When something happens a third time, you’ve got yourself a pattern.

I had a great time on my most recent trip to Volkswagen.  As has become my fun habit with these hard-working folks, I opened up the seminar by asking each person to offer their favorite productivity tip.

Here are the tips that these #ProductivitySuperheroes had to share:

• “Be direct and honest…always.” ~Bob
• “Start with your attitude. Then, make sure you write things down.” ~Hinton
• “Prioritize! In the first 30 minutes of each day, knock off some small, easy tasks.” ~Natalia
• “Visualize what you are trying to accomplish.” ~Hal
• “Make a list. Keep it simple.” ~Sonya
• “Do a quality check to avoid re-work.” ~Joseph
• “Follow the five-minute rule: if something takes less than five minutes, do it now.” ~Brandon
• “Be proactive, not reactive. Anticipate what can go wrong and plan accordingly.” ~J.D.
• “Set expectations for the day. Make sure you do a good handoff with the night shift workers.” ~David
• “Use a whiteboard to brainstorm projects and tasks.” ~Chris
• “Use a Franklin Planner.” (a.k.a. Trapper Keeper!) ~Jeff B.
• “Add reminders to emails.” ~Jeff J.
• “Say “no” appropriately.” ~Austin
• “Keep a weekly list of objectives.” ~Eric
• “Write a daily to-do list.” ~Nina
• “Use Outlook Tasks and block time on your calendar.” ~Matthew
• “Divide big projects into small chunks and set deadlines.” ~Stephanie
• “Plan your work. Plug in your headphones to maintain focus.” ~Miriam
• “Listen to Five Finger Death Punch on your way into work.” ~Stephanie
• “Practice good communication.” ~Patrick
• “Plan your day but be flexible.” ~Lisa

This is a great list of tips, and I especially love the emphasis on planning your work. I also listened to Five Finger Death Punch during lunch that day and really liked what I heard. You just never know what productivity tips you’ll find helpful, right?

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

Make sure you also read parts one and two of this series!

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.