The Secret to Peak Productivity

November 25, 2013
Professional organizer and productivity consultant Myles presents an organizational process she calls the “peak productivity pyramid,” which “defines the motivational relationship among five areas of productivity”: “physical organization,” “electronic organization,” “time management,” “activity-goal alignment,” and “possibility.” The goal is to streamline your basic organizational systems to move up the pyramid. Myles offers helpful, focused assessment tools to identify strengths and weaknesses in both personal and professional realms. These assessments also help determine where in the pyramid you begin. Drowning in physical clutter? Start at level one—physical organization. Got a clean desk but overwhelmed by e-mail? Level two, electronic organization, is a good starting point. Myles devotes a chapter to each of the five levels, with tactics to gain control—from “keeping it simple” and “the tickler system,” to “the three P’s of time management” (“plan, prioritize, and perform”), and “six steps to goal setting.” At the top of the pyramid, she explores the concept of possibility: how to use your extra time to become the person you want to be. She ends each chapter with helpful “productivity pointers” that identify key takeaways. This practical and empowering book will be immeasurably helpful to readers who need a manageable way to gain control of their time. Agent: Claudia Gere, Claudia Gere and Co.

November 15, 2013

Certified professional organizer Myles gives readers some tips on making their work experiences as efficient as possible. According to Myles, levels of productivity are arranged in a similar fashion to those in psychologist Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, with "physical organization" (keeping papers and files sorted and arranged) forming the base of the pyramid and "possibility" (having broad, overarching career goals) at the very top. The other key bases for productivity consist of electronic organization, time management, and activity-goal alignment. At each stage, Myles provides action skills for readers, such as learning how to plan and prioritize. A particularly useful section describes how to set goals and align activities to enhance achievement, and Myles even discusses the "power office," or her vision of the ideal workspace, with uncluttered surfaces and organized folder systems and files. VERDICT Though this book doesn't offer anything all that new, it will be helpful for those who find themselves overwhelmed at the office.

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