075: Managing productivity with Donna McGeorge
In this episode Mia and Dinah interview productivity coach, Donna McGeorge.
Donna is passionate about enhancing the large amount of time we spend in our workplace (too much, for many) to ensure it is effective and productive, as well as enjoyable. More often than not it’s getting the simple things right, consistently, that has the greatest impact. She also knows that when we decide to be intentional, we can surprise ourselves with what we can achieve. Known as THE productivity coach, she has a range of sessions, books, products and services to help you improve your productivity.
How to improve productivity
Donna McGeorge shares her insights on maintaining energy and managing productivity. Her advice includes:
- the importance of sleep and space as crucial factors for maintaining energy and focus for work and life admin tasks. Donna believes that giving her brain rest and space allows her to tap into creativity and problem-solving abilities.
- Donna challenges the notion that any time not spent actively doing something is wasted time.
- the significance of creating a system for organizing tasks and belongings, making everything have a designated home, which reduces friction and increases efficiency.
- hacks for taking control of unruly inboxes. She recommends clearing out old emails into a folder called "done" or "stuff" and processing the remaining emails regularly to maintain a zero inbox. Donna advises checking emails only 2-3 times a day and turning off notifications to avoid being constantly distracted by emails.
- the importance of creating thinking space and outlines her three-step approach: stop, take stock, and decide.
- the concept of "wipe the mind," a stream-of-consciousness exercise to clear the mind of clutter and improve focus.
- best times for planning - Donna advises using the late afternoon hours to plan, as they typically require less mental intensity and can set the stage for a productive day ahead.
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