Displaying All Posts tagged with Disruptions

How Do You Handle Distractions?

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 …

Are Smartphones a Productivity Tool?

Susan Johnston 2nd June Productivity 28 Comments

When I bought a BlackBerry Pearl two years ago, it was almost revelatory.

“You mean I can check my email or catch up on RSS feeds while waiting at the bus station or standing in line at the grocery store?! Yes, please!”

I quickly discovered that with a BlackBerry, it’s faster to axe a bunch of unimportant emails at once than it is to open them individually, so that reduced my daily email time. The ability to look up an address or live tweet from a conference or wherever is nice, too.

Smartphones are touted as a productivity tool, but are they really? All that 24/7 accessibility has its downsides, too. First, there’s the threat of burnout (you can’t be very productive if your brain is fried) and the constant distractions. All those apps, the endless email checking, and texting can keep you from real work, not to mention that they can keep you from staying in the moment and enjoying time-off.

Do you think smartphones help or hinder productivity? For those of you who own a smartphone, which one do you use? Are you an iPhone fanatic, an Android addict, or a CrackBerry connoisseur? Let us know in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

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Breaking Bad Habits

Mike Vardy 1st June Goals 1 Comment

Habits aren’t always bad, but the word just seems to conjure up thoughts of things that aren’t particularly good for us. There are “challenges” all over the web that try to help you break these habits but there are also those that try to instill good ones. These challenges can come with weekly or monthly timelines (such as 30 Days of Creativity or the Jerry Seinfeld-inspired Don’t Break The Chain), and even make you accountable to not just yourself but others as well (The Power of Less Challenge would be an example of this).

What bad habit would you like to break? What good habit would you like to begin? Let us know in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

Are You Quitting Facebook?

Mike Vardy 31st May Productivity 23 Comments

Facebook has its benefits. It creates a connection of sorts, reconnects old friends and is an excellent social media tool. But it is also a productivity killer when overused. Between email, Twitter and Facebook you can seem to be doing a lot without really doing anything at all.

May 31st was designated as the day that everyone who was going to quit Facebook would band together do so. Ideally, this would drive a point home that solidarity can make a huge impact (and some would say to get Facebook to think twice about privacy issues) on how the site goes forward. Then again, it might just be that not many people know about the significance of the day at all…

So, have you quit Facebook? Will you? Are you going to be part of the crowd that does it en masse? Tell us in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

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Find Your Inner Zen at Work

Sarah Nagel 27th May Your Job 2 Comments

You may have tasted Nirvana at last night’s yoga class, but by 9 A.M. the next day you’re as tense as ever. If only there was a way to experience that kind of renewal and relaxation throughout the work day.

The good news is that you can. Try these yoga-inspired strategies to help transform your work day into a more positive experience. Click Here to Read Article …

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Is Facebook Productive?

Mike Vardy 26th May Communication 5 Comments

With today’s privacy “simplification” announcement over at Facebook which rolls out to all users over the next few weeks (unless you’ve recently quit…or you may not see if you are going to) , it rekindled an old argument: Is there is any productive merit to the web service?

A lot of users use the site to promote their blogs (WorkAwesome included) as well as to keep touch – and regain contact – with old friends. This can result in new opportunities and can be effective in keeping communication easy and centralized. Certainly birthday greetings have become simpler to send (and remember)!

Do you still use Facebook? If so, for what? Is it a productivity “suck” or tool? Click Here to Read Article …

Pac-Man Eats Up Productivity

Mike Vardy 25th May Productivity 2 Comments

Last week’s playable Pac-Man game on Google’s home page (permanently playable here, by the way) may have been awesome for those nostalgic about playing the game – the iconic video game turned 30 last week – but it sure did sap the productivity out of the day for most.

A report by software firm Rescue Time (developers of time-tracking software) revealed that nearly 5 million hours of work time was eaten up by the little guy. Totally awesome in one way, not so much in another.

Admittedly, I played it for a spell once I came across the page. I was obviously not alone. How many WorkAwesome readers chased Clyde and the gang around?

UPDATE: The dollar value is in. Whoa. Click Here to Read Article …

Are You An Efficient Early Riser or Energetic Night Owl?

Mike Vardy 24th May Productivity 25 Comments

Some would say getting an early start on the day is the best way to go. You have the opportunity to get focused early on and tackle the day’s tasks and projects with little to no distractions. Then, when the rest of the world wakes up, you’re already a few hours ahead of the game.

Others profess that tackling the “have to’s” early on in the day allows you to do the “get-to’s” as the day draws to a close. Many people have had the day to allow ideas and strategies to percolate throughout the day and spend the wee hours making those ideas happen. In essence, they’re getting a head start as well – just really late the night (or early morning) beforehand.

Then there’s the ever-present question of when you need to be available to others, such as family, friends and colleagues. That plays into how you tackle your day just as much as anything else.

So, WorkAwesome readers, are you an efficient early riser or do you find you work better as a night owl? We’d love to hear from you! Click Here to Read Article …

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