Friday Favorites: New Year, New Tips

Happy New Year! Whether you make a list of New Year’s Resolutions every year or prefer a vague “I’ll do better this year,” January is a month of trying new things and branching out. So, in the spirit of the holiday, we’re sharing our best new tips for the first Friday Favorites of 2016.

Chase’s Favorite App

As with every New Year, resolutions are made in order to make ourselves (in the words of Daft Punk) “better, faster, stronger”. But if you are a small business owner, you may be creating resolutions for your business and tracking those results may be more difficult than the personal goal of eating less cake. Thankfully, Google has released an app version of their incredibly helpful Google Analytics service. With the app, you’re able to quickly see an analytical breakdown of your website’s traffic. There are charts and graphs to see exactly when, where, and how people are visiting your website. So if your New Year’s resolution is to get more website traffic to visit your Services page, this app will help you track your progress.

The app is available for free on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store

Devon’s Favorite Podcast

I don’t mind my commute. Traffic can be annoying but it gives me 45 minutes to an hour each way to rock out in my car or catch up on podcasts. I subscribe to a wide range of podcasts, including TV recap shows like Gilmore Guys, interview shows like You Made It Weird, and advice shows like Plz Advise, but they’re all firmly rooted in the comedy genre. Laughing makes my commute go by much quicker.

I was on the lookout for a new podcast to add to my rotation this week. After scouring the Internet for marketing-focused shows, I discovered the Fizzle Show. Fizzle is a business training company out of Portland, OR and also has a blog you should probably check out. The weekly podcast is full of business tips and isn’t as dry as other options in the genre. I was laughing for the full hour! New episodes are released every Friday – take a listen!

Audrey’s Favorite Inspiration

Okay, so I know this idea isn’t new. In fact, it’s an age-old idea that we just get in the habit of ignoring. So this year, maybe the new thing you do this year is stop ignoring it. What am I talking about? Taking a break!

I read this article about how we often get so wrapped up in everything we’re doing, we never get the time to rest which stunts our creative thinking. In order to think creatively, we need the ability to think freely, which comes much easier when your mind is not preoccupied with 500 different things. So boost your creativity (which is a skill that is beneficial in every business field) and schedule regular time for yourself. Not time where you turn off and veg, but where you can clear your mind and allow it to wander to new places. Take a walk or do another form of exercise, take a lunch by yourself, journal or enjoy some time outdoors. By scheduling time to let your mind wander, you’ll not only benefit from the ideas you gain during that time but you’ll be more productive when you’re working because your mind won’t be trying to wander while you’re working.