Our local Panera Bread Bakery Cafe is the perfect location for getting things done. I go there several times a week after work for a cup of coffee and an extra half hour of work. A buddy of mine heads to the local Borders book store. Still another heads over to a nearby Starbucks. All of us are looking for that perfect place to complete the day's tasks and still get home at a reasonable time.

Changing your location is as important as the pace of the day. I try to seek out places where I can get in a half hour of work before going home for the day. Sometimes, it's a library but other times it's a coffee shop.

So what's so special about Panera? Besides the refills on coffee and the atmosphere, I saw a new sign that went up which reads: "Panera: Our Recipe". The company then lists their core offerings, including:

Artisan bread

All-natural chicken

0 grams of trans-fat

A kids menu you'll feel good about

Free wi-fi

Community

A never-ending passion for great food

So there I am, reading some materials and planning out the following week. Yet I'm drawn to these core values that Panera wants me to dwell on. I'm using their wi-fi. My coffee is on its second serving and it hits me- I'm benefiting from Panera's offerings and my work is the recipient.

So if you could list out your core values for productivity, what would they be? If you had to post a sign in your planner, your kitchen, or your Blackberry, what would it read? Here's mine:

Preparation. I want to lead into my week by keeping my project list in-tact.

Daily planning. I want to lay out my appointments and events on paper so nothing is missed.

Meeting details. Nothing is worse than a poorly-run meeting. An agenda is key, getting everyone involved is a must and ending on time is respectful.

Clear communication. Between the phone, email and written correspondence, my bases will be covered.

A clean space. With a clean desk, I can do one thing at a time.

Saving time. If I can do something faster, easier and in a more elegant way, I'm there.

So what would be your "top-6" in a personal productivity list?

(Photo by Lost in Scotland)