"The best laid plans of mice and men Go often awry". Isn't that the truth? So often you make plans on what you will accomplish (your task list), perhaps even setting aside blocks of time (your calendar), just to see it get blown to bits by an unexpected occurence. It happens, and that is life. But that doesn't mean you can't recover from it quickly and get back on track.

One of the best ways to increase your productivity skills in software is to learn the shortcuts. While menus make it easy to find the features you are looking for, shortcuts take you there immediately - without having to lift your hands from the keyboard. But learning the shortcuts for new software can be hard, and can interrupt workflow if you have to move your eyes from the screen to a place where you have them written down. Enter the DIY cheat sheet wallpaper.

Rebooting the computer gets rid of junk from memory and lets you start fresh. Did you know that rebooting your entire work area will extend the benefits and start your morning easier?

There is so much information out there on productivity. Too much, really. We read articles, skim blogs, buy books and planners and software in the hopes of being more productive. We thrust authors to the top of the best seller lists because they have a way to make us be at the top of our game. "Do X and Y and Z and you will get there," they promise. Only life doesn't work that way. People don't respond to formulas.

The Art of Thriving ran an article recently called "How stopping what you’re doing helps you get it done." In it, the author listed out things she was going to stop doing in order to make room for things she wanted to do. Since so much of productivity is saying yes to the right things, it helps to periodically examine what we say no to.