Tag Archive for: how to get more done

The Top Three List-Making Apps

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

As you know, I’m all about lists. I’ve tested lots of list-making apps — there are thousands on the App Store! I used to always suggest Wunderlist, but it’s shutting down on May 6. Here’s three alternatives that I recommend:

Clear

Clear is a beautiful app — I love looking at it. The simplicity of the design helps me stay focused. You use gestures (pulling down, pinching, and swiping with your fingers) to add and manage tasks. Each task can only be 30 characters, which means you have to write exactly what you need to do and nothing else. If you have complex things to do that require longer explanations, this might not work for you, but it’s great for unloading your mind and keeping track of straightforward tasks. I also like how the tasks are color-coded according to urgency.

The app costs $4.99. 

Todoist

Todoist is great if you’re looking for a straightforward, well-designed task manager app. There’s lots of features I like in this app, including the option to connect with your other apps and devices, like Google Calendar, Dropbox, and Amazon Alexa.

You can schedule recurring tasks or use “quick add” to pop something on your list. Todoist also has a business version so that your team can assign tasks, communicate with each other, and share files all in one place. It’s a nice mix between a complex task management system and a simple list-making app, since it has lots of features but it’s also easy to use and you can use as many (or as few) extra features as you need. Plus, you can also import data from Wunderlist into Todoist. 

The basic app is free, and the business and premium versions cost $29 per year per person. 

Zenkit To Do

Zenkit To Do is probably the most complex of the three apps. It’s still intuitive to use, but it has the most options and add-ons, making it great for people who need to manage lots of complex tasks. You can share lists with other uses, assign and add due dates, and leave comments. There are also “quick add” and recurring task features. I especially like the offline feature, which lets you keep working when you’re not connected to the internet. You can easily import all your due dates, tasks, and lists from Wunderlist to Zenkit To Do — you can learn how to switch here. 

The personal version is free. The version that allows multiple users to collaborate is $4 per month per user, and the business versions start at $19 per month per user. 

I hope this helps you find the list-making app that fits your needs. If you have recommendations of list-making apps you like, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

Designing Happier, Less Stressful Lives After the Covid-19 Pandemic

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

A few years ago, I had a wake-up call that put my life on hold — my appendix burst! I was in the hospital for nine days and home from work for six weeks. 

During that time, I realized that there were some things that I didn’t want to put back on my to-do list after I recovered.

That experience made me rethink my priorities. As I mention in my book, Listful Living: A List Making Journey to a Less Stressed You, slowing down is prioritizing on steroids. 

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Tools to Be More Productive Working Remotely

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

Since I started working for myself as a media strategist, author and speaker, a few years ago, I’ve become an expert at working from home. I really love it actually. 

But I know all about how hard it can be to adjust to remote work when you’re used to an office environment and being around people all day long. 

Many more employees are working remotely now because of coronavirus (COVID-19) — and if you’re one of them, you might have run into new challenges with keeping up your motivation and productivity. 

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Top Tips To Be a Better Person

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

Doing acts of service can feel like a big challenge – just one more thing to add to your already long to-do list.

But what if making time to be of service to yourself and your community could actually make you happier and more productive?

My friend Kate Hanley is all about the idea that being generous and making small changes in your life pays off. 

Kate is the author of a book called, “How to Be a Better Person” and she also hosts a daily podcast of the same name.

She’s an expert on how to make small but meaningful changes in your life that will have a big impact. 

You can check out our full conversation here. 

Here are some highlights from the conversation::

 

Make it seasonal. 

When you’re trying to come up with plans for doing service or helping your community, take the season into consideration. For example, one of Kate’s goals is to start a compost bin. Leaves are really important for composting, so fall is a great time to start helping the environment in this small but important way. 

 

Let people know you care. 

Kate loves sending thank you notes, because it’s a small gesture that can make someone’s day. Sending a note will remind you to slow down and give thanks to the people in your life, whether it’s your child’s teacher or a new client. I can’t agree enough with this – I still send paper thank you notes whenever possible! 

 

Think local.

Being a better person doesn’t mean you have to save the whole world! Instead, look in your community for ways to give back and make a difference. Drop off some canned goods at a food drive or attend a pasta dinner fundraiser. These acts of service will help you feel more connected to your community. 

People often talk about self care in terms of things you done alone or for yourself, like setting aside time to read a book or learning how to say “no.”

But like Kate says, self care also means being mindful of yourself in relation to the people around you, whether that’s your family, co-workers, or neighbors.

When you feel good about your place in your community, you put yourself in the best position to be happy, healthy, and productive. 

BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

Productivity Secrets for a Successful Side Hustle

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

When you first start a side hustle you tend to be a one-man band. It means you’re doing all the work, but there’s also plenty of upsides to this:

  • no communication issues
  • no meetings
  • no job descriptions

It’s all you! 

As I learned through the years it’s important to resist doing everything yourself. That will quickly lead to burnout or will cause you to abandon ship on your ideas. 

As you’re side hustle gets more successful you might need to bring in some help.. Managing a small business or side project like this can be quite difficult. I would know, for the past eight years I’ve run Listproducer.com which has become part of my business. And for the past five years I’ve had the help of my fabulous editorial assistant Nicole. Until recently, Nicole has lived in the UK while I’ve been in the US. Plus  for most of that time we both had full time jobs! Read more