Make 2018 Your Most Productive Year Yet with Skillshare

With the new year comes time for a new start, fresh beginnings and a chance to re-evaluate and shake up our routine. I’ve used the holiday season to spend time with family and friends but also gain some wisdom in areas I feel need some attention personally. In an effort to hit the ground running in 2018 and set some realistic new year’s resolutions I’m keeping it simple and putting my focus on improving my level of productivity. Enter Skillshare, an online community founded by Michael Karnjanaprakorn with thousands upon thousands of amazing classes in design, business, tech and more that aims to democratize education and learning for people globally. The best part, anyone can be a part of the millions of members to learn, share, network and discover new skills. Skillshare is amazing because you can find just about any class that suits your interests or areas you might be hoping to improve. And just in time for the new year, Skillshare is offering a limited time deal for our readers to get their first 3 months for only $0.99. Fabio has been talking up Skillshare for months now and has posted about some awesome design classes that he has enjoyed. Premium membership costs less than $10 a month offering unlimited access to classes ranging from quick 15 minute lessons to 4 hour courses that provide a deeper dive into just about any subject matter you could fathom. It’s great for all walks with varying free time on their hands. For me, the shorter classes are great because I’m at home with my toddler and they allow me to sneak in a couple classes here and there while he’s snoozing. I have successfully completed four great courses focusing on productivity and procrastination (my achilles heel!) and I’m already putting some of my learnings into play. For this post I’ll review the 4 classes I’ve enjoyed focused on helping me be a more productive me in 2018. There are countless classes on the topic that I’m eyeing so this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to finding the right class for you. The four classes include: “How to Create an Awesome Morning Routine: 10 Ways to Start an Amazing Day,” “How to Get More Done in 3 Hours Than Most Do In 3 Days,” “7 Morning Habits to Level-Up Your Daily Productivity and Creativity,” and “A Modern Day Guide to Stop Procrastinating.” So, without further ado, check out my review below and be sure to go to Skillshare to check out more classes that suit your own personal interests.   “How to Create an Awesome Morning Routine: 10 Ways to Start an Amazing Day” by Derek Franklin   How you start your day is how you're going to live your day. How you live your day is the way you live your life.  - Louise Hay (PULL QUOTE) This quote by famous author and success coach Louise Hay sums up the foundation of this course by Derek Franklin. He puts an emphasis on focusing on the quality of how you start every single day of your life and provides super simple tips to implement. If this is something that speaks to you, you’re going to love this course. In just 30 minutes you’ll take away 10 simple ideas for implementing what Franklin dubs the “'Wake Up & Go Routine” - a combination of simple habits and mindset training designed to help you replace chaos with order, stress with clarity, negative emotions with a sense of happiness and motivation, wasted time spent on things that matter. I particularly loved Franklin’s three practical tips to get into a positive mindset including the simple act of smiling, opening the blinds (closed blinds are a one-way ticket to Grumpyville) and listening to music. I also love Franklin’s suggestion of starting your day with a win by making your bed! This seems ridiculously easy but there is proof in the fact that if you can’t do the little things right you’ll never do the big things right. In a nutshell, once you learn and use this routine, you'll have a practical  recipe for building your life, one amazing morning at a time.   “How to Get More Done in 3 Hours Than Most Do In 3 Days,” by James Canzanella This class was great for me or anyone looking to start a side hustle in 2018. If you, like me, feel like you should be much further along when it comes to growing your online business, side venture or passion project this quick 30 minute class is well suited for you. I often get paralyzed when it comes to sorting out the next step to really achieve growth and James Canzanella does an amazing job of simplifying the necessary steps one needs to put in place in order to achieve their goals. You’ll appreciate this course for its brevity, straight-to-the-point-ness and actionable, practical tips for a more productive working style. After just 30 minutes you’ll be armed with crystal-clear clarity about what you should be doing in your business in order to see results. The most poignant lesson in this course for me was the importance of limiting distractions. From social media to your mobile phone to being mindful of the importance of alone time, taking the small steps to focus can help to accomplish what needs to get done.   7 Morning Habits to Level-Up Your Daily Productivity and Creativity,” by Youshaa Motan This quick 13 minute course by Online Teaching Developer Youshaa Motan is perfect for all walks whether you’re a creative, office professional or entrepreneur. This class really spoke to me in that it’s a great lesson for those that find havoc in their morning routine. The biggest roadblock for many people is their morning habits and the lack of attention to improve. In order to become more productive throughout your day, start with optimizing your morning routine. Youshaa whittles down 7 practical habits that are super easy-to-implement to improve your morning routine and as a result, live a happier, more fulfilling life. From simply leveraging natural light, meditation and prayer to automating decisions and hydrotherapy, Youshaa shares his pragmatic tips to kick your 2018 into high gear. “A Modern Day Guide to Stop Procrastinating” by Kiss Sandor This hour long course by Kiss Sandor is great for those that are looking for simple ways to get rid of procrastination providing tried and true methods for getting more done. Sandor was a chronic procrastinator until 2013 when he became fully aware of the negative impact it was playing in his life. The course teaches a highly effective, tried and tested method for eliminating your problem of procrastination and helps you to begin living a happier and more productive life. Key takeaways include simple yet powerful ways to remove the mental and physical blocks that cause you to procrastinate and begin working in a way that will leave you feeling refreshed, in control and will lead to you getting a lot more work done. No longer will you be rushing around to meet the needs of your boss, leaving the important jobs to the last minute or feeling the guilt of letting people down or feeling like you aren’t pulling your weight. I loved the recommendation of creating a daily POA (Plan of Action) which is a simple tool to stay organized and help keep focus on the things you need to do. The result, simple changes you can make instantly to become happier with yourself. Learn the successful method that has helped many people to stop procrastinating instantly Learn the secret to taking control of your pending tasks Discover how to plan your whole day in less than 2 minutes Uncover the simple tricks to never procrastinating again Successfully complete tasks and never miss another deadline Become someone your colleagues view as reliable and hardworking What Skillshare classes are you planning on taking to make 2018 your best year yet? Click here to redeem your first 3 months and start learning today. 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