How To Be More Productive
By Petris Lapis B Com LLB LLM
www.PetrisLapis.com
Sourcehttp://fairfieldprofessionals.com/insights/145-interruptions-distractions-and-technology
Presenteeism
How Productive Are You?
• The 60 second test
The Two Biggest Productivity Killers
1. Multi-tasking
2. Distractions
What Is Multi-Tasking?
I can multitask very well
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
I ca
1 2 3
Remember To Write How Long It Takes You
The Multi-Tasking Myth
Your brain has lots of tools
It can only use one at a time
Sequential v Switch Tasking
• Sequential tasking
• Multi-tasking
The Multi-Tasking Quiz
Question 1
If you try to do two things at once, you will lose
how many seconds each time your brain
switches between tasks?
a) 0 seconds
b) 3 seconds
c) 5 seconds
d) 7 seconds
Question 1
If you try to do two things at once, you will lose
how many seconds each time your brain
switches between tasks?
a) 0 seconds
b) 3 seconds
c) 5 seconds
d) 7 seconds
Question 2
If you attempt to multi-task two tasks at the
same time, it will take you how much longer
than if you did them one after the other?
a) Same time
b) 20% longer
c) 30% longer
d) 50% longer
Question 2
If you attempt to multi-task two tasks at the
same time, it will take you how much longer
than if you did them one after the other?
a) Same time
b) 20% longer
c) 30% longer
d) 50% longer
Question 3
How many benefits of multi-tasking have
researchers found?
a) None
b) Dozens
c) Hundreds
d) Thousands
Question 3
How many benefits of multi-tasking have
researchers found?
a) None
b) Dozens
c) Hundreds
d) Thousands
Question 4
If you attempt to do two things at once, you will
make:
a) No more errors than doing them one at a
time
b) Twice as many errors
c) Three times as many errors
Question 4
If you attempt to do two things at once, you will
make:
a) No more errors than doing them one at a
time
b) Twice as many errors
c) Three times as many errors
Question 5
What percentage of people check email or
internet via smartphone on a date?
a) 38%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 5
What percentage of people check email or
internet via smartphone on a date?
a) 38%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 6
What percentage of people check email or
internet via smartphone while at the movies?
a) 38%
b) 45%
c) 67%
Question 6
What percentage of people check email or
internet via smartphone while at the movies?
a) 38%
b) 45%
c) 67%
Multi-Tasking Error Rate
Error Percentages
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Numerical task
Single task
Letter task
Multi-tasking
What Is The Ink Colour
In The Following Slides?
(The Stroop Effect)
Blue
Pink
Orange
Black
Your Brain – Multi-Tasking
Research Findings In
Relation To MultiTasking
Multi-Tasking
Creates
Habits
Takes
Longer
More
Errors
Lost data
Increases
Stress
Drains
Energy
Less
Overview
Poor
learning
Less
Focus
Poor
Quality
Addictive
Poor
thinking
Can You Get Better At It?
More
stress
Faster at
switching
Worse
cognitive
abilities
Thinking, Learning & Memory
Stress Does Things To Your Mind
Distractions
The Distractions Quiz
Question 1
Talking on a mobile phone (hands held or hands
free) delays your reactions while driving by as
much as having a blood alcohol content of:
a) Zero
b) 0.05
c) 0.08
Question 1
Talking on a mobile phone (hands held or hands
free) delays your reactions while driving by as
much as having a blood alcohol content of:
a) Zero
b) 0.05
c) 0.08
Question 2
Driving while talking to a passenger results in
you missing what percentage of the
conversation?
a) None
b) 20%
c) 70%
Question 2
Driving while talking to a passenger results in
you missing what percentage of the
conversation?
a) None
b) 20%
c) 70%
Question 3
What percentage of the day does your mind
wander while you are at school/work?
a) 10%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 3
What percentage of the day does your mind
wander while you are at school/work?
a) 10%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 4
What percentage of the time does your mind
wander while you are cleaning your teeth?
a) 10%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 4
What percentage of the time does your mind
wander while you are cleaning your teeth?
a) 10%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 5
What percentage of the time does your mind
wander while you are kissing?
a) 10%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 5
What percentage of the time does your mind
wander while you are kissing?
a) 10%
b) 47%
c) 65%
Question 6
The group of people most easily distracted are:
a) Males
b) Females
c) Heavy multi-taskers
Question 6
The group of people most easily distracted are:
a) Men
b) Women
c) Heavy multi-taskers
Question 7
The average attention span of a worker in 2009
was:
a) 30 seconds
b) 20 seconds
c) 10 seconds
Question 7
The average attention span of a worker in 2009
was:
a) 30 seconds
b) 20 seconds
c) 10 seconds
Question 8
The average attention span of a worker in 2013
was:
a) 30 seconds
b) 15 seconds
c) 8 seconds
Question 8
The average attention span of a worker in 2013
was:
a) 30 seconds
b) 15 seconds
c) 8 seconds
Question 9
The average attention span of a goldfish is:
a) 10 seconds
b) 9 seconds
c) 3 seconds
Question 9
The average attention span of a goldfish is:
a) 10 seconds
b) 9 seconds
c) 3 seconds
Question 10
Google found that interrupted workers take an
average of how many minutes to return to the
original task?
a) 3 minutes
b) 23 minutes
c) 58 minutes
Question 10
Google found that interrupted workers take an
average of how many minutes to return to the
original task?
a) 3 minutes
b) 23 minutes
c) 58 minutes
Question 11
What percentage of the time do people, on
average, interrupt themselves?
a) 15% of the time
b) 44% of the time
c) 98% of the time
Question 11
What percentage of the time do people, on
average, interrupt themselves?
a) 15% of the time
b) 44% of the time
c) 98% of the time
Institute of Psychiatry (London) found
that excessive distractions temporarily
reduced workers’ IQ by 10 points
- more than double the loss found in
studies of the impact of smoking
marijuana
- equivalent to missing a night of sleep
Quiet Music v Loud Music
Academic Score
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
Loud Music
Loud Music
Quiet Music
Quiet Music
Any Music v Silence
Academic Scores
13
12.8
12.6
12.4
12.2
12
11.8
11.6
11.4
Music
Silence
Music
Silence
The Worst Distractions In Your
Workplace?
What Is The Answer?
Scientific Research And
Results
Who Else Is Doing It?
Results For Individuals
• Improves memory
• Reduces stress
significantly
• Decreases heart rate
• Decreases blood
pressure
• Reduces cellular aging
• Improves sleep
• Improves reaction times
in older people
• Improves immune
system
• Impacts your mood
What It Does To The Brain
Improves Your Memory
Memory Test Score
4 Days for 20 Mins a Day
8
7
6
5
Before
4
After
3
2
1
0
Before
After
Depression (POMS score)
Significantly Improves Your Mood
3 Days 20min/day
12
10
8
Session 1
6
Session 3
4
2
0
Session 1
Session 3
Significantly Reduces Stress
Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Before
After
Before
After
Telomerase units per 10.000 cells
Reduces Aging of Cells
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Control group
Mindfulness group
Decreases Heart Rate
3 Days 20 Mins/Day
Heart Rate
76
74
72
Before
70
After
68
66
64
Before
After
Improves Sleep Quality
Control group
Mindfulness group
100
5
0
0
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
-100
Improves
Attention
and
Reaction
Times
20
30
35
40
45
50
-5
Adjusted total grey matter volume
Adjusted total grey matter volume
Mindfulness group
Control group
1.2
0.94
0.93
0.92
0.91
1
0.8
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
20
Sustained attention score
Control group
500
500
450
0
25
30
35
40
30
35
40
45
50
Mindfulness group
1000
20
25
Sustained attention score
45
50
Reaction time (milliseconds)
400
20
25
30
35
40
Improves The Immune System
• More antibody-titers in blood
• Shorter time off with flu
45
Reaction time (milliseconds)
50
Health
20 Year Study Found Mindful
Meditators
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Control
Meditators
Mortality
Rate
Heart
Disease
Cancer
Training Your Brain To
Focus
Simply
Sit
Breathe
Count
Practical
Implementation
Focus
Practical Productivity Tips
•
•
•
•
Choose your focus
One thing at a time
Shut down input
Breath between tasks/lessons
Thank you
Petris Lapis
www.PetrisLapis.com
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