What 17,600 Calories Has to Do With Your Productivity
Too distracted by political news to focus and get work done? It’s okay. I’ll tell you why. The answer starts with hot dogs.… Read More What 17,600 Calories Has to Do With Your Productivity
Category: motivation
In Search of Motivation
Motivation is a huge part of personal productivity. How can we get anything done at all if we are not driven to do it? In popular articles about motivation (and by “popular,” I mean non-research backed), the emphasis is on what you can do to increase your motivation. People want quick, actionable solutions. It makes… Read More In Search of Motivation
90 Percent of Managers Are Unproductive
They’re always busy, yet they never seem to get anything real done. What makes most managers so bad, and how can you not be one of them?… Read More 90 Percent of Managers Are Unproductive
How Long to Sit or Stand at Work
I’ve been digging deep into the research on adjustable height desks. Writers/journalists, PR representatives, and even some researchers are claiming that sit-stand desks make us more productive. They don’t. I debunked the claim in a Fast Company piece called The Truth About Standing Desks and Productivity. Adjustable height desks are workstations that allow you to… Read More How Long to Sit or Stand at Work
Does Being in a Good Mood Make Us More Productive?
It’s easy to believe that being in a good mood always makes us work better, smarter, and faster. But is that always the case?… Read More Does Being in a Good Mood Make Us More Productive?
How Uncertainty Motivates Us
Not knowing what reward you might get for a task could encourage you more than a sure thing.… Read More How Uncertainty Motivates Us
Can Kittens, Comedy, and Chocolate Boost Productivity?
Pictures of adorable kittens, clips of your favorite comic doing a stand-up set, and even a little free chocolate can boost productivity. By how much? More than you probably think.… Read More Can Kittens, Comedy, and Chocolate Boost Productivity?
Keyboard Shortcuts
How many keyboard shortcuts do you know? How many do you use? How much more efficient and productive could you be if you learned and used them more? I’m a huge proponent of using keyboard shortcuts to increase productivity. Check out some of my favorite keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac, and some essential shortcuts… Read More Keyboard Shortcuts
Don’t Get Too Aroused or You Might Blow It!
How “aroused” do you have to be to get a job done well? “Aroused,” in this context, means incentivized or motivated, of course, not sexually aroused. Still, it’s an interesting question, and the answer could change how you get work done. Two researchers, Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson, worked on this idea back… Read More Don’t Get Too Aroused or You Might Blow It!
Feeling Unproductive? Quitting Could Be the Best Option
When you’re having a truly unproductive day, it may be worth your while to quit and let that day go, rather than force yourself to try and eke something out of it. Here’s some interesting research that shows people are terrible at thinking about their productivity in the long term and instead focus too much… Read More Feeling Unproductive? Quitting Could Be the Best Option
