Discount on Deck

September 30, 2009

Inteview: Biggest Productivity Challenge

September 30, 2009

Isha Giezynska from Vanderbilt OwenBloggers (rss)

I have a mind that likes to get as much data input into it as possible. The result is that if I’m doing research for an Unclutterer post, I’ll get caught up in learning about whatever it is I’m researching and forget about the writing. When I was doing research for a post on fireproof safes, I got lost on the Underwriters Laboratory website for close to five hours. Since that time, I’ve learned that a timer can be a good friend. I set it to go off every half hour or hour based on my needs. When it rings, it forces me to stop and think about how I’ve been spending my time. One of the best and most inexpensive tools I’ve found.

Erin Doland from Unclutterer (rss)

My biggest challenge to productivity is probably myself. I am so easily interested in so many different things, and sometimes just as easily disinterested; I have to contain and restrict my curiosity to get anything done. Feed readers are such an unhealthy addiction – mine has more feeds in it than I care to count – and curiosity probably will, one day, kill this cat.

Joel Falconer (rss)

Good question! My current biggest roadblock is discipline (being able to maintain steady, productive behavior in spite of how I feel). The contributing factors? A bunch including unwillingness to defer gratification, succumbing to distractions (heading down the rabbit hole), working on comforting but low value tasks, and low energy/motivation.

How to fix it? Whew! The patented “IdeaMatt Big Arse Text File” shows over sixty resources on the topic, so I have no excuse not to make progress on this. The one that’s helped so far is removing a major distraction by creating structure that makes it much harder to give in to (removing a program/account in this case).

Matthew Cornell from Matt’s Idea Blog (rss)

Interruptions. Literally, people showing up at my door or calling me.

When I really need to concentrate, I shut my office door, or work where people can’t find me.

Brendon Connelly from BikeHacks (rss)

My biggest challenge to productivity would have to be lack of focus. I’m still trying to figure out how to overcome it! Mostly I manage it by scheduling in “lack of focus” time.

Anne from Writers Cabal Blog (rss)

I do all the things that my colleagues, family and friends need me to do first. Those are people that I count on first, so why not get them what they need first? I also realized that my life is completely fluid, and always changing. I relaxed and stopped worrying about getting ahead. I take care of bills and work-related, money making tasks second. It’s become more gratifying to me.

John Trosko from OrganizingLA Blog (rss)

Being very creative is both the source of much joy and much pain for me.
I love generating ideas and options. I truly hate saying no. But ultimately, the very definition of focus, productivity, discipline, and accomplishment is saying NO to everything that is not what is important right now. So I am learning to make peace with saying NO far more often than I say YES.

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

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