"Reward Yourself" and Other Productivity Life Hacks

“With all that we’re juggling, it’s no wonder women report higher levels of stress than men,¹” she added. Sharing the stage at the event with Vanderkam, author of “What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast” and many other books, were Jenny Evans, founder and CEO of PowerHouse Performance, and moderator Jen Auerbach-Rodriguez, Head of Strategic Growth Markets, Merrill. The three traded practical ideas, rooted in scientific research, for managing stress, increasing productivity and building more relaxation into your schedule. They also explored the link between time, money and stress. Watch the videos below for highlights from their conversation.

Focus Your Energy on What Matters Most

“The next time you’re going into a meeting, ask yourself: What is my purpose here?" suggests author and time-management expert Laura Vanderkam (seated at center, below). “Just taking 60 seconds to reflect on who or what should be getting your best energy now can help you make the most of your time,” adds Jenny Evans (right), author of “The Resiliency rEvolution: Your Stress Solution for Life—60 Seconds at a Time.”

Transcript of Video

Think 168 Hours a Week, Not 24/7

“If you work 40 hours and sleep 8 hours a night, that leaves 72 hours for other things,” notes author and time-management expert Laura Vanderkam (below right), author of “168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think” and other books. She suggests people track their time to see how much they really have, then offers this welcome reminder: “You don’t have to be doing something ‘productive’ every single minute.”

Transcript of Video

Use Money As a Tool to Simplify Your Life

“If there's something you’re spending your time on that you're unhappy about, is there some way you could use money to make it better? That would probably be a very good investment,” says author Laura Vanderkam. For stress-management expert Jenny Evans (below), the best investment is still a nest egg. “I’m all about why put myself in more financial stress than life already creates?” she says.

Transcript of Video

Procrastinators—Watch This Video Now!

“Rip that Band-Aid right off. Do it first thing while you're fresh, while you still have self-discipline and will power,” suggests stress-management expert Jenny Evans (right). “Don't say you're going to do it for an hour. Do it for five minutes.” Time-management expert Laura Vanderkam’s best life hack for procrastinators? “Reward yourself profusely. After you do something you’ve been putting off, take the rest of the morning off.”

Transcript of Video

Visit ml.com/women for more tips and insights.