Do you ever wonder how some business leaders are so productive? They are incredibly busy, yet accomplish what they want in less time than many others. As a Professional Organizer, I’m lucky to meet many inspiring individuals who fall into this illustrious category. In this Productivity Pointers from Productive People segment, I am pleased to interview Rebecca Bollwitt, co-founder of sixty4media to learn what makes her organized and successful.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to staying organized?
I try not to let things fall through the cracks, such as time-sensitive emails.
How do you define work-life balance?
It’s hard when you work from home, but I make it my goal to disconnect as much as possible on the weekends. This means not opening the laptop or logging onto my computer. Things have changed since I got an iPhone, though.
Can you think of a time when being organized helped you seize an opportunity?
Usually, it’s a matter of catching online conversations at the right time. If I notice something on Twitter and follow up right away, it can lead to a business connection, a contract, or a larger conversation.
How important are deadlines?
Deadlines help keep me organized, although I do tend to leave things last-minute. The rush helps me focus.
How do you manage and organize yourself on your computer or online?
I would be nowhere without Gmail or Google Calendar. Gmail sorts my incoming email into folders (labels) so I can immediately see where the communications are coming from. I also manage all appointments, meetings and speaking engagements on Google Calendar. I have a calendar for business, personal, and one that I share with my husband for family events.
Do you use paper or a digital organizer, and why?
My iPhone helps me run a business from my home or anywhere else. We’re also a Mac-only home office so we had to go Apple with our communications. Favourite apps include the Google App (of course, see my previous response) as well as Tweetie for Twitter. Since I cannot be blogging all the time, posting images and updates on Twitter helps keep the content flowing.
Learn more about Rebecca Bollwitt. Read more productivity pointers from productive people.
