Karin from www.thekissbusiness.co.uk tagged me to list my keys for productivity, and to hopefully note my one main productivity factor. Ben Yoskovitz of www.theinstigatorblog.com began a meme to put together the “ultimate” guide to productivity.

Well, thanks, Karin, although sometimes these days I feel like I am doing an awful lot but it is sort of jumbled up. You see, my entire life has been in revamp mode for a little while now, so there is little that is a familiar anchor. New, exciting and daunting at the same time. The blog community has actually become an important anchor in a very short time. That is the honest where I am at.

Sometimes these days I feel like I could better help someone else in their productivity than help myself in mine. And yet I think there is a broad-daylight hidden point there- Have plenty of help from others!

So here is my list:

1. Greet the Divine first thing, make my first cup of tea and start in with some contemplation/prayer time. Make a conscious connection with my heart.

This really does set the tone of my day and open me to fullness and surprises that do not otherwise appear at the same depth.

2. Work from goals and to-do lists that stay flexible. My poor brain has definitely lost some memory capacity, although I love the person who said that this makes room for more wisdom. Whew! Thanks. Prioritize the goals and to-do’s. I do well with organization that has flexibility.

3. I am taking note of when in the day I seem to do some things better than others and what my natural rhythm seems to be.

4. Keep up regular contact with my “team”- close friends, buddies, collaborators, mentors, etc. I am still working on getting situated with a master-mind team, but the important people in my life are crucial to truing myself and keeping moving in good directions. I do a lot of bouncing off.

5. Make commitments! I learned years ago from the Context Trainings Corporation to be very careful about what you commit to. And I learned the enormous power of commitment. I may meander a bit on getting somewhere, but my commitment to get there is paramount. And whatever I commit to put all of myself into it.

6. Do this all with a ready grin up my sleeve. Be ready to have fun with anything and everything. Take myself with a large grain of sea salt.

7. Throw some fun and exercise into the mix. My beloved old dog frequently gets me to the woods, the beach, the school yard for serious stick-throwing. If I can grab a daytime walk or lunch with a friend it is great. We typically end up being a two person mutual support group. Use my workout machine. Do a little yard work. Enjoy a little personal conversation in the midst of the work day.

8. Learn from others!! Get help as needed!!

9. Acknowledge all I am doing, and do my best to be merciful with myself.

10. Look for divine guidance with everything.

Whew! That is a list and 7/8.

As for the key factor, I think that commitment with full participation on my part, coupled with the personal spiritual connection are my “must have” foundation factors.