This regular feature shares the secrets of the most highly efficient Productivity Ninjas. In this post, we spoke to the Marketing Manager of Eden Springs, Peter Stark, whose advanced time management skills and awareness of his whole team’s proactive attention levels are making him both a great Productivity Ninja and a great leader.
About Peter Stark
Occupation: Marketing Manager
Company: Eden Springs – a leading supplier of eco-friendly coffee machines and water coolers to businesses throughout the UK
Location: Blantyre, Scotland
Other job titles in life: Franchise and Marketing Manager at S:CRAFT, Group Marketing Manager at Crewsaver and Cosalt International Ltd
What’s important about your workspace?
Organisation. I’m a firm believer that a tidy office equates to a tidy mind – so if my workspace is in order, I can manage my day more efficiently.
Which ninja characteristic have you got nailed the most?
Time management. I’m quite good at keeping everything organised and working to a strict schedule.
Which ninja characteristic are you still working on the most?
Self-criticism. I’m always wondering if I’ve been productive enough or if I could’ve done more.
Which five apps could you not live without?
Twitter, BBC News, WhatsApp, Skype and Toggl
What’s your favourite piece of stationary?
I take a lot of notes so I can’t live without a notepad and pen!
When in the day do you have the most proactive attention?
Both me and my team seem to be more alert before lunchtime, so I organise our days accordingly – with the more important jobs taking precedence. When I first arrive in the office I make sure my schedule for the day is in order, check my emails and make sure my team are set up for a productive day.
What’s your trick for when you’re tired or struggling with attention in the day?
I always start the day with plenty of water to wake me up – but if I start to struggle, a strong coffee or going out for some fresh air helps me stay alert.
What’s your best advice for reducing stress?
While working longer hours is sometimes unavoidable, I find that keeping overtime to a minimum helps to reduce my stress levels. Where possible, I try to complete work within regular office hours to avoid work life spilling over into my personal life.
What’s your email regime?
My email account is open throughout the working day and I check my inbox about once every hour. That way, I can respond to any urgent requests in a timely manner and leave less important tasks until later in the day.
What’s your favourite way to take a break in the middle of the day?
Regular breaks are a must if you want to stay productive – and in the middle of the day I break for lunch and make sure I leave the office and get some fresh air.
What’s the secret to your productivity?
I try to deal with one task at a time and focus my attention on that. At the start of each day, I plan my work for the day and the time I expect it to take – and this helps me stay on track throughout the day.
Huge THANK YOU to Eden Springs for naming us as number 2 out of the ’50 motivational twitter accounts that every manager should be following.‘
For more ideas on how to incorporate productivity techniques into your daily routine, see our entire ‘How I Stay Productive’ series here.
Or read the most popular posts from the series…