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I really like what I do, BUT…
Who doesn’t need to shave off just a few repetitive time-sucking duties to allow them to spend extra time doing what they really love? Which in my case means strapping a one-year-old to my again and happening day by day adventures round Colorado.
I’m all the time in search of methods to streamline my enterprise, so at present I’m bringing you 10 hacks to avoid wasting time so you may spend fewer hours per week behind the laptop computer.
1. Gmail Shortcuts
I realized this just a few years in the past (from this infographic) and it has modified my life. It takes so many clicks to ahead or reply to an electronic mail, pop it out so I can learn the e-mail I’m replying to as I reply, after which ship. Now all I do is hit shift + R and I’m replying in a popped out window. This protects me most likely a minute a day, which I do know isn’t lots. But it surely’s the precept of the factor!
I’ve been utilizing Gmail shortcuts like this for years and it’s a lot simpler to by no means must carry my fingers from the keys. To allow shortcuts, simply go to your Settings > Basic > Keyboard Shortcuts and allow them.
You’ll be able to click on the Be taught Extra button to be taught what all of the completely different shortcuts are, as you can’t customise any of those shortcuts.
2. Create Shortcuts in your Telephone and Pc
If I sort @@ on my cellphone and even right here on my pc, it’s going to mechanically change to my electronic mail deal with. If I sort qqq it’s going to mechanically sort my web site URL. Little issues that I inevitably find yourself texting or messaging to folks almost daily which are a complete ache to sort.
After typing my shortcut, I can hit the enter key or spacebar for the qqq to get replaced with heathandalyssa.com/ (I added the slash on the finish so I can simply add a slug if directing somebody to a particular web page on my web site).
To create these, open the Settings app in your iPhone (I exploit a MacBook so this can sync with my laptop computer) and go to Basic > Keyboard. Then click on Textual content Alternative on the high of the display screen and create your quick cuts.
This can be a tip I picked up from Chalene Johnson final yr. She initially recommended it for anybody who replies to lots of Fb or Instagram messages with related phrases like “thanks 🙏 ” or “aw thanks a lot!” These may very well be ty1 and ty2 and should you get dozens of replies to your Instagram, can actually prevent a while (and spelling errors!).
3. Preserve Your To-do Listing Up to date
Do you ever get a very good concept if you’re out mountain climbing? Or at dinner with mates? Or possibly you bear in mind an electronic mail it is advisable to ship as you’re strolling into a gathering?
For a very long time, I used to be the queen of remembering one thing 5 completely different instances earlier than I really did it as a result of I’d all the time be in the midst of one thing essential and neglect yet again. (Am I alone on this?)
Which is why I really like Trello.
(And speak about it on a regular basis apparently.)
It’s a tremendous device for retaining working to-do lists, managing initiatives, and even working with a crew.
However I feel it’s most understated use is being the place the place I can write down these little duties that get simply forgotten. Like if you’re falling asleep and suppose “oh crap, I forgot to hit launch on that advert marketing campaign” or “I despatched over that weblog publish however forgot to ship pictures.” Or, most frequently, if you’re engaged on one thing and give you a very good weblog publish concept and suppose “Oh I’ll completely bear in mind this concept—it’s wonderful!” After which 5 minutes later you may’t recollect it in any respect.
Now that I give it some thought, I may be a forgetful individual…
However then once I open my laptop computer very first thing within the morning, I do know I’ve an entire listing of every part I have to work on and lists of all of my concepts and future initiatives to sort out. No extra sitting in entrance of the pc making an attempt to determine what to get began on subsequent.
4. Automate Invoicing
I’ve all the time had a love-hate relationship with invoices. I really like getting cash. I hate the tedious course of of making invoices. I began utilizing Freshbooks for invoices for just a few key automation options:
- It can save you shopper profiles, so fundamental info like shopper title, firm, deal with, the e-mail deal with(es) the bill goes to are all saved. I simply select from a dropdown menu who I’m invoicing and all these fields are auto-populated.
- You’ll be able to set recurring invoices for any purchasers you’ve on retainer. Then you may get paid every month like clockwork and by no means must carry a finger. (Nicely, you do nonetheless must do the work that will get you paid within the first place.)
Plus, purchasers may also pay by bank card which is one thing I do know just a few of my purchasers all the time select over the trouble of slicing checks.
Freshbooks is a paid service we use, however I’ve heard many entrepreneurs who love and use Wave, which is free.
5. Use Calendar Reserving Providers
Why oh WHY is reserving assembly instances with folks such a trouble?
You want a six message lengthy thread simply to decide on just a few date and time choices, after which somebody has to really create a calendar occasion and invite the opposite individual, in any other case, one or each of you neglect.
It’s annoying as all get out.
We began utilizing Calendly just a few years in the past for reserving podcast interviews and now we use it for all several types of conferences. We create all of the completely different assembly varieties (podcast interview, 30-minute assembly, RVE summit 60 minute assembly, and many others.) and it syncs our availability with our Google calendar. We ship one reserving hyperlink, you e-book a time that works for you, and its added to each of our calendars. We each get electronic mail confirmations and save ourselves years of forwards and backwards (most likely).
This has labored very well for years, however then just a few months in the past, I realized that Calendly integrates with Zoom. This implies if you e-book a gathering, the flowery integration will mechanically put all the mandatory Zoom hyperlinks and cellphone numbers in your calendar. (I manually did this FOR YEARS, which takes a minimum of ten minutes per assembly, earlier than I even realized this was a factor. Smh.)
You can even save time by batching actions like I talked about earlier this month and scheduling all of your conferences for less than at some point per week. Or by no means have conferences.
Associated: 14 Suggestions for Working in an RV
6. Integrations and Automations
Talking of integrations! They save soooo a lot time and Zapier has a ton of them.
You’ll find zaps to attach HUNDREDS of apps.
For instance, when somebody buys a ticket to our RV Entrepreneur Summit, I would like them to be added to our ConvertKit and tagged “Summit ticket holder” so I can ship them occasion info. Nicely for the primary two Summits, I manually exported electronic mail addresses from Eventbrite and uploaded them to ConvertKit. We promote tickets often for a 3-6 month interval, so I had to do that usually.
Such a waste of time.
Now there’s a zap and I by no means must export a CSV, add the CSV, select the correct fields, set the correct tag, and anticipate a affirmation electronic mail that each one the emails have been uploaded. I don’t have to consider it in any respect!
Integrations and automations are a tremendous option to save your self infinite quantities of time, particularly on mindlessly straightforward duties like this! You’ll be able to work out which apps you may construct integrations and automations on Zapier’s web site right here.
7. Develop Techniques and Processes
Once I write a weblog publish, my course of goes like this:
- Decide 4 weblog posts for the month (all on an analogous theme) from my ongoing listing of weblog concepts I carry on Trello
- Define every weblog
- Write every weblog publish
- Add pictures, featured picture, and key phrases
- Schedule for the assigned date on my content material calendar
- Write a e-newsletter to share that weblog publish on Wednesday morning
It’s a system I’ve spent years updating. Earlier than, I’d write when impressed or once I obtained a good suggestion. I’d neglect so as to add any pictures, by no means set search engine optimization key phrases, and typically by no means even share the weblog! Principally I used to be failing at being a blogger.
I wanted a course of to observe to remove all of my distractions and provides me a transparent path to observe. Creating processes and methods is among the finest methods to streamline your small business.
For some actually nice insights on the best way to develop methods and processes for your self, I extremely advocate watching this presentation by Dani Schnakenberg from our 2019 RV Entrepreneur Summit:
8. Outsourcing
One of many greatest methods to avoid wasting time?
Outsource.
Delegate the issues you find yourself doing on a regular basis so you may give attention to the stuff that solely you are able to do. We’ve had an awesome podcast episode on this: How you can Multiply Your self and Get Extra Completed by Jill Sessa (who I’ve outsourced all our web site administration to!).
9. Sort sooner
An understated option to save time and get stuff finished sooner? Sort sooner.
I haven’t practiced typing because the eighth grade when my mates and I took it so we may all compete to see who typed the quickest. (Oh my, was a nerd in center college?)
You need to use web sites like Keybr.com to apply your typing expertise and enhance your typing velocity.
I additionally use Grammarly to catch my typing errors for me so I spend much less time proofreading.
(Additionally, I’m with Jim typing 65 wpm. I don’t understand how Pam can sort 90!)
10. Cut back Distractions
Final however not least, let’s save ourselves time by limiting distractions. There are many methods to do that:
- Use Display Time in your cellphone to restrict the usage of time-wasting apps
- Set Downtime throughout work hours in your cellphone so you may solely use your cellphone as a cellphone (Settings > Display Time > Downtime)
- Restrict your time on social media in your pc utilizing plugins like Newsfeed Eradicator
- For goodness sakes, flip in your Do Not Disturb mode. That’s what it’s for! We don’t want no stinking notifications.
- Equally, shut your electronic mail and examine it just a few instances a day so that you don’t get sucked into that soulless vortex.
What different time-saving ideas do you’ve? Share your finest one within the feedback!