ARoundTuit Organizing & Productivity

No, That’s not a typo.  StayFocusd is an app available through the Chrome Web Store.  I.Love.It.

An important part of my job is staying on the cutting edge of productivity products and research.  You wouldn’t believe how much there is to learn about attention, perception, learning and communication styles.  I dedicate several hours a week to reading up on these topics.   My job is also to try out productivity apps and software, so I can make appropriate recommendations to my clients.

Tell me you know someone who … Continue Reading

I first learned about the TimeTimer while researching time-awareness and attention aids for children with developmental disabilities.  Difficulty sustaining attention (with or without a diagnosis) is a hallmark of modern life.  With so many competing priorities, and (way!) too much information coming our way at all times, many people find it difficult to simply hanker down and get done what matters most.

The TimeTimer is simple and effective.  Unlike a standard alarm, the TimeTimer allows you to visually track your time without having to read it. … Continue Reading

There’s a story of two travelers cruising on the highway:

The passenger says, “I think we’re lost.”

The driver replies, “We are lost, but we’re making great time!”

Productivity is not about doing things faster.  It’s about choosing the right actions (or inactions, sometimes!) to get you where you want to go.  Obviously, the first step is trip planning is to know your destination.

I love helping people get clear on their big picture, by asking how they can be most effective in the different roles they play, at work and at home.  By … Continue Reading

If you aren’t yet familiar with Randy Pausch’s lecture on Time Managmenet, you are in for an amazing treat.  As Randy said, “what counts is not to getting more done, it’s to get the right things done”.

This is potentially the most impactful 1 hour and 16 minutes you will experience today, or even this week or month.  Hopefully, it will mold the way you consider the value of your time, and of time management.

Just click on this blog entry’s title to view the video.  Or, download the MP3 and listen to it … Continue Reading

There is no shortage of information available on procrastination.  Amazon.com lists 50 titles of self-help books addressing different aspects of procrastination.  Now, if I’m late on a project deadline, the last thing I need is to snuggle in with a book.

I’d like to empower you by telling you that not procrastinating is entirely a matter of decision.  That is to say, procrastination is a result of indecision, more than anything else. Fear, fatigue, perfectionism, disorganization, poor time management, discomfort, and distractions make decision making even harder, but the … Continue Reading

Whomever has had the burden of scheduling a meeting with several participants knows it’s like herding cats.  And then there came TimeBridge, the ultimate online scheduling assistant.  “So easy”, says Demogirl.com “it’s disgusting”.

Watch the TimeBridge screencast demo!  It’s only a few minutes long.

“TimeBridge has introduced the first Personal Scheduling Assistant designed to help busy people find a time to meet — fast. This innovative, new web application works across calendaring systems, companies and time zones.”

Yes, I am a big fan … Continue Reading

“Of course I don’t look busy.  I did it right the first time.”

One of easiest ways to improve your time management in a group context is to become a pro at expectations management.   It’s exactly what it sounds like: everyone is clear on what to expect from the other, and what the other expects from them.

After all, time management boils down to prioritizing and planning.  We may take for granted that our team knows exactly what we mean, or that they will figure it out for themselves (after all, that’s what they are paid for, right?).  Some people want their staff to … Continue Reading

“-then assist those around you”.  

Why so selfish?  Well, look at you.  You may be taking better care of your pets than you do of yourself.  That leaves you overtired, crabby (that’s the nice word for it), malnourished, forgetful to an extreme, and feeling like a pinball (remember those?) being flipped from bumper to bumper.  You might feel like you aren’t doing anything well these days, that you’re just treading water.  Career, family, friends, finances, future, my blood pressure rises steadily with each word.

Putting on your own oxygen mask first means taking reasonably good care … Continue Reading

For most people, it’s frustrating to talk with someone who interrupts.  Even people who enjoy fast, excited conversations may feel short-changed by the interruptions. 

Because it is impossible to think two things at the  same time (go ahead and try if you want), we can not at once listen and formulate a response.  What often happens is that something someone says creates a gut emotional reaction fur us, which comes out like a missle, without warning.  Other times, we actually tune out the speaker in order to formulate our response, which we state just as soon as … Continue Reading

Well, thanks to my meeting this morning with the great Miriam Salpeter (http://keppiecareers.wordpress.com/), I find myself at long last propelled into the blogosphere.

Our meeting was exciting, full of positive energy and inspiring.  That is the kind of energy I am hoping to give you, dear readers, through this blog.

ARoundTuit Organizing is an Organizing and Productivity Consulting company in Atlanta, GA. I am Lauren Davidson, your professional organizer and coach.  I help people who are struggling with mental and physical clutter, as well as people who are not struggling per se, but … Continue Reading