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  productivity update

Randy Pausch and IKEA April 2008
In This Issue
Upcoming Workshops
Randy Pausch
Cutting Cost at IKEA
Impressions from the most recent workshop in Albany
productivity tip
Motivational Quote
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Greetings! Eb signature

You either know me through my Mission Control workshops or as a Senior Consultant with Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA). This productivity update will be covering both of these topics:

1. Ways to become more productive with the Mission Control Productivity system and

2. Strategies to save cost with the 10 step ERA process.

I will structure these updates in a way that allow you to quickly grasp what each issue covers. If you are interested in the topic follow the link and go into more detail. If you are not interested move on to the next thing.

But before you do so inspire yourself with the the productivity tip or motivational quote at the end of the newsletter.

I hope you will find these updates helpful.

Best regards,

Eb Schmidt Unterschrift

 

Eb signature
Cutting Cost at IKEA
 
 

Do you know IKEA? They are very efficient, aren't they? Yet ERA managed to cut their cost.

Coming from Europe I fell in love with IKEA many years ago when after graduating from college you did not have much money to spend on furnishing your home. For many of us IKEA was THE solution since they offered very stylish, durable and unbelievably inexpensive furniture. More recently also the US has been following what has become a cult in Europe and a few years ago Massachusetts got its first IKEA store in Stoughton. Read the details of this story and more.

 
Mission Control Update

This is an unusual update on Mission Control as I am not going to talk about Mission Control, but about Randy Pausch who has given a lecture on "Time Management" at the University of Virginia. It is a MUST SEE for anyone interested in making best use of their time. I recently heard about Randy, a Carnegie Mellon University Professor who is fighting pancreatic cancer. I was so impressed with his unbeatable spirit and incredibly big heart that I wanted to make sure you at least know about him. Please follow this link to watch Randy's lecture.

Next time more on Mission Control...
 
Impressions from the most recent workshop in Albany
 
Even if you do not have much time, don't miss the chance to have a look at this video clip from our most recent Productivity & Accomplishment Workshop in Albany.
 
productivity tip 
I am giving productivity workshops now for more than a year. Guess what is the most striking recognition? Well, it was no surprise to me that most people do not have a system. But what I found very unfortunate is that most people do not know their email programs. That means that they are wasting a lot of time every day doing things awkwardly that could be done very elegantly, e.g. using an email and creating an appointment with it by simply dragging it to the calendar. And you can do this in Outlook, Lotus Nots and most of the other programs that are out there! Did you know? I highly recommend a few training hours on your email program - it is worth the effort, since you are using it every day and this investment will benefit you for many years to come!
Give me a call if you have questions: (413)441-5718.
 

Motivational Quote

Improvement means the organized creation of beneficial change; the attainment of unprecedented levels of performance. A synonym is "breakthrough".
 
To achieve improvement at a revolutionary pace requires that improvements be made mandatory - that it become a part of a regular job, written into the job descritption.

 

Joseph M. Juran, 1904 - 2008

The Architect of Quality