Optimizing your conference attendance requires more than comfortable shoes!
It’s conference time! I’m prepared with my digital organizing and productivity tools -are you?
How to get smart around goal setting
It’s time for New Year’s Resolutions. But not just any goal will do if you want to succeed.
The state of things at the end of 2023
Have you started your review of this year? How about your goal planning for 2024? Not me, not yet at least.
Who’s that girl?
Hey there! It’s April, again. You probably know that I’m the girl behind Ilios Digital Organizing, but is that all you know about me?
The First Step is Awareness
How many times have you fallen down an Internet rabbit hole? Or turned on your phone just to kill time while waiting? We all get caught up sometimes, and the first part of minimizing your digital use is figuring out how you actually use your time.
Decreasing the Noise of Daily Life
Digital minimalism looks different for each of us. Do you really need to be pinged when an email comes in or are you checking email on your own schedule? How about this week’s cookie notification from Crumbl? Or an alert when the litter box is full?
Are you seeing double?
Like many people, I tend to get more work done when I know someone is watching me work. It’s why I love having an accountability partner and participating in co-working sessions – they are both forms of body doubling. Body doubling is a productivity/accountability trick where you have someone present to keep you focused on your task.
Starting With Digital Minimalism
We all want a more peaceful life. Less stress, less clutter. The minimalists out there say the way there is through less stuff and more intention. There are Instagram feeds and Facebook groups devoted to decluttering your kitchen, your closet, any part of your house. But in a world full of tech and information streams and social media, what does digital minimalism look like?
Why Inbox Zero Won’t Fix Your Email Problems
Too many people use Inbox Zero like a diet for your inbox. They focus on getting the result – zero emails – thinking this will solve all their email problems. But an inbox diet isn’t the answer to email management. Better habits are.
How To Clear Your Digital Desktop
Regardless of whether you are working at home or in an office, we all have a desk of sorts. It might be the dining room table or a dedicated desk in your private office. When it’s clean, work is easier. You can find what you need quickly and the things that need your attention are front and center. All things that can lead to increased productivity.
Empty Your Brain to Sleep Better
Have you ever woken up at 3 in the morning, frantically trying to remember if you sent that email you promised a client? Heart pounding and mind racing? Yeah, nobody likes that feeling. But imagine the peaceful dreams you could have if you knew everything was documented, prioritized, and waiting for you to tackle in the morning.
You are the solution!
Sometimes the failure isn’t in the system, but in us not using it. Creating new habits takes time and stick-to-it-ness.
App Review: Microsoft To Do
Microsoft To Do is a to do list and task management app. It’s valuable in that it gives you one place to track all your responsibilities. An organized to do list keeps things manageable and you focused on what’s important. All that leads to greater peace of mind.
Don’t forget the milk.
Let’s say you’re at the grocery store picking up fruit for tomorrow’s breakfast when you suddenly remember you’ve got to make a dentist appointment for your youngest. What do you do next?
How To Fix Email: Step 5 - Just Say Nothing
The final step to fixing too much email? Just say nothing! Not every email needs a response. When we’re talking and someone says thank you, of course we say ‘you’re welcome’. But do we really need to say that in follow up on a ‘thank you’ email? How about ‘got it’ in response to a reference email?
How To Fix Email: Step 4 - CC = Copy Cautiously
How many times have you been cc’d on an email and wondered ‘why is this coming to me?’ Or on the flip side, how many times have you sent an email where you cc’d someone, just in case?
How To Fix Email: Step 3 - One Topic Per Email
This week on How To Fix Email, we’re diving into why it’s important to use one topic per email thread. The third step I wanted to talk about has to do with what you’re actually writing the email about. That’s right, the content of your message is always important.
How To Fix Email: Step 2 - Subject Lines
The second step to fixing email has to do with clear subject lines.
Every email needs a subject or a header – some programs will actually stop you from sending if you don’t have a subject listed – but not every subject line is a good one.