This Is How to Be More Productive at Everything You Do

There are days when it all comes together for you, but this might not happen to be one of them.

Some days you’re able to just crank through one task after another. Your “sent” folder brims with solid work before noon, your contribution to the afternoon meeting is well received, and you even manage to wrap up with enough time and energy to hit the gym before dinner. If only someone could bottle up days like this, you muse. Alas.

Many factors of productivity are beyond your control. Sometimes your train is late, or your building’s fire alarm goes off, or a key collaborator whose input you depend on comes down with a dire case of plane tickets to Hawaii. In such circumstances, there’s only so much you can do.

But what about the rest of the time? Amid the many variables at work (and everywhere else), what little things can you do to optimize each day? There are some constants worth keeping in mind—and perhaps a few habits to address. With diligence, the tactics we’ve gathered here might make you more productive at, well, just about everything.

Care for yourself, and be equipped for the task at hand.

Here’s one recurring challenge you should prepare to keep dealing with: you are an alive person. (If not, stop reading and seek assistance.) In other words, you’re going to need food, rest, and an occasional change of scenery—and maybe also fresh socks. Failing to address these concerns can undermine your sanity, to say nothing of your productivity.

1Avoid going hungry.

It’s hard to stay on task when you’re hangry, so plan accordingly. If you have a desk drawer, keep a few snacks in it. If you carry any kind of bag, a pouch of trail mix will have future-you thanking current-you for being so thoughtful.

2Know how much rest you need. Same goes for caffeine.

It’s not uncommon for workers to plow ahead even when they’re exhausted—and for their efficiency to plummet as a result. One solution may be to quit binge-watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer before bed and actually go to sleep. Another is a legal, affordable, performance-enhancing drug known as caffeine, which many offices just give away for free to anyone willing to brave the befuddling machinations of the break-room coffeemaker.

Just be careful not to overdo it, lest you get jittery after that third cup.

3Keep a backup of the essentials handy.

People make mistakes, like casually throwing away their own passport two days into an overseas trip. Devices you rely on can crash, break, or disappear. You can’t always prevent such fiascos, but with preparation, you can limit the fallout for your productivity. While you can’t realistically pack a duplicate of everything, it’s worth making copies of key documents and backing up crucial files.

As for equipment, your Plan B needn’t be identical to your Plan A. For instance, when a reporter’s field recorder runs out of space during a run-and-gun interview, she might not have time to dig out a fresh memory card—but if she turns quickly to the voice memos app on her smartphone, she might just get the quote she needs anyway.

Manage your time.

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion,” the saying goes. Being productive means budgeting your time and staying focused. Start by writing down what you need to get done, and in what order. Set priorities and give yourself deadlines. Set a timer if you have to—anything to keep small tasks from sprawling endlessly.

Also, if your typical day involves a steady churn of notifications, you might turn away from the screen and resort to a pen and paper for parts of this process. While some degree of distraction or interruption may be inevitable, be judicious about what you let alter your timeframe.

4Say no occasionally.

This isn’t always an option, but when you’re already spread thin and someone brings you a last-minute project on top of other deadlines you’re facing, sometimes you have to be realistic about how much you can take on. (That’s true in social contexts, as well: don’t let fear of missing out keep you from taking a needed night in to recharge.)

If you can’t—say, if an important client insists it’s urgent, and “no can do” isn’t an option—then consider seeking an extension on your other deadlines. Having to pull an all-nighter—pretty much the antithesis of a productivity booster—should be a last resort.

5Log off sometimes. The mute button is a friend.

Part of budgeting your day is not allowing diversions like social media to continually siphon off small increments of your attention. Seriously, those cat GIFs, political rants, and wedding pictures can all wait. If your roommate from college and twenty other people are all in a thread debating who will bring salads and dessert to next weekend’s cookout, it’s a fine time to turn off notifications and actually, you know, work.

Don’t just think about what you should do—do it.

Sometimes your productivity is hindered by knowing what you want to make happen but not feeling certain you can pull it off. But the surest way to accomplish less is to attempt less—so if you want to be more productive, you have to surmount those doubts.

6Ask for what you want.

Maybe you’d like a promotion and more money. Or maybe you have an idea for a cool project, if only your boss would give you the go-ahead. Asking can be scary, but the idea of not asking—and potentially wondering how different things might be, months later, if you had—should be scarier.

Take it from Lisa Chow, host of the podcast StartUp: “I went through most of my career never negotiating anything. And then suddenly when I did I was like ‘oh wow—this works!’” she says. “I think in our heads, you think, ‘oh if I ask and if they don’t say yes then I might actually lose the job or I might lose the job offer. And I think that is very rarely true.”

One final note to improve your productivity: don’t beat yourself up in the event things don’t go as expected. It happens. Finding ways to learn from such experiences, adapt, and move on will make you a lot more productive in the long run.

This Is How to Properly Introduce Yourself in an Email

Meeting someone in person is pretty straightforward. You smile, shake their hand, tell them your name. But what if you’re not meeting face to face? What if you’re introducing yourself via email?

Maybe you’re reaching out to create a new connection, to ask for advice, or a collaboration, or a job. How do you compete with the other 700 emails in their inbox and convince them a response to you is worthwhile? Writing an introductory email can be nerve racking when there’s so much pressure to get the wording just right.

Grammar lovers, get ready to breathe a sigh of relief! Now is a perfect time to share with you our step-by-step cheat sheet for exactly how to introduce yourself in an email and ensure the best results.

Step 1: The Subject

It won’t matter how brilliant an introduction you’ve written if your message is never opened.

Keep your subject line short (under thirty characters) so it’s legible on mobile devices. Be specific and intriguing. Never write in all caps or use a generic line such as “Hi” (this may be mistaken for spam).

To create a great subject line you can…

Mention a mutual acquaintance “Aisha Mussad suggested I contact you”

Mention what you have in common “Hello from a fellow blogger!”

Mention your company “Hello from Grammarly”

Suggest meeting up “Lunch is on me”

Show you admire their work “Loved your article in Wired”

Be clear what job you’re applying for “Job Application: Elizabeth Chen for Content Strategist position” “Referred by Shaun Williams for Copywriter position”

Step 2: The Greeting

Your goal is to create a connection with an individual, so you want your greeting to be personal.

Always use their name. Make sure it’s spelled correctly, and avoid using nicknames.

You can use “Dear” for formal situations such as applying for a job or writing to someone with more senior status.

Leading with “Hello” and “Hi” are appropriate for more casual situations, like contacting a friend of a friend or someone in a less formal industry.

Never use generic phrases like “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

Step 3: The Intro

It’s time to introduce yourself! Be clear and concise about who you are, and remember to include details that will be relevant to the recipient.

For instance, the fact that you’re a crazy cat lady is not important to the hiring manager for that content strategy job you’re applying for. However, it would be relevant to a fellow cat blogger you’d like to interview for your podcast.

“My name is Tina, I’m a Senior Content Strategist at Hooli.”

“My name is Tina, and I have a popular blog called ‘Purrfection’ chronicling my life as a crazy cat lady.”

“My name is Tina, I’m a fellow Stanford alum working in content creation.”

Step 4: The Connection

Show them your motivation for reaching out. Mentioning a mutual connection is a huge plus, as people are much more receptive if you’ve been referred by someone they know and respect.

“I recently had lunch with Aisha Mussad, who shared some of your marketing ideas. I was blown away! I think your approach would be a perfect fit for my company.”

“I’ve been following your blog since March and I loved your article on grooming ornery cats. You had some wonderful insights that have been super helpful in my work at the shelter.”

“I’ve been very impressed by the work your company is doing with at-risk youth, and I’d love to be a part of furthering your mission!”

Step 5: The Ask

Let them know what you want. Be explicit, and include a clear call to action.

The greater the benefit for them, the greater chance you’ll have of getting what you want. Messages with too big an ask or that come off as needy will likely end up in the trash.

“I’d love to buy you lunch and hear more about your ideas as I think there’s potential for our companies to collaborate. Would Tuesday or Thursday work for you?”

“I would love to interview you for my podcast, ‘Taming the Tiger,’ which has over 10,000 listeners. Please let me know if you’re interested and have any questions. I have several interview slots available next week.”

“I’m applying for the Content Strategist position you listed on Indeed. I have five years of experience in content creation and think I would be a great fit for your company. My portfolio and resume are attached, please let me know if you’d like additional information.”

Step 6: The Close

End the email by thanking them and signing off with your name. Emails that end in gratitude receive the highest response rates.

Here are some great options:

“Thanks in advance”

“Thanks”

“Thank you”

“Thank you so much for your time”

What does this look like all together?

Hi Marcus, My name is Tina, and I have a popular blog called ‘Purrfection’ chronicling my life as a crazy cat lady.

I’ve been following your blog since March and I loved your article on grooming ornery cats. You had some wonderful insights that have been super helpful in my work at the shelter.

I would love to interview you for my podcast, ‘Taming the Tiger,’ which has over 10,000 listeners. Please let me know if you’re interested and have any questions. I have several interview slots available next week.

Thank you,

Tina

Final Tips

Keep your paragraphs short and your message brief, so you don’t overwhelm your reader.

Always check your spelling and grammar before sending your email to make sure it’s error free.

Be polite!

There Is vs. There Are: How to Choose?

• The choice between the phrases there is and there are at the beginning of a sentence is determined by the noun that follows it.
• Use there is when the noun is singular (“There is a cat”). Use there are when the noun is plural (“There are two cats”).

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There Is vs. There Are

You probably know that the choice between is vs. are depends on a noun. In most sentences, the noun comes before the verb. But in sentences that begin with there is and there are, the noun comes later.

There is a cat on the porch.

In the sentence above, cat is singular, so it requires there is.

There are many opportunities to learn at this company.

In the sentence above, opportunities is plural, so it requires there are. (Don’t let the word many throw you off—concentrate on the noun.)

There Is a Number of vs. There Are a Number of

There are a number of unnamed stars in our galaxy? There is a number of unnamed stars in our galaxy? It’s difficult to tease out whether you should use is or are in a construction like this. The verb is being pulled toward there, number, and stars all at once.

Here’s a tip: Sentences that begin with There is/are a number of… are almost always wordier than they need to be. Your best bet is to rewrite it: Many stars in our galaxy are unnamed.

But if you really can’t rewrite it, you’ll have to make a choice. Use is if you want to emphasize the group; use are if you want to emphasize the individual members.

It’s the same with other collecting phrases, like a variety of.

There is a wide variety of flavors to choose from.

There are a variety of unique destinations we can visit.

There Are a Lot of

Use there are when you’re talking about “a lot” of something.

There are a lot of people in this elevator.

There is a lot of people in this elevator.

There Is vs. There Are With a Series of Items

When you’re making a list of things, sometimes there are sounds wrong:

There are a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom in my apartment.

There are sounds bad because the noun that follows it, kitchen, is singular. Even though you’re really talking about multiple things, (a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom), it’s often better to use the singular verb is in a construction like this.

There is a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom in my apartment.

Some language commentators still insist on using are in sentences like this despite the awkwardness, but actual usage is extremely mixed. Remember, if the sentence sounds awkward either way, you can always rewrite it to avoid the “there is/are” problem altogether.

5 Creative Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day

“It’s not how much we give,” said Mother Teresa, “but how much love we put into giving.” This statement is liberating and beautiful, but it sets a high standard on Mother’s Day. Buying Mom a blouse at the mall might be convenient, but creating a heartfelt gift with your own hands means more.

Mother’s Day is May 10. Check out these five creative ways to help Mom understand just what she means on her special day.

Make a Homemade Craft

Maybe in grade school you crafted a fruit bowl or papier-mâché sculpture for Mother’s Day. You can still make her something with your own hands. Not artistic? Not a problem. Check out these craft ideas:

• Make her a chocolate bouquet using a vase, cardstock, bamboo skewers, and tape. And, of course, chocolate.
• Create a personalized decoupage flower-pot using favorite family photos or floral prints. You’ll need a terra-cotta pot, Mod Podge, a brush, and your choice of photos or prints.
• Build a lovely necklace out of a washer. Apply scrapbook paper and Diamond Glaze to the washer, then adorn with a leather cord.
• If you’re feeling ambitious, visit the craft store and string your own special combination of beads on an elastic band. Try to incorporate at least three different types of beads—seed beads, faceted glass, chevrons, heishi discs—for the best look.

Make Homemade Beauty Products

Does your mother love the spa? If so, consider concocting your own version of department store beauty products at home. Whip up a handmade batch of bath fizzes by Martha Stewart, heart-shaped soaps by According to Kelly, or Neapolitan Ice Cream Body Scrub by Craftster.org. Keep Pinterest in mind, as well; this DIY site offers a never-ending supply of crafty recipes and ideas.

If making crafts isn’t your cup of tea, consider using pen and paper to create something special for Mom.

Write a Story Starring the Woman Herself

Does your mom enjoy reading? Do you have a flair for writing? If you answered yes to either of these questions, consider writing a story with Mom as the protagonist. True story, love story, crime story, fairy tale, a book of poetry—you decide. Just be sure to write Mom a happy ending.

You might even decide to self-publish your script. Printing a book costs less than you might expect, and here at Grammarly, we offer proofreading help for free.

Assemble a Photo Collage

Photo collages stir warm memories and touch Mom’s heart. Use the Internet resources to learn how to make Instagram photo strips, framed collages, and other gifts made from special photos. Whether you throw a few sentimental pics into a frame, fill an album with a visual timeline of family togetherness, or assemble your own family genealogy project, Mom will surely appreciate your efforts. So will the rest of the family.

Buy a Unique Gift

If you’re short on time or creativity, consider buying a unique gift for Mom made by someone else’s hands. We’re not talking about that photo print you spied at Wal-Mart. We’re talking about a one-of-a-kind piece of art, home decor, jewelry, or clothing.

The Internet boasts a treasure trove of online sellers with unique wares. Of course, there’s always Etsy, but consider these alternatives:

• ArtFire.com: Find homemade goods, art, and vintage products here.

• MadeItMyself.com: Find jewelry, clothing, and unique trinkets here.

• UncommonGoods.com: Find original artwork—watercolors, acrylics, photos, posters—here.

Mothers toil 365 days a year to support their children, grandchildren, and other loved ones. However, this sweet Sunday in May comes but once a year. Will you write a poem, sing a song, or create something altogether different this Mother’s Day?

Why Do We Need Style Guides?

If you don’t like to follow the rules, style guides are a necessary evil. They give uniformity and structure to writing and are an invaluable resource when writing papers in university; the skill of writing according to a style guide will also help you in your career. They teach you how to avoid plagiarism by correctly citing works that you’ve read and obtained information from.

Style guides outline the standards for writing citations and formatting a document. The rules vary among different style guides; the best one to use depends on which publication, organization, or field you’re writing for. Four of the most commonly used style guides in universities are:

APA Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association: The standard for educational, social, and behavioral sciences Citations in APA style include the last name of the author and year of publication. APA-style documents almost always have a title page. Sources will be on a “references” page.

Chicago The Chicago Manual of Style: For arts and humanities Citations take the form of footnotes or endnotes. Chicago style doesn’t necessarily require a title page, but it does require a bibliography page.

MLA MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers: Used for humanities and literature writing Citations include the author names and exact page numbers. MLA style doesn’t necessarily require a title page. Sources will be on a “works cited” page.

Harvard Used primarily for scientific writings Citations include the last names of authors and years of publication. Sources will be on a bibliography page.

If you find style guides burdensome now, you may take comfort in knowing that the more frequently you reference them, the less likely you’ll need to do so in the future, because the rules may become part of your memory over time. Another option is to use a tool like Citation Machine that will do the work for you, but these tools aren’t flawless, so you may need to cross-check with a style guide anyway. No matter how you do it, what matters most is that you reference your work properly.