Simpleology Blog

Clean Slate. A desk that's not weighed down by paper increases productivity.

I recently cleaned up my apartment (for real) and I was amazed at the amount of paper I had accumulated in a little over a year. Though I'm a big fan of paper products, the frightening sight of three garbage bags loaded with paper got me thinking about going paperless.

Sometime ago, Microsoft bigwig Bill Gates caused a fuss when he declared that his office was 90 percent paperless. In the same Fortune magazine interview, he emphasized that losing the paper trail had a "great impact on productivity."

I may have dismissed his anti-paper drive when he first came out with it, but I'm checking out his tips now:

1. Make room for your desktop. Gates claims that his actual desktop is free of clutter. How does he do this? Well, he's got his workload segregated on three computer screens. According to John Peddie Research, Gates' multi-screen technique increases productivity by 20 to 30 percent--as having multiple screens saves you from window switching and resizing.

Then again, not everyone can afford having multiple screens on their desk. In lieu of actual computer screens, you can do it better than Gates by using virtual desktops that segregate work into different workspaces. Sounds complex? Not at all. Just download Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop Manager (Windows XP) or VirtueDesktops (Mac OS X).

2. Use email to get things done. Utilize the free online storage space that comes with your email to keep important documents handy wherever you go. Likewise, you could get rid of the avalanche of Post-Its by using your email as a virtual calendar or planner through free web-based services like Yahoo! Calendar and Windows Live Calendar.

3. Make your email sift itself. Gates is all for filtering emails. We oftentimes receive emails less important than others. These less priority mails steal our attention from the task at hand. They can be filtered to be read at a later time so that our focus remains on the task we have at the moment. For Yahoo! Mail, for instance, there is the filter management page.

Knowing where these tips come from, I'm certainly considering them very seriously. I guess curbing my paper obsession is a small price to pay in order to fire up my productivity. To make sure that Gates had it right, I'll keep track of my paperless progress through the Daily Target Praxis.

Credits: Image of ergonomic desk courtesy of Spacify.com.

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Officially Funny. Scenes from the popular TV show The Office show the many faces of stress at the workplace.

No matter how happy your workplace is, there will be days when the pressure's on and you find yourself barely breathing. You end up not being able express your thoughts clearly, skipping lunch, snapping at your workmates over petty things, or, worse, having a meltdown.

You don't have to see a psychiatrist to find out if you're going nuts. All you have to do is learn some do-it-yourself stress management tips. Here are three moves you can do right at your desk:

Press pause. When you're juggling too many things, your communication skills take a dive. But don't overcompensate for your temporary "blank brain" by saying too much. To make your point at work, try talking less. "Speak concisely, then stop," says Molly Dickson Shepard, author of Stop Whining and Start Winning. "Silence allows your message to resonate."

Laugh Attack. If you're right in the thick of a make-or-break work project, take time to trade jokes with a friend or view some funny video clips. A few moments of laughter can do wonders for your disposition and your productivity. Laughter has a way of renewing your spirit.

Mail Cheer. The most productive people know when to take short breaks. In a study cited by Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, office workers who respond to e-mails from friends and family while working on stressful tasks may be productive in the long run. Taking short breaks alleviates boredom and lifts energy.

These three stress-busting moves certainly don't require much. Hopefully, they'll inspire every stressed-out person to manage the stress levels at work before they get out of hand.

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Paper Problem. Can't handle your piles all alone? Companies like Clutter Organizers do the dirty work for you--for a fee, of course. Photo shows one of their clients' problem areas.

As much as pundits have been predicting that ours will soon be a "paperless society," I don't think we could do without paper entirely.

Necessary Trail
I'm not just saying that because I want to romanticize snail mail and greeting cards. There are documents that you need to keep. The question is, "Which ones and how long?"

Guess what? It's not that complicated.

"While slogging through masses of paper, it's hard to shake the nagging feeling that you'll need something again. Chances are you won't," assures Money magazine's Cybele Weisser in "Take Charge."

In the same article, professional organizer Robin Blank, who runs Chaos Consulting in Boston, points out: "I'd say that 80 percent of the paper that goes into your home will never be looked at again."

Bottom line: Just hold on to the papers that matter. Don't let your paper trails grow into a monstrous pile that could easily take over your home and your life.

Anti-Clutter Guide
To identify which papers to keep, and for how long, use Weisser's guide:

One month: Credit card and ATM receipts (or until you get your monthly statement); receipts for small-ticket items as long as they can be returned (likely 30 days)

One year: Paid utility bills; monthly and quarterly bank, brokerage, and credit card statements; and paycheck stubs until you get your W-2

Seven years: Tax returns, receipts for major purchases, and year-end credit card, bank, and brokerage statements

Indefinitely: Medical records, receipts for home improvements, mortgage documents, current insurance policies, and warranties until they expire

Clean Slate
"Once you have a clean slate, [you just have to consistently minimize] the paper inflow into your life," adds Weisser. "Take your name off mailing lists. If possible, shift to electronic statements for your frequent-flier, brokerage, and fund accounts. You can often opt to receive bills via e-mail as well."

By taking these anti-waste measures, you're also doing the earth a lot of good.

Still, despite the benefits of minimizing paper, I have to admit that it's still a necessity for some very important things--such as birth certificates and, of course, really great books. I like sniffing book pages, thank you very much. I can't do that with an e-book, can I?

So, yes, I'm all for being paperless in the future--as long as old-fashioned books are still around.

Credits: Photo from Clutter Organizers

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Time to Disconnect. If your laptop is the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night, 24/7. Then, it's time to rethink your work-centered routine.

Are you the kind of person who works on weekends and holidays even if you don't really need to? If you are, then it's time you chuck your nonstop, round-the-clock work schedule.

Though it's not easy for many workaholics to sit back and relax, these three simple moves should help ease you into a routine that makes room for you to "recharge" in every way:

1. Draw the line. Free your mind from work-related concerns as soon as you leave your office. "Your ability to do a good job at work depends on whether you have a personal life that refreshes and restores you," states social psychologist Jane Adams, author of Tradeoffs. As the saying goes, "All work and no play makes one a dull person." So, the moment you step into your home, resist the urge to turn on your computer or your laptop. The paperwork can wait.

2. Limit shop talk. If you see your workmates outside work, set some strict rules for your after-office conversations. You can spend, say, 15 minutes talking about the latest project you're working on. Use the rest of the off-work meet-up to get to know your workmates even better. Talk about your favorite TV shows or your pets.

3. Embrace all that's new. Douglas Rushkoff, author of Get Back in the Box: Innovation from Inside Out, states, "To lead a more fulfilling personal life, expand your exposure to people you don't work with." Otherwise, your life experiences will be confined to your workplace. Enrich your life by taking time to learn new things. Sign up for an online art course or music class, explore the scenic spots in your neighborhood, or try out the signature dish of a newly-opened restaurant.

Bottom line: You must always remember that you work to live. It's shouldn't be the other way around.

Credits: Photo by Petr Kratochvil, courtesy of Public Domain Pictures.

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Quick Study. If you've got new data to digest, do it between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

My erratic time management strategy has given way to an out-of-whack body clock for the nth time. For the past couple of days, I've slept late and have started writing at lunch time. This schedule didn't work out as great as I had hoped--and now I know exactly why. I've been running on the wrong schedule.

"The difference between a job well done and job not done could hinge on the time of day you tackle it," says Dr. Timothy Monk, editor of Sleep, Sleepiness, and Performance and director of the University of Pittsburgh's Human Chronobiology Research Program, which studies body rhythms.

To help people like me get back on the productivity track, Monk and his team of researchers have come up with an hour-by-hour guide that'll help us get more things done throughout the day. Check it out and see if you can work on this clock:

7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Get out of the house and go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Those friendly early-morning rays help set your internal clock and the light exercise stimulates the release of those feel-good endorphins. The result: You'll get your mind revved-up for work without relying on caffeine.

8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Your brain is most receptive to intellectual stimulation at this time. If possible, tune in to the news or read it online during this time of the day. You'll be more likely to retain the information that comes your way since your brain is still fresh and uncluttered.

10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The region of the brain that's linked to reasoning registers peak performance at around this time. So, write a report, draft a proposal, review notes, and talk shop with your co-workers. This is also the ideal time for brainstorming sessions.

11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Experts estimate that you're bound to be hyperalert at this time. Thus, this could be the perfect time to call for a meeting. Plus, your vocal chords, which have rested overnight, are still running on full power at this point. Schedule your telephone conferences or online meetings.

1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Your blood pressure and adrenaline levels drop after lunch. Fight off post-lunch drowsiness by popping a piece of mint gum. Its refreshing scent and the act of chewing will help give you your second wind. If that doesn't do it for you, get up and walk around your building for 10 to fifteen minutes. Use this as an opportunity to get to know the people from other departments. Aside from giving you the stimulation you need, your unexpected "tour" will do wonders for office relations.

2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Still feeling sluggish? Save the tasks that you can do on "autopilot" for this part of your day. This is the perfect time to return routine calls, write standard hi-and-how-are-you e-mails, or submit mini-updates to your boss or team. You could also opt to have a quick chat with a friend at the office or over the phone. Interacting with others will give your brain the energy boost it needs.

4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Studies suggest that this is a good time to do detail-oriented tasks such as balancing budgets, confirming reservations, as well as editing and proofreading drafts. Oddly enough, we become more meticulous at around quitting time.

With a schedule crafted by body clock experts, you're sure to have a very productive workday. How can you go wrong? Then again, I'm hoping Monk and company can also draw up an hourly guide for those who work on the night shift such as health workers and law enforcers. They, too, need to know how they can keep their energy up during their work hours.

Credits: Photo by Keith Weller, courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service

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Extremely Gadget-Crazy. Canadian comic Rick Mercer presents a spoof of a BlackBerry ad, where he pokes fun at users who have become way too attached to their gadget.

Technology has made our lives easier--but most of us are paying the price for the convenience it brings.

Without realizing it, many people have become overly-attached or totally dependent on their gadgets. For instance, I have a friend who takes his BlackBerry with him to the bathroom. Then there's my sister who hyperventilates when her building's Wi-Fi connection glitches out. And, of course, there's me. I have to admit that my day doesn't feel right when I haven't spent some time bonding with my machine. Plus, I get antsy when I don't have my mobile phone in my pocket.

So, am I addicted to my gadgets? Life coach Judith Wright, author of The Soft Addiction Solution, enumerates the top three signs of gadget addiction and gives tips on how you can start kicking your gadget-crazy habit:

1. Virtual Reality Attachment
Gadget-Crazy Symptom: You text pals more than you talk to them.
Simple Cure: For every ten to twenty messages, arrange a "real-life" encounter with your family and friends. Unless they're living out of town or overseas, you have to make an effort to bond with your loved ones.

2. Security Blanket Syndrome
Gadget-Crazy Symptom: You feel jittery when your tech tool of choice isn't within touching distance at all times. You carry it around like a security blanket.
Simple Cure: Designate specific places in your home as no-gadget zones. (My picks: the bathroom, the dining table, and the bedroom.) Surely, your heart won't stop beating if your gadget isn't in the shower with you.

3. Secret SMS Freak-Out
Gadget-Crazy Symptom: You stealthily type text messages on your cellphone while you're in a meeting, out to dinner, or at the movies.
Simple Cure: Unless you're expecting a really important call or message, you have to turn off your gadget and totally focus on what you're doing. Tell everyone that you can only be reached via your cellphone at certain hours.

Wright emphasizes that while these nifty mini-machines were built to speed up things for us, we shouldn't let them take over our lives. Bottom line: Yes, we need them--but we can live without them.

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Junk it. There's no sense in holding on to a sock you'll never wear again or stuff you never use anyway.

I'm a pack rat and I just recently decided that it was time to kick my addiction to keeping all sorts of junk. You see, I have held on to stuff I no longer really need like a Rubik's Cube and some socks that have lost their mates because I always thought that they'd be useful someday.

Well, I've accepted the fact that the "someday" I've been thinking about is never going to come. So, it's high time for me to simplify my life by taking the junk out of my apartment.

As Phoenix-based organizational pro Donna Smallin, author of The One-Minute Organizer: Plain & Simple, states: "The challenge is to divest yourself of what you don't need and overcome your urge to keep things "just in case." You may not realize it, but your addiction to junk is costing you--financially and emotionally. After all, you have to dust, label, move, store, as well as sort through them."

Plus, clutter causes you to waste a lot of time looking for things you need--such as your keys. To help you deal with your junk situation, check out Smallin's simple tips on de-cluttering:

1. Fight the paper trail. Sort through and throw away unwanted mail and papers the day you receive them. Better yet, take your unwanted paper to a recycling center.

2. Try not to buy. Rent or borrow books, CDs, and tools rather than buying them. Avoid impulse purchases. You don't want to end up with a collection of gadgets you don't use such as, say, a talking keychain.

3. Make room for one. For every item you're given or you purchase, you need to discard or give away something else to make space for it.

4. Time your "clearing" sessions. Spend five to 15 minutes each day to clear up areas such as your closet and keep at it for several days until it's all nice and spiffy. For big jobs, such as garages, attics, and storage rooms, dedicate an entire weekend and ask a friend or two to help you.

5. Box it up. Segregate your clutter into four boxes: for storage, for giving away or selling, for keeping, and for throwing away. Then, follow through. Don't let the boxes just sit in your living room for ages.

It seems easy, right? Then again, there are pack rats who experience separation anxiety when they have to part with their beloved junk. But we must all take that first step towards simplifying our lives.

"Learn to let go," advises Smallin. "You need to set limits on what you bring to your home. It should be your sanctuary. When it's cluttered, it's overwhelming. Plus, you can't find anything. [When you're free from clutter], you'll feel less stressed. You'll feel in control and clear-headed. You simplify your life when you de-clutter."

And, for starters, you'll actually be able to find your keys.

Credits: Photo of socks by Scott Bauer, courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service

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Laughter is the best speech improvement tool? If experts have it right, even funny clips such as this one are enough to enhance your verbal skills. Take a few minutes to view this wonderfully hilarious Youtube video wherein an amateur crooner sings her own version of a Mariah Carey song. See if it turns you into a verbal vituoso. If it works, imagine what a full-length funny movie could do!

If you're feeling jittery over a very important job interview or office meeting, you can make sure that you're sharp enough to cut through the killer questions by watching a horror movie. Then, move on to a laugh-a-minute flick to make sure that you'll say all the right things.

Sound bogus? I thought so, too. But now I stand corrected.

Mental Mood
As it turns out, movies featuring bogeymen and films that make you laugh are probably just as effective as a pep talk from your friends. They help get your brain in the mood for challenges.

Moods, in turn, help regulate specific tasks performed by the lateral prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that is critical to reasoning and intelligence. "The brain is organized to process emotions along with logic," explains Dr. Richard Restak, a neuropsychiatrist and author of The Secret Life of the Brain.

Thus, it follows that the kind of mood you're in has a direct impact on your mental aptitude.

Reel Study
Restak's assertion is supported by a study done at Washington University in St. Louis.

"It's not simply that emotion 'hijacks' cognition. Emotions can either enhance or impair cognitive function. To understand how a particular emotion influences performance, you have to take into account the type of task in question," says Dr. Jeremy Gray, a co-author of the study.

Indeed, the study's results suggest that emotional states such as enjoyment and anticipation affect tasks done by the left prefrontal cortex. These tasks involve the processing of verbal cues and the regulation of positive emotions. Thus, if this part of the brain is activated then you're able to quickly and efficiently respond to any verbal inquiries. Ideally, you should also be able to digest all the concepts being presented to you.

On the other hand, negative emotions, including fear and anxiety, enhance tasks processed by the right prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for the retrieval of episodic memories of events which you consider significant like dates and details about the people you know.

In order to create situations that would put the subjects in the proper frame of mind for the study, Gray and his team asked them to view a gamut of video clips--from feel-good to anxiety-inducing ones. The subjects were then asked to do specific cognitive tasks while their brain activity was monitored through magnetic resonance imaging or MRI.

Real Life
Gray and company were surprised to find that subjects who viewed a clip from the horror flick Halloween scored 25 percent better on tests of face recognition--which is regulated by the brain's right hemisphere--than those who watched comedies. Viewing comedies, however, led to a 25 percent improvement in verbal performance.

Nevertheless, Restak advises that people must practice "mental hygiene." "Don't pay too much attention to your feelings," he says, "Don't let it get in the way of your performance."

That makes sense, right? After all, we can't just skip job interviews or ditch meetings when we don't feel like it. If anything, that should be our cue that it's time to scream over some fake bogeymen and laugh at onscreen clowns. As a popular Hollywood catchphrase goes: "The show must go on."

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Though I'm lucky that my boss and my workmates forgive my near-meltdown outbursts, I realize that having a short fuse just hinders my productivity and doesn't do much for my health. As a gag gift for my birthday last June, the whole office gave me Bullies, Tyrants, and Impossible People: How to Beat Them Without Joining Them by Ronald M. Shapiro, Mark A. Jankowski, and James Dale.

The book contains many specific get-your-goat segments, most of which we all encounter at some point. Here are three heated everyday scenarios--along with the cool moves you can use to put out the fire:

1. Rumor Mill Entrapment
Tick-Off Point: You find out that someone has been spreading rumors about you.
Major Don't: If you lash out, you'll risk exacerbating the gossip because people will then mistakenly use your outburst as "circumstantial evidence."
Keep-Your-Cool Response: Plan a civil confrontation with the person concerned. Say, "I've been told that you have been speaking against me. I'd love to know why." This way, you take control of the situation and make it clear to the person that you know what he's up to. Whether he owns up to it or denies it completely doesn't matter, you just have to show him that you can't be provoked by nasty, underhanded tactics.

2. Mediocrity Madness
Tick-Off Point: You have to deal with someone who's not too efficient--whether at work or in other dealings in service-oriented establishments like the laundry shop, the bank, or the plumber.
Major Don't: Don't lay the blame on the person concerned (even if you could). It'll just make him defensive.
Keep-Your-Cool Response: People often resort to passive-aggressive moves when they're backed into a corner. Resist the urge to play the blame game and offer him solutions you can both consider. Say, "I noticed that you have a hard time giving me a definite deadline for the project. May I suggest that it be on September 30, 2008? If that's not a realistic date for you, please list down three dates that would be agreeable for you and perhaps we can agree on one of them." By giving the inefficient person choices, you help him save face and feel as if he has autonomy, which may ease his resentment.

3. Musical Debate
Tick-Off Point: You share a cubicle with someone who cranks up the volume of his music.
Major Don't: Turning up the volume when you play your own music selection will only set off a hostile real-life "musical."
Keep-Your-Cool Response: Go over to him and ask, "Do you have to play your music that loud?" By initiating a conversation, you can get to know the real reason for his "audio assault" and not just get mad over the assumption that it was purposely done to ruin your day. Hopefully, your cool demeanor will make him turn down the music and (maybe occasionally) appreciate the sound of silence.

Thanks to Shapiro, Jankowski, and Dale, I now have cool statements ready even when my fuse overloads. After all, anger shouldn't be used as the default bargaining tool. Outbursts of epic proportions don't lead to productive resolutions. They just make things worse.

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With the deluge of new projects, the office's list of "Most Likely to Have a Meltdown" candidates grew long. (I was Number Two!) I had feared that I would be taking home the title--but my friend Julia was declared the winner just a few days ago. She even received the Workaholic Candle which Samantha, our accountant bought as a gag gift.

Julia--who has never missed a deadline--pulled an all-nighter. With her brain near dead after she had already clocked in close to 20 hours straight at the office, she lost it when a setback presented itself the following morning. First, she sent me (and several others) an angry e-mail reminding us to be up to date with our task lists. Then, she fainted as she was getting her nth cup of coffee.

Though she is an invaluable member of the company, Julia has been ordered to go on a real vacation. I hope that the splendid sights of Hawaii are enough to make her realize that doing several things on warp speed isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

I dug up three good reasons that would further convince her and workaholics everywhere to cut themselves some slack:

1. Haste leads to waste. "Taking a moment to slow down can actually help your productivity," says Dr. Kirk Byron Jones, author of Addicted to Hurry. So, take a breather and cleanse your mind to make room for new ideas. Many workaholics often make the mistake of coming up with mediocre work just so they could finish as many tasks as possible. Sadly, their efforts are in vain, as the work's substandard state doesn't make the grade.

2. All work and no play makes you dull. Being serious is great--but it's not advisable to be "too serious." The folks at Slow Down Now, a site that injects humor into the lives of workaholics, certainly think that injecting humor will contribute to one's creativity.

3. Keeping it simple is sensational. In Slowing Down to the Speed of Life: How to Create a More Peaceful, Simpler Life From the Inside Out, authors Richard Carlson and Joseph Bailey assert that workaholics risk losing their capacity to feel childlike joy over "little triumphs." Workaholics, for example, wouldn't feel proud about getting through a meeting. They'll only be happy when they feel that they've trumped everyone else's efforts.

It'll do Julia a lot of good to keep these in mind when she gets back to work. In fact, she should post these three reasons on her giant cork board to remind herself that it's not a crime to quit going on full throttle 24/7. A lot of people at work would be happier when she learns how to create a more realistic task list for her division--one that wouldn't require people to work until they're overcome with mental fatigue. (It's great how you always push us to do our best, Jules...but we can't do much at all if we all get sick from the stress.)

We can all do superb work without running ourselves ragged--or winning the office's "Most Likely to Have a Meltdown" contest.

Credits: Image of Workaholic Candle courtesy of Marriott International, Inc.'s Desert Springs Spa online retail catalog.

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Have you ever felt like your mind's been frozen?

I just lazed around my place over the weekend. I spent my Friday and Saturday nights eating steamed mushroom dumplings and stir-fried vegetables as I surfed the TV channels. I was dozing in bed by nine o' clock on Sunday night.

Sure enough, I started my workweek with a "frozen brain." I knew I was stuck in a rut when a hearty breakfast failed to inspire me to write anything. Much like meatloaf that's been stuck in the freezer for too long, my mind had to be put in the microwave. It had to be "nuked."

Thus, I ended up compiling some useful tips on how to make a frigid mind sizzle with inspiration:

1. Get some mental exercise. Larry Terkel, co-author of Small Change: It's the Little Things in Life That Make a Big Difference, encourages people who've fallen into a rut to cultivate a "passionate pursuit that would energize your mind." He advises: "The more activities you try, the better your chances are of finding a rev-you-up hobby." Thus, you can choose to take on crossword puzzles or other "brain teasers" such as Sodoku.

2. Make a list. Recall 10 experiences that have made an impact on you--whether it's getting commended for your work ethic or being able to pet a koala for the first time. "Focusing on something you find inspiring, rather than pressuring yourself to produce, helps your brain shift gears for those Aha! moments," says Michael Gelb, author of Discover Your Genius.

3. Get out of your box. "Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new," states Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog: 21 Ways to Stop Procrastination and Get More Done in Less Time. For instance, you can listen to songs you normally wouldn't listen to or try out the new cuisine to feel the thrill of a first-time experience.

On hindsight, I realized that my brain had signaled its need to be "fed" with stimulating experiences by growing cold on me. Sometimes it takes a blast of ice to remind you about the warm feeling you get when you discover something wonderful or learns something useful. And while your brain does need a breather once in a while, you have to make sure that it doesn't freeze in a rut.

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My mother is probably one of the most devoted to-do list fans. Unfortunately, she's become a slave to the list. She agonizes over not being able to put a check mark on the tasks she hopes to do each day. Last Saturday, right after lunch, my father finally pointed out this fact. "Honey," he told her, "you spend way too much time making that list. You're beginning to scare me."

I didn't stick around to find out what happened after that. (But I was quite relieved when my father called the next day to report that he and my mother were still sharing the same roof.)

In the article "Is the To-Do List Doing You In?," Kathleen McGowan, explains my mother's to-do list addiction: "Plenty of us create a to-do list to address feelings of being overwhelmed, but we rarely use these tools to their best effect. They wind up being guilt-provoking reminders of the fact that we're 'overcommitted' and losing control of our priorities."

Often, the people who have such detailed lists turn out to be "closet procrastinators."

"Too often, the list is seen as the 'accomplishment' for the day, reducing the immediate guilt of not working on the tasks at hand by investing energy in the list," observes procrastination researcher Dr. Timothy Pychyl, a professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

So what's the first step to kicking one's procrastination problem?

Dr. Bill Knaus, author of The Procrastination Workbook, offers these tips:

1. Learn to prioritize. Don't get bogged down by tasks that could wait. Alphabetizing your DVD collection isn't such a good idea when you have a leaky water pipe to fix. To help you stay focused, use the Daily Target Praxis (DTP) highlighted in Simpleology 101.

2. Do it ASAP. To borrow a popular tagline from a sports apparel ad: Just do it. Don't make excuses to dawdle.

3. Resist "procrastination thinking. " Don't get distracted by things that suddenly come up. So, when a friend invites you to go on a road trip on the day you're supposed to get a lot of writing done, you should resist the urge to use the romanticized adage, "Carpe diem," to justify ditching your responsibilities.

As for my mother, I'd like to tell her that she doesn't really need to feel guilty about not doing that much anymore. Her to-do lists were only somewhat useful when she had to manage a household that had six kids, five or so hamsters, and a couple of dogs. (It's time to take it easy, mom. You've earned the right to procrastinate.)

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In the hope of increasing productivity through goodwill, some companies go overboard. A friend who works for a bank recently told me that he dreaded their upcoming Flashback Day. When I asked what that was, he gave me a disgusted look before explaining, "That's when we dress up as historical figures every Monday. That's how the higher ups are fighting the Monday morning slump."

Only my friend's miserable look stopped me from laughing.

Indeed, a productivity study done by Cambridge University researcher Peter Fleming found that instead of increasing productivity, a workplace that institutes a "culture of fun" actually breeds rampant cynicism. Fifty percent of Fleming's respondents doubted the authenticity of the so-called "fun programs"--which ranged from relay races, scavenger hunts, and variations of other party games. Fleming stated that his subjects probably didn't like the "blurring of traditional boundaries that usually distinguish work and non-work."

Just what sort of fun works for the office?

Lynn Harland's "Attitudes Toward Workplace Fun: A Three Sector Comparison," a study published in the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, reveals that the most universally-liked and accepted fun workplace activity involves food. So, while many employees may be up in arms (or secretly griping) when you make them put on costumes on Mondays, they won't whine when you serve them, say, cookies while you're having your morning meeting.

In any case, there are some companies that have managed to turn "play" into productivity enhancers. I hear the folks at Nokia encourage their employees to play with Lego blocks so that their creative juices flow freely. Then again, as my banker-friend pointed out, "Playing with Lego blocks has a purpose. Dressing up as Benjamin Franklin on a Monday morning is just plain ridiculous."

Enough said. (No offense to Ben Franklin, of course.)

Posted by Bean Jones at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

I used to be such a great fan of multitasking--but an embarrassing incident that happened a few days ago made me change my mind.

I was writing an e-mail to a workmate while composing a text message on my mobile phone with an old college friend. Guess what happened? I ended up writing this in the e-mail message to my workmate: "See you at your Fourth of July shindig, man. I'll stop you from getting smashed." You can imagine how mortified I was when I realized what I had just done--right after I clicked on "Send." It's a good thing my workmate just e-mailed back this: "Huh? Bean, I don't drink."

So much for doing more than one thing at the same time--it probably only works with walking while chewing gum.

However, it occurred to me that most people think that multitasking is the SOP. A 2005 study of employees by the Families and Work Institute in New York City showed 45 percent of U.S. workers believe that "they are asked or expected to work on too many tasks all at once." Unfortunately, these people may actually be wasting a lot of time.

As part of a study, a group led by psychologist David E. Meyer of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor asked test participants to write a report and check their e-mail at the same time. As it turns out, those who jumped back and forth between the tasks took about one and a half times longer to finish than those who completed one job before turning to another.

Other scientific studies also show that trying to juggle jobs rather than completing them one at a time can leave multitaskers with a reduced ability to perform each task well, as the brain constantly "resets" itself with each new task. This, in turn, may lead to inefficiency, sloppy thinking, and mistakes.

Up to a point, people can improve their multitasking skills with practice--at least those that can become routine. Yes, you can sing a song and scrub yourself with your loofah while taking a shower. But, surely, it's wrong for you to answer your boss' call on your cell phone while you're driving. (If this happens, pull over before you take the call.) So--to be on the safe side, avoid goof-ups like mine, and do your office tasks much better--try to just do one thing at a time. Think quality versus quantity.

Posted by Bean Jones at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBacks (0)

It's tough when you get negative feedback, but imagine how difficult it is to dish it out without hurting anyone's feelings. So how do you criticize someone nicely? I myself have yet to learn to do this. That's why I'm so thankful I'm not the boss.

While criticism is necessary for quality control and to ensure productivity at the office, it could disrupt the work flow when it's taken the wrong way. "We are universally reluctant to trigger the hurt feelings, angry defenses, or counter attacks that criticism so frequently arouses," observes psychologist Judith Sills, author of Excess Baggage: Getting Out of Your Own Way.

To make sure that criticism is truly constructive, Sills lists five ways to deliver negative feedback in the most positive light:

1. Don't be one-sided. You have to pair every negative with a positive. You can say: "You are an amazing problem solver, but you aren't following up with the paper work."

2. Stick to the facts. Give feedback on observable behavior only--don't speculate on internal attitudes. At the very least, wait for or encourage the person in question to tell you what's really causing him or her to turn in less-than-excellent work.

3. Make it clear. You have to be very specific about both the problem and the expected solution: "When you do X, it creates problem Y. Next time, try this..."

4. Go the distance. Extend yourself to maintain the relationship. After being criticized, most people withdraw. Counter that by making friendly conversation.

5. Look for the silver lining. Remember that reward is the most powerful change agent. Point out what's wrong and be heavy-handed with what's working will work in the future.

In light of these tips, Sills adds that you have to make the recipients of criticism understand that they can use the negative feedback as guides to being more efficient or productive. Moreover, she advises that you have to make them understand that "the more they matter, the more managers will try to polish their strengths and file their rough edges."

Last but not least, keep in mind that courtesy and honesty go a long way when it comes to dishing out criticism. Most people will welcome the truth, no matter how bitter it is--as long as you don't force it down their throat.

Posted by Bean Jones at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

In my job interview with Mark way back in May, he asked me a question that had me stomped: "Can you work with minimal supervision?" Wow, I thought, is he kidding me? I nearly jumped out of the chair to do an Irish jig. I was ecstatic.

You see, in my first job right out of college, I had a boss who liked looking over my shoulder all the time. I hardly got any work done. I was too busy being scared that I was doing something wrong.

It turns out I'm not the only one who gets the creeps when this happens.

A study published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior reveals that closely monitoring employees will only slow down productivity. Thus, 134 office workers got distracted from their data correction tasks by prompts that popped up on their computer screens. The notifications revealed that they were being "monitored for quality, quantity, or both." Rather than drive them to work harder, the prompts caused the workers to second-guess their performance

Study co-authors by Jeffrey Stanton, Ph.D., an assistant professor of information studies at Syracuse University, and Amanda Julian of Somerville and Company Inc., a Denver-based consulting firm, add that employees also react the same way when they're subjected to video and other types of electronic surveillance.

Stanton pointed out that an "efficient supervisor won't resort to any of these tactics." He then went on to advise bosses to simply get their employees aligned with the goals of the organization.

Bottom line: Bosses should trust the people they hire to do their jobs. Otherwise, why hire them at all? Playing "Big Brother" might be a cool premise for a reality show, but it's not something people (especially those who do their jobs right) want to experience at the office.

Posted by Bean Jones at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

I just recently came across an article discussing the July 2002 survey conducted by Equisys, a business communications company, which revealed that the average employee spends 65 hours a year gossiping at the office. I was flabbergasted to realize that the time lost is equivalent to about eight working days.

The hours eaten up by office gossip may have even increased since then--as people have employed technology to spread gossip. In fact, according to a 2007 case study by Steelcase, an office equipment company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, more and more people trade office gossip via e-mail or instant messaging.

What do people gossip about? "Gossip generally takes two forms," writes USA Today's Stephanie Armour. "[They're] rumors about company changes, such mergers, layoffs, managerial promotions, and staffing changes. [They could also be] personal gossip about specific employees: who is doing well, having an affair, or grappling with personal problems."

But whatever it is that has the office grapevine buzzing, one thing is clear: productivity suffers. Lisa Cieslica, a senior human resources manager for the US-based National Professional Employer Organization, also points out: "Productivity loss is not only experienced by the gossipers... who are spending company time chatting and e-mailing back and forth about the 'latest news,' but also consider the loss of productivity that is experienced by the victim."

To eradicate this nasty productivity drain, Cieslica advises companies to:

1. Be proactive and have open door policy with their staff.

2. Enhance policies against gossiping.

3. Create a culture of mutual respect.

4. Encourage the staff to work as a team, as people tend to gossip about others if they don't know them.

But this doesn't mean that you can't engage in the occasional friendly chat with your workmates. Talk about hobbies, movies, and other fun topics if you like. Should there be any "bad" news discussed, you should just remain neutral. Fanning the flames of controversy won't do anyone--or the company--any good. And surely there are better things to do in 65 hours.

To help keep you focused on work rather than rumors, check out Simpleology 101's Daily Target Praxis.

Posted by Bean Jones at 7:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Monday has been tagged as the day when Murphy's Law reigns. I've listened to The Carpenters harmonize about Mondays always getting people down in "Rainy Days and Mondays" and the Boomtown Rats sing about just plain not liking them in "I Don't Like Mondays." Yet, I still don't get why Monday gets all the flak.

As it turns out, the Carpenters and the Boomtown Rats may have been on to something. In 2003, the American Journal of Hypertension published the results of a study done by Japan's Tokyo Women's University. The study showed that many workers have significant increase in blood pressure on Mondays. It went on to state that there are 20 percent more heart attacks on Mondays than on any other days. This was especially true for office workers, as they reportedly got worked up over anticipated Monday morning office chaos.

Just this year, a poll conducted by online career network Monster revealed that 51 percent of US and 53 percent of UK office workers suffered sleepless Sunday nights because they feared Monday. In yet another survey commissioned by the hotel chain Travelodge, 60 percent of the 3,500 respondents claimed that their Monday morning dread caused their Sunday night insomnia.

Then again, Monday morning--or Sunday night--can only take so much blame. The folks at Monster surmised, that the Monday morning blues phenomenon is a myth. After all, they said, a few practical moves can save you from it. Aside from making sure that you get enough sleep on Sunday, the Monster crew and health experts suggest that you:

1. Think about something good that happened at the office instead of the problems.

2. Plan and organize your tasks. List down what you want to achieve for the day with the help of the Daily Target Praxis (DTP) highlighted in Simpleology 101.

3. Get out in the sunlight--bright light prompts your body to heat up its internal clock.

4. Take a cold shower or exercise in the morning to release those feel-good endorphins.

5. Don't race away from a messy office desk on Fridays. Get it in order so that you'll be greeted with a neat desk come Monday morning.

Bottom line: The so-called "blues" will set in if we let them--it won't matter what day it is. As for The Carpenters and the Boomtown Rats...I guess they only sang about Mondays being blue because they had poetic license to to do. So, from hereon I'm getting rid of my anti-Monday sentiments. Better late than never, right?

Posted by Bean Jones at 5:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

We could all learn a thing or two about office productivity from folks in the software industry. How do they prevent meltdowns in the face of heavy workloads? Simple. They just box time.

Time boxing is a strategy used in software development projects to plan out a project. They split up the project into stages - with each stage having it's own deadline. By employing this one-thing-at-a-time strategy, they finish the project efficiently. This works well, too, when applied to other work environments.

"There are always several things competing for our time," says software engineer David Cheong. "At any moment, each of us could have hundreds of outstanding things to do. This question immediately become important: How can we ensure we get as much done as possible?"

He then enumerates the benefits of boxing time:

1. By consciously being aware of time, it allows us to focus on doing the things that matter most.

2. It serves as a reality check on how much time we spend working on open-ended tasks.

3. Because of the fixed time constraints, it can be an effective tool against procrastination.

4. It allows us to work on things during the free gaps we have between our commitments and appointments.

So, if you're tasked to write a report by your boss, you could time box it this way: write report outline (1:00 to1:30 p.m.), gather data needed (1:30 to 2:30 p.m.), write report (2:30 to 4:00 p.m.), and check report (4:00 to 5:00 p.m.).

Still, this technique isn't exactly a cure for procrastination. Cheong emphasizes: "If the time available we have is limited, a rational person should immediately think about prioritizing their outstanding tasks based on what's important and urgent."

To find out if you're "rational" enough to make time boxing work for you, answer the Time Management Survey devised by David A. Whetten and Kim S. Cameron, authors of Developing Management Skills. That is, if you really have time to spare.

Posted by Simpleology Team at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's one of the many things I do to cut down email overload.

We've been asking everyone for years at Simpleology to stop checking their email throughout the day - and to only check it after they have done their Daily Target Praxis (see Simpleology 101) and completed their Daily Targets.

This has an immediate positive effect on your productivity.  It's like magic.

But if you've been using Simpleology you already know this.

Here are three steps you can take to cut down the email noise even more:

Step 1.  Say goodbye to your current email address. 

Let's face it - if you're getting pummeled with spam it's not gonna stop.  Yes, you can use SpamArrest and other tools like that, but over time the SpamArrest filter box becomes just another inbox to check.  You have to check it for false positives or risk losing mail.

So, what do you do?

You dump it.  Forever.

Ask your sys admin or ISP to put up this autoresponder message:

Sorry, this email box is no longer valid.  To learn how to contact me, please visit (YOUR WEBSITE HERE). 

More about that in a minute.

2.  Set up 5 email boxes as follows.

Your ISP may already provide you with multiple email accounts - if not, set up 5 Gmail accounts (you can access them all from the same copy of Outlook)

You'll need one email box for personal friends and family.  Give that one out to ... you guessed it.

You'll need one for general business contacts.  You give this one out to potential contacts you meet via your business card, your website, etc.  (Tip:  you should use a contact form or otherwise protect your address from spam-bots.)  If you're like me you'll have someone else monitor this box for you and only send you stuff that's important.

You'll need a third box for "close" business contacts.  These are people you work with daily, extremely important contacts, "mission critical" notifications (like the ones you get from Simpleology - hey, when you read us you get more time back than you put in), etc.  You can "promote" certain people to this email box as needed.

You'll need a fourth box that you use to "sign up for free stuff."  Every time you subscribe to a newsletter you'll use this address.

You'll need a fifth and final box for making online purchases.  You guessed it ... Buy stuff - use this address.

So, how does this help?

Read on ...

3.  Filter into 5 separate folders.

You can do this with most email clients.  If you use Outlook (most of us do), for example, you'll use the "Rules Wizard."

You just have to create 5 folders in Outlook (corresponding to the 5 email boxes listed above) and then tell the Rules Wizard to send the email that comes in to each of those accounts to the corresponding folder.

How does this help?

Well, it should be obvious, but give it a shot and you'll see.

After I do my Daily Target Praxis and finish my Daily Targets, then I check my folder for emails from Close Business Contacts.  If you've done this properly, this box should be 100% spam free.

I'll either answer the emails in this folder on the spot or add new items to my Dream Catcher (for processing in the next day's DTP).

Then I can peruse my other inbox folders at my leisure.

Side Note:  If any of you guys want to turn this into a youtube video to make this system easier for folks to follow, go for it.  I'll post about the first/best video tutorial I see in the blog.  Just make sure you show folks how to read this original blog post in the video and also show them how to set up a Simpleology account - it's a vital part of the system.  Post a link to your tutorial in the comments section and I'll keep my eye out for it.

Posted by Mark Joyner at 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBacks (0)

You know you're a geek when you are singing "I've got a crush on Roboform" when everyone else is singing about their crush on Barak Obama.

If you don't have a cyber-crush on Roboform yet, you soon will.  Allow me to introduce you to one of its features.

1.  Download Roboform (do it - it will change your life - and it's free)

2.  Go to a site you search often.  (I am using trademe.co.nz - New Zealand's answer to ebay - as an example)

3.  Enter this as your search term:  rfarg

4.  Hold down the alt key and click on the submit button (or whatever it's called on the site you want to search)

5.  You'll be prompted to name and save

6.  Now whenever I want to search Trademe - or any other site I code this way - all I have to do is type the search term and select the site I want to search from a drop down menu.  In this case I searched for "booya!" - obviously you can pop whatever search term in the query box you like.

You can add any other site that has a query box this way - and this is only a tiny bit of what Roboform has to offer.

Challenge to someone smart reading this:  try a time trial searching this way and the old way - and then figure out how much time that will save the average person per year.

Posted by Mark Joyner at 1:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBacks (0)

Defragmenting your hard drive can give a huge boost in performance on your PC.  Problem is, the Windows "Disk Defragmenter" is "slower than molasses in January."  The new Vista version doesn't even give you any details of the defrag operation, and they seem to have given up on even giving you a time estimate ...

Defraggler (a freeware program from the CCleaner guys), by contrast, is blazing fast.  By allowing you to select individual files to defrag, you can radically cut down the speed of a defrag operation.

Defraggler doesn't have a scheduling option, though, so you should still use the built in Windows Disk Defragmenter tool for scheduled defrags - and use Defraggler when you need a quickie.

Posted by Mark Joyner at 1:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, try this ...

1.  Run the Windows "Disk Cleanup" Tool On Your Machine

Right click on any of your drives.  Select "Properties."  Then look for the "Disk Cleanup" button.  Let it run on the default settings.

2.  Now Download "CCleaner" (Short for "Crap Cleaner") and Run It on the Default Settings

3.  Marvel at How Much More Crap it Finds on Your PC to Clean Up

After you've picked your jaw up off the floor use CCleaner to clean up your registry as well.

Ready to marvel more?  It comes in a "portable" format you can chuck onto a thumb drive to carry around with you (that's what the cool kids are wearing this season).

Keeping your disk and registry clean will really boost the performance of your PC - and this easily translates into more productivity.

Posted by Mark Joyner at 5:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

Most people are surprised to find that Windows Vista (for all its flaws) comes with a cool little tool called "ReadyBoost" that can make your system run faster without having to upgrade your CPU, RAM, or drive.

Here's how it works:

1.  Simply plug in a compatible flash memory (NAND) device, let it auto-detect, and Vista will give you the option to run ReadyBoost.

2.  Run it.

3.  Your system is now using the free space on the device to enhance system performance.

Compatible devices:  USB 2.0 Flash Drives, SD Cards, and CompactFlash.  Not every device will work, so be sure to check the specs of any flash device before you purchase it hoping to exploit ReadyBoost.  (If you have a laptop just bring it into the store and test the device to see if ReadyBoost will detect it - you'll know in about 2 seconds when the device is detected.  If you see the option to run ReadyBoost, run it and see if the device is compatible.  Voila.)

Posted by Mark Joyner at 12:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

"I'd really like to be a best-selling author, but I don't know how to write."

What's funny is that most of the "best-selling authors" I know can't either.

There are some writers, like me, who do indeed write all their own work, but most of the writers I know use other tactics to get the job done.

Here's just a small sample ...

1. Hire a ghost-writer

You'd be surprised by how cheaply you can find quality writers overseas. They'll write an excellent book for you at a price you'd scoff at and say, "Surely this figure is too low!"

And get this: you then even have the legal right to say you are the author of the work.

(Just make sure you use a good contract.  You can find boilerplate contracts of all sorts at places like nolo.com or lawguru.com - or you can hire an intellectual property expert like Bob Silber if you want to fly first class.)

2. Record conversations with experts

This is so simple it's funny that so few people do it.

Just record a collection of conversations with experts, have the conversations transcribed, and - poof! - instant book.

You may not be an expert yourself, but by association everyone then thinks you're an expert, too.

It's so easy it's almost unfair.

And experts will fall over themselves to do these interviews with you because the smart ones know it's long term free publicity for them.

3. Record a conversation with a buddy

OK, so you don't want to write, but you have some thoughts.

Well, ask one of your friends to talk to you about it and ask questions.

You then have those conversations transcribed and massage the final result into a book.

If the conversation is good, it may stand as a book on its own.

If not, you can just massage your responses a bit and - voila! - instant book!

Suggested Resources: 1.  7 Day Business Turnaround Kit (for the "Outsourcing Secret Weapon" module - shows you how to find qualified people overseas for pennies on the dollar - without exploiting anyone), 2. Conversations with Bestselling Authors

Posted by Mark Joyner at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBacks (0)