Interview: Google's productivity expert on how to boost creativity and the right way to say "no"
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: