Tools That Help Me Save Time

I love being a voyeur and looking behind the scenes of people’s lives to learn their tools and tricks for navigating work and life. That’s why I’m a sucker for “What’s in my bag?” posts. They are an excellent way to learn new approaches and tools. I want to share some of the things I use when I prepare to speak, tell stories, and in my business. I am not an affiliate of these tools and receive no payment; I’m just a fan.

SOFTWARE:

As a small business owner, I use about 15 different software tools to run various aspects of my business. Below are a few of my favorites. I've noted whether there are free options

Canva: This tool is perfect for the graphically challenged. It can make anyone look like they’ve taken a few art classes. It has a wide range of options for creating presentations, handouts, and social media content. This is free, though the paid version is worth it from the photo selection alone.?

ChatGPT: I keep this open in the background most days. It serves as my thesaurus, editor, and idea prompter. Before ChatGPT, I had to go to three different places for those things. I treat it like an assistant and ask questions as if they were seated next to me. I do all my own writing and have no intentions of handing it off. But this saves me time and can catch when I use passive voice. This is free!

Grammarly: I have this installed as an app on my computer. As I compose emails or newsletters, I can see in real-time where something may need smoothing. It’s not perfect and can’t replace a great live editor, but it helps catch those inevitable mistakes. The free option covers most of your needs.

Google Keep: This is my external brain. It holds my to-do lists, my pipeline of events, and story ideas. I often remember things to do and get ideas for stories while walking. Instead of trying to remember them later, I dump them into Google Keep. My day begins by looking at my Google Keep to-do list and ends by organizing it for the next day and the rest of the week. This is free!

Loom: I use this video tool to quickly convey ideas, especially when expressions are important. It’s a great way to demonstrate different techniques that take much longer to describe in writing.

If we work together, the odds are good you will get a quick Loom video from me. It sits as a link in your email without you having to visit a website or download the video. You can film yourself, the screen, or both, making it ideal for asynchronous work. Videos can be watched at multiple speeds and cut down on viewing time.

Want to see what it is like? Check out this sample Loom I made to see what it is like. The free version gives you a set number of videos under five minutes each.

Loomly: Not to be confused with Loom, this tool helps me organize my social media. Because I am active across different platforms, it helps me plan out my content for a variety of views and shift them as needed. If you are active on social media, this tool is a time saver. This requires a subscription to license the tool.

SOUND

Before the pandemic, I would change locations when I got stuck while writing. A coffee shop might spark a new idea or flow of writing, while the library could create an environment where I could immerse myself in deep writing sessions.

Because of social distancing, I didn’t have a second location to shift to when stuck. This became challenging as I started writing my book. I tried listening to music and nature sounds, but they weren’t working for me.

One of my friends sent me the “Coffee Shop Ambiance” playlist on Spotify and it was a game-changer. As soon as I put my earbuds in and turn the playlist on, I feel my brain quiet and calm down. It’s still my go-to sound when I need to get things done.

SPEAKING

Throat Coat Tea: For the past few months, I've been traversing North America for keynote speaking. The dry air on airplanes and hotels and in the climates left my voice sounding like I had a daily smoking habit. To combat this, I always carry “Throat Coat” tea. I drink it about 30 – 45 min before I speak. This helps keep my throat warm and my voice strong.

USB: The day before a keynote, a tech rehearsal is usually conducted. During these, I meet the AV team, get mic’d up, get on stage, and click through slides. I always have a copy of my presentation on a USB drive. AV Teams are often separate from the group you are speaking for, and they may not have received your content. Sometimes formatting issues show up as content is loaded onto the show machine. I’ve been saved many times by having my presentation on a USB drive!

Business cards: I always carry a few business cards made of heavy card stock. Not for networking, but for lapel mics. They often flop forward, particularly when clipped to a garment that doesn't have enough structure to it. Put the business card on the underside of the fabric and clip and it sits perfectly.

One-Page Outline: As I prepare my keynotes, I create a one-page outline of my talk. It includes phrases and key ideas to land in each section. I carry it with me and frequently review it on flights as I run through my talk. The act of creating the outline helps me cement the flow and ideas in my head.

Chapstick: The dry air that creates throat irritation also dries out your lips. It’s incredibly difficult to speak when your mouth and lips are dry. I carry ChapStick and put some on 15 minutes before I take the stage.

Breath mints: When you feel nervous, your mouth can become dry and feel like you are speaking through cotton balls. Five minutes before I go onstage, I pop a mint. It not only helps ensure I have moisture, but it also makes me feel like I’ve just brushed my teeth and am ready to do big things.

Do you have a favorite tool??Please reply and tell me about it!

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