We all have the same 24 hours in the day. So why do some people get twice as much done? It’s rarely about working harder or sleeping less. The difference usually comes down to the systems they have in place. If you are constantly fighting with your software, searching for lost notes, or doing manual data entry, you are grinding unnecessarily.
In this episode, we opened up our toolkit to show you exactly what we use to streamline our workflows, organize our brains, and reclaim our time.
The Digital Headquarters
If you don't have a central operating system for your business, you are likely operating in chaos. For me, that foundation is Notion. It is an all-in-one workspace that organizes information, ideas, and projects. You can build tables, graphs, and even publish pages as websites to share with others. It allows you to create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and organize your entire life in one place.
When it comes to output, specifically presentations, we have moved past the days of agonizing over PowerPoint slides. I use Gamma, an AI-powered tool that builds decks for you. As founders and advisors, our core job is the messaging, not the graphic design. Gamma allows us to focus on the substance while it handles the "pretty" part, saving us hours of formatting time before big meetings.
The Art of Disconnected Focus
In a world of constant notifications, sometimes the best productivity tool is the one that disconnects you. We are big fans of the reMarkable tablet. Unlike an iPad, which is a gateway to YouTube and email distractions, the Remarkable is strictly for writing. It gives you the tactile feel of pen on paper which helps with memory and thinking but digitizes everything so it syncs to the cloud.
This solves the "drawer full of notebooks" problem. You can have all your notes from the past year accessible on your phone via the cloud, without having to carry physical books. It allows you to do deep work without the temptation of the internet.
The Battle of Ecosystems: Microsoft vs. Google vs. Apple
Choosing your digital environment is a strategic decision.
The Microsoft 365 Route: For established businesses, this offers incredible value beyond just Word and Excel, you get enterprise-grade security, device management (MDM), and tools like SharePoint and Power BI. The integration of Co-pilot (their AI) means it can read your internal files to help you work, keeping your data secure within your tenant.
The Google Workspace Route: This is often the go-to for startups due to its ease of use and seamless integration. If you use Google Sites, Sheets, and Drive, everything talks to each other instantly. It's fantastic for collaboration and cloud-native teams.
The Apple Ecosystem: For personal workflow, the continuity between iPhone and Mac is unmatched. Being able to answer texts, WhatsApp messages, and emails all from one screen streamlines communication and prevents the "context switching" penalty of constantly picking up a phone.
The tool itself doesn't do the work, but the right tool removes the friction so you can. Whether it's using ChatGPT to stress-test your strategy or using a tablet to focus, the goal is to build a system that lets you go beyond the grind.
Watch the full episode at https://youtu.be/921tlr0YcQs.
P.S. SUBSCRIBE at https://www.youtube.com/@gobeyondthegrind
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