We are typically so focused on teaching our children what they need to know to be successful that we fail to recognise just how much they have to teach us. When it comes to productivity there is much we can learn from them. As children we are far more productive in learning new information and skills than we are as adults. Stepping back and stepping out of our 'Adult' mindset can help us to relearn a couple of key skills that we may have left behind in our childhood that just might serve us well as adults.
Get the Sleep you Need
Kids sleep. A lot. When they are awake they give whatever they are doing everything they've got, which means they sleep when they need it. Without enough sleep they are unfocused and irritable. What parent among us has not experienced that! However, without enough sleep we are the same. But, we lie to ourselves ab out it, saying we're fine, that we don't need any more sleep to operate. Research shows us though that a lack of sleep can impair our abilities as much as too much alcohol can. Without enough sleep we lose focus, our memory suffers and our attitude shifts to negative. To be more productive you need to make getting the sleep you need a priority.
Trial and Error
Kids learn by doing. They keep on trying something until they get it. They are even willing to take a few risks along the way, make a few mistakes, take a few bumps and bruises in order to improve and achieve their goal. Just watch a young child learning to walk, letting go of the coffee table as they step toward the couch. The pride when they make it and the determination to try again when they miss.
Trying something again and again helps them to perfect the skill. This is how we learned to walk, to eat, to talk, to ride a bike... It still works for us today, we just have to hold our pride in check and allow ourselves a few missteps along the way!
Keep the Routines
If you've raised a child you know how essential it is to build some solid routines into their day. These routines are their safe-zones, leaving them able to deal with the other changing elements in their day. The structure gives them the security they need to explore fully all of the 'new' experiences they are faced with.
We are much the same. Without some solid routines, and the habits they build, life is likely to feels constantly changing and perpetually overwhelming. We want to focus our mental and physical energies into dealing with the 'new' issues we face, in building 'new' skills, not in constantly solving old ones. Strong routines manage the 'old' so we have what is needed to take on the 'new'.
Focus on 1 Thing
Kids are remarkable in their focus and concentration. It may not be for tremendously long duration, but when they are engaged in something they tend to give it all that they've got. They are living fully in that moment, attending fully to it.
We, on the other hand, divide our energies amongst multiple tasks, trying to attend to too many things at once. this tends to decrease our effectiveness and productivity, not increase it. The better able we are to focus on one task at a time, the faster we will actually get it done.
Know When to Stop
Kids can go, go, go... and then they collapse. They are interested in an activity... until they are not. And the distinction is clear. They know when they are done, when they have had enough, when they have lost interest and need a change or a break.
We, however, have learned not to listen to the inner voice recommending a break or change in activity, choosing instead to push on through. However, our productivity markedly decreases when we do. When we feel our attention waning we do far better to take a small break or to switch tasks, each of which allows our brains to focus on something different. Switching it up helps refresh our brains, to keep our focus and attention up, which is a huge boost in our productivity.
If you've ever wished that you could be a kid again... here's your chance to introduce a few childlike qualities into your day, helping you to be more productive. The bonus is, of course, that getting your work done faster allows you a lot more time to go out and play. Recess anyone?
When speaking, avoid pointing your finger directly at people. Research shows clearly that this is one 
We are typically so focused on teaching our children what they need to know to be successful that we fail to recognise just how much they have to teach us. When it comes to productivity there is much we can learn from them. As children we are far more productive in learning new information and skills than we are as adults. Stepping back and stepping out of our 'Adult' mindset can help us to relearn a couple of key skills that we may have left behind in our childhood that just might serve us well as adults.
Research has shown us that happy people not only tend to live happier lives, but they also live longer, have more fulfilling relationships, make better decisions, have stronger immune systems, appear more attractive to others, cope better with setbacks AND tend to make more money. Research also demonstrates that you can choose your mindset. With all of the benefits - why not choose to be happy? Be thankful, see the glass half full, seek our and focus on the joy in life. Not only will you have a more positive outlook and healthier for it, but it's likely also a key to Success!
It is not unusual for organizations to promote someone simply because they were 'all we had'. The thinking tends to be that either we promote from within for the company knowledge or we hire from outside to get the leadership skills we need. Promoting someone simply because they 'know' the company is based on the overriding belief that the employee's knowledge of the company and industry are more valuable than is their inherent leadership capabilities. Unfortunately, time typically proves them wrong.
Parkinson's Law states that a task will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for its completion. To increase your productivity try shortening the time frame you give yourself to complete a task. Just as you tend to accumulate 'stuff' to fill whatever size house you own, you expand your activities to fill the time you have to complete a task. Giving yourself less time to complete tasks increases your focus and productivity during that time, freeing up time for something else.
A great deal of work today is accomplished within and by groups. Often a diversity of experience and knowledge is sought for problem-solving teams, with the intent of capitalizing on the diverse base of expertise represented by the team's members. We certainly know that group outcomes can benefit from diverse perspectives and expertise, however it is well documented that groups typically fail to capitalize fully on the intellectual assets of its members.
Clean the 'filler' words out of your speech to sound more knowledgeable and professional. Those Ums, Uhs, Likes and You Knows will make you sound nervous and uncomfortable. An additional one to watch for is the use of the word 'So' at the beginning of sentences. Using a filler word once or twice in a meeting are not an issue, however the greater the frequency the greater the issue. Repetitive use can damage your credibility. The first step in eliminating them from your speech is using audiotape to learn to hear the fillers. You can't change 'em if you can't hear 'em. Making eye contact with your audience is also helpful. Most people's fillers occur when they are not looking at their audience. Greater eye contact should translate out to fewer fillers. Additionally, spend time on pre-planning your transitions from one topic to another. This is usually a hotspot for the appearance of fillers. A little pre-planning can go a long way to helping you reduce the fillers that might creep in as you struggle to shift your focus.
Just as lawyers may look for contractual loopholes to get a client out of a particular deal, relationship or action so too do we create loopholes in our lives to get out of taking action. 
