What Life Looks Like as an Entrepreneur

As the CEO of Ethical Digital, Principal at LightLeaf Solar, and Mom of two wonderful boys (and one delightful cat), life can get a bit busy. I have to be very conscious with how I spend my time and organize my life. I’ve often been asked how I do it all and that’s a great question… sometimes I feel like I’m barely holding on (you know the feeling) and sometimes I feel like I’m the queen of efficiency. ;)

Here are some tech tips and habits that I use in my everyday life to make the magic happen: 

First, here are some of the tools my team at Ethical Digital and I rely upon on a daily basis. 

1. Slack
   We use the Slack app at Ethical Digital for everyday communication. We’re a virtual team, with team members completely online across Canada, so this messaging app is essential for sharing ideas, updating each other, and giving instruction.

2. ClickUp
   This platform is a huge part of keeping track of activities at Ethical Digital. We use it to assign tasks, track our time, and keep every piece of the business moving forward through this easy project management tool. I can also use it to make sure people aren’t overworked and adjust accordingly if they are. Because of this software, we don’t have the problem of tasks being overlooked or dropped.

3. Acuity Scheduling 
   This platform is great for scheduling meetings and removes the back and forth of trying to find a good time for both people. Of course I also have a great executive assistant who’s a whiz at keeping me scheduled, but sometimes when there are tons of people trying to find a time and coordinate calendars, this platform is a great option. 

I also lean on a lot of tech tools to keep my personal life organized and help encourage some healthy habits I’d like to have moving forward! 

1. Onrise: Habit Tracker & Focus 
   The point of this app is to keep you working productively and healthily. You can implement your own personal goals, but it works with the Pomodoro Technique: 5 minutes of break time for every 25 minutes of work. I’ve set some specific reminders, too, such as not eating past 8:00 pm and a daily flossing reminder. And I’m up to 10 pushups a day—no big deal. ;)

2. Spotify 
   Everyone knows that Spotify is a great music app with an exhaustive arsenal of playlists for every mood. I love being able to pick my playlists based on how I’m feeling! Oddly enough, I also enjoy the free version that includes the ads to keep an eye on what people are up to in this space (must be the marketer in me!).

3. Hotel Tonight 
   It’s been a while since I’ve had to use this particular app, but it’s great for when I have lots of travelling commitments in my schedule. I’m the kind of person who often ends up trying to plan trips a bit late (let’s call it spontaneity), so this app gives me the option to book accommodations last-minute, often with great discounts!

4. Noom 
   I go through phases of using this app, but anytime I’ve used it in the past, I’ve loved it! It’s a weight loss app that focuses on education and mindset, with the bonus of tracking capabilities and reminders.

5. Shutterfly
   This program takes photos you’ve chosen, organizes them, and formats them into a picture book that you can order. In our digital age and everything uploaded onto the internet, we’ve lost the tradition of physical copies of memories and photo albums like what I grew up with. This program is the perfect solution to that problem! I use it once a year and order a couple of copies, one for me and one for my mom to enjoy. 

Personal goals are so important to me, and I try to live a healthy work/life balance despite my busy work schedule. I have a couple of specific habits and recommendations that I put into action to try and achieve this in my life. 

1. Enjoying apps to help me relax 
   I have plenty of apps on my phone that are specifically business-related, so I like to have a couple that I can use to just relax and unwind. My favourite is Pinterest. I get to look through ideas and images and do things like plan my garden or home decor projects. I like to use apps like this to enjoy the internet—not just work on it.

2. Turning off my notifications
   I tailor my notifications to make sure that whenever I look at my phone, I’m not bombarded and overwhelmed by communications from multiple platforms. I like to keep most of my notifications off, which has gotten me into the habit of only checking notifications on certain platforms when I know I have the time and energy to dedicate to them. 

Hopefully this was helpful, but I’d love to hear your life hacks. Other entrepreneurs, bosses, and leaders: how do you manage your busy lives? Are there any special technology tips that you’d offer up?