How to actually get stuff done

Happy September! ICYMI: On September 14 and 15, I’m hosting a free, one-hour class on everything Excel Pivot Tables and Data Cleaning! These are must-have skills if you’re looking to move up at your company—or want to stand out from a pool of job applicants. 😉 Can’t wait to see you there!

P.S. Can’t attend the listed time slots? No sweat! Once you register, you’ll get automatic access to a replay of the event.

Get Sheets Smart With This Productivity Tip

Everyone’s a Google Sheets “expert” until they try to use it to calculate time (IYKYK). 😅 That’s because things get a little tricky when adding or subtracting hours on Google Sheets.

For example: Say you want to keep a tally of how many hours you worked over the past few days. So you set up an equation that subtracts your end time from your start time. In this example, it would be =(H6 - G6).

But when Google Sheets runs the equation, you get…025?

“That can’t be right, I didn’t work for only .25 hours!” you think. And you’re right! So why is Google Sheets doing this to us?!

Let’s examine this a little closer. 🔍 You’ll notice that when you enter a time (such as 10:00 AM), Google Sheets will automatically divide it by 24. That’s why 10:00 AM appears as 0.42 (because Google Sheets is doing 10 divided by 24).

The same goes for 1:00 PM, which Google Sheets reads in military time (AKA 13!).

The solution? You guessed it—simply doing the reverse and multiplying your equation by 24. So in our example, our new equation would be =(H6 - G6) * 24. Drag down so your equation applies to the whole column, and you’re all set.

FYI: This tip came straight from my Sheets Smart course! Use SHEETS20 for 20% off if “become a Google Sheets pro” is one of your 2023 goals. 😎

BRB: Adding “Athlete” to My Resume

Did you know that Excel is now an esport?! Save your spot for the September 12 battle IRL at Torch and Crown Brewery in NYC or virtually here.

Join Order.co and the Financial Modeling World Cup on September 12 from 6:30–10 PM in NYC to:

• Witness the ultimate clash of financial minds competing for a prize of $5,000

• Network and mingle with Excel enthusiasts, investors, finance and operations professionals, and esports fans (my kind of people!!)

• Enjoy free local beer and snacks and win fun prizes

• Try your hand in our Excel arcade and see how you stack up

Sign up here to save your spot, as space is limited. Not in NYC but want to watch virtually? Register here.

My Three-Step Strategy to (Actually) Get Stuff Done

Do you have a big project you’re eager to create, but when it comes to actually doing it, these kinds of thoughts swirl in your mind? ⬇️

• “I’ll get it done…someday.”

• “I’m not motivated enough yet.”

• “I’m not sure if anyone would be interested.”

Then the days (okay, months) go by and that big project of yours never evolves past the idea phase. 🤷‍♀️ If that’s you, don’t worry—I’ve been there, too. But I’m glad to report I found a strategy to beat it.

This three-step strategy was so effective I was able to create nine courses during my first year as Miss Excel. It’s designed to navigate those common doubts in the creative process. Here’s the play-by-play:

→ Doubt One: “I’ll get it done…someday.”

This “one-day” mentality is a result of unclear expectations. If you have no idea how long your project will take you, chances are you’ll be too intimidated to start. So the first step is to ask yourself: How much time will I need? 

In my case, I determined I’d need roughly 80 hours to ideate, shoot, and edit my Excelerator course. Once you have a solid number, you’ll be able to start chipping away at it.

→ Doubt Two: “I’m not motivated enough yet.”

I told myself, “The only thing in my way from financial freedom and helping thousands of people is 80 hours.”

Remembering the why of your project is a great way to get motivated. Plus, attaching a tangible amount of time helps it feel possible. To do this, fill in this sentence: “The only thing between me and [desired outcomes from finished project] is [X] hours.”

→ Doubt Three: “I’m not sure anyone would be interested.”

Lastly, announce your project to the world. This is how you gauge interest and keep yourself accountable.

Most people don’t know I started selling my Excelerator course before it was done. Is it an anxiety-inducing technique? Yes. Is it highly effective? Also yes. As long as you’re clear on deadlines for presale and launch, it’s all good.

Now go out there and create your big project. I promise you that someone somewhere will love it. 💌

• I still haven’t found any PowerPoint shortcuts more useful than these two. 👀

• Want to become a Microsoft Word ninja? Try these eight navigation keyboard shortcuts.

• After reading this, cleaning the clutter from my desk is on my to-do list (and it should be on yours, too). 😅

• We've got your plans covered on September 12—watch 8 of the world's best Excel users battle it out in the sheets 😤 for $5,000 at a brewery in NYC (if you can’t make it in NYC, register here to watch virtually).*

• Is your YouTube feed stressing you out? Here are some Chrome extensions to clean it up!

• Seven quotes that’ll change the way you see the world. 💭

*This is sponsored advertising content.

Thanks for reading! BTW: If you’re a Power BI user, I have news: I’ve just launched my Power BI course after months of building. In this course, you’ll learn how to build beautiful data visualizations from scratch, including cleaning and transforming data in Power Query and so much more.

Here’s a look at me behind the scenes building Power BI (which TBH, wouldn’t have been possible without Hu 😅):

Stay Exceling,

Kat