BUSY BEING BUSY? WORK THESE PRODUCTIVITY HACKS INTO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.
BUSY BEING BUSY? WORK THESE PRODUCTIVITY HACKS INTO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.
MEMORY BOOSTERS
These mnemonic devices will help you remember just about everything.
ACRONYMS
If you have a large team and are constantly leaving a couple of people out of the e-mail loop, remedy this by using the first letter of all their names to spell a new word. So Linda, Aaron, May, Ben, Chandra, Hana, Oliver, Priya and Siti become “LAMBCHOPS”.
CHUNKING
This is based on the principle that grouping disparate bits of information into larger blocks makes them easier to remember. So if you’re trying to commit a list of heart-healthy foods to memory, the trick is to sort everything into categories, such as fruit, vegetables and seafood.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Terrible at putting names to new faces? An easy way to nudge recall is to connect their names with something distinctive or familiar about the person. For instance, if you’re introduced to Roy and he is upbeat and enthusiastic, nickname him Rock ’n’ Roll Roy. Just don’t let that slip when you see him next time.
THE MEMORY PALACE
When it comes to speeches, try to visual- ise a familiar route that you often take. Associate information from your speech with landmarks along the path, and when it’s time to deliver the talk, recall that pre- scribed road, allowing objects you “encounter” to trigger different information.
GET UP TO SPEED, FASTER
Shortcut to cope with information overload.
BIG IDEAS IN SMALL PACKAGES
Management books might harbour a few solid takeaways, but harvesting them often requires one to plough through hundreds of pages. Enter Blinkist, an app that provides executive summaries on over 2,000 non-fiction bestsellers ranging from biographies to well-researched tomes on leadership. Available on Google Play and iTunes
AI MAIL MANAGER
AI-powered Knowmail software learns from your e-mail habits and preferences before flagging urgent messages for your attention, ensuring your energy is focused on clearing the most pressing tasks first. Compatible with Outlook and Cortana. http://www.knowmail.me
A STRONGER NETWORKING GAME
Terence Chiew, managing director of consulting firm Peet Asia, shares a few pointers.
ASK QUESTIONS
Ask the other party questions to show that you are engaged and interested. It’s important to listen, too, without hijacking the conversation.
BUSINESS CARD ETIQUETTE
Establish rapport first before exchanging cards. Ensure your name appears the right way up to the recipient.
NO PHONES, PLEASE
Don’t attend to phone calls or reply text messages until the conversation has ended. If you need to go, excuse yourself politely.
KEEP THE CONVERSATION CIRCLE OPEN
After inviting someone to join a conversation, ease him or her in by recapping what you’ve been discussing.
BE NICE TO EVERYONE
See someone you’d rather avoid? Be professional and acknowledge that person’s existence by greeting him politely before excusing yourself.
A GRACEFUL EXIT
Excuse yourself by saying: “I see somebody whom I haven’t spoken to in a while. Please excuse me for a moment. It was great chatting with you.”
