TPS#11 How I Build Systems that 10x my Productivity

Read Time: 5 mins.

Welcome Back, Solopreneurs. 

Hunter, here. 

A warm welcome to the 71 new subscribers in today's issue. You guys are absolute legends. 

Simply put:

Systems are what separate losers and winners. 

I'm sorry to say (at least for me), unless you have a system for managing your life...

It gets quite easy to fall behind.

"You don't rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems." –James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits

Believe me. I know the feeling:

• New work responsibilities• School assignments stacking up• New content to write each week• New products and services to launch• My dedicated Twitter community to engage with

(Not to mention trying to have a social life)

I'll stop there, but the list goes on, and it only gets more stressful. 

Before creating systems to help regain my time, I was the biggest procrastinator. I couldn't stand to do anything because I felt like everything was a mess. And untangling that mess gets more complex the more time passes. 

Unfortunately, many people never get to untangling their mess. 

This is why I wanted to show you how I create systems to 10x my productivity. 

So, let's dive in. 

Step 1: Identifying an Area you are Lacking

The first step to solving any problem or building any system is knowing what areas of your life you could improve. 

For me, I notice when I want to build a system when I don't feel like doing a specific task. 

I run through the checklist of:

•Can I automate?•Can I delegate?•Can I skip?

If I can't do any of those and I am forced to do it anyways, I systemize it. 

For example:

I am starting a podcast with one of my best friends. We are working on our content pillars and everything that has to do with launching. 

But before we recorded our first episode, we needed an outline.

I knew this process would be repetitive, along with the editing, scheduling, and research, so I systemized it. 

I personally use Notion to build out all of my systems. But there are a TON of great productivity tools out there, such as:

• Rome• Obsidian• Google Drive• Microsoft One Drive

Step 2: Build out the System

Easier than done, I know. Most get frustrated with whatever platform they are using to build their system and stop before they finish. 

I use Notion because I know the software well, but the part is you can use whatever is best for you. 

There are no wrong answers here. 

In the end, simplicity always wins, so build something that saves you time. That's the end goal in the first place. 

The best way I know to start building a system that saves time from scratch is to follow this checklist:

• What are your problems and goals?• What are systems that already exist?• In an ideal world, how would this system save me time?

I run through these questions while I'm building my systems out. 

My overall goal with any system:

1. Save time

2. Save energy

If you can do that, then your system is gold. 

It doesn't have to be complicated and complex. (That's just what people do when their obsessed with Notion like me) 

It's easy to go down the rabbit hole of building the system and getting so stuck that you never even do the task at hand. 

Don't be that person. 

Systems are meant to help you reach your goals, not take time away from them. 

Step 3: Reflect & Improve your System

This step is the easiest but also the most critical. 

Every week, I do a "systems Sunday check," an Idea I got from Ben Meer @SystemSunday on Twitter. (Definitely worth a follow)

Essentially: 

You take time each week to audit your time and reflect on how your systems saved you time. You'll notice each week where there are inefficiencies, so improve the system accordingly. 

If you don't know how:

I think that investment in learning how to operate the software (like Notion) is ultimately an investment in yourself. 

All said and done, improving my systems each week has skyrocketed my productivity and is exactly how I am able to manage so many moving parts at once. 

It's not a superpower. I wasn't born organized. I learned. 

It's a skill, one that you can learn. 

I run 2 newsletters, work and go to school full-time, write daily content & articles, build new products, and manage clients. 

Never in a million years did I think I could do all of this at once until I started utilizing systems. 

What systems are you going to build first?

I can't wait to hear about them. 

See you next Saturday. 

PS: Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

1. Apply to my Personal Branding Consultant service. (I am only taking on 5 clients) Spots are limited.

2. Start optimizing your workflow with my custom-built system for Entrepreneurs. –––"The Entrepreneurs Action Pack" (Use code "Legends" for 50% off)