Presentation for a talk I did for CHADD, NY, discussing ways to use technology to improve productivity, instead of being a time suck of distraction. Also talks about some time management strategies.

1. Why Procrastinate When
You Can Be Productive?
ADD & Technology
Charlene Jaszewski
Kickstartstrategy.com
Charlene@kickstartstrategy.com

2. You can get presentation
from my website afterwards!

3. The best tech tool
you can get is…

4. An iPhone!
Texts
Email
A REAL Browser
Calendar
Productivity apps
Facebook & Twitter
Distraction apps
…you never need to open
a laptop!
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

5. On the other hand…sometimes
you never need to open the laptop
cat bed
Uncontrolled morning
social media-ing
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

6. Tip #1
Don’t dig into your tech
before breakfast
(too easy to get sucked down
the rabbit hole)

7. App #1
Nowdothis.com
Sequential To Dos

8. Nowdothis.com
Log on to
nowdothis.com (thru
computer or PDA)
Enter in list of tasks
Click “done” for each
one.
Note: it only saves list
while browser window
is open.
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

9. Nowdothis.com
After your list
is complete,
experience
satisfaction!
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

10. Sometimes you
start with this…

13. Tip #2
Know Where Your
Time Goes

14. ADD Time Issues
Might take “best case scenario” of time it
take to get something done (never works)
We wait for big chunk of time to get
something done (rarely happens)
We get distracted (duh)
We forget about “transitional times”
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

15. What are transitional times?
Time used starting or stopping
a task
In between times
Travel time
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

16. Getting Unstuck
By Don Kerson
Talks about
importance of
transitional
times
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

17. You likely already have
the best timing
tool available…

18. The humble timer
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

19. How can you use a timer?
Before you set out to do a task,
guesstimate how long you think it will take
Set a timer to see how long it actually
takes
Tracking time chunks(more on this later)
Track “transitional times”
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

20. Timer #1: Commute time
My guesstimate: 10-15 min to work
Used Stopwatch on iPhone (and lap timer)
Broke down commute to work
– Walking to train
– Waiting for train
– Train ride time
– Walking to work
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

21. Timer #1: Commute time
It was a good day,
it only took 22
minutes to get to
work.
I was horribly off
though!
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

22. Timer #2 : Dishes
My guesstimate: 1 hour
Used kitchen timer
Start timing when I
started dishes
Kicked myself for
putting it off
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

23. Where’s she going with this?
I’m not going to hit a
timer everytime I open
Facebook am I?

24. Tip #3
Get ready for some
truth with
RescueTime

25. Rescue Time Doesn’t Lie
Once you turn on monitoring, it tracks
everything you do online.
You categorize activities as “productive” or
not.
Example: I work on the web, so time spent
in Firefox is productive for me. I can specify
when I’m working on a certain URL.
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

26. Rescuetime Efficiency Reports
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

27. Tip #4
Chunk Your Time

28. Pomodoro Technique
Make a list of tasks to be done on a sheet
Start pomodoro timer and work until a pomodoro
is done (25 minutes)
Place checkmark on sheet (when pom is done)
After each pomodoro take 5 minute break
After fourth pomodoro take 15-30 minute break
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

29. Why Does Pomodoro Work?
25 minutes is a
small enough
chunk to power
through
You know a break
is coming
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

30. More info on Pomodoro
Technique
http://www.pomodorot
echnique.com
You can get Pomodoro
timer from the iPhone
app store (Pom Timer)
But why not get
yourself a cute kitchen
timer?
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

31. Rescue Time Get Focused
You tell it how long
you want to be
focused for
You tell it which
apps/sites are “off
limits”
It locks you out!
*available with Solo Pro version.
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

32. Rescue Time Keeps You
Honest
You can set time
goals
Rescue Time lets
you know if you go
past defined goal
time
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

33. Rescue Time Lets You Track
Offline Activities
If it senses you are
away from
computer, it asks
where you were
(yeah it’s a little
Big-Brothery
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

34. Tip #4
Capture
Your Distractions

35. Split To Do List
Put your
“official” to dos
on the left.
Draw a line
Leave an empty
column for your
“extras”
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

36. Tip #5
Tame Your To-Dos

37. Skoach.com
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

38. Skoach.com
Skoach is built for ADD
Tasks and to-dos
Weekly schedules
Text/email reminders
Access on web and
iPhone/mobile
$15/mo (discounts for
3/6 mo packages)
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

39. Skoach.com
Color-coding
Broad
categories like
work, exercise,
sleep, leisure,
chores
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

40. Rememberthemilk.com
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

41. What Do I Use?

42. Calendar & ToDos, iCal & iPhone &
alarms on EVERYTHING
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

43. Idea Capture
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

44. My geek/luddite fantasy
February 8, 2010 Why Procrastinate When You
Can Be Productive?

45. Get this presentation
& links
Kickstartstrategy.com/addmeeting

46. Thank you!
Charlene Jaszewski
kickstartstrategy.com
charlene@kickstartstrategy.com