Design Your Best Schedule

Chances are, you are one of the millions out there feeling over-scheduled, under-effective, and worn out.  What to do about it?  First, decide that although it's common, it's doesn't have to be YOUR "normal."  Make a commitment to yourself for the next week to make some improvements.  Can you make 3 simple changes within one week that will help you better support your success?  I hope so!  How are you going to leave a powerful, positive legacy if you are exhausted?

12 Days of Apps: TIME RECORDING

Where does your time go?  How can you possibly know unless you track it?  Have you done one of those exercises where you track everything for a week, and although useful, you feel like you need "Time Tracking" added to the list because it felt like it took way more time than it should have?  

What if there was an app for that?  What, oh, of course there is!  At least one...in fact there are several.  After taking a sales audit course and realizing I hadn't been doing a good job of tracking how much of my time was spent on critical activities, I searched for an app instead of relying on my usual spreadsheets or a paper journal.

12 Days of Apps: GOOGLE MAPS

You may be surprised that we would include Google Maps in a list of productivity apps for greater success in the new year, but that's partly because this app (and others like it) are under-utilized for making more in less time.  For example, say you have an appointment with someone and don't know where you're going.  

You could use your "spidey-sense" and hope for the best, but when you show up late and explain that you got lost, people are less understanding today given the technology at hand.  For the modern professional, there is simply no excuse any more for getting lost-- unless it's a particularly tricky address or in a GPS dead zone.

12 Days of Apps: CALENDAR

Using one master calendar that allows you to schedule on the go and reminds you ahead of time where you need to be is PRICELESS for success in business.  

I have been using Google Calendar this past year, but frankly it doesn't matter which one you pick as long as it syncs to everything you need it to.  I also like DejaOffice for this because it works across various Calendar programs and platforms (and Contacts), and lets you organize with Categories and color-code (yes, I'm a total nerd for this stuff!).  

Some important features to consider of any decent mobile calendar app are as follows:

12 Days of Apps: AUDIBLE

How many people do you know that have a goal to read a book a month?  Or maybe to get through ONE book in a year?  How many people do you know that are in a book club?  And how many people do you know have a regular commute that is essentially wasted time?  Ah-ha, there is a solution here, and it's called audio-books.  A favorite app for this is Audible.  Basically, it rocks.  My clients, colleagues, friends, and I use it to listen to great book content we would otherwise probably not get to.

12 Days of Apps: HOOTSUITE

My clients are probably sick of hearing me rave about Hootsuite, my social media dashboard, aka "lifesaver."  I mean, who has time to post decent content 3 or more times a day on 3 or more social media accounts while they are trying to run a business? Hootsuite, both via desktop and mobile app, allows me to create one message and post it to any combination of 5 different places. 

12 Days of Apps: DROPBOX

Ross was having lunch with a referral and was hoping to close the sale.  They seemed very interested and asked if he could email some documents that same afternoon to a colleague.  Fortunately, he had them available via Dropbox and was able to send the message with attachments immediately.  They were impressed, and he got the deal.  Ross had previously lost valuable time with prospective clients because he had to wait until he got back to the office hours later,

12 Days of Apps: EVERNOTE

What happens when you are driving around and have a killer idea that you want to get down before you forget?  

You could:
1. Pull over and make a note-- but oops you're on the freeway and the next exit is miles away
2. Try to remember-- and then chastise yourself later because it slipped your mind
3. Scribble it on a gum wrapper or gas receipt-- which may be discovered later under the seat with illegible smudges

Are you Productive or EFFECTIVE?

The other day I found myself rushing to get to Rotary in time for lunch and felt like I had been "running at full speed" from the moment I got out of bed. I had a to-do list with some check-marks and a good client meeting that morning, but I felt a bit manic as I was speeding along in traffic and mentioned on the phone, "Oooh, I don't like it when I'm rushing like this!" (I do like fast-paced and dynamic, but this was the next level), then I said  "At least I've been productive!" Because I felt I had been getting things done.  But then I realized I was justifying it.

Control Your Email in 5 Easy Steps

Does your Email cause you anxiety?  If so, you are not alone. In fact, the statistics are staggering!  You already know the pain, so let's talk solutions. To gain control of your Email, following are some easy suggestions and best-practices. These steps are also a countdown to ZERO messages in your inbox (at least for a moment in time):