Personal Productivity and Positive Thinking Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Managers and team leaders, Project managers and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 7 Nov 2026 Course code SD-PE-009

Before you join: Participants should have at least one year of professional work experience and responsibility for managing their own workload, deadlines or stakeholder commitments.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Professionals are expected to deliver more with limited time while handling email, meetings, competing priorities and frequent interruptions. Without a dependable personal system, important work is displaced by urgent requests, commitments become unclear, and stress rises as deadlines approach. Positive thinking is often misunderstood as optimism alone; at work, it means recognising unhelpful thought patterns, responding constructively to setbacks, and maintaining purposeful action under pressure.

This course builds practical methods for managing attention, time, energy, priorities and commitments. Participants assess their current work patterns, set outcome-based goals, use the Eisenhower Matrix and GTD principles to organise work, protect focus time, and reduce procrastination. They also apply cognitive reframing, the ABCDE model and growth-mindset language to handle pressure, feedback and setbacks without denying real constraints. The course connects personal productivity with clear communication, boundary setting, delegation and reliable follow-through.

Teaching combines focused instructor briefings, individual diagnostics, realistic workplace cases, group problem-solving, simulations and structured reflection. Cases include managing ministerial briefing deadlines, competing client requests, compliance reporting, project delivery and remote-team communication. Participants build a personalised productivity system during the course and leave with a written 30-day implementation plan, priority rules, planning templates and practical scripts for protecting commitments.

The course suits professionals whose results depend on self-management, coordination and consistent delivery. It is particularly useful for managers, project staff, specialists and support professionals who need to improve personal output while remaining constructive and dependable colleagues.

What you will be able to do

  • Diagnose personal time, energy and attention patterns using a productivity audit
  • Set outcome-based goals using SMART criteria and WOOP planning
  • Prioritise competing commitments with the Eisenhower Matrix and impact-effort analysis
  • Build a weekly planning system using GTD capture, calendar blocking and review routines
  • Protect focused work through interruption controls, Pomodoro cycles and email protocols
  • Apply implementation intentions and habit-loop design to reduce procrastination
  • Reframe unhelpful workplace thinking using the ABCDE model and growth-mindset language
  • Produce a 30-day personal productivity and positive-thinking action plan

Benefits of attending

For you

  • A repeatable weekly system for planning priorities and commitments
  • Greater control over interruptions, email volume and fragmented attention
  • Practical techniques for starting difficult or delayed work
  • More constructive responses to pressure, mistakes and critical feedback
  • Clearer boundaries and communication around workload and availability

For your organisation

  • More reliable delivery of priority work and agreed deadlines
  • Reduced rework caused by missed follow-up and unclear commitments
  • Better protection of analytical, client-facing and project-critical work
  • Earlier escalation of workload conflicts and resource constraints
  • More constructive responses to setbacks, change and feedback

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can diagnose the work patterns, commitments and distractions affecting their productivity.

  • Attention residue, cognitive load and interruption costs in knowledge work
  • Personal energy audit using sleep, recovery, nutrition and workload signals
  • Identify controllable commitments through the Circle of Control framework
  • Time logs reveal recurring friction, delay patterns and peak-focus periods
  • Distinguish urgent requests from important outcomes using Eisenhower Matrix criteria
  • Baseline productivity measures: planned-versus-completed tasks, interruptions, and focus blocks

Participants can translate professional responsibilities into motivating goals and defined outcomes.

  • Outcome goals, process goals and maintenance goals distinguished clearly
  • SMART goals written with measurable evidence and realistic completion dates
  • WOOP identifies wishes, outcomes, obstacles and implementation plans
  • Connect weekly priorities to role purpose, values and stakeholder expectations
  • Define success criteria before accepting new tasks or commitments
  • Use backward planning to map milestones from deadline to first action

Participants can make transparent priority decisions when demands exceed available capacity.

  • Eisenhower Matrix separates urgency from importance before scheduling work
  • Impact-effort analysis compares candidate tasks against expected value
  • MoSCoW categories clarify essential, desirable and deferrable deliverables
  • Establish decision rules for recurring requests, approvals and interruptions
  • Apply opportunity-cost thinking when accepting additional commitments
  • Escalate conflicting priorities with options, consequences and recommended decisions

Participants can organise tasks, calendars and commitments in a dependable personal system.

  • GTD capture collects open loops from email, meetings and notes
  • Clarify next actions, projects, waiting-fors and reference material
  • Calendar blocking reserves time for priorities, meetings and recovery
  • Weekly Review reconciles commitments, deadlines, calendars and task lists
  • Daily shutdown routine records progress and prepares tomorrow's first actions
  • Choose one trusted system rather than maintaining duplicate task lists

Participants can protect concentrated work time and control common sources of interruption.

  • Deep-work blocks matched to cognitive demand and personal energy cycles
  • Pomodoro Technique structures focused effort, short breaks and restart points
  • Notification settings reduce reactive checking across devices and applications
  • Batch email processing using triage rules, response windows and folders
  • Single-tasking prevents switching costs during analytical and writing work
  • Design a distraction-reduction protocol for office, home and travel settings

Participants can identify procrastination triggers and create routines that support consistent action.

  • Procrastination triggers: ambiguity, perfectionism, fear and low task value
  • Implementation intentions specify when, where and how work begins
  • Two-Minute Rule reduces activation energy for small delayed actions
  • Habit loop analysis maps cues, routines, rewards and replacement behaviours
  • Break complex deliverables into visible next actions and short milestones
  • Use progress tracking and completion evidence to sustain motivation

Participants can respond to setbacks using realistic, constructive thinking techniques.

  • Positive thinking distinguished from denial, avoidance and unfounded optimism
  • ABCDE model examines adversity, beliefs, consequences, disputation and energisation
  • Cognitive reframing tests automatic thoughts against observable workplace evidence
  • Growth-mindset language converts mistakes into learning and next actions
  • Self-compassion supports accountability without rumination after setbacks
  • Identify strengths and past successes as evidence for realistic confidence

Participants can protect priorities through clear requests, boundaries and delegation conversations.

  • Assertive communication states facts, needs, options and agreed actions
  • Saying no constructively offers alternatives, trade-offs and revised timelines
  • RACI clarifies responsibility, accountability, consultation and information requirements
  • Delegation briefings define outcomes, authority, deadlines and check-in points
  • Meeting agendas specify decisions, preparation, timing and accountable owners
  • Stakeholder expectation management prevents hidden work and late surprises

Participants can maintain productive routines and constructive responses during demanding periods.

  • Stress signals monitored through physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural indicators
  • Recovery microbreaks restore attention during sustained demanding work periods
  • Control-influence-accept model separates action from unproductive worry
  • Pre-mortem analysis anticipates failure points before critical deadlines
  • After-action reviews capture lessons, adjustments and repeatable practices
  • Feedback received through curiosity, clarification and behavioural response planning

Participants can assemble, test and commit to a personal productivity and positive-thinking plan.

  • Select productivity practices suited to role demands and working conditions
  • Create a 30-day plan with weekly milestones and review dates
  • Define leading indicators for focus, completion, energy and backlog control
  • Anticipate implementation barriers using WOOP obstacles and response plans
  • Accountability partners provide structured check-ins and progress evidence
  • Personal operating principles guide priorities, boundaries and constructive self-talk

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Personal productivity baseline audit
  2. SMART and WOOP goal-planning template
  3. Weekly Review and calendar-blocking planner
  4. Eisenhower Matrix priority decision sheet
  5. ABCDE cognitive reframing worksheet
  6. 30-day personal productivity action plan

Who should attend

  • Managers and team leaders — improve personal delivery while setting dependable team norms
  • Project managers — control competing deadlines, requests and follow-up commitments
  • Policy and programme officers — protect analytical work amid urgent stakeholder demands
  • Technical specialists — organise deep-focus tasks, reporting and client requests
  • Executive assistants and coordinators — manage high-volume priorities and changing schedules
  • Newly promoted professionals — establish practical routines for increased responsibility

Skills and tools covered

Priority managementWeekly planningFocused workHabit formationCognitive reframingConstructive communication

Tools and standards

Eisenhower Matrix, Getting Things Done, WOOP, ABCDE model

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce methods, followed by workplace cases, paired analysis, group exercises and timed planning activities. Participants examine realistic workload scenarios involving competing deadlines, email pressure, stakeholder requests and delayed tasks. Simulations practise priority conversations, boundary setting and constructive responses to setbacks. Individual reflection links each method to current work responsibilities. The final sessions focus on application planning, peer review and refinement of each participant’s personal system.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have at least one year of professional work experience and responsibility for managing their own workload, deadlines or stakeholder commitments. They should be prepared to reflect honestly on current work habits and bring examples of typical tasks, meetings and recurring interruptions. No prior training in productivity methods, psychology or coaching is required. The course does not require specialist software, advanced mathematics or clinical mental-health knowledge. Participants may use paper planners, calendars or common workplace productivity applications.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants need basic professional experience managing their own tasks, deadlines or stakeholder requests. No prior study of productivity methods, coaching or psychology is required.

Participants should bring their usual planner, calendar access or task-management tool, plus examples of current work commitments. Confidential information is not needed; anonymised examples are sufficient.

It suits professionals who manage substantial workloads and need better control of priorities, attention and follow-through. Managers, project staff, specialists, coordinators and policy professionals commonly benefit.

The course includes time planning, but also addresses energy, attention, procrastination, habits, constructive thinking and workload conversations. Participants build a personal operating system rather than only learning scheduling techniques.

Participants use current tasks and recurring workplace situations to build their planning, priority and communication tools. The 30-day plan identifies specific routines, measures and review points for use after the course.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. Time is divided between instruction, case analysis, group work, simulations, personal planning and structured reflection.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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