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In today’s digital age, the temptation to monitor every click and keystroke of your employees is stronger than ever. But let’s face it: tracking software is not the answer to boosting productivity. In fact, it might be doing more harm than good. As your trusted productivity expert, Captain Time, I’m here to show you a better way to measure employee productivity – one that fosters trust, encourages creativity, and delivers real results.

Let’s look at two fictional sales employees – John and Susan. John is always at his desk and works long hours as shown on the company’s employee activity computer tracking system Management’s perception is that he is a hard worker. Susan is often out. She is meeting prospects, business networking, and picks up her kids from school. Management’s perception is that she isn’t at her desk much and isn’t working as hard as John and the computer tracking seems to support this. But if you measured success by sales generated, you would find Susan’s sales are double that of John’s because of her networking efforts and her willingness to go out and meet clients. This is the pitfall of measuring activity instead of results.

The Pitfalls of Employee Monitoring SoftwareBefore we dive into the solution, let’s examine why computer tracking tools are counterproductive:

1. Erodes trust: When employees feel watched, they lose their sense of autonomy and become less engaged.
2. Increases stress: Constant surveillance leads to anxiety and burnout, reducing overall productivity.
3. Encourages rule-breaking: Surprisingly, monitored employees are more likely to break rules and engage in unethical behavior.
4. Stifles creativity: Innovation often happens during moments of reflection or “unproductive” time, which tracking software doesn’t account for.
5. Misses the big picture: Keystrokes and mouse clicks don’t equate to meaningful work or outcomes as shown in the John and Susan example above.

The Trust-Based Way to Measure Employee ProductivityInstead of relying on invasive tracking tools, let’s shift our focus to what really matters: outcomes and trust. Here’s how to measure employee productivity effectively:

1. Set Clear Goals and Expectations: Start by clearly defining what success looks like for each role and project. When employees understand their objectives, they’re more likely to stay focused and motivated.
2. Implement Regular Check-ins: Schedule brief, frequent one-on-one meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and goals. This open communication builds trust and allows for timely course corrections.
3. Focus on Deliverables: Judge productivity by the quality and timeliness of completed work, not by hours logged or keystrokes counted. This approach encourages efficiency and innovation.
4. Encourage Autonomy: Give your team the freedom to manage their time and work processes. Trust them to deliver results, and you’ll often be pleasantly surprised by their ingenuity and dedication.
5. Measure Impact, Not Activity: Look at the bigger picture: How does an employee’s work contribute to the company’s goals? Are they solving problems and adding value? These are the true indicators of productivity.
6. Foster a Culture of Feedback: Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. This open dialogue can lead to process improvements and increased efficiency.
7. Utilize Project Management Tools: Instead of surveillance software, use collaborative project management platforms that allow teams to track progress, share updates, and manage deadlines transparently.

The Benefits of Trust-Based Productivity MeasurementBy ditching the computer tracker and embracing a trust-based approach, you’ll reap numerous benefits:

• Increased employee satisfaction: When workers feel trusted and valued, their job satisfaction and loyalty improve.
• Enhanced creativity: Without the pressure of constant monitoring, employees are more likely to think outside the box and innovate.
• Better work-life balance: Focusing on outcomes rather than hours worked allows for more flexible schedules, leading to happier, more productive employees.
• Improved company culture: A culture of trust fosters collaboration, open communication, and mutual respect.
• Attraction and retention of top talent: High-performing professionals are more likely to join and stay with companies that value their autonomy and skills.

Implementing the Trust-Based ApproachTransitioning to a trust-based productivity model requires a shift in mindset and some practical steps:

1. Communicate the change: Explain to your team why you’re moving away from monitoring software and how the new approach will benefit everyone.
2. Train managers: Equip your leadership team with the skills to manage based on outcomes and trust rather than surveillance.
3. Establish clear metrics: Define how you’ll measure success for different roles and projects, ensuring these metrics align with company goals.
4. Provide the right tools: Invest in project management and collaboration software that supports transparency and teamwork.
5. Lead by example: Demonstrate trust in your employees by giving them autonomy and focusing on their results rather than their minute-by-minute activities.

Conclusion: Trust is the Key to True ProductivityAs we’ve seen, measuring employee productivity through trust and outcomes is not only more effective but also creates a more positive and productive work environment. By focusing on results rather than surveillance, you’ll unlock your team’s full potential and drive your business forward.

Remember, true productivity isn’t about how many hours someone spends at their desk or how many keystrokes they log. It’s about the value they bring to your organization and the impact of their work. By trusting your employees and giving them the freedom to excel, you’ll create a workforce that’s not just productive, but also innovative, engaged, and loyal.

So, are you ready to ditch the computer tracker and embrace a more effective way to measure employee productivity? Your team – and your bottom line – will thank you for it.

Reach out if you want my help on setting up a trust-based employee productivity system.

The post Measure Employee Productivity Through Trust and Outcomes: Ditch the Employee Computer Tracker appeared first on Time Management Training.

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In this video and article, I want to talk about how to use a value ladder for business growth.

Value Ladder DefinitionA value ladder is a marketing strategy where you offer a series of products or services with increasing value and pricing at each step. So this creates a customer journey starting from your inexpensive offerings to your high-end exclusive services. This helps you develop and sell more profitable products and services. The examples I’m going to use here are from my own time management coaching business. You can download a copy of this mind map and use it as a template for your own value ladder brainstorming.

Instant Access to the Value Ladder mind mapYou will also be added to our Time Tips newsletter that provides you with regular time management and productivity tips. Unsubcribe anytime.

SUBSCRIBE!You have Successfully Subscribed!First Rung: Your Value Ladder FreebiesSo the first rung, the first step in your ladder is the entry level. These are the free items, the things that don’t really cost anything for people to connect with you. Some of the examples of this might be:

• blog posts
• checklists
• guides
• free ebooks
• free courses
• YouTube channel
• Social media For example, I’ve created a free download called The Connection Code, which is a short guide for business networking for people. So the uses for this rung of your value ladder are primarily to build your list, to build your social media followers, position yourself as an authority, and of course creating all these articles and this content works great for search engine optimization. This level is how people connect with you for free. These connection offerings are a great way to introduce yourself to people, and position yourself as an authority.

Second Rung: Building BlocksThe second run, or level of your value ladder is what I call building blocks. You can call these whatever you want – the idea is just that you have multiple levels that you take people through.

So in the building blocks level, the client investment is is modest. It’s inexpensive. They might be spending anywhere from $20 to $500 for a product or service from you. * For example my book, “Stop Wasting Time“, is about the cost of a pizza. * Or you might have some basic online courses. I have courses like Inbox Zero and Running Effective Meetings that people can pick up for under $50. I also run some workshops and webinars that are under $100 each. * I have some basic coaching that runs between $100 to $500. This is 1-on-1 time management coaching and 1-on-one digital marketing coaching. These are the tools where I work directly with people that are fairly inexpensive. A modest investment for people, good value but a modest investment.

Most of us are good at the entry-level. We know about lead magnets. We know why they’re important, and most of us are pretty good about getting the building blocks that next product in there. But levels 3 and 4 are where most of us struggle. Rung 3: The Signature ExperienceFor level #3, I’m calling this the Signature Experience. Again, you can call it whatever you want. The idea here is the clients are going to invest a little more money now. They’re going to invest maybe $500 to $5,000 and they’re going to get a lot more value for that investment.

You can survey your clients, to find out what additional help and value would they be willing to pay more for. Here are some examples and again these are from my time coaching.

• More in-depth online courses, maybe 50 plus videos in each course.
• I could even license these courses knowledge database to corporations.
• More intensive coaching programs, that might run for 6 weeks or 3 month. Perhaps a coaching portal for clients, weekly group check ins, a personal orientation and roadmap. I can create additional value by adding checklist, templates, mind maps, a lot of things they wouldn’t get kind of in a normal shorter coaching program.
• Software training for larger companies. I teach task management and CRM software.
• I could create custom marketing plans for people, custom products, perhaps even a bespoke like a custom productivity system, for my clients. So that’s that Signature Experience, a deeper level, providing more value and something clients are willing to pay more money for.

Rung 4: The Exclusive OfferThe next level is the exclusive offer, Client investment is $5,000 plus to start. We want to be shooting for 10,000 to $75,000. These are top-tier offerings for loyal clients, people who love what you do.

You want to create immense value for them, an experience that will have a massive impact on your client success. Something that’s going to totally transform their business, workflow, or life. In these cases of major transformations, it’s cheap to pay $10,000 or $75,000 for the package because they‘re getting 10 times or more of that value in return.

Here are some examples and again, this is for using my own coaching program as a guideline.

• Consulting – I could offer consulting services where I might review their tech stacks, survey their teams on morale, productivity, and roadblocks, and then recommend productivity improvements, software recommendations, advise on workflows and structure and provide training for them. So this would be more intense. I might be going into a company for weeks or months working with them.
• Retreats – I could offer intensive 2 or 3 day retreats, for $7,500-$12,000.

• Mastermind Groups – I could offer mastermind groups, uh, for business owners that are serious about improving their business. I would be the facilitator, advisor, help with goal setting, visioning, and accountability within the group. Value Ladder: Something for EveryoneSo that’s the value ladder.

• FREE: Starting off with the free entry level resources to get them to follow you, connect with you, position yourself as an expert, help your SEO,

• BUILDING BLOCKS: Offer the building blocks. The products and services, you’re going to offer them that are inexpensive, $20 to $500.
• THE SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Higher value, deeper experience offerings from $500 to $5,000
• THE EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Amazing experiences that transform people, businesses, workflows. $10,000+ If you’d like help creating your value ladder, you can book some value ladder coaching sessions with me.

If you liked what you saw here today, please hit the Like and Subscribe buttons on YouTube and share this with others via your social media. I appreciate you supporting my quest to end time stress!The post Value Ladder: Creating a Profitable Pathway for Your Business appeared first on Time Management Training.

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Time blocking is a popular productivity technique and I have previously created videos on time blocking with Google Calendar and Notion. Today, I am going to introduce you to a new technique that I use personally that I call “rotary time boxing.”

Time Blocking vs Time BoxingThe first question most of you have is what is the difference between time blocking and time boxing?Time Blocking involves dedicating specific blocks of time in your calendar for different tasks or activities. For example, you may block out 9 am-11 am for writing, 11 am-12 pm for emails, and 2 pm-3 pm for meetings.Time Boxing, on the other hand, involves setting a fixed time period or “box” for a specific task, and stopping work on that task once the time box expires, even if incomplete. For instance, you may time box 30 minutes for responding to emails, 1 hour for content creation, etc. The emphasis is on limiting the time spent per task to increase focus and prevent overworking.The Pomodoro technique is an example of time boxing where you might spend 30 minutes on a task or project, take a 5-minute stretch break, and then move to the next project for 30 minutes.What is Rotary Time Boxing?Rotary time boxing is taking the time boxing technique and using it to rotate through all your critical projects or areas of responsibility on a daily/weekly basis.For example, you might spend 30 minutes or one hour each on:* Project 1 * Project 2 * Project 3

Then at the end, you “rotate” back to Project 1. Expanding on this a bit, let’s look at the top three tasks for each project:* Project 1 + Task 1 + Task 2 + Task 3 * Project 2 + Task 1 + Task 2 + Task 3 * Project 3 + Task 1 + Task 2 + Task 3

In this case, we have worked out the three most important tasks for each project and listed them in priority sequence, where task 1 is the highest priority or the first step in a series.So for our first 30 minutes, we work on Project 1/Task 1. If we complete it, we move on the task 2 until complete, and so on. When the 30-minute timer runs out, we add a comment to the task so we know where we left off, then move to Project 2/Task 1.So our to-do list now looks like this:* Project 1 + Task 1 + Task 2 + Task 3 * Project 2 + Task 1 + Task 2 + Task 3 * Project 3 + Task 1 + Task 2 + Task 3 If you find this too conceptual, let’s try a more real-life example. Let’s say you have 3 projects Marketing, Client Retention, and Productivity Improvements. Now your task list might look like this.

• Marketing
  • Identify target audience
  • Identify marketing channels that reach this target audience
  • Write a marketing plan to use these channels to market to our target audience
• Client Retention
  • Review support tickets for common challenges
  • Create an exit survey
  • Create a plan to reduce client turnover
• Productivity Improvements
  • Identify tasks that could be automated
  • Assign to IT team to automate
  • Identify tasks that could be done by a virtual assistant
  • Hire a virtual assistant

So if you were working on your Marketing Project, you only have one task to worry about for the next 30 minutes – identifying your target audience.At the end of the 30 minutes, you move to the Client Retention Project and start compiling problems and challenges from your support ticket database, and so on.Rotary Time Boxing vs Time BlockingWhile time blocking can be very effective, you might struggle to make things fit in your calendar, especially when you might have unexpected meetings or appointments that replace the time block you had set aside for a certain project. Once that time block is gone, that project might get zero attention that week and get behind.With Rotary Time Boxing, you are rotating through each project in 30-minute or 1/2 hour sprints of focused time, so the meetings don’t matter. This way every project gets at least some attention each week.Rotary Time Boxing is the technique I use myself and is an excellent method for people struggling with traditional time blocking.If you need help getting rotary time boxing working for you, check out my time management coaching program.The post Rotary Time Boxing – Captain Time’s New Approach to Managing Project Time appeared first on Time Management Training.

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As the clock strikes midnight, an invisible yet profound transaction transpires. A deposit of 24 golden coins is placed into the vault of each person’s day – a currency more valuable than any other on earth. These are not mere coins. They represent the hours of your time, an allotment that everyone, rich or poor, receives equally as the sun rises. I am Captain Time, and I’m here to guide you through the wisdom to invest your time wisely as hours, for unlike gold, they can never be hoarded or reclaimed once spent.

Understand The Value of Your CoinsEvery day, as certainly as the morning dew, you are presented with these coins. Understand that each golden hour holds infinite potential, the promise of progress, connection, discovery, and rest. Each hour, each coin, is a slice of your life waiting to be exchanged for experiences and memories that can either enrich or impoverish your life’s story.

Plan Your Spending to Invest Time WiselyBegin your day with intention. Charting a course for your coins is like plotting out a map for a treasure hunt. The most successful investors start their days with a plan, investing hours into activities that align closely with their personal missions and visions for the future.

Divide your ledger into categories:* Necessities: Sleep, work, and self-care form the foundation. * Relationships: Allocate time for friends and family. * Personal Growth: Invest in learning and hobbies. * Leisure: Reserve coins for rest and enjoyment.

Avoid Impulse SpendingImpulse spending with money leads to buyer’s remorse. The same goes for time. Beware of thieves masquerading as harmless pleasures, like excessive screen time or unproductive multitasking, which can strip your day of its golden potential. These thieves can pickpocket your golden coins without you even noticing.

Invest for Compound InterestCertain time expenditures yield compound interest. For example, an hour spent learning a new skill can lead to enhanced career opportunities, deeper fulfillment, and even monetary gain down the road. Exercise is another investment with compound benefits, promoting mental and physical health that pays dividends in quality of life and longevity.

Balance Your PortfolioThe adage ‘do not put all your eggs in one basket’ holds true for your golden coins. A balanced life portfolio might mean dividing your coins among career advancement, family time, self-improvement, and recreational activities that revitalize you. Neglect one area, and your life’s wealth diminishes.

Audit Your InvestmentsRegularly reflect on where your coins are being spent. At day’s end, as the final coin slips from your grasp into the abyss of time, ask yourself if you’ve inched closer to who you want to be, to the life you want to lead.

Embrace Every Coin As An OpportunityEntertain the notion that each day and each coin carry immense opportunity. Invest them in the mundane job with an attitude that transforms toil into craftsmanship. Spin laughter from the thread of everyday life. Find moments that make your heart race – in joy, in love, in the exhilaration of discovering something new about the world or yourself.

ConclusionSo I ask you, as Captain Time, a guardian of life’s most valuable currency, how will you invest your 24 golden coins tomorrow? Will you scatter them to the winds of distraction, or will you be a shrewd investor, amassing a fortune not of coin, but of lived experience, joy, and achievement?

Remember, the mint of time never ceases to print. You will receive your 24 golden coins with the dawn of each new day. Invest them wisely, and the wealth you accumulate will be of the kind no earthly bank can hold – a life richly lived.

Contact me, “Captain Time” for help to invest your time wisely.The post Invest Your Time Wisely: 24 Golden Coins appeared first on Time Management Training.

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When people ask what I do and I tell them I am a time management coach, one of the first questions they ask me is “Why time management? What got you into that?”My answer is that it all started with a simple Christmas gift…Many years ago, I worked in middle management at a large bank. One Christmas, my manager gave me a lovely red leather bound Day-Timer with my initials engraved on it.

My first thought was, “What a lovely gift.” My second thought was “Wait, is he insinuating I’m not organized?” But, in truth, I think it was just meant as a lovely gift.

As I put the Day-Timer pages together in the binder and started using it, I was blown away by the level of thought that had been put into the system.

Not only were there places for my appointments and to-do lists, but also sections to record expenses, meeting notes, client notes, and even goal setting.

Here, in a binder no bigger than a hardcover book, was a tool that transformed my work and my life.

But that was only the beginning…

Energized by this new level of thinking, I became obsessed with learning about time management. I read every time management book I could lay my hands on, listened to productivity audio training during my daily commute, explored the common productivity systems, and implemented them for my own work.

Because I was in management, I started passing on what I had learned, providing training for my teams.

Eventually, I became self-employed in the marketing field. But, after years of teaching digital marketing, I wanted a change. I had always kept learning to master time management for myself and I taught it to my marketing clients, but I decided to pivot and embrace teaching productivity and time management full-time.

So the concept of “Captain Time” emerged from the chaos. When I tested the name and branding, my clients and colleagues loved it, and “Captain Time” was born.

The time hat came later, but that is another story…

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Sunk cost fallacy, a term derived from economics, is a powerful psychological mechanism that affects our decisions and productivity. This fallacy is the erroneous belief that past investments should influence the decision about where to devote current resources. This leads to poor decision-making and can significantly compromise your productivity.

Understanding The Sunk Cost FallacyThe sunk cost fallacy comprises two critical ideas. Firstly, a ‘sunk cost’ refers to an investment that cannot be recovered once it’s made. It could be anything like time, energy, or capital. The ‘fallacy’ part is the incorrect reasoning that further investment is justified because the resources already invested would be lost otherwise.

When you let past losses dictate the future course of action instead of looking at what outcome would yield the most return (or the least loss), you’re caught in the sunk cost fallacy.

How The Sunk Cost Fallacy Impacts Your ProductivityThe sunk cost fallacy can have a significant impact on individual and organizational productivity. It usurps valuable time and resources that could be better spent elsewhere, resulting in the ineffective allocation of those resources.

For example, you may persist with a project because of the time you’ve already devoted to it, despite clear signs that it will not meet objectives. Or, you might procrastinate on abandoning a long-term strategy that isn’t working because of the investment already made. And therein lies the paradox; you continue to invest in something unproductive to not “waste” the investments already made, while essentially wasting more resources.

An example of this might be investing a lot of time into college or university courses and then finding that you don’t like or aren’t suited to the career you are taking training for. But you don’t want to waste all that time, money, and energy you spent on university, so you decide to suck it up and continue.

Or you might have launched a business, sunk a lot of time and money into it, and then found it didn’t provide the income or satisfaction you were looking for, but you just don’t feel you can walk away because of all the time, energy and money you sunk into the business.

So you keep adding more time, energy, and money – throwing good money after bad (another fallacy) in the hopes that you can “fix” what is wrong and not lose your investment.

Breaking Free from the Sunk Cost FallacySo how do we know if we have fallen into the sunk fallacy? How do we break free of this fallacy?

“Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it”
– Aubrey De Graf

Be AwareFirst, educate and train yourself (and your team if applicable) to understand the nature of sunk costs and how they can affect decisions. Awareness is the first step to creating a strategy for combating this kind of bias.

Separate Past and FutureSecond, make an effort to disconnect the past from the future. Consider current conditions and future benefits when making decisions, regardless of past actions. This can help to create a mindset that values future outcomes over past investments.

Use Cost-Benefit AnalysisFinally, a practical way to combat the sunk cost fallacy is to use a cost-benefit analysis when faced with decision-making. This method forces you to weigh the potential future benefits against the costs.

By focusing your resources on shoring up past activities, you run the risk of missing opportunities in the present and future.

ConclusionDon’t let the sunk cost fallacy rob you of your productivity. By focusing on future outcomes and understanding the pitfalls of this cognitive trap, you can improve your decision-making ability and enhance productivity. Remember, it’s not about what you’ve already spent, but what you can gain moving forward and investing your time, energy, and money wisely.

Need help deciding to let go of past endeavors and embracing your future? Check out my time management coaching program – I’d love to help you.

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Many people wax nostalgic about their so-called “glory days”. For many, it seems to have been high school or university or some time long in the past. But were these real glory days, or are we just guilty of remembering the good parts and skipping the bad times?

Are our glory days only a nostalgic past thing? Or, if we make a few changes and change our perspective, could our glory days be right now?

Perhaps you were the sports star, the big man on campus (BMOC), the prom queen, the head cheerleader, the It Girl, dazzled everyone with your academic prowess, and had lots of dating successes.

That is not my story…😏

I am going to share parts of my personal journey here, but of course, your experience might be very different.

Let’s look at my decades from high school to now to see where my glory days might live.

Elementary SchoolWhile I loved school and enjoyed classes, there was a lot of bullying and I was socially very awkward. I was the youngest in my class so I was physically behind my classmates and was usually the last one picked for sports teams.

My parents didn’t have a lot of money. We were always well-fed and loved, but didn’t have the shiny toys and things my classmates and cousins had.

Overall, I had a happy childhood with many fond memories, but I wouldn’t consider these years the “best” years of my life.

Junior/Senior High School – Glory Days, right?Junior/Senior high school was a little better than elementary school. The bullying mainly stopped and I had better relationships with my classmates since most of us had known each other all our school years.

Rather than being picked on for my academic success, I helped tutor some people and discovered I enjoyed teaching others – a skill that would be with me my whole life.

Physically I caught up with my peers and started winning medals at track events and was on several junior and high school teams.

And shockingly, I discovered girls!

Academic success, sports success, and girls – Wow, this sounds like my glory days, right?

Not so fast. I was still in my teens, so still living at home so not fully connected to what to do with my life.

And, will girls excited me, I was still painfully shy. Looking back at this time with what I know now, I now see several girls were interested in me, but I lacked the confidence to ask them out.

So I had a very limited dating life and wasn’t fully my own person yet. Some great memories but not my best decade yet.

The Roaring 20’sNo, I didn’t live through the 1920’s but a lot happened while I was in my 20’s.

Became an adult, lived on my own, and then had an early marriage, and kids. I explored careers first in retail, and then in banking. I experienced rapid promotions.

Relationship, kids, and rapid career advancement – sounds like glory days, right?

Not quite. My relationship was struggling, I was working long hours and really hadn’t come into my own yet.

Transformational 30’sIn my 30’s everything changed. My relationship ended, so I was free to date again, this time with a lot more confidence than in high school.

Single, in my 30’s, dating regularly – sounds amazing right?

Not quite. I ended up living 5 hours drive away from my children and launched some businesses that failed and then moved from job to job.

While the dating was fun at times, none of the relationships lasted and I am not a person who just wants to date for the fun of it.

The 30’s weren’t my best decade.

Fierce 40’sIn my 40’s things started looking up. I met my wife, Terry who I have been with for 23 years.

My confidence and skills were improving, but still struggling on the business front.

Also, I hadn’t taken care of my fitness levels, was carrying a lot of extra weight and my health suffered.

So some great things, but facing some challenges.

Flourishing 50’sIn my 50’s things were looking up. Great relationship, grandchildren, travel, and more business success. I started to exercise and take care of my body more and felt a lot better despite some health issues.

My Glory Days: The Sensational 60’sAnd now we come to my 60’s in the present day. My business is flourishing, my relationship is amazing, I am meeting new friends, I have interesting hobbies, and I have puppies!

My life is comfortable and gives me great joy and laughter every day.

In truth, my “glory days” are in the present – right now.

Don’t spend your time pining for some perceived “glory days” in your past. Instead, create your own glory days right now, in the present.

If you would like help to create your own glory days in the present, check out my time management coaching program.

The post Your Glory Days May Be Right Now: Could This Be YOUR Time? appeared first on Time Management Training.

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Let’s talk about reading vs writing.

I’ve always been a prolific reader and I speed read. But I’ve never counted exactly how many books I read in a year. I was curious to put a number on my reading, so in Dec 2022, I decided to count all the books I read and finished in 2023, starting on January 1, 2023, and going until Dec 31, 2023.

At the end of the year – the number was in. I had read 614 books. That didn’t include books I started but didn’t finish because they weren’t to my taste.

What did I read? Mainly science fiction and fantasy, but also a lot of business-related books.

I love reading books and I think it is appalling that, according to one poll, as many as 50% of Americans didn’t read a book last year.

To me, book reading is more beneficial than watching TV. But, in addition to reading all these books, I also do watch some TV and YouTube of course.

This huge number of books led me to start thinking about my personal media consumption.

Was I missing an opportunity here? What about reading vs. writing? Could I be writing more instead of reading and watching TV and YouTube?

Like many people, I have had the usual daydreams about what I would do if I won big at the lottery and never had to work again. I have the usual ideas of traveling the world, but the one thought that really resonates with me is that if I didn’t have to work, I would like to write books.

Now, I already do a LOT of writing. I continually write articles for myself and my clients, but this is different than writing books.

I have written and published one book, “Stop Wasting Time.” Writing this book was an amazing experience. It has helped my business and gives me an affordable resource to help people who may not have the budget for my time management coaching. I do plan on writing more productivity books, but my secret desire isn’t to write more non-fiction books.

I am a big science fiction and fantasy fan and I have a lot of story ideas in these genres in my head. I have jotted down ideas and outlines, and even mind-mapped stories. I have written a few short stories and even started a few pages for novels, but I have never finished writing a whole fiction novel.

I started to wonder, what if I reduced my screen time and reading for a few hours each week, and invested that time into writing my first fiction book? Instead of waiting to retire or win the lottery, why not start writing these books now?

I have learned by implementing an exercise program for myself how powerful some dedicated hours each week can be to reach your goals.

So I decided to take some of my screen and reading time and reinvest that time into writing my fiction novels.

Now, In 2024, I no longer count how many books I read. Instead, I am counting how many words I write.

In 2023, I read 614 books – in 2024, I am going to write 1!

If you would like to be on my mailing list to learn about my upcoming fantasy and science fiction book releases, subscribe at the link below.

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The post Reading vs Writing: After Reading 614 Books, it is Time to Turn the Page appeared first on Time Management Training.

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Greetings fellow productivity seekers. Captain Time here from my Chrono Cavern. As a time management expert, I constantly seek ways to boost my productivity. After rigorous testing and real-life uses, I’ve settled on my personal 10 best productivity tools that I will be using to optimize my processes, automate, and achieve even more amazing levels of productivity in 2024.

Some of the links shown here are affiliate links so I appreciate your supporting my channel and content creation by following the links when you try any of these productivity apps. But I NEVER recommend an app only for affiliate commissions – these are apps I use every day personally to take my productivity to the next level!

These productivity apps aren’t in any particular order – I use all of them every week.

One of the most interesting things about these tools is that at the beginning of 2023, I was using almost no AI, but now 8 out of 10 of these powerful tools incorporate artificial intelligence, greatly enhancing their capabilities. AI has come into its own in 2023 leading into 2024.

1. CopyAII use the power of artificial intelligence to help generate content with CopyAI. I use CopyAI to brainstorm content ideas, create headlines, create articles, outline scripts, write sales letters, brainstorm business networking introductions, create marketing plans, and a lot more.

After the AI has given me the ideas, I can move them into CopyAI’s editor to polish them up and add my own ideas.

Most of my work now starts with my brainstorming partner – CopyAI.

Grab CopyAI here.

1. TextBlazeAs the name suggests, Text Blaze lets you blaze through your typing tasks. This tool can be used as a browser extension for Chrome or as a Windows app. Text Blaze helps you create and manage snippets of frequently used text and then insert them anywhere with just a few keystrokes.

You can use Text Blaze’s AI to create your snippets of text for you.

I use TextBlaze for automating my business networking follow-up, sales letters, proposals, support replies, documents, and a LOT of other automation tasks..

TextBlaze probably saves me at least 6 hours of work EVERY week.

Grab TextBlaze here.

See Garland’s TextBlaze Review here.

1. NotionNotion is a powerful, all-in-one workspace concept. I like to think of Notion as the love child of Database and Wiki.

I use Notion for task management, content planning, and for creating online courses and templates for my clients and students. Notion is also now, AI-enabled.

With Notion, you can create your own personal productivity system – or contact me and I can create a productivity system for you.

Grab Notion here.

See Garland’s Notion videos here:

• Task Management using Notion
• Notion for Content Planning
• Notion for Time Blocking

• Notion for Process Documentation

• Google CalendarGoogle Calendar is my go-to app for anything calendar-related. It shows all my appointments and I have a shared calendar with my wife so we know each other’s schedule.

Google Calendar gives me advance warning when my next coaching appointment, coffee meeting, or Zoom call is due.

I also use Google Calendar to teach my clients and students how to increase their productivity using time blocking. The great thing about Google Calendar is that it integrates with so many other tools, increasing its functionality greatly.

See Garland’s Time Blocking using Google Calendar video.

1. Book Like a BossBook Like a Boss makes scheduling meetings effortless. This all-in-one booking platform allows you to schedule appointments, sell your services, manage your portfolio, and much more.

Book Like a Boss integrates with my Zoom and Google Calendar accounts so I can just send my coaching clients or networking contacts a link and they can book a coaching session or discovery call with me directly on my Google Calendar. BLAB also creates the Zoom link for the call as well.

Grab Book Like a Boss here.

1. CanvaI use Canva for creating graphics, marketing materials, YouTube thumbnails, and even basic video editing. Canva’s templates and AI for graphics AND writing have had a major impact on how much time it takes me to get my videos out on my Time Tips YouTube Channel so I am expecting to be able to double or triple my video output this year by using Canva!

The thumbnail for this video was created in a few minutes. using a Canva template.

Grab Canva here.

1. MailerLiteEmail marketing in 2024 is STILL one of the most powerful digital marketing methods because people still check their email inbox every day.

My favorite email marketing app is MailerLite. MailerLite can automate email campaigns, helping you extend reach and engagement while saving valuable time.

Grab MailerLite here.

See my MailerLite review video here.

1. Beautiful AIEach week, I create presentations for my workshops, speaking engagements, training sessions, and my YouTube channel. I use Beautiful AI to design stunning slides in no time. It uses AI and great presentation slide templates to create visually striking presentations, freeing me to focus on my message.

Grab Beautiful AI here.

1. UpNoteA good note-taking app is an essential part of a productive workflow. UpNote is my favorite note-taking platform. It has a minimal interface, making it easy to use, but with powerful note-taking and sharing features. I use it for all my notes and for my personal knowledge base.

Grab UpNote.

• Watch Garland’s UpNote Review video

• Watch Garland’s Personal Knowledge Base using UpNote video

• Less Annoying CRMWhen you run a business, you need a way to keep track of clients, contacts, and prospects.

Business networking has become a pivotal part of my marketing strategy in 2023 and I will be expanding my efforts in this field in 2024. Business networking is a key source of both clients and the services I need to scale my business and make it more successful.

To manage your clients and prospects, you need a customer relationship management system – CRM for short. As the name suggests, Less Annoying CRM offers a straightforward, easy-to-use customer relationship management system for a low monthly fee. It centralizes customer interactions and data, ensuring you never miss a beat in nurturing your customer relationships.

Grab Less Annoying CRM here.

10 Best Productivity Apps 2024 SummaryBehind each of these applications is the promise of saving time, reducing stress, and improving your workflow. They are, in Captain Time’s view, my undisputed personal productivity achievers for the coming year. Embrace these apps in your day-to-day routine and watch as 2024 turns out to be your most productive year yet!

Need productivity app training on these or other apps you use? Reach out and I would be happy to help.

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Task management apps are powerful, critical tools for maintaining productivity. But despite modern breakthroughs in productivity technology, many of us often fall short of utilizing these apps to their fullest potential.

I provide time management coaching to a lot of people so I see how they struggle with using their task management apps effectively. Here are the ten most common mistakes I have noticed people make when using task management apps, and tips on how to avoid them.

1. Not Taking Time to Learn the AppTask management apps have a ton of features, so they all have a bit of a learning curve. If you don’t take the time to learn your app well, you are only operating at a fraction of its potential for enhancing your productivity.

Solution: Have dedicated time set aside for learning your new task management app. Look for training videos on YouTube or on the app’s website and take the time to get fully familiar with your new productivity app

1. Not Reaching Out for SupportMany of my clients come to me for help with their apps BEFORE asking for support from the software provider.

While I am always happy to help, in many cases there was a quick and easy solution that the support team for the app could have provided.

Solution: Ask tons of questions of the support team for your productivity app. This also helps you test a new app’s support team to make sure they give great support before you build your whole productivity system into the app.

1. Neglecting to Prioritize Tasks With Task Management AppsOne of the most frequent mistakes is the lack of task prioritization. Many users have the habit of piling tasks onto the app without assigning any levels of urgency or importance. This results in lots of unattended or forgotten tasks.

Solution: Before adding any task, determine its priority level. Consider factors such as deadlines, task dependencies, or impacts on your goals.

1. Skipping Task DescriptionsA common mistake is not adding a succinct summary or description of the task. This proves problematic, particularly when working in teams, as tasks can become confusing.

Solution: Always add a brief overview of what the task involves. It increases clarity and keeps everyone on the same page.

1. Overlooking the Power of Labels or TagsLabels and tagging serve to categorize or identify the type of task. Unfortunately, many users ignore this feature, leading to disorganized task lists.

Solution: Utilize tags or labels to group related tasks—this aids in quick identification and improves task organization. This also lets you tag tasks for delegating or outsourcing.

1. Avoiding Collaboration FeaturesOften, task management apps are used in isolation, ignoring the collaboration capabilities when working in a team.

Solution: Harness features such as assigning tasks, commenting, and sharing files within the app for effective team communication and collaboration. You can also use your app for delegating to your subordinates or to a virtual assistant.

1. Infrequent App UseIronically, many users forget to use their task management apps regularly.

Solution: Make it a habit to open the app daily. Live in your app workspace. Regular use ensures reminding about the pending tasks and staying on top of deadlines.

1. Not Updating Task StatusFor many users, once tasks are entered, they forget to update the task status, leading to confusion about task progress.

Solution: Regularly update the status of tasks – whether they’re ‘in progress’, ‘completed’, or ‘on hold’.

1. Not Using CommentsOn a number of occasions, I have written a new article on a topic only to find a partially completed article on the topic on my WordPress site. This happened because I forgot to add a comment to the task that I had already started the article.

Solution: Whenever you have to leave a task partially unfinished, post a comment as to exactly where you left off so you can quickly pick up at that point when you get back to the task.

1. Overcomplicated Task StructuresComplex task structures can make task management overwhelming. Many people spend more time developing elaborate task systems than they do actually finishing and ticking off tasks as “done.”

Solution: Keep the task structure simple. Use subtasks for breaking down complex tasks into manageable parts.

In conclusion, while these mistakes are common, they are also easily correctable. By making some slight adjustments to your usage, you can harness the full potential of your task management apps to boost productivity and efficiency.

If you or your team need task management app training, reach out.

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Here is a video of an xCite presentation, “The Art of Un-Multitasking” that I did for the Edmonton West Bx Networking group.

Please share this video if you found it useful. You can also leave me a testimonial here.

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We’ve all been there: you’re staring at you unfinished tasks, and the clock is ticking. You know you need to get it done, but there’s simply no time to work on it right now. Don’t panic! With a little creativity and some effective time management strategies, you can tackle those unfinished tasks and keep your […]

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Upward delegation is an all-too-common phenomenon in the workplace, where employees pass their responsibilities and tasks back to their managers instead of handling them independently. This practice can lead to inefficiencies, decreased productivity, and strained relationships within a team. In this article, we’ll define upward delegation, explore its causes, and discuss effective strategies for stopping it in its tracks.

What is Upward Delegation?Upward delegation occurs when employees shift their work responsibilities back to their managers or team leaders, rather than taking ownership and completing the tasks themselves. This can manifest in various ways, such as repeatedly seeking guidance on routine tasks, asking for help with minor issues, or even outright refusal to complete assigned work.

Causes of Upward DelegationThere are several reasons why upward delegation might occur in the workplace:

1. Lack of confidence: Employees may feel unsure of their abilities or fear failure, leading them to seek reassurance from their managers.
2. Unclear expectations: If employees are not given clear instructions or expectations, they may feel overwhelmed and turn to their managers for guidance.
3. Inadequate training: Employees who have not received proper training may struggle to complete tasks independently and rely on their managers for assistance.
4. Overbearing management: If managers are too involved in their employees’ work, they may inadvertently encourage upward delegation by not allowing employees to take ownership of their tasks.
5. Avoidance of responsibility: Some employees may simply prefer to avoid responsibility and pass tasks to their managers to escape potential consequences.

Strategies for Stopping Upward DelegationTo prevent upward delegation and foster a proactive work environment, consider implementing the following strategies:

1. Set clear expectations: Clearly communicate the tasks and responsibilities assigned to each team member, including deadlines and performance standards. This will help employees understand their roles and reduce the need for constant supervision.
2. Provide adequate training: Ensure that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge to complete their tasks. Offer ongoing training opportunities to help them stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices. Ensure you have a training and process library that is constantly being added to and updated.
3. Encourage autonomy: Empower your employees to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This can be achieved by giving them the authority to make decisions within their area of expertise and providing support when needed.
4. Be available for guidance: While it’s important to encourage autonomy, it’s also crucial to be available for guidance when needed. Be approachable and offer constructive feedback to help employees grow and develop their skills. You can also direct them to peers and other team members for help and guidance.
5. Delegate effectively: As a manager, it’s essential to delegate tasks appropriately. Assign tasks based on employees’ skills and experience, and avoid micromanaging their work. This will help build trust and foster a sense of responsibility among team members.
6. Hold employees accountable: Establish a system for tracking progress and holding employees accountable for their work. Regularly review performance and provide feedback to help employees stay on track and improve their skills.

ConclusionUpward delegation can be a significant obstacle to productivity and team cohesion. By understanding its causes and implementing the strategies outlined above, managers can effectively put an end to this detrimental practice and create a more efficient, empowered, and engaged workforce.

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ChatGPT has exploded onto the world scene. Like many others, I was impressed with my early testing of ChatGPT, but I struggled a bit with how to work ChatGPT into my daily routine. So I went looking for ChatGPT examples that could help with my productivity.

Real-life ChatGPT examples for productivity were rare since it is so new, so I decided to develop my own! Here are some early ways I am already using ChatGPT in nearly all my workflows to improve productivity.

Here is a list of the ways I am using ChatGPT for productivity so far:

• Article writing
• Brainstorming
• Checklist creation
• Business book synopsis
• Headline/blog title generation
• Keyword research
• Meeting preparation
• Meta description writing
• Proposal writing
• Sales emails
• Thesaurus

Starting with ChatGPTWhen I first started using ChatGPT, I was worried that it would feel like an alien tool intruding into my workflow. After all, I had been refining my productivity hacks for years and they were really dialed in.

As with any new habit, I struggled at first. But the struggle gave way to enthusiastically embracing the new workflow when I saw how Chat GPT was improving my productivity.

For me, the key to remembering to use the tools was adding it to my startup list when I open my browser and pinning it to be the first tool I look at in my rotation. And then I set up a process where EVERY task had to start with ChatGPT so I would be forced to incorporate it into my workflow.

First ChatGPT Example: This ArticleWhen I was writing this article, I wanted to make sure it would rank high in search engines so people could find it easily.

I started by using my usual process to build my keyword list—and then I added ChatGPT to the mix.

ChatGPT found some keywords I hadn’t found, and one of them showed a higher traffic level with a lower difficulty index than the best keywords I had found in my usual research.

So ChatGPT quickly proved its worth being added to my keyword research workflow.

How else did ChatGPT assist with this article?

1. I asked ChatGPT for examples of how ChatGPT could help with productivity.

2. I asked ChatGPT to brainstorm blog titles for this article. One of the variations suggested is the one I used

3. I asked ChatGPT to help write the meta description for the article.

So ChatGPT is now a critical part of my workflow for keyword research and content creation.

BrainstormingI am a huge fan of brainstorming. I think it’s one of the best ways to get ideas flowing, and I believe that it should be used not only for coming up with new products and services, but also for solving problems and coming up with solutions for anything you are working on.

I love brainstorming so much that I created my own free brainstorming community where people come together and brainstorm ideas and solutions for each other.

But how do you brainstorm when you don’t have access to a community or team? You could try going solo, but it’s hard to come up with good ideas when you’re on your own. So what if there was a way to always have access to an unlimited supply of fresh ideas?

ChatGPT is a great brainstorming option for product ideas, writing, name generation, and almost anything else that you can use anytime. It’s especially helpful if you’re working solo—you’ll always have someone there ready to bounce ideas off of!

Here is an example of a brainstorming question ChatGPT example.

Garland Question: Please provide examples of CRM lead workflow names

ChatGPT Answer:

1. Prospect → Contact → Lead → Opportunity → Customer → Advocate
2. Cold Contact → Engaged Prospect → Qualified Lead → Opportunity → Customer → Brand Ambassador
3. Unknown → Aware → Interested → Engaged → Converted → Loyal
4. Suspect → Prospect → Qualified Lead → Opportunity → Customer → Raving Fan
5. Stranger → Follower → Subscriber → Engaged Contact → Customer → Evangelist
6. Initial Inquiry → Interested Prospect → Qualified Lead → Sales Qualified Lead → Customer → Promoter
7. Awareness → Interest → Consideration → Intent → Purchase → Referral
8. Inquiry → Engagement → Evaluation → Conversion → Retention → Ambassador
9. Target → Lead → Prospect → Customer → Brand Advocate
10. Initial Contact → Nurtured Lead → Marketing Qualified Lead → Sales Qualified Lead → Customer → Advocate

Using these ideas, I was able to come up with my own CRM workflow that resonated with me.

Business Book SummariesI run a business book club where we meet online to discuss business books and learn from the best minds in the business world. We’re made up of people from all over the world, but we share a passion for learning and growing as entrepreneurs.

I had ChatGPT write me a synopsis of books like “Profit First” and “Rework” so I could give my members a brief description of each book. This was super helpful in preparing for our discussions!

Meeting PreparationI was asked to be the meeting facilitator for a public open house for an upcoming property development. I asked ChatGPT to give me some tips for hosting an open house.

Many were already on my list, but there were several additional ideas that helped that I was able to work into my meeting prep and used during the session to make things go more smoothly.

Garland Question: Please provide tips for hosting an open hours for local residents to provide feedback on a new commercial development in the area

ChatGPT Answer:

Sure, here are some tips for hosting an open house to gather feedback from local residents on a new commercial development:

1. Choose a convenient location: Choose a location that is easy to access for residents in the area. If the new development is located in a specific area, choose a location nearby that is easily accessible by public transportation, car, or bike. Consider choosing a community center, library, or other public space that is familiar to local residents.
2. Advertise the event: Use a variety of advertising methods to let residents know about the event. This could include social media, local newspapers, flyers, and posters in the area. Make sure to include the date, time, and location of the event, as well as information on what the open house is about.
3. Prepare materials: Prepare materials that explain the proposed development in simple terms, including drawings, maps, and any other relevant information. You might also consider creating a website or online platform where residents can learn more about the development and provide feedback.
4. Encourage participation: Make sure to encourage participation by providing refreshments or snacks, as well as activities or interactive stations where residents can learn more about the development. Consider having staff available to answer questions and guide residents through the materials.
5. Provide opportunities for feedback: Provide multiple opportunities for residents to provide feedback, such as comment cards or digital feedback forms. Make sure to clearly communicate how the feedback will be used and how residents can stay informed about the development.
6. Follow up: After the event, make sure to follow up with residents who attended and provide updates on how their feedback was incorporated into the development plans. Consider holding additional events or meetings as the development progresses to continue engaging with the community.

Sales Emails & ProposalsI was recently working on a sales letter for a client who has SaaS software and wanted an approach letter to send to large companies within their target audience.

I decided to try using Chat GPT to help me write that letter. To my surprise, the first attempt by ChatGPT was excellent! It was very usable, it just lacked some of the additional specific advantages of their software which I added.

I used ChatGPT again to help me write a coaching proposal letter for a project I found online.

Using ChatGPT gave me excellent ideas in both cases and cut my writing time by more than 50%.

Speaking Engagement ChecklistI’m a professional speaker, and I’ve been getting more speaking engagements since the pandemic. As I get more requests to speak, I want to make sure I’m doing everything possible to make sure that my clients are happy and that their events are successful.

So I asked ChatGPT to create a checklist of questions to ask when accepting a speaking engagement. Here’s what the AI came up with:

Garland Question: Create a checklist of questions to ask when accepting a speaking engagement

Chat GPT Answer:

Sure, here’s a checklist of questions you can use to help you evaluate and accept a speaking engagement:

1. What is the topic or theme of the event?
2. Who is the target audience for the event?
3. What is the date and time of the event?
4. What is the expected length of the speaking engagement?
5. What is the location of the event?
6. What is the expected size of the audience?
7. Who are the other speakers at the event?
8. Will there be any media coverage of the event?
9. What is the budget for the speaker’s fee and travel expenses?
10. Will there be any opportunities for networking or additional speaking engagements?
11. Are there any specific requirements for the speaker’s presentation (e.g. format, equipment, materials)?
12. What are the key goals or objectives for the event, and how can the speaker contribute to achieving them?
13. Is there a specific message or call to action that the speaker should emphasize in their presentation?
14. Is there any pre-event preparation or rehearsal required?
15. Are there any restrictions or guidelines regarding what the speaker can or cannot say during their presentation?

By asking these questions, you can ensure that the speaking engagement is a good fit for your expertise and interests, and that you are able to deliver a high-quality presentation that meets the needs of the audience and event organizers.

Tips for Using ChatGPT for ProductivityI wanted to include some tips in this article about how to use ChatGPT more effectively. So I asked ChatGPT!

Garland: Give me some tips on how to work with ChatGPT more effectively, especially for productivity

ChatGPT: Sure! Here are some tips on how to work with ChatGPT more effectively for productivity:

1. Be clear and specific: When giving instructions to ChatGPT, be as clear and specific as possible. Clearly state what you want or the task you need assistance with. This helps ChatGPT understand your request accurately and generate relevant responses.
2. Use bullet points or numbered lists: When you need to provide multiple pieces of information or ask for a series of tasks, consider using bullet points or numbered lists. This helps organize your request and makes it easier for ChatGPT to generate responses in a structured manner.
3. Experiment with system and user prompts: ChatGPT responds to both system and user prompts. You can start with a system prompt to guide the conversation or use a user prompt to directly ask a question or request specific information. Experiment with different prompts to see which approach yields the best results for your task.
4. Iterate and refine: If the initial response from ChatGPT doesn’t fully meet your needs, feel free to iterate and refine your request. You can provide additional context, specify the type of information you’re looking for, or ask ChatGPT to think step-by-step or debate pros and cons before settling on an answer.
5. Use the temperature and max tokens settings: The temperature and max tokens settings can affect the output of ChatGPT. Temperature determines the randomness of the response, with higher values (e.g., 0.8) making the output more creative, and lower values (e.g., 0.2) making it more focused and deterministic. Max tokens limits the length of the response. Experiment with these settings to control the length and creativity of the generated content.
6. Proofread and verify: ChatGPT generates text based on patterns learned from data, but it may not always produce accurate or error-free content. Always proofread and verify the information provided by ChatGPT to ensure its accuracy and reliability before using it in a professional or important context.
7. Explore other features: ChatGPT may have other features or capabilities that can assist with your productivity. For example, it can help with language translation, summarization, brainstorming ideas, or providing explanations. Take time to explore and experiment with different use cases to make the most of ChatGPT’s capabilities.

Remember, while ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for productivity, it’s important to critically evaluate the information it generates and use it as a tool to support your decision-making, rather than relying solely on its outputs.

To this I would add my own tips, some of which mirror ChatGPT’s suggestions but have my own take on them:

1. Use ChatGPT first: Pin ChatGPT where you can easily access it and create your workflow to start with ChatGPT.
2. Experiment wildly: I am not sure of everything ChatGPT can do so I just try stuff. Sometimes ChatGPT can’t help, but often I am amazed at how much help it is on things I didn’t expect it to be able to help with.
3. Learn how to use “prompts.” I love to look at other ChatGPT examples where people use prompts to structure their questions for better clarity and results.
4. Know ChatGPTs limitations.
   1. ChatGPT doesn’t have full access to all your databases
   2. ChatGPT 3 was only trained on data up to 2021. So you can’t ask who won the SuperBowl in 2022. I am sure later versions will be up more to date.
   3. Check the stats – sometimes the AI just makes stuff up, so don’t stake your reputation on stats or claims the AI makes. Look for credible sources to back up the statistics and claims.

What Does ChatGPT Replace for Me?As you can see by these ChatGPT examples, I am quickly finding real value in using this AI tool for my personal productivitity.

ChatGPT is replacing some types of searches, especially the ones where I am looking for ideas.

Brainstorming with ChatGPT is often faster than looking through tons of articles trying to spark the creativity I am looking for.

But, because the current version has access to data up to 2021, it isn’t able to help me with current trends and the most up to data information.

ChaGPT does well as a thesaurus.

So writing, research and brainstorming are the strongest use cases for me right now.

What doesn’t Chat GPT replace for me?Keyword Research Tools: While ChatGPT did a great job of brainstorming keywords, it doesn’t at this time have statistics on how many people search for the keywords and how difficult it would be to attain top search results. ChatGPT is a great addition to my favorite keyword research tool, KWFinder, but doesn’t replace it.

What can’t ChatGPT do -yet?I would love to be able to turn ChatGPT loose in my databases such as my CRM and personal knowledge base to find, filter, and build connections. But that functionality isn’t there yet. I think the next version, ChatGPT 4 can do that so I look forward to providing new ChatGPT examples by having it work within my databases.

SummaryAt the moment, I feel I am just dipping my toe in an ocean of productivity possibilities!

ChatGPT is so friendly and helpful, I think it deserves it’s own name!

I hope you have enjoyed these ChatGPT examples for productivity. Stay tuned for additional videos and articles on how I use ChatGPT and other AI tools for productivity.

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As a productivity trainer and coach, I am often asked what tools I use personally. So I put together my annual Captain Time’s “Top Productivity Tools 2023” to share what tools I use to keep productive.

The tools listed are in alphabetical order

I will mention that some of the links provided are affiliate links and do provide me with a small commission or benefit if you purchase through the link. But none of these tools are on the list to make me commissions, these are all tools I use personally. I appreciate your support of independent content creation by using the links provided.

With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s look at my Top Productivity Tools 2023 lineup.

ARPriceARPrice is a pricing table plugin for WordPress. It lets me easily create lovely pricing tables in a variety of formats, offer payment in multiple currencies, and the ability to choose between monthly or annual subscriptions. I use it on my own websites and for my clients as well. Here are some pricing tables I have created using ARPrice.

• Time Management Coaching Page
• Employee Training Page
• Brainstorming Community Plans

Here is an example below of ARPrice from my coaching page:

USCanadianEurosWhat's Included Live coaching sessions Live coaching sessions * Session recordings Session recordings * Productivity coaching Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula Productivity success formula * Goal setting Goal setting * Software/app training Software/app training * Proritization help Proritization help * Task list review Task list review * Your personal productivity system Your personal productivity system * Time log review Time log review * Work/life balance help Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates Productivity templates * Extra help between sessions Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course Digital Marketing Basics Course What's Included Live coaching sessions Live coaching sessions * Session recordings Session recordings * Productivity coaching Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula Productivity success formula * Goal setting Goal setting * Software/app training Software/app training * Proritization help Proritization help * Task list review Task list review * Your personal productivity system Your personal productivity system * Time log review Time log review * Work/life balance help Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates Productivity templates * Extra help between sessions Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course Digital Marketing Basics Course What's Included Live coaching sessions Live coaching sessions * Session recordings Session recordings * Productivity coaching Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula Productivity success formula * Goal setting Goal setting * Software/app training Software/app training * Proritization help Proritization help * Task list review Task list review * Your personal productivity system Your personal productivity system * Time log review Time log review * Work/life balance help Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates Productivity templates * Extra help between sessions Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course Digital Marketing Basics Course Single$97 / session Live coaching sessions 1 * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course PurchaseSingle$120 / session Live coaching sessions 1 * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course PurchaseSingle97€ / session Live coaching sessions 1 * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course Purchase4 Sessions$297 / 4 sessions Live coaching sessions 4 * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates Basic Package * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course Purchase4 Sessions$370 / 4 sessions Live coaching sessions 4 * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates Basic Package * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course Purchase4 Sessions297€ / 4 sessions Live coaching sessions 4 * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions * Productivity templates Basic Package * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course PurchaseMonthly$197 / month Live coaching sessions up to 2 / month * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions 1 / month * Productivity templates Full library * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course PurchaseMonthly$245 / month Live coaching sessions up to 2 / month * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions 1 / month * Productivity templates Full library * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course PurchaseMonthly197€ / month Live coaching sessions up to 2 / month * Session recordings * Productivity coaching * Productivity success formula * Goal setting * Software/app training * Proritization help * Task list review * Your personal productivity system * Time log review * Work/life balance help * Productivity resources guide * Mind mapping help * Digital marketing coaching * Accountability check-ins * Private brainstorming sessions 1 / month * Productivity templates Full library * Extra help between sessions * Time Management: Step by Step course * Digital Marketing Basics Course Purchase Adobe Creative Cloud ExpressI am horrible at graphic design. I know this and outsource graphic design like business cards, signage, and websites.

But when I post blog articles and create PowerPoint presentations nearly every week, I don’t have the budget to pay for a professional graphic designer for all these graphic pieces.

This is where Adobe Creative Cloud Express comes to the rescue. Adobe Creative Cloud Express is an easy-to-use online graphic design program with templates for social media, infographics, logos, flyers, and more. It includes access to stock photos and will also let you schedule your creations to post to your social media.

I use Adobe Creative Cloud Express for blog post images, social media posts, and YouTube thumbnails.

Here are two videos I created showing how I use Adobe Creative Cloud Express:

• How to Create an Internet Meme Using Adobe Creative Cloud Express
• Creative Book Cover Design using Adobe Creative Cloud Express AirtableAirtable is an amazing online database tool that lets you create and share databases with others. Airtable has a huge library of templates, including project trackers, CRMs, film production, event planning and a lot more.

With Airtable, you can create your own productivity tools with great pull-down menus. I use Airtable for task management for my virtual assistant agency, prototyping new products, building event databases and a lot of other projects.

Here is a video I created showing some of the ways I use Airtable:

• Airtable Review: Productivity Tool Creation Answer the PublicAnswer the Public is a great brainstorming tool. You simply enter a word or phrase and Answer the Public shows you a great visual map of questions that people might ask about the topic. It also gives you additional ideas with comparisons, prepositions, alphabetical uses, and more.

I use Answer the Public to generate ideas for my online content, online courses, etc.

Here is my Answer the Public review video so you can see the tool in action.

AppSumoLet’s face it – software is expensive! And everyone wants to charge you per user, per month. I probably spend $500-$600 per month on software subscriptions so I am always looking for ways to get great software for less money.

AppSumo is my secret weapon to save on software costs. AppSumo offers limited-time offers where you can purchase lifetime software licenses for a one-time fee.

I replaced several $20-$50 per month software subscriptions with one-time fees of $59 to $99, saving me a LOT of money each month.

Note that some of the software is from up-and-comers so you will not often find industry-leading software in most cases.

AppSumo is fantastic about refunds, so I regularly purchase software to test it and then request a refund if the software doesn’t meet my needs.

Here is my AppSumo Review video and article.

BackblazeOur computer hard drives hold a lot of important stuff. Work files, financial data, and family photos just cannot be replaced if lost.

In the event of a fire or robbery, your critical files and photos are gone. You can back up to another hard drive, but a fire can also destroy your backup drive. And burglars may take your backups as well.

To back up my digital life, I use BackBlaze. Backblaze is a “set and forget” solution that backs up my data every day without me having to do anything.

Big Stock PhotoAs a professional speaker, YouTuber and blogger, I use a LOT of stock photos. I use stock photos to illustrate blog posts, create presentations, and to add imagery to my YOuTube videos.

I have a monthly membership to Big Stock Photo for my stock photo needs. Big Stock Photo has the right combination of a deep library of images plus an affordable price.

BlubrryBlubrry is a hosting platform for my Time Tips Podcast. It hosts my podcast files, helps promote them online, and provides me with listener statistics.

Blubrry has a handy WordPress plugin so it is easy to add my podcast to my blog.

Book Like a BossI have clients booking coaching sessions with me every week. In the early days of coaching, I used to try to book the sessions with clients myself, but it turned into a nightmare of back-and-forth emails, time zones, and struggling to find times that worked in both our calendars.

I automated my calendar bookings using Book Like a Boss. With Book Like a Boss, my coaching clients can easily book sessions on my calendar and see open times in their local time zones. Book Like a Boss is integrated with my Google Calendar, so double bookings are a thing of the past.

I can control the time margins between bookings, set the maximum number of bookings I want in a day, and even set it up so new clients pay directly before booking.

Brave BrowserOne of the most annoying things about the Internet is all the advertising and tracking websites do.

I use the Brave Browser to browse privately online, block cookies and remove intrusive advertising.

And, because Brave is based on Chrome, I have the benefit of still being able to access all of the Chrome extensions in the Chrome Web Store to add additional functionality to my browser.

Buy Me a CoffeeAs an independent content creator for YouTube, I spend a lot of time and effort to create interesting content for my subscribers and followers as well as spending a lot of money on tools I use for content creation.

Content creators struggle with how to earn money from their content. Advertising revenue from platforms like YouTube is very tiny unless you are a celebrity or pop star. Adding advertising annoys your followers and getting sponsorships takes a lot of time.

I have looked at tools like Patreon in the past, but it would have needed me to create multiple tiers of content and payment levels, creating a lot more work for me.

Buy Me a Coffee is a simple tool that lets you add a link or button to any of your content to encourage viewers to “buy you a coffee” or leave a small donation.

BX NetworkingOver the years, I have attended meetings or joined many business networking groups.

My favorite networking group is BX Networking. BX Networking originally started in Australia but is now growing into North America and other places.

In addition to great in-person networking sessions, they also allow you to network online.

Their meetings are so good, I have built entire workflows to build my referral network using BX Networking.

CalconicA great way to attract subscribers or to add value to your subscribers is to create tools for them. I use Calconic to create calculators for my subscribers and community.

Here are some calculators I have created using Claconic. I embedded the Meeting Cost Calculator below so you could see how it works.

• Marketing Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator
• Meeting Cost Calculator
• Virtual Assistant Cost Savings Calculator ClockifyAs a time management coach, I use time tracking as a diagnostic tool for my clients. The time-tracking tool I use is Clockify. I not only use Clockify for my coaching clients, I also use it to track the time spent by my virtual assistants in my virtual assistant agency.

ColorzillaWhen creating graphics for my presentations, blog posts, and websites, I often need to match an existing color. Colorzilla is a free Chrome extension that adds an “eyedropper” to my browser tools and lets me click on any color and immediately see and copy the Hex color number so I can match it exactly.

CopyAII do a LOT of writing! Blog posts, YouTube video scripts, sales letters, and website copy – not only for myself but also for my clients.

That is why I am so pleased that I found a tool that cut my writing time in half.

CopyAI is an artificial intelligence tool that helps with writing and copywriting. I just enter some text, and CopyAI generates 3-5 different variations in a few seconds.

I can copy text from any of the variations I like and assemble the article in the writing panel.

CopyAI has tools for:

• website copy
• blog articles
• emails
• headline-generating
• product name generating
• keyword generating
• Instagram captions and more

This is a tool I use every day. It doesn’t replace my writing skills, rather it enhances them by giving me an AI-brainstorming partner to help generate ideas and approaches.

Cyberlink Power DirectorI work with a lot of videos. I am a YouTuber, I create training videos for my Brainstorming.Social community and I record webinars I teach.

The software I use for video editing for YouTube and training videos is Cyberlink Power Director.

I have used it for years and find it easy to use and I have created templates to make my video editing easier.

Elgato Stream DeckThe Elgato Stream Deck is commonly used by gamers and other streamers to use physical push buttons to control various effects and other functions while they live stream.

But the same functionality also works for me to create my own “push-button productivity” system by linking the physical buttons to my software programs, text snippet insertion, and more.

FacebookNobody can keep up with all the social media platforms! For many special media platforms, I just post my latest articles and messages and don’t really spend time on them.

But I do use Facebook for the following activities:

• local community news and engagement
• keeping up with family news
• buy and sell items on the Marketplace
• following Facebook pages of software tools I us Fast Stone Image ViewerFast Stone Image Viewer is a very fast way for me to view images and to import pictures from my camera.

I like it much better than the built-in image viewer in Windows

FeedlyTo keep up with news in my industry and for my hobby, I use Feedly. Feedly is an RSS reader that lets me create my own online magazine that I can read on my smartphone.

Here is my review video, “How to Avoid Fake News With Feedly.”

FiverrFiverr is a service marketplace where freelancers offer “gigs’ like writing, programming, web design, graphic design, and more.

While I prefer to hire some services like virtual assistants on an ongoing basis, I like Fiverr for “one-offs” where I need the service sporadically.

I regularly use Fiverr for graphic design work on business cards, postcards, signs, and presentations.

GmailThe email program I use personally and in my business is Gmail. Gmail does a good job of keeping the spam out, integrates with other software, and lets me achieve Inbox Zero every day.

GrammarlyGrammarly is a great tool that helps you catch grammatical mistakes and typos while you write.

The tool is great at helping me avoid embarrassing writing mistakes and keeping my emails, articles, and proposals looking professional.

Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics is a critical tool for telling me where my visitors come from and what they do on my website, including when they become subscribers and customers.

This lets me tell at a glance what marketing and advertising programs are working and which to drop.

Having this knowledge helps save me a lot of money and focus on building on what is working.

Google DocsWhen it comes time to share documents with clients and others, I turn to Google Docs. I use Google Docs to easily share checklists, templates, proposals, marketing plans, and other documents while controlling whether the documents are read-only, or open for collaboration.

Google CalendarAs a time management coach, my calendar is central to my productivity. My primary calendar that shows appointments, time blocking, and coaching sessions is Google Calendar.

One of my reasons for choosing Google Calendar is that most other apps will integrate with it, letting me add additional tools that can access my calendar.

GreenshotI take a lot of screenshots in a week. I take screenshots for process documentation, delegating to my virtual assistants, sending support tickets, writing software reviews, and more.

The Windows Print Screen feature is very basic so I use Greenshot to give me better screenshots and more flexibility.

Greenshot lets me snapshot an entire screen or just a part of it and then easily edit the image to add arrows, highlights, or descriptive text.

Jabra 510 SpeakerphoneI regularly have to make and accept phone calls from clients and prospects. But holding a telephone to my ears for hours isn’t very ergonomic, and doesn’t free up both hands to type notes. And the speakerphone on most phones isn’t very good quality.

I use the Jabra 510 Speakerphone to free up both hands and to create better sound quality for myself and my contacts.

KeePassWe all need a place to keep passwords and I use KeePass for this. KeePass is a free, open-source password app that not only stores your password but can generate hard-to-break passwords for you.

LinktreeMost of us have an online presence scattered across many platforms. In my case, I have two websites, plus profiles on social media like LinkedIn, FaceBook, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, Counter.Social and more.

Linktree is a link aggregator that lets you pull together your best website, social media, training, and other links, You can see how Linktree aggregates my urls here.

LoomI am a real fan of video delegating. It is much faster for me to create s short video with voiceover for my virtual assistant than trying to write out all the steps and do screenshots for each step. It is also faster and more powerful to create short videos to explain things to clients and prospects.

Loom is a browser-based extension that makes it easy to do my screen capture and other videos. Once the video is recorded, Loom automatically creates a sharing url for me to send to my clients or virtual assistants. This lets me quickly create a video training library.

Lumen5Lumen5 is an artificial intelligence (AI) powered tool to quickly create videos from text articles.

I find it much faster than creating presentations from scratch and have been using it to easily create short video content for platforms that prefer short videos like YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels, Instagram, etc.

MailerLiteEmail marketing isn’t dead. It is still a key part of marketing and engagement with your audience. MailerLite is the email marketing program I use to keep in touch with my subscribers. It is easier to use and more affordable than MailerChimp.

Mangools SEO SuiteIt isn’t enough to create great content online. People need to find your content. I use the Mangools SEO Suite to do keyword research and to find niche topic ideas to get me to the top of the search engines.

The suite consists of KW Finder for keyword research, SerpChecker for competitor analysis, SerpWatcher for rank tracking, LinkMiner for backlink analysis, and Site Profiler to analyze websites’ SEO fundamentals.

I have successfully used Mangools to create many content pieces that have reached the first page on Google and other search engines.

Mighty NetworksI recently launched an online brainstorming community called Brainstorming.Social.

Before launching the service, I looked around for weeks to find the best platform to build the community on. The community-building platform I chose was Mighty Networks for its feature set, support, desktop interface, and mobile app.

MindMeisterA mind map is a diagram used to visually organize information. It’s like an outline, but more fun! You start with a central topic and then write down sub-topics around it. Then you can move the topics around by dragging and dropping them wherever they make sense in relation to each other.

I use mind mapping for brainstorming, planning, training, and taking coaching notes. And I can share all my mind maps online.

My favorite mind map program is MindMeister. Here is a MindMeister demo video I did so you can see how I use it.

MiroMiro also does mind mapping, but the main reason I use Miro is for its excellent themed boards. You can find board templates for lean canvas, Kanban, SWOT analysis, flowcharts, idea napkins—and the list goes on!

While mind maps are great for free-flowing ideas, these board templates help direct your thinking to be more focused and to answer key questions.

You can share your Miro boards with others online.

NimbleI use the Nimble customer relationship management system (CRM) to manage my prospects, and clients, as well as my in-person and online networking contacts.

I use Nimble because of its excellent user interface, workflows, tagging, and social media, Gmail, and LinkedIn integration.

I have arranged a partnership with Nimble where they are offering our members a discount coupon, which will give new Nimble sign-ups 25% off their first 3 months of Nimble. As an added bonus, I will provide 1 hour of Nimble training ($75 value) at no additional charge if you join Nimble via the link below.

Here are the steps to claim this reward:

• Click on this link to sign up – https://www.nimble.com/register/business_trial/?lead_source=partner&lead_source_id=garlandcoulson
• Enter this coupon when signing up to get the discount GARLAND25
• Once you have signed up with the link and the coupon, book your free Nimble training session here.

Want to learn more about Nimble first? Here is a short video on how I prospect using Nimble.

PaprikaAll this working works up an appetite! I use the Paprika App to manage my recipes and grocery list.

Paprika lets me save recipes from the web without all the advertising and non-recipe content. You can take notes, make additions, categorize, and rate your recipes. You can also add recipes manually so you can save old family recipes you don’t want to lose.

PayPalWhen we work online, we all have to get paid. PayPal is one of the payment systems I use to get paid by clients.

PayPal handles invoicing, and subscriptions, and I use it to pay my team.

R.I.O.T. Modern cameras take pictures with tons of pixels. But these large pictures aren’t great for loading fast on the Internet. This is why I use the Radical Image Optimization Tool (R.I.O.T.) to quickly optimize images to reduce their size to post online.

RedditWith the decline in usefulness of LinkedIn and other online discussion platforms, Reddit remains one of my most useful places to go to ask questions and make connections.

You can read my Reddit Marketing Guide to see more ways I use Reddit in my business.

Search EverythingWith all the years that Windows has had to develop its operating system, you would think they would make it easy to search for your files on your hard drive.

Nope. Windows search is slow and confusing and is determined to push Bing web search results into your search which makes no sense when you are looking for a hard drive file.

I use Search Everything from Void Tools as a replacement for Windows search for finding files on my hard drive. It is blindingly fast compared to Windows search and always finds my files when I name them properly.

SiteGroundI need great hosting, not only for myself but also for my clients.

While I am technically savvy, some of my clients are less so, so I want to ensure my clients are well taken care of when they need help,

I have used SiteGround for web hosting for myself and my clients for years and have been very pleased with their service.

Social BeeI use Social Bee to automate and schedule my social media posting and manage my social media messaging across multiple profiles in one place.

SquareSquare is another payment system I use. I use Square and it’s physical terminal that connects to my smartphone for in-person payments at markets, trade shows, and live events too.

StripeStripe is the payment provider I use for my website and online community. It lets my clients pay by credit card for coaching, virtual assistance, and other services they purchase from me.

Text BlazeFor years, I have used text expanders to automate text blocks such as sales letters, proposals, URLs, symbols, and more. My favorite text expander is Text Blaze. In addition, Text Blaze also allows me to add key presses and input fields to my automated snippets.

Text Blaze saves me hours every week.

Get 3 months free via this link.

UpNoteNote-taking is a critical part of my day.

I use UpNote to take notes, organize them, and to create my Personal Knowledge Base. I love UpNote for its minimalist design and its great features.

In addition to using the desktop UpNote app, I also use the mobile UpNote app to capture notes while I am away from my desk. Here is my UpNote video review so you can see how I use UpNote.

VLCI create new YouTube videos every month. I hadn’t done much with podcasting, but it occurred to me that I could repurpose the audio portion of most of my YouTube videos to be in audio format for my podcast feed.

So I started using VLC media player to save a copy of my MP4 YouTube videos as MP3 audio for podcasts.

VLC is fast, easy, and free to use.

WaveAs an entrepreneur, it’s critical that I know my profit levels and make sure I don’t get hit with a big tax bill.

I use Wave Accounting to keep up with my bookkeeping on a weekly basis so I always know up to the week what my monthly, quarterly, and annual profits are and how much money to set aside for taxes.

We TransferI work with a lot of clients and partners who need to share large files, including presentations, videos, and proposals. But emailing them can be difficult—Gmail limits you to 25 MB for outgoing files, which is just not enough space for some of the larger files I have to send.

That’s why I use We Transfer. It handles the transfer of the larger file easily and notifies me when the recipient has downloaded it.

It’s also an easy way for me to send files directly from my computer without having to connect to any third-party services or software (like Dropbox).

WordPressI have multiple websites and I manage websites for several clients. For all these websites, I use WordPress as the web content management system.

WordPress makes it easy for my clients and me to edit their site pages and posts. I also love that WordPress offers a massive variety of plugins for functions like shopping carts, SEO, payments, calendars, and more.

I use WordPress with my SiteGround hosting. Please note I do NOT recommend WordPress . com because of the many restrictions they put on plugin use.

YouTubeYouTube has been a great place to host my Time Tips video channel and is an excellent source of new clients for me.

It adds credibility to my coaching and speaking practice as people can see the wealth of productivity topics I have created videos for.

ZenKit ToDoAs a time management coach, I use a LOT of different task management systems because I have to learn the systems so I can train my clients.

The task management system I use for my personal daily productivity is ZenKit ToDo.

I love ZenKit ToDo as it is very minimalist and easy to use but with enough power to let me create extensive task templates. See the ZenKit ToDo review video below to see the tool in action.

ZoomI use Zoom for my meetings, group brainstorming sessions, and online workshops.

My reason for choosing Zoom is that most people are familiar with it and Zoom integrates easily with my Google calendar, coaching booking, and workshop registration systems.

I also like the background feature where I can change the background behind me of the meeting based on the topic we are discussing or the audience I am working with.

More Help and Training with Top Productivity Tools 2023And we’re done!

I hope you enjoyed my Top Productivity Tools 2023 list of the top productivity tools I use in my business.

I hope this post has helped you get a sense of what’s out there and how to find the right tool for your needs. I

f you have any questions about which tools are best for you or would like training on these or other productivity tools, reach out—I’d love to help!

The post Top Productivity Tools 2023 appeared first on Time Management Training.

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As “Captain Time” I am understandably obsessed with all things time- related. Unusual clocks, watches, hourglasses, sundials, and of course, “time songs.”

So, as a fun project, I pulled together my personal Top 10 Time Songs to share with you.

Please note these are my personal favorites – songs I connect to emotionally and not an unbiased expert opinion of the quality of songwriting or performances.

And now for Captain Time karaoke…

Just kidding! I wouldn’t inflict that on you. Instead, I will use a few clips from originals.

The songs played during my video are short excerpts so as not to trigger copyright takedowns. I have put the links to the official videos of the full-length songs where I could find them in the accompanying article so you could hear the whole songs for yourself.

So, with that disclaimer out of the way, let’s jump into my personal favorites!

10: Time – PrismLet’s start this list with a great classic song.

The #10 entry on my top 10 songs list surprised me because I have to admit I am not a big Prism fan. (Why are villagers with pitchforks, torches, and Prism t-shirts gathering outside my office? 😕)

Like nearly everyone else, I always loved Prism’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” but was kind of oblivious to a lot of the rest of their music. I had heard it often in my youth, but didn’t own any Prism albums.

But Prism’s “Time” is a very intriguing song.

Amazing musical intro, bells, ticking, and a great building swell until the lyrics come in.

The lyrics also resonate with me. They begin with:

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day

Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way

A very poetic way to describe wasting time.

You can see all the lyrics for Pink Floyd’s “Time” song at Genius

9: Time – Alan Parson’s Project#9 on my list is Time by the Alan Parson’s Project. A very lovely ballad.

Time, flowing like a river

Time, beckoning me

Who knows when we shall meet again

If ever

But time

Keeps flowing like a river

To the sea

A very evocative song about time flowing like a river until it is gone forever. See the full lyrics for Time by the Alan Parson’s Project at Genius.

8: Fly Like an Eagle – Steve Miller BandThe word “time” isn’t mentioned in the title, but the chorus goes

Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’

Into the future

Which is exactly how time goes – slippin’ into the future while we usually don’t notice it. Then we wonder where the time went.

Fly Like an Eagle by Steve Miller Band lyrics at Genius.

7: No Time – The Guess WhoAs a Canadian, I have a soft spot in my heart for this great Canadian band. The Guess Who was iconic in my youth, with songs like “American Woman” and “These Eyes.”

“No Time” was another favorite Guess Who song for me, long before I started my journey to become “Captain Time.”

No time left for you

On my way to better things

No time left for you

I’ll find myself some wings

No time left for you

Distant roads are calling me

No time left for you

I also love the section that says “seasons change and so did I.”

Full lyrics for No Time by the Guess Who at Genius

6: The Times They Are A-Changing – Bob DylanTime to go to the folk music genre for the next one. This ballad by Bob Dylan became one of the anthems of the civil rights movement in the 60’s.

Come gather ’round people, wherever you roam

And admit that the waters around you have grown

And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you is worth saving

Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone

For the times, they are a-changin’

And you have to love a song that calls out to senators and congressmen to join the movement!

View The Times They Are A Changin’ lyrics at Genius.

5: Who Wants to Live Forever – QueenI think I first became aware of this song when it was used in the movie Highlander. In the show, the song was used poignantly to show an immortal’s plight and loss when the woman he loves ages and dies over time while he remains young.

There’s no time for us

There’s no place for us

What is this thing that builds our dreams

Yet slips away from us?

[Chorus:]

Who wants to live forever?

Who wants to live forever? Ooh

View Who Wants to Live Forever lyrics at Genius.

4: Turn, Turn Turn – The ByrdsBack to the folk genre for my #4 favorite time song! Originally released in 1965 by the Byrds.

[Chorus]

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)

There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)

And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

[Verse 1]

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal

A time to laugh, a time to weep

I love the discussion that things come in their own time and that everything has a season. We spend too much time trying to force things that may not be ready for fruition.

Great catchy chorus and melodies.

Read the full lyrics of Turn, Turn, Turn at Genius.

3: Time after Time – Cyndi LauperThis hit by Cyndi Lauper is more of a love song than a time-passing song. But I am a sucker for a good love song, even more, when it has “time after time” in it.

[Chorus]

If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be waiting

Time after time

If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, oh, I’ll be waiting (I will be waiting)

Time after time

There is also an unrelated movie called “Time after Time” where H.G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper to the 20th century after Jack uses his time machine. Maybe I need to do a time movie article as well.

See full Time after Time lyrics at Genius.

2: 59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy) – Simon & GarfunkelThis has to be one of my all-time favorite songs, let alone one of my favorite time songs.

I loved it from the first time I heard it but I didn’t even know the real name until years later. Like many people I just called it the “Feeling Groovy” song.

[Verse 1]

Slow down, you move too fast

You got to make the morning last

Just kicking down the cobblestones

Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy

Ba da, ba da, ba da, ba da … feelin’ groovy

See full 59th St. Bridge Song lyrics at Genius.

Honorable MentionBefore I reveal my #1 favorite time song, here are a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make my personal Top 10.

Back In Time – Huey Lewis & The News

https://youtu.be/ur57IunS9To

Hung Up – Madonna

https://youtu.be/EDwb9jOVRtU

Time – Tom Waits

https://youtu.be/VhWTDvPLGTE

Time Warp – Rocky Horror Picture Show

https://youtu.be/sg-vgGuTD8A

1: Time in a Bottle – Jim CroceAnd now for #1 – Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce.

I am definitely a long time fan of Jim Croce.

Jim Croce is brilliant at fun songs like Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown, You Don’t Mess Around With Jim, and Roller Derby Queen.

But Jim is a master of love ballads as well. Operator, I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song, These Dreams, and others are all excellent.

But Time in a Bottle blows them all away. Written in 1970 for his wife and unborn son, the song first appeared on his 1972 album You Don’t Mess Around with Jim. Tragically, Croce was killed in a plane crash in September 1973 at the age of 30.

After his death, Time in a Bottle reached #1 in 1974.

[Verse 1]

If I could save time in a bottle

The first thing that I’d like to do

Is to save every day till eternity passes away

Just to spend them with you

[Chorus]

But there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do, once you find them

I’ve looked around enough to know

That you’re the one I want to go through time with

See full lyrics of Time in a Bottle at Genius.

Thank you so much for listening and reading about my personal “Top 10 Time Songs.” In the comments below, let me know which of these songs you like or which other time songs are your favorites.

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When people ask me what the most powerful digital marketing method is, I always answer “content marketing.” What is Content Marketing? Content marketing is a strategic approach to creating and distributing valuable content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience with the goal of driving profitable customer action. This content can include: articles and […]

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One of the secrets to boosting your team’s productivity is to declare a weekly “no meeting day.” This is a day where meetings are NEVER scheduled, no matter what. The days must be held sacred and not even the big boss is allowed to schedule meetings on that day! What does this do? It creates […]

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In this article and video, we explore whether you should hire a virtual assistant agency vs hiring an individual virtual assistant. What is a virtual assistant (VA)? You may have heard the term “virtual assistant” before, but what exactly does that mean? A virtual assistant is like a personal or office assistant who works remotely […]

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I used to be able to buy software, own it, and use it forever. I could even resell it if I wanted to. Then came this annoying trend of software pricing per user per month. Why is that so freaking annoying? First of all, it’s not cheap. If a company charges $30/mo for their software, […]

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Your website homepage is the first impression most people will get of your brand and business. You want to make sure that it is designed in such a way to attract, engage and convert those visitors into customers and long-term fans of your brand. Make sure your website home page is ready for visitors with […]

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In this video, I discuss the famous quote “Winners Never Quit” whether it is true and if you should take it to heart and use it to overcome obstacles or if sometimes quitting is the best thing to do: Origin of Winners Never Quit Vince Lombardi once famously said: “Winners never quit and quitters never […]

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This is a recording of a webinar I recently did on “How to Multiply Your Time to Grow Your Business.” Please hit the Like and Subscribe buttons on the video and comment and share with others if you found the video useful.

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Struggling to work from home? Here are some work-from-home time tips from a webinar I taught to help you keep productive when you have to work from home.

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Does it feel like your life is spinning out of control? In this Captain Time “Time Tips” video, we discuss how to take control of your time, and by controlling your time, to take back control of your life. Most people I talk to who feel overwhelmed feel that their life and time is out […]

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Unplanned downtime can hit for many reasons: Materials you need didn’t arrive, you are forced to wait in line at banks, medical clinics, and other places, or you may have Internet outages. Instead of being upset over lost time, think of this as “found” time. Time you can reinvest into something else productive. Unplanned Downtime […]

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Let’s explore some of the time management myths we cling to that cripple our productivity. A huge thank you to our sponsor, Day Optimizer, for supporting this video. Follow this link  https://dayoptimizer.com/?via=captaintime and use the code captain25 to get 20% off Day Optimizer. #1: I Work Better Under Pressure People often say “I work better […]

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Joining an online business networking group and private messaging every member about your product or service is spam – no one will do business with you and people will leave the group if the moderators don’t control this. Similarly joining a group and posting about your services in discussion areas and chat without taking the time to learn the rules and build connections is also seen as spammy. So how do you approach online business networking groups without spamming everyone? Here are some approaches that have been proven to work for me over years of marketing through online groups. I am using our Bizmentum online community as an example here, but this will work with LinkedIn or any other online business networking groups. Choose the Right Network The first step is to choose the right network for your target audience. There are a lot of specialty networking groups out there. For example, Bladeforums.com is a forum for people interested in knives and knife collecting. So this would be a perfect group for someone who sells knives or makes custom knives. Look for online business networking groups that encourage connections, referrals, and doing business together. At Bizmentum, we are building a culture of professionals and business people who are dedicated to helping each other succeed. Fill Out Your Profile Fully When people want to find out more about you, they go to your profile. So make sure it is filled out fully with things like:

• What you do
• What you are looking for
• Links to your portfolio, website, and social media

These help you show up when people search. Also, as you engage on the network, people will click on your link to learn more about you.

Monitor Discussion Areas Sometimes people will post that they are looking for certain services. Replying to these people isn’t spam because they are asking for help and you are offering it. Ask Questions Publicly A great way to start in a new online networking group is to ask questions. In the beginning, don’t worry about trying to make the questions lead to your services, instead ask questions about how best to use the service or ask for recommendations for things you are genuinely looking for. Asking questions:

• Creates engagement
• Shows people you are contributing to the community
• Puts people one click away from your portfolio to learn more about you

Give To The Online Business Networking Group, THEN Receive Ask not what your community can do for you, ask what YOU can do for your community! Approach the community with the idea of contributing to the community first, then benefiting yourself in the long run. This comes across as genuine and makes people more likely to want to work with you. And it gives you a chance to position yourself as an expert on the topic. I regularly help people in productivity discussion groups and this has come back to me tenfold. Join Online Events See if your online business networking group has scheduled events like webinars and meetups. These often give you a chance to talk with other members live and learn more about them. Some types of events I have seen include:

• Webinars
• Member meetups
• Matching services
• Discussion circles
• Brainstorming sessions

Review Other’s Profiles Years, ago, I read the book “Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive” by Harvey MacKay. Mackay was an envelope company CEO. Key points from the book

• His industry was a mature industry, so their own competitive advantage was being better at sales
• Salespeople all had to complete the 66 point MacKay profile to get to know customers better so they could sell more

Online networking groups make it easier to get to know people before you approach them. In essence, the profiles and engagements in the group are feeding you the information that McKay’s salespeople used to have to work to find out.

Review their profile, visit their website and social media and you can see what they do and what they are passionate about. This gives you other avenues to approach them.

Connect with Founders and Moderators The founders and moderators of a group reach a much higher percentage of the community than the average user. So they are in a position to make a lot more referrals to you if they have a good relationship with you. Help the founders and moderators wherever possible and build relationships with them. Invite Others to the Community When you find a community you like, start inviting others to the community. This grows the community for everyone and the people you invite will also eventually invite people. And the founders notice how many people each member invites.

Want to join a free online business networking group that values members and has a culture of referring to each other? Join Bizmentum today. The post Get Business From Online Business Networking Groups Without Spamming appeared first on Time Management Training.

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What is a Personal Knowledge Base? A library of knowledge/documentation you create, save, and curate yourself. Sometimes referred to as your “Second Brain.”

What Can I keep in a Personal Knowledge Base?

• Typed/written notes
• Photos/images
• Articles and information from the web
• Scanned information

How Does a Knowledge Base Help Me?

• Saves knowledge so it isn’t lost
• Makes knowledge available offline
• Helps you find and make connections using your information

Uses for a Personal Knowledge Base

• Research, reusing ideas, building reports
• Process documentation
• Creating templates and checklists
• Preparing for meetings
• Learning
• Saving time
• Hobbies and interests
• In business, knowledge bases are used to help customers (think FAQs)

Personal Knowledge Base vs Work Knowledge Base

• Your personal knowledge base goes with you wherever you work
• You lose access to work knowledge bases when you leave

Can’t I Just Use The Internet?

• Useful information you found once may be removed when you go back to it or not be findable as easy the second time
• Can’t work offline with the Internet
• It is difficult to add notes and context to Internet things you find if you don’t save them
• Articles you have read and chosen to save are stronger and more relevant than random new articles on the Internet on a topic

(remember that you didn’t choose to save most articles you read)

What Software Should I Use? There us no one perfect software. I use UpNote, but you can use Evernote, OneNote or other notes programs to create your own You can see my UpNote video review for more details. Why I use UpNote:

• clean, minimalist look
• web clipping
• bidirectional linking of notes
• good support
• multi-platform and device

Garland’s Approach

1. Commit
2. Collect
3. Curate
4. Use

Committing To Your Knowledge Base

• A knowledge base where you dump info and never look at it is a waste of time
• Your knowledge base needs to be the FIRST place you go to find information
• Then you supplement your knowledge base with Internet searches and other information and add that new information to your base
• So your knowledge base just keeps getting better and better

Collecting Useful Information

• Writing notes – will you understand the note 1 year later?
  • bullet points
• Web clipping – saves web articles to your notes system. Helps keep info in the event online articles are taken down or moved
• Email capture
• Scan print items/articles you want to save
• Voice to text notes on smartphones

Curation: Making Content Useful

• Curating your notes adds context to them and helps you find connections
• Add graphic elements, highlighting, colors to add visual interest
• Dump notes you no longer feel are current or needed. Is it worth making part of your knowledge?
• Tag notes using @keyword to make them easy to search
• Link to other notes (bidirectional linking)

Using Your Personal Knowledge Base

• Need to live in your system – first place to go for info
• Search all notes
• Continually pruning, adding context
• Be cautious not to spend so much time organizing your knowledge base that you don’t use it

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When you get behind at work, you often stay late to finish. At some point, you might wonder whether it could also be a good idea to come in early. Lets look at the pluses and minuses when you go into work early.

Work Early Benefits

• Office is usually quieter with fewer people
• You may be at your freshest and highest energy levels
• So a good time to work on difficult projects

Early Drawbacks

• If you still have to work late, you risk burnout
• If you come in early and leave early, others may think you are not doing a full day of work
• Upset household morning schedules (getting kids to school, etc.)
• If your manager comes in early as well, you are the only one for them to talk or delegate to – defeating the purpose of why you go to work early and potentially increasing your workload

Early vs Work Late

• If you won’t be penalized for working early instead of late, it can be a better use of your energy and reduce distractions if others work late instead of early

Which To Choose? There is no one right answer here, but here are some reasons to choose to work early.

• If your energy levels are higher in the morning than later in the day
• No one else is in the office early so you can focus
• You will not be penalized for going home early
• Your household morning schedule can adapt to the change

What Does “Captain Time” Do Personally? I work early and leave early, except when I have the occasional coaching call or late meeting (most fit into my adapted early schedule just fine). I enjoy the quiet and focus I get first thing in the morning and my energy levels and focus levels are at my highest in the morning. So I am trading some additional high focus time for some tired and dragging time later in the day. The post Should I Go Into Work Early appeared first on Time Management Training.