Optimize Monthly (Nov 2024)
Welcome to Optimize Monthly!
Each edition shares bite-sized insights, useful tools, and thought-provoking ideas I've discovered while helping companies and teams work smarter.
Never Stop Optimizing: A Lesson Learned
Summary
Define and defend your nonnegotiables, both in work and life.
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Success starts with knowing which boundaries you need to thrive. These might be limiting daily meetings, setting firm work hours, or protecting focused work time. These aren't just preferences—they're the foundation of your peak performance.
Don't apologize for maintaining these boundaries. A confident "no" to misaligned requests isn't just acceptable—it's essential.
Context
My calendar has dedicated "meeting," "work," and "focus" blocks synced to my scheduling links. But lately, those crucial focus blocks have been the first to slip, leading to too many late nights. I've now made my daily 90-minute focus block nonnegotiable. If a new meeting request would eliminate this time, it's an automatic no. For truly critical matters, something else must shift first—not my focus time.
Tool Tip: What I’m Excited About and Why
Summary
Attio is a modern CRM that automatically enriches contact data and syncs effortlessly with Gmail and Google Calendar.
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While I found other tools like Clay confusing, Attio just works. It pulls in both company and people data automatically, and by connecting with my email, gives me a complete view of every relationship. I can quickly see my full history with any contact, check upcoming meetings, and add them to pipelines (which Attio calls "lists"). It has workflow and automation options too, though I'm keeping it simple for now.
Context
I previously managed relationships through a custom-built ClickUp setup, which worked fine. But when a Fractionals United member raved about Attio, I had to check it out. The automatic Gmail sync and data enrichment meant all my contact information was instantly there and always current. Plus, its modern interface feels more like Notion or Coda than traditional CRMs like Salesforce or Hubspot.