Tag Archives: Productivity

How to increase productivity: Perhaps you need transparency and accountability

Posted on June 24, 2013 by in Efficiency, Software

Do you want to be more productive? This simple RescueTime widget can make you accountable.

Some days I just don’t have the level of productivity that I would like. Easy access to (mostly) useful news and information is a click away on Twitter and LinkedIn, and sometimes I’m curious what others are up to on Facebook.

But those innocent breaks can be a real killer to my personal productivity.

Rate My Productivity

So what can I do to be more productive? Hold my self accountable to complete strangers.

Frequent readers know that RescueTime is one of my go-to apps to monitor the time I spend on all kinds of activities. I’ve used it to track my work hours for nearly two years, and I’ve recently started using it to track how much time I spend exercising and grocery shopping, too.

So it’s one thing to look at my RescueTime dashboard privately, but the app also allows me to share my dashboard statistics publicly.

Productivity Widget

So here it is, my RescueTime widget for each day’s productivity.



This widget updates in real time as I work throughout the day. I placed a version of this widget in the sidebar of the FPPad website (it’s over on the right; scroll down to see it below my tweets).

If you have a RescueTime account (but if not, use my affiliate link for a free trial), simply view any report and click the “embed this cart” button on the left. That will generate code you can embed on any webpage.

Click "embed this chart" to add your RescueTime productivity meter to any website.

Click “embed this chart” to add your RescueTime productivity meter to any website.

Where To Paste Your Productivity Meter

Will you place your productivity meter on your homepage? Probably not.

But would you consider placing it under your biography on your about me page? Perhaps.

And will this be effective in curtailing my own lapses in focus on work? Maybe, maybe not.

But do I want strangers to know that only 40% of my time has been spent on productive work? Absolutely not!

One awesome productivity tool you probably don’t realize you already have

Posted on June 6, 2013 by in Efficiency, Software

Dictation features included in your computer's operating system are awesome productivity tools you probably didn't realize you already have

The dictation feature in your computer’s operating system is an awesome productivity tool you probably don’t  realize you already have. Learn how to use it.

One of the easiest, most powerful productivity tools you can use is dictation software, but I’m willing to bet that most of you don’t use it.

Maybe you don’t want to buy software like Dragon Dictate, or you’re turned off by the inconvenience of using your phone to call in to a dictation service.

And most of the time, you want your dictation right away, not in 24 hours.

Speak vs. Type

Personally, I can type around an average of 70 words per minute, but dictating boosts my words-per-minute rate to well over 140, an easy 100% increase in productivity.

Did you know that you probably already have dictation software?

It’s free, and it works well, so you might as well try it.

Native Dictation

Dictation software is now built in to Windows and Mac OS; you just have to know how to turn it on and use it, a process neither OS makes obvious.

Head on over to my Morningstar Advisor column One Productivity Tool Right Under Your Nose to learn how to activate dictation in your operating system and start using it to boost your productivity.

 

Listen live this Friday at 3PM Pacific for my productivity tips on KLAV 1230 AM Financial Fridays

Posted on March 27, 2012 by in Practice Management

Here’s a chance to hear some of my favorite productivity tips for free right from your desktop.

I will be the guest on KLAV 1230 AM radio Financial Fridays this week, hosted by Leonard C. Wright, CPA/PFS.

Financial Fridays starts at 3PM Pacific time and my segment will start around 3:15PM.

The agenda will features tools, apps, and practices that apply to financial advisors, business owners, and individuals alike, so there’s something for everybody.

KLAV 1230 AM audio is streamed live over the Internet, so click here to open the audio feed.

Google Instant Can Save 2 To 5 Seconds Per Search

Posted on September 8, 2010 by in General

If you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari and IE 8 to access the Internet, head over to the Google homepage and enter a search query. Instead of pressing the Enter key or clicking the “Search” or “I’m Feeling Lucky” buttons, Google now displays instant search results beneath your query.

Here’s a short video from Google on how Google Instant works.

I admit, I rarely access the Google homepage to perform search. Instead, I enter search queries directly in Chrome’s Omnibox. Personally I find that Omnibox saves me time versus visiting Google’s homepage since most of my searches are to retrieve pages I visited before (and discoverable in my browser history).

Have you tried Google Instant? What are your first impressions?

More Monitors Equals More Productivity? Not Necessarily

Posted on August 19, 2010 by in Efficiency

We’ve written before how adding a second (or third) monitor to an advisor’s workspace can unlock additional productivity (Increase Adviser Productivity At Least 10%).

Now there’s a discussion developing on the Lifehacker website over whether the gain in productivity is actually true or not.

Click here to read Is the Multiple-Monitor Productivity Boost a Myth? at Lifehacker.com

The debate circles around the overall screen real estate available (e.g. pixels) when working with multiple programs and talks about settings for screen resolution and monitor size. I believe that one can be just as efficient when working on one large monitor with suitable dimensions compared to two monitors that feature an equivalent resolution.

Still, the argument that multiple monitors does not add to one’s productivity is not absolute. It depends on several factors that vary significantly from user to user.

So my takeaway for advisors considering multiple monitors is as follows:

  • 20″ widescreen monitors should be sufficient to display large records side-by-side.
  • Choose one monitor for your active workspace and one for your reference materials. Try not to switch back and forth between monitors to display active programs. Choose one and stick with it.
  • Finally, don’t leave any email program active on any monitor at any time!

New at Morningstar Advisor: Rescue Your Imperiled Productivity

Posted on August 12, 2010 by in Efficiency

My August column for Morningstar Advisor is now available!

This month I find out just how productive I spend my time each day using a convenient time management utility. If advisors aren’t measuring time spent on daily tasks, how can they identify changes to make to enhance their productivity?

Click here to read “Rescue Your Imperiled Productivity” at Morningstar Advisor.

The Standard® Webinar Series Replay on Productivity Now Available

Posted on July 15, 2010 by in Efficiency

The replay for the webinar I did on productivity for The Standard® Webinar Series is now available. I hope you enjoy the replay and take away a few tips on how you can get the most out of each workday.

Click here to visit The Standard® Webinar Series page and view the replay (63 minutes). It’s free!

Get Productivity Tips in The Standard Webinar Series

Posted on July 7, 2010 by in General

If posts seem a bit infrequent on FPPad, it’s because I’ve been busy preparing new content for a variety of sources (including my monthly technology column for Morningstar Advisor).

Also, I finished updating a presentation on productivity tips oriented to financial advisors. I’m presenting these tips during a webinar presented by The Standard.

The FREE webinar is this Thursday, July 8 at 12PM ET, 9AM PT (sorry for the late notice).

Click here to view The Standard Webinar Series page and my presentation titled Productivity Tips: How to Get More Done.

I hope you will join me on Thursday and I trust you’ll get a least two or three tips to help you work more efficiently and effectively to get more done for your clients.

See my CRM and Productivity Presentation on March 17

Posted on March 11, 2009 by in Practice Management, Software

I’m busy working on the final slides for a presentation I’m delivering to the Mid-Oregon chapter of the FPA on Tuesday, March 17.  Lunch is served at 12:30PM, the first speaker begins at 1:00PM, and my session begins after 2:00PM. I’ve been asked to provide an overview of the CRM software market (not a small task!) and also provide easy productivity tips that can help financial advisers get the most out of each workday.

If you’re in the local vicinity, I encourage you to sign up for what I hope will be a very informative presentation.

Click here to visit the FPA of Mid-Oregon meeting page.  Cost is just $55 for FPA members, $65 for all others.

Pre-registration (at least 24 hours in advance) is strongly advised for all chapter meetings. To pre-register contact the Chapter Executive Director, Linda Barba at (541) 284-9855. Please leave your name, membership status, sessions attending, and number of guests.