- 5 min read
So this may be a little bit outside of our typical blog post, but we thought it would be great fun to assemble a Christmas playlist of a few of our favorite songs for the Holiday Season. It's still aimed at increasing your productivity this week — after all, it's one less thing to worry about when family dinner time is finally upon you. Just click the YouTube playlist below and enjoy. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us in Wrike!
Productivity enthusiasts are a tough bunch to buy for. They loathe the distractions of clutter, so forego useless trinkets and get them something they’re sure to love: the gift of getting more done! Each of these gifts will bring greater efficiency (and a smile) to the face of your favorite prolific pal. GADGETS & APPS Tools that help you get more done. 1. Flic Wireless Smart Buttons Create a shortcut that initiates your favorite actions without pulling out your smartphone. Turn out the lights, hit snooze, take a selfie, start navigation, and more at the touch of a (physical) button. Pre-order it here. 2. Tile Attach these minimally-designed tiles to anything you'd hate to lose: your keys, luggage, bike, etc. The app shows you when you get closer to your lost item, or you can program your tile to make noise. Start your day organized and calm, instead of in a frantic rush of "Where'd it go?!" nerves. Get it here. 3. Alfred App Powerpack For your Mac laptop. Create shortcuts and hotkeys, search the web or your hard drive, create workflows, and more. Use it as a replacement for Spotlight and make your Mac more efficient. Get it here. (Or try the Free version yourself). 4. Spotify Premium subscription Listening to your favorite music (without the ads) puts you in a good mood and triggers higher brain function. And Spotify's "Deep Focus" playlist is great for getting in the zone (and staying there). Get it here. 5. Belkin WeMo Insight switch Turn your home devices on and off via mobile app. Works with IFTTT.com, or you can use “recipes” to complete specific actions. Free your brain from daily distractions like, “Did I leave the kitchen light on?” Get it here. 6. Noise-canceling headphones Minimize distraction with a set of noise-canceling headphones. You'll never have to worry about overhearing those "TMI" personal conversations in the office again. Bose QuietComfort: Get them here. 7. A simple alarm clock Stop using your phone as an alarm. It's more likely to distract you with incoming notifications and keep your mind racing than help you sleep. Instead, opt for a simple alarm clock that displays only the time. Retro Digital Flip Clock: Get it here. 8. Health & wellness tracker A healthy lifestyle is essential to productivity. There are dozens of options to choose from, including the Jawbone UP24, which will "nudge" you when you've been inactive for too long. A perfect reminder to take a productivity break. Find the perfect device for you here. BOOKS & BRAIN-BOOSTERS Get your brain in shape for the New Year. 1. The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin spent one full year trying science-based tricks and popular strategies to bring more joy to every aspect of her life. Find out what worked and add some happiness to your own life. Get it here. 2. Brain Rules (updated & expanded) John Medina’s bestseller explains the science of how our brains work and outlines 12 strategies for improving your brain's performance. Get it here. 3. The Mindfulness app Rejuvenate your mind and sharpen your focus with daily meditation. This app includes guided sessions from a quick 3 minutes to a half hour, or you can meditate silently until you hear the bells. Get it from the App Store or Google Play Store. 4. Action Method notebook Developed by Bechance founder Scott Belsky, The Action Method breaks every undertaking into three components: Action Steps, References, and Backburner items. This notebook is designed so that every page has clear sections to capture each component. Get it here. 5. Unstuck Productivity Tips Cards This deck of cards helps pinpoint the cause of productivity slumps and gives tips to help move past them. Also available in "Conjure Your Creativity", "Stop Your Procrastination", and "Stop Your Negative Thinking." Get them here. ROAD WARRIOR PRODUCTIVITY A long commute or hectic travel schedule shouldn't slow you down. 1. Portable USB charger No outlet at the airport? No problem. Anker Astro Portable Charger: Get it here. 2. Logitech Keys-to-Go Keyboard Work in comfort with this portable, durable keyboard. Pairs via bluetooth and runs on a rechargeable 3-month battery. Get it here. 3. Smartpen Record and replay on-the-go voice memos or reminders, and transfer handwritten notes scribbled on napkins and receipts into digital text so you can sync your analog & digital worlds. Livescribe Echo Smartpen: Get it here. 4. Powerbag This backpack contains a portable battery for charging your smartphone or tablet. Get it here. 5. Gigs2Go USB Flash Drives This tear-away USB pack is made of extremely durable recycled paper and plastic: it's shockproof, waterproof, and doesn't need a cap. Get it here. PRODUCTIVITY-ENHANCING STOCKING STUFFERS Sometimes big productivity comes in small packages. 1. Lemon-scented candle The pleasant smell of lemons improves focus and reduces errors by 54%. (If you're buying for an office buddy, you might want to stick with something non-flammable like this diffuser.) Williams-Sonoma Meyer Lemon Candle: Get it here. 2. Chocolate Aside from being delicious, chocolate releases dopamine, a hormone that motivates action, along with chemicals that promote calm and stimulate brain function. Godiva 72% Dark Chocolate Bar: Get it here. 3. “Make It Happen” Notebook by Panama For capturing goals big and small — and inspiring commitment. Get it here. 4. Aquanotes Waterproof Notepad For that buddy who claims their best ideas always come to them in the shower. Get it here. 5. Desktop organizer An organized worker is a happy and productive worker. Clear the clutter and save the 76 hours you spend each year looking for lost stuff. iStick Multifunction Desk Organizer: Get it here. 6. Cable clips Another simple organization item to keep your workspace tidy. CableDrop Cable Clips: Get them here. 7. Adorable desk calendar Looking at baby animals improves concentration and focus — and likely puts you in a better mood too. Who can stay grumpy with an adorable fluff ball always in sight? Puppies & Friends 2015: Get it here. 8. Colorful art print Use color psychology to beautify your office and stimulate your brain. Blue helps you concentrate and can make you more productive, while yellow improves your mood and can stimulate creativity. Water lilies by Monet: Get it here. 9. Flowers & Seeds Houseplants increase your focus, motivation, and creativity, while simultaneously eliminating harmful microbes. Potted gardenia: Get it here. OFFICE SHENANIGANS Having fun at the office is the new productivity essential. 1. Mustache paper clips Give your reports and memos some comical style. Get them here. 2. Clip-on desk cup holder Keep your caffeine close at hand, without worrying about accidental spills. Get it here. 3. USB rocket launcher Office warfare is serious business. Maximize your firepower with this nerf rocket launcher. Get it here. 4. Origami Sticky Notes Impress your colleagues by upcycling your used notes into fun origami masterpieces. Get it here. 5. "You Earned It" Bottle Opener Crack open a cold one in celebration of a job well done. Get it here. 6. I Am Very Busy art print Aren't we all? Get it here. 7. "You Can Do It!" mug For just the right amount of encouragement (and caffeine) on those days you'd rather be in bed. Mugs by Emily McDowell: Get it here. Happy Holidays from the Wrike team!
With Thanksgiving just days away, many of us will be flying back home to enjoy family, feasting, and some much needed rest from the last few grueling weeks of work. Before you cut the cord and proceed to the airport without your work devices, use that boring downtime waiting through plane delays to complete a few last-minute tasks, so you can completely relax during the holiday. Not sure how to focus in such a hectic environment? Read on for our best practices on working while in an airport. I. Your Airport Kit Pack All Your Gear: Your phone charger, your laptop and power cord, all necessary cables and external drives, plus analog stuff. And always bring your own power strip. It makes life easier when battling strangers over the limited number of outlets; it's also a great way to instantly make new friends. Set Your Playlist: Along with the gear, prepare your playlists on your mobile device. Load up the podcasts you want to listen to or the music you'll need as background for working. Don't assume your WiFi connection will be reliable. Bring the Cans: Make sure you bring along a good pair of noise-canceling headphones. This will probably be the only way you can override the noise in airports and on the plane. It's also your best solution to help you get into the flow. II. How to Work While You Wait for Your Flight Arrive Early: The first trick for getting in the right frame of mind for last-minute productivity in the airport is to arrive a little bit earlier and get through the check-in lines before they burst with everyone's pent-up holiday entitlement and (sometimes) rage. Find a Home Base: Once that's done, find a good spot as your home base. You might be familiar enough with the airport to know where to settle down. But if not, use Foursquare to get crowd-sourced recommendations for places to work near electrical outlets. The ideal places are airport restaurants, airport lounges, sometimes even a chapel if there is one. The absolute worst place to work is the boarding area where the noisy, swelling crowd will distract you faster than you can load Facebook. Use Airport Lounge 1-Day Passes: If you're already someone who frequent these hallowed areas, proceed to the next section. If you aren't, it may be good to know that some airport lounges offer one-day passes which give you: free WiFi, snacks, and even have complimentary drinks. Most importantly, these spaces are relatively comfy, quiet, and electrical outlets abound. Focus on the Busywork: Working at the airport may not be the best place to do high-level problem solving or brain-heavy creation. Depending on how long you have, this might be the perfect time to clear out your email inbox, organize the files on your downloads folder or desktop, even organize your notes in Wrike. Brainstorm Ideas on a Notebook: Layovers can also be a time to think over ideas for projects you want to work on in the next six months — whether these are personal or work projects. Get Some Exercise: In the absence of any motivation to get work done, you can still keep yourself from vegetating in the boarding area by walking around. Get some exercise. Do some pushups or crunches. Just stay away from the candy shop. More Road Warrior Tools and Tips If you're constantly traveling for work, then you should check out our recommendations for travel gear and travel tips.
Thanksgiving is coming. You'll finally be on vacation. The leftovers from the family feast will be stored in the refrigerator and all your Black Friday presents will be opened, installed, and played with. So what next? I'm betting half of you will check your work email just to see if there are any fires to put out. But hold on; don't give in to the urge right away. The challenge to keep work from interrupting your well-deserved vacation is difficult. According to the Randstad US Employee Engagement Study released just this August 2015, 46% of US employees worry about work while on vacation, and 49% are stressed upon their return. Yikes! You can avoid that extra stress by following these 6 very easy steps to truly enjoy your vacation and recharge: 1. Close Your Open Loops The only real way to enjoy your vacation guilt-free is to tie up loose ends before you get to your holiday destination. This involves informing your team about your travel schedule and ensuring there is a point person who can be contacted while you're away. Traditionally, vacationeers set up out-of-office messages for email and phone so everyone knows you're away. While some entrepreneurs consider this kind of disconnecting losing out on opportunities for future business, going offline is really the only way to vacation stress-free. Just ensure all tasks with deadlines that fall within your time off are delegated to someone else, or else postponed for your return. 2. Do Last Minute Work at the Airport In case you need some last minute work done before you begin relaxing, then make use of your airport time and the downtime you have on the flight. Just make sure you pack all the needed gear. 3. Put the Work Apps Away In general, your vacation will be more enjoyable if you can close down your work apps and resist checking your work email. Also, turn off your notifications! We won't suggest you lock your phone away in the hotel safe or in the hallway closet — because we know you can't do it (and neither can we). 4. No Devices at Mealtime Designate all mealtimes as periods where devices are put away and face-to-face conversation can be had. That's how our grandparents used to do it! 5. Jot Down Ideas, Old School If an idea comes to you related to work, don't open your computer and get sucked into doing work. Instead, jot down notes using a pen and a small (analog) notebook. Then put them away for later reference. 6. Set a Timer If Needed If work is truly inescapable during your vacation, then set a Pomodoro timer for yourself and stick to a strict 25 minutes of work per day. A lot can be done in 25 minutes if you know that's your only window. If you need more than that, then prepare for some backlash from family and/or friends. How Do You Recharge? Just remember that vacation is your chance to get away from the stress of work and the politics of the workplace. If you invite the stress back in by engaging in work-related tasks, you're wasting a perfect opportunity to recharge the spirit and return to work ready to face all its various challenges. Have a tip for maximizing your vacation? Share it in the comments.
