Displaying All Posts by Susan Johnston

Where Do You Work Best?

Susan Johnston 22nd June Productivity 20 Comments

    Some people need absolute, morgue-like silence to get real work done. Others are content to type away amidst chaos like chattering coworkers or screaming kids. As a work-at-home freelancer, I love being able to vary my work environment. It was tough when I had roommates who watched TV in my “office” (also a corner of the living room), but I managed to bang out dozens of articles, blog posts, and copywriting assignments.

    Now I alternate between rocking out to show tunes in my home office (blissfully devoid of coworkers or kids) or heading to the library or a coffee shop to change things up and be among other people. I’ve even been known to type on the subway with my netbook, but that’s far from ideal for me.

    What about you? What’s your ideal work environment? Does silence make you nervous? Do you need a little background noise? Or do you prefer peace and quiet? Click Here to Read Article …

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    6 Tips for More Effective Email

    Susan Johnston 21st June Communication 8 Comments

      We’ve covered tips for managing email overload, but the reality is that many of us are partially responsible for our own email insanity. If we sent fewer email messages and made sure that the ones we do send are clear and effective, then we’d have fewer incoming messages to read, filter, delete, forward, and so on. Here’s how to write more effective emails. Click Here to Read Article …

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      Cool Technology Fantasies: What’s Your Wildest Tech Wish?

      Susan Johnston 18th June Software 8 Comments

        If you could wave your digital wand and create any time-saving, productivity-boosting tool or web app (never mind if it’s technically possible), what would it be?

        I’d love to find some kind of automatic attachment suggester. Sure, there are some useful email features, like the one in Gmail that will detect when you’ve  forgotten an attachment, but I’d love something that would take care of finding the right document and attaching it for me. I have so many folders and subfolders on my MacBook that attaching documents can be a hassle!

        Perhaps such a tool could look at my most recent documents, the keywords in my email and the recipient to figure out what I meant to attach. I wouldn’t expect this to be an exact science (at least not right away), so there would have to be some kind of feature where you could reject the attachment and the computer would eventually learn your habits.

        That said, maybe something like this already exists…I just don’t know about it!

        What’s your wildest tech wish? Click Here to Read Article …

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        How Do You Track Deadlines?

        Susan Johnston 17th June Goals 7 Comments

          Some people keep a giant calendar listing all of their deadlines. Others use online tools like Google Calendar or ReminderFox to keep track of important dates. Whatever your strategy, I think we can all agree that deadlines are pretty darn important.

          I use an Excel spreadsheet that lists all my past, current, and future writing assignments. Upcoming deadlines are in green and projects I’ve completed are in black. I reserve red for when checks are overdue, which (knock on wood) doesn’t happen very often. Admittedly, it’s rather low-tech compared to the other options out there, but it works. After all, Excel is pretty versatile.

          What about you? How do you ensure that you never miss a deadline? Click Here to Read Article …

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          What’s Your Favorite Work-Themed Movie?

          Susan Johnston 15th June Office Life 16 Comments

            One of the things I like to do in my spare time is catch up on movies. In an art-imitates-life fashion, there are oodles of office-themed movies in case you haven’t gotten your fix of life in the workplace.

            The classic workplace comedy is, of course, Office Space – which has a huge cult following. But Nine to Five is one of my personal faves (anyone who’s ever had a toxic boss will laugh hysterically at the “kill your boss” fantasy sequence). Then there’s Working Girl, Wall Street, and Clockwatchers.

            What are your favorite workplace movies? Anything else I should add to my NetFlix queue? Click Here to Read Article …

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            Multitasking: Friend or Foe?

            Susan Johnston 9th June Communication 22 Comments

              Recently, Harvard Business Review blogger David Silverman wrote a piece in defense of multitasking. Studies have shown that constant computer use, jumping back and forth between email and news sites and Facebook can lower our attention spans, decrease our productivity, and stress us out. But Silverman argues that multitasking is inevitable – as important as air.

              What do you think?

              I’m guilty of multitasking, but I’ll usually take the task into account. When I’m sorting through paperwork or cleaning out my email box, then I’ll often listen to a podcast or have a movie on in the background to lighten the mood. But when I’m working on something to send to a client, I know it needs my full attention (but I’ll keep my email open in case I get an update that’s relevant to that project).

              Do you focus on seeing one task through to completion or do you jump around? Do you batch process? Do you juggle multiple spreadsheets, Word docs, and browser windows or try to keep your monitor as simple and streamlined as possible?

              Any opinions for or against multitasking? Click Here to Read Article …

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              How Do You Handle Distractions?

              Susan Johnston 7th June Productivity 8 Comments

                Some people use headphones or a closed door to tell office mates when they’d rather not be disturbed. Some resort to web plugins to block certain websites that are just too good to resist (I’m looking at you, Facebook and ApartmentTherapy!). Others could work just fine with the TV blaring, phone ringing, and small children screaming incoherently.

                How do you deal with distractions?

                Do you put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign? Lock yourself in a secluded room without TV or phone service? Or are you one of those lucky few who don’t get fazed by noise or other disruptions?

                As a work-at-home freelance writer without kids or pets, I don’t have many of the same distractions that office workers or even work-at-home parents have. Still, there are plenty of cyber-distractions threatening to hijack my productivity. I give myself a few minutes of Facebook and Twitter time each day (after all, social media is like my virtual water cooler and without it out I might go stir crazy all day by myself). Then it’s “back to work, missy.” Occasionally, when deadlines loom and household chores beckon, I might escape to the library or coffee shop.

                What about you?  While there are some suggestions here, we want to hear from our WorkAwesome readership…let us know in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

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                5 Incredibly Useful Gmail Features

                Susan Johnston 6th June Communication 24 Comments

                  Most Gmail users are aware of its superior search capabilities, but there’s a whole lot more to love about this email program beyond that. Did you know it can save you from forgotten attachments or emailer’s remorse?

                  Read on to discover some of Gmail’s little known, but incredibly useful features. Most of these can be enabled under Gmail Labs (look for that little green beaker in the upper right corner of your browser window or go to Settings > Labs). Click Here to Read Article …

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