Increase Productivity | List Producer

Automate Your Life

March 4, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Technology, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Daily to-do’s can get tedious and overwhelming. I get it! Between responding to work emails, deciding what to do for dinner, paying bills, managing social media accounts, and running endless errands– when is there any time to just relax? That’s why you should let technology work for you and automate your life!

When I interviewed Ari Meisel, master automator and the author of the book Less Doing, More Living:Making Everything In Life Easier (Check out his site here), he told me:

“First of all, people have this false notion that all the things they do in their life, only they can do. You know, like you’re the only person who could possibly schedule appointments for yourself. And it’s kind of a weird thing, people like hoard this. No – it’s because they don’t think about what’s required to do it.

This couldn’t be more true! So I made a list of 5 ways to cut down your to-do list and have your tasks automatically disappear!”

Tonight’s The Night! Join My Productivity Apps Webinar

February 25, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Technology, Tool for Success, Uncategorized, Video, Webinar/by Paula Rizzo

iPhone 4's Retina Display v.s. iPhone 3G

(Photo credit: Yutaka Tsutano)

I’m excited to host my second FREE Webinar tonight — dedicated to apps!

Want to learn about the best apps to increase your productivity, and do more in less time?! Well tonight, February 26, 2014 @ 8 pm EST, you can join me as I reveal some of my favorites. (just in case you missed the last webinar “Boost Your Productivity in 2014” check it out now)

When I see people using the “Notes” app on their iPhones to keep their to-do’s or tasks, I literally cringe thinking back to when I used to do the same! There are so many great apps out there that blow “Notes” right out of the water. And don’t fear – they are mostly all free!

So, tonight I will give you the full rundown of the best of the best! AND It’s not too late to sign up- so register now! (Even if you can’t make the specific time, there will be a recorded version if you register)

Check out the details below:

5 Reasons To Kick Your Phone Out Of Bed

February 23, 2014/0 Comments/in Decision Making, Health, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Technology, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Smartphones have become our sole source of communication, our daily weather updates, the way we unwind with games, and even our cuddle buddies at night. This is mainly focused on the younger generation though, as the only generation that seems to have got it right is the older generation, by only using their phones for making phone calls. I know that not all the older generation just use their phones for taking calls, but some do. There are even these cell phones for older adults, which can make things a lot easier for them. Going back to what I first started talking about though. I know many of you can’t think of another way but to have your phone next to your head at night. However, this is something I’ve never done and refuse to do. I have to set boundaries or else I’d go insane…checking and rechecking emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Since getting a Blackberry for work about seven years ago, I’ve always kept all of my phones in the living room, nice and far out of reach. Being connected 24/7 is not only a distraction but it’s also not good for your health. Sleeping is supposed to be peaceful and sacred. Just ask Arianna Huffington — she worships sleep and thinks you should “Sleep Your Way to the Top” — and you should too! 🙂

Anyway, here is a list of why you should dump your phone and snuggle your pillow (or your honey) instead!

1. Lights. When my Blackberry blinks red, my eyes open right up. This isn’t just your inner-email intuition, as I once believed. Artificial lights will disrupt your body’s natural rhythm and acts as a stimulant that will keep you awake longer. The sense of urgency would cause me to pop out of bed and deal with whatever issue is at hand, right then. No good for sleep or my nerves. (more here)

Get Anything Done For Five Dollars

February 20, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Fab Find, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Technology, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I have said time and time again that just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should! As you may know, I am a huge believer in outsourcing your life – it saves you time, energy, and the stress of juggling too many things at once.

There are so many great outsourcing apps out there that I have reviewed before like WunWun, and TaskRabbit, but for today’s “Fab Find” I want to introduce you to another hire-for-help website I just discovered called Fiverr.

Fiverr is one of the largest marketplaces for service, but it differs from other outsourcing sites. Every task is only $5.00 – how awesome (and cheap) is that?! Other sites will get the job done, but it can get pricey depending on what you need done.

The site offers 11 different categories of services to search through. You can find anything from graphics and designs to gift giving help. You are also able to review and rate each seller. This is helpful because you can browse through and see who would be best for your needs.

There are thousands of talented people waiting to help you at a great price. Here are some ways that Fiverr could help you:

– Create a logo for business or personal use

– Make unique business cards

– Have someone create a personalized workout for you

– Get a Spanish lesson

– You can even hire a celebrity impersonator!

You can also use your skills to get hired and make some cash while doing something you enjoy. To sell a service – you create a “gig”, post it on the site, and you will be notified when someone orders it.
(However they do take 20% of your earnings!)

I know it’s hard at first to let others do things for you, but trust me, you will be so happy in the end that you did. Time is a valuable thing – so use it wisely by outsourcing your life 🙂

Make Cash From Your Clutter

February 18, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Home, Increase Productivity, People, Saving Money, Saving Time, Shopping, Technology/by Paula Rizzo

Yard Sale! (Photo credit: moon angel)

I started my spring cleaning a little early this year, not only in the hopes that maybe Mother Nature will get the hint (crossing my fingers and toes that this ridiculous snow in the Northeast ends) but also to make a little extra cash! YES – cash for your clutter, what could be better then that?

PoshMark
Dig out those glamorous heels in the back of your closet that you love but can’t find another occasion to wear and let this app do the rest. You can set up an inventory of clothes, shoes, and jewelry to sell on the app or through their site. All you do is upload the photos, set the price, negotiate with customers, and voila you now have a little extra space in your wardrobe and cash in your hand. They make shipments super easy by sending you the prepaid packaging – all you need to do is add the address (because of this they take 20% of your sale). You can also browse through other “closets” in case you need to fill that heel hole in your heart 😉

ThreadFlip
This is a similar app to PoshMark, except if you don’t want to spend the time selling your items they will do it for you with their “full service” option (their take on your sale is 40% with this option, “list on your own” is 20%) . ThreadFlip will send you a free pre-paid bag, you fill it with the things you want to sell, and ship it back to them. They will then professionally photograph the items, load them to the site, and send them on there way when they are sold! That’s my kind of outsourcing!

Gazelle
I sometimes keep my old cell phones in case the one I have now suddenly breaks — that’s just the preparer in me. Well, this habit has now taken over an entire drawer, so I decided to sell them on Gazelle. You can sell old cell phones, tablets, Apple computers, and other electronics. Just enter the model, and the current condition and the site does the rest! They will send you a pre-paid box to send back your stuff and send you a check once they receive your package.

YardSale

If you have a random collection of things to get rid of I would try out this app. You can sell pretty much anything from a bike, to a camera, or even a car – it really is a virtual yard sale. Just upload the photo of the item your selling to your profile and set the price. The app shows your location so people can search locally (as well as nationally) for items they want! Maybe someone from the next block is looking for that Beatles poster you no longer want.

Etsy
If you are a avid DIYer and have suddenly found yourself cluttered by crafts this may be the site for you! Whether it’s mason jars, photo frames, or hand crafted jewelry, you can sell it to earn cash! Etsy allows you to set up an account and sell your products through the site. You will be a little more craft free, and who knows, you can actually make a brand for yourself!

Now go dig through your closets and earn some cash! Let me know which apps work best for you 🙂 Happy selling!