Scott Shapiro, MD

Organizational and Executive Coach
Specializing in Workplace Performance and Productivity

Executive Coaching

Productivity Consulting and 5 Exciting Game-Changing Strategies for Productivity

By Scott Shapiro, MD – The Productivity Consultant

Productivity Consulting: 5 Game-Changing Tips

Introduction:

In the realm of productivity consulting, excelling hinges on your ability to harness your mental prowess—much like the intense focus, concentration, and confidence required in a game of tennis. In both arenas, getting your mind out of your own way is the key to unlocking your full potential.

Discover five transformative Life Coaching Tips to empower you to achieve peak performance in both your professional and personal life, all while benefiting from expert productivity consulting insights.

Productivity Consulting Tip 1: Harness the Power of Mantras

To sharpen your focus and establish a rhythmic flow, adopt a simple mantra like “bounce-hit, bounce-hit” when a tennis ball approaches the net. In the workplace, a similar mantra can keep you on the right track, leveraging the expertise of productivity consulting.

Productivity Consulting Tip 2: Find Inspiration in Music

Tap into the invigorating force of music to prevent overthinking. Just as tennis requires a delicate balance between focus and release, having a motivating or favorite song in mind can be particularly helpful when confronting challenging projects at work, in alignment with productivity consulting principles.

Productivity Consulting Tip 3: Release Critical Self-Talk

During the warm-up phase, practice letting go of critical thoughts by reassuring yourself that “this is practice.” This mental habit can enhance your performance, both on the court and in your professional endeavors, as recommended by productivity consulting experts.

Productivity Consulting Tip 4: Anticipate Your Next Move

Preparation is the key to success. Ensure that you stay one step ahead by thinking about your next move in advance. Whether it’s positioning your racket before your opponent’s shot or being proactive at work, staying ahead of the game can set you apart, guided by productivity consulting strategies.

Productivity Consulting Tip 5: Sustain Your Momentum

Similar to the principles of martial arts, tennis draws its power from the momentum of your body rather than raw muscular strength. Likewise, at work, maintaining a continuous flow can prevent procrastination and the “mind games” that breed doubts and worries, as advocated by productivity consulting professionals. A steady rhythm is your ally in both endeavors.

Conclusion:

Remember that life is a game, and the key is to strike a balance between honing your skills and enjoying the process. While most people perceive tennis as a game and work as a serious endeavor, shifting your perspective can lead to greater productivity and more fun. As you embark on this journey of self-improvement, we wish you the best of luck in “getting your mind out of your own way” both on the court and in your professional life. For any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to us at scott@theproductivitycoach.com, where you can access top-tier productivity consulting solutions.

Achieve Success Now with these 7 Productivity Strategies

Credit:iStock – Olga
Credit:iStock – Olga – Time Management and Productivity Coach Scott Shapiro,

 

Would you like to improve your focus, organization, productivity, and success?

Are you looking to take your career to the next level?

Productivity doesn’t necessarily mean working longer hours or working faster. To me, it means working more efficiently and effectively with specific strategies that work.

As an experienced productivity coach and consultant, I help people improve their focus, organization, and time management to reach their goals and succeed.


For example, take Allison*, a 28-year-old professional who completed business school last year and works in accounting for a real estate firm. She contacted me because she was ambitious and had specific goals to take her career to the next level, and she knew that she needed some new productivity strategies. For people looking to achieve their goals more effectively, like Allison, here are seven strategies that may improve your performance and effectiveness, especially within the workplace.

Success Tip 1 – Create Your Schedule The Night Before Productivity

Many people start their day by spending a lot of time trying to figure out where to start, surfing the Internet, or chatting with colleagues. A great way to start your day with a bang is to write out a schedule the night before. This is not your calendar but may include some of those items. Focus on your top priorities and anticipate any obstacles.

Success Tip 2 – Under-promise and Over-Deliver


Many of us are overly optimistic about what we can accomplish in a day. Thus, we promise our managers, families, and ourselves that we will get “just one more thing” done. This can create constant pressure and take the “wind out of our sails” when we don’t deliver.


I recommend that people promise or commit less and then as they are working, over-deliver. This allows for more success and improved productivity.

Success Tip 3 – Cluster Tasks


Answering phone calls, checking emails, and surfing the Internet are huge time sinks in our days. Thus, cluster certain tasks to specific times of day. For example, you might decide to check your emails only once in the morning and once in the afternoon. This allows you to focus on your key priorities without constant interruptions.

Success Tip 4 – Reward Yourself


Research shows that rewarding yourself improves productivity and consistency. No matter how small the task is, say to yourself “Good Job” after you have started a business proposal, returned a phone call, or completed filing a pile. When it is a larger project or goal, you might reward yourself with a walk around the park, going out to lunch with a friend at a special restaurant, or going for a massage. It is more important to acknowledge your “wins” than the actual
reward.

 Tip 5 -Write Out the Steps


There are many tasks or projects we avoid because they seem daunting or confusing. An effective way to overcome this is to take out a sheet of paper and start writing out the steps. The exact order doesn’t matter.
If you don’t know how to do a particular step, write out “find out how to….”. You might also work with a colleague or friend to discuss what the steps are.


REMEMBER: Write it out. Don’t just discuss the great ideas. Then, decide what the first steps are. After you have some momentum, you can organize the steps and add any additional items.

 Tip 6 – Create Goals


Create goals for different time periods including the year, quarter, and month. The most effective goals are specific and have a deadline. Also, by writing them in the present tense, it sends the message to yourself that you are going to complete it. For example, “I am reaching my sales goal of $500,000 by December 31st.”

 Tip 7 – Develop Protocols

For tasks or projects that are repeated, develop a protocol. If there are ten steps for a specific task, write out a protocol that includes each of these steps. This improves the motivation to do a certain task and also
ensures that nothing slips through the cracks. It also allows the task to be accomplished more quickly.


By using some of these productivity strategies, many of my clients, like Allison, have successfully improved their professional and personal effectiveness. It has been extremely rewarding for me to be part of their journey.
I wish you the best of success on your journey to achieving your goals.