How often have you looked at the time shocked because it’s noon, and you have no idea where the time went or what you’ve accomplished? There are reasons why it’s so hard for us to get work done and stay focused — and fortunately, there’s research that shows that we can change this.
The most successful women during the workweek are incredibly productive because they prep before it even begins. The one thing they all have in common is they don’t waste their time doing menial tasks. So, while there are plenty of creative ways to get to the top, there is that one common denominator we’ve noticed: time-management.
Your time is your most valuable resource, and the more efficiently you spend it, the better. Now that’s success.
One of the most effective tactics for getting more done and getting your time back is simply not to get lost in menial tasks. I’ve learned from personal experience that mindlessly performing tasks (scheduling meetings, spreadsheet work, and booking flights) is a recipe for inefficiency, disconnection, and even burnout. Reversely, the benefits to my productivity, happiness, and health when I have more time to do my work well and spend quality time with family is well established.
To that end, between work, social engagements, and spending quality time with family and friends, I’m always searching for the latest and greatest productivity hack to try, and I’ve tried them all. From different to-do check off apps to sending emails to myself to set, I’ve literally run the gamut when it comes to finding ways to get my time back.
But thanks to a new personal assistant service I recently tried, I feel like I may have discovered the holy grail of productivity hacks—one that doesn’t even require me to do more work.
To maximize my productivity and reach my goals, I turned to Fin, a personal assistant service that I delegated tasks to easily via email and text. This service is the brainchild of Sam Lessin and Andrew Kortina, founders of the mobile payment service Venmo (maybe you’ve heard of it). What they set out to do is help a large number of people who want help managing their lives but don’t need a full-time assistant.
Last month I tested the personal assistant service. Here’s what I found.
How I Used Fin
On Day 1 of signing up with Fin, my hopes are not very high, to be honest. I thought, “How can this be different from Alexa and Siri.” Boy, was I wrong.
After signing up on their site, Fin gave me a dedicated email address that I could send in requests to. The first task I wanted to give Fin is to roll over my old 401k from a previous employer to Ellevest, a robo-advisor for women that I had heard of and was dying to try. It’s a prime example of my most dreaded task, money management, getting checked off my list.
With email, I ask Fin to look into my old account and call ADP to find out where my 401k is from an old employer and how much was in it. Later in the day, I provide Fin with some information about ADP logins and account information they requested.
By the end of the day, Fin provided me the information for the 401K from ADP ( I actually had more than one) and let me know that they had set up my account with Ellevest in 30 minutes. All I had to do from there is respond to the email from Ellevest that was sent to me that told me, as the last step, I need to call ADP and have the check made out to Folio investing and have it sent over to them. Done! I had been wanting to do that for months (3 years if I’m being honest).
Cost: $78
Getting In The Habit of Using Fin
Later that week, I give Fin a task to find a new vet for my puppy that’s cage free and also offers to board for travel. I have already found one very, but I asked Fin over voice-to-voice text if it can find something better. I also asked Fin to send flowers to my mom for her birthday. All Fin asked from me was my old vet’s information, my mom’s home address, what flowers she loves (pink roses, of course), and my budget.
Fin took care of the rest. I spend most of my day in Slack, and it was amazing to see that I can also send requests to Fin via Slack as well.
Cost: $34.50
Siri, Alexa, and Google Home Will Get You Only So Far
So what differentiates Fin from Alexa and Siri? For me, the big difference is that fin is a real human that uses tech to do the tasks. And because Fin is a real human, it has the ability to learn my habits.
I noticed from my first interaction with Fin that when I voice text Fin I was on a budget for the vet and the flowers, Fin knew to send me a few options, all within budget. I was provided with a few choices—all within budget.
Fin can remember things like my favorite restaurants, any preferences I have, recurring purchases, credit card information, and more.
I also spend most of my day in Slack, and it was great to learn that I can send requests to Fin via Slack as well.
For more information on pricing or to schedule a demo on how to fully take advantage of all Fin has to offer, visit www.fin.com.
In a planning mood? See how an investment plan could help you manage your finances. Ellevest is one way to do it. You can get a personalized portfolio in under 10 min. And it’s made by women, for women.
