Practice the Power of One

Although Three Dog Night might've wanted to convince folks that one is the loneliest number, I believe wholeheartedly that one is the most powerful number for productivity. There can be power in the masses, meaning a team collaborating in harmony makes greater progress than an individual; however, when it comes to certain organizing tools, it's more impactful to practice the power of one. When you have one place to look for information, one place to update content and one place from which data feeds, it is easier to quickly find what you need when you need it, keep content updated as it changes and verify information is processing correctly. Here are a few examples:

• Address Book - For contacts' names, phone numbers, emails and snail mail addresses as well as any notes gathered via interactions with that person, keeping everything centralized within one system better enables it will stay up-to-date and be quickly accessible whenever or wherever needed, rather than having the business card left elsewhere or the phone number locked in another tool. It is best to have your solution sync across devices, meaning you don't have to manually enter details' changes on computers as well as mobile devices.

• Calendar - Whether it's paper or electronic, a single place to track all time commitments (personal and professional) makes it less likely that appointments will be forgotten or you'll double-book yourself. If you choose an electronic option, you can still benefit from the power of one principle with various calendars for different elements of life, like one shared with your spouse, one shared with folks at work and one for volunteer commitments, as long as you have a viewing option to see everything at once, letting conflicts be visible easily.

• Cloud-Based, Automated Back-up - Computers crash. Fires can destroy all your devices. Emergencies happen. It is with an automated, remote storage of all data from your hard drive that you can truly be prepared for anything. There is a difference between an online file repository and a cloud-based, automated back-up, which means both are necessary, and it's important to be strategic in managing electronic files. Unlike a hard-drive that you attach to your computer for backing up data, a cloud solution isn't at risk of natural disasters in your physical proximity, doesn't require you remembering to hook it up for activating the back-up and has multiple points at which your data storage is duplicated as well as protected.

• "Data Dump" of Information - Human-beings are inundated daily with information, like meeting notes, ideas, reference articles, checklists, process steps, voice mails, blog posts, emails, texts and inspirations. Since our brains are meant for thinking, not remembering, it's important to document everything. Keeping it all in one place limits the places you must check when trying to find whatever's needed. 

• File-Naming Structure - Whether paper files, electronic documents or saved emails, having each folder and individual file follow the same naming conventions will allow you to know what goes where and more easily retrieve each item later. If you have to ask "where should I file this?" when assigning a home to newly received or created content, how will you ever be able to find it later? Make sure you have enough folders for all the content to be retained while not having so many folders that any one item could go into more than one; then, keep your file-naming structure simply while avoiding "miscellaneous" so it's easy to replicate across the various retention platforms.

• Password Manager - There's no doubt that our list of websites and software solutions requiring logins is continually growing, and we must protect ourselves with better password management. Listing all usernames and passwords in one place saves time as we're frantically trying to get logged in, and an electronic solution is more secure, allows easier access while on-the-go, creates more secure passwords, can alert you automatically when any site has been hacked and works cross-platform so you always have the right login information, no matter which device is being utilized to access your account.

• Strategy for Attacking Priorities - Proactively create the direction in which you will proceed each week rather than living in reactionary mode by completing a weekly strategy session to develop a game plan for tasks, communications, time commitments and development opportunities in advance. Use your weekly strategy to ward off time stealers and others priorities since knowing where you're headed helps in getting there. Then, implement a daily wrap-up to stay on track throughout the week, avoiding deviations from curveballs that life will throw your way while addressing what matters most.

• To-Do List - When jotting tasks down in different notebooks, on meeting agendas, using sticky notes atop your desk or on the napkin you grab in the drive-through line, it's more difficult to know what needs to be done when. Alternatively, keeping all the action items needing your attention in one place makes it more likely they'll get completed, aides in prioritizing and allows for divvying out must-do items across each day of the week. If you opt for an electronic task manager app, it adds reminders, easier carryover, recurrences and useful integrations.

Where do you see the power of one boosting your productivity currently? How can you streamline your toolbox to have one tool for each listed function? 

Practice The Power of One

Although many claim that one is a lonely number, I contend that one is a very powerful number for boosting your productivity. When you have one place to look for information, one place to update content and one place from which data feeds, it is easier to quickly find what you need when you need it, to update data as it changes and to verify information is processing correctly. Take action! Streamline your toolbox to have one tool for each of these:

● Calendar - Each of us is only one human-being, whether at work, at home or somewhere in between; if you have one calendar for both personal and professional commitments, you are less likely to double-book yourself, more likely to remember where you need to be when and able to easily reference where you are spending all of your time. Choose whether a paper or electronic solution works better for your specific needs, and test out solutions to see which you prefer, like Cozi, EveryThink, Google Calendar, iCal, Kalendi, Outlook, Sunrise or Yahoo.

● To-Do List - Since our brains are meant for thinking, not remembering, it is imperative to write down all that needs to get done. When tasks are jotted down on a Post-It note beside our computer screen, a napkin in the drive-through lane and the paper from our meeting notes, it becomes challenging to know what tasks need to be completed by when; however, when all tasks are culled together in one running data dump, it is easier to funnel what needs your attention into a daily to-do list, either paper or electronic. Tech tools like Any.Do, Asana, Azendoo, Carrot, Clear, Google Tasks, Mavenlink, Nozbe, Pocket Informant, Producteev, Remember the Milk, iOS' Reminders, Todoist, Toodledo, Trello, Wrike and Wunderlist offer reminders, easier carryover, repeat options and integrations, whether working independently or in collaboration with your work teams, committees and family.

● Address Book - If your contacts' information is synced between your computer and mobile devices, you have one database (or address book), which means you can more easily update any contact's information as it changes because we all know people move, change jobs and get new email addresses or phone numbers. Plus, if you have your contacts' information in such an electronic address book, it is easier to utilize tools like EasilyDo, Humin, Sync.ME, Brewster, EverContact and FullContact to double-check the accuracy of each connection's contact information.

● Password Manager - Today's workflows often involve logging into many different platforms in addition to online banking, social media and bill-paying. Listing those usernames and passwords in one place can be a lifesaver, and an electronic solution is more secure, allows easier access while on-the-go, creates more secure passwords for you and can alert you automatically when any site has been hacked for more quickly resetting your password. Consider these low cost options: Dashlane, LastPass, Roboform, SplashID, Sticky Password and 1Password.

● Reference Tool - If you have one place for all the information you must reference and remember, it is much easier to find what you need when you need it. Personally, I prefer Evernote to boost my workflows' effectiveness because it allows me to cull together all different types of information (typed text, handwritten notes, video, audio, web clippings, photos, documents), to add content via multiple methods (typing it in, photographing it, scanning it, emailing it in, File This, IFTTT), offers ubiquity of syncing all my information across my various different devices, allows me to annotate images, empowers great collaboration and provides superior search capabilities. No matter what option you choose, keep all your notes, checklists, research, process outlines, reading materials and more in one place for efficiency and easier access.

● Cloud-Based, Automated Backup - Computers crash. Fires can destroy all your devices. Emergencies happen. Yet, you can be prepared with automated, remote storage. Unlike a hard-drive that you attach to your computer for backing up data, a cloud solution isn't at risk of natural disasters in your physical proximity, doesn't require you remembering to hook it up for activating the back-up and has multiple points at which your data storage is duplicated. See whether you can get the best deal for your specific needs via Backblaze, Carbonite, CrashPlan or Mozy.

● File-Naming Structure - Whether your paper files, electronic documents or emails, having each folder and individual file follow the same naming conventions will allow you to know what goes where and more easily retrieve content later. If you have to ask "where should I file this?" when assigning a home to newly received or created content, how will you ever be able to find it later? Keep your file-naming structure simple so it is easy to replicate between platforms; then, make sure you have enough folders for all the content you will be storing while not having so many folders that any one item could go into more than one.

● Weekly Strategy Session - Proactively create the direction in which you will proceed for the week ahead rather than starting in reactionary mode, focusing more on your priorities instead of being pulled to address others' priorities. You can take control of your productivity by being strategic and mapping out a specific game plan for addressing all that needs your attention. Click here for a checklist and make time in your schedule to complete this Friday afternoon or over the weekend.

● Daily Wrap-Up - To keep your weekly strategy on track amidst all the curveballs that life will throw your way, end each day with your daily wrap-up, where you address each of the work-life integration items covered in the checklist linked here.

By streamlining your personal and professional tools for better organization, you will best make every minute matter.

What are some ways you can practice "the power of one" to boost your productivity via work-life integration? On which of these toolbox needs' will you take action today?