Time is the ultimate equalizer. We all have the same 24 hours but it’s what we do with our schedules that makes the difference in how fulfilled and productive we feel.
We’re sharing our best hacks as an easier and less painful, far more enjoyable and productive way to grow — without sacrificing your wellbeing.
Before we start throwing productivity tools and hacks around, you must get your frameworks in order.
From commuting to executing tasks, frameworks shape the way we work — helping us work smarter, not harder.
This quarter, we’re focusing on updating and enhancing our frameworks/processes across the board, from our business development, prospecting, and proposal writing, to onboarding, offboarding, and other operations.
We’ve been reading “The 12-Week Year” and it’s been a game-changer. Here are some of the key frameworks that are helping us stay focused:
- The 12-Week Year Framework: Instead of thinking in annual cycles, this framework involves dividing the year into 12-week blocks. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when you compress your timelines. The faster you execute, the faster you learn, adapt, and leap ahead of your competitors. (Goodbye, procrastination!)
- The Time Blocking Schedule: We’re talking big chunks of uninterrupted time for high-priority tasks — no multitasking or distractions allowed! Here’s what a typical weekly schedule includes:
° 3 strategic blocks per week for the big stuff
° 1-2 buffer blocks per day for low-level tasks like responding to emails.
° 1 weekly 3-hour block for personal growth and reflection to UPLEVEL. This could be going to a museum, getting a massage, eating at a high-end restaurant, or doing something that disrupts your everyday autopilot mode (no errands or things you do regularly like working out). Yes, it sounds like a luxury, but trust us, it’s worth it. Start with once a month. - The Stop Doing List: It’s time to get honest about what’s not working and stop wasting time on tasks that don’t drive results. This is similar to the Start, Stop and Continue framework.
To complement and enhance the frameworks, here are some FLAMAZING productivity tools to make our lives easier:
1. ClickUp (project management): We researched the top options (Asana, Basecamp, Slack, and ClickUp), and then ditched our old system (Wrike). We chose ClickUp because of its time-tracking and chatting capabilities, ease of adding users and guests, and the client interface and collaboration. It’s also reasonably priced for small businesses.
2. Google Workspace: We’re finally using the cloud like we should be— organizing, archiving, and collaborating like pros.
3. HoneyBook (contract management): Simple, affordable, and gets the job done. We’ve considered other options (Pandadoc, Dubsado, DocuSign, etc.) but none really offered anything better at the same price.
4. QuickBooks (invoicing and payments): Our accountant is happy, and so are we.
5. SimplyMeet (meeting coordination): No more back-and-forth scheduling nightmares — SimplyMeet (similar to Calendly) has got us covered.
6. AI (ChatGPT): We upgraded to the paid version, and it’s been a total brain trust — helping us with research, process optimization, and even helping to flesh out ideas on the go with the voice mode. Perplexity and Venice are also good AI options.
By combining these frameworks and tools, we’re recouping hours of wasted time, focusing on what truly matters, and enjoying our work even more.
What are some of your favorite productivity hacks and tools?
