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Issue No. 146: 10 BEST Productivity Tips for Google Docs!
Is 'Purpose' what's really missing from your productivity toolkit?
Jenae Spry
January 10, 2025
In partnership with
Productivity Express
Issue No. 146
The Best in Evidenced-Based Productivity
for Small Business Owners, Freelancers & Founders
Helping You Work Smarter and Live More
The Rundown
The Power of Purpose
How to Use Your Introversion to Make You a Better Leader
How I wrote a book in 15 minutes a day
10 BEST Productivity Tips for Google Docs!
I Used ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode. It’s Fun, and Just a Bit Creepy
Add this book to your reading list
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🔥Quote/Prompt
With every rising of the sun think of your life as just begun.
Use the quote as a writing or thinking prompt to finish your week strong.
A bit from mine:
(posted in our Doer Entrepreneurs Free Community — off social media)
Just a few days ago was New Years Day. People often make New Years resolutions. I make it a point to NOT make them. I think that this type of thinking sets us up for failure. Why? Let me explain.
This concept that a new beginning only occurs on Mondays or New Years or whatever, puts too much pressure on these external (and honestly random) days/periods and too little […]
Did someone forward this to you?
📈 Performance
Let’s be honest, ALL humans prefer instant gratification. It is hard to put in incremental efforts for a reward we don’t see until much later. But part of our ability to continue to do this without seeing the reward…yet is motivation and in this article the author talks about intensely focusing on your why. What if the key to staying focused isn't about better time management or productivity hacks - it's about having a crystal clear "why" behind everything you do? This article from Psychology Today reveals how purpose doesn't just make us feel better - it actually rewires our brain for resilience and sustained motivation..
Studies have consistently shown that individuals with a strong sense of purpose experience lower levels of anxiety and depression, higher resilience to stress, and better performance under pressure. This resilience stems from having a clear "why" that acts as an anchor during challenging times.
Key Insights:
Purpose acts as a natural filter for decision-making. When you know your core mission, it becomes easier to say no to opportunities that don't align.
A strong sense of purpose reduces decision fatigue by providing clear criteria for choices.
The amygdala's fear response - which often triggers procrastination - is significantly reduced when we're acting in alignment with our purpose. Purpose-driven entrepreneurs report pushing through challenges that previously would have stopped them.
Read the full article for a 6-step framework to discover your purpose and practical exercises to align your business decisions with your core mission.
⚙️ Optimization
If you've ever felt like being an introvert was holding you back as a business owner, here's a perspective shift that might change everything. While conventional wisdom often celebrates extrovert leaders, this article shows that introverted leadership styles can actually create stronger teams and more innovative solutions - when you know how to leverage your natural strengths.
One of the key advantages introverts bring to leadership is their natural ability to listen deeply and process information thoroughly before making decisions. This thoughtful approach often leads to more carefully considered strategies and solutions that might be missed with a more rapid-fire leadership style.
Key Insights:
Introverted leaders excel at one-on-one connections and build deeper individual relationships with team members rather than focusing on group dynamics.
Their tendency to process internally leads to more innovative problem-solving, taking time to analyze situations fully rather than jumping to quick solutions.
Introvert leaders create more autonomous teams. Their hands-off approach often empowers employees to develop their own solutions rather than becoming dependent on constant direction.
Read the full article for a complete framework on turning your introversion into your greatest leadership asset, including specific strategies for handling meetings, networking, and team communication.
⏲️ Time Management
Think you need huge blocks of uninterrupted time to make progress on your biggest goals? This approach suggests otherwise. When novelist Julia Dahl found herself struggling to write with a new baby, she discovered that 15 focused minutes could achieve more than hours of unfocused time.
There is nothing magic about 15 minutes—and yet there is. We all waste 15 minutes every day scrolling on our phones. And in 15 minutes, if you can write 100 words, you can have a full-length draft of a novel in two years. You'll also probably start enjoying those 15 minutes; what you accomplished will help carry you through the day.
Key Insights:
Small time blocks compound dramatically when used consistently. For example, 100 words per day for two years equals a 73,000-word manuscript.
Focused sprints eliminate the resistance of long commitments. Try turning off WiFi and setting a 15-minute timer creates a clean mental space for work.
Daily engagement keeps projects alive in your subconscious. Even brief daily sessions mean your brain continues processing and problem-solving between sessions.
Read the full article for step-by-step instructions on identifying your optimal 15-minute window, eliminating distractions, and tracking progress over time.
💻 Tools & Technology
Google Docs is awesome. How did we live without it? 🙂 But I learned so many new things in this video that I have absolutely been missing out on! Fortunately, the creator was kind enough to timestamp his video so here they are linked:
00:00 Top 10 Google Doc Tips for Productivity
00:11 Use Building Blocks to Save Time
02:09 Enable Pageless Mode in Google Docs
04:02 Set Default Fonts in Google Docs
06:34 Link to Headings and Comments
07:20 Preview Suggested Edits
08:58 Compose Email from Google Docs
10:41 Email as PDF Shortcut
11:29 Tips and Tricks for Tables
12:31 Quality of Life Features in Google Docs
🤖 AI
Think AI assistants are just chatbots? Get ready for a major shift in how we interact with technology. This article breaks down how 2025 will mark the transition from AI tools to AI abilities - where intelligent agents become more like an extension of our own capabilities rather than external software we have to manage.
The difference between a tool and an ability is subtle yet profound. We use tools as external artifacts that help us overcome our organic limitations. Abilities are different - we experience them in the first person as self-embodied capabilities that feel internal and instantly accessible to our conscious minds.
Key Insights:
Context-aware AI will function more like an intuitive capability than a separate tool. Instead of searching for store hours on your phone, you'll simply wonder to yourself “I wonder when it opens”? and a voice will instantly let you know, “10:30 AM”.
The technology will evolve from voice to more natural interfaces. By 2030, simple head nods and lip movements may replace verbal commands.
Major tech companies are already positioning for this shift. Meta and Google are developing AI-powered glasses that can see and understand your environment.
Read the full article for a detailed breakdown of the three stages of AI ability development coming between 2025-2035, and important considerations around privacy, security and ethical implementation.
👀 Read, Watch, Listen
This week’s awesome books, YouTube videos, newsletters, etc. to add to your list!
"Building a StoryBrand" by Donald Miller presents a proven system for effective marketing communication. Miller argues that businesses often struggle to connect with customers due to unclear messaging, resulting in lost revenue. The book introduces the StoryBrand process, which applies seven universal elements of storytelling to marketing. This approach helps businesses create a clear, compelling message that resonates with customers, ultimately improving engagement and sales. Miller teaches readers how to simplify their brand message, understand customer motivations, and create effective content for various platforms. The book promises to transform how businesses communicate their value, regardless of industry or company size.
🎉 Celebration Corner
Every week Doers Inner Circle members do a weekly review & get help when they need it — check out the progress they made this week!
I met my work goals and assessed why the project scope changed.
Got a lot figured out.
Did all of the emails planned this week.
I had my first [business] call with my new client and it went well.
What did you do this week? We feature non-member successes too. Just post them here!
🔒Inner Circle: Events & Announcements
Bash Winner Announcement: Check out who won HERE!
Monday: Doers IC Mastermind RSVP here
Monday: {EU Time} Work ON Business. Theme: 3️⃣ Sales & Marketing RSVP here
Tuesday: Work ON Business. Theme: 3️⃣ Sales & Marketing RSVP here
Monday/Friday: Goal Setting + Plan Your Week Party
Accelerators: Jan 17 is your Monthly Goal Setting Workshop RSVP here
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As a reminder, you’re getting this twice-weekly newsletter because you opted in to receive awesome productivity and systems tips through one of these methods:
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If you’re not interested in improving your and your business’s productivity so you’d like to break up, that’s definitely a bummer. But, you can always use the unsubscribe link at the bottom if you do not want to get these tips — but keep in mind I am hyper-focused on making these twice-weekly emails as valuable as possible.
Got a tip? Hit reply!
I hope you found this valuable!
Wishing you much productivity!
- Jenae :)
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