075: Managing productivity with Donna McGeorge

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Aug 9, 2023

Donna McGeorge, a productivity coach, shares insights on managing energy and productivity. She highlights the importance of sleep and space for creativity. Donna recommends creating systems for tasks and belongings to increase efficiency. She provides hacks for controlling email inboxes, such as clearing old emails into a 'done' folder. Donna advises checking emails only 2-3 times a day. The podcast also covers the challenges of life admin tasks and the significance of effective systems. It concludes with discussions on planning and additional resources.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Importance of Peace of Mind and Organization

01:40 • 6min

The Challenges of Life Admin and the Importance of Effective Systems

07:17 • 5min

Managing Productivity and Email Inboxes

12:19 • 8min

Approaches to Planning and Productivity

20:47 • 4min

In this episode we interview productivity coach, Donna McGeorge.

Donna is passionate about enhancing the large amount of time we spend in our workplace (too much, for many) to ensure it is effective and productive, as well as enjoyable. More often than not it’s getting the simple things right, consistently, that has the greatest impact. She also knows that when we decide to be intentional, we can surprise ourselves with what we can achieve. Known as THE productivity coach, she has a range of sessions, books, products and services to help you improve your productivity.

Donna McGeorge shares her insights on maintaining energy and managing productivity. Her advice includes:

the importance of sleep and space as crucial factors for maintaining energy and focus for work and life admin tasks. Donna believes that giving her brain rest and space allows her to tap into creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Donna challenges the notion that any time not spent actively doing something is wasted time.
the significance of creating a system for organizing tasks and belongings, making everything have a designated home, which reduces friction and increases efficiency.
hacks for taking control of unruly inboxes. She recommends clearing out old emails into a folder called "done" or "stuff" and processing the remaining emails regularly to maintain a zero inbox. Donna advises checking emails only 2-3 times a day and turning off notifications to avoid being constantly distracted by emails.
the importance of creating thinking space and outlines her three-step approach: stop, take stock, and decide.
the concept of "wipe the mind," a stream-of-consciousness exercise to clear the mind of clutter and improve focus.
best times for planning - Donna advises using the late afternoon hours to plan, as they typically require less mental intensity and can set the stage for a productive day ahead.

RESOURCES

Donna McGeorge

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