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 Kendra Sivertson, the founder of Perspektiv Financial Inc. to learn what makes her so organized and successful.
What are the biggest time wasters in your life? What do you do to manage them?
Email takes up a huge amount of time. So I try to check email only a few times a day and I call whenever I can to avoid the back and forth that often happens. Also, I used to commute. But now that I live within walking distance to work, it saves me hours a day and a lot of frustration. I use the extra time to exercise and meet with friends after work.
Tell us about your everyday “essentials” for business (e.g. smartphone, apps, virtual assistant? etc.).
I use my smartphone, computer, and a fast scanner. My real-life assistant is my biggest essential.
How do you manage and organize yourself electronically (online, smartphone, computer)?
We have our own server and a VPN. That way we can work from anywhere, at any time, and from almost any device. Everything works the same and everyone has access to the same information.
How do you organize and file your paper information?
We are paperless. We are still refining our digital system, but we use different drives to segment the different parts of the business.
What’s your top tip for staying organized & productive?
It’s important to have a structured schedule and try not to make too many exceptions. For example, Monday is “paper” work and emails, so I very rarely meet with clients on Mondays.
What do you do to achieve a work-life balance?
I have set times each week that are for me and my family. And I almost never break those times for work. People understand.
Learn more about Kendra Sivertson. Read more productivity pointers from productive people.
