Just extend your current Nozbe plan or upgrade to the new Nozbe Solo, Duo, Small Business or Business account for a full year, and you'll get 3 extra months of Nozbe and bonus resources.
That's right - by taking advantage of our Spring offer, you'll extend your account by 15 months and get free templates that will help you:
May the holiday season bring you peace of heart and give you strength and energy for the upcoming year. May the time spent with your family be full of love and appreciation.
I hope you managed to achieve what you planned for this passing year, as well as learned some new things about productivity and what actually works for you. We are all keeping our fingers crossed that your end-of-year review goes well and you set some fantastic (and S.M.A.R.T!) goals for 2018 :) (You might want to use our practical guide for this.)
Here at Nozbe, we know how busy you are, so before you're off to work, **again, let us wish you a happy holidays / merry Christmas / happy Chanukah... and a fantastic new year!
Thank you for being with us and reading the Nozbe blog in 2017! Let's make 2018 even better together!
Author: Michael, Nozbe Founder and CEO
]]>On Tuesday, November 21st, Michael shared his best tips when it comes to running a weekly review. We believe that if your review process is efficient, it will save you a week’s worth of stress. Watch the video and find out how to start performing a weekly review - and how to do it right!
You will also learn about our special transformation around Fridays. You will find out how Fridays unfold at Nozbe and hopefully get inspired to begin your own Friday revolution. :)
Watch the recording and see how to employ a weekly review that works.
Please note, that the webinar was conducted in English
If you liked this webinar you might also want to watch our previous sessions. Each one is a fantastic source of productivity-related advice. The guidelines we provide are not just useless theory - each webinar is full of practical tips & tricks based on our own experience.
Please stay tuned - we organize webinars regularly! Follow the Nozbe blog, Twitter and Facebook to get notified and be able to sign up for future sessions.
]]>If December usually equals being broke and angry, then this is a template for you! We have some easy principles and practical tips to make your Christmas calmer and cheaper.
Simply check out this template and see how to plan and buy Christmas gifts for your loved ones.
The secret to staying on top of your personal and professional lives is to schedule regular times for analysis and reflection. Weekly review, quarterly offsite... and an end-of-year review. Use this ready-to-use template to assess where you’ve come from and where you are heading next year.
One of the basic productivity rules is to do less but do it better, or in other words, don’t work more: work smarter. Reinventing the wheel is counterproductive. That's why Nozbe comes with a handy feature for recurring matters: project templates.
Learn how to create a practical template using Nozbe features. This is your step-by-step guide!
If you want us to publish your templates on our Nozbe.how website so that it can be used by other members of our productive community, let us know via social media or e-mail.
]]>We often find ourselves in a situation where we have a bunch of tasks categorized as priority that need to be done, but we're not exactly certain which of these tasks should be done first. Should we start with the most urgent ones? Or should we tackle the ones we've been postponing for the past week? Which things are more important than others, and what should truly be our priority at the moment?
Our users also seem to struggle with sorting out their priorities—and because of that, we receive many e-mails like these:
Hello Nozbe Team,
I've noticed that many of my tasks can be labeled as priority. However, this leaves me with a ton of priorities from different projects, and I'm not sure which of them I should start with. What can be done in order to make it easier?
Dear Nozbe,
I would like the ability to set different priority levels, such as top, high, medium, low. Can this be done?
At Nozbe, we believe in what Robert J. McKain once said: "The reason most goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first." Sometimes we focus on doing things that seem to be urgent, even though we should take care of what's important. Because of that, you need to decide which tasks are more important than others.
Let's say that your spouse is calling you for dinner for the third time in a row now, but on your way to the kitchen you notice a faint smell of gas near your water heater. You prioritize: you know that a potential gas leak is way more important than food, and that's why you choose to take care of it immediately (although you're starting to get pretty hungry).
Although gas leaks don't often fall into our priority lists (hopefully!), there are some priority tasks that we should identify as more important than others. You need to ask yourself a few questions: how important is that task in comparison to other ones? What consequences will there be if you postpone such a task? Is that task truly important or rather trivial? Are you stopping someone else's work by delaying the completion of that task?
A solution that may help you in this situation is weighting tasks according to their significance. Most people choose between three, four and five different priority levels, but of course you can extend that number or simply use just two levels.
But how can such levels be set in tasks? Well, that's pretty simple: just create appropriate categories and assign them to your tasks (e.g., during your weekly review). You can name these categories several different ways: "1," "2," "3," "4"; "Urgent," "Medium," "Low"; "Most important," "Less important," etc. Choose the names that will help you get to know the task's priority level at a glance.
Pro-tip: remember that you can customize your categories using colors and icons. For example, the category you assign to your most important tasks can be set to red with an exclamation mark as its icon; set the yellow color and the timer icon to a category that binds less important tasks; and choose green with the coffee cup icon for a category used to group the least important tasks, etc.
Here's an example of a priority list with tasks that have different priority levels:
As you can see, we manually sorted our priority list so that the urgent tasks show up on the top, medium-priority show in the middle, and low-priority ones are on the bottom. Thanks to this setting, we know which tasks have to be done as soon as possible.
Pro-tip: if at some point you'd like to focus on the most important priorities only, you can easily filter your priority list by a category. To do that, simply click on the circled "i" icon in the upper-right corner of the app, choose "Filter," and select the category you've assigned to your most important tasks from the list.
And remember—don't fall into the trap of due dates. Some people believe that the key to productivity is assigning a specific period of time for the realization of any task. This method quickly becomes ineffective—you spend a lot of time on assigning (often rough) due dates to all of your tasks, then end up with tons of them in your priorities. That's no way to go.
Not all tasks are truly important; most of them don't need to have a deadline assigned. In his guest blogpost, "Incredibly simple guide to prioritizing your day," Chad Garrett shares his knowledge, tips, and tricks on prioritizing your tasks for the day using priority levels. Curious? Check it out today and become a prioritizing ninja!
You might also want to check other related articles on the Nozbe blog:
Where can you find more answers?
Visit our help page for more information on:
You can also check out other interesting articles and descriptions, for example, how to decide what needs to be done next or why you should tackle greater challenges earlier in the day. For advanced users, there's a blogpost on how the Eisenhower Matrix can help you process your tasks. Just have a look—you’ll find many useful and inspiring articles about productivity here.
You can also check out our Nozbe.how templates if you want to learn more about Nozbe.
And if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! You can always contact us—Nozbe Customer Support—with any questions or suggestions you might have. We're here to help. :-)
Written by Ola - Customer Support Officer
]]>Tell us about yourself and the expectations you have. We will then be able to adjust the contents on our blog to your real needs and not just write about what fascinates us.
To make the whole thing easier, we've prepared a mini-questionnaire with only a few closed-ended questions. Your answers will be a precious source of information that will guide us while producing future content.
Click HERE, answer a couple of simple questions and give us a chance to improve.
Thank you!
]]>Sixty years ago, the concept of late night (11:00 p.m.) news was unknown. People went to bed at 9:30 or 10:00. Once people began staying up for the late news, the networks began running late night talk shows. As a result, the entire population is staying up later than the previous generation.
Why not go to bed earlier, and wake up an hour earlier? In that extra hour, you can watch the sun rise, meditate, do some exercises, or go to work before traffic gets bad. The activities you undertake in that early hour can affect your perspective on the whole day. To get a fresh perspective, shake up your routine and get up earlier!
When you change your venue and the scenery, you open up new vistas. Alternatively, work under a tree or on the terrace of a local coffee shop during nice weather. Being outdoors opens up a way of viewing things that you cannot get in the office. When working in a natural, tranquil setting, you’ll gain peace of mind in your otherwise hectic work routine. Do this for some of your tasks (especially tasks that require conceptualization or creative thinking, like your weekly review), and you'll be more productive than ever before.
Begin to identify the places in your life that are welcome retreats to go and work whether they be a library, or even simply sitting in your car in a shopping center parking lot. When you change where you're working, you can benefit quickly.
Postpone tearing through all your mail. Most things are not so urgent that you need to attend to them each day. We often tend to place an unnecessary immediacy upon our lives.
Think of it as if you were on vacation and unable to be reached for a couple of days. You don’t have to respond immediately to every call. When you hold your calls for a few hours – or a day – you open up time to get things done in a way that is impossible when you are preoccupied with answering calls. Work surveys show that the primary disruption and time-waster of the workday is the telephone.
Of course, you don’t want to be inaccessible all of the time, but you can coach those who might call you. Leave a message on your answering system or with your receptionist, for example, saying that you’ll be inaccessible for two days, or until 3:00, or whenever. Thus, you are directing them politely and professionally in a manner that benefits both you and your callers; you will gain a brief respite and they will know when to reach you.
You might want to use a "phone" category in Nozbe when processing all the unanswered calls later on.
The Pareto Principle (the "80/20" rule) states that 80 percent of your activities contribute to only 20 percent of your results. The remaining 20 percent of your activities contribute to the other 80 percent of your results. Take a hardware store for example: about 20 percent of its stock accounts for 80 percent of the revenues; the remaining 80 percent of the stock accounts for only 20 percent of the revenues.
The key to successful retailing is identifying the 20 percent producing the bulk of the revenues. A smart store manager knows to place that 20 percent where it is most accessible, and to put the rest where, though it can be reached, it is out of the immediate way. Identify which activities in your work (and personal life) support you, and are bringing you the best results. Have the strength to abandon those activities that are not benefitting you – get rid of that unproductive 80 percent.
Have you ever gone to lunch with a colleague and begun discussing ways to approach your work more effectively? After a few minutes, you both are deep into the conversation, generating all sorts of great ideas. Then, when the waiter takes your order or brings your check, what occurs? The conversation dies down.
When you both go back to work, those ideas are often forgotten or put on a back burner. If you consciously schedule a meeting for the sole purpose of letting the creative sparks fly, you'll grab control of your time, and have some of the most productive sessions you've ever had.
When you come in contact with other people, you're exposed to whole new worlds – their worlds. When you interact with another person, you get the benefit of his/her information, in addition to your own.
Always be on the lookout for other ways to shake up your routine for the insights and breakthroughs that might result – every day and every moment holds great potential.
Author: Jeff Davidson - "The Work-Life Balance Expert®" and the premier thought leader on work-life balance issues. He works with organizations that seek to enhance their overall productivity by improving the work-life balance of their people. He wrote Breathing Space, Simpler Living, and Dial it Down, Live it Up. Visit BreathingSpace.com or call 919-932-1996 for more information on Jeff's keynote speeches and seminars, including:
People are born with an instinctive stress response. When a potentially dangerous situation comes up, stress hormones are released into the bloodstream.
What happens then? These hormones induce mental and physical reactions - we are scared, but at the same time, we feel pumped-up and ready to fight.
...today, instead of using our stress hormones in emergencies only, we activate them all the time: when we are running late, worried about missing a deadline or even just having a technical problem with a smartphone.
Because of this, we stay "pumped-up and ready to fight" way too often, and our bodies don't get enough time to relax and calm down.
The effect? Well, apart from "being stressed,” we are also aggressive, moody, hysterical and regularly losing our tempers. We are each a ticking time bomb with a human face.
Sounds familiar?
First, let's identify the situations that place us into that instinctive "fight or flight" state.
Of course, it often happens when we have to step outside of our comfort zone or when we deal with powerful predators (usually aggressive, scary or simply more powerful people). Granted, there is not much we can do about that.
But what about other stressful situations? Don't you think we often get stressed when we know we are doing something that is not right? And it's not about stealing or hurting someone. Often, it’s about breaking down some standards/rules and not meeting expectations, whether they are others’ or your own.
You might feel stressed when you do poor quality work. Everyone, including your boss and yourself, knows you could do better...
Example: John is really stressed about his presentation. But... did he start preparing it early enough? Did he do his research thoroughly? Did he use quality images? Did he learn the features of the software he will be using when presenting? Did he read the presentation twice to eliminate all the mistakes and rehearse? Let's be honest: if he did, the chances are he wouldn't be too stressed.
Solution: When you do something, just give it your best. Be focused on the here and now. Eliminate distractions, be prepared, read extra literature on the subject and have the reference material ready. If you have any difficulties, ask for help from someone in the field. Be serious about your work.
Understandably, you might feel stressed when you presume people are judging and criticizing you.
Example: Amanda works for a marketing department, and she is in a hurry to get to the meeting with her team. She has just sent out a newsletter to 10,000 customers. She is stressed, as she knows she wasn't focused enough while preparing, editing, and formatting the message. Her colleagues always read and comment on the company newsletters. Perhaps they will find a mistake, and their criticism will be absolutely justified.
Solution: This is related to the previous point. If you did the job quickly and carelessly, you are in a bad position. If you are sure you did your best and used all of your skills and energy, you shouldn't be worried. Just stay open to feedback.
To avoid stressful situations, be honest with yourself. Try to make sure you only accept tasks you can get done - meaning, ensure that you have the skills and the time to complete the job. If you are overwhelmed with work and don't have time, admit it and inform your manager. Once you start a task, you need to make sure that you do your best, you are extremely focused, and you have the reference material and the time. If the tasks that you receive seem too difficult for you, maybe it's time to talk to your boss or re-think your professional path.
You feel stressed when you say or do things that can hurt others, drive them mad or irritate them.
Example: Andrew lives with his parents. He promised to pay the electricity bills each month. He got into financial trouble and didn't pay two months in a row. Now, he needs to tell his parents, and this is stressing him out. Would he be stressed if he spent less money on Black Friday deals or paid the last month’s bill instead of going on a trip with his friends?
Solution: Respect others, learn to admit your mistakes, and once again, whatever you do, give it your best. Every relationship needs honesty as well as maximal involvement of both "parties.” To avoid conflicts and difficult situations, be reasonable, stay focused and anticipate future outcomes. If you make a promise or commit to a responsibility, try to eliminate all possible hindrances.
Jenny is going to be late for work. Again, let's be honest - perhaps if she got up earlier, she wouldn't be late. If she prepared her clothes last evening, she wouldn't have to spend 10 minutes deciding what to wear today, etc.
George is at the meeting with his team. His boss seems to be disappointed, as George isn't contributing to the discussion. George could share a significant opinion on the discussed topic and suggest a cool solution - but he won't. Why? Is he focused? Is he present, or he is thinking about something else or checking Facebook on his phone?
Blake is stressed, as he is having trouble paying his bills. But does he manage his budget and review it regularly? Does he note the most important expenses and plan his expenses rationally? If he did, perhaps he would be able to pay the majority of his liabilities.
None of us is almighty, but our stress levels could radically decrease if we make sure we focus on the present, stay reasonable and just do our best.
Author: Magda of the Nozbe marketing team
]]>Optimizing your day for Deep Work. Or, what to do to make highly productive, deeply focused work possible (and likely).
More mobile life & iOS automation talk:
Part 2 of the discussion on learning languages:
or watch it if you like:
The story of how Michael and Radek learned English, German, and other languages. Michael's way was to watch lots of movies and sing lots of songs. Meanwhile, Radek plugs in historical spaced repetition learning data from his very first magic spreadsheet (again!).
After a few months of heavy iPad use, Radek admits: despite its (obvious) flaws and limitations, iPad Pro is a surprisingly good computer.
There's still ways to go, but with some determination and a shift in mindset, there are very few things you can't do on an iPad.
We live very distracted lives and most of our working days are filled with shallow tasks and interruptions. In this age when more and more jobs are being automated, we can get a competitive edge if we get good at performing deep work — important work at high levels of attention.
Unfortunately, our environments don’t support it, and shallow work is just easier. Michael and Radek discuss the topic — ideas, and strategies from the book "Deep Work" in achieving a more productive work life.
We hope you've enjoyed this month's episodes of "The Podcast" - please let us know how you like it and what you'd want Michael and Radek to talk about in the future! You can use the comments section below.
If you rate The Podcast on iTunes, Michael & Radek might give you a shout-out on air! :-)
You can listen on The Podcast web site or subscribe via iTunes or RSS.
]]>Michael, the CEO of Nozbe, employs this method in his work. He usually draws mind maps on a huge white board in his home office. I, too, have started creating mind maps to better understand and remember the books I have read. Try mind mapping for yourself. Learn how to do it right, and see in what different aspects of your life it might come useful.
Simply check out this step-by-step template and learn how to create mind maps in order to boost your efficiency.
You know the feeling when you see something beautiful or extraordinary and take a photo of it to save that special moment and then... you realize that your photo is really bad and doesn't reflect the ambiance and beauty of the original whatsoever? If so...
One of the basic productivity rules is to do less but do it better, or in other words, don’t work more: work smarter. Reinventing the wheel is counterproductive. That's why Nozbe comes with a handy feature for recurring matters: project templates.
Learn how to create a practical template using Nozbe features. This is your step-by-step guide!
If you want us to publish your templates on our Nozbe.how website so that it can be used by other members of our productive community, let us know via social media or e-mail.
]]>