How to Make Multi-Tasking Work with Mario Peshev @no_fear_inc #vcbuzz

Productivity is one of those topics that is full of contradictions.

And that’s understandable: We are all different. What works for someone will not work for other people.

But it doesn’t mean that we need to stop sharing all kinds of tips and tricks that may help get more productive!

***Add #VCBuzz chats to your calendar here.

***Please sign in here to follow the chat -> twchat.com/hashtag/vcbuzz

About Mario Peshev @no_fear_inc

Mario Peshev is a global SME Business Advisor who was born in Bulgaria and gained diverse management experience through his training work across Europe, North America, and the Arab world.

With 10,000+ hours in consulting and training for organizations like SAP, VMware, CERN, he’s been helping hundreds of SMEs growing in different stages of the business lifecycle.

His technical consultancy DevriX @WPDevriX grew past 50 people and ranked as a top 20 WordPress agency worldwide.

Questions we discussed

Q1 How did you become a digital marketer? Please share your career story! And do tell us about your Forbes cover!

My journey started in tech as a kid back in ‘99, with my very first website. Over the next decade, I turned into a digital savant – running forums, translating software, writing industry news, building simple apps and themes.

I juggled freelance and contract jobs in media and training firms. The common focus was content marketing, industry events, building websites and landing pages, and optimizing funnels for success.

I delved into engineering, spent a few years building enterprise-grade software. Built my own CMS back in 2008 – but it was no match for WordPress. Most of my work was for mid-sized businesses, and I solved marketing problems with tech.

Fast-forward a few years, my agency DevriX works with SMEs around the world, scaling publishers past 500M page views, helps Fortune 1000s integrate solutions together, and supports the WordPress ecosystem via contributions and free software.

I also act as a CTO for Brainjolt and run my own consultancy Growth Shuttle, focusing on SMEs. It’s a diverse mix that keeps me on my toes at all times, and I strive to stay up to date with the latest and greatest in marketing!

Forbes Bulgaria reached out for an interview last year. I was a guest contributor for Forbes and Entrepreneur, among other media outlets. It was an honor to be published in one of the best business magazines in the world!

Q2 You do so much! How do you manage to get things done?

I’m obsessed with learning, time management, and productivity. One of the reasons I grew into a C-level role was my passion for mentoring teams, discovering processes, adapting paradigms, and challenging the status quo.

In fact, I pivoted into flexible working hours, async work, and remote back in 2008 when I started my first venture. The paradigm of 9-to-5 and commuting with no on-site collaboration was counter-productive, and I wanted to validate a different model 🙂

Remote was almost unheard of at the time – and I made it work with the right processes. Even though @WPDevriX is on-site now (hi!), I still manage remote teams around the world when it makes sense. Setting KPIs & developing ROI models is the key to success.

A2a. I've read some articles by @no_fear_inc and do much the same. While communications occur on multiple platforms, devices, forms/chats/forums/etc., "my workaround is simply piping all forms of communication back to my email." – Mario #vcbuzz It may change later.
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) April 26, 2022

My schedule is flexible yet neatly organized. I set weekly goals and daily wins, and work around meetings to get the job done. My teams have initiatives on their own, and I aim to unblock them through vision exercises and high-level ROI goals.

Async is still one of the most important instruments in my arsenal. Instead of relying on presence, I can send emails or decks or videos explaining what we’re after and unblock people in Asana at night or in the morning. This is a huge shift.

A2. Ironically, I get more done by taking breaks. I’ve found if you don’t, you’ll spin wheels. In my first career (accounting), it was essential. That doesn’t have to mean total down time; just getting away from one project for a bit may be all you need. #vcbuzz
— Dana Lemaster Author (@LemasterAuthor) April 26, 2022

I focus on high ROI activities and delegate workflows that are easier to manage. This keeps me on top of various high-level goals so I don’t get bogged down with the details. It’s a self-growth challenge in itself!

Q3 I have stumbled upon this article of yours. Please tell us how to make multi-tasking work?

The premise of async work and zealously planning tasks enables you to challenge how certain tasks are getting done. Let’s take emails for example. Why email if you can dictate? OR better yet, record and send a video overview?

How about recording a screencast demonstrating a process and walking through a blog post edit or a contract review instead of setting a meeting? I’ve done interviews at coffee shops, at the gym, or while walking the dog at the park. The sky is the limit.

While learning is essential, it doesn’t mean you need to block an hour or two during business hours to read. Podcasts, audiobooks, a @Mindvalley subscription let you consume knowledge on the go, while driving, or during workout sessions.

I’ve recorded blog posts as videos while driving, passing them through @Revhelp for transcribing. Or audio dictating them with @otter_ai on my way to work. I can respond to emails in the evening with the TV on in the background. It’s about efficiency!

This lets you tap into your creative zone, limit distractions, utilize adrenaline spikes, or even unlock new ideas during a walk. Some of the best meetings I’ve had were while walking outside or on the plane. It sets a different tone for a conversation.

I’m relating to this, especially the walking. There’s something about it that relaxes you & allows the creativity to flow. #vcbuzz
— Dana Lemaster Author (@LemasterAuthor) April 26, 2022

The change of scenery solves a lot of problems. Honestly, that’s why pool tables or fussball exist in most tech offices. It’s just tapping into a different energy pool before you focus back on a problem

Q4 What are some common multi-tasking mistakes?

The biggest pitfall is juggling two activities that require attention. Following a TV show while writing a scientific piece is close to impossible. Combining mundane tasks with creative ones facilitates both.

Yes. Some things require 100% of our attention. But other quick interruptions do not.

We pause what we're focusing on long enough to respond to a message and then go back to it.

Or we have something in the background that requires less focus. #vcbuzz https://t.co/x08RCY1rtN
— Gail Gardner (@GrowMap) April 26, 2022

This is why multitasking during a meeting is counter-productive. This is one of the reasons why employers require cameras on during Zoom meetings so that everyone follows closely. Alternatively, a Slack thread can be more helpful for taking notes, though.

A4. Everyone learns and executes uniquely, as well our work environments may influence our focus mode of operation. Succumbing to distractions may be the most common mistake that limits productive multitasking. Avoid leaving multiple uncaught errors. #vcbuzz
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) April 26, 2022

Multitasking exclusively on your desk may limit your creativity, too. The change of scenery helps. Walking (or any movement) also helps. Stanford conducted a study that found that walking increases creativity by an average of 60%!

Atomic Habits is a great book that covers some of the best practices in developing discipline, improving your focus mode, and defining different zones for different activities. Even using the same laptop for Netflix and work can impair your efficiency.

Look into your weekly agenda and find activities that are mundane – like cleaning your email or catching up with newsletters. Start with this – and mix it with another activity. Like cooking while listening to a narrated article by Pocket or a Blinkist book.

Q5 What are your favorite productivity tools?

I mentioned several tools already but I’ll give some honorable props to tools that really make an impact in my life.

Email – I signed up for Gmail in early beta in 2004, and I love it. Labels, filters, forwarders, connecting with other Google tools, sharing capabilities, tons of rules to optimize your efficiency. Hit me up for additional tactical notes.

A5. We often try to accommodate clients and flow using what they already have in place (commonly slack). I like @no_fear_inc list here: (https://t.co/iuNu4mRaAT) #vcbuzz pic.twitter.com/q8bGahJp13
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) April 26, 2022

@ZipMessage – @CasJam introduced me last year and I love it. I’ve done interviews with it, collected client testimonials, prepped meeting summaries, project proposals, you name it. Versatile and tolerant to different content mediums

@Loom – great for screencasts. I usually record project demos, “How to” videos, or reviews explaining my thinking process step by step. Better than a meeting (async + notes) and limits ambiguity in a text form.

@Asana – my favorite project management system. Weekly sprints across the board, team announcements, due dates – everything you need to get projects up to speed across teams and vendors.

The most commonly used project management system appears to be @asana

And they have an always-free version so if you plan to freelance or work for a company, learning to use it is a good idea. #vcbuzz https://t.co/7L0i977mjV
— Gail Gardner (@GrowMap) April 26, 2022

@Todoist – my personal TODO app which is great on both desktop and mobile. Auto suggestions, snooze, gamified experience, easy to add tasks on different devices, tracking progress, recurring activities, syncs with Calendar.

@volley_app – for video-heavy teams, great for bouncing async ideas back and forth. When a text is not enough, or after a meeting – moving to Volley to clarify works wonders.

A5 You have to have processes to be successful and organized.

And that requires project management systems. Not using them means everything is disorganized all the time. @Wrike Enterprise for complex workflows @rememberthemilk for hitting deadlines @Trello visuals #vcbuzz https://t.co/VLg254pQlq
— Gail Gardner (@GrowMap) April 26, 2022

I generally avoid tools that require me to be present at a specific time and drop everything, or work across time zones. Messaging apps like Slack or WhatsApp do the same – urge you to answer on the go or forget about a message forever!