Holistic Productivity for Organizations
Holistic Productivity for Organizations provides participants with new methodologies and practical strategies to achieve optimum levels of productivity in both their personal and professional environments.
Course Overview
The course has two distinct sections. The focus for the first section is on the theoretical practices and the self awareness/management that supports productivity. It includes an overview of David Allen’s Getting Things Done® (GTD®) methodology, a highly effective approach to productivity. With a theoretical foundation in place, the second section delves into applying GTD principles, the effective use of technology and the cultivation of effective new habits.
Logistics
Holistic Productivity for Organizations is offered in two formats: two half days (3.5 hours each day with break) or a one day (8 hours, with morning, afternoon and lunch breaks). It is the responsibility of the host organization to provide the facilities for the course and to print the course manual/workbook for the participants.
The first section of the course offers participants the chance to examine their life and work habits and to identify areas in which they are not as effective as they could be. This includes an examination of areas where participants tend to procrastinate and an opportunity to look at the root cause of this procrastination.
The course emphasizes self management rather than time management. Metaphorically, time is a river in which we experience life. Time, like a river, can’t intrinsically be managed. Instead, the focus is on how best to manage oneself in the context of time. On a practical level this involves examining current practices, learning new approaches and technologies and developing new habits.
The Getting Things Done® methodology, frequently abbreviated as GTD®, was developed by David Allen. GTD is a proactive approach to productivity that involves maintaining a “trusted system” that is reviewed regularly. It provides a much needed strategy for dealing with the barrage of information that we are exposed to in our modern world and is a highly adaptable approach that is practiced all over the world by everyone from artists to engineers.
With the permission of David Allen and the David Allen Company, the course includes an introduction to key GTD principles, including the five things that must be done regularly to maintain control and the six levels of perspective that need to be maintained at both a personal and organizational level. Resources for further study are provided.
Armed with a basic knowledge of GTD principles and practical information gathered through the homework exercise, the second week exposes participants to best practices and technology for implementing GTD. This includes instruction on using solutions such as Microsoft® Outlook® or OmniFocus to implement GTD. The course also includes an overview of “best of class” technologies that have been shown to be highly effective in the implementation of GTD.
The technologies featured in the course can be customized to suit the needs of the organization and course participants.
Armed with a basic knowledge of GTD principles and practical information gathered through the homework exercise, the second week exposes participants to best practices and technology for implementing GTD. This includes instruction on using solutions such as Microsoft® Outlook® or OmniFocus to implement GTD. The course also includes an overview of “best of class” technologies that have been shown to be highly effective in the implementation of GTD.
The specific technologies featured in the course can be customized to suit the needs of the organization and course participants.
The technological advances over the past couple of decades came with a promise of making life and business more productive. Ironically many have come to see technology as a source of stress. This section offers practical strategies for managing the high volumes of information, most notably e-mail, that are a common source of stress and overwhelm to those working in a corporate environment.
This course is designed to have a lasting impact, giving the participants tools and strategies to be highly productive in their work environment while engaged in a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
At the end of the course, participants begin a 90-day process to practice what they’ve learned as they create positive shifts in one or more areas of their lives. To help support this transformation, participants are encouraged to work with a partner from the course and to check in regularly (typically once a week) over the course of the 90-day process.
Participants in the course will learn:
How to get to the root of inefficiencies and procrastination. The basics principles and terminology of the David Allen Company's highly acclaimed Getting Things Done® (GTD®) approach to productivity. Best practices for implementing GTD® using Mac®/Windows® and mobile technologies. The specific technologies that are included in the course is determine based on the technologies your organization and employees have adopted. Practical strategies for using technology effectively, with a strong focus on e-mail management. Techniques for implementing positive new habits in their professional and personal life. The course is designed to have a lasting impact. During the 90 days that follow the course, a structure is introduced to give participants the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned while positively impacting one or more distinct areas of their life.
What Organization Leaders & Human Resource Managers Are Saying About This Course
“Day by day, I’ve been implementing the various approaches presented in your program. My only wish is that I had taken your course sooner. I could go on for hours, but I will summarize my successes by saying that I’m feeling back in the driver’s seat (as opposed to being a firefighter).”
—Course Participant
Our Corporate Clients
We Have Led Our On-Site Courses at Some of the Most Respected Organizations in North America:
Contact Us for Pricing and Scheduling
Are you interested in offering this course at your organization? Complete the following form and we’ll be in touch to discuss the cost, course dates and customizations.
Holistic Productivity for Mac & iOS
A Unique Video-Conferenced Online Course featuring Mac & iOS Productivity Apps, including OmniFocus, Evernote and MindNode.
This practical and insightful course includes over twelve hours of interactive online learning in a small, video-conferenced group (maximum 10 people), detailed course manuals and workbooks and a 90-day process to support you as you integrate what you’ve learned. Featured Mac and iOS apps include OmniFocus, Evernote, Drafts, Day One and MindNode.
What Past Attendees Are Saying About This Course
“This course exceeded my expectations. In addition to getting advanced OmniFocus instruction, Tim introduced me to a holistic way of thinking about productivity. I’ve got some great technologies to help me keep my life in balance. Tim is a great coach and knows his stuff.”
—David Barclay
We’re planning to schedule more courses soon. Click Date & Time Survey and let us know what schedule works best for you.
Course Overview:
Seven Sessions, 12+ Hours of Interaction
This video-conferenced online course is spread across seven sessions and includes over twelve hours of live interactions. The first four 2-hour sessions are one week apart, with each week having a unique theme and emphasis. A 90-day process, which begins with Session 4, supports you in practicing what you’ve learned as you create a positive shift in a specific area of your life.
There are three 90 minute sessions approximately 30 days, 60 days and 90 days into the process to support and celebrate your learning. You’ll also be able be able to connect with your group between sessions using a private Slack channel and will have the opportunity to work with a partner from the course as you go through the 90-day process.
A common trend in our modern times is to spend a lot of time engaged in doing without taking a significant amount of time to reflect on life and what’s most important. After having the chance to meet each other, we’ll engage in some practical exercises for pressing the “pause” button on your life in order to gain clarity. We’ll look at the first two pillars of the Holistic Productivity approach, and will explore some Mac and iOS apps that encourage inner reflection and the fostering of new habits.
Owning a calculator doesn’t make you a mathematician. We have a wealth of technology at our disposal and in order to use it in a productive way it helps immensely to develop new habits and structures around this technology is used. During this session we’ll go back to basics and will look at some best practices for living a productive life. Part of this process involves understanding what works best for you and shining a spotlight on some of your less productive habits. You’ll also learn how to use your Mac and iOS device to create mind maps that help bring and maintain clarity.
This session builds on the learning and insights from Session 2 and creates a foundation for making effective use of OmniFocus, Evernote and Calendar. We’ll go through the process of creating structure in OmniFocus and will look at how Evernote, Calendar and Reminders can be used as a complement to OmniFocus.
This session marks the beginning of the 90-day process. Building on material covered in Session 3, you’ll learn to fine-tune your use of OmniFocus, Evernote and Calendar and will have the opportunity to share the area of life that you’ll be focusing on during the 90-day process and to experience the underlying motivation in a way that naturally leads to inspired action.
To quote Robby Burns, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley” . Despite our best intentions sometimes even the most inspired plans fall prey to old habits and the busyness of life. With the support of your leader and your Productivity Pod, this session is an opportunity to acknowledge the progress that you’ve made so far, to identify where you’re feeling stuck and to recalibrate in support of your goals.
We’ll also meet as a group about two thirds of the way into the progress. This session helps keep the 90-day process alive and kicking, even as old patterns creep in, and provides an opportunity to clarify goals and strategies as we enter into the final stretch of the 90-day process.
We’ll also be reconvening at the finish line where you’ll have the opportunity to share your progress with the group and, perhaps most importantly, capture the learning that can be applied moving forward.
Online Learning and the Productivity Pod™
Through the magic of video conferencing, all participants are be able to see and interact with both the group leader and each other—asking questions and sharing their learning, failures and successes throughout the course.
To keep the course interactive and personal, enrolment in each course is limited to ten participants, collectively called a Productivity Pod™. Through the magic of video conferencing, all participants will be able to see and interact with the group leader and each other — asking questions and sharing their learning, failures and successes throughout the course as part of creating an engaging and interactive learning environment.
Participants will also be encouraged to support each other between sessions with partner work being a focal point for the 90-day process. By offering courses online and dispensing with logistics such as travel and space bookings, it’s feasible to spread out a course over weeks or even months, allowing participants to more fully integrate what they’re learning into their day-to-day life.
With geographical limitations out of the way this is also an exciting opportunity to bring together people who might otherwise never have met, providing a rich blend of cultures, experiences and skills.