Self Improvement...

Why do some people get so much done while the rest of us struggle just to get by? Various research suggests that productivity comes more from the ways we think and live--both areas that we can improve--than from the number of hours we invest in a given task. Paying attention to the mindset with which you approach your work can pay big dividends in how much you accomplish each day.

Go with the Flow
People who find a balance between their skills and the challenges they face are more likely to be productively involved in whatever they're doing. High achievers spend more time than low achievers in periods of flow. To reach that state, high achievers invent ways to challenge themselves, whether they are studying, working or just mowing the lawn. Workers who enjoy what they are doing and spend more time working than adults who don't seem to enjoy their jobs. These people are going to be more productive. Psychologist Dean Keith Simonton agrees that the most prolific people in many fields find their work pleasurable, at the very least. The truly extraordinary go well beyond that.

Great Expectations
The good news is that pessimists can learn to be optimists. There are three techniques drawn from cognitive therapy to help change pessimistic thinking. First, "thought-stopping" clears your mind of negative thoughts. A lot of your bad thoughts are the disease itself, not the symptom. The absence of pessimistic thoughts can zap the problem. When they strike, try snapping a rubber band on your wrist or splashing cold water on your face.

Be Mindful, Not Mindless
Rigid, automatic thinking leads to what psychologist Ellen Langer of Harvard University calls mindlessness. "Mindfulness is a kind of flexible and creative style that turns "stumbling blocks to productivity into building blocks." Mindfulness also alleviates burnout by motivating people to find innovative solutions to the same old problems.

Exercise for Energy
Exercise scientist Daniel Landers of Arizona State University points to research showing that people are in a better mood and think faster during or after exercise than at other times--changes that should increase productivity. We know that exercise raises levels of endorphins, hormones that cause a sensation of euphoria, and cortisone, a hormone that creates a feeling of arousal. These changes could lead to a sense of well-being that bolsters productivity.

Manage Your Time
The key to organizing time is realizing whether you're mainly an organized left-hemisphere thinker or a creative right-brainer. If you like to make lists, handle details and put things back where you found them, you have a left-brain orientation. If you relish talking ideas over with coworkers and keeping everything you're working on in sight, you're a right-hemisphere manager. Whichever you are, you should accept and work with that natural style of self-management.

Be Goal-Guided, Not Goal-Governed
When psychologist Richard Guzzo of New York University and his colleagues analyzed almost 100 studies of worker productivity, they found that goal-setting outdid most other techniques--including pay raises and flex-time arrangements--in raising the quantity and quality of work. Blind pursuit of any one goal may hinder the overall level or quality of your achievement.

Take Time to Play
Stephen Colarelli, a psychologist at Central Michigan University, points out that "rest and reflection are crucial to productivity. We are obsessed with busyness, but some of the most productive public figures took time to rest."

Look at Your Environment
Internal factors aren't the only elements that influence how much a person can get done. It's also important to consider environment. After a year on the job, the researchers found that work environment--the degree of decision-making freedom managers gave workers, for example--had a lot more to do with workers' performance than did IQs or economic backgrounds.

Even if your work environment is less than inspiring, however, there's plenty you can do personally to be more productive. A healthy lifestyle, an optimistic, flexible outlook and time management geared to your style of thinking will all help you accomplish more. Focus on the intellectual challenge of each task and draw on the enthusiasm and drive generated by the best of your coworkers. Productivity, in short, is largely a personal matter--with a little help from your friends.