You know your time is valuable, but where are you spending it each week? When you're stuck in a loop of busy being busy, you don't just need more time,
you might need a better system.
Tech helps and I don't just say that because of my tech background. There are so many simple, easy to use tech tools around to save you time and energy.
Where Do You Lose the Most Time Each Week?
Start with thinking about where you're losing time and what tasks need to be done on a regular basis.
- Email black holes
- Admin tasks
- Manual updates and data, financial tracking
- Switching between too many things!
Stop spending your time on lower value tasks that could be handled better by a system.
5 Simple Automations To Save You Hours a Week
Here are five easy automations you can set up in less than an hour to save you hours a week, each and
every week:
1. Automatic Meeting Bookings
Put an end to the back-and-forth, trying to find a time in your schedule. Instead use a tool like Acuity, Calendly, or Microsoft Bookings to
let people check your availability and automatically book a time in your schedule.
Time saved: 1–2 hours/week
2. Organise and Manage Your
Inbox
Create a cleaner, more organised Inbox by using filters in Gmail or Outlook to automatically sort your emails by priority, topic or sender. Manage them better by moving into appropriate folders for a less cluttered Inbox.
Time saved:
30+ mins/day
3. Set Task Reminders
Don't let routine tasks take up space in your head or get forgotten. Use your scheduler or apps like Todoist or ClickUp, to set
reminders for monthly reports, invoicing, follow-ups or team check-ins.
Time saved: Head space + fewer forgotten tasks
4. Use Email
Templates
Do you end up writing the same email or send the same response on a regular basis? Create a template for standard responses, follow-ups, introductions or in response to frequently asked questions. They're inbuilt into Gmail and Outlook or use apps like TextExpander or Notion. A few keyboard clicks and you've got
Time saved: 30+ mins/day
5. Use a Dashboard to Keep Track
Spreadsheets
are great but you can do so much more with them. Use Excel, Monday.com or an app like Airtable to create dashboards that automatically pull in and summarise important information so you can make quicker, better decisions.
Time saved: Hours/month
The best time to know when to automate a task is after you’ve done it a few times. If it happens regularly it’s time to automate so you can set and forget.
Automate or Eliminate
Before you start automating everything, ask yourself: Do I need
to be doing this task at all?
Review Each Task
- Can I eliminate it? Is it necessary or a habit?
- Can I automate it? Will a system do it faster or more
efficiently?
- Can I delegate it? Am I the only person than can/should do it?
Automate - A good system will save you time but don't just go for the latest shiny new app - find one that fits your needs and integrates with
systems and apps you already use.
Think of something you’re doing manually you could automate. What's stopping you from getting it done? Is it habit, uncertainty or you're just “too busy”?
When you put off making the changes you need, you end up with less time to focus on the more important things.
Want a more Focused Week?
If you feel you need to be more organised and want to start using automation, the Focused Week Blueprint will help you set up a
clear plan to take back control of your time.
Right now there's an Early Bird Offer before I officially open it up next week!
