Products & apps that help me stay productive while working from home

**This post contains some affiliate links.

Alright, I’ll just admit it. I’m obsessed with productivity. That’s probably not healthy, but you know, I gotta keep things real. I recently took the Enneagram test and found out that I am a number one: reformer. And if you think I was being a tad dramatic when I said I’m obsessed with productivity, I’ll just leave this here for you to ponder:

Ones are people of practical action—they wish to be useful in the best sense of the word. On some level of consciousness, they feel that they “have a mission” to fulfill in life, if only to try their best to reduce the disorder they see in their environment.

For me: productive = useful

I realize a therapist could probably have a field day with this. But whatever. I am who I am. That all being said, I believe it’s my sense of “mission” and drive for productivity that makes me the kind of person who does well 1) working for themselves and 2) working from home. I rarely lean into the desire to be lazy. But that doesn’t mean I’m not ever struck down with a lack of motivation. In fact, I can feel often feel unmotivated if I allow myself to be consumed with the overwhelming doubt that can sometimes plague my thoughts. But as they say, even in those moments, the show must go on. So, with that in mind, I thought I’d share a few products & apps that help me be productive. If you’re interested in the habits, routines, and rituals I rely on for productivity, you can find those here.

Wunderlist & Asana

Okay, I considered sharing these independently, but truth be told they both kind of serve the same purpose just slightly differently. I tend to use Wunderlist more for my daily todo lists. But I use Asana more for a full project timeline and breakdown. For instance:

Asana

I use Asana to plan out my big projects, whether that’s an e-course offering like Blogging for Your Business, a self-guided program like Boundary Boss, or my next book (coming this fall!). This allows for me to break things down and focus in on individual steps that’ll bring the big project to life.

I also use Asana to manage client projects and communication. Fun fact: I operate 95% of my client-serving business through Asana in an attempt to eliminate unnecessary email.

Wunderlist

I use Wunderlist more for the day-to-day. While Asana can definitely behave as a daily task manager, I’ve just used Wunderlist for years and find it more convenient. It also helps that I keep track of my household chores and personal life tasks with the app as well, so I can get an overarching view of what needs to get done in a day across the board.

Notebooks

It’ll come as no surprise to you that I rely on notebooks. I believe in the power of writing things down in your own handwriting. (Did you know that writing something down in your own handwriting actually helps you remember it better? It’s a proven fact.) While I could type something out much quicker, I find that when it comes to creative planning, I benefit from the forced slow down. It allows for my brain to fully digest the thoughts before quickly moving on. What kind of notebooks do I keep? Well, there are a lot–so let’s go…

• General Catch all: Moleskin Bullet Notebook 8×10
• Journal: Markings by C.R. Gibson
• Goodnotes Notebook–Ipad Pro
• Evernote notebooks (digital)
• Planners: Erin Condren Customizable Lifeplanner & Ashley Shelly

They each serve very different purposes. And while I know some people would argue that you should keep things in one easy-to-find place, I do actually have a system when it comes to those kinds of things. But I’m a dreamer and a planner, so my notebooks need backup. I’ll share how I use each of these–especially my digital notebooks like Goodnotes on the Ipad Pro & Evernote (which could be a whole series on its on really) in a future blog post.

Timer

Whether it’s a household chore or a client task, sometimes I need a little motivation to get my butt in gear. I’ve found over the years that a lot of times it’s all about just getting started. So what I’ll do (and I’ve done this for years), is tell myself that for the next 15 minutes, I’m going to focus on xyz. I set this old-school timer I bought from Anthropologie back in 2009 after I saw Nancy Ray using it, (Fun fact: it’s the only thing I’ve ever bought from Anthro…) and without fail, I either complete the task in the time I’ve allotted, or I’m in such a groove once the timer goes off that I don’t feel like stopping.

Nespresso

This little ninja is definitely definitely not a necessity. But for someone who wakes up in the 5 AM hour and would often find herself in a Starbucks trying to crank out the rest of her workday at 3 PM, it’s a Godsend. A regular, good old-fashioned coffee pot would do the job just fine, too. But without fail, by 3 PM, I need a little jumpstart. And let me tell you–I can make an at-home peppermint mocha latte that puts Starbucks to shame! Want a quick money saving tip? (Even though the machine alone will save you ~$4 per latte.) The pods can be expensive. This machine was one of my Christmas presents from Jonathan this past year. And with it, he also stuffed my stocking with this reusable capsule kit. We bought a bag of espresso for $15 from a local coffee shop in January–and I still haven’t had to repurchase anything yet.

Do you guys want a full on review of this thing? Just a heads up, It’s currently on sale for $129 with prime shipping, and I promise you, it’s the best money we’ve spent.

Essential OIls

I bought a cheap pack of essential oils when Kim and I made our DIY Bath Bombs. I’d been seeing the internet get all excited about all things essential oil–but I just wasn’t buying it. Well, after that fun little project, I decided to buy a cheap little diffuser and see what the fuss was all about. Turns out, I freaking love essential oils. I’ve since upgraded from the cheapo oils to Young Living (trust, it’s worth the fuss), but I’m a stickler for using things up, so for the sake of transparency, I’ll be using my crappy little oils until they run out.

My Favorite Power Focus Blends

• Orange + Peppermint
• Orange + Citrus Fresh

After 2 years (!!!!) of working from home and for myself full-time, I’ve definitely learned that the only constant is that things are forever changing and evolving. But for now, these things are what help me take charge of my day and knock out all the things!

Tell me, what are some things that help you have a productive day?

 

 

 

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