I have a lot I’m responsible for in my life and a lot more I hope to accomplish. Because of this, I’m a complete productivity junkie. I’m the sucker who signs up for the free webinars just to gain a 30 second tip that could change my life, and I must say that’s actually happened to me many times over. As we head into the new year, I thought I’d share my favorite tools and tips for those of you who may be looking for a few life hacks for 2023.
MINDSET | TONY ROBIN’S TIME OF YOUR LIFE PROGRAMI personally love Tony Robbin’s. I love how transparent he is about the systems he has in place to be effective in all areas of life. And while, I have no delusion of being able to get everything perfect to the extent that he seems to have it, I can say the biggest thing he brings to the table is mindset shifts. I love many of his tools, but for productivity, his “Time of Your Life Rapid Planning Method” has been a game changer. I personally do not use his journals or planners but his approach in how to identify the areas that are most significant in life and your why behind each task has changed how I approach my to do list. Now things like calling a vendor doesn’t feel like a chore. Instead it feels like something I’m doing to ensure my client’s walk away super happy. Straightening up at home, isn’t an inconvenience, it’s something I do to create a sanctuary. And watching football with my partner isn’t annoying, instead it is something I do to stay connected with him. This program will help you reframe every goal in your life and break it down into actionable steps you can take daily, weekly, monthly, annually, etc. and it’s the system I use to create my to do list.
TOOL | FINISHER’S SECRET Finisher’s Secret is my go to planner. It works in 3 month increments meant to help you both plan your day to day tasks as well as a longer term project that make take weeks to accomplish. I love it because it it breaks the day down into most important tasks, secondary tasks and additional tasks/reminders. There are only 8 spots for to do’s because the reality is you’re not likely to get more than that done a day and each day has a place to take notes or list anything else on your mind. As a CEO, I use this page to list out the tasks I need to delegate or follow up on. So based on the to do’s I’ve developed using the RPM Method from Tony Robbin’s then gets documented in my Finisher’s Secret Journal. personally love writing out my tasks and checking them off by hand. For this reason, Finisher’s Secret works perfectly for me, but this approach could be done electronically as well.
TIP | PLAN TWO WEEKS AT A TIMEAs mentioned, if I have 30 minutes of free time, I’m probably watching a webinar. And while many are just overhyped sales vehicles, you can walk away with some pretty relevant tips. On one such webinar, the expert shared the tip of planning two weeks at a time. Every week I spend 30 minutes looking at my calendar for the following two weeks. I schedule anything that is already on the calendar and then start placing my must do’s for both the upcoming week and the tentative to do’s for the following week. This helps ensure I’m always ahead of the curve on my tasks. Prior to using this tip, I would come in Monday morning to realize there was a meeting on Tuesday that I should have started planning for the week before. It’s truly been a game changer. And I make the 30 minutes when I plan my week a ritual that I look forward to. I often head to Soho House or go to my backyard with a cup of tea and just focus on what needs to be scheduled.
ACCOUNTABILITY | COACHING & COMMUNITYThis one is specifically for business owners / entrepreneurs but one of the main ways I stay productive is surrounding myself with productive people. For me this looks like both talking to a business coach each week as well as being a part of an entrepreneurial community. In these spaces, I’m surrounded by other productivity nerds and people who really are trying to get things done. I personally love Kris Plachy’s CEO community. I’ve learned a ton and I feel super inspired to truly make things happen. I started with her How to CEO program and can’t recommend it enough. Check it out here and let her know I sent you.
DELEGATION | MONDAY.COMAnd the biggest way I stay productive is by having an amazing team. Above everything you need the right support from the right people, but assuming you have this, I recommend using a project management tool to both delegate and stay on top of the tasks that need to get done. I personally use Monday.com. I love it because I can break down all of my projects, assign them to individuals on the team, watch their progress and communicate updates right there in one tool There are a ton of options out there and I promised I’ve tried them all, but the interface and flexibility of Monday.com makes the most sense for me and my team.
It may seem like a lot, but prior to having these tools, I was really just running in circles and not really getting to the things I cared about. Even if you’re only able to use one of these tips or tools, I promise it will change your life. Have a wonderful year! Here’s to designing a life you love!
