11 Tips for the Most Productive Q1 Ever 1) Invest in personal assistant apps. It's kind of crazy that close to half of us feel ashamed to use that time, isn't it? Check out our list of 28 of the best Chrome extensions for social media, SEO, content sourcing, blogging, and more. When you set out to plan your content, check out these nine questions that marketers should ask themselves. They'll help you break the process into manageable steps, with some helpful tools and resources to make it easier along the way. Check out our roundup of 15 easy ways to make your commute more productive, and you might even start looking forward to that part of your day. To help you get started, we put together some tips on optimal collaboration, to help marketers approach projects as productively as possible. Still, to-do lists are hardly one-size-fits all, and what works best for me, for example, might not be the best style for you. But while those can be great for day-to-day tasks, where do long-term deadlines and goals fit in? How are you making Q1 your most productive yet?
Productivity is one of those things that’s too general to master quickly. You might be trying to get more done in a day, procrastinate less, or accomplish a lot with minimal resources. All of those goals fall under the “productivity” umbrella. So how do you prioritize them?
Depending on where you are in your career, and what your goals are for the first quarter, you might have different productivity goals. Once you know what they are, however, you can prioritize them — and determine the resources you need to knock them out of the park.
We had a look at some of our favorite productivity posts over the past year, and chose the tips we believe will be the most applicable as we work our way through the next few months. Have a look, and see which ones will help you achieve the most this quarter.
11 Tips for the Most Productive Q1 Ever
1) Invest in personal assistant apps.
In 2016, Google Home was released in the U.S., furthering the conversations about voice-activation, AI, and the Internet of Things. But more than that, people wanted to know: Which is better, Google Home, or Alexa?
Technically speaking, not all personal assistant tools are created equal. Each has its own requirements, cost, and features. That’s why we looked at five of them, and evaluated which needs are best met by each one. Curious to know which one will fit best into your day-to-day? Check out our top picks in “5 Personal Assistant Tools That Actually Make Life Easier.”
2) Make the most of your downtime.
Between work and personal commitments, the modern lifestyle can be physically and emotionally draining. After all, that’s why we take vacations — or, at least, the 53% of us who aren’t afraid to take time off.
It’s kind of crazy that close to half of us feel ashamed to use that time, isn’t it? We shouldn’t be — it’s a great opportunity to slow down and do the things that don’t normally fit into our daily schedules. But once you do take a breather, take heed, and don’t overbook.
Instead, use that time to address some of the things that, as my colleague Sophia Bernazzani puts it, “have been collecting dust in your mental backlog.” Things like learning a new language, catching up with friends you’ve been meaning to check in with, or any number of things from her list of 20 ideas for productive things to do during your downtime.
3) Bookmark better resources.
It seems like there are just so many online resources for marketers, and especially for bloggers — just look at what a single Google search yields.
You might already have your favorites among the many options, but if not, here’s another place where you can prioritize according to your goals. Whether it’s staying organized, coming up with ideas, or promoting your posts, that’s what bookmarked sites are for — to keep all of your best, helpful resources in one place.
Not sure where to start? Check out the HubSpot blogging team’s ultimate list of websites that we think every blogger should bookmark.
4) Use browser extensions.
Browser extensions are one of those things that can be so helpful, but not enough of us take advantage of them. They can aid in everything from avoiding weak language in emails, to keeping the internet’s distractions at bay.
That’s why we’re partial to Google Chrome browser extensions, which can be highly valuable to busy marketers who want to make their time online more efficient. Check out our list of 28…
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