067: 6 tips to spend your work time productively (community episode)

This week I’ve got something special for you – I’ve asked a few fellow business owners come on the podcast to share a tip that helps them spend their work time more productively, so that you can pick up what sounds good to you and save yourself some time.

You'll hear from...

KINSEY STRIBE, social media marketing expert and host of the Feel Good Social podcast****

Website: https://feelgoodsocial.com/

Freebies: https://feelgoodsocial.com/freebies

STACIE MITCHELL, coach and host of the Something Even Better podcast

Website: https://www.staciemitchell.com/

SEO cheatsheet: https://www.staciemitchell.com/seo

DEVIN LEE, Online Business Manager

Website: https://www.devinlee.com/

Elevated client journey workbook: https://cheerful-knitter-5221.ck.page/cab42e3100

CASSIE PATON of Mettle&Tonic, copywriter

Website and free home page assessment: https://mettleandtonic.com/

SOLVEIG PETCHY aka Petchy, brand strategist and host of the Brand it! with Petchy podcast

Website: https://petchy.co/

Branding checklist: https://petchy.co/checklist/

And then there's me – JENNA HELLBERG, coach and host of Building Balance

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Show notes

Friend, I’m so excited for this episode – it’s my first community episode and I can’t wait to see what you think.

So you’re going to hear a tip from each of the services providers that I invited to contribute to this episode, and to round things off I’ll also share a tip.

Alright, I’m going to let Kinsey start us off.

Kinsey Streib

Hey, friend, my name is Kinsey. And I'm the head honcho at feel good social. And I actually help down to earth entrepreneurs market your business on social media without wasting your precious time.

So I absolutely love this topic so much. And I would have to say that my favorite time saving tip when it comes to content creation and marketing your biz on social media is to map out your monthly content strategy every single month. And then batch plan your content as much as possible. Right

So when I'm talking about mapping out your monthly strategy, what I mean is at the beginning of every month, sit down with a calendar and think about what do I want to be promoting this month? What do I want to be talking about what types of posts? Do I want to be focusing on creating? How many times a week do I want to be posting this month? And what how can I show up for my ideal customers in the best way this month, right?

This is something that I actually do with my Feel Good Social clubbers, every single month because it is so so helpful to outline that big picture of what this month looks like. And give yourself guidelines for your content before you even start sitting down and creating the nitty gritty posts, right?

And then when it comes to actually creating your content, and creating those individual social media posts for your brand, try to batch create your content as much as you possibly can, right. And by that I mean, sit down and don't just create one single post for every single day, right? That's a really easy way to waste an hour every single day. Because we all know how hard it is to sit down think about what the heck do I want to post about find the photo or create the visual that you want to post with it, write the caption, rewrite the caption, find the hashtags, all that stuff, individual posts can take up to an hour, if we're honest, that's definitely happened for me, right.

But if you sit down and give yourself an allotted hour, two hours, three hours every month, or this could be done on a weekly basis as well. And think about your upcoming content and create and schedule multiple posts at one time, that can be done really, really quickly. Because you get in your creative zone of genius, you don't have to repeat the same processes again. And again, it's so much easier to create multiple posts at once.

So some content that is really, really easy to batch is customer testimonials, maybe three tips for something that has to do with your business or industry or anything like that, right? Thinking about different personal stories that you can share. You know, there's lots of different types of posts that you can batch create and schedule out ahead of time. And when you get into the zone of creativity and you start creating, it's easier to create more in one sitting, right. So don't just create one posts at once. Give yourself permission to create multiple at a time so that you're not just creating one post a day and instead, you're repping out a lot of content at once that you can post throughout your week and throughout the rest of the month.

If you have any questions about this, I would love to connect with you. I am @feelgoodsocial on Instagram. My website is feelgoodsocial.com and I do have a podcast as well which is super awesome. It comes out every week. It's called the Feel Good Social podcast. And if you search for “feel good social podcast”, you'll find it on pretty much any other podcast listening platform. I hope you have a great day and I hope you enjoyed this tip.

Devin Lee

Hi, this is Devin Lee, I am a certified online business manager and a certified Dubsado specialist. And I work with service providers to perfect their client journey and put it on autopilot using the magic of dubsado.

So I like to use dubsado because it has automated workflows that automate everything that you need to do with your client. So when someone hires me for a Dubsado setup, I help them map out their client journey. And then like I said, I put it on autopilot using Dubsado. And this saves them not only a ton of brain space, but also a ton of time, often hours per client.

But not everyone is ready to use Dubsado. Maybe you're newer in your business, or you're just not quite ready to use a tool like Dubsado. You can still save time in your business by documenting your client journey.

So before I discovered Dubsado, I would put each step of the client journey into a project management tool as a templated project. And when we had a new client or a new project, I would just duplicate this templated project and all the appropriate tasks for a new client or new project already set up in order that they needed to be. This laid out the exact steps that were needed to be completed each time a new project began.

So the team knew what was going to happen. They knew what to do. We always knew where a client was in the process. And we knew things when things need to be done. And each task had kind of its own little SOP or standard operating procedure in the description with information on the past maybe contacts, maybe links.

The goal was that if we all disappeared on the team, any person could step in a look at this project with all the steps for onboarding, delivery, off boarding. And they could read the descriptions and had every all the information that they needed to complete the project. And this included things like when someone says yes, sending them a contract, sending them an invoice, sending them a welcome email, maybe buying a client gift off boarding it was you know, making sure their Google Drive was in the right place. Sending them thank you cards that were handwritten asking for a testimonial following up a few months later.

And when all of this is written down, there's no guessing what needs to happen when we all just know what to do. So even if it's not automated using a CRM like dubsado, you can still put it in your project management tool. So like I've been saying, documenting your client journey will save you so much time and mental energy.

If you aren't sure how to get started, you're in luck because I have an elevated client journey workbook that you can download for free on my website, devinlee.com. And if you want to stay in touch with me and learn more about how to optimize your business, you can follow me on Instagram and Tik Tok. My handle is at @devinleeobm. Send me a DM let me know that you heard me on Jenna’s podcast and I'll talk to you soon.

Stacie Mitchell

Hey there I am Stacie Mitchell, and I'm a business coach and marketing strategist for coaches. Basically, I help coaches sign clients without relying on social media. And I am really into being efficient and productive because I also work full-time as a business coach for other entrepreneurs in online business. So I need to be very focused in order to reach my goals both in my job and my side business.

So this method that I'm going to talk about today is really a collage of advice I've read and listened to. And it's been incredibly helpful in helping me stay focused and reach my goals without feeling so overwhelmed. And all you need for this is a notebook and a pen to make it work for you.

So I want you to start this at the end of your work day. So little twist, start at the end of your work day turned to a new page in your notebook and write down all of your to-dos for the next few days. It is very important that you only write down the items you plan to tackle that week; I recommend keeping a list of all your tasks somewhere else. It could be electronically or just in a different spot in your notebook or a different notebook altogether, just not on the New page we're working on now. This new page will work as your guide for tomorrow's work. When you get to the next day, have that new page open on your desk. Now when you get to today, the new day, I want you to choose three items from that list that you've already made the day before that you'd like to get done that day. No matter what these are your priorities.

Next I literally will just go through and number them. So wherever they are on my list I just choose, and I say this is number one, this is number two, this is number three.

Next, you're going to block out your schedule, I literally write down eight to 9am, nine to 10am to 10, 11 to noon, all the way down until I'm not working right, and write down where task number one, number two, and number three are going to go.

Now I want you to refer to your calendar, I want you to make sure you're blocking out meetings as needed, and then adding those three items in. And if you need to add time to check your emails, Slack, or whatever communications you need to check.

Now, here's the thing that makes this so effective; you can almost always tell at this stage, whether you've added too much to your plate for the day. And if that's the case, allow yourself to be realistic, and remove an item. And always give yourself more time than you think you'll need when you're first starting this routine. Because as you get better and better, you'll know how much time you need for each task. But until then, better to add more time than less if you get time back. Awesome. Move to your second task. Okay. Next, follow the schedule you've created, right?

But at the end of the day, you just want to follow that process again. Because if you follow the schedule, you're gonna get the most important items off your list. And what this does, what this process does, is it allows you to be more realistic with the time you have that day. And it helps you stay focused during those time blocks that you've set for yourself.

There is just something a little bit magical about doing this that makes me want to get that item done and the time I've allotted. And a side bonus is that it keeps me moving forward without feeling so overwhelmed. There really is some magic to this. And it helps you stay focused, because you're not looking at all the other items on your list. You know what the priorities are, and you don't get sidetracked as easily.

At the end of every day, you can see what you've done. You're going to create the new list for the next day. And then the next morning, you're going to create your schedule and you're going to know what's happening.

Now quick tip, if you have something for the very first thing in the morning, create your schedule the night before, right. So think ahead, make a plan and stick to the plan.

f you want to hear more from me, I recommend checking out my podcast Something Even Better, where I talk more about focused deep work, the perils of social media, and how to market your business without so much reliance on social media and so much more. You can find Something Even Better wherever you listen to podcasts, search it out and hit subscribe today.

Cassie Paton

My name is Cassie Paton, and I'm the copywriter and brand messaging strategist behind Mettle & Tonic.

I save time and work more productively when I put some guardrails up around my creative process. If like me, you are a service provider, especially if it involves being creative. Getting started on client work can sometimes feel overwhelming. So I've found that to be true no matter how many times I've written a home page or email series, for example. So that's why when I'm writing copy, I never start with a blank page. Instead, I've developed a loose creative framework for myself, which might sound counterintuitive to creativity. But I've found this actually aids the creative process.

So for example, some of the things I do are, you know, like after a jam session with a client, right, that's our long kickoff call where we get deep into their brand and their message and all of the rest. I tried to capture all the ideas and thoughts I have right away while it's fresh while I'm inspired. So I just don't forget, when I do that, though I step away because my brain is fried, I need a break. And then later, I'll come back to the whiteboard. And I'll actually have a whiteboard session because I've found that standing up helps me think differently. It helps me get down ideas faster without overthinking them. And I'll kind of use this to map out my messaging hierarchy and the key things I need to hit on.

Next, if I'm writing website or launch copy, I'll do a headline writing exercise. So I always even as a copywriter, especially as a copywriter, I write 20 to 30 headlines for each page of copy. And I have some prompts to get me inspired but I also go off script to try new things and really just have fun with it and challenge myself to think more creatively. And you know, I kind of just go through this iterative process, from there, you know, like I'll continue outlining the copy before I really write a full first draft.

After I write a full first draft, I step away, because I usually run into problems or challenges or, you know, just creative blocks. And so giving myself time for this process, and really following this, it's a loose framework, right? But it just gives the whole thing structure while leaving plenty of room for creativity.

And so even if you're not a creative service provider, but maybe a coach or someone who plans events, maybe you lead a team, or you just have any kind of ritual in your business, having some type of framework for it can really help guide your mind where it needs to go.

Having some flexibility with it is key to it still feeling creative and fun. But it's so much better than just starting from zero because you have a lot of expertise, so use it mindfully.

Solveig Petch aka Petchy

Hello, I'm Solveig Petch, aka Petchy, a brand strategist and identity designer. I help values-driven business owners build impactful brands their way without pretending to be someone they're not without compromising their integrity or resorting to predatory business tactics.

My number one productivity hack is templates. Hands down as a one woman show, I mean, I don't even have a VA. So templates save my hours on a daily basis, I have templates for pretty much every aspect of my business. And not only do they save me time, but they also save my brain capacity. And some of the templates I use are canned emails. So these would be pre written email templates that I can pull out and personalize, whether it's for dealing with common inquiries, or as part of my client project timeline, or as part of my podcast production workflow.

I also use templates for my proposals, I work with higher end clients, and so I tailor proposals to suit each client's needs. However, just because I don't offer a one size fits all package, that doesn't mean that I can't save myself time by having a standard proposal template that I can then tailor for each client. And the same goes for client presentations. I mean, clients pay me to design unique and strategic brand identities. But the presentation template I use to showcase design concepts is the same every time and that way, I get to spend my time creating stunning designs for my clients, rather than faffing around to figure out how to present each project. And the same goes for mood boards and brand boards, the content within them will change. But the overall structure and layout remains the same.

I use the same approach for my social media posts and email newsletters as well. So having graphic templates for the different post types using the same template for each email newsletter, it's not only time saving, but it also creates a unified look that is so crucial for building that all-important brand recognition.

And for my podcast and my portfolio entries on my website. Every episode, show notes and portfolio entry on my website have been created from a fixed template. And that makes it easy for me to create new entries without spending a ton of time on it. So my top tip for you is to identify any areas in your business where you have repeating tasks and then think can I create a template for this.

If you want to connect with me, the best place to do so is on my website petchy.co or slide into my DMs over on Instagram, my handle is also @petchy.co

Jenna Hellberg – that’s me!

Well hello again - I’m Jenna, a productivity mentor and the host of this podcast.

The tip I want to share today has to do with how you can protect the time you’ve blocked out for your priorities – so you can stay productive AND focus on the things you had planned to do.

There are two things to consider here:

1. What do you want to protect?

In episode 30 I talked about how your brain reacts to tasks that are important but not urgent – which means that there’s a risk that anything that seems urgent could come along and try to take you away from the important stuff you planned. So it helps to be very clear on what your priorities are, what the purpose of them is, what are the benefits you’ll get from doing them, and how you’ll feel when they’re done — so that they feel important enough to protect when random things pop up in your day and want to distract you.

And the second thing to consider when it comes to protecting your priorities is:

2. What do you need to protect against?

There’s a chance that you already have a lot of experience that tells you what the most common culprits are that try to infiltrate that time that you’ve blocked out for your important work.

So take a few moments, maybe jot down in a notebook a list of things that often end up taking your focus off of the things you’d actually like to get done.

Is it emails, is it social media, is it maybe someone who lives with you? And then, make a plan for how you’ll deal with each distraction. Can you turn off notifications, can you put your phone in another room, can you make it clear to the people in your home that at certain times or when you’re my your desk, you’re not to be disturbed unless the matter is like a 9 or 10 on the importance scale?

So there you go: be clear on the priority you want to protect and identify how you can protect against the most common distractions. 

Of course, sometimes life happens and something truly important will pop up that you choose to tackle instead of the thing you had planned. But at least for me, most of the time the things that have distracted me from my important work aren’t emergencies and could’ve been easily avoided.

I hope that you enjoyed this commmunity episode, I hope you loved listening to all these cool humans who generously shared their knowledge and put time into sharing with us. I don’t think this will be the last community episode I do, because it was pretty fun and I loved collecting these ideas together from other points of view than just my own.

I’ve included everyone’s Instagrams and other links in the shownotes, so make sure to go follow along or tell them if you enjoyed their tips – I’m sure they’d love love love to hear from you.

Thank you so much for spending your valuable time with Kinsey, Devin, Stacie, Cassie, Petchy and me. I hope that you have a beautiful rest of the week. Bye.