8 Productivity Tips for Work (that pay off forever)!
About this video
Jeff Su shares eight set-and-forget productivity tips for work, framed as fixing repetitive friction once. 1) Challenge the status quo: if you change a default three times in a row, change the default — e.g., updating Google Docs Normal Text from Arial to Verdana and saving as default styles via doc.new, and setting shared-doc comment notifications to Comments For You / None; the same applies in Slides, Sheets, and Microsoft tools. 2) Grouping for efficiency: add email aliases like everyone@ or marketing@ directly to calendar events and file sharing instead of individuals, and as group owner review membership quarterly; managers can be assigned while retaining ownership. 3) Automate back-and-forths: use Google Calendar appointment scheduling in Google Workspace or Calendly, change the booking minimum from the default four hours to 24 hours, add day-before and 15-minutes-before reminders, and store the link in a text expander (he uses Alfred snippets on macOS, typing ::schedule). 4) Filter out the trash: if you search for a type of email three or more times, create a filter/label — e.g., a Trips label for airline/hotel confirmations, using a username+trips@gmail.com alias — plus a filter for filename:invite.ics and accepted to skip the inbox and mark as read so only declines need action. 5) Make requests low-friction: use @ bookmarks in Docs, link to a specific cell in Sheets, or link to a specific Slides page or video timestamp instead of sharing a whole file. 6) Self-serve checkout: collect input via Google Forms or Typeform instead of letting colleagues edit a spreadsheet directly, and use IMPORTRANGE to work on a copy so raw data stays intact; enable email notifications for new form responses. 7) Consistent file management: pick one folder logic (e.g., by campaign/strategy then year, or year then topic) and apply it everywhere, keep meeting notes in their folder but add shortcuts (not duplicates) to project folders. 8) Two-minute rule / inbox zero: do sub-two-minute emails first, then label/archive the rest into Follow up, Waiting, and Read through, and snooze emails needed more than a week later in Gmail or Outlook.
Key takeaways
- Apply the rule of three: changing a default or hunting for an email three times means change the default or create a filter permanently
- Use group aliases for calendar invites and file permissions, and review group membership quarterly instead of editing events one by one
- Replace scheduling back-and-forth with a booking link (Google Calendar appointments or Calendly) stored in a text expander, with a 24-hour minimum lead time
- Collect others’ input through Forms/Typeform and IMPORTRANGE copies to prevent errors in your source spreadsheet
- Run inbox zero with the two-minute rule: handle quick emails, bucket the rest as Follow up / Waiting / Read through, and snooze future items
Episode details: published January 24, 2023 · 8:14 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Jeff Su’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.
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