Four out of ten responses identified the use of a task list to make work time more productive. Whether written or mental, a task list allows a person to concentrate heavily on one task while not being concerned that other tasks are forgotten. In conjunction with the task list, two responses further qualified the task list as being arranged by priority and broken down into smaller, sub-tasks. This kind of structured planning allows work to be executed within acceptable timeframes and insures that delivered work is complete – or at least considered. At J&R, we use a custom forms tool within Groove to identify, prioritize, and break down tasks. All tasks in the tool are visible to all members, and changes to tasks are automatically distributed to all team members connected to the Internet. Tasks can be assigned to other team members, and certain types of metrics can be gathered based on task completion, hours assigned, hours estimated, percent complete, etc.

Tied with using a task list with four out of ten responses was finding time to work without interruptions. In Joel Spolsky's Joel on Software he writes, "We all know that knowledge workers work best by getting into 'flow', also known as being 'in the zone', where they are fully concentrated on their work and fully tuned out of their environment. They lose track of time and produce great stuff through absolute concentration. This is when they get all of their productive work done. Writers, programmers, scientists, and even basketball players will tell you about being in the zone." In general, J&R consultants get into the zone by working outside of normal business hours. Current customers may find this surprising, since when you call us we're always available. There are two tricks to being available. First, even if a consultant does not work during normal business hours, he is normally still at home, and therefore available to answer the phone. Second, many J&R consultants work well over 40 hours a week, meaning that although they are working after business hours, many of them also work during business hours! The other response related to finding uninterrupted time to work was to eliminate distractions actively. This means more than simply looking for quite time, it means controlling the home environment so as not drain concentration from the present task.

The final two productivity tips were to create a "real" office at home and to take regular breaks. Creating a real office means that consultants pay for nice, comfortable office furniture rather than using the desk mom and dad gave them for their 13th birthday. Taking regular breaks may mean finding calming, thought-free activities around the house that allow for time to reorganize thoughts and clear the mind for especially complex tasks.

So if you visit the home office of a random J&R Consultant, you will likely find a "real" office with comfortable furniture, a task list that has been prioritized and broken down into sub-tasks, and a distraction-free environment that allows the consultant to work without interruption.

And coffee. That's my one and only tip for both technology and productivity and health and sanity and long life: lots and lots of coffee.