109: Seven Tools to Help You Do Your Best Work

Technology is great, but only if it helps you work better. On this episode, I share 7 tools that I use and will help you get the most of our your time. I currently use them all daily in my work and I’m excited to share their benefits with you. My three criteria for selection these tools: Cross-platform Not apps/tools that you already know everything about Clear business model Frees time to invest doing the things you are best at I currently use all of them Highrise (highrisehq.com) The problem this solves: Trying to piece together everything someone has every told you in multiple places. Far less complex than traditional CMSs Manage relationships Track conversations Tag people for events, projects, etc. Track details (birthdays, family names, etc.) Integrates Twitter and LinkedIn Basic task management Tracks pending customer deals Free plan up to 250 contacts / 30-day free trial What will this help you do? Get stuff out of your head and manage lots of different relationships. Basecamp (basecamp.com) The problem this solves: Re-doing the same work again and again and checking in to see if people have done stuff. Project management tracking Templates for projects Integration with a team No free version, but a 60-day free trial (no credit card), $20/month TimeTrade (timetrade.com) The problem this solves: Spending countless hours going back and forth with people on times to schedule with you. You give TimeTrade calendar access (Outlook, Calendar, Google calendar) and it looks for free spots You have a link and people can schedule and cancel automatically Great for people who are outside your organization and don’t want to have any detailed access to your calendar Appointments show up automatically in calendar and by email One downside – you need to watch what is free in your calendar Free version is available, but I use the $49/year version Lift (lift.do) The problem this solves: Keeps you on track for the daily habits that are important to you. Set habits in the system Track when you complete them Follow others and encourage others and get encouragement in return Example: Wake up at 5am It sends you little motivators by email on alerts on your phone This version is entirely free See screenshot below from my iPhone Instapaper (instapaper.com) The problem this solves: Cool articles on the web distracting you from getting your work done Set up an account and install an extension in your browser See something you like? Hit the button on your browser and it saves it into your account. Read it later on the device you want to use. I use the Instapaper app on my iPad. I can then send it other places. Instapaper account is free, but the apps are a few dollars, depending on the device you use. Or, you can read on the web. Pocket is a another alternative, but I’m not clear on their business model. Buffer (bufferapp.com) The problem this solves: Staying engaged on social media without having to be on social media all the time One of my goals this year – show up more online. But how, with limited time? Fill your queue with relevant things for the people who follow you Buffer will post them on your behalf at regular intervals Great way to feature the work of others – I do this especially with Twitter Free version available, but I use $10/month version 1Password (1password.com) The problem this solves: Not having to track all those passwords in your life and also limiting the ability of hackers to get access to your life Create unique passwords for every site you visit online Keep them all in one place, protected by a master password Login automatically from your browser Syncs across devices using Dropbox or iCloud Massive time saver and fantastic peace of mind Just this week, Adobe announced they had a breach of accounts $40-$80 depending on the version you buy Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.