Google Expert: Boost Creativity, Say 'No' Right - Productivity Interview

Laura Mae Martin is Google’s Productivity Expert. She advises top executives on how to manage their time, flex their creative skills and set work/life boundaries.

Now, she’s sharing what she’s learned at the search giant in a new book called “Uptime: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing.”

Watch my KTLA TV segment here!

Martin had some excellent takes on modern work and why “being busy” isn’t a badge of honor. You can listen to my extended interview below, but here are the key takeaways:

1. Prioritizing Wellbeing for Productivity

- Wellbeing and productivity are not opposites but complementary

- Integrating wellbeing into your workflow enhances overall productivity

2. Morning Routine

- Take 5-10 minutes before your first commitment to do something that fills your energy tank

- This small habit can carry you through the rest of your day

3. Email Management

- Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails

- Use filters and labels to prioritize important messages

- Sort emails like laundry: empty inbox, categorize, and process in batches

4. The Importance of Downtime

- Downtime prevents burnout and allows for decompression and processing

- Research shows that people are most creative during downtime

5. Healthy Relationship with Smartphones

- Create a schedule for social media apps and set limits

- Establish a bedtime and bedroom for your phone, away from your sleeping area

- Do at least one thing before touching your phone in the morning

6. Overcoming Procrastination

- "Swiss cheese" your tasks by breaking them down into the smallest, most exciting steps

- Act like your own assistant by preparing your environment for the task beforehand

7. Saying No Gracefully

- Provide insight into your priorities and why you can't commit

- Offer resources or alternatives

- Say "not right now" and invite them to reach out again in the future

8. Setting Work-Life Boundaries

- Communicate what you do do instead of what you don't do

- Share your availability and when you can be reached

9. Optimizing Productivity When Working from Home

- Identify if you're a "home baser" (focus better at home) or an "out-fielder" (focus better outside)

- Create dedicated "hot spots" for specific tasks to help your brain associate those spaces with the activity

Full interview: