I am so lucky to have the opportunity to speak to people across the country.  I returned to one of my clients, an automobile assembly plant, to deliver a day-long productivity seminar.

However, I wasn’t the only productivity expert in the room!

The #ProductivitySuperheroes who participated in the seminar had these great tips to share with you:

• Clear your head every night before bed by making note of all of your undone tasks. ~John
• Use Outlook Tasks! ~Maggie
• Do task mapping to determine what comes first, second, etc. ~David
• Use Outlook Rules to automatically file certain incoming messages. ~Michael
• Prioritize your emails and always take good notes. ~Tammy
• Make a list so you won’t forget what you need to do. ~Alan
• Use a weekly planner. ~Jaime
• Use Excel to make Gantt Charts for projects. ~Albert
• Put reminders on your calendar. ~Alice
• Make checklists every day. ~Anna
• Pay attention to your peak productivity times of day. ~Sarah
• Color-code incoming emails to help you prioritize your responses. ~Lise
• Use Outlook Calendar and Tasks. ~Patricia
• Never be without a to-do list. ~Scott
• Use Microsoft OneNote as your memory bank. ~Ovie
• Have one notebook where you write down everything. ~Earl
• Make lists – on paper preferably. ~Angie
• Break down your priorities into 2 – 3 “must dos.” ~Philipp
• If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it immediately. ~Matt
• Get things out of your brain and onto your lists. ~Jill
• Separate your task list into daily, mid-term, and long-term priorities. ~Flachsy
• Checklists and spreadsheets are huge helps for tracking tasks. ~Cicero
• Keep your top 3 – 5 goals in front of you every day. ~Angel
• Standardization and consistency are your friend. ~Hamp

The theme of the list above is…make lists!  I love how these folks recognize the fallacy of trying to remember all of the things we have to do.  Our brains weren’t built for that!

I salute these #ProductivitySuperheroes and look forward to my next visit to the plant.

This article is a part of my #ProductivitySuperheroes series where I profile people who are exceptional at managing their time, tasks, information and/or life in general. If you’d like to nominate yourself or someone you admire, please email getproductive@melissagratias.com.

Are you ready to prioritize tasks, address time challenges, and master your information?


Buy the Crazy Productive series and you will receive all six books at a discounted price.

Melissa Gratias (pronounced “Gracious”) used to think that productivity was a result of working long hours. And, she worked a lot of hours. Then, she learned that productivity is a skill set, not a personality trait. Now, Melissa is a productivity expert who coaches and trains other businesspeople to be more focused, balanced, and effective. She is a prolific writer and speaker who travels the world helping people change how they work and improve how they live. Contact her at getproductive@melissagratias.com or 912-417-2505. Sign up to receive her productivity tips via email.