By
El Copeland
May 2, 2025
•
20 min read
Professional Development
Rethinking Productivity: Tools and Mindsets That Actually Work
Productivity. It's one of my most beloved and yet most hated concepts. At its core, productivity is just output over time: a metric that first rose to prominence during the Industrial Revolution as we looked for a way to measure how efficiently machines (and then people) produced goods.
But, dear reader, I propose to you that we aren't machines whose only value in what we produce, and we should be intentional about evading that trap.
It's tempting to equate productivity with worth. In a tech-driven world where the average worker is already exponentially more productive than generations before, chasing productivity for its own sake can leave us burnt out and disoriented.
Chasing productivity alone can reduce our identities to more emails, more code, more content. An endless and meaningless attempt to bend the boundaries of finite resources.
Instead, I want to reframe the conversation around efficiency: meaningful output over time. Efficiency asks better questions which will lead us to better answers. No longer are we asking, "How much did you do today?" but rather, "Was it worth doing?" It is very important to me that we can reclaim this quality as something every worker can own and take pride in, and that it isn't merely a metric for middle management to squeeze as much out of you as they possibly can.
Triple D: A Framework for Meaningful Work
It's called Triple D not just because I'm a Guy Fieri fan (Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives is peak American reality TV in my humble opinion), but because I believe every great day at work should have that same heart: a little execution, a little learning, and a little dreaming about what’s next.
Triple D in light of our conversation on meaningful, modern productivity and efficiency in the workplace is: Do, Discover, Dream.
- Do: The core of your work. The tasks you're responsible for completing.
- Discover: Feedback loops. Communicating with others. Learning from customers, coworkers, or your own process. Research, reading, and further education.
- Dream: Rest, imagine, and plan. How could you improve your work, systems, or strategy?
These three feed into each other, creating a loop of sustainable, intentional work. It honors both execution and imagination.
The Tools of Efficiency
SInce we've defined efficiency as something every worker is in command of in their own lives, it's worth noting that attaining better efficiency isn't about having expensive software or corporate resources. It's about using what you already have as well as finding new tools. Many aspects of productivity can be inexpensive, or free. With that said, I break tools into three categories:
1. Rhythm & Flow
In order to accomplish all of the Doing, Discovering, and Dreaming you are capable of, it's vital that you establish a Flow to create structure, sense, and accountability.
Your body and brain are your most important tools. Building a rhythm that supports rest, clarity, and momentum matters more than any productivity app. Ways that you can establish Flow:
- Health, including fitness, sleep, and nutrition habits
- Therapist check-ins
- An agenda planner or a analog tool that supports weekly and monthly goal-setting, habit tracking, and reflection. I'm personally a big fan of Ink + Volt, and a huge thanks to my buddies Josh Mallard and Blake Imeson at LimeCuda for gifting me that first planner years ago!
2. Products: Hardware & Software
Start with what you already have. You might be surprised by what your existing tools can do.
- Consider using shortcuts and macros within programs, or even programming your keyboard or mouse.
- Ditto Clipboard Manager + a programmable mouse shortcut: game-changer for copy/paste workflows
- ActivityWatch, RescueTime, or Qbserve: passive time tracking for digital self-awareness
- Logseq, Obsidian, or Notion: personal knowledge management that links your thoughts, tasks, and notes
- Calendly or other booking links through Microsoft or Hubspot to reduce scheduling fatigue
- Microsoft Scheduling or Doodle polls for easier group coordination
And if your organization already uses Microsoft or Google, explore Copilot or Gemini before paying for new AI tools.
3. Space
Space is more than just free time. It’s about creating breathing room to connect the dots.
- Generative AI - Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and CoPpilot aren't just for doing tasks. They help you think and make YOUR VOICE STRONGER instead of being your voice. Use them to:
- Clarify jumbled thoughts
- Summarize or rewrite rough ideas
- Generate alternatives or brainstorm solutions
- Transcription tools built-in options with Microsoft Teams, Zoom. Or other tools like Otter.ai or Firefly reduce cognative load during conversations
- Combine Transcripts with GenAI and you're going to be way ahead by having GenAI create follow up summaries, emails, and work plans.
- Email agents like SaneBox, Superhuman, or Inbox Zero to help you manage unruly inboxes
Most importantly, focus on how you can build in downtime to let your mind wander. That’s where big ideas and problem-solving happen.
From Output to Impact
At the end of the day, productivity was a metric that was created for machines, and you're not a machine. You’re a human in a finite, soft body, in a world that is often very hard. Your value is not your output.
Efficiency, in contrast, helps you:
- Respect your limits
- Align your actions with your values
- Deliver meaningful work consistently
When we focus on efficiency, we create room for autonomy, insight, and innovation. That’s what helps teams thrive and businesses grow.
So: Do. Discover. Dream. And build a system that works for your actual life—not just your to-do list.
Author's Note: I also recorded a video on this with a few anecdotes and visuals. You can view it here: Rethinking Productivity: Tools and Mindsets That Actually Work.
Throughout my career, I've had the joy of leading many diverse and multifaceted teams.
Community building, especially within the technical community, is truly at the heart of what I do. I’m dedicated to fostering inclusive spaces where professionals can connect, share insights, and grow a culture of innovation and ongoing learning together, both in-person and when the team is 100% remote. I take pride in my ability to lead with both clarity and empathy, deftly handling the complexities of technology-driven projects while always keeping the human connection at the forefront of every decision.
For companies seeking consulting and project work, I bring a deep understanding of operational efficiency and project management. I am skilled at not only identifying areas for improvement but also implementing strategic solutions that enhance productivity and outcomes. My strong background in technology, education, and people management allows me to seamlessly integrate innovative tools and processes to address specific challenges, ensuring that projects not only meet but exceed expectations, and that teams are motivated, well-coordinated, and focused on delivering and maintaining organizational goals.
Outside the office, I enjoy blueberry muffins, Doctor Who, weight-training, gardening, and spending time with my cats.
See some more of our most recent posts...
By The [Run]Book: Episode 1
What do webhooks, Agent Trophies, and a 10-year scheduler have in common? In Episode 1 of By the [Run]Book, consultants from Renada and Rising Tide walk through HaloPSA releases 1.86 and 1.88—field-testing features, skipping the fluff, and asking better questions than the release notes ever do.
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Welcome to By the [Run]Book
HaloPSA features, field-tested.
We’re not here to sell you a perfect system. We’re here to show you what’s possible when smart, slightly feral people get curious about tools that were allegedly designed to help us.
By the [Run]Book is a new podcast collaboration between consultants from Renada and Rising Tide, where we dig into the latest HaloPSA features, challenge what’s been handed to us, and ask: What else could we do with this?
No fluff. No shiny demo decks. Just real-world testing, practical breakdowns, and a healthy disrespect for default settings.
By the [Run]Book – Episode 1 Feature Guide
By the [run]Book's first episode breaks down HaloPSA releases v1.86 and v1.88, this episode explored what’s new, what’s weird, and what’s actually worth your time. Use this guide to follow along.
Event Management | 2.186 #798529 | ▶️ 6:06
Create and update tickets based on webhook events—without needing Runbooks.
- Easier interface for handling alert data
- Trigger rules based on payload content
- Map fields into tickets dynamically
Chat Interface Redesign | 2.186 #764942| ▶️ 10:06
The new chat view makes internal and client conversations more manageable.
- Conversation list/table instead of floating popups
- MS Teams chat support improved
- Much more usable in high-volume settings
Tabbed Interface in Halo | 2.186 #446952 | ▶️ 12:03
Multiple tabs now open inside Halo, not your browser.
- Reduces tab clutter
- Smooth for screen sharing
- Plays well when Halo is run as a desktop app
Agent Trophy Feature | 2.186 # 831583 | ▶️ 14:28
Yes, agents can now earn trophies for closing tickets.
- Visual badges on agent records
- Available in assignments and dashboards
- Fun, but scoring logic is a bit suspect
- Custom Leaderboards via CSS. Mostly a morale booster—not reporting-grade insight
Date Filters, Forecasting Module + TimeGPT Integration | 2.186 #830461| ▶️ 19:41
Prevent retroactive ticket floods when new rules are applied.
- Set start dates to control retroactive logic
- Helps avoid spam from old data
- Crucial for clean automation rollouts
Enforce Unique Email Addresses | 2.186 #829650 | ▶️ 20:43
Avoid duplicate users and weird portal issues.
- Blocks user creation if email already exists
- Critical for integrations and self-service portals
- Best turned on early before it breaks things quietly
Opportunity Variables: Annual, Monthly, One-Off | 2.186 #828897 | ▶️ 22:31
New fields help break down potential revenue at-a-glance.
- Available for ticket templates and reporting
- Auto-updates from quotes (with correct config)
- Useful for sales forecasting and quote summaries
Runbook Sleep Steps | ▶️ 30:55
Introduce delays in automation logic—finally.
- Wait X seconds before next Runbook action
- Great for API pacing or async dependencies
- Simple but long-awaited
To-Do Groups Linked to Clients | ▶️ 33:28
Tie checklists to specific clients.
- Good for client-specific onboarding/offboarding
- Still clunky, but now usable in context
- Replaces “one-size-fits-all” task lists
Dynamic SQL in Ticket Actions | ▶️ 33:34
Use SQL-powered fields in your ticket logic.
- Previously unreliable, now stable
- Can pull dynamic field values into workflows
- Adds power to advanced configurations
Xero + Avalara Sales Tax Integration | ▶️ 34:15
Auto-calculate sales tax in Halo quotes synced to Xero.
- Uses Xero’s built-in Avalara tax engine
- Requires
invoice.updatedwebhook enabled - Real-time, regionally compliant tax logic
Direct User-to-Client Association | ▶️ 37:40
Users can now be tied directly to clients, no site required.
- Supports more flexible org structures
- Great for shared-stock or multi-client setups
- May simplify certain workflows
10-Year Scheduling Period | ▶️ 42:24
Because someone, somewhere asked for it.
- Schedule things a decade out
- Useful for contract reminders or licensing renewals
- Feels deeply aspirational
Got a Feature You Want Us to Cover?
Introducing Rising Tide Proactive Support
Tired of tools slipping through the cracks? Discover why Rising Tide built Proactive Support: a low-lift, high-impact way to stay in control of your systems like HaloPSA, Hudu, and Rewst—without needing a full consulting engagement.
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Built for Busy MSPs: Why We Created Proactive Support
While we pride ourselves at Rising Tide on being clever, we didn’t make this up on our own.
Over the past year, multiple clients told us the same thing in different ways:
“We don’t need a full-on consulting. We just need someone to help us stay on top of the tools we already have.”
“Can you set aside time each month to tell us what’s working, what’s not, and what we should actually do next?”
“Honestly, I just want to know if anything’s falling through the cracks.”
MSPs weren’t talking about emergencies. They meant the small stuff. The not-yet-broken-but-might-be. The features that got launched but never rolled out. The bugs they forgot to follow up on. The process that made sense when they built it... but not anymore.
So we listened and built out a Proactive Support offering for teams like yours. Support that pays attention, leveraging the best of Rising Tide to make the best of your systems. It’s not reactive. It’s not rushed. It’s not about being broken.
It’s about staying in control, without wasting time figuring out where to start.
What You Get Each Month
Designed for Rising Tide clients who’ve already implemented tools like HaloPSA, Hudu, and Rewst, and just want to keep things running smoothly without spinning up a full project or workshop every quarter.
Here’s what Proactive Support looks like in practice:
1. Systems Health Review
A short, focused check-in on the systems you want our guidance on. for:
- Are automations running like they should?
- Are there missed SLAs or ticket pileups that can be fixed with better workflows?
- Are there any underused (or over-complicated!) features?
You’ll walk away with a small, clear action plan that you can execute on your own or leverage the Rising Tide team to complete.
2. Feature Release Briefing
We read the release notes so you don’t have to. You’ll get:
- Highlights of what’s new
- Suggestions for features worth trying and what isn't
- Warnings about what’s likely to break or change
3. Vendor Liaison Support
We’ll chase the vendor on your behalf. That includes:
- Logging and tracking bug reports
- Validating bugs and escalating to dev teams directly.
- Identifying workarounds and assisting in implementation.
- Following up on feature requests or stuck tickets
- Communicating feature requests clearly (and tracking them)
4. Immediate Error Support
If something breaks in a tool we’ve implemented or documented, we’ll:
- Help triage and fix it
- Identify if it’s a vendor issue
- Tell you clearly if it needs escalation into a project
What Proactive Support is Not
To be clear, the Rising Tide Proactive Support Plan is not consulting. Proactive Support is only for systems we’ve implemented and reviewed. It doesn’t include:
- New tool or system implementation
- Redesigning workflows or processes
- Training or onboarding
- Deep reporting or strategic planning
If we find something that should be a project, we’ll tell you and help you decide how you would like to move forward.
Pricing
$900/month
Includes up to 5 hours of support time
Bundled with licensing or dashboard/reporting add-ons, if you need them.
Let’s Be Real
The goal isn’t to keep you dependent on us. It’s to help you feel like you’re on top of your systems instead of under them.
We’ll help you spot friction before it becomes fire, surface fixes you might’ve missed, and give you the clarity to act, delegate, or table things with confidence.
That’s the tide we’re trying to raise.
Ready to add Proactive Support? Or want to see a sample check-in?
Contact Rising Tide Consulting Today. We’ll show you what this looks like.
2025 Q3 Newsletter - Get more out of Halo, Hudu, and Rewst
Rising Tide’s Q3 2025 newsletter is here—with fresh updates shaped by the conversations we’ve had with you on the road and in your consulting calls. Check out our new Proactive Support plan, admin tools in the client portal, and hands-on YouTube training for HaloPSA, Hudu, and Rewst. Let’s keep your team sharp and your systems humming.
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It’s been a few months since our last update. We’ve enjoyed seeing many of you on the road at Right of Boom, MSPGeekCon, and Flow. Hopefully you’ve taken the learning and tools you picked up at each even and are using them to their fullest!
In light of the conversations we’ve had with many of you at these conferences and in your consulting calls, we’ve been building a few new offerings that we hope will help you and your teams continue to learn and grow in your use of HaloPSA, Hudu, and Rewst. Take a look at our new Proactive Support, YouTube videos, and Administrative tools for you in the Rising Tide Portal.
Proactive Support with Rising Tide
Shaped directly by your requests, the Rising Tide Proactive Support plan is for teams who want another set of eyes on your systems, to make sure you’re getting the most out of your subscriptions. This new monthly support plan includes:
- A health review of applicable systems
- Updates on vendor features that matter to you
- Vendor liaising regarding bugs and requests (we’ll validate bugs and escalate to dev teams directly. If there's a workaround or fix we'll identify that and provide them for you too.)
- Hands-on support for tools we’ve implemented or reviewed
Read more about it here:
https://www.risingtidegroup.net/thoughts/introducing-rising-tide-proactive-support
Learn With Us
We’re actively growing our YouTube channel to create more and more helpful resources for you as you implement your tools and automations. Of note, check out:
- By the [Run]Book – A bi-weekly series, aired live with our friends at Renada where we review HaloPSA’s release notes and make suggestions on what to implement (and what not to!) in your HaloPSA instance. Watch the first episode here.
- Drag-and-Drop Dispatching in HaloPSA – Jason's video on how to visually schedule tickets for your technicians using dashboards and filtering lists.
- Streamline Your MSP Ticket Closure Process with HaloPSA – Jen's latest video on systematically restricting ticket closures and communicating why to your technicians until they’ve completed associated tasks, tickets, and activities.
There’s plenty more! Be sure to subscribe to our channel and hit the bell to get notified when new videos drop.
Let's keep your projects moving!
As a reminder, if you have hours on your pre-pay total, we keep them viable as long as you have a project on the books with us within a calendar year. If you want to know what your current hours are, visit the Rising Tide user portal at portal.risingtidegroup.net. In this area of our website, you can:
- View hours remaining on pre-pay blocks.
- Submit and track tickets.
- Refill Pre-Pay hours for consulting work.
- View feature requests and bug reports submitted to Halo by Rising Tide.
We recommend booking an hour at least once a month, and more frequently if you have work you want to get done! We don’t charge cancellation fees, so book time freely with any of our consultants and we’ll get your sorted. To book time, access your project from the portal to grab your booking link or pull it off any of the recap emails sent.
- Mendy Green - Halo General, Automations – Halo and Rewst, Hudu General and Migrations from IT Glue
- Jason Parsons - Halo General
- Jen Butler - Automations – Halo and Rewst
- El Copeland - Halo Invoice/Quote/Email Templates, UX/UI, Branding+Marketing
Of Note
A recent change to how HaloPSA processed notifications caused them to break in certain conditions. If your notifications stopped working, update your Permissions - Base role client restrictions to grant all clients to role members. Reach out for more specific instructions if you need it.
Lastly, as a bonus, enjoy the new Rising Tide theme song generated with Suno by our very own Jason Parsons.
Thanks for trusting us and being part of this work with us. We’ll keep refining what we offer based on your feedback so don’t hesitate to reply and tell us what’s working, what’s still messy, and what you’d like to see next.
Until next time,
The Rising Tide Team