by Debbie Rodrigues | Dec 4, 2017 | Challenge, Time Management
Unless you start to track time like a boss, you’re killing your chances to be more successful. Find out why!
I didn’t always track time like a boss. Even though, I always loved anything planning-related.
From paper planners to apps, I like to give everything I can get my hands on a try.
It’s something I enjoy so much I made it my job.
But let’s be 100% sincere.
People don’t plan for the sake of planning.
Even if you’re like me, who enjoys spending time with Erin Condren, there’s a difference.
How many people do you know who adore planning but yet procrastinate?
A lot, don’t you?
Maybe you’re even one of them…
It happens because making plans and planning efficiently are two entirely different things.
The first is about writing things as we do with lists.
We need/want/have to do something. Then, we add it to our calendar.
There’s no availability check or prioritization.
The latter is about structuring your days in a way we achieve our goals without feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
What’s the gap between them?
Not knowing how they spend their time!
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Why you need to track time like a boss
When we were students, we had our class schedule.
Beforehand, we knew what subjects we’d study and which class we’d attend (or skip).
But once this phase of our life is over, this habit goes away for most of us.
Except for meetings and appointments, only very few of us know what they’re doing and when in advance.
Life happens to us and we don’t have any control of it.
Still, from time to time we hear stories (almost like fairytales) of people who have the same 24 hours as we do, but they manage to accomplish so much more.
If we had the chance to talk to every single one of them, we’d find out they know exactly what their day looks like. Inside out!
Knowledge is power.
Also when it comes to organizing your day.
And if you’re wondering how you can find out what’s going on with your time, the answer is
Start to track time like a boss!
How I got into time-tracking for life
Notice that you don’t necessarily need to be in deep chaos to start to track time.
I do it every single day.
While I also had lost the habit for years, two things got me back on track:
- my thesis
- project management
My thesis
I did my college internship at one of the Big Four.
The theme of my thesis? Their new time tracking software.
Needless to say, I dug in!
What? Why? How?
While my focus was on the software, there was a lot to learn about the process itself.
Things went so well and I was even given the chance to teaching newcomers how to use it.
Time tracking? Saving time? Helping others? I’m in!
Loved the experience.
Project management
Fast forward some years.
I had changed jobs and company.
My team was going through some reorganization. Thus, it was necessary that we started measuring our work.
What? Why? How long?
Do I need to tell you how much I enjoyed the exercise? 😉
In fact, this time around was so “enlightening” I realized I had to keep on doing it, also in my private life.
But don’t worry. I don’t take it to extremes of measuring EVERYTHING.
Busy work isn’t my thing.
I just discovered that the more clarity I have about my time, the better I can use it.
Tools to track time
There are many different ways you can track your time.
In my course, 5 Days To Mindful Planning, I talk more in depth about my favorite tools.
But there’s one that is such a no-brainer there’s absolutely no reason for you not to get it right now.
It’s RescueTime!
Why do I like it so much?
You install it once and it does all the work for you.
It’s this simple!
I also use ATracker when I’m doing specific measurements and analysis (based on the steps of my methodology). However, it requires manual intervention.
Yes, it’s just touching the screen, but it’s so easy to forget it sometimes.
For example, I started writing this blog post and then I remember it was time for me to attend a webinar.
Unfortunately, I didn’t pause the “write blog post” task.
Not a big deal, for sure. Still, not my intention either.
With RescueTime, though, such slip-ups NEVER happen.
If you want to check it out (and I can’t recommend it enough), RescueTime offers a free and a paid version.
See it for yourself and let me know what you think.
I’ve been using the paid version for years, and I don’t regret the investment.
Track time like a boss
The advantages of tracking time are that you:
- have clarity about your day
- discover time-wasters
- find out where you can save time
- learn how to prioritize
- spot procrastination
Even if it takes you a while to get accustomed to it (I mean, if you don’t use RescueTime), don’t give it up.
Because you need time tracking if you want to be more efficient.
But since it’s a habit, you’ll have to take it one day at a time.
That’s why, to help you stay on track, I want to invite you to my [ninja-popup ID=11356]FREE VIP Tribe.[/ninja-popup]
Join a group of like-minded achievers for support, accountability, and motivation.
I’m sure you’ll love it!
52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You
I’m hosting a 52-week productivity challenge on my Facebook Group #PlanWithDebbie.
You can read everything about the challenge here.
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How the 52-week productivity challenge works
First of all, grab a copy of the list [ninja-popup ID=11356]52 Things That Are Killing Your Productivity.[/ninja-popup]
After signing up, you’ll be invited to join the Facebook group #PlanWithDebbie.
On the group, I’ll share daily prompts during the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You.
I’ll guide you through a brand-new topic each week.
From Monday through Friday, you’ll learn how you can use Mindful Planning™ to:
- Become more efficient
- Save time
- Manage stress
- Achieve your goals
You can start the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You at any moment of the year.
And you choose whether to follow every single week or to focus on your personal pain points.
If you miss anything, you can always refer to older posts for catch-up or review.
All that FOR FREE!
See you at the challenge
The method I apply to the challenge is exactly the same one I use with my clients: Mindful Planning™.
It’s a 5-step method you can use to all aspects of your life become more productive one day at a time without added stress.
Come and join the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You today.
I’m looking forward guiding you towards a successful year and beyond!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. However, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Thank you, in advance for your support!
by Debbie Rodrigues | Oct 30, 2017 | Challenge, Time Management
Learn how to develop a strong strategy with automation by using my 3 favorite tools. Stop wasting time and money with these tips.
It’s only October 2017, but I’m already developing a strong strategy with automation for the next year.
I started planning it back in September.
Every week, I share my stats on my Facebook Group. You can watch all the replays in my [ninja-popup ID=734]VIP Tribe[/ninja-popup].
Right now, I’m working on the second pillar of my planning: Strong Strategy.
The first strategy I chose was Pinterest.
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Why I picked Pinterest
I’m a Pinterest fan.
I’ve been a member of the platform since its early days when it was “by invitation only.”
As it grew and bloggers started to use it more, rules changed.
Who doesn’t like beautiful pictures?
I have a soft spot for visuals. It’s a pleasure to invest in the looks of my content to help grow my reach.
Fast forwarding to 2017, I hit a viral pin for the first time.
As I’m writing this post, 30 Affirmations To Build Confidence And Overcome Fear has been shared over 96k times on Pinterest.
Can I ask you a favor? Can you check the number of shares on the post right now and let me know it in the comments below, please?
As a result, I also saw increases in:
- pageviews
- email subscribers
- Facebook group members
- number of students
- number of clients
After that, I HAD TO make Pinterest my number one platform.
What does Pinterest have to do with automation?
Despite my success using Pinterest, I don’t want to spend my days on it.
I’m not a Pin Diva.
I’m someone who experienced growth in a short period and who’s learning as much as possible about the platform.
Pinterest has become my favorite tool to meet new people, but it’s not my job.
I’m a Productivity Life Coach who helps women who want more for themselves but can’t find the time for activities that would help them grow.
I value my time and how I spend it as much as my clients’.
How can I keep up with the momentum without spending countless hours on Pinterest, then?
AUTOMATION is the answer!
Why automation for Pinterest
To me, social media is all about building relationships.
I value interactions above numbers on a report.
Therefore, I prefer to spend my social media time “talking” to people instead of posting.
With automation I can:
- be consistent
- save time
- avoid spam
- replicate my processes
Be consistent
In just a few minutes, I promote various of my blog posts daily on Pinterest.
I also curate an average of 20 pins from 3rd parties and do a handful live pins.
Save time
All it takes me to be a regular on Pinterest is about 15 minutes a day.
As I use the Pomodoro Technique, I leave my breaks for scheduling content on Pinterest.
Avoid spam
Visiting a board with the same pin posted by the same person over and over again is a pet peeve to me.
I don’t like it, I’m sure you don’t like it, and neither does Pinterest.
Replicate my processes
Once I put together a successful process, I repeat it for all my content.
I don’t need to reinvent the wheel every single day to have great results.
How to develop a strong strategy with automation
When it comes to Pinterest, my automation strategy consists of using 3 tools:
- CoSchedule
- Tailwind
- Todoist
1. CoSchedule
I plan all the pins from my blog with CoSchedule.
I created various Social Templates that allow me to distribute my content without being spammy.
When I create or join a new board, I add it to the end of the queue.
It’s a lot faster and easier to use than the old list I used to keep.
2. Tailwind
Tailwind is my tool of choice for scheduling pins from 3rd parties.
It allows me to spread activity on my profile throughout the day. Including when I’m sleeping.
Tribes are also a great feature to help promote niche content.
If you blog about Personal Development, come over to #PlanWithDebbie.
New to Tailwind? Grab 15 USD when you sign up using this link.
3. Todoist
In addition to Tribes, I’m also a member of some Group Boards on Pinterest.
They’re niche-based boards where various bloggers share relevant content.
To make sure I’m not only posting on these boards but also sharing their content, I created tasks on Todoist.
Social media is about relationships, remember?
On different days of the week, I set reminders to repin images from those boards.
Developing a Strong Strategy
Pinterest is my number one strategy for 2018.
Email marketing was my second one, but I had to speed things up a little bit.
(I talked all about it in a Facebook Live stream).
Depending on your goals, you may need something different.
I used Mindful Planning to spot the best strategy for me. I highly recommend you do the same.
If you need help getting started, come on over to our challenge.
52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You
I’m hosting a 52-week productivity challenge on my closed Facebook Group.
You can read everything about the challenge here.
[ninja-popup ID=11356][/ninja-popup]
How the 52-week productivity challenge works
First of all, grab a copy of the list [ninja-popup ID=11356]52 Things That Are Killing Your Productivity[/ninja-popup].
After signing up, you’ll be invited to join my closed Facebook group.
On the group, I’ll share daily prompts during the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You.
I’ll guide you through a brand-new topic each week.
From Monday through Friday, you’ll learn how you can use Mindful Planning™ to:
- become more efficient
- save time
- manage stress
- achieve your goals
You can start the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You at any moment of the year.
And you choose whether to follow every single week or to focus on your personal pain points.
If you miss anything, you can always refer to older posts for catch-up or review.
All that FOR FREE!
See you at the challenge
The method I apply to the challenge is exactly the same one I use with my clients: Mindful Planning™.
It’s a 5-step method you can use to all aspects of your life become more productive one day at a time without added stress.
Come and join the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You today.
I’m looking forward guiding you towards a successful year and beyond!
*Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” It means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. However, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Thank you, in advance for your support!
by Debbie Rodrigues | Oct 2, 2017 | Challenge, Time Management
Discover how to beat procrastination with technology the easy way. Learn what you really need to know about it to use to your advantage.
OK, Debbie, now you got me.
First, you say that technology is a productivity killer, and now you’re telling me I can use it to beat procrastination?!?
I don’t get it!
I understand that it may sound confusing, but let’s face the truth:
It’s impossible to live without technology.
It’s everywhere, also when you don’t think about it.
But remember that too much of a good thing is still too much.
So, while I pointed technology as a villain, I didn’t mean to start a war against it.
The key is how you use it.
That’s why I’ll focus on its positive side.
Let’s see how you can beat procrastination with technology.
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Do you really need all the technology out there?
One of the tricky aspects of technology the past years is that:
Whenever something comes out in the market, it doesn’t take long until something similar, but better, is launched.
We, consumers, have to constantly make hard decisions between staying with what we have at the moment or upgrading to the latest version.
It gets worse when we don’t feel 100% engaged with what the items we own.
Let’s say you like your phone. Or rather, you see it as “not bad.”
Since you don’t jump up and down about it, the next time a new model comes out, you’ll feel highly tempted to give it a try.
Isn’t it how it goes?
With productivity tools, it isn’t any different.
But do you all that?
Are you going to be more efficient with version 3.0 than you were with version 2.0?
What I found out about technology throughout the years is that:
- most features aren’t for everybody
- price isn’t the best way to evaluate it
- you don’t need all the stuff out there
- a combination of tools is the best solution is most cases
Using Technology
The number one danger of technology when it comes to productivity is losing oneself to “shiny things.”
Tools and features become distractions instead of helping us focus.
We end up procrastinating because we don’t know how to use that stuff.
To make sure technology works for you and not against you, let’s review together the 4 points I mentioned above.
Most features aren’t for everybody
Has that tool you’ve always heard of launched a new feature? Everyone’s talking about it yet, you aren’t excited about it at all!
Well, it means it’s not for you.
Mainly if you aren’t tech-savvy, you shouldn’t feel obliged to keep up with the latest trends.
Wanting to stay updated is a great addition to your Personal Development. Doing things just for the sake of showing off isn’t.
Price isn’t the best way to evaluate it
Don’t look at the price tag of a tool or software until you make up your mind about it.
Not everything that isn’t expensive is necessarily “cheap.” But just investing all your savings in something just because “it must be good” isn’t the answer either.
In fact, not being able to manage your budget well will do you more harm than good for your productivity.
Similarly, sometimes, it’s worth to pay a little more than what you hoped if the benefits are exactly what you need.
Get to know the product well before using your credit card.
You don’t need all the stuff out there
Marketing is a powerful tool.
It creates needs that are superficial.
If you aren’t careful, you may start craving for technology you don’t even know what’s for.
Get clear about your goals.
Why do you need that new phone, for instance?
If it’s just because your favorite star is on the commercial, please, forget about it.
A combination of tools is the best solution is most cases
Once you know your exact goals and needs, everything becomes easier.
While there are tools that cover most part of your expectations, none is perfect.
To get things done efficiently, you may need to combine 2 or 3 to fulfill all your requirements.
For example, while you may love to work with cloud systems, having some sort of analogic systems is useful for when you don’t have Internet access.
It’s better to have alternatives in place than being caught up by surprise.
Beating procrastination with technology
As you can see it’s possible, and easy, to beat procrastination with technology.
By using the right tools and by simplifying your processes, you get more done and avoid analysis paralysis.
If you feel lost and don’t know how to pick the right technology for you, come and join our challenge.
Share your questions and struggles with other like-minded achievers to boost your productivity one day at a time without stress.
52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You
I’m hosting a 52-week productivity challenge on my closed Facebook Group.
You can read everything about the challenge here.
[ninja-popup ID=11356][/ninja-popup]
How the 52-week productivity challenge works
First of all, grab a copy of the list [ninja-popup ID=11356]52 Things That Are Killing Your Productivity[/ninja-popup].
After signing up, you’ll be invited to join my closed Facebook group.
On the group, I’ll share daily prompts during the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You.
I’ll guide you through a brand-new topic each week.
From Monday through Friday, you’ll learn how you can use Mindful Planning™ to:
- Become more efficient
- Save time
- Manage stress
- Achieve your goals
You can start the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You at any moment of the year.
And you choose whether to follow every single week or to focus on your personal pain points.
If you miss anything, you can always refer to older posts for catch-up or review.
All that FOR FREE!
See you at the challenge
The method I apply to the challenge is exactly the same one I use with my clients: Mindful Planning™.
It’s a 5-step method you can use to all aspects of your life become more productive one day at a time without added stress.
Come and join the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You today.
I’m looking forward guiding you towards a successful year and beyond!
by Debbie Rodrigues | Jul 17, 2017 | Challenge, Time Management
On the other side of not delegating is asking too much of others. Identify how you can save time to improve your productivity.
Have you been asking too much of others?
In my previous post, I talked about the dangers of accumulating too many tasks for yourself.
Avoiding to delegate certain responsibilities may add stress and lead you to a burnout.
But what about the opposite?
What happens when you push too much to others?
When does too much of a good thing becomes “too much”?
Do you know the difference between sharing to improve productivity and just dumping “stuff” on others to get rid of it?
Let’s think about it…
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Not-so-obvious ways to over-delegate
We talk a lot about people who get in our way preventing us from achieving more.
But how can we be sure we aren’t doing the same to others?
Useless meetings
One of the easiest ways to spot someone who has the habit of asking too much of others is by a number of meetings they plan.
There are meetings just to decide what and how many meetings are needed to make a simple and straightforward decision.
How much precious time is wasted every single time by stating the obvious or discussing non-sense…
If (real) work was done in that time, I don’t think it’s exaggerated to think that the world would be a better place for all of us.
But meetings aren’t the only you can ask or be asked too much.
I got other examples for you.
Unclear CTA
In blogging, the term Call To Action, or CTA, is quite popular.
It can be:
But what about those situations when your presence is required but you leave the appointment without any clue about why you were there in first place?
Now ask yourself:
When you set up a call with someone, do you have a CTA?
It makes no difference whether it’s your manager, your friend, partner, or your child.
Do you know beforehand your objective?
If not, you better make it clear to yourself first or you risk wasting someone else’s time.
Don’t delegate to others your responsibility to determine your expectations.
Endless messages
Because not everything in the corporate world is a waste, I learned one lesson I apply in all aspects of my life.
One of my dearest managers once told me: “You’re explaining yourself too much.”
*saw the 💡*
Damn, she was right!
In case you haven’t noticed yet, I love writing. I’ve always done.
Nothing bad about it when it comes to a blog post. My readers can always come back later for more if they can’t spare 5 or 6 minutes right away.
But the same cannot be said about emails or phone calls.
Remember that other people have their agenda too. It isn’t a matter of not being interested in what you have to say.
However, they don’t necessarily have the time to indulge themselves in your endless messages.
Before hitting the send button or picking up the phone, make sure your message is clear and concise.
Don’t assume others will know exactly what you mean if you leave room for interpretation.
Free work
Beginners in the entrepreneurial world go through that on a regular basis.
Who hasn’t ever heard things like:
- Do you have free samples?
- Would you do that for me for free (in the name of our friendship)?
- Man, you’re expensive! I can get the same for half of the price elsewhere!
Who knows, maybe you have this habit yourself.
But there’s one thing that’s being overlooked here: QUALITY.
Every time I see something like X, but cheaper, I don’t buy it.
The only time I did it in my life (it was a Smartphone), I regretted it deeply.
Know your worth:
- experience
- knowledge
- skills
Be fair when pricing products and services, including your time. But never sell yourself short.
Neither expect that others will do it for you!
Know your worth as well as others’ and don’t ask them more than can give you.
Don’t become a productivity vampire
There are other ways one can be asking too much of others.
Remember that while getting help can boost your efficiency, acting like a productivity vampire has the opposite effect.
You don’t want to fall victim of such “creatures”, but neither you’re to become one yourself.
Be mindful about the way you spend your time and apply the same approach to others.
If you want to learn other ways to get more done without feeling overwhelmed (or overwhelming others), join our challenge today!
52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You
I’m hosting a 52-week productivity challenge on my closed Facebook Group.
You can read everything about the challenge here.
[ninja-popup ID=11356][/ninja-popup]
How the 52-week productivity challenge works
First of all, grab a copy of the list [ninja-popup ID=11356]52 Things That Are Killing Your Productivity[/ninja-popup].
After signing up, you’ll be invited to join my closed Facebook group.
On the group, I’ll share daily prompts during the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You.
I’ll guide you through a brand-new topic each week.
From Monday through Friday, you’ll learn how you can use Mindful Planning™ to:
- Become more efficient
- Save time
- Manage stress
- Achieve your goals
You can start the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You at any moment of the year.
And you choose whether to follow every single week or to focus on your personal pain points.
If you miss anything, you can always refer to older posts for catch-up or review.
All that FOR FREE!
See you at the challenge
The method I apply to the challenge is exactly the same one I use with my clients: Mindful Planning™.
It’s a 5-step method you can use to all aspects of your life become more productive one day at a time without added stress.
Come and join the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You today.
I’m looking forward guiding you towards a successful year and beyond!
