Zombieland Rules for Improved Productivity

By Helene Segura, M.A. Ed., CPO® | October 24, 2024 |

Zombieland Rules for Improved Productivity

 

When I first watched the 2009 movie Zombieland, I was instantly intrigued by the rules that were shared throughout the flick by actor Jesse Eisenberg’s character, Columbus. The OCD part of my brain wanted some entity out there to have the entire list posted on a website, but alas, I couldn’t find it back then. I was also hoping that by the end of the movie, I would have all of the numbers filled in. That didn’t happen either. But the incomplete list didn’t change my enjoyment of this zombie movie. Believe it or not, you can pick up some life tips from zombie survival movies

 

Here are the Zombieland rules I was able to capture while watching:

 

  1. Cardio
  1. Double Tap
  1. Beware of bathrooms.
  1. Fasten your seat belts.
  1. Travel light.
  1. Limber up.
  1. When in doubt, know your way out.
  1. Check the back seat.
  1. Enjoy the little things
  1. Don’t be a hero.

 

[For the eventually-completed list through promotional videos by two of the stars, Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, browse here.]

It would be nice if we were issued an instructional manual for life and work, complete with all of the ins and outs that will save us from headaches, heartaches and things that go bump in the night. But since a manual like that doesn’t exist, the next best thing is to stop for a few moments of reflection.

When you pause at the end of each day to celebrate your wins – big or small – you reinforce your positive outcomes and create a higher probability that you’ll remember what you did to make that happen. When you then reflect on what didn’t go right, you can help your future self avoid those same challenges (or mitigate them more quickly) in the future by figuring out:

 

  1. Were there any warning signs you can be aware of in the future?
  2. Was there a way to prevent any of that from happening?
  3. Is there anything you can do to be ready for the situation should it happen again?
  4. What steps can you take to mitigate the situation and redirect more quickly should it happen again?

 

Whether you’re dealing with zombies, supply chain shortages, sub-par labor, a scatterbrained family member, or any other scenario you deem to be negative, having your own set of rules and knowledge base will help you get back on a more pleasant path more quickly.

 

 

For tips on how to be more proactive than reactive, take a look at The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer.

Improved time management

About Helene Segura, M.A. Ed., CPO®

As The Inefficiency Assassin™, Time Management Fixer Helene Segura empowers professionals on the go with the tools to slay lost time. Personal inefficiency at work leads to increased stress levels, lower morale, higher absenteeism, more turnover – and rising spending on employee health care and hiring. Why not improve productivity, decrease stress levels, and increase profits instead?The author of four books – two of which were Amazon best-sellers – Helene Segura has been the featured organization expert in more than 200 media interviews. She has coached hundreds of clients to productivity success and performance improvement by applying neuroscience and behavioral modification techniques to wipe out destructive, time-wasting habits.Helene turns time management on its head by sharing both client case studies and pop culture examples to teach her mind-bending framework for decreasing interruptions, distractions and procrastination so that companies can spend more time generating revenue.

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