Checkli Helps You Discover a World of Lists

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I can be a bit of a list-making purest, I still handwrite lots of my lists in a notebook. But I also love using apps and technology to be more productive. I found a new list-making app that I’m really into these days. It’s called  Checkli.

Checkli allows you to make lists and share them with friends, family and the public at large. It’s design is pretty simple and easy to use. You can alter the settings for every list you post, so you can keep your personal lists to yourself.

The main draw of Checkli, for me, is just how many checklists it has built in already. The search function is also very good so you can easily find more niche lists. So you can find lists like “Pre-Wedding Beauty Prep” for instance. Ok so that isn’t a list you’d need everyday but when you do need it you want all the information you can.

Here are some of the interesting and unusual lists you can find on Checkli:

  • The World’s Coolest Airports – Finland, The Maldives & Singapore all make the list!
  • Aesthetic Poetry Books
  • Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy – deli meats, soft cheese and raw sprouts are all no-nos.
  • Fall/Winter Clean-Eating Shopping Lists
  • Self-Care Practices to Explore – including some of my favorites like daily affirmations and gratitude journaling.

There is also a pro version of Checkli for businesses or individuals who want to use the app to promote themselves. A dog grooming company for example, might have some great puppy related checklists, Checkli pro allows them to add some branding to all the lists they make and expand their client base!

Checkli is a relatively new app so I’m excited to see what the future holds for it. If you download the app make sure to add me and let me know what you think!

Talking Lists With Peter Shankman

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Anyone who’s a follower of productivity and organizational tools knows that the productivity world has it’s own celebrities, like Marie Kondo and Julie Morgenstern (who wrote the foreword for my book Listful Thinking btw). The entrepreneurial world is not that different, there are the big hitters like Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey. There are a select few that are known in both worlds and overlap! One of whom is Peter Shankman.

I’ve written about Peter before on the blog  on how to be productive when you have ADHD, which is a personal issue that he has overcome. I quickly discovered that many of the tools he suggest are similar to some of my classic productivity tips. They’re just extra effective for people with ADHD.

As a a public relations and marketing expert Peter has also been an inspiration to me as an entrepreneur.  It’s why I joined his online mastermind group Shankminds, which has been especially helpful since I left my day job as a TV producer to branch out on my own.

He recently wrote a book called “Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain,” and I’m quoted in it! Yay!

Check out this on-camera interview Peter and I did together talking about lists and his new book!

In the video I discuss:

  • How to use lists to stay organized
  • Finding what works for you so you can stay productive

How Cheating Will Make You A Better Friend

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I’ve always impressed my friends by remembering significant events in their lives. I always send a good luck text before a job interview or wish them well before they go on a nice vacation. Over the years many people have complimented me on it, and asked how it is that I am able to remember all these events. Well I’m finally going to share my secret with you.

I cheat.

Whenever someone tells me about an upcoming event in their lives, their favorite drink or what they’d like for the holidays, I write it down. I set a reminder in my calendar to write the person a message about their big event or make a note a few weeks before their birthday or the holidays on which gift suits them best.

It’s really that simple! Read more

Why You Should Never Schedule Anything at the Top of the Hour

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As you probably know, a top productivity tip and regular habit of mine, is to write my to do list the night before. I consider it a roadmap for the following day. I don’t have to stick to that schedule exactly, but it gives me a path to follow.

Many of the highly-productive people I know do the same thing. However I’ve noticed they make one key mistake – they schedule tasks for the top of the hour. For example your to-do list might look something like:

  • 10am catch up on email
  • 11am call Donna

What’s wrong with that?

The problem is two fold.

First of all, as a total procrastinator I know all the tricks your mind will play on you in order to put things off. Scheduling things at the top of the hour is a classic one. Why? Because the second that clock ticks 10:01 and you haven’t checked your email, you start to think to yourself, “well now I’ve missed my opportunity! I’ll get to it in a minute”.  But then you never actually get back to that original task because your attention pulls you away.

The second issue is that when you schedule something for say 11am, people don’t actually start to get ready until 11am. I find that if I’ve scheduled a call with someone, if I make the call on time they often won’t answer, as they’re still going back to their desk or checking over their notes. The same is true of meetings. How many 2pm meetings actually start on time?

So what’s my solution?

I like to schedule appointments and tasks for 15 mins past the hour. This gives you 15 minute to prepare or get yourself set up for the time ahead. So if it’s a Skype call you’ve got time to login and check your audio is working at the top of the hour. If you’re scheduling a meeting these extra 15 minutes give people time to grab a cup of coffee or tea and get settled.

Go through your diary today and shake up your schedule! Be sure to let me know how it goes in the comments below.

How to Remember Anything

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Memory is a funny thing. Most people make lists to help them remember things. (Although some people can’t always remember where their lists are!) There are some useless pieces of information that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives though. But when we really need to remember something it’s like our brain is a sieve!

Sometimes in order to remember something you’ve got to get a little weird. Here are some of the more outlandish ways to help you remember something!

Chew gum – it might not be seen as the most polite thing for you to do in an important meeting or while giving a presentation, but chewing gum can help your memory recall. A study conducted at St. Lawrence University found that people who were chewing gum would perform better in tests of recall and memory tasks. Read more