Time Yourself!

Continuing with my earlier theme of productivity, one of the things that I find helps me be more productive in my "real" job as a transcriptionist is using a timer.

I set it for 30 minutes and start typing. When the buzzer goes off, I stop, take a break, and walk around. This is especially important if you sit at a desk all day, because of the very real risk of blood clots forming in your legs.

I find a timer makes me much more productive. It's easier to focus on your work when you use a timer. It not only insures that you're going to work for a minimum amount of time, it also lends urgency to your task. And as I said, it also reminds you to get up and stretch your legs every now and then.

There's an easy to use, free timer that I keep on my desktop. It's Cool Timer by Harmony Hollow Software, and you can download it here at Cnet's Download.com. Try it, and see if your productivity increases.