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How to Increase Productivity and Manage Tasks with Evernote and Lift Apps

Productivity.  We all need it.  How do you define it?

For me, I'll define it as "Getting stuff done while maintaining sanity and balance!"

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In this digital age productivity can be fleeting with all the tweets, notifications, emails, and more coming at each of us!  There's a lot of noise and distractions.  Do you ever ask, "How can I stay on track, keep life balanced, and be organized at the same time?"  I do.  It's a challenge.  The game is not won and then done.  It's ongoing.

A key to productivity is finding ways to be deliberate.  For myself, I've found 2 apps that are helping me do this.  In this podcast I'll outline my own personal experience and ways that the Lift App and Evernote have been very valuable to me in forming habits, keeping me accountable, and enabling me to track progress on key areas.

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I've read that it takes 21 days of repetition to form a habit.  Yet other studies outline it takes 54 and even up to 250 days for some habits to form.  The key is regular repetition that molds and melds into habits that then become automatic and second nature.  For many, having someone such as a mentor, accountability partner or team around them can make all the difference in achieving goals and forming new patterns.

Goals such as losing weight, training for an event, accomplishing a multi-faceted project and more take diligence and discipline.  Increasingly, technology is playing a role in these efforts to provide accountability and even "group or team collaboration".

lift-logo-1One such mobile app that offers this type of "tech accountability" is Lift.

Lift is available for the iPhone and Android devices.  The goals you can sign-up for are varied, from a four week diet plan, to the goal of running a 10k, sleeping 8 hours a night, writing a book (or new blog post) or getting up from your desk regularly throughout the day.  I used or currently use goals including:

  • Stop drinking pop/soda
  • Office chair yoga" to help me stretch and prevent carpal tunnel
  • Be More Productive by Taking Breaks
  • 30 Day Plank Challenge

There are over 100,000 different goals broken down into categories such as Fitness, Productivity, Healthy Diet and more for users to select from.

Depending on the goal, Lift breaks it down into a series of daily tasks with steps and milestones.  Users have the ability to set reminders and there is progress tracking and coaching tips.  Experts setup many of the goals and others who join the same goal become part of your "community" all working together toward the same accomplishment.  There is also the ability to find friends so you can participate in items together.  Each task has the option for users to leave a comment or note about their progress and fellow goal members can offer "props" and encouragement.

The bottom line is that the Lift App is a great tool to explore as a method to accomplish new goals.  The opportunity to find support, coaching, and accountability from friends and the community is a perk that can help provide the accountability to make positive changes.  With the price being free, there is no reason not to consider exploring this app a bit more.

 

evernote-logo-designFor keeping myself organized, Evernote, has become indispensible.   Evernote bills themselves as the "Remember Everything App" and I agree!

Evernote is a web  and app organizational and note taking system.  The value is that it is simple to use and versatile.  Available in both the iTunes store and for Android devices in the Google Play store, the value of Evernote to me is the versatility to keep all my items synced and accessible whether I'm on my notebook, iPad, or iPhone.

Evernote has a robust free version and also a paid version with even more bells and whistles.  I use Evernote to keep my weekly To-Do Master List current and I also use it to store email receipts for business expenses, and track research projects where I am gathering information online.

Evernote Keys for me are:

  • My greatest love is the private email address.  I simply email items including images, web links, correspondence and more to my Evernote account.  By using some shortcuts in the subject line I can send it to the exact notebook I want!
  • The ability to create Notebooks with different notes in them for different projects is so important.
  • I use the Reminders feature all the time.  I can create a note, set a reminder, and then not worry about it because I'll get a email and phone notification when it's due.
  • Knowing that I can access my synced lists on any device is huge.  So I can use the web version when at my desk, the iPhone app when on the go, and the iPad app in the evening or during meetings!

For a great review on the features of Evernote and the difference between the Free and Paid versions, as well as how it stacks against competition, go here to PC Magazine online.

The key in productivity is finding the tools to keep you on task, balanced, and organized.  These are tools that work for me.  I can't say they will for you but they are working for thousands around the world!

Hope to see you in the 30 Day Plank Challenge or another goal in Lift!

Download this Episode:

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What about you?  Interesting in tackling a new challenge and testing out the app as a technology-driven method to provide accountability and community? Let me know by commenting below!

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Why the Halftime theme Mike?

I'm a Indiana Hoosier native where basketball is the top sport.  Every team heads to the locker room at halftime to evaluate the first half and create a updated plan for the second half.  That plan includes adjustments based on reviewing what worked and what didn't.  The "halftime" is a key review point where the game stops, the team pulls away to huddle in the locker room away from the fans, and they come out prepared and ready to succeed in the second half.

That's what this podcast is all about, taking the time to pull away for bit to evaluate, learn, and set some strategies for your business to succeed in the second half.

Join me by subscribing and let me be your "business halftime" to help you find great success going forward!

Subscribe via iTunes:  Halftime Mike on iTunes  | Android users via RSS  | Listen on Stitcher.

 

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