At our mastermind retreat in January, my friend Beth of Local Milk joked that she got hooked on my content from the productivity freebie tips—not the writing tips (‘splains it, because girl is a KILLER writer … please read her blog!). I feel like studying productivity and self-management is my business side hustle. It’s endlessly fascinating for me to learn how our brains click and file information.
And …
… I thought about you this morning.
See, I was pilfering through my email inboxing, chopping out the riff-raff, and realized my really strong feelings for a few of the opt-in freebies I’ve grabbed the past year.
I’m not talking about productivity apps. (But here’s a blog where I wrote about those)
I’m not talking about productivity software.
I’m not talking about productivity books.
Though I love that stuff, aaaand because you asked [right?] here are some links!
- Click here to read 8 Productivity Apps So You Can Make the Most of Your Time
- Click here to read 62 Creative Biz Resources I Used in Year One.
- Click here to get my book recommendations list.
I’m talking about things that are worth paying for with your email address.
You see, one of the free courses I opted in for taught me email inbox ninja tricks that are essentially Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby-worthy.
I mean, some marvelous little gems exist out there, just waiting for you to give them your email address if you’re willing.
Today, I wanna retro-report on the 4 best free opt-in downloads I got in my first year of business that I STILL use at this point. Hopefully, these will preemptively help you get your business to Kate Middleton-style productivity poise.
(I jest. Business put-togetherness is a unicorn, but these can probably inch you a lil’ mo’ closer.)
Let’s do it! And side note: I have a goose-egg affiliation with these. I don’t even know most of them. I just appreciated their freebie (maybe I should tell them that). And they shouldn’t be free.
Don’t forget your freebie time tracker download!
Gmail School
Creator: Val Geisler
Cost: Nada
Yes and Y A S. If I were reduced to pre-Gmail School life, you wouldn’t know me. I’d be grappling for your hand to grab mine and pull me out of a sea of unfiled emails.
This week-long training teaches you Gmail hacks to start filing and sorting, and gives nerdy video trainings on things like how to use that “Filter Messages Like This” button so all your emails go to certain folders and YOU NEVER EVEN SEE THEM unless you go there. Black magic, I tell you.
Click here to try Gmail School
The Chalkboard Method
Creator: Being Boss
Cost: Zero
Are you tired of me talking about this yet? Can’t stop, won’t stop. This podcast and download TRANSFORMED client bookings for me.
Tracking bookings could live in one of two places: On a spreadsheet tucked in my GoogleDrive, or on a spreadsheet and also on a chalkboard that sits next to my face and stares at me all day reminding me of the things I need to track in my business (aka the reason I’m working).
I vote the latter.
Click here to try the Chalkboard Method (listen to the podcast first, then download the freebie).
This File Organization Training
Creator: Megan Minns
Cost: Nothing
Megan Minns teachings touch my heartstrings, and this little video and accompanying download helped me re-org my Google Drive in an afternoon. So much beauty commenced that my new VA I brought on for some one-off work remarked that files looked “like I had a pretty good system started.”
She pretty much shows you how to do it in this video, but I’d click the link below if I were you and grab her cheatsheet … it just makes it easier!
Cheers!
Click here to try her Google Drive/file organization training.
The #EmailNinja How-to Training
Creator: Nancy Ray
Cost: Still nothing
Nancy, if you’re out there, I’m so sorry and I promise despite it all, I don’t have your face on my iPhone background even though it probably seems like I do. I just learn reams of intel from your internet wanderings.
This PDF taught me an email hat trick so simple that I thought, “Ashlyn. You should have known this. Come. On.” But here’s the thing. I didn’t. Since I read this 4 months ago, I’ve never approached my inbox — or wasted so much time there — the same again.
Click here to get Nancy Ray’s Email Ninja training.
And there you have it. 5 freebies that shouldn’t be free — I hope you find these helpful!
Want more? One of my BIGGEST productivity tips is to track your time. Here’s a quick how-to on it:
If that got you hooked, click below to grab your freebie time tracker! Tell me below—what are some of the BEST tools that were worth your email address?
Reading Time: 4 Minutes
Today, I wanna retro-report on the 4 best free downloads I got in my first year of business — almost there! — and hopefully preemptively help you get your business to Kate Middleton-style poise.
(I jest. Business put-togetherness is a unicorn, but these can probably inch you a lil’ mo’ closer.)