For me, personal productivity means the ability to deliver results when needed. The results may be some deliverable to your boss, or some outcome for yourself. You should also be able to do this without unnecessary stress. How often have you achieved this? Most of us have been truly productive very seldom. I strongly think that this ability is something that can be developed. It is done by learning a specific set of six crucial skills. I'll run them down for you below.

For me, personal productivity means the ability to deliver results when needed. The results may be some deliverable to your boss, or some outcome for yourself. You should also be able to do this without unnecessary stress. How often have you achieved this? Most of us have been truly productive very seldom. I strongly think that this ability is something that can be developed. It is done by learning a specific set of six crucial skills. I'll run them down for you below.

What many people do not realize is, that such a basic skill like learning, can be boosted. Learning skills can be beefed up by learning to read faster, by learning how to create mind maps, and by studying mnemonics. Especially mnemonics is a very interesting area, as it is almost like a dark art of the mind. Just think about it: you can actually teach yourself the order of the cards in a full card deck. Furthermore, the tricks in this area are surprisingly simple.

With organization skills, we mean the ability to organize things physically. A structured approach to this often helps for better information retrieval. Questions like "Where did I put that important letter?", tend to be frustrating, and especially when you are in a hurry. Two good measurements for your level of personal organization are: 1) the size of your email inbox, and 2) the tidiness of your desk at work. You know what I mean.

Then we have time management skills. I classify time management as a sub-art to personal productivity. I say "time management" when I refer to managing tasks & email, calendar events, and managing procrastination. Skills in time management are key, as they relate directly to doing your work efficiently.

Keeping yourself mentally healthy is crucial in society today. We are constantly faced with different pressures from the left and right. If you are not able to cope with stress, you might see your productivity sink through the floor. Ways to keep yourself mentally healthy include meditation, socializing, and living in the present moment.

Creativity is also needed for optimal personal productivity. Luckily there exists generic ways to solve problems, something we often need to do at work. It is unpleasant having to come up with a slide show to your boss on some specific problem, if you don't have solution ideas. Luckily, good ideas can be generated.

Lastly, we have decision making. Decision making is also an art. Some people almost fall apart when they have to make tough calls, others from even less. It is good to know that there exists some useful tools and tips for this area too.

When someone has developed some or all of these areas, you ought to be able to notice a considerably increased level of personal productivity.