Productivity: Completing Large Projects with “Next Actions” (Part 2)

In the previous post, we introduced the time management principle of using Next Actions to tackle large, overwhelming projects. The idea is to complete one small action at a time and to always decide the Next Action before moving on to other tasks. Let's look at another example of this idea.

Productivity: Completing Large Projects with “Next Actions” (Part 1)

Do you have a large project that you're having trouble getting started or moving forward with?

A common time management situation is to be faced with an overwhelming project that's not time-constrained or high-priority, but that's important to do eventually to prevent a crisis. Perhaps it's something that is slowly taking up more and more physical space, or something that is becoming obsolete, or something that requires increasing time and/or money unless you automate or eliminate it. The project is important, but not urgent.

Productivity Tips: 5 Office Organizing Tips

We may spend most of our time in a virtual workspace online, but we still need a physical workspace to use to access the virtual. We have mail and papers and other office supplies to organize.

Here are 5 tips for making your work area more functional, especially if you don't have much extra room:

Productivity Tips: Handling Interruptions

In a previous post, I gave some ideas for how to minimize interruptions, hopefully stopping them before they occur.

Sometimes, however hard we try, we get interrupted. Here are five tips for coping when it happens:

Productivity Tips: 5 Writer's Block Tips

Writer's block. Usually, it's just a temporary inability to write. The key to getting out of a slump is understanding why you're in the slump. Determine the underlying cause.

You may feel out of ideas. Maybe you're having trouble getting started. Or not interested enough in your current project. Or you're distracted by external issues. Or you're stuck on your project, unsure what the next step is. Once you understand the cause, usually addressing that cause directly can push you forward.

Here are five tips to help you get writing again:

Sharing Knowledge Using PK Reader

Personal Knowbase data files are great for sharing documentation and "lessons learned" within your business or organization. You can create a shared knowledge repository as a Personal Knowbase file (KNO file). Then distribute it across a network or on a CD together with the PK Reader viewer software.

Creating an Idea Dump with Personal Knowbase

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a writer, an artist, an inventor, a programmer, or anyone doing creative work, your ideas are your first step toward developing your projects. Your ideas are a valuable resource and critical to your productivity. Treat them as they deserve — with loving care.

Using Personal Knowbase notes management software as a central repository for your ideas keeps them together, makes it easy to find related ideas, and provides a structure for browsing your undeveloped ideas. Collect and organize all of your inspirations into PK articles and index them with keywords so that you can retrieve related ideas later.

Productivity Tips: 5 More Tips for Your Email Inbox

In a previous post, we covered quick tips for handling incoming email. There's more that you can do to keep your email inbox under control. Here are five more tips for organizing your folders, filtering your messages, and prioritizing:

Productivity Tips: 5 Tips for Building Your Writing Skills

Previously, we posted with 5 Writing Tips for Everyone. Here are 5 more tips for building your writing skills. Exercise your writing muscles.

Productivity Tips: More Tips for Avoiding Interruptions

Some tasks, like creative work, writing, and research, require blocks of uninterrupted time when you can concentrate exclusively on one topic. Interruptions can especially be a problem if you have multiple people working from home at the same time.

Previously, we outlined five tips for preventing interruptions while you work. Here are six more interruption-busting ideas to help you work more effectively: