Here is a curated list of tools (gear) and resources that I have used over the years to be more productive, manage my finances, build side hustles, create content, build better habits and much more. This list is ever evolving so I suggest you bookmark the page for future reference.
Perfect Day Template
What would you do if you had no limitations and consequences, how would you live your life, and what would your days look like? The Perfect Day Exercise will help you uncover what you truly desire and how you want to live your life.
B.R.I.C.K Goal Setting Notion Template
This is the method I use to set my goals each year. It’s different from traditional goal setting because it covers all aspects of your life and not just 1.
Habit Tracking Template
Habit tracking is a visual representation of your efforts and also motivating. By tracking our habits we prove to ourselves that we can act in alignment with the type of person we would like to become.
Audible- Audiobooks
Audio books are a great way to listen to your favourite books on the go while commuting. I usually listen when I am doing chores or cooking in the kitchen I always have a book playing in the background. You can listen anytime, anywhere, they even give you your first audiobook FREE.
Skillshare- Online Courses
Over the last 8 years I have spent thousands on digital courses. I find it crazy that most people stop learning after they leave college or university. Today, it is ever important to “keep sharpening the saw” and so online courses are the answer. You can take courses on Skillshare from the comfort of your own home, and they have over 35,000+ classes to choose from.
Blinkist- Book Summaries
Short on time but still want to put a dent in your reading list? Blinkist is an awesome app if you are a busy parent like myself to get bite-sized nuggets of popular nonfiction books in 15 minutes. They give you the key ideas of the book so that you can use the information and apply it to your life immediately.
Kindle Device
I’m a sucker for physical books, however due to the amount I read I figured it's probably best to switch to a digital device such as the kindle to save my bookshelf from falling over! The Kindle also makes it easy to highlight passages which I can then export to my Notion book summary template for further summarisation.
Notion App- Knowledge & Project Management
Ali Abdaal is to blame for introducing me to Notion, and I couldn't be happier! Notion is an awesome app that allows me to manage all my book notes, YouTube content ideas, blog content, habit trackers, daily to-do lists, publishing calendars, and much more all in one place.
Beeminder- Accountability
Beeminder allows you to commit to a specific (quantifiable) goal, this can be anything such as losing weight or walking a specific number of steps per day. Beeminder then keeps you accountable for staying on track with the goal. If you fail you have to pay money, If you stay on track then there’s nothing to pay.
Webflow- No Code Website/Blog Design & Hosting
I've been a huge advocate of WordPress but moved over to Webflow recently for better SEO and speed, as well as greater control over my website designs without the added "bumph" of templates and plugins!
Shopify- E-commerce Website
My very first side hustle was e-commerce. Over the years I have created drop-shipping sites, print-on-demand sites, and much more, all on Shopify.
I love Shopify, their best feature in my opinion is their app store, which gives you a whole host of apps that you can add to your store allowing you to have a store up an ready in minutes.
GoDaddy- Domain Name Registration
This is my go-to place for buying domain names. When starting a side hustle it’s best to check GoDaddy to see if it’s available as a domain. Having your own domain adds a professional touch to your business idea.
FreeTrade App- Investing
Freetrade App allows you to invest commission-free which makes it simple for beginners to get into investing. I love the UX of the app it’s easy and simple to use and they allow you to invest in fractional shares. They also have a whole host of US and UK stocks ETF’s and investment trusts to choose from.
Sony a6400 Camera
This a great camera and is recommended by many big YouTubers. The best thing about the camera is the autofocus which is amazing. I never have to worry about being out of focus with this camera.
Sigma 16mm, f/1.4 Lens
If you’ve ever wondered how your favourite YouTubers get that blurry or “bokeh” effect in the background then this is the lens that you need.
RODE Video Mic Pro
Audio is probably the most important thing when it comes to making videos. I find that I will gladly watch a video or piece of content if the video quality is not that good but the audio is great. However, that’s rarely the case if it’s the other way around.
Neewer Studio Lights
I use this lighting setup, however, any lighting setup will do. So start with what you have and then move on to more professional lighting if you need it.
Adobe Creative Cloud
I use Photoshop and Lightroom for any content I upload on my social media including Instagram as well as creating thumbnails for YouTube. I also use the Lightroom mobile app for editing photos on the go.
Final Cut Pro X
This is my go-to software for video editing. It’s easy to learn for beginners and is not as scary looking as Premier Pro! There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube to get started with Final Cut Pro, so dive right in.
Ali Abdaal's Editing Master Class
When I upgraded to my new Macbook Pro I had no clue how to use Final Cut Pro X and so this is the class I took from well-known YouTuber Ali Abdaal so I could get to grips with the editing process of making YouTube videos.