ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

Ray Sidney-Smith - rsidneysmith.com - Your Productivity Guide

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The Podcast of Personal Productivity Lessons in Two Minutes or Less

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ProdPod: Episode Ten -- Meta-Tasking

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

08/09/11 • 1 min

In the last episode, I explained the benefits of single-tasking, or completing one task at a time, over multi-tasking. Well, in this episode's tip: I'd like to introduce a new kind of productivity technique I've coined "meta-tasking." In the last episode, I explained the benefits of single-tasking, or completing one task at a time, over multi-tasking. Well, in this episode's tip: I'd like to introduce a new kind of productivity technique I've coined "meta-tasking."

What if we can take the benefits of single-tasking--focus, greater creativity, more time to relax and less stress, and faster completion of tasks, and add the mythical promise of getting more done by multi-tasking? First, break your day into locations and activities. For example, Home, Commute, Office, Gym, Commute, Home, and Bed are my basic times within which I control my work. Next, ask yourself what tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or any other repeating schedule, do I have to do things like meal preparation, laundry, cleaning, calling customer service or tech support with extended wait times, grocery shopping, etc. For each repeating errand, I can calculate conservatively from experience how much time they take. Finally, I look at my next-actions or projects list and find items that can be grouped together and done during these times when much of my activity requires waiting, for example, while the laundry and dryer are going, I can accomplish two to four 15-minute tasks. When I'm planning my week ahead, I just review my calendar for these repeating errands and I can quickly and easily fill that time in with more productive tasks. Remember, in order for meta-tasking to truly be beneficial is to prioritize tasks where shifting focus is minimal and gives you ample time to finish. Set yourself up for success by having small tasks grouped together. Satisfaction is the goal here, not just efficiency.

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ProdPod: Episode Nine -- Single-Tasking

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

08/04/11 • 1 min

This episode's tip: Single-tasking is the way to achieve more with greater focus and less stress, not multi-tasking. For as long as I can remember, productivity experts have lauded the virtues of multi-tasking, or doing more than one thing at the same time for efficiency's sake. However, what scientific studies have taught us in recent years is that focus on a single task at a time actually accomplishes more than multi-tasking. Think of it this way, your brain cannot consciously have two thoughts at the same time. For example, try to think about what the number one and the letter A represents to you simultaneously. Impossible, no? You must think about one conceptually then the other.

So, what are you doing when you're multi-tasking? You're actually quickly changing focus back and forth between each task. And just like a car, you cannot turn the vehicle in two directions concurrently. And every time you turn the vehicle, you must slow down, recalibrate the car's direction then return acceleration to your original cruising speed. This takes careful focus and time not only with a car but with a change in each task. In essence "single-tasking" to complete a task fully as the only item you're focusing and/or working on is more efficient than the notion of multi-tasking. The ancillary benefits are focus, less stress and faster project completion. This all equates to more time to relax or accomplish more goals that are fulfilling to your productive life.

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ProdPod: Episode One -- Priorities

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

06/24/11 • 1 min

Introducing ProdPod, the podcast of productivity lessons in two minutes or less! For an example of the referenced graph, see: http://goo.gl/niUIs

I'M RAY SIDNEY-SMITH AND I'LL BE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY GUIDE. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF. I AM CURRENTLY THE ORGANIZER OF GETTING THINGS DONE DC MEETUP & THE FOUNDING ORGANIZER OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED GETTING THINGS DONE NYC MEETUP. YOU CAN FIND ME TWEETING ON TWITTER AT G T D D C AND AT G T D N Y C. ANYTHING PERTAINING TO PRODPOD WILL BE HASHTAGGED AS PRODPOD.

AND, SO, ON TO THE MISSION OF PRODPOD, THE PODCAST OF PRODUCTIVITY TIPS IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS. PRODPOD WAS INSPIRED BY TWO EMAIL NEWSLETTERS BOTH OF WHICH OFFERED TIDBITS OF INFORMATION ON MAKING EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE DECISIONS IN YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES. I THOUGHT, WHY ISN'T THERE ALREADY A PODCAST LIKE THIS? SINCE I'M A GETTING THINGS DONE (A/K/A GTD) ENTHUSIAST, I THOUGHT...WHY NOT USE THE TWO-MINUTE RULE TO GIVE QUICK AND SUBSTANTIVE IDEAS AND INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN EFFICIENTLY, EFFECTIVELY USE TO BUILD A MORE FULFILLED AND ENRICHED LIFE. AND, SO...PRODPOD WAS BORN. THIS EPISODE'S TIP: TIME IS FINITE. NOTWITHSTANDING PHYSICISTS' ARGUMENTS OVER THE VERACITY OF THE SPACE TIME CONTINUUM AND THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL THROUGH TIME. AS OF THIS RECORDING, YOU CANNOT MAKE MORE TIME. THE ONLY TOOLS YOU HAVE FOR MANAGING YOUR TIME ARE PRIORITIZING, PLANNING AHEAD AND STRIVING FOR BEING MORE PROACTIVE AND ACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE AND INACTIVE. I LIKE TO ACTUALLY DRAW ON MY NOTEPAD OR CALENDAR WHEN PLANNING MY WEEK AN X-Y AXIS. THE X AXIS RUNNING FROM PROACTIVE TO REACTIVE AND THE Y AXIS AS ACTIVE TO INACTIVE; THEN PLACING EACH MAJOR PROJECT ON THE GRAPH (REPRESENTED BY ROMAN NUMERALS, NUMBERS OR LETTERS) TO DECIDE ON WHAT ARE MY TRUE PRIORITIES. TAKE TODAY AND THINK ABOUT ONE THING YOU CAN DO AT THE PRESENT MOMENT THAT WILL PREEMPT MORE WORK ON YOURS OR SOMEONE ELSE'S PART IN THE NEAR AND LONG TERM FUTURE.I HOPE YOU ENJOY PRODPOD AND I WELCOME THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE PRODPODS VIA EMAIL AT RAY AT G T D USERS DOT O R G OR VIA TWITTER WITH THE HASHTAG PRODPOD. HERE'S TO YOUR PRODUCTIVITY SUCCESS...IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS. THIS IS RAY SIDNEY-SMITH FOR PRODPOD. THANKS FOR LISTENING!

ProdPod: Episode 15 -- How to Form a Productive Habit, Part 4

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

08/25/11 • 2 min

Learning a Productive Habit This is the fourth and final episode in How to Form a Productive Habit. In episode 14, we discussed theory and now we'll be discussing a practical strategy and tactics for coming out victorious in your endeavor to form a productive habit. This is the fourth and final episode in How to Form a Productive Habit--Learning a Productive Habit. In episode 14, we discussed theory and now we'll be discussing a practical strategy and tactics for coming out victorious in your endeavor to form a productive habit.

First and foremost, always beta-test your new productive habit with a balanced perspective (not a critical one)...if you think of this as trial-and-error you'll be motivated longer to build the productive habit.

Second, Do more of the activities that develop the productive habit while conditioning yourself at the very end of habit development, so that when you feel ready to move to your normal habit schedule you're actually just slowing down not having to ramp up.

Small, phases/milestones with no real end goal...definitive goals are a habit killer; adjust for habituation; and, reward good habits (extrinsic motivation helps). Visualize yourself doing the new habit, but also think about the emotional fulfillment you'll feel when you practice the new habit.

ProdPod: Episode 14 -- How to Form a Productive Habit, Part 3

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

08/23/11 • 2 min

Realities of Forming Habits: New Scientific Data This is part three of our 4-part podcast on How to Form a Productive Habit. In this episode, we'll be discussing the realities of forming habits using the most current scientific data on automaticity.

This is part three of our 4-part podcast on How to Form a Productive Habit. In this episode, we'll be discussing the realities of forming habits using the most current scientific data on automaticity.About a year ago, the research associate in Health Psychology, Dr. Phillippa Lally, at University College London DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH in the HEALTH BEHAVIOUR RESEARCH CENTRE performed a study on habit formation systematically as they reach automaticity.The findings are quite interesting, albeit there are some constructive criticisms of the work. Here are the four main outcomes of the study and how it may help us with forming productive habits.1. Automaticity took on average 66 days to be reached. Yes, 66 days. Banish the old concept of doing something repetitively for 21-30 days as once was thought.2. Each person varies for similar habits. In the study, we found that the times ranged from 18 to 254 days to reach maximum automaticity. There are many variables why this may be the case: trying to learn too many new habits at once, not enough focus, time and/or attention, or other not-so-easily distinguishable idiosyncrasies. Ergo, don't think about reaching automaticity so much as the work of forming the habit. It'll reduce burnout.3. Complex behaviors take more time. This may seem obvious but our previous understanding contradicts this. Don't beat yourself up so much about not building a productive habit of exercising regularly; it turns out that it may take significantly longer to reach that automatic state.4. Counter to the great psychologist William James's theory, you can actually omit a behavior (say, miss a day at the gym) and it will have negligible effect on automaticity and long-term impact. However, there was some evidence that the effects of omitting the behavior was cumulative and so it's not a ticket to slack off, otherwise you won't be able to build that productive habit.So, there you go. The real deal, theoretically, about forming habits from the latest in psychological understanding. Please join us for episode 15, our final part of How to Form a Productive Habit, where I'll be covering practical aspects of learning productive habits.

ProdPod: Episode 81 -- Productivity and Your Two Minds

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

01/10/14 • 1 min

Thanks to the Nobel Prize-winning psychologist and father of behavioral economics, Daniel Kahneman, the scientific community has a deeper understanding of well-being. To wit, Kahneman revealed that humans live with two minds--our experiencing and remembering selves. In this episode I'd like to discuss these two selves and how it relates to your personal productivity. EXPERIENCING SELF The experiencing self is that which answers the question, "How do I feel right now?"...what you sense is most important to your experiencing self. Sensory-specific, the experiencing self is mostly focused on the present view of sights, sounds, smells, physical sensations, and tastes. REMEMBERING SELF The remembering self, on the other hand, is a past-focused mind and makes decisions intuitively based on what our brain memorializes of our experiences. It answers the question, "What happened?"...what you perceive happened becomes the story you remember and reenforces it as reality. One way of looking at it is that the experiencing self renders facts now while the remembering self tells stories about what happened. YOUR PRODUCTIVE SELF Do you remember the last time you worked on a really difficult project or task? Well, it turns out that Kahneman's research explains why we dread, procrastinate and even remember projects or tasks as difficult. You see, Kahneman writes about moment-utility (which I've provided a link to his paper explaining it below); the idea is to capture much more in-the-moment data as you experience a situation, such as working on a really difficult project or task. It turns out that when your experiencing self does the tracking and analysis, you have a better assessment of your experiences and you also have a better feeling about positive outcomes. Using Kahneman's findings, I recommend that when you're dealing with a difficult project or task to answer these three series of questions: 1. "How do I physically feel right now?" (The likelihood is that physically you're fine.) 2. "What does success, accomplishment or complete look like for me in the next five to 15 minutes?" (This gives you a more realistic view of the project or task.) 3. At the point of ending a project, task or a period of finishing some part of either, ask yourself (and even better, write it down somewhere), "how good/accomplished do I feel? What have I learned that I can use in the future?" (Ending on a positive message will give your remembering self something to look back on to equate your productivity with a positive affect.) You see, ending on a high note, or on a less negative tone, than the initial upstart difficulty will inevitably teach your remembering self that difficult projects or tasks usually only start off that way. And, even if there are challenges along the way, it's usually only difficult in peak periods. This rewriting of your brain patterns will make you leap at new challenges instead of sulking when you look at your project or task list and see something that might be tough...and this will make you sincerely more productive. See also: Dr. Kahneman's research paper on moment-utility: https://www.evernote.com/shard/s11/sh/8a5a784a-c945-4259-91e0-f76186e7073e/4e927594f4170378dd60ab03217d3617

ProdPod: Episode 46 -- Talking Yourself Into Better Productivity

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

12/11/12 • 1 min

Most people associate the idea of talking to one's self as a problem. However, the kind of talking to yourself I discuss in this episode I think makes you more productive thereby increasing your sanity!

We all have an inner voice; it is a collection of our approximately seventy thousand thoughts per day converted to words as we consciously think them. Let's enlist for our purposes of this discussion Dr. Stephen Covey's Seven Habits definition of control, which is the space between stimulus and response. If that's the case, then when we verbalize our thoughts aloud, we vet our thoughts more thoroughly commanding only the best quality of decisions to act upon. Think about it, if you say what all your decisions are going to be out loud (even privately in your own office/home), aren't you going to be more mindful?I tend to think of this technique in the face of high distraction or procrastination, so I'll give a real life productivity scenario of my own to demonstrate. My ideal morning routine is to check my inboxes, processing and responding to my morning messages before I start the rest of my workday. I'm a FIFO kinda guy (that is, first in, first out -- meaning, I scroll to the bottom of my inbox and read the chronologically first message in, process and/or respond, and move on to the next message). If I'm having a particularly difficult time keeping focused on my inbox or starting at all, I'll literally say out loud to myself, "Ray, you're focusing on the first message to read & respond." I'll repeat myself ad nauseum until I re-focus and continue on my decision to process my inbox.So, go forth and take control of your work and life by talking yourself into greater productivity!// Let's take this idea of talking to yourself into a real life productivity scenario. I come into the office in the morning after a long and trafficked commute. I open up my computer and prepare myself for the day, but still feeling a tinge frustrated by the tribulations of my morning so far. Up pops my email and I scroll down to the bottom to find the first email in from last evening (as I'm a last in, first out email kinda guy). The message is from a client barking orders about this or that and I lose my temper at this client's clear lack of regard for my time and how much work I've put into the process. Pause. Let's take my inner voice and make it my outer voice now. "I'm frustrated by this morning's commute. And, this client wrote me at six o'clock last evening. So, they clearly didn't intend for me to read this message in this negative mindset.

ProdPod: Episode 55 -- The Purpose of Your Productivity System

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

02/20/13 • 1 min

In this episode, I define "personal productivity system." How do you define your personal productivity system? I'd love to hear from you in the comments or via email.

There was a time when I started first studying psychology and its relationship to my personal productivity when I thought my "productivity system" meant automation. Boy, was I sadly mistaken! It took me a long time (18 months to be exact) to figure out that my productivity system wasn't all about automating my life. It turns out that DOING was a huge part of my productivity system, and *I* had to do the DOING. What a shock to my system this was when I spent all that time setting up this amazing system and planning all day! Nothing got done! So, what is the purpose of your productivity system? I've come to define the purpose of a personal productivity system as a way to facilitate you DOING more consistently and better and KNOWING what you're not able to DO at any given time so you can relax and focus on what it is you can do.Let me dive into this a little further so I explain this correctly.The first part of that definition is that your personal productivity system is about doing more and better when you're able to. Doing more means, that by planning out the most efficient ways to get from A to B for any given task or project, you're able to get more done in a focused period of time. This isn't something you can do consistently without a system; believe me, for years, I tried! Next up is the adjective "better." What I mean is, that your productivity system should have a way for you to track what you've done and review what has been done to create as accurate a historical record as possible. Therefore you can match or increase your output sustainably from there. Again, no system equates to not only allowing in subjectivity about "better" but also about using potentially your fuzzy memory to recollect what you accomplished, or didn't. What does better look like for you?Finally, one of the great, rarely spoken truths about personal productivity is the fact that you can't do more of anything without doing less of something right now. Your productivity system needs to be able to help you track when you can do things and when you cannot. Do you know what you can't do right now so you can start doing the one thing now that you can? If so, you likely have a system. If you don't, now you know why you need a system, and what a system really is. How do you define "personal productivity system?" I'd love to hear from you in the comments or via email.

ProdPod: Episode 28 -- Creating Flow: Learning to Fully Use Our Current Productivity Tools

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

12/20/11 • 1 min

Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life.

Bernard M. Baruch once said, "Only as you do know yourself can your brain serve you as a sharp and efficient tool. Know your own failings, passions, and prejudices so you can separate them from what you see."

Many times people ask me for the latest tool, hack or tip that will get them an edge on their life and work productivity. While I don't mind giving that advice, so often I'm baffled that more people don't look at the tools we already have available to us.Have you ever noticed that of the many tools available to us, there is usually one right tool for the job? You know you shouldn't hammer a screw into the wall or call your father with your washing machine. One of the most prevalent productivity crimes I see is using your calendar as a task or projects list. What tool may you be misusing when it comes to your own productivity system?Finally, learn how to the use the tools you have fully and correctly. Nine times out of 10 you don't need the newest features on a tech gadget that's just been released; honestly, you've lived for how many years without it and you've done pretty well, right? Your current tools probably have features and functions that you've yet to explore completely. Learn them well and you'll trust your system more than ever.Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less. Have you ever noticed that of the many tools available to us, there is usually one right tool for the job? You know you shouldn't hammer a screw into the wall or call your father with your washing machine. One of the most prevalent productivity crimes I see is using your calendar as a task or projects list. What tool may you be misusing when it comes to your own productivity system?Finally, learn how to the use the tools you have fully and correctly. Nine times out of 10 you don't need the newest features on a tech gadget that's just been released; honestly, you've lived for how many years without it and you've done pretty well, right? Your current tools probably have features and functions that you've yet to explore completely. Learn them well and you'll trust your system more than ever.Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less. Finally, learn how to the use the tools you have fully and correctly. Nine times out of 10 you don't need the newest features on a tech gadget that's just been released; honestly, you've lived for how many years without it and you've done pretty well, right? Your current tools probably have features and functions that you've yet to explore completely. Learn them well and you'll trust your system more than ever.Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less. Getting to know yourself, your current productivity tools and how to use them correctly is a definitive step in creating flow in your productive life. In the words of the photographer, Ken Rockwell, "Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools."I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less. I hope you enjoyed this episode of ProdPod. This is Ray Sidney-Smith and thanks for listening! Here's to your productivity success...in two minutes or less.

We have one of the greatest miracles in the universe, our bodies and specifically as Mr. Baruch mentioned, our minds. There's a world of knowledge at our fingertips about the way we work if we're willing to pay attention.

ProdPod: Episode 100 -- Mapping Your Productivity Using Mind Maps

ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast

02/15/17 • 1 min

Mind maps are a method of capturing thoughts and ideas, dating back as early as the 3rd century BCE in Ancient Rome. The mind map is simply a diagram where you have a single, central thought in the center with branches off it in a freeform fashion. You can draw thoughts, use different colors, use symbols, and more, to be as creative with your mind map. This creates a highly visual and flexible tool for productivity. Read more.

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The episode title 'ProdPod: Episode Ten -- Meta-Tasking' is the most popular.

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Ray Sidney-Smith - rsidneysmith.com - Your Productivity Guide

Top 10 ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast Episodes

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