Seattle Community

<span class="provip_member_name">Tshombe Brown</span>
Tshombe Brown
Sales Coach, Success Coach, Business Coach
Portland, Oregon
Articles » Organization & time management »
Greatly helpful
8.6
out of 10
11 votes

Portland Biznik Solopreneurs Share Productivity Tips

In a world of interruptions, distractions, and information-overload, knowledge workers have an especially challenging time with productivity. Eight solopreneurs got together to share their favorite productivity producing tips, and now they share them with you.
Written Mar 29, 2009, read 2013 times since then.
Closed_info

 

On Wednesday, March 25, 2009, eight Biznik independent entrepreneurs got together to share their best productivity tips at Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop in Portland, Oregon's Pearl District.

What? Couldn't make it?

Well, we can't bring you any ice cream via this article, but you're still in luck! We've collected all of the brilliant ideas to increase productivity and wish to share them with you here.

Pick one or two that sound good to you and let us know how it's going for you.

Feel free to contact the originator of the tip for further guidance or clarification. Even better, ask your question (or comment or suggestion) here in the comments section below so that everyone can benefit from the answer.

Additionally, if you have a productivity tip not already listed, feel free to add yours in the comments so that we can all benefit from your wisdom.

Sonia Connolly

When you find yourself procrastinating on a task, take a few minutes to listen inside for the answers to two questions:

  1. What is stopping you from beginning?
  2. What would help you begin?

Compassionately receive the information. More than likely, you will find it easier to move forward.

Linda Moore Kurth

  1. As you end your workday, leave an easy task partially undone. This will make it mentally easier for you to swing into action the next morning.
  2. Often it pays to contract with a (vetted) professional, rather than a "cheaper" amateur. Among other factors, a good professional can probably complete the task in a timely manner, and as they say, "Time is Money."

    The pros will help you reach your goal that much faster.

Roberta MacLaren

  1. Create a Mind Map of all of your marketing projects
  2. At the beginning of each week, create your weekly schedule. Mark on your schedule specific blocks of time to include projects, email, lunch, walking the dog, meetings, etc.

Linda Moore Kurth

I have a strange problem-solving ritual. Whenever I come across a challenge and can't think of a solution, I'll take out a piece of paper and write this:

  1. Challenge - list out the issue as clearly as you can.
  2. Action 1 - leave blank
  3. Action 2 - leave blank
  4. Action 3 - leave blank
  5. Timeline - usually a week

Then I will tuck the paper away and trust my mind to give me some ideas by the dateline stipulated. Letting my unconscious mind (before sleeping) run with the problem usually gives me pretty good ideas and somehow, even though the paper is hidden, my mind remains totally alert to it, drawing people, circumstances, and events to provide solutions.

You'll be surprised at what you can come up with. Sure beat th other alternative of banging your head repeatedly against the wall.

Aubrie Abbott

Find a location where you can focus for certain activities, such as reading. I gather all my reading to do (newsletters, blogs, articles, training materials) and do it at the Redwing Cafe.

Michelle Gurule

  1. Know your limits. Stop when you find yourself becoming fatigued.
  2. Think small. Work in bite-sized pieces (not worrying about the whole thing).
  3. Begin with the end in mind. Use the concept of "backwards engineering" or "UDI" to know what you need to do and how you're going to get there.
  4. "Sharpen the saw." Take breaks, give yourself rewards, do something else.

Tshombe Brown (from Egan Pagan's Wake Up Productive Blog)

  1. Avoid multitasking (which is said to actually lower your IQ in the moment of multitasking 10 points, the equivalent of not sleeping fof 36 hours, or more than twice the impact of smoking marijuana)
  2. Work in focused blocks of uninterrupted time. Make sure this is "clean focus," on one thing at a time
  3. Follow your body's natural rhythm, and allow it "to pulse." Every 90 - 120 minutes, we experience a loss of energy.

    Rather than resorting to caffiene or cigarettes, allow your body to rest. After each period of "clean focus," take a "clean break" (completely unplug) to allow body to pulse, to relax, to renew itself.
  4. Identify and eliminate frictions (or, tolerations). A friction is anything physical, emotional, environmental, or psychological that is not working well, that results in inefficiencies.

    For example, a family member does something to upset you and it adversely affects focus. Or, you don't have a comfortable work space. Be quick to identify and remove these tolderations one by one.
  5. Create routines, including a "on ramp" and "off ramp" to/from the routine. Do the important things at the same time each day.

    Everything we do is a routine anyway, so why not deliberately create ones that support positive results instead of those that keep us distracted and scattered?
  6. Renew Yourself. Schedule time for FUN. Completely unplug on a regular basis for at least a day or two.
Sales Coach, Success Coach, Business Coach Portland, Oregon Tshombe Brown

Tshombe is a Spiritual Business Coach & Sales Success Coach. He helps independent sales professionals release themselves from struggle and to easily attract only their perfect clients.

Find him online at http://SellingWithSpirit.com

Listen to the NEW Selling With Spirit Radio Hour

Learn more about the author, Tshombe Brown.

Comment on this article

  • Brand Consultant Phoenix, Arizona Ken Peters
    Posted by Ken Peters, Phoenix, Arizona | Mar 29, 2009

    Tshombe,

    Thanks for this article. Would have liked to have been at the scoop shop with you all, but this is the next best thing.

    Everyone has offered some very thought-provoking advice.

    I'll add a couple tips of my own:

    1) Take some time every day to connect with people on an authentic level. If you work from home, this is particularly critical. Commenting on an article or post on biznik, or engaging in a brief exchange on Twitter can go a long way to getting you out of your own head, and sparking some interaction.

    2) Get up and move. I work at my computer all day, but if I don't get up and get the blood flowing, I end up just sitting and staring at the monitor. You'll get more done if you get up and move for a while, then come back to your task. Clear the cob webs, and you'll be able to refocus.

    3) Sometimes I find that I have to work in silence. I love listening to NPR, or music while working. But, sometimes the news on NPR is too dour, and the music gets too frenetic. Turn off the radio, turn off the iPod, and enjoy the silence (or the birds and the breeze).

    Ken Peters | Nocturnal Graphic Design Studio

    Nocturnal Branding Studio
  • website manager, product reviewer Concord, Massachusetts Andy Bromberg
    Posted by Andy Bromberg, Concord, Massachusetts | Mar 29, 2009

    Wow. This is a fantastic article - thank you to everyone involved. I'll certainly start using some of these - the two that jump out at me the most are 'Follow your body's natural rhythm', and Sonia's method to stop procrastination.

    Best regards, Andy

  • Online Community for Entrepreneurs Seattle, Washington Lynn Baldwin-Rhoades
    Posted by Lynn Baldwin-Rhoades, Seattle, Washington | Mar 29, 2009

    Love your tip #6: "Schedule time for FUN."

    While this has to be done in larger chunks of time, I also find it's helpful to do for a small time each day.

    I used to work through lunch every day, Greek salad by my computer's side. But then I'd poop out by 2 PM.

    Now, I make sure I either walk my dog or take my motorcycle out for a spin at lunch even if, at the moment, it seems like I'm "wasting" time.

    In reality, I'm re-energizing for the afternoon - and doing myself a world of good in the process.

    Thanks for a terrific reminder, Tshombe, and a terrific collaborative article to boot.

    Cheers, Lynn

  • Sales Coach, Success Coach, Business Coach Portland, Oregon Tshombe Brown
    Posted by Tshombe Brown, Portland, Oregon | Mar 30, 2009

    Ken, I love your tips. Thank you for adding them.

    I can relate to 'getting up and moving,' as it's easy to get locked into the computer, not really accomplishing much since you've let your mind turn to mush.

    So glad the article resonated with you, Andy. Yes, there is magic in tapping into collaborative wisdom, and I'm grateful to everyone who contributed this great tips!

    Hi Lynn. Yes, I've found that if I don't schedule FUN, it simply doesn't happen.....or else I completely burn out and have to take a break out of necessity.

    The problem with the latter is that because it is done out of sheer exhaustion, the rest is not really rejuvenating, and because it's essentially unplanned, it may not be the best time in the work flow to take an "emergency" break.

    I like how you have a system where you can thoroughly enjoy your daily break and release yourself from guilt.

    As you say, you're really "re-energizing for the afternoon -- and doing (yourself) a world of good in the process."

    Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Lynn.

    Listen to the NEW Selling With Spirit Radio Hour
  • Realtor, Real Estate Investor, Connector, Educator Maple Valley, Washington Elsie Chaudoin
    Posted by Elsie Chaudoin, Maple Valley, Washington | Mar 30, 2009

    Tshombe - I appreciate the article and a summary of each participant that attended. It seems that we just have to give ourselves more breaks in a day to regroup our thoughts, meditate on them, and then release. We have been so programmed to optimize our time by pondering on a situation until the solution comes to us, but resting seems to be the key ingredient to solving our problem at hand...Thank you for sharing. Appreciate all the food for thought.

  • Marketing Mentor Gresham, Oregon Roberta MacLaren
    Posted by Roberta MacLaren, Gresham, Oregon | Mar 30, 2009

    Tshombe,

    Thanks for another wonderful and informative Biznik event! I always take back to work some very imaginative information.

    Sharing our tips from the event was a perfect follow through.

    Your the best!

  • Sales Coach, Success Coach, Business Coach Portland, Oregon Tshombe Brown
    Posted by Tshombe Brown, Portland, Oregon | Mar 30, 2009

    Thanks Elsie for your comments. I'm glad the tips got you thinking about how you might improve your own productivity.

    Didn't we have a great time, Roberta? So glad that you shared your awesome tips with all of us, too.

    I sent this link to you via email, but I think I'll offer it here, too, in case others might find it useful:

    For those who find that mind mapping helps them organize their thoughts and increase their productivity, you might try one or more of these tools to see if they work for you.

    Listen to the NEW Selling With Spirit Radio Hour
  • Graphic design and art direction for print. Concept through final production. Total project management with positive results. Timonium, Maryland Nick Foudos
    Posted by Nick Foudos, Timonium, Maryland | Apr 02, 2009

    Good stuff! Learning to recognize, and then follow, my natural rhythm has helped me improve my productivity tremendously. I used to be most productive late at night, then it evolved to mid-morning, now it's late afternoon. Go figure!??!

    Learning to accept the shifts in intensity might be tough for some but, if your lifestyle and business allows, I think it can be rewarding.

  • Pioneer, Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Coach Seattle, Washington Joe Shirley
    Posted by Joe Shirley, Seattle, Washington | Apr 02, 2009

    Tshombe, excellent as usual. And what a great way to demonstrate the power of collaboration. Compiling the wisdom of several committed entrepreneurs makes for a very useful guide. Thank you.

  • Sales Coach, Success Coach, Business Coach Portland, Oregon Tshombe Brown
    Posted by Tshombe Brown, Portland, Oregon | Apr 02, 2009

    Nick, Thank you for your comments!

    I really like how you have embraced flexibility to work with (rather than against) your natural rhythm that naturally changes over time. What a great lesson.

    Thank you, Joe! Yes, it's amazing how nothing great is ever accomplished alone, and how the value we provide is always enhanced by tapping into collective wisdom.

    Listen to the NEW Selling With Spirit Radio Hour
  • marketing communications consultant and copywriter Portland, Oregon Sally Anne Giedrys
    Posted by Sally Anne Giedrys, Portland, Oregon | Apr 03, 2009

    Tshombe, thanks for sharing these useful tips. Reading this nearly felt like I was there with you (except for the lack of ice cream).

    When NPR is too dour, I download uplifting or interesting podcasts and listen to those in the background, or on breaks.

    Other tips that work for me:

    Batching phone calls and emails together and setting time aside just for them.

    Scheduling specific tasks for specific days (especially accounting).

    Listening to my own energy levels and shuffling tasks around according to what feels most energized. It all gets done, and it feels smoother along the way.

  • Life, Prosperity, and Small Business Coach. Author. Speaker. Trainer. Singer/Songwriter. Seattle, Washington Kate Phillips
    Posted by Kate Phillips, Seattle, Washington | Apr 03, 2009

    What a fun idea for an article! Great tips, too. I've never heard the "save something easy for the morning" - I like that. Also the tips from "Wake Up Productive."

    Thanks, Tshombe!

  • Career Counselor & Career Coach Beaverton, Oregon Andrea King
    Posted by Andrea King, Beaverton, Oregon | Apr 04, 2009

    Very helpful, thank you all! I know for me, I schedule time for certain projects. This seems to only work for those that follow a schedule, but you could always reward yourself with some ice cream for completion! :)

    Again many thanks...Andrea

  • Naturopathic Physician Bellingham, Washington PAUL de JONG, ND
    Posted by PAUL de JONG, ND, Bellingham, Washington | Apr 07, 2009

    Roberta and Tshombe, Thanks so much for the mind-mapping suggestion and article link...I have been fumbling around with this for a while and it looks like these will help tremendously.

    Thanks again...Paul

  • Sales Coach, Success Coach, Business Coach Portland, Oregon Tshombe Brown
    Posted by Tshombe Brown, Portland, Oregon | Apr 07, 2009

    Hi Sally, Thank you for adding your productivity habits. It's amazing how much we can accomplish when we're intentional about it.

    Kate, yes that suggestion about saving something easy for the morning was Linda's technique. It's a way to 'get the ball' rolling when a project is very nearly complete, rather than wasting time the next morning trying to figure out what to do next.

    Ice cream is always a wonderful reward, Andrea!

    So glad the mind-mapping works for you, Paul. Really finding what works for us individually rather than trying to wedge ourselves into a certain prescribe way to be productive really is key.

    Listen to the NEW Selling With Spirit Radio Hour
  • Transformation Expert Los Angeles, California Paula D'Andrea
    Posted by Paula D'Andrea, Los Angeles, California | Mar 15, 2011

    Tshombe, I like your tips regarding movement! It's one of the basic things that most people forget & they stay glued to their computer for too long :) A change of energy & a little mobility go a long way! Paula

  • Sales Coach, Success Coach, Business Coach Portland, Oregon Tshombe Brown
    Posted by Tshombe Brown, Portland, Oregon | Mar 15, 2011

    Hey thanks, Paula! I think it's about time to revive this article. Thank you!

    Listen to the NEW Selling With Spirit Radio Hour
Closed_info