Transcript

Samantha  0:02  

Hello there and Welcome to LearnBytes, the show that brings you bite-sized pieces of wisdom so you can learn how to increase your efficiency and productivity, embrace your natural creativity and lead with impact. I’m Samantha Garrett from Using Technology Better and joining me on the show today is Dom Puttick. Hi Dom, welcome!

Dom Puttick  0:20  

Hi everybody, thanks for having me.

Samantha  0:21  

So glad to have you here. So Dom is the Founder of Evolve Fitness and Nutrition and she’s going to share her wisdom today on the topic of efficiency and productivity. And full disclosure, I will just say, Dom is my amazing personal trainer. And that’s why I’ve got her on the show because she’s just brilliant and she’s given me lots of good advice. So anyone that’s been checking us out on Instagram, and seeing some photos of my breakfast, a lot of them come from inspiration from Dom. So you’re famous already Dom before we even start.

Dom Puttick  0:49  

We go way back. Yeah. 

Samantha  0:51  

Yep totally. So enouogh about that and my breakfast. Dom do you want to share a little bit about yourself, about Evolve, before we jump into the questions?

Dom Puttick  1:00  

Absolutely. Thanks, Sam. So as a dietitian and personal trainer, I have a holistic approach with helping people find their best health. So this may mean completely different things for different people. But I love to help my patients and clients find exactly what that might mean for them. So for you, Sam, it could be a good breakfast, or getting enough food in the day with your busy schedule. Other people it might just be working on general nutrition, training, sleep, stress, it could be just something as simple as changing overall mindset and actually enjoying what they do for their health. So all these small habits accumulate to create a person’s overall health and wellbeing and if I can have a small impact on some of these habits, then it can definitely be life changing for the client.

Samantha  1:47  

Yeah, and that’s so interesting, Dom and that’s part of the reason why I really love working with you is because you do take that holistic approach, and that’s why I invited you on the show, like you were a top, on top of my list of guests, because I’m just like, Dom’s got such an interesting way of looking at fitness and nutrition and such a personalised approach, which I really, really resonate with. So I wasn’t gonna say too, because um, so Dom is usually down here in the Melbourne region with me, but she has totally pivoted with COVID and moved to a like, online model, which is really, really amazing. And I, she’s actually in Queensland at the moment, and I’m still being able to do all my fitness and nutrition in an online capacity. So what we’ll do at the end of the show, too, I’ll get Dom to share where you can find her programs. So because it’s totally not location based anymore, which is cool.

Dom Puttick  2:30  

Yeah, absolutely. Just yeah, like you were saying, the way I work has changed so much since the COVID crisis started. So instead of doing face to face training sessions on a daily basis where people will come to me, like Sam, I now just split my time between doing Zoom PT sessions, online coaching, program creation, Zoom nutrition consults, and running online challenges for groups. So it’s a little bit of something for everyone, and there’s a whole lot, or little amount, depending on what someone needs. So again, that individualised kind of approach for people, which is really good.

Samantha  2:59  

It’s so good because like, that’s sort of what we’re like at Using Technology Better. It’s all about individualised and customized technology training. And that’s why I’m just like, you’ve got like, the nutrition version of that, which I love. Alright, so we’re gonna get into the question. So as you know, this is all about bite sized pieces of wisdom. So I’m actually gonna put a timer on for four minutes, we’ve got eight questions on efficiency and productivity. So I’m really excited to hear your thoughts on these topics. So are you ready, Dom? For the race against the clock. 

Dom Puttick  3:29  

I’m ready, no pressure.

Samantha  3:31  

I tell you what, usually your timing me to race things. Oh, my goodness, the tables have turned. All right. So I’m going to click Start. And we’re going to kick off. First phone and current phone?

Dom Puttick  3:45  

So my first mobile phone was a little Nokia brick thing back in 2004. So they didn’t do too much, but they were definitely indestructible. And I remember costing 25 cents to send each text. But now I have an iPhone 11 Pro. And I justified that one by the three camera feature, which allows me to take some incredible photos when I’m cooking, and doing exercise tutorials.

Samantha  4:10  

What does working efficiently and product, productively mean for you?

Dom Puttick  4:14  

So working efficiently and productively means working smarter, not harder. Automating as many processes as possible and focusing on the things in my business that actually need me to function, like the one on one consutls, it is imperative to me. So outsourcing to apps and scheduling systems is a bit of a lifesaver.

Samantha  4:33  

When and where do you work best?

Dom Puttick  4:35  

I work best first thing in the morning, straight after coffee and with minimal distractions. So for me it’s really important to have my own organised space without clutter so you can see this room here is exactly what I like.

Samantha  4:49  

And I happen to know at the moment you’re working with an amazing view so maybe that helps as well.

Dom Puttick  4:53  

I definitely helps. Whale watching from the windows here actually? 

Samantha  4:56  

Oh, damn. Favorite app for helping your efficiency or productivity?

Dom Puttick  5:01  

Acuity Scheduling is a bit of a game changer. So I don’t know if you’ve heard of this before, but it just integrates with your website. And it allows clients to book on my website for their appointment of choice at a time that suits them and me. So the booking system updates in real time to block out any spots in my calendar as I fill up my calendar separately, and then it cuts out any unnecessary back and forth with booking appointments, and it takes pre payment for services. So it means that I don’t have to follow up payments or do any invoicing. So that’s a huge time saver.

Samantha  5:31  

Oh, that sounds really cool. We’ll put the link to that below. Because yeah, awesome. Um, two minutes, two minutes and eight seconds left. Biggest efficiency or productivity challenge?

Dom Puttick  5:39  

Having my phone around me when I’m trying to work. So it’s definitely a bit of a double edged sword because I need it for some of those business apps and booking appointments and customer interface things, but sometimes can definitely find myself lost in a bit of a rabbit hole. So now it’s notifications off, sleep mode, no Instagram just once a day. So working on it.

Samantha  5:59  

So maybe that leads really well into the next question, the number one thing you’ve done that’s had the biggest impact on your efficiency or productivity?

Dom Puttick  6:06  

So for this one, I actually think just waking up early has been so helpful for me. So since making this move to Queensland, we wake up with the sun around 5am. So it means I have a solid three hours of time for myself, before I even start work, to do things like exercising or catching up with friends or doing any little sort of maintenance tasks on my business. So getting up early and making more more time in the day.

Samantha  6:29  

So does that mean we all should move to Queensland just so we get up at 5.

Dom Puttick  6:32  

Yeah, everyone should just move up to the Gold Coast with me.

Samantha  6:36  

If we could leave the state, maybe we would if we were down here. Book, video or podcasts you’d recommend to others Dom?

Dom Puttick  6:46  

So I’ve recommended this one to pretty much every second person and client since I finish reading it. It’s called Atomic Habits by James Clear. So in this book, James basically explains very clearly that the person you want to be or what you want to achieve is just the accumulation of thousands

of tiny, atomic size habits. That’s why it’s called Atomic Habits. And he just puts really clear frameworks into place for you to be that person. So everyone needs to read this. 

Samantha  7:12  

Cool, we’ll definitely put that down below. And I will definitely add that to my list. So awesome. Thanks Dom. Last question. 25 seconds. If you could save an hour each day and spend that time doing something you’re passionate about, how would you spend it?

Dom Puttick  7:23  

Okay, so for me, I already do get to something, do something that I’m passionate about on a daily basis. And that’s helping people with their health. But if I’m going to answer in more of a selfish sense, learning, so reading, learning Spanish and try to do something new every day, it’s what I’m doing at the moment.

Samantha  7:40  

Love it. Two seconds, one second, we are done. You’re amazing!

Dom Puttick  7:45  

Pefect timing.

Samantha  7:46  

It is Dom, and I love that I got really tired when you said that learning one for eight, because if anyone was to have asked me that question, I’d be like, so that would be my answer.

Dom Puttick  7:54  

I know and it’s so true, it’s such a hard thing to say. Because if there’s like if you could save an hour each day and spend that time doing something you’re passionate about how would you spend it, but I already try to do everything that I’m passionate about every day, you know, like exercise, nature, helping people, but learning is a big one. I think, I think I feel like I’ve had so much more of a productive day if I have learned something new, even just one word in Spanish.

Samantha  8:19  

That’s so often not selfish, because what you’re learning that goes on to help others like, OK maybe not the Spanish, or you can pick up some Spanish clients, but, but yeah, like most of the learning actually then impacts other people as well. That kind of ripple effects. So yeah. Yeah.

Dom Puttick  8:35  

Definitely, definitely. When it comes to things just like even habit forming, or general health stuff, or learning more nutrition info, even if it is just a fun fact that I can pass on to someone else to be interesting for them.

Samantha  8:46  

That’s awesome. Well, thanks Dom. Now I’m going to put a question without notice to you. So don’t freak out. Because I happen to know I’ve read some really interesting parts you have put on your Instagram feed, which are about being efficient with your workouts and like because I know you, like we were sort of focusing on a business sense,  but I would wonder if you just wanted to spend a little bit of time talking about that, because I just found that so interesting when I read it.

Dom Puttick  9:10  

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So number one thing is definitely setting an environment that’s right for you to work out in. So if you know your kids are distracting, don’t be in the lounge room with them when you’re trying to do your workout. Try and get up before the rest of the family or do it in a time that’s time for you. So remove your distractions. Make a workout space when you walk into it, you know, it’s workout time. So it could be a little corner in your spare room or it could be part of the garage where got your weights and your mat already set up for you. That’s already going to save you five minutes every time, every time you walk into that space. You don’t have to clear up you’ve already got it set up for you. Apart from that, timing wise, there’s a strategy I like to use with my training sessions and it’s called super sets. So instead of doing three sets of push ups in a row where you have to rest for about 30 seconds between each set and then doing three sets of squats after that then having to rest 30 seconds between each one of those, just put them together and do squats, push ups, squats, push ups, no rest in between if you can, if you’re fit enough. And that way, you’re going to save about three minutes rest time. So that’s going to condense your 45 to hour minute workout down to 30 minutes.

Samantha  10:18  

I was so hoping you were gonna say that because I love that Dom. Yeah, I saw that. And because that’s what you programmed for me. And it is so good. Because when I do my workouts at the end of the day, I’m like, Okay, cool. Like I’m loving this, but I just want to get done now, because I’ve got other things. So it’s like, condense condense, and yes.

Dom Puttick  10:33  

Exactly, so get it done, cook dinner while you’re doing it as well. Like you said, instead of waiting around and doing it separately, you can pop the oven on 30 minute timer, do you work out and then go back and eat your food.

Samantha  10:45  

Exactly. Before we jumped on interview, we were talking about the benefits of doing workouts at home, just like the benefits of working at home.

Dom Puttick  10:54  

I put that one in there cooking and working out at the same time. It’s definitely a great strategy.

Samantha  10:58  

Great efficiency tip. Beautiful. Alright, so before we wrap up the session Dom, where can people find you and find more about Evolve?

Dom Puttick  11:05  

So my website is www.evolvefn.com.au. So that’s evolvefn for fitness and nutrition, or up on Instagram, and it’s dom.dietitian.and.pt. And now that I say that it doesn’t sound very efficient. But I summarized myself in just a little Instagram handle. But yes.

Samantha  11:26  

That sounds good. We’ll link it out anyway and will tag you all in Dom So. not a problem.

Dom Puttick  11:31  

Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.

Samantha  11:33  

No worries. Thank you for spending the time with us today. So and thanks everyone for joining us. So that is it for the show today. But if you have loved the conversation I’ve had with Dom and you want to see more episodes of LearnBytes, be sure to subscribe to the Using Technology Better YouTube channel. And if you’re listening to the podcast version of the show, of course, follow the podcast on your favorite app and that way you’ll be notified of all the new episodes. Now we also have a fortnightly newsletter which is packed full of productivity and efficiency and organisation tips. So if that’s your thing, then you can subscribe to that the link is below as well. So that is it for today. But I will see you again soon for another episode of the bite sized learning adventure that is life. See you then. 

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