About Me

I was not born organized or productive.

<gasp>

I became organized and productive through years of self-education and trial-and-error early in my career.

<sigh>

I learned that productivity is a skill set, not a personality trait.

 

I graduated from Wake Forest University using a weekly calendar and eventually earned a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.  But even more than my 25+ years of corporate and small business management experience, being a mom has taught me the importance of being organized, setting priorities, and balancing work and life.

In 2007, it occurred to me that other businesspeople shouldn’t have to struggle with getting organized like I did, so I quit my corporate job and hung out my shingle as a productivity coach, speaker, and writer. Since then, I have helped thousands of businesspeople nationwide maximize their effectiveness, balance their priorities, and generate outstanding results.

Here are some things that I love:

  • My family (of course – all else pales in comparison)
  • Helping overworked and underappreciated people (this is my business after all)
  • My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (his name is Dobby)
  • That my husband does all the grocery shopping (I cook the food)
  • Outlook Tasks (sometimes Trello)

I dislike raw onions and the feeling that I may have let someone down.  I believe that perfectionism is a key cause of disorganization, and I blame my ridiculously unattainable desire to be perfect for the struggles I often have to manage my time and not overbook myself.  Yes, even organized folks have these struggles.

If you are still reading, then it’s probably time to stop.

Still here?  Hey, how about we connect on LinkedIn?

Okay, it is really time to stop.

…but make sure you sign up to get my blog in your inbox before you leave.

 

Melissa Gratias, Ph.D

Melissa Gratias, Ph.D

Dr. Gratias is a productivity specialist who finds life-affirming messages in Muppet movies and Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.  Despite being a time management expert, she can’t read analog clocks well at all.  Follow @melissagratias on Instagram, but don’t ask her what time it is.

What do people say about working with me?

Melissa is an expert in document management/reduction and conversion to electronic documents and is excellent at communicating common sense, understandable solutions.

Attorney

First of all Melissa is a great coach. I am a coach and a tough grader in this area. Coaches need coaches but they probably make the most challenging of clients. I could fit into that category. Since ... Read More

Robin Hensley, Owner/Coach
Raising the Bar

Gratias is not just her name but also her attitude! Melissa is gracious in sharing her time, knowledge and expertise. She is a wonderful role model who continually strives for balance in her own life ... Read More

Owner/CEO

Melissa Gratias has worked with me, my partner, and our staff over the past 6 months. She has done an outstanding job of guiding us to have a far more organized office and system of work flow. I could... Read More

Financial Planner

Have utilized Melissa on an ongoing basis to improve my business and how my partners, staff, and I function more efficiently together. She has the unique ability to teach old dogs new tricks and we wo... Read More

Business Owner