Frame
Fido’s Picture
Beyond brightening the day, looking at pictures of cuddly critters and
adorable babies can make a difference in how the job gets done.
At Hiroshima University, researchers found that looking at
“awww”-inducing images before completing a task boosted
participants’ focus by as much as 10 percent. The
researchers believe the boost in focus can be
attributed to the positive emotions the
images inspire.
Match
Tackle
Your Inbox
h
Rise
If you’re swimming in a sea of should-have-answered-that emails, consider
these suggestions to keep yourself afloat:
Talk
Pizza
“Use the email application to es-
tablish a rule that automatically
sends all emails on which you’re cc’d into
a separate folder. These can be reviewed
during down time. Everything else should
be delivered directly into the inbox, so
they’re easier to address at the earliest
convenience.” —Neda Akbarzadeh, CAPM,
PMP, operations performance analyst,
U. S. Department of the Navy, Annapolis,
Maryland, USA
Walk This Way
In the midst of a project, working through lunch might seem like a smarter option than
abandoning your desk, even for a moment. But to keep productivity at its peak, step away
from the computer, says Mr. Whitaker.
“I find that time I spend exercising gives me breathing space to think of more creative
solutions to work issues,” he says. “The effort I invest is returned several times over with
increased productivity.”
In fact, a joint study by the Body-Brain Performance Institute and Swinburne
University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia found that enrolling employees in a
10,000-steps-per-day walking program would yield productivity increases worth
AUD2,500 per employee annually.
“Taking a walk during lunch is great, but it’s a luxury most project
managers don’t have,” says Ms. Akbarzadeh. Still, she says, a recharge
is possible on even the most hectic schedule. “A five-minute
walk in the hallway can be a good start to feeling
energized and focused.” PM
BREAK Walk
“If an email requires less than
two minutes to respond to, do
so immediately. If it requires more time,
use a color-coding system, such as red for
high-priority, orange for medium-priority
and yellow for low-priority. Create a spe-
cial folder for informational emails—and
move those emails as soon as they come
in. Taking 15 minutes at the end of each
day to streamline your inbox can save
you significant time.” —Imad Mouflih,
PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP, project manager,
Mobily, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
“My staff knows that if they have
an urgent matter to be addressed,
