The following post is from Prerna of The Mom Writes:

source: Cliff

Have you been struggling to focus and finish a task, even though your plate is overflowing with work?

Are multiple deadlines looming ahead, stressing you out?

Is lack of focus a major cause of overwhelm and anxiety in your life?

Well, you’re not alone.

Most of us find it difficult to focus when we need to do it the most. We get pulled in a million directions and we don’t know which ones to follow or complete.

Here are some simple ways to find focus when you’re dealing with multiple responsibilities, to-dos and deadlines:

1. Use a To-Do List

Yes, whether you use a paper-and-pen list or an application on your smartphone, use a to-do list. Jotting down your to-dos the evening before or even early in the morning will help you ‘see’ everything that needs to be done on that particular day.

2. Tackle the Biggies

Next, put a star or sort the list so that the most important tasks or ‘big rocks’ are right at the top. Skim through the list to identify tasks that can be outsourced or delegated to others easily and painlessly. Also, identify tasks and activities that really aren’t a priority for the day. This exercise will clean up your to-do list and give you exactly what you need to focus on.

3. Work in Shifts

I am a big believer in working at a stretch for short durations and then, taking a break. But when I work, I put my head down and work. hard.

Shut off distractions, resist the urge to check email or Facebook and simply, knock off a 30 to 45-minute chunk of ‘work’ from your list. Then, take a break for 10 minutes or so. Get up, stretch your legs, drink a glass of water, and come back refreshed.

Working in ‘shifts’, as I like to call it, helps me do more easily and without killing myself. Really, I have tried working 2 hours at a go. Trust me, it does not do anything for your productivity and focus.

 4. Practice Laser Focus in Small Doses

If focusing on tasks for 45 minutes at a stretch seems too much for you, try 15 to 20 minutes to begin with. Just pick a task and work on it for 20 minutes. No faffing around, no whiling away looking into the distance, no excuses. Just put your head down and work at that project for 20 minutes. Use a timer if you need to.

Keep extending these laser focus sessions by 5 minutes every day or every other day and you will be a pro at focusing by the end of the month.

 5. More Tips to Help You Focus Right Now

The archives here are home to more such useful tips on boosting and building focus. Here’s where to go if you need more tips:

• Productivity Toolkit to Help You Get Productive Right Now 
• Time Tracking Apps to Boost Focus and Productivity 
• Create a No-Do List to Free Up Time 
• 40 Productivity Hacks for a Fantastic Year

What tips do you have for staying focused when life is hectic and hurried?

	Prerna Malik is a mom, a wife, a writer and woman who believes in being postively productive, parenting with love and creating a home that invites you to put your feet up and relax. Find her sharing her journey and experiences with productivity and parenting at The Mom Writes.

How to Find Focus When Swamped with Work is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Work Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

source: edenpictures

There are some great posts in the archives of Life Your Way that don’t get much attention anymore. This week, I’ll be sharing some of my favorites. Whether you’ve been around since the beginning or are a new reader, I think you’ll enjoy them!

Tsh at Simple Mom shared a great time management tip a couple of weeks ago: Start Your Day by Eating a Frog. While the title may be silly, the premise is simple and valuable – if you start your day by doing that thing that you most dread, everything else will seem easy.

While I agree with her in theory, sometimes I find that what overwhelms me is not one gigantic thing that I’m dreading but the tons of tiny things on my to-do list that are trying to get my attention. If I’m being completely honest, it’s not having a big project in front of me that eats my productivity; it’s the little things.

My mom likes to switch up the old cliche and say that I can’t see the trees through the forest because I get so overwhelmed by my to-do list as a whole that I don’t know where to start, and it’s been known to paralyze me to the point where I get nothing done.

In these situations, I’ve learned that the best solution is to turn my to-do list upside down and start knocking out as many tiny things as I can. The same holds true whether I’m overwhelmed by my blog to-do list, by a messy house after a week of sick kids or by preparations for one of my kid’s birthday parties.

For me, knocking out the tiny things gives me a sense of accomplishment and visually makes my to-do list shorter, thereby making it less overwhelming and easier to tackle.

What methods do you use for conquering your to-do list? Do you often get overwhelmed by your to-do list as a whole, or is it the big “frogs” that stop you in your tracks?

	Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life…Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Getting the Little Things Done is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Work Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

The following post is from Prerna of The Mom Writes:

source:tim pierce

• Do mornings spell S-T-R-E-S-S for you and the kids?
• Does dawdling and doodling make up a large chunk of homework hour?
• Does “hurry up!” seem like the family song?

Well, if ‘yes’, its time to change and introduce the kids to some basic productivity tips. That’s right. Kids of all ages can be taught how to be productive and focused, making life a lot easier for everyone while equipping them with life skills that are bound to be a blessing later in life.

Here are a few productivity hacks for younger kids:

1. One Thing at a Time

While most young kids are good at focusing on the task at hand, if you have a child who likes to constantly move from one activity to the other without finishing either, it is time to gently introduce him to the idea of ‘one thing at a time’. Whether it is a book that you’re reading or a puzzle he’s doing, encourage him to finish it before moving on. Praise efforts completed and motivate him to focus on the task at hand.

 2. Early to Bed, Early to Rise

If the mornings are a source of stress and strain, push bedtimes up a notch and make waking up early easier. This can take some amount of settling in and practice but once the kids get used to going to bed early and waking up early, the dawdling over brushing teeth or showering won’t eat into your morning time.

3. Prepare the Night Before

As part of your evening routine, encourage children to prepare for the mornings. Teach preschoolers to clear away their toys, put out their backpacks and help prepare lunch. You can also involve them in making sure their clothes for the next day are all ready to wear and that any school projects are complete and placed along with their backpacks.

4. Make Organization a Part of Life and a Lot of Fun

Yes, kids as young as toddlers can be taught organization skills to boost their productivity and you can make it a LOT of fun. For instance, teaching them to sort toys according to type can speed up clean up time and having photo-labeled boxes to store those toys in will make it fun. Singing a song while getting dressed will lighten the atmosphere and make the process a lot faster. Weave basic organizing skills into your daily life and let your kids follow your lead.

How do YOU think one can teach young kids to be more productive and organized?

	Prerna Malik is a mom, a wife, a writer and woman who believes in being postively productive, parenting with love and creating a home that invites you to put your feet up and relax. Find her sharing her journey and experiences with productivity and parenting at The Mom Writes.

Productivity Hacks to Teach Our Kids: Raising Productive Children is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Work Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

source: lett -/\=

I am counting down the days to my 30th birthday, and I couldn’t be more excited! Truly! As I was brainstorming ways to celebrate here on the blog, I couldn’t help but think that 30 lists of {30} items would be just about perfect for my type-A, list-making self. Join me for the next month as I share the things I’ve learned in the past 30 years and my hopes for the future! See all 30 Days of {30} posts here.

I am all about efficiency and productivity. I hate to work over myself, and I love to get more done in less time. Not all of these tips are easy to put into practice (anyone else have trouble with focusing on just one thing at a time?!) but they are all effective!

Here are 30 ways you can be more productive today:

1. Focus on one task/project at a time.

2. Take breaks. Often.

3. Get moving, even just a short walk.

4. Use a to-do list.

5. And a no-do list.

6. Eat the frog.

7. Combine a physical task with a mental task for effective multitasking.

8. Eliminate distractions.

9. Schedule time to relax.

10. Organize your workspace.

11. Schedule the big things first.

12. Identify your pressure points and start there.

13. And avoid the tyranny of the urgent.

14. Listen to music or a sound machine to block out background noise.

15. Get ready for the next day the night before.

16. Use a brain dump to clear your mind.

17. Just don’t sit down.

18. Delegate.

19. Use procrastination to your advantage.

20. Create daily routines.

21. Follow the touch-it-once rule.

22. Batch tasks.

23. Schedule margins in your day.

24. Eat a protein-rich breakfast to start your day.

25. Get enough sleep.

26. Get things done early rather than waiting till the deadline.

27. Limit meetings, phone calls, etc.

28. Write short emails.

29. Work when you’re most productive.

30. Use aromas to improve your mood and motivation.

What little things have a big impact on your productivity level?

	Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

{30} Ways to Be More Productive is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Work Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.