Mastering Your Productivity: Tools and Tips for the New Year

By: Dr. Nashlie Sephus

The new year is always a good time to reset and refocus on your goals. I usually take intentional time for reflection and preparation for the transition. I spend almost as much quiet time without technology as I do with it. However, apps and software based tech tools are essential to me crushing my goals for the year. Here are a few of my top productivity tools and tips:

1. Having a growth mindset is half of the battle. Shifting your mindset is essential for great accomplishments.

2. Google Calendar syncs across all my calendars. It includes my vacation times for the year,  24 hour blocks for “me time” and breaks and automations that add my flights and hotel reservations to my calendar.

3. Hubspot is great for Customer Relations Management (CRM) and note tracking. I've met with no less than 1000 potential partners since founding The Bean Path. Hubspot helps me to track next steps, action items, or what was last discussed, especially if it's a series of meetings.

4. Asana has been perfect for project management across multiple teams and personal tasks.

5. Apps like Slack interface with Asana and can be used across platforms for communicating with remote teams.

6. Become intimate with your finances. Quickbooks and banking apps help me track what’s coming in and out of my accounts on a daily basis down to the penny.

7. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound or SMART goals help to determine what's a necessity versus what's nice to have. Note-taking apps such as Evernote or even generative AI tools like chatGPT can help with laying out details of planning goals.

8. Canva is my go-to design app. I recommend the paid version to access advanced features for a more professional design. Additionally,  AI image content generators like Gencraft AI are useful for getting specific images to fit the graphics.

9. Plan for your health. Get routine check ups, use health tracking products like smart watches, Oura Ring, and Everfit to track your activities, monitor your health & sleep, and count your calories.

10. Spiritual and self development are important to me. I lean heavily on the Bible app, Calm, Insight Timer and affirmation apps. 

11. While YouTube is more of a social media app, it is great for educational content. There's amazing and free content there for pretty much anything you want to know.

My final bonus tip for productivity in the new year… give yourself grace. This list can seem overwhelming and by no means am I saying to implement all of this. Take what you need and leave the rest.  

Whether you're streamlining your work processes, mastering time management, or fostering a more organized digital life, the key is to find a balance that works uniquely for you. Remember, productivity is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the experimentation phase, and be open to refining your approach as you discover what truly enhances your efficiency and well-being. With the right tools and a proactive mindset, you can turn your aspirations into accomplishments, making this new year a chapter of remarkable growth and achievement.