“We are bringing productivity towards you.”

Welcome to the productivity corner! In the blog posts, we break down our top three productive podcasts that are sure to leave you feeling, well, productive. For more insight on how to feel productive, check out our other blog posts. Surely, you are aware of what podcasts are and how they are beneficial, so I will not waste another sentence explaining why they are great for productivity. Instead, I am going to blow your mind away with the three podcasts that will change the way you live your life. Here are our top three productive podcasts.

Getting Things Done

Hosted by David Allen, author of, “Getting Things Done,” (how original), uses his GTD system to help listeners achieve what he calls a “mind like water.” Among the various topics discussed: technology, creativity, and improving mental flow. What is GTD you might ask??

Well, “GTD is a personal productivity methodology that redefines how you approach life and work,” (Allen, 2019). GTD is compromised of five-steps: Capture, Clarify, Organize, Reflect, and Engage. To find out more what each step is comprised of, click here. Here are some episodes we suggest for first-time listeners:

Episode #40: Best Practices of Email Communication

We all know that checking emails is murder to our production levels. I didn’t check my email for a day, and I had 40 unread messages, and I’m sure there are others who have more! It’s madness! Okay, well, it’s not that bad, but you get the idea. In this episode, “Coach Kelly Forrister focuses on the best practices of email communications with others,” such as writing and using appropriate subject lines and messages, for the ultimate efficiency, and therefore productivity.

Episode #36: Overcoming Procrastination

In summation, this episode involves David Allen outlining the sources of procrastination and talks about the ways to overcome it. Definitely worth a listen, as this episode gauges the levels of procrastination and how they disturb the levels of productivity. GTD is a great podcast to listen to during lunch, as that is usually when productivity levels plateaus. GTD is on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, Soundcloud, and Libsyn.

Though GTD heavily promotes its content, it is still great content. Also known as efficient time management, GTD promotes the idea of recording planned tasks and projects. From recording the tasks, you break each task into actionable work items. Here at AirSend, we do the time management for you. We give you the ability to efficiently organize your tasks, create channels, and implement efficient communication. In essence, AirSend is the lifehack for the GTD system. On to the second podcast.

The 5 AM Miracle Podcast

Rated as the #2 Hottest Productivity Podcast by Inc. Magazine, the 5 AM Miracle Podcast is all about dominating your day before breakfast by developing powerful early-morning habits and rituals. Speaking of breakfast, you should also dominate the day with our top three breakfasts-on-the-go. You can eat while listening to this amazing podcast.

The 5 AM Miracle is a one-of-a-kind podcast that carries the duality of productivity and inspiration. For first time listeners, we recommend listening to the episode that defines the essence of productivity: The Castle I’m Building and Why You Need One Too. 

Episode #311: The Castle I’m Building and Why You Need One Too

Throughout the episode, Jeff Sanders, the host of The 5 AM Miracle, discusses the difference between a castle and an empire. From there he discusses the 10 components of a well-built castle:

  1. BluePrint for the ideal goal
  2. The belief that the end goal is possible and worth pursuing
  3. Alignment with your skills and interests with the castles requirements 
  4. Acknowledgment that takes years to complete
  5. Resources that you need today
  6. Implement a tracking system to monitor your progress 
  7. Network of educational materials to learn from 
  8. The willingness to evolve and change the plans as the castle is built 
  9. Willingness to start over and over again 
  10. Willingness to tear down the castle when the time has come

Think of your castle as your kanban or scrum board – effective for organization and production. Your castle is your comfort zone. Your comfort zone is where you peak at productivity. You can find this episode and more on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Overcasts. Onwards to out last productive podcast.

TED Radio Hour

To end on a surprising and exciting note, the TED Radio Hour podcast curates the best TED talks and puts them together in an episodic format. Though it’s a show about ‘anything,’ there is an underlying theme that connects all the stories.

Consider these episodic podcasts to be full of information that can pass by the time or a substitute for relaxing music while doing work. TED Radio Hour is one of the few productive podcasts that incorporate informational storytelling. For beginner listeners, try out this episode: Inspire to Action. There you have it, folks. These are the three productive podcasts we believe will prove beneficial to get you through the day.

AirSend is a versatile digital workspace to share files, send messages, and complete tasks. See how AirSend can help you here.


“None of that Granola stuff; I’m talking about full meals.”

Here at Airsend, we encourage our readers to have full and healthy breakfasts to start their day. After all, the mind cannot achieve wonderful things without sustenance. After researching and testing the perfect power breakfast, I have narrowed down the three most balanced meals. These power breakfasts are great for those who work 40-hours a week, go to school for what seems like 30-years of your life, or even for simply running errands. The point is, these three dishes are great for people who have busy lives and need something to push the productivity scale out of the water. Let’s dig in. 

Breakfast Burrito.

Three Vegan Breakfast Burritos wrapped in tin foil and displayed in a red basket

The Breakfast Burrito takes the first spot for one reason: it is a versatile breakfast! The recipe I decided to try out was a vegan breakfast burrito. Though I am not a vegan, I can take time to appreciate the scrumptious delight I received from this burrito. The best part about the breakfast burrito? Anything can go in a burrito! Meat, veggies, meat and veggies, even fruit! The breakfast burrito has all the qualities of a balanced meal. You have your protein, your veggies, your carbs, and you can pair a fruit smoothie with it.

The recipe I tried was perfect for on-the-go because it required little technique. Summed up, this recipe involved chopping and sautéing your vegetables, put it in a tortilla, and bam! You have your breakfast. With meat, I recommend waking a little extra early, so that way you have time to cook your meat just the way you like it. I also find it to be absolutely delectable if you saute your vegetables in the same pan after your meat. This allows for the full incorporation of unbelievable flavors. Vegan or Non-Vegan, doesn’t matter. The burrito is a well-balanced-versatile on-the-go breakfast. If you are now craving a breakfast burrito, click here to see the full recipe. 


Did Someone Say Pizza? Avocado and Egg Flatbread (Really, it’s a pizza)

Sunny side up egg with avocado spread on a whole wheat tortilla

Next up on our power menu, we have the Avacado and Egg Flatbread. Essentially a non-baked pizza. What I loved about this dish was the connection between simplicity and bold flavors. You have a plain avocado clashing with lime and salt and maybe a dash of cilantro (if you’re bold enough).  A little bit of acidity, some sweetness from the avocado, and a well-seasoned egg can go a long way. And of course, no matter what anybody says, everything goes great with carbs. I like to call it healthy-carbs. A whole-wheat tortilla is a way to add some finesse to your breakfast. And if you are feeling savvy, you can totally add some orange juice to your morning as well. The perfect citrus acidity combo with spiced avocado and egg. Also, bits of bacon also adds nice texture and saltiness to your pizza. Never underestimate bacon on a pizza. 

Peanut Butter Banana Quesadilla 

Jar of peanut butter surrounded by peanuts

Finally, the Peanut Butter Banana Quesadilla. Personally, I found the peanut butter to be a bit muted in flavor with my wheat tortilla, so instead, I substituted for honey. I basically made a sopapilla or bunelo. The original recipe called for bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. Which all together sounds great. However, with my version, I took a flour tortilla, smeared honey, put some bananas, cinnamon, brown sugar, and drizzled some extra honey. Then, like every quesadilla, you fold it, put it in a pan and just brown it. I then topped it off with cinnamon.

Now, not everyone has the sweet tooth of a 10-year-old, so I do recommend making a healthy and balanced sweet quesadilla, or even a savory one is perfect as well. Perhaps, some egg, spinach, and ham? Or tofu, bell peppers, and red onions? Much like the burrito, you can do whatever you want with this dish. 

There you have it. These are the top three on-the-go power breakfasts that will definitely leave you feeling energized and ready to conquer the day. For more power breakfasts ideas, click here.

AirSend helps on-the-go professionals create a versatile digital workspace to share files, send messages, and complete tasks with clients. See how AirSend can help you.

“No, I am not talking about Madonna.”

Alright, my colleagues. It is time for some tips and tricks to help get us in the groove of working from home. This is my first job where I work as a remote contractor, and for me, it was a bit difficult to adjust. I used to wake up every morning, wearing the same routine, drinking the same coffee, doing the same nothing. I wanted something new.

The point is, I now have a work from home job, and I needed to know how to adjust to things, fast. It had taken me some time to realize, “oh, I don’t have to get up two hours early anymore.” I also came to the question, “how can I be the most productive at home?” because let’s be honest; when we are at home, we do not want to deal with anything work-related. My version of having a good time at home is sitting on the couch with my cat, watching the Golden Girls, and eating cheesecake.

After understanding all the requirements needed to have a successful work from home job, I knew I needed a routine. Here are five ways to help get you in the groove of working from home.

1. Make a plan in the Morning.

Making a plan every morning of what I will conquer for the day has proved to be extremely helpful. Making a plan allows for a clear and focused mind, along with the motivation to get work done. Even if you are interrupted, always ensure that you can get your three tasks done. One of the platforms I use to help organize my tasks, is Trello, the digital scrum board.

It also helps if you implement a consistent schedule. Get up at the same time, get ready as if you were about to go to work, and then go and start today’s duties. Similarly, wrap up work at about the same time every day. Keeping up a rigorous schedule helps you maintain consistency over the long run and builds up good habits.

Though you don’t have to dress up every morning and physically leave for work, it is always a good idea to keep that consistent schedule. I have also found that keeping a regular schedule in a relaxed environment ensures higher and quicker productivity.

2. Move Around!

Much like a professional office, you will be sitting on average 8-10 hours a day, and often after a long and tiring day, we find ourselves sitting some more! STOP! Don’t get the wrong idea; it is great to relax at home; however, when you have a job that is coinciding with your home life, it is important to keep your body active.

Take some walks during your breaks to get some fresh air, tend to your pepper garden (because everyone totally has one), meditate, and even stretching goes a long way. When your body moves around, there is an increase in blood flow, which then allows for more of a positive mindset, ergo more productivity. Moving around> positivity> motivation> increased productivity.

3. Put on the Jams.

One of my favorite jams to listen to is Lo-Fi hip-hop. Lo-fi is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections of a recording or performance are audible, sometimes as a deliberate aesthetic choice.

In other words, lo-fi is an ironic style of music in that the imperfections are quite soothing. The soothing element is what inspires me to be productive. These are some of my favorite channels I recommend listening to Chilled Cow, College Music, The Jazz Hop Cafe, and Chillhop Music

For more recommendations, you can visit a playlist I have created that has various types of productive music. Of course, your jams do not have to surround lo-fi music. As long as your jams inspire you to be productive, then you are on the right track

4. Communication.

Again, since you are no longer in an office, it is crucial to have all forms of communication open. Do not be afraid to ask co-workers advice, questions, or to have a small chat to get to one another. Remember, an essential skill in remote work is communication.

We all need to be aware that we have to be very responsive and also honor and respect others. Of course, keep the conversation in moderation. It is easy for communication to become a form of distraction. What I find works best is that if you have multiple tasks to work on, mute all types of notifications, so that you have 100% focus on what is in front of you.

5. Separate Work from Down Time.

Keeping work and personal time separate is probably one of the most crucial aspects to remember when you are working from home. The hardest part of remote work is that there is no separation of time for work and time for being completely switched off. Without the downtime, it is hard to recharge and work your best.

Here is my advice from someone who told me the same thing: Try not to check email from your mobile every few mins, turn off notifications outside of your working hours, etc. It also helps to keep your workplace only for work, and you don’t use the same space (if possible) when you are off. While it is important to be productive and focus on getting work done, it is also vital to focus on yourself and have “me time.” Without taking time for yourself to recharge, your productivity will falter. 

These are my five methods to help get me into the groove when working from home. It takes time to adapt, but once you set a routine for yourself, you will find working to be much more comfortable, and you will be happier. 

AirSend is a versatile digital workspace to share files, send messages, and complete tasks. See how AirSend can help.

Grow Your Real Estate Business With Blue Ocean Strategy
Grow Your Real Estate Business With Blue Ocean Strategy

Have you ever wondered if there’s another way to grow your real estate business? One that doesn’t involve cold calls, door knocking, or sending cards and emails to old clients that you know just end up in the trash.

Traditional real estate sales methods are high hustle and low pay-off. Maybe that’s why 87% of realtors fail within the first five years of business according to the National Association of Realtors.

Other reasons for such a high failure rate include the low barrier of entry for becoming a real estate agent and the way large brokerages recruit and train agents like they’re creating an army of clones. They teach every new agent the same ways to find sellers and buyers, the same tactics on how to land clients, even give everyone the same scripts to read from.

This leads to an overabundance of agents and brokers competing neck-and-neck for a limited market — what we call a red ocean.

Don't be a clone - an overabundance of agents and brokers competing neck-and-neck for a limited market — what we call a red ocean.
Source: GIPHY

Don’t Swim with Sharks – Create Your Own Waters

Blue ocean strategy says businesses that create new markets instead of struggling in existing markets find opportunities for growth that are rapid and highly profitable.

There are many well-known examples of this. Take Canon — the company that spawned the personal desktop copier industry. Or iTunes — Apple’s strategic answer to the illegal music file sharing boom that started in the late 90’s.

Instead of catering to office purchasing managers like its competitors, Canon saw that secretaries used copiers and printers every day and had different requirements that were not being fulfilled. The company built compact, accessible desktop machines that offered secretaries the features they wanted.

Apple took advantage of the shift from physical CDs to digital music by providing a legal way to buy individual songs at low prices — something that had never been done before. The company generated additional value with improved sound quality and a polished user experience.

In both cases, the companies saw opportunity in previously ignored demographics and formed new markets by offering products that provided enormous value at low prices. In other words, they created blue oceans — market spaces free of competition — through value innovation.

Value innovation is the key to creating a blue ocean.
Source: Pexels

Value innovation is the key to creating a blue ocean. It is the combination of increasing end user value and decreasing price.

More Customer Value + Lower Price = Value Innovation

By providing a leap in overall value for customers, you make the competition irrelevant. You no longer have competition. Instead of fighting for your life in the bloody, shark-infested waters of a red ocean, you have a market all to yourself —  a blue ocean.

Value Innovation in Real Estate

So how do you apply blue ocean strategy to your real estate business? It starts with a shift in mindset and ends with asking a few questions.

Traditional business paradigms are all about beating the competition. You ask yourself, “What is my competition doing, and how can I do it better?”

What that looks like in real estate is: how can I run more ads? How do I make more cold calls? Where do I find better leads? It looks like spending more on social media advertising, slick logos, and fancy flyers.

And what blue ocean strategy says in response is STOP.

Stop trying to beat your competitors because the more you try to beat them, the more you start to look the same.
Source: Pexels

Stop trying to beat your competitors because the more you try to beat them, the more you start to look the same. Don’t assume that because a competitor is doing something, you should too. Stop using predetermined industry practices as a benchmark for your business.

Instead, shift your focus from your competitors to your customers.

Remember, value innovation is the combination of increasing customer value and decreasing price.

So how do you do that? Four words, or questions:

Eliminate. Reduce. Raise. Create.

  1. What factors or processes can I eliminate that the industry takes for granted?
  2. Which standards in the real estate industry can be reduced?
  3. What standards should be raised?
  4. What can I create that the industry has never offered before?

Case Study: REX

One example of a successful real estate business that has, knowingly or not, followed blue ocean strategy is REX.

Founded in 2015, REX has since raised $115M and grown to 64 employees. It has done so through value innovation — offering customers a giant leap in value at a much lower price.

Let’s see how.

REX Case Study - REX has grown through value innovation.

Eliminate

REX saves its customers time by assigning each customer a pre-screened agent and photographer, eliminating the hassle of choice.

Trying to find the best real estate agent to help sell a home or a good photographer to take professional pictures takes time. The process starts with research, then interviews, then making a decision — a long process that comes with no guarantee that you’ve made the right choice. REX removed that obstacle.

Reduce

Instead of charging the traditional 5 to 6% commission, REX charges a reduced fee of 2% to sell a home. The company can do this because it eliminated the traditional agent/broker commission structure.

Raise

REX raised industry standards by implementing artificial intelligence and big data to provide its customers with more accurate home pricing and marketing.

Without the help of big data analytics technology, pricing and marketing a home is more art than science. Every real estate agent is taught to run comps and knows the result is an educated guess at best, and quality of marketing varies agent to agent. REX changed that.

Create

By combining the above elements into an easy-to-use digital platform and system, REX created a simpler way to buy and sell homes.

Use Case #2: Lawyers Conveyancing

Another example of a successful real estate business that has followed blue ocean strategy is Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd., also known as Lawyers Conveyancing.

Founded by Peter Mericka, an Australian lawyer, the company shows how sometimes it takes someone from a parallel industry to transform the way another industry does business. Through value innovation, Lawyers Conveyancing provides customers peace of mind and a much lower price.

This is how.

Lawyers Conveyancing shows how sometimes it takes someone from a parallel industry to transform the way another industry does business.

Eliminate

Lawyers Conveyancing gives its customers peace of mind by eliminating the agent altogether. Instead, a lawyer helps a seller handle their transaction from beginning to end, including all of the paperwork and listing on the Australian version of the MLS.

Trying to find the best real estate agent to help sell a home takes time and can feel like people are trying to sell you their services left and right. Lawyers Conveyancing ended that struggle.

Reduce

Instead of charging the traditional commission, the service charges a single flat fee to sell a home.

Raise

Because no part of the process is commission-based, there is a higher level of trust and integrity involved in the process.

Create

By implementing the above changes, Lawyer Conveyancing created the perfect way to sell homes for a certain type of seller.

What now? Think big.

Ready to make some real estate money?
Source: GIPHY

You might be wondering — what does this have to do with me?

The same techniques that we have been discussing that worked for REX can work for any business, no matter how big or small.

Whether your goal is to start a multi-million dollar real estate business or beat last year’s sales, asking and implementing the four questions that lead to value innovation will help you generate more value for customers — leading to happier clients and a wealthier you.

So go ahead and eliminate, reduce, raise, and create.

AirSend is a versatile digital workspace for real estate professionals to share files, send messages, and complete tasks. See how AirSend can help you as your business grows here.

“Scrum Board + Kanban = Awesome.”

First off what is a Scrum Board and a Kanban? A Scrum Board and a Kanban are both a visual representation of the work that needs to be done. Scrum and Kanban are both iterative work systems that rely on process flows and aim to reduce time waste. However; there are a few main differences between the two. Kanbans are used for personal use, while Scrum Boards are used for the workplace. Let’s take a deeper look.

Team Work Makes the Dream Work

Image result for responsibility"
Image from Google Images

Success does not work without responsibility. Whether you are assigning responsibility to a team at work or to yourself, responsibility ensures success. However, some people have trouble dealing with responsibility. Do you ever have difficulty completing chores? Make a Kanban! Kanban’s are great for motivation and maximize efficiency.

Kanban

First, you list all your tasks on sticky notes in a “To-Do” column. Next, if you’re like me who can only do one assignment at-a-time, you move the assigned task into the “Doing” column. Once the task is completed, you move the sticky note to the “Done” column.

As reiterated before, a Kanban is great for personal usage. Now, when I use my Kanban, I find myself at ease and motivated to complete my work. Today, I use Trello. Trello is a digital Kanban that works exactly the same as a traditional Kanban, however with Trello, there are a ton of customizations to help with productivity.

Scrum Board

Scrum Boards are a little different. As reiterated before, both Kanban and Scrum Boards have the same concept, different usage. Whereas a Kanban is made for personal usage, Scrum Boards are made for the workplace. Though Scrum Boards are mainly used by software development teams, the scrum board is catching on with other industries.

Scrum Boards are also great for sprints. Sprints last for two weeks and are made for hustling on leftover assignments. This again provides a visual outlook of where each team is at, maximizes productivity, and enables peace of mind to everyone working on their assigned tasks.

Aside from the magical usage of a Kanban and a Scrum Board, the key fact is that they both eliminate stress and pressure of looming assignments. Their true usage is to help you visualize an organized layout of assignments.

Without having a visual, or an organized plan of action, it is nearly impossible to be stress-free. I cannot explain how many times a Kanban has saved me from falling apart. From what past co-workers tell me as well, is that Scrum Boards have implemented a positive stress-free environment because they had a plan of action.

If you need help getting organized at home or at work, we suggest creating a Kanban or a Scrum Board. I guarantee your life will be much easier.

AirSend is a versatile digital workspace to share files, send messages, and complete tasks. See how AirSend can help you.