How to work smarter: a productivity expert’s guide to managing time, energy and focus

Liz Hardwick CSP is a professional speaker, trainer, coach and tech entrepreneur specialising in digital productivity.

Overflowing inboxes, never-ending to-do lists and competing demands can make it easy to spend the day feeling busy without making progress. As a professional speaker, trainer and coach specialising in digital productivity, I help people use technology more effectively and take back control of three key resources: their time, energy and focus.

For me, working smarter starts with practical habits: setting clear priorities, protecting time to concentrate and keeping tasks and information organised. The right tools can help put those habits into practice, so I wanted to see how the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra could support my everyday routine, and help me work more effectively.

Organise your time, energy and focus

One of my biggest productivity tips is to take 10 to 15 minutes each morning to create your optimal day plan – before you open emails or messages with other people’s priorities, so you don’t start the day getting sidetracked. Use a simple tool like the Samsung Notes app on the tab to draw or list out your ideas and plans for the day. This enables you to focus on your pending tasks, then highlight your top priorities for the day. It’s about moving away from being ‘busy’ towards being ‘productive’.

I advise clients to use a simple tech-based structure with a set of apps to keep everything organised, so they can easily access important items and information, reducing decision fatigue. The framework has three elements or keys:

Calendar (your time) – The appointments in your schedule for today (on the Tab you could use the Samsung Calendar app which links with all your popular online calendar systems).

Notes (your energy) – A place for useful reference information and ideas (on the Tab you could use apps like Samsung Notes or Readability).

Task list (your focus) – Your top tasks for today or this week (on the Tab use a simple setup with Samsung Reminders, or a Task Management system like ToDoIst).

Turn your priorities into a realistic daily plan

In the morning, check your three keys: Which calendar appointments are fixed? Which are flexible? Where will you allocate time to complete your priorities? Are there any notes that need processing from yesterday? Which tasks need your immediate focus? You’ll then have a plan for your day that’s clear and realistic.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra’s Multi Window setup is perfect for channelling this approach. It allows you to have three windows open simultaneously so you can organise your day – checking your calendar, consulting notes, and creating your task list. I use this to review my objectives, arrange tasks in order of urgency, add deadlines, and label my highest priority with a red tag.

You can create different setups using the Apps edge panel and swipe to access these during the day, depending on what you’re working on and the information you need, from emails and documents to websites and other apps.

Stay focused with timed bursts of work

When I’m having an admin day, I like to get on top of my inboxes, socials, client communications and session prep. I use my favourite productivity technique – Pomodoro. I divide each type of task into 25-minute blocks, set a timer, and play instrumental music to help me focus and work to a moderate tempo.

On the Tab S12 Ultra, I can simply open the Clock app to set my period of focused working, and play some instrumental music saved on the Tab’s internal storage with the Samsung Music app to help me focus (the device’s quad speaker system was great for this). Using the Multi Window setup I could keep my timer, Todoist task list and Samsung Notes open side by side, so I can see what I’m working on, track my tasks and jot down notes as I go.

Once the timer goes off, I take a five-minute break, grab a coffee or get some fresh air. This gives my brain a break so I feel refreshed and ready for the next block of focused work.

Minimise distractions when it’s time to present

When I’m delivering my keynotes or masterclasses, I need to bring my A-game, so I close down all my open tabs, chat apps and tools, check my slides and, if it’s an online session, get my client’s video conferencing room ready.

You can use the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra’s Modes and Routines or Bixby* to setup an automation to close all these apps down and setup your own focus mode, based on a timeframe, manual tap of a screen widget or trigger from a new connection, such as to a specific device or network. This is great if you want to setup that focused environment automatically once you’ve connected your Samsung Galaxy Buds via Bluetooth.

On the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra I can set up a specific desktop for Zoom and PowerPoint, then connect my external keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth, using the S Pen to annotate my slides and write on Zoom’s digital whiteboard. This enables me to be able to deliver my talks and masterclasses from anywhere, without having to lug a heavy laptop around.

Turn digital notes into actions

I’m a huge advocate for a digital-only workflow. I’ve been paperless for five years – it helps speed up processes by avoiding writing notes on paper, then duplicating them digitally. It also saves me wondering what all the unclear half-written sticky notes on my desk actually mean. And if I’m away from my desk, I can still access my notes. The beauty of a digital system is having your resources at your fingertips, wherever you are.

Alongside working with clients, I’m also the president of an association for professional speakers. I chair the meetings and manage a live agenda document before, during and after, noting actions as we go.

Normally, meeting minutes can take up to a week. But with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, I was able to make handwritten notes with the S Pen in Samsung Notes, use the in-built tool to ‘convert handwriting to text’, and then copy it straight into my Todoist task list – turning my jottings into an instant action list. I had to fine-tune the spelling and structure afterwards, but my tasks were already captured in my personal ‘VSAI Board Actions’ list inside Todoist, before the meeting had even finished.

Stay responsive wherever you’re working

I love to travel and work remotely, so the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is a great choice – at 5.1mm thin it’s wonderfully light, with a crisp, clear screen that performs brilliantly in different lighting conditions, from cafes to outdoor settings.

A key part of being a professional speaker is giving speedy responses to clients and bookers looking for bios, headshots and session details. The Tab S12 Ultra made it easy to fulfil these requests while out and about. I have my files set up in cloud storage, so simply accessed the relevant document, and sent it on.

With the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra you can work online or offline and sync your cloud drives like Google Drive** to the device at intervals, or use the large in-built storage instead.

The verdict

I found the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra great for boosting productivity. The multi-screen windows help me structure my optimal day and create a focused working environment. The large screen was great for reading dense documents and writing with the S Pen, while the slim, lightweight design and ability to connect to other devices made it perfect for working flexibly. Overall, it’s a great option for entrepreneurs and professionals who want a device that works with them, wherever they are.

Discover how the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S12+ can help you work, create and play more

*Bixby service availability requires Samsung Account login and internet connection.

**Google account required.

Find out more about Liz’s work and approach to digital productivity here