Psychological flexibility and resilience are key components of a meaningfully productive life, helping us navigate change and bounce back from adversity. We can't predict the ways in which our life will change, but we can learn to respond and adapt in productive ways The modern world is unpredictable and constantly changing. And change is not something I’ve been a fan of throughout my life. In fact, it’s been a challenge for me to adapt to change. This is something I’ve been...

Author, writing coach, and creative self-care expert Mary Adkins encourages us to make time for creative self-care and to give ourselves permission to fully express our creative side. Amazing things can come from letting go. Making time for our natural creativity to come out can improve our productivity and enrich our daily lives In this episode of our Creative Living series, I’ll share with you my conversation with lawyer, novelist, and writing coach Mary Adkins about caring for...

What are productivity slumps, what we can do to avoid them, and how to manage our minds to be our most productive when they inevitably happen? Productivity slumps will happen (we're human) but there are things we can do to bounce back Recently I read an article published on Forbes.com about the fact that workplace productivity “plummets” on Mondays. I found the article interesting and started looking into the research on what the article referred to as “productivity slumps”--periods...

Coach, nutritionist, podcaster, and author Angela Shurina advocates for a holistic approach to productivity. I'm talking with Angela this week as part of our newly resumed Productive Living series. Being balanced in all areas of our life can increase productivity After a long hiatus I’m excited to bring back the Productive Living recurring series, in which I speak with women who have special expertise and insights to share in various areas that reflect components of a life that...

Let's follow up on last week’s episode and talk a bit more about getting it all done. What do the "experts" have to say about best practices? What are some of the best practices for getting it all done? Last week we started a 2-part series on getting it all done--not doing it all, but deciding what matters most to us and then getting all of that done. Last week I shared some things I do personally to help me get the things done that I need and want to do. This week we’ll be talking...

There is always something that needs to get done. This week we’re starting a 2-part series about getting it all done, with Part 1's focus on some of the things I personally do to accomplish what matters most to me. Getting it all done is not the same as doing it all! Does being a productive woman mean we’re going it all? Sometimes it seems like that’s what the world thinks. We’ve all seen the articles, the books, the portrayals on the screen of women “doing it all,” and if you’re...

Overcoming productivity obstacles is possible with the right steps. This week we're talking about ways to overcome productivity roadblocks. Productivity is a goal we can work towards every day Those of us who care about being productive--both about getting the things done that are important to us and about making a life that matters--are very aware of the many obstacles that can get in the way of both. Overcoming obstacles to productivity requires a strategic approach, combining an...

This week we're revisiting an episode from the TPW archives in which I talk about re-evaluating our daily and weekly routines to make sure they're serving us. Heading back to school? Great time to evaluate and refresh our routines This summer I’m doing something new: revisiting a few episodes from the TPW vault. Like we did in episode 453 last month, this week we’re revisiting an episode from a few years ago that seems timely for today. This time we’re talking about reviewing and...

Let's talk about productivity myths--"productivity" beliefs that can actually make us less productive. Some productivity beliefs can actually impair our productivity Sometimes, without even realizing it, we can develop beliefs about productivity that actually make us less productive. I thought I’d talk about a few of them today, so we can examine our own thinking and where necessary replace unproductive myths with productive truths. There are several productivity myths that can...

This week I wanted to share some thoughts about a topic that’s been on my mind lately: making the most of today. Learning to make the most of each day can help us focus on what (and who) matters the most to us I learned last week that a best friend from high school, one I'd lost touch with over the years, died not long ago. In addition to the grief and the sorrow for having lost touch until it was too late, I also am reminded of my own mortality. None of us is promised tomorrow, so...

Let's talk about some very good reasons to declutter your space, your time, and your mind. Decluttering can lead to better peace of mind and free up time for what really matters Maybe it’s just me, but this time of year I am thinking about simplifying my life, which in my case led me to think more about decluttering--purging my space, my schedule, and my mind of stuff that’s not adding value to my life.   We’ve talked about dealing with clutter in previous episodes. Check out,...

This week features the next installment in our recurring “Productive Reading” series, this time talking about key takeaways from Indistractable, by Nir Eyal. Indistractable asks us to think about the reason we do things and reflect upon our values before adding them to our busy schedule This week we're continuing our Productive Reading recurring series. In the past, we’ve talked about the lessons and key takeaways I found in books about productivity-related topics that I’ve found...

This week we're revisiting an episode from the TPW archives in which I talk about learning how to say no - and mean it, without feeling guilty. Saying no is okay--and can help us make space for what's most important This week we’re doing something new: revisiting an episode from the TPW vault. I had considered taking a week off for this holiday week, but after I finished recording last week’s episode, in which I mentioned the importance of learning to say no in order to make time...

In this episode we’re reviewing some of the basics for making time for what matters most to you, while still taking care of our daily responsibilities. Making time for what matters most to you is essential for a meaningfully productive life A few days from now will be the 9th anniversary of the launch of The Productive Woman podcast. In the 9 years I’ve been doing this, I’ve talked to a lot of women about productivity--listeners, guests, and women I know or meet in real life. I only...

In this episode we're talking about how to be productive even when you're exhausted. Productivity when you're exhausted--it can be done The day before I sat down to plan this episode was a challenging one. My husband and I traveled several hours to help our daughter move with her four daughters from one house to another. Moving, of course, is always a tiring project. In this case, the endeavor was made more difficult by a severe storm that had traveled through the area the night...

This week we’re talking about staying productive even when we’re surrounded by chaos. Even in chaotic times, we can thrive by prioritizing what's most important Most of us deal with multiple competing priorities: professional, personal, civic, and more. Whether you’re in the child-rearing stage, juggling schedules for yourself, your kids, and your partner, or in the midst of your education, or building a career in a demanding field, or later in life caring for an aging parent--or...

Let's talk about getting our digital life organized. Organizing our digital life can help increase our productivity and prioritize our time Last week we talked about managing distractions in a digital age. Among those distractions would be digital clutter--voluminous emails and text messages, messy computer desktops, open browsers, digital files and photos, and unused apps. One survey concluded that “the average American has about 83 bookmarked websites, 7 tabs or browsers open, 582...

When it comes to our productivity, technology can be a double-edged sword. It's incredibly useful but can also bring a lot of distractions. This week we're talking about managing distractions in a digital age. One key to productivity: managing distractions When I was working on some of the recent episodes about managing our time and setting ourselves up for greater productivity, I kept coming across information about distractions and their impact on our life and productivity. I...

Let's talk about a few small changes we can make to create a more productive tomorrow. Small changes today can result in a more productive tomorrow As I’m recording this we in the northern hemisphere are wrapping up the school year and moving into the summer months. It feels like a time to look at my life and think about what I want to do with the coming months. I started thinking about a few small changes we can make in our daily lives to set us up for even more productivity in the...

All the planning in the world won't help if we don't actually do the stuff we plan. In this episode we'll finish our mini-series about the GTD® method and talk about some of the tools we can use to implement the method and get stuff done. Well-chosen productivity tools, used consistently, can help us get things done A few weeks ago, in episode 440, I started a short series on David Allen’s Getting Things Done productivity methodology with a brief overview of the system. Then in...

This week we continue our mini-series about the GTD productivity with a look at why and how we reflect and review. The reflect and review process is key to a truly effective productivity systen A few weeks ago, in episode 440, I started a short series on David Allen’s Getting Things Done productivity system with a brief overview of the system. Then in episode 441, in response to a listener request, I did a little more detailed review of the first step in the GTD system, which is...

A lack of balance in our lives can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and burnout. In this episode, we’re talking about healthy ways to juggle the multiple roles most of us fill in life. What is balance and how can we get it? Today, we're diving into a topic close to the heart of many women: how to juggle work, family, and self-care without sacrificing productivity or well-being. We'll be discussing tips and strategies for achieving this delicate balance, so grab a cup of tea, sit...

In this episode we continue our GTD® short series with a discussion of the Clarification and Organization steps. Under the GTD we've captured our tasks, commitments, and ideas; now it's time to clarify and organize them Earlier this month, in episode 440, I started a short series on David Allen’s Getting Things Done® productivity system with a brief overview of the system. Then in episode 441, in response to a listener request, I did a little more detailed review of the first step...

Sometimes we "bite off more than we can chew," so to speak. It's important to set boundaries in our personal and professional life so that we have more time for what really matters. Setting boundaries is a healthy and important part of living a life that matters I've had several conversations lately with women struggling with overwhelm, often tied to dealing with trying to figure out how to navigate relationships with the people they care for while still managing the other things...

Last week we discussed David Allen's GTD system. In this episode, we’re going to respond to a listener request by taking a deeper look at the first component of a functional productivity system. Capturing your thoughts in the moment while living a busy lifestyle can be difficult, but it's possible Last week talked about the GTD system developed by David Allen. Listener Joan left a comment saying, “I would like to have an episode on the GTD capture. I travel for extended times so...