhaps you’re resistant to part with
the cash. I believe that will end as
soon as you realize the money was well
spent. Cut out a few restaurant meals
and pieces of clothing a month and
you’ve covered the cost. However, if you
absolutely don’t have the money, find
someone who loves doing what you hate
and vice versa, and exchange your
services for theirs. For example, if you
hate to wash windows, trade it with your
neighbor to steam clean his/her carpet.
If you hate gardening, find the best
green thumb in the neighborhood and
offer to watch her kids several times a
month in exchange for fresh tomatoes and
flowerbeds. Two seminar participants
told me their story: One loved to do
crafts and the other loved to bake. At
holiday time, one wraps the other’s
presents beautifully and decorates her
home while the second woman bakes all
the holiday goodies for the other and
prepares her holiday meals. What a great
exchange!
Lastly, if you are consistently
miserable, you need to decide if you
want to stay in the retail industry for
very long. You’re way too young to be
unhappy with your life and are in
control of making career changes that
fit your lifestyle, not the other way
around.
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Question 28
Laura, can you offer me some advice on
how to manage my boss a little better?
He seems to have
difficult starting/ending or getting to
a meeting on-time. People in the office
and on his own team get frustrated with
him. I've already asked him what I can
do to get him out of the meeting and
into the next one on-time. He said I can
go into the meeting five minutes before
it's supposed to get out and let him
know he has five. I've done that, it
doesn't work. Now, people tend to get
attitude with me or are short with me
because he's late or has to cancel a
meeting all together. I've also told
them in front of him that I would
appreciate it they wouldn't do that
because after all, it's not my fault.
I'm just the middle woman here. Can you
offer any techniques or different
approaches I can use with him? I'm at a
loss here but he can't continue this
behavior as it will make him look bad
over time and we want to avoid that.
We're supposed to be modeling him,
right? HELP!!! ?
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Question 29
I'm a VP of Engineering for a financial
software firm. I'm constantly finding
that my mind is being interrupted by
various thoughts (most often my "to-do"
list) throughout the day offering very
limited attention and concentration on
the task at hand. For example, I'm only
picking up small parts of 1-1
conversations, have to re-read things
multiple times before I "get it", and my
mind tends to drift in meetings (I've
even asked questions to things that have
already been answered minutes before).
This sort of mental competition very
often continues when leave the office.
Have you heard this one before? Do I
need medication (seriously)?
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Question 30
Laura, my boyfriend lives with me. He is
extremely sloppy and disorganized. He's
retired. If he drops something on the
floor, it waits until I get home. Since
he's retired, he does the cooking. When
I come home, all I do is pick up and
clean up the mess he's created all day.
I have zippo productivity time. Help!
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Question 31
Hi Laura, I'm a full time uni student,
living on my own, overseas in Australia
(I'm not originally from Australia) in a
rented flat, working a part time job,
and am also involved in several student
organisations as committee members. I
normally have 4 uni assignments (usually
research essays of 2000 words each) to
do every 4 weeks in a semester. I want
to do well in every subject and thus I
sometime spend a huge amount of time
trying to get my assignments very well
done, and I did get excellent results
most of the times, but this comes at a
price. I don't eat well, I never
exercise, and one of the thing that I
hate is that I rarely ever get time to
hang out with my close friends during
peak assignments time and I don't have
time to do self-education such as
reading personal growth books, which I
really want to do. I believe that I can
aim to achieve balance in all areas of
my life; I just didn't know how to
pursue it. Also, I find that when I have
hundreds things on my plate, it can be
hard to maintain the level of focus and
concentration needed to produce best
results. Can you help me on these
matters?
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Question 32
Thank you! I discovered your site
yesterday! Your podcast was a riot! I am
EXACTLY like that except you look
better. I will be exploring your site
with abandon because the way you write
has gotten me to "get" more clearly some
time management principles that I am
already aware of. My prime question is
how to get out of a rut. One,
specifically, I watch about 3 hours of
TV a night, rationalized with I am tired
and am multitasking. I never watched it
until three years ago until someone said
it is relaxing, which it is. I have
gradually turned into watching even
mediocre shows. However, I have lots of
hobbies and interests that I don't get
done because of it. The answer is, of
course, just do it. But so far, I have
not succeeded. Any ideas? Thank you! I
discovered your site yesterday! Your
podcast was a riot! I am EXACTLY like
that except you look better. I will be
exploring your site with abandon because
the way you write has gotten me to "get"
more clearly some time management
principles that I am already aware of.
My prime question is how to get out of a
rut. One, specifically, I watch about 3
hours of TV a night, rationalized with I
am tired and am multitasking. I never
watched it until three years ago until
someone said it is relaxing, which it
is. I have gradually turned into
watching even mediocre shows. However, I
have lots of hobbies and interests that
I don't get done because of it. The
answer is, of course, just do it. But so
far, I have not succeeded. Any ideas? .
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Question 33
I am Flora L. from China, a reader of
your book Leave the Office Earlier.
(Editor’s note: yes, there is a Chinese
version.) It is a good book for
reference. My job is in customer service
in a testing company. I have to receive
calls everyday and answer their
inquiries. I am new to this company and
often have to help others in our team.
If they ask me to deal some trifle
things, I have to put down the work at
hand. Then the result is that they all
can leave the office on time, but I have
to work overtime almost every day. I
don't know how to refuse them, because I
am new. I admit that I can learn more
from this but am exhausted almost every
day. Am I just an inefficient employee?
The second trouble is that when others
take vacation, they leave their jobs in
my hands to handle, but I don’t know
much about their work or how to handle
it. Would you please let me know how I
can improve myself in short time?
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