Tips for New Year’s Productivity and Joy (More or Less)

The beginning of a New Year—it’s a time to make resolutions to get fit and stay healthy. And it’s also a great time to get back on the path to being more productive and joyful. All it takes to succeed is a little more of one thing…and a little less of something else.

First the more part. Express more gratitude more often in 2016. Appreciate people who help you achieve something, whether big or small. At least once every month, send a gratitude note to someone who has helped you get ahead or achieve something. Being grateful will fill you and the person you send the note to with joy. And when you are joyful and happy, you will be more productive.

Now for the less part of the equation. I recommend less digital distraction. Waste less time on email and you will get more done.

You have to stop checking your email every few minutes. It’s distracting and it takes you off task. Instead, you could just check email a couple of times a day (say 10 A.M. and 4 P.M.) and stay away from your inbox at all other times.

Or better yet, listen to Tim Ferriss (of Four Hour Workweek fame) and learn to handle your email overwhelm by using an email autoresponder to ignore some of your correspondence. This allows you to answer fewer emails (and ignore more). Then, he recommends that you start giving your email address to fewer people. (By the way, before setting up an autoresponder that says you’re unavailable, separate email by categories—lawyers, accountants, team members, etc.—and ask them to text you if it’s urgent.

Here’s another bonus New Year’s tip. Set up you 2016 playlist for business and fitness. Then, you can stream instant information from books, blogs and podcasts of your choice while exercising, driving, flying…anywhere, any time.

Cheers with water,
Adam

P.S. I am currently on an assignment in Paris and starting the New Year in the beautiful, wondrous “City of Lights.” It’s the perfect place to re-center and recover…I’ll tell you more about my experiences soon. Have you ever been in Paris? Since I will be here for 6 months, I’d really appreciate if you’d share your favorite sites to see, activities to do and foods to eat.

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