This Thanksgiving, at Nimble, we’re serving up a feast of productiveness insights in an effort to point out you Easy methods to Keep away from Having Too A lot on Your Plate. As we collect across the desk to rejoice gratitude, we’re dispensing invaluable tricks to categorical our thankfulness to our viewers. We reached out to a number of business leaders who generously shared their secret elements for fulfillment, providing useful instruments, favourite apps, and classes discovered from their experiences.
Our objective is obvious: equip you with the know-how to savor the vacation with out feeling overstuffed with duties. Be a part of us as we serve up methods not only for the eating desk, however for managing your workload this Thanksgiving season!
1. Concentrate on Strategic Job Administration & Power
Brad Friedman
President | The Friedman Group, LLC
Really useful Productiveness Instruments:
Brad addresses the problem of avoiding job overload by using a strategic strategy. He reveals, “Avoiding job overload is a problem. I preserve all my duties in a To-Do checklist and each Sunday I am going via my checklist and transfer the duties I’m able to work on to my calendar. Calendar blocking has helped me keep away from job overload.”
In relation to productiveness, Brad emphasizes the importance of managing power over time. He finds that sustaining a well-balanced routine, together with a great evening’s sleep, morning exercises, and a nutritious breakfast, contributes considerably to his productiveness. Staying hydrated and sustaining common meals all through the day are key elements that play a vital function in sustaining his optimum degree of productiveness.
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2. Preserve Distractions Minimal
Timothy Hughes
CEO & Co-Founder | DLA Ignite
Timothy makes use of Flipboard as his major productiveness instrument, leveraging its options to remain knowledgeable and arranged. To forestall job overload, he employs a time-blocking technique inside his calendar, successfully managing his schedule and making certain a balanced workload.
When requested about his favourite productiveness tip, Timothy advocates for a easy but impactful strategy: silencing all of the notification sounds on his PC or Mac. He emphasizes the significance of minimizing distractions by eliminating the fixed “bings and dings” permitting for a extra targeted and uninterrupted work setting.
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3. Keep Forward with Planning & Prep
Craig M. Jamieson
Managing Member | Adaptive Business Services
Craig depends on a mixture of productiveness instruments to streamline his workflow. He mentions, “Nimble, in fact. I additionally use Google instruments like Docs on my iPad that permits me to jot down concepts and duties every time they hit my head. I’m going to be experimenting with FlyMsg, primarily for social messaging, and Scribe for documenting a few of the steps which might be related to my Nimble coaching supplies.”
To handle job overload, Craig employs a twin strategy, using Nimble for particular client-related duties and sustaining a conventional to-do checklist with a two-week outlook. He explains, “I evaluate this each morning and search for objects that may be accomplished forward of time. This permits me to have open time every time the surprising arises.” When requested about his favourite productiveness tip, Craig succinctly emphasizes, “In case you are not staying forward, you’re falling behind!“—underscoring the significance of proactive and forward-thinking approaches in sustaining productiveness.
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4. Life Audit for Peak Effectivity
Stacy Ennis
CEO | Creatively
Really useful Productiveness Instruments:
Stacy advocates for the transformative affect of discretionary time in avoiding job overload. She defines discretionary time as intentional blocks of targeted time, highlighting its versatility for actions resembling self-development, targeted work, or something requiring singular focus.
Stacy emphasizes a novel perspective on productiveness, stating, “Productivity means getting extra, higher work completed in much less time.” Fairly than viewing productiveness as merely a 9-to-5 endeavor, she sees it as a way to liberate psychological area for creativity and a fuller presence. Citing analysis on frequent interruptions within the office, Stacy underscores the potential for wasted time and presents working from house as a possibility for change. Her favourite productiveness tip includes conducting a life audit, a reflective course of she applies to herself and encourages in her purchasers and college students. This life audit, detailed in a supplied hyperlink, serves as a instrument to regain focus and productiveness throughout difficult durations.
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Try extra of Stacy’s favourite productiveness instruments here!
5. Optimize for Retrieval, Not Transmission.
Seth David
President & Chief Nerd | Nerd Enterprises, Inc.
Seth depends on Notion as his high productiveness instrument, leveraging its capabilities to streamline his workflow. He emphasizes the significance of a reliable system to handle duties, stating, “I seize, make clear, manage, mirror, and interact with every part I have to do in a system I can belief.” This complete strategy permits him to keep away from job overload by making certain that every step of the method is systematically addressed.
Seth’s favourite productiveness tip facilities round optimizing for retrieval quite than transmission, underlining the importance of establishing methods that prioritize quick access and retrieval of knowledge. This strategy aligns along with his overarching technique of sustaining an environment friendly and dependable system to boost productiveness in his each day duties.
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6. Time-Block for Optimum Focus
Phil Gerbyshak
Gross sales Marketing consultant | PhilGerby.com
Phil employs a strategic set of productiveness instruments, together with Fancy Hands for fast analysis duties, ChatGPT for writing verification and ideation, and SaneBox to take care of a clutter-free inbox. In managing job overload, he follows the 4D technique, advocating for a proactive strategy: “Do it proper now, defer it till job time (that is time blocked for these duties), delete it, delegate it – and also you don’t want a ‘individual’ to delegate to.”
Phil’s favourite productiveness tip revolves round time blocking, urging the prioritization of essential duties by dedicating particular blocks on the calendar. Whether or not it’s prospecting, follow-ups, or demo preparation, he emphasizes the significance of defending these time blocks from interruptions, noting that this targeted strategy considerably enhances general productiveness.
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Click on here to take a look at Phil’s mindset insights delivered bi-weekly with an occasional podcast!
7. Prioritizing is Paramount
Liz Heiman
CEO | Regarding Sales
Really useful Productiveness Instruments:
- A Calendar
- A Spreadsheet or CRM
Liz strategically navigates job administration to stop overload. “First, I set priorities across the work I have to do,” she notes, underscoring the significance of readability in her strategy. To construction her obligations, Liz employs a multi-faceted technique: “Second, I put issues on my calendar that have to get completed. Third, I assign myself duties within the CRM.” Notably, she ensures environment friendly workflow by embracing delegation: “Final, I delegate something that another person can do.”
Turning to her favourite productiveness tip, Liz focuses on gross sales productiveness, stressing the importance of prioritization. “Specializing in the issues that push you nearer to your objectives is the important thing to success,” she advises. She delineates 4 crucial varieties of each day gross sales work—prospecting, qualifying leads, cultivating relationships, and shutting offers—every demanding consideration. Liz prioritizes closing offers on the forefront, cautioning towards neglecting hard-earned alternatives. She advocates for disciplined scheduling: “I like to recommend scheduling time in your calendar for prospecting and creating duties within the CRM on your different gross sales work.” Liz emphasizes the necessity for a structured each day strategy, making certain gross sales objectives should not simply met however exceeded.
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8. Make Area for “Cushions” On Your Calendar
Lynn Abaté-Johnson
Co-CEO, CCO, Writer & Speaker | Lynn Abaté-Johnson
Really useful Productiveness Instruments:
Lynn strategically navigates job administration by incorporating “cushions” of “nothing” time into her schedule to soak up any potential overload and prioritize private duties successfully. As she emphasizes, “Having these ‘cushions’ of ‘nothing’ time in-built for absorbing any overload and making private priorities doable.” This strategy permits for flexibility and resilience within the face of unexpected calls for.
Lynn’s favourite productiveness tip revolves round proactively scheduling these “cushions” on the calendar. She advises, “Block out time for ‘cushions’ in your calendar one or two days per week. A few hours or half-day right here and there make all of the distinction.” This intentional allocation of time not solely serves as a buffer towards overload but additionally proves instrumental in sustaining a balanced and efficient workflow.
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9. Ditch Distractions with a Cellphone-Free Zone
Marc Scott
Voice Over Artist | Marc Scott Voice Over
Marc effectively manages his productiveness utilizing Notion, appreciating its skill to consolidate notes, timelines, job lists, and related info in a single centralized platform. Reflecting on how he avoids job overload, Marc stresses the significance of prioritization aligned along with his objectives. “Not every part is a precedence, regardless that it might make the duty checklist,” he notes, emphasizing the necessity to filter duties via the lens of overarching targets to make knowledgeable choices about what really wants consideration.
When it comes to his favourite productiveness tip, Marc gives a sensible strategy: “Depart the telephone in a special room.” Recognizing smartphones as each productiveness instruments and potential time drains, he opts to distance himself from notifications and the lure of his telephone when deep focus is required. This intentional separation enhances his skill to pay attention and attain duties with out succumbing to distractions.
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10. A CRM is Your Secret Weapon
Ross Keating
Founder | Nextree Business Growth Consultancy
What productiveness instruments do you employ?
Ross navigates job overload by sustaining a transparent concentrate on the speedy priorities that propel each himself and the enterprise ahead. He succinctly articulates his strategy, stating, “I concentrate on what have to be completed right this moment that strikes me and the enterprise ahead.”
Ross’s favourite productiveness tip facilities on the strategic utilization of a CRM (Buyer Relationship Administration) instrument. Emphasizing its significance, he straightforwardly advocates, “Please use your CRM or begin utilizing one! You’ll enhance gross sales, shut extra offers, retain extra prospects, AND save your self quite a lot of time!” His advice underscores the CRM’s multifaceted advantages, from enhancing gross sales outcomes and deal closures to fostering buyer retention, finally streamlining and optimizing general time administration.
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11. Work Smarter, Not Tougher.
Stephanie Garcia
CEO | Lights, Camera, Live
Stephanie, as an entrepreneur, has strategically embraced Calendly as a pivotal productiveness instrument for environment friendly calendar administration. Reflecting on the affect, she shares, “I used to spend means an excessive amount of time exchanging emails to search out assembly instances that work for everybody. It drained my productiveness! That’s why I began utilizing Calendly.” Stephanie highlights how Calendly streamlines scheduling by offering a handy hyperlink, decreasing pointless emails, and syncing seamlessly together with her primary calendar.
To keep away from job overload, Stephanie employs a set of sensible ideas. She emphasizes ruthless prioritization, batching comparable duties, and strategic delegation. “The important thing for me is working smarter, not more durable,” she notes, specializing in high-value actions whereas avoiding nonessential duties. Stephanie’s strategy contains setting boundaries, taking breaks, single-tasking, and common workload assessments, all contributing to enhanced focus and productiveness.
Stephanie’s favourite productiveness tip revolves round understanding and leveraging pure power fluctuations all through the day. “Our power ranges truly fluctuate naturally all through the day,” she observes, emphasizing the significance of aligning work with private peak power instances. By figuring out her “golden hours” Stephanie strategically tackles demanding cognitive work throughout these durations, optimizing productiveness and avoiding frustration throughout much less alert instances. This strategy, centered on managing power quite than simply time, has confirmed to be a transformative game-changer for Stephanie’s general effectivity and significant work output.
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12. Use a Easy Rule of Three
Bernie J. Mitchell
Founder & Marketing consultant | Engaging People
What productiveness instruments do you employ?
Bernie adeptly manages job overload by implementing a ‘private scrum’ technique utilizing a Kanban board, focusing solely on the duties within the ‘doing’ column. Acknowledging his neurodiversity challenges, he shares, “I’ve to work additional onerous to remain targeted on the current.” Bernie strategically makes use of the ‘backlog’ part to retailer concepts and duties, addressing them later within the week, permitting him to take care of a manageable workload of three prioritized duties every day.
His favourite productiveness tip facilities across the simplicity of conducting three significant duties each day. Bernie expresses, “Three issues a day, I all the time favored this however once I learn Hero On A Mission by Donald Miller it took on a deeper which means.” He underscores the profound affect of constantly finishing three duties each day, emphasizing that this strategy, impressed by Miller’s insights, results in regular progress and significant accomplishments over time.
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Bernie J. Mitchell | Engaging People
13. Maximize Content material Consistency by Repurposing
Michelle Garrett
Marketing consultant & Author | Garrett Public Relations
Really useful Productiveness Instruments:
Michelle adeptly manages job overload by sustaining a balanced strategy to commitments. “I attempt to not overcommit myself – however there are occasions once I would possibly really feel burdened by the quantity of labor I’ve to do,” she shares. Throughout significantly demanding durations, Michelle adopts a proactive technique by making a complete checklist of duties and estimating the time required for every. This systematic strategy not solely helps her prioritize but additionally successfully manages stress ranges related to workload.
Relating to her favourite productiveness tip, Michelle reveals a sensible strategy to content material creation. She emphasizes the worth of repurposing content material to maximise its utility. “I prefer to repurpose my content material. I do all my very own writing (no, I don’t use AI!) and prefer to attempt to squeeze as a lot from each bit as I can,” she explains. Michelle extends this philosophy to helping purchasers, illustrating her follow by repurposing a e-newsletter column right into a LinkedIn publish or a weblog publish. Moreover, she highlights how content material from consumer movies may be remodeled into informative weblog posts via transcripts. These methods showcase Michelle’s effectivity and creativity in getting probably the most out of her written work and that of her purchasers.
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14. Declutter Your Thoughts with Mind Dumping
Carole Mahoney
Founder | Unbound Growth
Really useful Productiveness Instruments:
- A Pocket book & Pen
- Calendar Blocking
- AI Instruments for Analysis
Carole avoids job overload by using a targeted strategy. As she advises, “Write down your primary factor—the first objective. It will assist you to then align your time and efforts to that objective.” She shares a private instance of efficiently launching her ebook final yr, utilizing the first objective as a information to make knowledgeable choices about varied alternatives and duties that introduced themselves.
Carole’s favourite productiveness tip includes the usage of a easy pocket book for environment friendly job administration. She explains, “I exploit a easy pocket book to mind dump my to-do checklist each month, week, and day.” This technique permits her to declutter her thoughts after which strategically delegate duties that may be completed by another person. Carole additional organizes her to-do checklist into classes, distinguishing between important however much less pleasing duties, like paperwork and admin, and growth-oriented actions resembling gross sales, content material creation, or speech rehearsal. This systematic strategy, from mind dumping to categorizing, allows Carole to prioritize successfully and keep readability in her each day, weekly, and month-to-month duties.
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Verify Out Extra of Carole’s Productiveness Tips
Conclusion
From strategic job administration to minimizing distractions and embracing intentional time blocks, these specialists supply a various array of ideas. Whether or not it’s leaving the telephone in one other room, utilizing a CRM like Nimble as a secret weapon, or repurposing content material for effectivity, the widespread thread is a concentrate on working smarter, not more durable.
As we rejoice Thanksgiving, let’s undertake these methods to strike the precise stability between productiveness and gratitude in each our skilled and private lives. Get started with Nimble and increase your productiveness this vacation season.