Reclaim.ai Blog

Productivity tips, calendar hacks, & product updates from the Reclaim team.

Calendar Heroes: Megan Killion, Founder of Coven Cloud & MK Consulting
September 29, 2021

In this edition of Calendar Heroes, we talk to Megan Killion, CEO and founder of Megan Killion Consulting, founder of Coven Cloud, property rental owner, and full-time mom to learn about her style, tools, and methodologies for balancing priorities and staying organized while running three companies as a working mom. Follow Megan on LinkedIn.

Calendar Heroes are real stories from very busy professionals across all types of roles and industries to learn more about how they manage to make time where there is none. We’re highlighting these stories to help share tips and ideas for working effectively, improving your time management skills, and boosting your productivity. 

If you know a Calendar Hero who has awesome productivity hacks that you’d like to recommend we interview or want to be interviewed yourself, let us know! You don’t have to be a Reclaim user to be featured as a Calendar Hero: these stories are about anyone with an interesting approach to managing a complex schedule. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do

I'm Megan Killion, the CEO and founder of Megan Killion Consulting, and I actually run three companies. Megan Killion Consulting is a sales and marketing agency where we do pretty much everything that falls under sales and marketing such as job hunting, placement, and sales training on the sales side. I'm personally really focused on top-of-funnel when it comes to sales, and although I have full lifecycle sales experience, I know that my strength is at the top of the funnel. And then we do everything marketing-related too, including SEO, lead generation, digital marketing, paper, print, absolutely everything. My number one product is outsourcing marketing packages. Think of me as your CMO, and my team as a fully fleshed out marketing team where you don't have to hire or take on the costs of an internal team.

We typically work with early-stage tech startups with smaller headcounts that are still entrepreneurial in nature, and don't have a marketing department of their own. I usually exit either when they grow naturally or organically, or when they have finished their fundraising and are looking to hire an in-house marketing team. I'll then work with the team to help hire those people. 

I also run a real estate business that is short-term and long-term rentals. I kind of fell into this because I inherited a house up north, and then quickly learned that real estate investment is a great way for long-term stable income. 

And then the newest, and most exciting company from my perspective, is a startup called Coven Cloud, which is a social media platform built by spiritualists for spiritualists. Our tagline is spiritual nomads wander no longer - you found a home. Coven Cloud’s leadership team is mostly pagan and witchy, people who kind of didn't find a spiritual home in the good old fashioned brick-and-mortar type of religious institution. I felt like I've never found a community that was right for me when it came to my spiritual growth, and they wanted to create it. And as soon as I did, every single line in my life just kind of came together and started making sense. 

So as the CEO of three different companies, time management is absolutely crucial to my functioning in any capacity.

What does a typical workweek look like for you

My rental business, which is located on Cape Cod, is in the off-season. I have two rentals. One is long-term, one is short term, and this time of year it's slow. It's a cheaper vacation in the off-season, and I only get a couple of guests that come to the Cape in the winter. But during the summertime, it's insane, and I have to find a lot more time for it than I do now. But I have a good crew of people and it pretty much runs itself! I have a tenant that lives up there that helps with property management, a Jack of all trades handyman, and then a staff of housekeepers that do turnovers between guests. I usually only spend one or two hours a week checking up to make sure everything is running okay. I've outsourced the marketing to my marketing people, which usually just requires one post a week, and we've automated the signup process for new reservations.

Megan Killion Consulting is what I consider to be my day job, and the time for that is very variable. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday are my long days where I work 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, take a short break for dinner and bedtime with my family, and then I'm back to work by 8:30 PM working on Coven Cloud. I occasionally set aside time for Coven Cloud during the day when I need to, but I normally just check up on it during business working hours, and it isn’t the focus of my daytime work. Megan Killion Consulting is where I really have to block time for specific tasks, and I use Reclaim.ai for a lot of that. Reclaim helps me balance my personal life and my work life. 

I also have four kids, so we have a whole chart system to stay organized as a family. I have whiteboards everywhere - a calendar whiteboard in my office that tells me what I'm doing every day, my agenda planner, another goals whiteboard for progress toward revenue goals, and then a manifestation board for the things that I'm hoping for my company, for myself, for my family, and for my friends. And then a family whiteboard color-coordinated for everybody's chores and tasks. Everybody has the same chores every week, and we divvied them up fairly after determining which things were the most draining for which people (we all agree dishes and laundry are terrible).

I take on the vacuuming and the batch cooking, but my husband takes on the prepping for the meals Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when I’m not around as much. Thursday night I’ll cook again, and then Friday night we go out on date night. Ultimately, I schedule pretty much every second of every day and hold myself really accountable to where my time goes. 

When I was first figuring it out, I got out a pad of paper to keep with me at all times, and I wrote down everything that I did. I looked for the pattern of where was my time going, when was it going, and what was most productive? And this had two purposes for me, one was to put together a calendar that actually reflects where my time is going and how I can block time to be more productive instead of just chaotically doing things. And the second was figuring out which things give me energy, and which things steal my energy. For me, it's not just about where my time goes, it's about how that time impacts you. So really leaning into my own unique ability, focusing on the things that I'm good at, that fill me with energy, and that I'm constantly improving at, then outsourcing the stuff that isn't. That really made my time more productive.

Also, coming to terms with the fact that we all have this predisposition to believe that other people are like us. Those tasks that we hate, everybody hates. For me, this is processes and documentation. I hate that stuff. I would 1000x rather record a walkthrough video then write down a process. But not everybody's like that. There are people who love processes and documentation and operations. It took me a long time to get to the point where I realized just because I hate something, doesn't mean that giving it to someone else is a burden. So I focused on finding the right people, what it is they're passionate about, and finding the best place for them in the organization. Getting that flowing really well allowed me to have better control of my time. 

When I made my time list, I put a red X next to the things I needed to get rid of, and I found that a lot of Xs showed up on things that were operational. So now I'm prioritizing my next big hire, a Sales and Marketing Operations Specialist, to take the stuff I hate doing. And then bring on a personal assistant to take care of the small stuff I don’t enjoy like checking email and managing my calendar. And in the beginning, Reclaim really filled a lot of those gaps - like having a PA without having a PA. But now I need somebody to work alongside Reclaim to organize my time and take the little stuff. 

I'm also really, really strict about my blocks of time, and I didn't use to be. I used to say, well, the time's blocked for this, but I want to do this, so I'm going to do that. And now, I really ask myself, why don’t I want to do that other thing? Is it a cop out? Am I trying to avoid something I don't want to do? Am I procrastinating? Or is this really a higher priority than that? And if it is, we need to make a change to the calendar because this isn't really a priority. But I give myself a little slap on the wrist anytime I hit that delete button in Slack on a Reclaim Task, because I'm like, “Hey, I didn't do what I was supposed to do. Why did I not do that?” Because it wasn't a priority and never should have been on the calendar, it should have been further out, or it really should have been a task in Basecamp that I'll get to you when I get to.

For me, prioritizing has been the biggest challenge, but also the thing that gets the best results. If I sit down and spend two hours of my week filtering things by priority, I will get that time back tenfold. It's like the do-not-do list is as important as the to-do list. I will not do these things because they're not a priority right now. And giving myself permission to take things off my plate and say “no”, that has made all the difference in the world.

What techniques do you use to manage your time?

I actually created a Google account out of my Outlook just so I could have access to Google Calendar to use Reclaim.ai, because that's how dependent I became in the time that I was using it. Especially because there's the ability to do the integration with Google Tasks and I can zap that over to Basecamp. I have specific lists in Basecamp that are connected to my Google Tasks, which connect to Reclaim, so if I add it in Reclaim, it shows up in Basecamp, and if I add it in Basecamp, it shows up in Reclaim. That's been huge for me too, because I really need the ability to organize things across tools or I get wicked tool fatigue.

My setup is definitely multifunctional in that I can go into Reclaim to manage and build my to-do lists, but I don't actually have to go into Reclaim if I don't want to. Once I set up my system, I could manage everything from Slack and Basecamp all day, and even email to an extent - but I'm really trying to move away from letting my email manage me. My email used to act like my to-do list, but that did not scale. So, to move away from that, I had to do a little bit of work to get Reclaim and Basecamp running together, but the Slack integration is super easy and the out-of-the-box settings are perfect. I tested it a couple of times to make sure that it's pulling information from the right places, and now I really don't have to go into Reclaim at all, it just works. And that's the best thing you can ever say about software, is it just works.

I really, really highly recommend my system to entrepreneurs, even if you're not an entrepreneur but you're working at an entrepreneurial organization where it’s chaotic and you have to make sense of the chaos. Especially with the career revolution that's happening right now - you have to be more capable of doing that yourself than you ever have before. We can't expect organizations to give us the blueprint anymore, we have to create our own. 

Writing down where your time is going is also a really good negotiation tactic. If you're looking to get a raise, a better title, or anything like that, you can actually show this is where my time went, and I'm only being paid for this 30% of it. So either I can stop doing these 70% other tasks, or, you can pay me more, give me a better title, or whatever it is that you're trying to position for. 

It’s also just being aware of where your time goes. I was really, really surprised the first time I did that activity with how much of my time I wasn't aware where it was going. This is going to go on a tangent for a second, but when you do the math on the little pieces of time, and you add it up over your lifetime, it can be a slap in the face. Especially as women, because we've been sort of brainwashed by society to care about things that don't matter, like our hair, our makeup, even shaving our legs. And when you add up that time over your lifetime, and you think about what that really means for you, all of a sudden, you're like, cool. I'm never shaving my legs again. 

So by looking closely at my time, I saw that a lot of my time was going towards something that wasn’t productive, and that wasn’t making my life better or my kids' lives better. And for me, I basically take a formulaic approach to how I spend my time, which is essentially - if you want my time, you're taking it from my kids. So, I don't know, ask them how much my time’s worth. That's been the best mindset for me. 

My kids are a little bit older now, my twins are three and they're now in preschool. So there are times of the day where you're not taking time from my kids, you're taking time from work, which I'm way more relaxed about giving work time away. Which is why during the middle of the day, I'm like, sure, let's do a video interview. And that is different, because for me, that's just a money equation. Although I’m very money-motivated, there are things in life that matter to me more. When it's my kids' time, I'm very cognizant of how you're taking it.

Though Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are my long days, I actually try to take Thursdays and Fridays off every week. Which, if you would have asked me three or four years ago if that was even humanly possible, I'd say no way. But I almost always take my Fridays off, and Thursdays usually end up being a light day. Things come up, my team needs me, but it's not a client-facing day. So you can't book time with me as my client on a Thursday, unless you're going to pay me an astronomical amount of money and you're a priority client. But, if my team is like “Megan, I need you, things are on fire!” Sure, I'll pop in to help. So on Thursdays, Slack and Basecamp are on and I'm checking my notifications, but I'm usually off doing something with my kids or my husband or catching up on errands.

On Fridays, I adventure with my middle child who is homeschooled, but he goes to a co-op Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So on Fridays, we adventure-school, which means we go on a field trip every single Friday. It could be the Science Center, or Big Tree Park nearby, which is amazing and home to the oldest tree in the world. That's my favorite day of the week, every single week, is Friday. We also have Disney passes which is just 30 minutes away, so we work hard, play hard for sure. 

My other big time management technique is to outsource. You might think you can't afford it. But I promise, pretty much everyone, that if you outsource the things that drain your energy, you will make that money back doing the things that don't. I have an immune disorder, so when COVID started, I didn’t go out in public for 6-12 months. So, I started ordering groceries online, and now we’re never giving it up - we will order groceries online forever. I will pay somebody else to get my groceries, tip well, and support a person who is making their living delivering people's groceries. And when I did the math for that time, I realized that's almost six hours a week I'm getting back. Now, the only grocery shopping I do is the farmer's market on Saturday morning. And when I looked at what six hours of my time meant for me when I charge my clients $250 - $300 an hour, that's a lot more money than I saved shopping for groceries myself. 

And that's really getting honest with yourself about the value of your time. However you do it, it's relating it to what you spend your time on, by default. For me, that's time with my kids. If I have free time, it's spent with my family. So that's the quotient for me, but it can be money, taking your dog for a walk, playing video games. Whatever it is that you do, think of that as a trade value, and trade out the things that aren't worth it.

A little while back, my friend Angela told me that there is no moral high ground for doing things yourself. Basically, outsourcing is morally neutral. This is probably one of the most powerful things I ever heard in my entire life. Because before that, I really felt like it made me a better person to do it myself, to work on it, to put the labor in. But it’s not true. Paying somebody to clean your house is not morally inferior to cleaning your house yourself.

As a mom, it is my responsibility to make sure that my kids get nutritionally whole food. That is a moral obligation of mine. I brought them into this world, it's my job to feed them food that does not hurt their bodies. I don't have to cook it, and I don't have to shop for it, but I do the cooking most of the time because I enjoy making meals for my family. And I used to be very judgmental about those things. Of course you have to clean the house, cook meals, do all of these things. No you don’t! You have to put a roof over your kid's head, make sure they have a safe place to exist, that they're getting nutritionally whole food, and provide education for them. How you do those things. There's no moral value to it. Send them to public school, private school, homeschool them, just make sure they get an education.

What tools do you use to make you more productive?

Basecamp, Slack and Reclaim are my power trio. They get used the most and are what I live in, but there are other ones I use more specifically for specific things. Grammarly has been life-changing for copywriting, I would say it cuts my writing time down 30%. It prevents me from maniacally staring and worrying if it feels right or the grammar is right, I'm just writing like I would talk and allow Grammarly to edit it. 

I also use Anyword, and this one's a little bit of a cheat, but it’s essentially an AI writer for little writing assignments. So if I need to come up with an editorial, or a promo for a blog post, I'll use Anyword to quickly generate it. Zoom is my chosen video tool, mostly because I understand it and I don't want to learn a new tool! Trello used to be in my power house, but now I use a plugin called Tracked for Basecamp, and it does basically the same thing and I'm keeping it all in one place. But depending on what you do and what your team uses, Trello and Basecamp do the same thing, and one is not better than the other. Same thing with Atlassian and JIRA. It just depends on what your org is focused on, but those three are, in my opinion, the powerhouses of project management, time management, and scheduling.

I use Loomly for social media. I don't hate or love it. Their mobile app isn't amazing, but I can use the mobile app to post. I used to use Hootsuite, but their pricing just got really ridiculous, but I think they have the best mobile app, especially for creating drafts on the fly. I actually really, really liked Albert, which I tried for a little while, but their mobile app was terrible which was a deal breaker. I couldn't create and draft a post from mobile, which for me, inspiration strikes when it strikes. I'm very big on habitually writing every single day, but sometimes, you're driving, and you think of something you need to say, and need to get it out. You have to have a place to put it, to save it for later. And Albert didn't work for that. 

I use HubSpot as my CRM, again, neither love nor hate. I think their pricing is insane. I have their starter package and we are already outgrowing it in two out of three organizations. I'm definitely on the precipice of having to pick a new CRM. I will not use Salesforce ever again in my life. So if somebody's watching this and has a great CRM to recommend, message me on LinkedIn! Let me know what you got. I've used Active Campaign in the past. I didn't hate it, but I didn't find their user interface intuitive. The thing that I like about HubSpot is that I find it very intuitive and they have great documentation and good support. But even with those things, I don’t think they're worth what they charge. Sorry HubSpot, but you need to create some type of mid-tier for startups that doesn't require going through an incubator. There's just so many small businesses and startups out there like me that can't afford your pricing and would love to work with you if you had a system for scaling. 

Which is one thing I love about Reclaim - it’s free. And I know it’s going to a paid model eventually, but it will always keep some type of free tier so you can scale up with companies. It’s really hard to sell into a successful organization. Selling to a startup, especially if you offer it for free, is easy, and you're hedging your bets. If a startup is successful, they can pay you a whole bunch of money later. And if they're not, you threw away whatever your cost on your software is, no big deal. You were already paying most of it anyway. Creating those kinds of buckets so people can grow with you, that's hugely important for any productivity softwares, because very few people go from a small business with no income to a mega-million dollar company overnight. Real unusual. And that's how some pricing plans are packaged. You can either be on free, or you’ve got to pay a thousand dollars a month, and you wonder, who did your pricing strategy? 

I also use Linktree a lot for social, and Canva for graphics. I used to spend hours of my day in Photoshop and Figma. But now, my graphic design team creates all the elements in Figma and Photoshop, and then when I need to create something on the fly, I can do it in Canva in two minutes. I can not say enough about Canva, it’s the best graphic design tool out there, even over professional graphic design tools. If you're at a place where you have to choose between Canva and Photoshop, choose Canva. For one, it's free, and the paid plan is only $120 a year and you get five seats. Unbeatable pricing, super easy to use. They even now have a social scheduler so you can schedule social posts right from Canva. 

Last but not least, LastPass is my login and password manager. Admittedly, I used to be a security nightmare. My password for everything was the same, sorry every IT person I've ever worked with! LastPass was life-changing for me. I generate passwords that are really hard to hack, and then I have one master password that gets me into everything, which is not something you could guess. I can also share those logins with my teammates. We have a lot of collaboration that happens, especially on social media, and I can just send somebody the login to get in.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

This one’s just top of mind right now, I don't know if it's the best I ever received, but a couple of years ago, a mentor told me that I had the power to do incredible things, but that I had to stop taking care of adults like they were children in order to do that. And that I could never realize my potential while I was carrying everyone on my back. That was the best advice for me personally at that time, because as soon as I put it into action, my life changed. I'm a “yes” person, if you message me and you tell me that you need help, I cannot tell you “no”. I'm not capable of leaving someone hurting. But I had to stop feeling accountable for other adults. It's not my job to be everybody's mom.

And I can make a bigger difference and a deeper impact by doing things like Coven Cloud, and making money and spending it philanthropically, than I can by carrying people who are capable of being self-sufficient through life. You know you see those signs at the parks, don't feed the wildlife, it's that way with people too. Which is not me telling you not to help people, because you should, if you can help somebody, you always should, every single time. What you give comes back to you tenfold, and I believe that wholeheartedly. 

But you can not make yourself accountable for other people's pain. It's not yours. And I have a bad habit of carrying other people's pain around with me, in my body. And I had to learn that lesson, and at the time, no one in my life was willing to call me out on it. This was the first person, three to four years ago, that said your friends are not your responsibility. You're almost 30 years old. And now I'm 33 and I can proudly say that I am not paying anyone else's mortgage. So that, for me, was the best advice. 

Also, my last boss, Matt Levine over at CacheFly, told me to make small bets and double down on what works. And I think, from a business perspective, that's one of the best pieces of advice that I've gotten. It was really powerful, and you can tell, I don't have all my eggs in one basket!

Top Posts

Meeting Scheduling Trends Report: 130+ Scheduling Links Stats

Burnout Trends Report: 200+ Employee Stress Stats by Department

11 Google Calendar Issues You Didn’t Know You Had

Task Management Trends Report: +200 Stats on Managers vs. Individual Contributors

Productivity Trends Report: One-on-One Meeting Statistics

Context Switching Is Destroying Your Workday: Here's How to Fix It

Get your time back.

Automatically find the best time for your tasks, routines, breaks, & 1:1 meetings with Reclaim.ai.

Connect Google Calendar — it's free

No credit card required. Try our free forever plan.

Setting Personal Boundaries at Work: 6 Pro Examples
March 9, 2023

Setting Personal Boundaries at Work: 6 Pro Examples

Setting personal boundaries at work reduces burnout, limits interruptions, and improves work-life balance. Here's your 6-step guide to protect your time, energy, and wellbeing.
Me, a Micromanager? 5 Ways To Better Lead Your Team
January 30, 2023

Me, a Micromanager? 5 Ways To Better Lead Your Team

Nobody thinks they're a micromanager, yet 79% of employees feel micromanaged at work. Learn common micromanagement examples, negative effects, and 5 strategies to be a better leader for your team.
Time Scarcity: 7 Steps to Change Your Mindset
January 20, 2023

Time Scarcity: 7 Steps to Change Your Mindset

Never have enough hours in a day? Time scarcity can feel like the clock is against you. Learn how to change your mindset for success with 7 tips and make the most of the time you do have every week.
Top 6 Apps for Freelancers & Consultants - 2023 Review
January 17, 2023

Top 6 Apps for Freelancers & Consultants - 2023 Review

The freelance industry is predicted to grow 14% in 6 years, with 56% of professionals considering starting. Here are 6 best apps to help freelancers optimize their workflows and maximize productivity.
New Year, New Me: Why Resolutions Fail + 4 Tips to Succeed in 2023
January 4, 2023

New Year, New Me: Why Resolutions Fail + 4 Tips to Succeed in 2023

Happy New Year! It's a fresh start for big dreams, but despite 41% of people making New Year's resolutions, only 9% will actually achieve them. Here are 4 tips to ensure long-term success in 2023!
4 Meeting Scheduling Automations You Need for Google Calendar in 2023
December 27, 2022

4 Meeting Scheduling Automations You Need for Google Calendar in 2023

Meeting scheduler apps help busy pros better manage meetings, but over half of people report prioritization and flexibility issues. Learn 4 ways to book appointments sooner in Google Calendar.
Always Tired After Work? Types of Fatigue & 5 Tips for More Energy
November 28, 2022

Always Tired After Work? Types of Fatigue & 5 Tips for More Energy

Too tired after work to accomplish any of your personal goals? Learn about the different types of fatigue professionals deal with, plus 5 tips to prevent exhaustion and boost energy levels every day.
9 Reasons to Switch to a Digital Daily Planner Today
November 16, 2022

9 Reasons to Switch to a Digital Daily Planner Today

A daily planner helps organize your time across commitments and to-dos. But are paper or digital planners the better option? Learn about the benefits, plus 9 reasons to choose a digital planner app.
40 Positive Morning Affirmations for More Success (Science-Backed)
November 9, 2022

40 Positive Morning Affirmations for More Success (Science-Backed)

Positive affirmations aren't as woo-woo as you might think. Learn more about the scientific benefits of self-affirmations and how you can start a morning affirmations habit with 40 inspiring examples.
Meeting Scheduling Trends Report: 130+ Scheduling Links Stats
October 27, 2022

Meeting Scheduling Trends Report: 130+ Scheduling Links Stats

The average pro uses scheduling links 7.1 times a week, but over half those meetings end up being canceled or rescheduled. Learn more in the 2022 Meeting Scheduling Trends Report by Reclaim.ai.
Burnout Trends Report: 200+ Employee Stress Stats by Department
October 27, 2022

Burnout Trends Report: 200+ Employee Stress Stats by Department

Employees average a 60.2% burnout rate, with highest contributing issues including lack of focused task time and poor work-life balance. See 200+ stats in the 2022 Burnout Trends Report by Reclaim.ai.
Scheduling Links Dos & Don’ts: 10 Tips for Better Etiquette
October 25, 2022

Scheduling Links Dos & Don’ts: 10 Tips for Better Etiquette

Scheduling links help busy professionals book meetings faster and easier, but automation also comes with unique social challenges. Learn 10 tips for sending meeting links with respect and flexibility.
The Eisenhower Matrix: Important vs. Urgent Tasks Template
October 20, 2022

The Eisenhower Matrix: Important vs. Urgent Tasks Template

Overrun every week, but not getting closer to your goals? Use The Eisenhower Matrix to focus on what's truly important with 5 tips for better task prioritization. Decision matrix template included!
How to Say No Professionally: 7 Work Examples
October 17, 2022

How to Say No Professionally: 7 Work Examples

Individual contributors are already overrun, completing only 53.5% of planned weekly tasks. Learn how to strategically say no to 7 work examples for more productive weeks and better work-life balance.
What is Quiet Quitting? Addressing the Real Issue
September 30, 2022

What is Quiet Quitting? Addressing the Real Issue

Quiet quitting might be currently trending - but it isn't a new issue. Here are the underlying issues leading to employee disengagement, plus tips for companies to create a more positive work culture.
Welcome to The Team! 7 Best Apps for New Hires
September 28, 2022

Welcome to The Team! 7 Best Apps for New Hires

Your team is growing! Here's how to welcome your newest hire on day one, plus 10 app recommendations to boost productivity, organization, and job satisfaction during onboarding and in the long run.
What is a Project Roadmap? 25 Tips + Top Templates
September 26, 2022

What is a Project Roadmap? 25 Tips + Top Templates

A project roadmap lays out the goals and plan for projects so managers, contributors, and stakeholders are on the same page. Learn how to build an effective project roadmap, with 25 tips for success.
5 Time-Efficient Tips for Work
September 14, 2022

5 Time-Efficient Tips for Work

40 hours never feel like enough time in the workweek? Here are 5 tips to become more time efficient at work so you can hit more goals, and protect your time, energy, and work-life balance.
Top 5 Free Apps for Students: Time Management + Productivity
September 1, 2022

Top 5 Free Apps for Students: Time Management + Productivity

88% of students want to improve their time management skills - you too? Here are the top 5 apps to help college students better balance a packed academic calendar and optimize their busy schoolweeks.
How to Create Healthy Habits + 25 Inspiring Examples
August 29, 2022

How to Create Healthy Habits + 25 Inspiring Examples

77% of people intend to create healthier habits, but motivation isn’t always enough. Learn how to start new healthy habits, and see 25 examples for inspiration to get started.
Imposter Syndrome at Work? 5 Tips to Overcome Feeling Like a Fraud
August 19, 2022

Imposter Syndrome at Work? 5 Tips to Overcome Feeling Like a Fraud

Feeling like a fraud at work, or that you don't deserve your job? At least 65% of professionals experience imposter syndrome - here are 5 tips and 10 positive affirmations to overcome it.
100 Fun Ice Breakers & Games for Virtual Meetings
August 17, 2022

100 Fun Ice Breakers & Games for Virtual Meetings

85% of meetings are now held online. Here are 100 fun example ice breaker questions and games for your next virtual meeting to get attendees engaged and warmed-up for a productive session.
The Ultimate Time Blocking Guide - 2023 Edition
August 10, 2022

The Ultimate Time Blocking Guide - 2023 Edition

Time blocking is more than a trend, the most productive people (think Bill Gates and Elon Musk) use it to manage their busy calendars! Here's everything you need to know about starting time blocking.
All-Hands Meeting Dos and Don'ts (+ Agenda Template)
August 3, 2022

All-Hands Meeting Dos and Don'ts (+ Agenda Template)

All-hands meetings are opportunities for companies to connect, align, and build stronger workplace culture. Here are the top dos and don'ts for all-hands meetings, plus a free agenda template.
How to Deprioritize Tasks, Routines & Plans (No Shame!)
July 22, 2022

How to Deprioritize Tasks, Routines & Plans (No Shame!)

Only 9% of execs are ‘very satisfied’ with their time allocation every week. Learn how to effectively deprioritize to optimize productivity and protect your wellbeing with these 5 top tips.
6 Types of External Meetings for Product Teams
July 19, 2022

6 Types of External Meetings for Product Teams

70% of meetings pull workers from more important work. Here are 6 common types of external meetings for product teams, and tips to make them more productive for all meeting attendees.
Top 10 Stretch Goal Benefits for your Team
July 14, 2022

Top 10 Stretch Goal Benefits for your Team

Workplace complacency wrecks productivity, and 66% of US employees say they're unengaged at work. Learn more about how stretch goals inspire motivation, realign teams, and boost performance in teams.
8 Tips to Overcome Mental Block - Prevention Guide
July 13, 2022

8 Tips to Overcome Mental Block - Prevention Guide

Your brain won’t focus, creative thinking is impossible, and imposter syndrome is taking hold? Here are 8 tips to overcome mental block and prevent it from demolishing your productivity in the future.
8 Tips for a Productive Morning Routine (+ Bonus Templates)
July 6, 2022

8 Tips for a Productive Morning Routine (+ Bonus Templates)

Want to learn how to create a productive morning routine? 8 top tips: 1. Start the night before 2. Wake up earlier 3. Make the bed 4. Get some sun 5. Movement 6. Mindfulness 7. Fuel your body 8. Read
6 Best Practices for Productive Status Meetings
July 1, 2022

6 Best Practices for Productive Status Meetings

Effective status meetings are opportunities for companies to review performance and adjust course towards their goals. Learn about 6 types of status meetings, with tips to make them more productive.
Time Anxiety: 7 Causes & How to Overcome
June 29, 2022

Time Anxiety: 7 Causes & How to Overcome

Do you feel like there are never enough hours in the day? Learn about 7 common causes of time anxiety, with practical solutions to help you get the most of your limited time without the extra stress.
How to Manage Google Calendar in Slack
June 23, 2022

How to Manage Google Calendar in Slack

Managing your calendar in Slack benefits include reduced context switching and fewer interruptions in your day. Learn two ways to connect Google Calendar and Slack to be more productive every week.
How to Prioritize Your Tasks in 6 Steps
June 15, 2022

How to Prioritize Your Tasks in 6 Steps

Not everything on your to-do list is equally important (even if it feels like it). Learn how to prioritize your overwhelming task list in 6 steps, and get more from your limited time every week.
This Meeting Could Have Been an Email: 9 Examples to Avoid
June 10, 2022

This Meeting Could Have Been an Email: 9 Examples to Avoid

Professionals spend more than 50% of their workweek in meetings. How many of those could have been an email? Here are 9 unproductive meeting scenarios to avoid - with anecdotes from the community.
Top 5 Availability Calendars for Busy Schedules
June 8, 2022

Top 5 Availability Calendars for Busy Schedules

Automating your meeting workflow with an availability calendar saves 3.3 hours/week on average. Learn more about the best 5 scheduling apps of 2022 for the most common scheduling scenarios.
6 Best Google Calendar Add-Ons in the Marketplace
June 7, 2022

6 Best Google Calendar Add-Ons in the Marketplace

Learn how to make Google Calendar even more productive with 6 free add-ons to help optimize your team's scheduling workflow. Save time and get more accomplished without leaving your calendar.
Managing Interruptions at Work: 6 Worst Distractions
June 1, 2022

Managing Interruptions at Work: 6 Worst Distractions

The average professional is interrupted every 5-15 minutes, but thanks to context switching, that can end up costing you 6 hours/day. Learn how to manage common distractions at work and get more done.
How to Set Daily Goals: 20 Inspiring Example Goals
May 26, 2022

How to Set Daily Goals: 20 Inspiring Example Goals

Do your daily plans set your future up for success? 65% of people say they want to improve their daily goal setting - here's how to set effective targets for each day (with SMART examples).
How to Add Asana Tasks to Google Calendar
May 25, 2022

How to Add Asana Tasks to Google Calendar

Only 51.9% of planned tasks are completed by Asana users every week. Learn how to schedule Asana tasks to Google Calendar via Reclaim.ai, and get more done every sprint.
11 Best Productivity Apps for Managers
May 19, 2022

11 Best Productivity Apps for Managers

Only 50.2% of managers' task time is spent on actually productive work. Check out the 11 best productivity tools to help managers optimize their workweeks, and make more time where there is none.
Feeling Unmotivated at Work? 7 Ways to Get Your Drive Back
May 17, 2022

Feeling Unmotivated at Work? 7 Ways to Get Your Drive Back

1 in 3 employees feel unmotivated and unhappy at work, so how do you stay on track without your drive? Learn what causes demotivation and 7 tips to stay consistent (even when your motivation isn't).
Calendar Heroes: Elisa of M.Y.PhD, PhD Scholar at the University of Konstanz
May 13, 2022

Calendar Heroes: Elisa of M.Y.PhD, PhD Scholar at the University of Konstanz

Learn how PhD student, content creator, and Reclaim.ai user Elisa maximizes her time every week - with productivity tips including Pomodoro timers, deep work, calendar blocking, and yoga.
30 Great Check-In Questions for Managers to Drop in Meetings
May 11, 2022

30 Great Check-In Questions for Managers to Drop in Meetings

See the top 30 check-in questions managers should ask their direct reports in team meetings, one-on-ones, and daily standups to boost productivity and build better relationships with the team.
Meeting Conflicts: 5 Tips for Navigating Conflicting Schedules
May 5, 2022

Meeting Conflicts: 5 Tips for Navigating Conflicting Schedules

With the average professional juggling 25.6 meetings/week, meeting conflicts are inevitable. Learn how to navigate scheduling issues when they come up, with helpful tips to avoid them in the future.
The Best Zoom + Google Calendar Integration for Remote Meetings (Bonus: Works w/ Slack)
May 4, 2022

The Best Zoom + Google Calendar Integration for Remote Meetings (Bonus: Works w/ Slack)

Want to integrate Zoom with Google Calendar to save time scheduling personal and work calendars? 1. Go to the Google Marketplace 2. Search for Zoom 3. Select Zoom for Google Workspace 4. Click Install
Job Satisfaction & Productivity: Rituals for Positive Work Culture
April 29, 2022

Job Satisfaction & Productivity: Rituals for Positive Work Culture

Job satisfaction boosts productivity by 31%, but only 65% of US workers are content with their job. Learn how work satisfaction and productivity are connected, and rituals to boost both in your team.
How to Schedule ClickUp Tasks in Google Calendar
April 27, 2022

How to Schedule ClickUp Tasks in Google Calendar

Without enough time in their busy weeks, ClickUp users only complete 47% of their planned tasks. Sync ClickUp tasks to Google Calendar to automatically schedule time for task work and get more done.
4 Types of Brainstorming Meetings: Tips for Productive Ideation Sessions
April 21, 2022

4 Types of Brainstorming Meetings: Tips for Productive Ideation Sessions

Brainstorming meetings are used to solve complex problems with key members of the team, and develop next steps for a project. Learn the 4 different types of ideation sessions to use for brainstorming.
What is Decision Paralysis? How to Prevent in 4 Steps
April 18, 2022

What is Decision Paralysis? How to Prevent in 4 Steps

Experiencing decision paralysis from an overwhelming task list? 78.7% of people feel stressed by their increasing workloads. Here are 4 steps to help prioritize your time and prevent choice paralysis.
Deep Work vs. Shallow Work: 8 Tips to Maximize Productivity
April 15, 2022

Deep Work vs. Shallow Work: 8 Tips to Maximize Productivity

Entering a ‘flow state’ can boost productivity up to 500%, but many professionals can't find the time for distraction-free deep work on their cognitively demanding tasks. Shallow work may be to blame.
What is Mental Exhaustion? 9 Tips to Prevent a Tired Brain
April 7, 2022

What is Mental Exhaustion? 9 Tips to Prevent a Tired Brain

Feeling overworked, exhausted, and disengaged from your work? 41% of professionals feel burned out. Learn how to overcome mental fatigue, and what you can do to prevent it in the future.
11 Google Calendar Issues You Didn’t Know You Had
April 6, 2022

11 Google Calendar Issues You Didn’t Know You Had

Google Calendar is great, but sometimes it's not enough. Here are 11 problems you're probably experiencing, and how to use Reclaim.ai to make them 10 times better.
Task Management Trends Report: +200 Stats on Managers vs. Individual Contributors
March 29, 2022

Task Management Trends Report: +200 Stats on Managers vs. Individual Contributors

Just 53.5% of planned tasks get completed every week, with ICs only averaging 4.2 hours per day on task work. See over 200 stats in the 2022 Task Management Trends Report by Reclaim.ai.
How to Integrate Notion & Reclaim.ai with Google Calendar
March 21, 2022

How to Integrate Notion & Reclaim.ai with Google Calendar

Time blocking and organizing with Notion are two productivity trends that are here to stay. Learn how to integrate Notion and Reclaim.ai to auto-schedule your task list directly in Google Calendar.
7 Steps to a Productive Weekly Work Plan - Free Template Included
March 17, 2022

7 Steps to a Productive Weekly Work Plan - Free Template Included

Did you know that every minute spent planning saves 10 minutes in execution? Learn how a weekly work plan helps you to reduce stress, accomplish more, and stay on track with your priorities.
What is a Hybrid Work Model? Benefits vs. Challenges
March 2, 2022

What is a Hybrid Work Model? Benefits vs. Challenges

83% of people prefer hybrid work, but how do you balance the benefits of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility? Learn the different types of hybrid work models, benefits, challenges and tips.
How to Add Todoist Tasks to Google Calendar
February 24, 2022

How to Add Todoist Tasks to Google Calendar

96% of people say life is better with to-do lists, but 41% of tasks are never completed! Learn how to sync Todoist with Google Calendar to actually make time to get your tasks done via Reclaim.
8 Best Calendar Apps for Remote Work in 2022
February 22, 2022

8 Best Calendar Apps for Remote Work in 2022

Did you know that the right calendar app can improve your time management by as much as 38%? Compare these 8 popular calendar apps to see which is best for organizing your remote schedule.
How to Schedule Jira Issues in Google Calendar
February 16, 2022

How to Schedule Jira Issues in Google Calendar

Feeling overwhelmed by your ever-evolving Jira task list? Learn how to add Jira issues to Google Calendar so you can schedule time for heads-down work, and increase productivity up to 80%.
Calendar Analysis: How to Audit Your Time & Productivity
January 27, 2022

Calendar Analysis: How to Audit Your Time & Productivity

Why should you audit your time and calendar? People waste up to 40% of their workday when unorganized. Analyze how much time you spend on meetings, tasks, and personal time to better plan your week.
Reclaim's Response to the Log4j Vulnerability
December 29, 2021

Reclaim's Response to the Log4j Vulnerability

As a security-first company who takes the protection and security of our customer data extremely seriously, we’re writing this blog post to share our response to the Log4j CVE vulnerability.
How to Share Google Calendar & Manage Your Availability
December 16, 2021

How to Share Google Calendar & Manage Your Availability

Learn how to share your Google Calendar with another Google Calendar, Outlook or iCloud Calendar, key privacy settings, and the best way to block your availability to avoid double-booking.
Best Planner Apps: Top 5 Tools for Productivity in 2022
December 13, 2021

Best Planner Apps: Top 5 Tools for Productivity in 2022

If you spend just 10-12 minutes planning your day, you’ll save up to 2 hours of time otherwise wasted from poor planning. Learn the top 5 planner apps to keep you organized and productive in 2022.
How to Add Linear.app Issues to Google Calendar
December 1, 2021

How to Add Linear.app Issues to Google Calendar

Less than 50% of issues get completed every cycle, or sprint. Learn how to connect your Linear.app issue tracking projects with Google Calendar so you can make time for important tasks every sprint.
Top 14 Project Management Skills for the Remote Work Era
November 24, 2021

Top 14 Project Management Skills for the Remote Work Era

Which project management skills do you need to lead a remote working team? As the coordinator for a highly complex show, project managers need an arsenal of people skills and technical skills.
Team Meetings: 5 Types & Best Practices for Scheduling
November 12, 2021

Team Meetings: 5 Types & Best Practices for Scheduling

What is a team meeting? A gathering to build relationships, collaborate, share updates, and align your team. But with 50% of the workweek in meetings, orgs need to consider if they’re overscheduling.
Productivity Trends Report: One-on-One Meeting Statistics
November 2, 2021

Productivity Trends Report: One-on-One Meeting Statistics

Meetings have increased 69.7% since before the pandemic. Professionals now average 21.5 hours in meetings each week, with over 500% increase in one-on-one meetings due to the shift to remote work.
Effective 1:1 Meetings: How to Better Prepare & Schedule
October 26, 2021

Effective 1:1 Meetings: How to Better Prepare & Schedule

One on one meetings, or 1:1s, are a recurring check-in between two team members to discuss priorities, projects and goals. But are you using them effectively?
Calendar Heroes: Chris Parsons, Co-Founder & CTO at Lollipop
October 20, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Chris Parsons, Co-Founder & CTO at Lollipop

In this edition of Calendar Heroes, we talk to Chris Parsons, co-founder and CTO of Lollipop, to learn his style, tools, and methods for balancing priorities while leading an early-stage startup.
Calendar Heroes: Vishwesh Jirgale, VP of Engineering at Mindtickle & Angel Investor
October 14, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Vishwesh Jirgale, VP of Engineering at Mindtickle & Angel Investor

VP of Engineering at Mindtickle and Angel Investor, Vishwesh Jirgale, shares how he gets things done and achieves a productive workday. Check it out!
What is Focus Time? How to Prioritize Productivity
October 13, 2021

What is Focus Time? How to Prioritize Productivity

Focus time is a dedicated session for uninterrupted productive work. But with each meeting, Slack message, email and social media distraction, it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back on track.
Calendar Heroes: Philippe Mesritz, VP Customer Experience & Customer Operations at Khoros
October 6, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Philippe Mesritz, VP Customer Experience & Customer Operations at Khoros

VP of customer experience & customer operations at Khoros, Philippe Mesritz shares how he optimizes his time to get things done. Check it out!
Calendar Heroes: Megan Killion, Founder of Coven Cloud & MK Consulting
September 29, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Megan Killion, Founder of Coven Cloud & MK Consulting

Megan is a full-time working mother of four who runs three successful companies, Megan Killion Consulting, newly launched startup Coven Cloud, and a property rental business. See how she makes time!
More Calendar Control for Meetings! Reclaim Free & Busy
September 28, 2021

More Calendar Control for Meetings! Reclaim Free & Busy

Add more productivity and control to your smart calendar with advanced Reclaim free and busy event hashtags. Block time for no-meeting days, focus time, meeting times, and clock-out of task scheduling
Top 7 Time Management Tools (for Busy People)
September 23, 2021

Top 7 Time Management Tools (for Busy People)

82% of people don’t have a time management system, but there are hundreds of apps available to improve productivity for every working style. Find your best fit in the top 7 time management tools list.
Job Burnout: How to Fix at Your Workplace
September 21, 2021

Job Burnout: How to Fix at Your Workplace

Over two-thirds of employees have experienced job burnout recently, and more than 50% of all annual turnover results from burnout. See which signs to look for and how to prevent them at your company.
Top 5 Work Habits to Boost Productivity
September 14, 2021

Top 5 Work Habits to Boost Productivity

See the top 5 work habits to try to boost your productivity. If you’re seeking a promotion, trying to pivot your career, or just simply looking to step your game up in the workplace, this is for you.
Calendar Heroes: Chris Hunt, Staff Site Reliability Engineer at Stack Overflow
September 10, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Chris Hunt, Staff Site Reliability Engineer at Stack Overflow

Working on a team that is spread across 10 different time zones and our Calendar Hero, Chris Hunt lets us in on how he is able to do it. Check it out!
Durable Identity: Employee-Friendly SaaS for Life Changes
September 7, 2021

Durable Identity: Employee-Friendly SaaS for Life Changes

The average person changes jobs every 4.1 years, but you shouldn't have to re-sign up for every SaaS app that often. The future of work will be more durable - your identity will survive life changes.
Weekly Status Reports: 3 Steps to Reduce Meetings & Boost Productivity
August 31, 2021

Weekly Status Reports: 3 Steps to Reduce Meetings & Boost Productivity

"This meeting could’ve been an email.” We're all thinking it. Even 71% of senior managers feel their meetings are unproductive. Reduce meetings and boost productivity with weekly status reports.
The Best Time to Meditate? Prioritize Self-Care
August 26, 2021

The Best Time to Meditate? Prioritize Self-Care

The best time to meditate depends on your intention and your schedule. But no matter when you meditate, you can reap the benefits. The important thing is that you make time for this healthy habit.
Top 6 ADHD Organization Tools
August 24, 2021

Top 6 ADHD Organization Tools

Staying organized can feel like a constant battle for people with ADHD before you find your ideal rhythm and workflow. Here are the top ADHD organization tools to help you become more productive.
No-Meeting Days: Top 4 Advantages & How to Start at Your Company
August 19, 2021

No-Meeting Days: Top 4 Advantages & How to Start at Your Company

Are meetings consuming your workweek? 78% of people feel their meeting schedule is out of control - see how one no-meeting day a week can improve your productivity, team morale and prevent burnout.
Calendar Heroes: Ben Hutton, JSON Schema Specification Lead at Postman
August 17, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Ben Hutton, JSON Schema Specification Lead at Postman

Working as JSON Schema Specification Lead at Postman, Ben shares how he balances priorities while developing the JSON Schema strategy and it's tooling, and supports the open-source community.
Calendar Heroes: Shay Kingsbury, Program Manager | Go To Market at Hootsuite
August 11, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Shay Kingsbury, Program Manager | Go To Market at Hootsuite

Shay Kingsbury at Hootsuite shares how she balances priorities while leading merger and acquisition integration and Go To Market for Sparkcentral at the social media marketing and management platform.
Using Slack ‘Scheduled Send’ + Reclaim.ai to Schedule Messages
August 10, 2021

Using Slack ‘Scheduled Send’ + Reclaim.ai to Schedule Messages

Slack released a much-anticipated feature in June of 2021: scheduled sends for Slack messages. This, paired with some awesome Status syncing capabilities from Reclaim, can help you become a rockstar Slack communicator and role model for your team.
Calendar Heroes: Michele Wiedemer, Manager of Customer Education at Snyk
August 9, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Michele Wiedemer, Manager of Customer Education at Snyk

Michele Wiedemer at Synk shares how she balances priorities while developing the education training program for security champions and developers at the open source security platform.
Best Time to Exercise? Morning, Afternoon or Whenever
August 4, 2021

Best Time to Exercise? Morning, Afternoon or Whenever

Exercising for as little as 15 minutes a day can increase your lifespan by as much as 3 years, and you’ll sleep better and feel less stressed too. Here's how to optimize your workouts for the best time of day.
Make Time to Read: 5 Practical Tips for Busy People
July 28, 2021

Make Time to Read: 5 Practical Tips for Busy People

Reading has amazing benefits, and 35% of people want to do it more. It increases verbal intelligence, makes you a better leader, reduces stress, and fends off Alzheimer’s. Here are 5 tips to try out.
Calendar Heroes: Rohini Pandhi, Product @ Square
July 26, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Rohini Pandhi, Product @ Square

Rohini Pandhi, a Product Lead at Square, shares her style, tools and methodologies for balancing priorities while leading the product efforts for one of the top digital payment companies in the world.
15 Best Slack Apps for the Future of Work
July 22, 2021

15 Best Slack Apps for the Future of Work

Check out the top 15 Slack apps productive teams are using today to build and support the future of work at their organization across calendar management, project management, status updates, HR and team building.
Calendar Heroes: Q&A with Connor MacDonald, CMO at The Ridge
July 19, 2021

Calendar Heroes: Q&A with Connor MacDonald, CMO at The Ridge

Connor MacDonald at The Ridge shares his style, tools and methodologies for balancing priorities while leading the marketing vision for the brand that brought the world the first RFID-blocking wallet.
Clockwise vs. Reclaim.ai: 8 Key Differences in these Smart Calendar Tools
July 7, 2021

Clockwise vs. Reclaim.ai: 8 Key Differences in these Smart Calendar Tools

We get asked almost every day: what's the difference between Reclaim.ai and Clockwise? While we're both in the smart calendar space, there are some key differences to consider.
Naming Calendar Events: 5 Calendar Etiquette Tips
July 2, 2021

Naming Calendar Events: 5 Calendar Etiquette Tips

Need to create better calendar event titles to communicate context to your invitees, colleagues and incoming schedulers? Calendar communication starts with the first thing people see: the event title.
Lunch Breaks: 5 Ways to Improve Your Productivity
June 22, 2021

Lunch Breaks: 5 Ways to Improve Your Productivity

Want to improve your quality of work, energy level, and creativity? In this article, learn 5 ways in which taking a lunch will actually boost your productivity.
Effective Meetings vs. Pointless Meetings: How to Tell the Difference & Prioritize Your Own Time
June 17, 2021

Effective Meetings vs. Pointless Meetings: How to Tell the Difference & Prioritize Your Own Time

Learn the 5 key differences between effective vs. pointless meetings, and 3 tips to avoid unnecessary meetings getting booked on your calendar.
3 Ways to Find Work-Life Balance in the New Normal
June 10, 2021

3 Ways to Find Work-Life Balance in the New Normal

You want work-life balance, but work and life can't separate into equal halves. Forget balance, here are three ways to make work-life harmony a reality.
Reclaim just raised $4.8M in seed funding! 🎉
May 26, 2021

Reclaim just raised $4.8M in seed funding! 🎉

We're excited to announce that Reclaim has raised $4.8M in seed funding led by Index Ventures. Here's what comes next.
Pareto Principle: Using the 80/20 Rule for Priority Management
May 25, 2021

Pareto Principle: Using the 80/20 Rule for Priority Management

How to use the Pareto Principle 80/20 rule to block time for your priorities.
3 Single-Tasking Tips to Improve Your Focus
April 28, 2021

3 Single-Tasking Tips to Improve Your Focus

While you may think multitasking is a skill you can master, only 2.5% of people can do it effectively. Your brain performs best when “single-tasking”, focusing on only one thing at a time.
See more posts

Get the latest productivity trends from Reclaim

Subscribed!
Something went wrong. Please try again.

Ready to Reclaim?

Try it out