Business Card Organization
English: Photo of two free business cards (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I am constantly meeting new people, which means I have stacks and stacks of business cards, possibly from fantastic business card providers similar to Metal Kards Business Cards, stuffed in my desk drawer. I’m sure most of you know the feeling. Also, when you’ve got networking events to go to and you know that you forgot your business cards, at that moment, it feels like the worst thing ever! You had one job, but when you think about it, it’s not the end of the world.
CardMunch: This is a free iPhone app that turns your business cards into contacts. All you have to do is take a photo of the business card and it uploads all the info automatically. My favorite part is it also connects you to the person’s Linkedin profile.
Evernote Hello: Whenever you meet someone you can input their info manually or scan their business card in this app. There is also a “hello connect” feature that can connect you to a group of people instantly. Once you do this, the app will bring in any other related info from your calendar, Evernote account, and social media and build a profile. The app also builds a history of all your meet and greets, so you will never forget anyone! You can download this to your computer or your smartphone.
ScanBizCards: Take a photo and scan in any business card, add in notes, forward contacts to colleagues, and assign and create groups. This app can also remind you to follow-up with people and will connect you to Linkedin. You are also able to sync all this info to your other devices! ($1.99)
Time to scan away! How do you keep your contacts organized?
Uncommonly Productive Tasks
productivity (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)
Twenty-four hours is not nearly enough time to accomplish your daily routine while still having time for yourself. If you are not a naturally productive person, it can be hard to get into the habit of allotting your time correctly for all your to-do’s. If you attempt to be a super star of productivity, you can get frustrated and burnt out fast! Trust me – it takes some trial and error to see what works best for your needs.
Recently, I came across a Forbes article that lists 24 ways to be uncommonly productive.
Here are 5 of my favorites:
1. Get up an hour earlier: The early bird gets the worm as the saying goes! I know the snooze button is easy to hit but getting up a little earlier everyday can help you be more productive. Whether it be reading the newspaper and enjoying a cup of coffee, finishing a pitch for work, or doing that last load of laundry, your day starts out with crossing SOMETHING off the to-do list. Check out what the most successful people do before breakfast!
2. Avoid meetings at all costs: Impromptu meetings, unless totally necessary are a waste of time and energy! You will not be prepared and the things you want to accomplish will most likely not get done. Having a schedule of weekly meetings is the best way to go – even during the meetings you should have a set schedule of talking points and goals.
3. Take a proper break – after one or two hours take 10-20 minutes to dance to your fave song, do some push-ups, or get out in the fresh air. You always need to give yourself a break to refocus your energy. Working on a task for too long can burn you out. Madonna (another fellow list maker) is great to jam out to when you need a break.
4. Don’t answer your phone: This is also one of my mottos. I NEVER, I repeat never, answer my phone during the work day unless I have scheduled a phone call (I even have a YouTube video dedicated to it). If it’s really important that person will leave a message. You don’t want to get stuck in a conversation for a half hour that is not on top of your priority list or that you’re unprepared to have.
5. Ask yourself “Is what I’m doing right now getting me closer to what I want to achieve?” I think this would be great to put on a Post-It note on your computer, or as the background of your phone. It’s a simple reminder to keep focused on what really needs to be done throughout the day!
Try out one of these tips this week, and build up to the rest! Rome wasn’t build in a day and neither is a productive lifestyle. Check out the rest of the productivity tips from Forbes here
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My First Blog Tour
(Photo credit: Dvortygirl)
This post is going to be a slight departure from the content you’re used to reading on ListProducer.com but I hope you’ll find it as fun. I was invited to participate in what’s called a “blog tour” by writer and blogger Sarah Klein.
Here’s how it works: I answer four questions about my writing process and then introduce three new bloggers who will do the same thing on their blogs next week. And so on and so on…kind of like a chain letter for blogs. I hope it’s a fun opportunity to gain some insight into how I’m able to pump out this blog three times a week and also introduce you to some bloggers I really admire.
Here we go!
1. What am I working on?
I’m always working on something! My biggest project to date has been my book, which will be published this fall by Viva Editions. It’s called “Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Efficient and Less Stressed.” Right now we are working on marketing plans and what the cover will look like. It’s very exciting and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with all my Listproducer.com blog readers when it’s ready!