On this week’s Dear Katie, things are a bit different. The question I received was: This might be a different question, but I bought the walking pad you recommended! What a hack! Do you have any other products like this that you think I might be missing out on? 

And I’m all for life hacks because if I can get MORE done in LESS time, I’m all in. Sign me up!

I’m going to share some of the tools for firm owners that I think can make a massive difference in productivity and life, but you’ll love these hacks no matter what industry you’re in.

1. Walking Pad

I’m on my walking pad while writing this. Why? Humans aren’t meant to sit for hours on end every day. I invested in a walking pad in 2020, and I still use the same one today. I easily knock out a few thousand steps while:

• Checking email
• Replying to Slack messages
• Ticking off my social media tasks

If a task doesn’t require immense focus, you can usually walk and do it without too much of an issue. While the walking pad I purchased is no longer available, here’s one that I’ve heard good things about and is very affordable.

2. Standing Desk

If you can’t walk and do certain tasks, it’s still better to stand than sit and do them. I highly recommend a standing desk that you can raise and lower. I actually raise mine when using my walking pad and a few other times during the day just to stop sitting.

You can check out my standing desk here.

3. Curved Monitor

I used to be that person who had 2-3 monitors plus my laptop monitor on my desk. I know so many of you are still doing this, but there is a better way. For the last few years, I’ve been using one big curved monitor. Let me tell you, it has been a total gamechanger not to have to switch back and forth between screens.

Here’s the one I use 

4. A Quality Mic

There’s nothing worse than listening to a YouTube video, Loom video, podcast or even a Zoom call with someone you can’t hear well. A high-quality mic is well worth the investment, whether you want to start a YouTube channel or just want to sound clearer on Zoom calls.

A quality mic doesn’t cost an arm and a leg either. 

Here’s mine. I absolutely love it and highly recommend it. 

5. A Webcam

It should seem obvious to have a high-quality webcam. So many of us work from home now or are at least working virtually from time to time. But you would be amazed by how many times I get on Zoom calls with people who have grainy webcams.

The truth is that most stock webcams (the ones that come with your laptop) are poor quality. 

The great news is that you don’t have to break the bank to invest in a high-quality webcam, and it will make a HUGE difference in how you come across professionally. 

Here’s my favorite webcam.

6. A Perspective-Shifting Podcast

I can confidently say that I’ve learned more from podcasts than I did during my entire college career. But to be fair, I’ve listened to more hours of podcasts now than I spent in college (which is wild).

A great podcast can open you up to new perspectives. 

There are TONS of great podcasts that focus on growing firms (let me know if you’d like some recommendations), but here’s my go-to for marketing: B2B Revenue Vitals by Chris Walker. You can find it on Spotify here.

And who knows, maybe you can even start guesting on podcasts you’re listening to.

7. A Life-Changing Book

Every firm owner should read at least one life-changing book. It’s hard for me to pick the most life-changing books I’ve ever read because it really depends on what season you’re in. But I’ll leave you with three:

• For scaling your business: Traction 
• For networking/connecting: How to Win Friends & Influence People
• For marketing: Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen

There you have it – 7 categories of products that I promise will be game-changing for your life.

And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.

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Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question? 

Submit it here

Until next time, cheers to your success!

Katie