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I really like what I do, BUT…
Who doesn’t wish to shave off a number of repetitive time-sucking duties to allow them to spend extra time doing what they really love? Which in my case means strapping a one-year-old to my again and occurring day by day adventures round Colorado.
I’m all the time searching for methods to streamline my enterprise, so at this time I’m bringing you 10 hacks to save lots of time so you’ll be able to spend fewer hours per week behind the laptop computer.
1. Gmail Shortcuts
I discovered this a number of years in the past (from this infographic) and it has modified my life. It takes so many clicks to ahead or reply to an e mail, pop it out so I can learn the e-mail I’m replying to as I reply, after which ship. Now all I do is hit shift + R and I’m replying in a popped out window. This saves me in all probability a minute a day, which I do know isn’t lots. But it’s the precept of the factor!
I’ve been utilizing Gmail shortcuts like this for years and it’s a lot simpler to by no means must raise my fingers from the keys. To allow shortcuts, simply go to your Settings > General > Keyboard Shortcuts and allow them.
You can click on the Learn More button to be taught what all of the totally different shortcuts are, as you can’t customise any of those shortcuts.
2. Create Shortcuts in your Phone and Computer
If I sort @@ on my cellphone and even right here on my laptop, it’s going to routinely change to my e mail tackle. If I sort qqq it’s going to routinely sort my web site URL. Little issues that I inevitably find yourself texting or messaging to individuals practically each day which are a complete ache to sort.
After typing my shortcut, I can hit the enter key or spacebar for the qqq to get replaced with heathandalyssa.com/ (I added the slash on the finish so I can simply add a slug if directing somebody to a particular web page on my web site).
To create these, open the Settings app in your iPhone (I exploit a MacBook so this can sync with my laptop computer) and go to General > Keyboard. Then click on Text Replacement on the prime of the display and create your quick cuts.
This is a tip I picked up from Chalene Johnson final yr. She initially urged it for anybody who replies to loads of Facebook or Instagram messages with related phrases like “thank you ???? ” or “aw thanks so much!” Those could possibly be ty1 and ty2 and for those who get dozens of replies to your Instagram, can actually prevent a while (and spelling errors!).
3. Keep Your To-do List Updated
Do you ever get a very good thought once you’re out mountaineering? Or at dinner with mates? Or perhaps you keep in mind an e mail it’s good to ship as you’re strolling into a gathering?
For a very long time, I used to be the queen of remembering one thing 5 totally different instances earlier than I really did it as a result of I’d all the time be in the course of one thing vital and neglect over again. (Am I alone on this?)
Which is why I really like Trello.
(And discuss it on a regular basis apparently.)
It’s an incredible software for conserving working to-do lists, managing initiatives, and even working with a staff.
But I feel it’s most understated use is being the place the place I can write down these little duties that get simply forgotten. Like once you’re falling asleep and suppose “oh crap, I forgot to hit launch on that ad campaign” or “I sent over that blog post but forgot to send photos.” Or, most frequently, once you’re engaged on one thing and give you a very good weblog submit thought and suppose “Oh I will totally remember this idea—it’s amazing!” And then 5 minutes later you’ll be able to’t recollect it in any respect.
Now that I give it some thought, I could be a forgetful individual…
But then once I open my laptop computer very first thing within the morning, I do know I’ve an entire listing of all the things I have to work on and lists of all of my concepts and future initiatives to deal with. No extra sitting in entrance of the pc making an attempt to determine what to get began on subsequent.
4. Automate Invoicing
I’ve all the time had a love-hate relationship with invoices. I really like getting cash. I hate the tedious course of of making invoices. I began utilizing Freshbooks for invoices for a number of key automation options:
- You can save consumer profiles, so fundamental info like consumer title, firm, tackle, the e-mail tackle(es) the bill goes to are all saved. I simply select from a dropdown menu who I’m invoicing and all these fields are auto-populated.
- You can set recurring invoices for any purchasers you’ve got on retainer. Then you will get paid every month like clockwork and by no means must raise a finger. (Well, you do nonetheless must do the work that will get you paid within the first place.)
Plus, purchasers may also pay by bank card which is one thing I do know a number of of my purchasers all the time select over the trouble of chopping checks.
Freshbooks is a paid service we use, however I’ve heard many entrepreneurs who love and use Wave, which is free.
5. Use Calendar Booking Services
Why oh WHY is reserving assembly instances with individuals such a problem?
You want a six message lengthy thread simply to decide on a number of date and time choices, after which somebody has to truly create a calendar occasion and invite the opposite individual, in any other case, one or each of you neglect.
It’s annoying as all get out.
We began utilizing Calendly a number of years in the past for reserving podcast interviews and now we use it for all several types of conferences. We create all of the totally different assembly sorts (podcast interview, 30-minute assembly, RVE summit 60 minute assembly, and so on.) and it syncs our availability with our Google calendar. We ship one reserving hyperlink, you guide a time that works for you, and its added to each of our calendars. We each get e mail confirmations and save ourselves years of backwards and forwards (in all probability).
This has labored very well for years, however then a number of months in the past, I discovered that Calendly integrates with Zoom. This means once you guide a gathering, the flamboyant integration will routinely put all the required Zoom hyperlinks and cellphone numbers in your calendar. (I manually did this FOR YEARS, which takes not less than ten minutes per assembly, earlier than I even realized this was a factor. Smh.)
You may also save time by batching actions like I talked about earlier this month and scheduling all of your conferences for under sooner or later per week. Or by no means have conferences.
Related: 14 Tips for Working in an RV
6. Integrations and Automations
Speaking of integrations! They save soooo a lot time and Zapier has a ton of them.
You can discover zaps to attach HUNDREDS of apps.
For instance, when somebody buys a ticket to our RV Entrepreneur Summit, I would like them to be added to our ConvertKit and tagged “Summit ticket holder” so I can ship them occasion info. Well for the primary two Summits, I manually exported e mail addresses from Eventbrite and uploaded them to ConvertKit. We promote tickets often for a 3-6 month interval, so I had to do that typically.
Such a waste of time.
Now there’s a zap and I by no means must export a CSV, add the CSV, select the correct fields, set the correct tag, and look forward to a affirmation e mail that each one the emails have been uploaded. I don’t have to consider it in any respect!
Integrations and automations are an incredible method to save your self infinite quantities of time, particularly on mindlessly straightforward duties like this! You can determine which apps you’ll be able to construct integrations and automations on Zapier’s web site right here.
7. Develop Systems and Processes
When I write a weblog submit, my course of goes like this:
- Pick 4 weblog posts for the month (all on an identical theme) from my ongoing listing of weblog concepts I carry on Trello
- Outline every weblog
- Write every weblog submit
- Add images, featured picture, and key phrases
- Schedule for the assigned date on my content material calendar
- Write a e-newsletter to share that weblog submit on Wednesday morning
It’s a system I’ve spent years updating. Before, I’d write when impressed or once I obtained a good suggestion. I’d neglect so as to add any images, by no means set search engine optimization key phrases, and typically by no means even share the weblog! Basically I used to be failing at being a blogger.
I wanted a course of to observe to get rid of all of my distractions and provides me a transparent path to observe. Developing processes and programs is likely one of the greatest methods to streamline what you are promoting.
For some actually nice insights on the way to develop programs and processes for your self, I extremely advocate watching this presentation by Dani Schnakenberg from our 2019 RV Entrepreneur Summit:
8. Outsourcing
One of the most important methods to save lots of time?
Outsource.
Delegate the issues you find yourself doing on a regular basis so you’ll be able to deal with the stuff that solely you are able to do. We’ve had an awesome podcast episode on this: How to Multiply Yourself and Get More Done by Jill Sessa (who I’ve outsourced all our web site administration to!).
9. Type quicker
9. Type quicker
An understated method to save time and get stuff carried out quicker? Type quicker.
I haven’t practiced typing because the eighth grade when my mates and I took it so we might all compete to see who typed the quickest. (Oh my, was a nerd in center faculty?)
You can use web sites like Keybr.com to follow your typing abilities and enhance your typing pace.
I additionally use Grammarly to catch my typing errors for me so I spend much less time proofreading.
(Also, I’m with Jim typing 65 wpm. I don’t know the way Pam can sort 90!)
10. Reduce Distractions
Last however not least, let’s save ourselves time by limiting distractions. There are a lot of methods to do that:
- Use Screen Time in your cellphone to restrict the usage of time-wasting apps
- Set Downtime throughout work hours in your cellphone so you’ll be able to solely use your cellphone as a cellphone (Settings > Screen Time > Downtime)
- Limit your time on social media in your laptop utilizing plugins like Newsfeed Eradicator
- For goodness sakes, flip in your Do Not Disturb mode. That’s what it’s for! We don’t want no stinking notifications.
- Similarly, shut your e mail and test it only some instances a day so that you don’t get sucked into that soulless vortex.
What different time-saving suggestions do you’ve got? Share your greatest one within the feedback!