Question:

How can I inspire myself to be more productive?

Answer:

You know how it is when work is just zzzzzzzzzooooooming along and you lose track of time? Pretty darn great, eh? Well, this zzzzzzoooooom time is what I call The Zzzzzzzzone.

Well, here are some secret techniques to help you get into the Zzzzzone and stay there:

1. Next time you find yourself naturally in The Zzzzzzone, cash in on your neuron jackpot by doing as much as you possibly can. Tackle that difficult work project you’ve been avoiding. Make that uncomfortable call to a client. After all, you are The Undefeatable Zzzzzzzzonator that cannot be stopped! Go for it!

2. Next time you find yourself naturally in The Zzzzzzone, leave yourself an excited message about how fantastic you are -- a message that you can play back later to jumpstart that lost/loving feeling -- The Zzzzzzzone feeling.

3. Make a list right now of The Zzzzzzzone Memories from your past -- to re-read to get you jumpstarted back into The Zzzzzzone. Ask yourself what location you were in when you got yourself into The Zzzzzzzzone. What was your body posture? What were you thinking about right before? What were you wearing? Duplicate as many of these things as possible.

4. Discover your own creativity pornography. Maybe it’s a trade magazine that gets you feeling psyched about doing cool work. Maybe it’s a TV show. Maybe it’s going to a museum or the zoo. Remember: SUPPLE NEURONS = SUPER NEURONS

5. Create Fun Shui. Make sure your office has a fun and playful energy. Buy yourself flowers. Put up funny postcards.

6. Acknowledge is power. Put out your awards or any positive PR you’ve gotten!

7. Think like your mentor. Ask yourself what they would do about your assignment.

8. Think like your 10 year old niece/nephew. Ask yourself how a child would look at your assignment.

9. Think like Albert Szent Gyorgy, the Nobel-winning physician, who once said: “Discovery consists of looking at the same things as everyone else and thinking something different.” In other words, don’t think like a hammer looking at a nail. Think like a piece of swiss cheese looking at a nail. Question your first instincts. Don’t stop until you get to your 1001st instincts!

10. Lure your muse with music, give your brain a Google, throw out old clothes, do a headstand and see the world upside down, write with your alternate hand, write with a crayon, move your desk, go iching-ing for new ideas, enjoy a cockytale, do/see/eat something unfamiliar.

Find out more about Karen Salmansohn