Productivity

Five In Office Changes to Boost Employee Health and Productivitystring(64) "Five In Office Changes to Boost Employee Health and Productivity"

November 28, 2016
, , Employees, Health, Ivan Misner, Misner Plan, Productivity, Uncategorized, Video Blog

Ivan Misner shares how diet and eating habits can boost your employees’ productivity.

1) Install a water filtration system
2) Encourage a body detox system
3) Serve healthy alternatives at luncheons and office celebrations.
4) Start a walking club
5) Keep morale high

Make your employees day better by encouraging a healthy lifestyle. For more information, please visit http://misnerplan.com/

Eating to Increase Productivitystring(31) "Eating to Increase Productivity"

April 18, 2016
, Productivity 3
ID-10063690

Image courtesy of Ambro of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last Monday, I discussed one method of increasing productivity as we ramp up into Q2; using your morning wisely and effectively to get the most out of your day.

Another way to really boost your productivity, and really to improve the quality of your life overall, is to look at your diet.

I’ve been extremely open about how changing my diet reshaped numerous facets of my life. Mine and Beth’s diet is documented by the Misner Plan, which is the name we have given to this lifestyle that has truly reshaped our lives.

That said, food not only impacts your health, but can directly affect your performance at work and productivity. The key to eating a healthy, productivity-inducing diet is to avoid foods that release glucose quickly, like pastas and sweets.

Other options include eating more frequent, smaller meals. We all know those people who are “grazers,” but doing this can actually have a positive impact on your brain functionality. Studies have shown that the brain works best when 25 grams of glucose are circulating in the blood stream at any given time. This is about the amount in a banana.

While it may be easier to eat junk while you work in an attempt to speed up productivity, it really is counter productive. And the mid-day sugar crash will really bring you down.

How does your diet impact your work? Let me know in the comments below.

Keeping Up Productivity During Q2string(33) "Keeping Up Productivity During Q2"

April 11, 2016
, , , Balance, Business, Goals, Productivity 6
Image courtesy of khunaspix, of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of khunaspix, of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Now that we’re into Q2, all of your 2016 goals for your business should be well underway. The downside of Q2 is that many people begin to lose their momentum around this time of the year. The weather is getting nicer, the days are getting longer, and our attention span at work is getting shorter.

One great way to maintain momentum in your business is to focus on elevating your morning routine.

The ideal morning routine starts the night before, by ensuring you are set up for success. Turn off all electronic devices at least 90 minutes before bed, and never use these devices in your bed to start with. Studies show that using these devices in bed can retrain your brain to associate your bed with being awake. These studies also show that even the smallest electronic device emits enough light to stimulate your brain and promote wakefulness.

In the morning, try to wake up earlier than you need to. Before 6 a.m. is ideal, as it gives you plenty of time to eat a full breakfast, hit the gym, and get your blood flowing and brain working before you get into the meat of your day. Set a routine, and keep that routine as often as possible. Once you are settling into work, focus on projects that you are passionate about. Stay off your email as long as possible, as this is a productivity and time suck. Focus on the important things first, and hit your email later when you have time to knock off smaller tasks. Busy work should be punted to later in the day. Your mind will thank you.

What kind of morning routine do you follow to keep productive? Tell me about it in the comments below.

The Power to Get Things Donestring(28) "The Power to Get Things Done"

January 11, 2016
, , , Advertising, Book, Entrepreneur, Follow up, Goals, Productivity, Success 2

thepowerHow often do you hit a slump in productivity? Worse, how often do you know what you should be doing, but then fail to do it regardless? It happens to the best of us, but the good news is that this is entirely avoidable.

Steve Levinson, PhD, and Chris Cooper recently released a book titled The Power to Get Things Done, and in it, they tackle how to turn your good intentions into actions and ultimately results.

This is one of those books that I stand behind, because I really believe that strong businesspeople can benefit from the tools to help follow through. As I said in my foreword for the book, the ability to turn good intentions into action is one of the most valuable assets that anyone who is serious about achieving their goals can have.

For me, the most impactful tips of the book are the keys to maintaining follow-through mastery. Everyone has done it at least once – you work hard to perfect your ability with something, you reach a level where you are satisfied, and then immediately stop practicing because you reached what you saw as the pinnacle. The thing with skills, though, is that you lose your ability when you stop practicing, or striving for better. What this book teaches is to always have goals in mind, and to always strive for your goals – both valuable suggestions to all business professionals.

The Power to Get Things Done was recently released and is available on Kindle or in paperback.

What goals do you consistently set for yourself to help keep your productivity up? Share with me in the comments below!

Continuous Partial Attentionstring(28) "Continuous Partial Attention"

March 26, 2015
, , , , Focus, Goals, Networking, Networking Prep, Productivity, Video Blog 3

How many times have you been at a networking function and realized that half of the people there are paying more attention to their mobile devices than to the other attendees they showed up to meet and network with?  Worse, have you yourself been guilty of staying so glued to your phone or tablet that you have missed the opportunity to make a powerful connection with the person standing right in front of you?

We are living in a world that is more connected than ever and there are some definite pitfalls in our hyperconnected world as it intersects with our business relationships and our networking.  One of these pitfalls is that hyperconnectivity can lead to a state of what I call ‘continuous partial attention.’

In this video, I introduce the concept of ‘continuous partial attention’ and I also discuss the risks and repercussions which accompany it.  Watch the video now to learn how to avoid falling into a state of continuous partial attention and prevent it from wreaking havoc on your productivity at work and your ability to achieve your goals.

If you have any stories about how falling victim to a state of continuous partial attention has affected you or someone you know, I’d love for you to share your experience in the comment forum below.  Thanks!

 

What to Do When You’re Not Motivated–Top 5 Tipsstring(59) "What to Do When You’re Not Motivated–Top 5 Tips"

May 22, 2014
, , , Goals, Growth, Motivation, Productivity, Self Development, Strategic Planning, Strategy, Success, Video Blog 9

Someone once said to me, “Man, judging from the amount of things you accomplish, you must be motivated all the time.”

Uhh, no . . . that’s hardly the case!  It’s nearly impossible to feel motivated ALL the time yet sometimes it can feel like we’re in a real doldrums slump.  So what can we do when that happens?  In this video, I outline my top 5 tips for getting inspired when you’re lacking motivation.

From advice on how to prioritize to examples of what to surround yourself with and what to avoid, you’re sure to glean some powerful insight that will help you get back on the road to productivity and success in no time!

After watching the video, I’d love to hear your personal tactics for pull yourself out of an unproductive rut and taking steps to start accomplishing great things.  Please share your thoughts, stories, and feedback in the comment forum below–thanks!

Seeking Engagement: A Critical Step for Networking Groupsstring(57) "Seeking Engagement: A Critical Step for Networking Groups"

May 20, 2013
, , , , , , , , , , , , Building Relationships, Business, Collaboration, Connections, Marketing/Sales, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referrals, Relationships, Statistics / Data, Success, Word of Mouth 1

Engagement involves a promise and an action.  In order to achieve success in your group of networking relationships, you and your relationships must promise to support one another and then take the actions necessary to fulfill that promise.

There are many ways that you can become engaged.  Have you taken the time to regularly meet with the people in your network?  Have you taken the time to educate them regularly on the key features of your business so that your products or services will be top of mind in the event they meet someone with a need for what you supply?  Have you taken the time to become educated on the key features of your networking relationships’ businesses so that you can do the same?

The higher the number of people in your network who are engaged in these activities, the more likely it is that the entire group will be generating more referrals.  The reason for this is a shared vision of success and a shared implementation of that vision.

Another way to be actively engaged and educated about each others’ businesses is to do regular and consistent meetings.  Over and over, I see that business owners who have regular one-to-one meetings with their business networking relationships tend to both give AND get more referrals.

Lastly, are you focusing on your “elevator pitch”?  The best way to ensure your referral sources are going to remember what you do is to focus on communicating your business to them by breaking it down into laser-specific elements.  Sharp-shoot your pitch, don’t shotgun it.  In each of your regular one-to-one meetings, talk about one key element, product, or benefit of what you do.

According to Psychology Today, research has found that people who are “actively engaged” in a business environment are “43% more productive” than those who are not.  Furthermore, they state that engagement includes “regular dialogue, quality of working relationships, perceptions of ethos and values of the organization, and recognition.”  There’s research behind my recommending reciprocal engagement between you and your referral partners.  In fact, it’s critical to your success–and theirs.

This week, think about new ways in which you can support your networking partners in order to promote engagement within your networking group.  I’d love to hear what ideas you come up with so please leave your thoughts in the comment forum below. Thanks!

 

 

Knowledge Networking vs. Referral Networkingstring(44) "Knowledge Networking vs. Referral Networking"

January 28, 2013
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Business, Marketing/Sales, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referrals, Word of Mouth 3

Most people are involved in at least two types of formal networking groups.  The first is intraprofessional networking, or “Knowledge Networking,” as Megatrends author John Naisbitt calls it.  Knowledge Networks foster self-help, information exchange, improved productivity and work life, and shared resources, according to Naisbitt, who cited networking as one of the ten megatrends impacting our society.

The second type of networking is interprofessional networking: multidisciplinary professionals and occupational types who network to increase each other’s business.  In fact, the primary purpose of most interprofessional networking groups is to increase one another’s business through referrals.

In good interprofessional networking, participants get either the majority of their business or their best business through referrals.  Organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Jaycees, and BNI® are typical groups in this category.  Different groups offer different strengths and weaknesses in helping to generate word-of-mouth business and it’s important to look closely at the makeup and structure of the various organizations that you might join before selecting those that best fit your needs.

If you haven’t had much success in business organizations in the past, don’t let that get in the way of doing what needs to be done to build your business through word of mouth today.  The best way to begin the process of building a referral-based business is in a group or groups of other business professionals.  The only alternative is to meet one person at a time, which inevitably means you’re going to be working harder, not smarter.

The only people who are going to make referrals for you consistently are people who know you and trust you: your friends, associates, customers, patients, clients, peers, and family members.  Strangers are not going to consistently give you business.  You need to start spending time with the right people in structured professional environments.

If you’re interested in building your business through referral networking, here are four tips to help you do it efficiently:

  • Join several different types of networking groups and diversify your word-of-mouth activities.
  • Develop your company into a Hub Firm, a firm that other companies rely on to coordinate efforts in providing effective services.
  • Don’t be a cave dweller.  Get out and meet other business professionals in the myriad of business organizations which exist for that purpose.
  • The only people who are going to make referrals for you consistently are people who know you and trust you.  You need to start spending time with the right people in structured professional environments.

Do you have any additional tips or tactics which you’ve found particularly effective in building a referral-based business?  What has worked best for you?  I would love to hear your insights so please share your thoughts in the comment forum below.  Thanks!