Productivity Planner

Synopsis

Sharp focus is elusive, that is why you need a solid productivity routine. As you work from home or share tasks across the team, our Productivity Planner deck helps to keep your schedule disciplined and progress in check. Use this resource in light or dark color themes and find advice (we included in the presentation highlights below) from productivity experts at Asana and Vox Media.

25 questions and answers

What are some tips from productivity experts at Asana and Vox Media for using the Productivity Planner?

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The content does not provide specific tips from productivity experts at Asana and Vox Media for using the Productivity Planner. However, it suggests that using a productivity routine can help maintain discipline and track progress. It also mentions the use of a resource deck in light or dark color themes.

What are some strategies for maintaining productivity when working from home?

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Some strategies for maintaining productivity when working from home include establishing a solid productivity routine, keeping a disciplined schedule, and regularly checking progress. Using resources such as productivity decks can also be beneficial. Advice from productivity experts at companies like Asana and Vox Media can also be helpful.

What are some ways to customize the Productivity Planner to fit individual needs?

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The content does not provide specific ways to customize the Productivity Planner. However, generally, customization can be achieved by prioritizing tasks based on individual needs, setting personal deadlines, and incorporating personal productivity methods.

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Slide highlights

Use this slide to communicate your plan for a productivity improvement strategy. You may include: taking regular breaks, holding standing meetings, working in 90-minute intervals, minimizing interruptions and avoiding multitasking.

With this slide, share your project management calendarwith the team. This way, it'll be easier for everybody to visualize the schedule and understand the deadlines, and for you – to monitor and keep track of the progress.

Notice that our deck offers slides for daily, weekly and monthlyproductivity planners. Take advantage of each one of them to optimize workflow 27/7. And for the yearly productivity planning, use our newest 2021 Calendar.

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What are the benefits of using both light and dark color themes in a productivity planner deck?

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The benefits of using both light and dark color themes in a productivity planner deck include enhancing visual appeal, reducing eye strain, and accommodating different user preferences. Light themes are often associated with clarity and simplicity, making them ideal for daytime use. Dark themes, on the other hand, are often associated with a more focused and less distracting environment, making them ideal for nighttime use. By offering both options, you can cater to a wider range of user preferences and ensure that your productivity planner is accessible and comfortable to use at any time of the day.

How can a productivity planner assist in project management?

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A productivity planner can assist in project management by providing a structured way to organize tasks, deadlines, and goals. It can help in visualizing the schedule, understanding the deadlines, and monitoring the progress of the project. It can also aid in optimizing workflow by allowing for regular breaks, minimizing interruptions, and avoiding multitasking. Furthermore, it can facilitate standing meetings and work in 90-minute intervals for increased efficiency.

What are some effective ways to communicate a productivity improvement strategy?

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Some effective ways to communicate a productivity improvement strategy include sharing a project management calendar with the team to help everyone visualize the schedule and understand deadlines. It's also beneficial to use productivity planners on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to optimize workflow. Other strategies can include taking regular breaks, holding standing meetings, working in 90-minute intervals, minimizing interruptions, and avoiding multitasking.

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Statistics

Here are some important stats about productivity to keep in kind or even include in your presentation:

• Productivity improves by 20-25% in organizations with connected employees, say consultants from McKinsey & Company
• High-performing employees have three things in common: talent, high engagement and over 10-plus years of experience within the company, according to Gallup
• Engaged employees are 27% more likely to show "excellent" performance, according to Gallupr
• 95% of HR leaders say that employee burnout is "sabotaging workforce retention," per Kronos Incorporated and Future Workplace report
• Employees who exercise their strengths daily are 8% more productive and six times more likely to be engaged, according to Gallup
• Organizations with a strong onboarding process improve productivity by over 70%, Glassdoor reports

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What are the potential impacts of not having a strong onboarding process?

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Not having a strong onboarding process can lead to several negative impacts. It can result in lower productivity, as organizations with a strong onboarding process have been shown to improve productivity by over 70%. It can also lead to lower employee engagement and retention, as employees who are not properly onboarded may not feel connected to the organization and may be more likely to leave. Additionally, it can lead to lower performance, as engaged employees are more likely to show excellent performance.

What are the potential benefits of a 70% increase in productivity due to a strong onboarding process?

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A 70% increase in productivity due to a strong onboarding process can lead to several potential benefits. Firstly, it can significantly boost the overall output of the organization, leading to higher profits. Secondly, it can improve employee engagement and satisfaction, as employees who are more productive are often more engaged and satisfied with their work. Thirdly, it can reduce employee turnover, as employees who are productive and engaged are less likely to leave the organization. Lastly, it can enhance the organization's reputation, as high productivity levels can be a sign of a well-run, efficient organization.

How can a company ensure its employees are exercising their strengths daily?

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A company can ensure its employees are exercising their strengths daily by creating an environment that encourages the use of these strengths. This can be done through regular feedback and recognition, providing opportunities for growth and development, and implementing strength-based training programs. Additionally, managers should be trained to identify and leverage the strengths of their team members. It's also important to align tasks and projects with employees' strengths whenever possible.

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Application

Jim Whitehurst, the President and CEO of Red Hat, a successful open-source software provider, shared his tips for maximum productivity in his article for "Inc."

• Map out your week – "Sunday evenings, I sit down with my list of important objectives for the year and for each month. Those goals inform every week and help keep me on track," Whitehurst shares.
• Block out task time – block out time to complete specific tasks. For example, slot periods for "Write new proposal," or "Craft presentation" or "Review and approve marketing materials."
• Follow a realistic to-do list – assign times to each task. If you have six hours of meetings scheduled today and eight hours worth of tasks, chances are those tasks won't get done.
• Default to 30-minute meetings – "Whoever invented the one-hour default in calendar software wasted millions of people-hours. [...] Don't be a slave to calendar tool defaults. Only schedule an hour if you absolutely know you need it," Whitehurst says.
• Quit multitasking – the problem with multitasking is that a split focus makes you less productive. Even though you're only doing mindless stuff, still – you're not 100% present.
• Leverage edge time – Whitehurst says: "My biggest downtimes during the workday come when I drive to work, when I drive home, and when I'm in airports. So I focus really hard on how to use that time. I almost always schedule calls for my drive to work. It's easy: I take the kids to school and drop them off at a specific time; then I can do an 8:00 to 8:30 call. I typically don't schedule calls for the drive home so I can return calls, especially to people on the West Coast."
• Keep track of your time – track your time and you'll be amazed by how much of it you spend doing stuff that isn't productive. Note: the info you log can be directional, not precise.
• Be thoughtful about lunch – whatever time you take for lunch, be thoughtful about how you spend it. "If you like to eat at your desk and keep chugging, fine. But if you benefit from using the break to recharge, lunch is one time where multitasking can be great: You can network, socialize, and help build your company's culture--but not if you're going out to lunch with the same people every day," Whitehurst says.
• Start every day right – exercise first thing in the morning because exercise is energizing. Research shows that moderate aerobic exercise can improve your mood for up to 12 hours.

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How can one balance between meetings and tasks effectively?

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One can balance between meetings and tasks effectively by mapping out the week in advance, blocking out specific time for tasks, following a realistic to-do list, defaulting to 30-minute meetings unless an hour is absolutely necessary, and quitting multitasking. It's also important to leverage edge times, such as early mornings or late evenings, when there are fewer distractions.

What are some other resources available for improving productivity?

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There are several resources available for improving productivity. These include productivity apps like Asana, Trello, or Evernote that help with task management and organization. Online courses or workshops on time management can also be beneficial. Reading books on productivity, such as 'Getting Things Done' by David Allen or 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport, can provide valuable insights. Additionally, implementing productivity techniques like the Pomodoro Technique or the Eisenhower Box can also be helpful. Remember, the key is to find a system that works best for you and your specific needs.

What are some other ways to ensure productivity in a team?

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Some other ways to ensure productivity in a team include setting clear goals and expectations, promoting open communication, providing the necessary tools and resources, encouraging continuous learning and development, recognizing and rewarding performance, and fostering a positive and supportive work environment. It's also important to regularly review and adjust strategies as needed to maintain productivity.

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Expert advice

Experts at Asana – a project management tool, put together a list of quotes from the gurus of productivity management that business managers, producers, project managers, and other professionals can employ.

Kerry Anne Hoffman, Senior Product Manager, Marketing Operations at Classpass

"My number one work management tip is to always reflect after a project. Then you can take everything you learned and create a playbook so you're ready the next time you need to plan and manage a similar project."

Joshua Zerkel, Head of Community at Asana

"Treat your calendar like a game of Tetris: Remove anything non-urgent and unnecessary from your to-do list. Are there things you can revisit at a later date or is there something that can be removed entirely? Don't be afraid to take it a step further by blocking out some "busy" time in your calendar for work."

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Jamie Berger, Executive Assistant to the President at Mercy for Animals

Tie everything to organizational goals. The first question to always ask is, "Will this project help us move towards our organization goals? Is this the best use of our time right now?"

Dana Barrett, Head of Product Marketing at Asana

"When your team is working hard toward a goal, the last thing they need is to get bogged down by another status update meeting. Of course, sometimes meetings are needed, but where possible I recommend sharing updates via your project's Progress tab. "

Corri Skinner, Senior Director of Creative Operations at Vox Media

"To successfully manage a project, you need to prioritize. You'll never have as much time and resources as we'd all hope for, so to do it all you need to focus on the items that will have the most impact. Then make sure those priorities are clear to stakeholders so you can set expectations and to your team so they focus on the right work."

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