What tools does Lisa Rusczyk use for productivity?

 What tools does Lisa Rusczyk use for productivity?

I use productivity tools in categories because my life is not just one thing. I am a publisher, writer, business owner, wife, and mom. The tools that help me most are the ones that make it easier to keep moving without having to remember everything in my head.

Google tools for work and family

Google is probably the tool I use the most. I use Gmail for email, Google Sheets for tracking information, Google Docs and files for working with writers and team members, and Google Drive to keep projects organized.

I also use Google in my personal life. My husband and I share a Google Calendar, which helps us keep track of school events, sports, appointments, and family plans. With kids, work, and life happening at the same time, having one shared calendar makes things easier.

I store pictures in Google Photos, which helps me keep family memories and business images organized without having to think too much about where everything is.

Tools for publishing and marketing

For publishing, I use Amazon KDP to publish books, Amazon Ads to advertise them, and Amazon Author to manage author information. These tools are important because Amazon is where many of my books are sold.

For email marketing, I use MailChimp. It helps me stay connected with readers and share updates about new books, free promotions, and series news.

For websites, I have used Blogger, WordPress, and Google Sites. Each one has served a purpose at different times. I like tools that allow me to get information online without making the process too complicated.

AI and thinking tools

I use ChatGPT as a thinking tool. Sometimes I have many ideas in my head, and I need help organizing them into something clearer. I use AI to help me sort my thoughts, create structure, rewrite ideas, brainstorm titles, and turn messy notes into something useful. For me, AI is not just about writing faster. It helps me think through what I am actually trying to say.

Money and household tools

For my business credit card, I use Chase. I also have an accountant for taxes because some parts of business are better handled by someone who knows that area well. For my kids, our family uses Greenlight for their cards. It helps them learn how to use money while still giving us some structure and oversight.

Tools that save time at home

I use Walmart Plus to have food delivered to the house. Grocery shopping takes time and energy, and delivery helps reduce one more task.

I also use robot vacuums and a robot lawnmower. These tools help because they keep things moving in the background without me having to do every small task myself. We also have someone help clean the house once a month, which makes the house feel more manageable.

Organization systems that work for me

I like systems where I can see what I have. If something is hidden away too well, I may forget it exists. So I leave some things out where I can see them and use them.

When I store things, I prefer clear containers. That way I can see what is inside without opening every box. I try to take care of the things I own, use what I have, and get rid of what I do not need. I try to buy things that make my life simpler, especially if I only have to pay for them one time. I usually prefer one-time purchases over subscription services.

There are exceptions. Some subscriptions are worth it if they save enough time, reduce stress, or help the business. But I try to be thoughtful before adding another monthly payment.

I created a job where if I have a day without much energy, it is okay. I can slow down, take care of myself, and work the next day. That flexibility is one of the most productive systems I have.

Productivity is not just about doing more. For me, it is about building a life where the tools, systems, and routines support the way I actually live.

Health, energy, and relationship tools

I also think of health and relationships as productivity tools. If I do not take care of my body, my energy, and the people around me, then no app or system is going to work well.

Morning sunlight helps me start the day. Getting outside, even for a short time, helps me feel more awake and grounded. Exercise also helps me think more clearly, especially when my mind feels scattered or I have too many ideas at once. I need to go to doctor appointments and follow up. That includes physical therapy at times. 

Food matters too. I try to eat enough protein, drink enough water, and choose healthy foods that help me feel steady throughout the day. I do not always do this perfectly, but I know I work better when I am not running on sugar, stress, or skipped meals.

Spending time with friends and building relationships is another part of my productivity system. I do not want to build a business and forget to build a life. Talking with friends, being around people I care about, and making time for connection helps me reset.

I also enjoy time with my dog and my family. Walking the dog, being with my husband and kids, and having simple moments together are part of what makes the work worth doing. Productivity, to me, is not just getting more done. It is creating a life where I have enough energy, flexibility, and support to enjoy what I am building.

Does Lisa Rusczyk travel with children?

 Yes, I travel with children. Actually, most of my travel now includes my children because we do not have a great childcare system set up at home. I rarely travel without them. Sometimes my husband or I will get away separately, but most of the time, if we are going somewhere, the girls are coming too.That is why cruises are so helpful for us. It really helps when someone makes the bed, does the cooking, dishes, creates actives and we just get to enjoy each other. I bought my first daughter on a cruise at 10 months to Bermuda when now many people traveled with small children on cruises. It sure is different now, almost 15 years later. My other daughter went to Punta Cana at 8 months on an airplane. I tried to be as calm as possible with her on the plane and I think it worked. 

I wrote 50 Things to Know About Traveling with a Baby, yes that is my little one on the cover because I learned very quickly that traveling with a baby takes a lot of organization. Before one of our cruises, I had to schedule and plan everything I was bringing because you really cannot count on being able to buy what you need for a baby once you are on a cruise ship. If you do, it is very expensive. You need the diapers, the food, the medicine, the clothes, the stroller, the baby carrier, and all the little things that make the day go smoother. That book came from real life, not just an idea.

I did not breastfeed my first child, but I breastfed my second child for an entire year while still taking multiple trips out of the country. That also took planning. Feeding a baby while traveling is not always easy, but it is possible when you think ahead and understand what your child needs. Traveling with kids has taught me that you can still go places, but you have to prepare differently. That can take lots of thought when you have a child around, and are trying to get other things done. That is why when I create a system, I want to share it with others. 

Now we mostly travel on cruises, but we also take day trips and travel to sporting events. My older daughter does very well in swimming, so we travel for meets, including states. Those trips are not always relaxing vacations, but they are still travel. They are still experiences. They are still memories.

Before I had kids, I traveled often as a software trainer. I saw many places and learned how special travel can be as well as talking to locals and food around the world. Having children made me appreciate travel in a different way. I feel lucky that my children are healthy enough to leave the house, go places, and experience some of the things I have seen, while also seeing new things together.

Some of my favorite travel moments are not the big expensive ones. They are the teaching moments. I love teaching my girls how to do something, like snorkeling, and then watching them teach someone else. That is one of the most beautiful parts of parenting. You teach a skill, they learn it, and then they pass it on. Maybe that person teaches someone else someday. Travel becomes more than a trip. It becomes a way of sharing knowledge.

I also want to teach my daughters and their friends how to travel in a way that is not too expensive, does not hurt the earth, and respects other people. I want them to leave places as they found them. I want them to learn about other cultures, not just visit places for pictures. I think travel can help people become better people when they are open to learning. When I travel I don't take pictures to share them on social media. I take them to inspire others to take a similar trip and to show them it is possible. 

Traveling with children is harder, but it is also a completely different experience. Kids make you see things you might have missed. I once heard someone say they did not realize how beautiful the floor of the Sistine Chapel was because they were looking at the ceiling, but their kids made them look down. That is what children do. They change your view of the world.

Having ADHD also means I have to plan for myself, not just for my children. I need breaks. I need to eat the right food. I do better when I do not drink alcohol. I have to stay calm enough to be there for my family and still enjoy the trip myself. If I get overwhelmed, overtired, or do not take care of my body, travel becomes harder for everyone. That is why I created the Tourist Pivot Plan. 

So yes, I travel with children. My kids have probably been on more cruises than most adults. When you take two family cruises a year, every year, it adds up. It takes planning, snacks, flexibility, breaks, and realistic expectations. Also, much more initial packing and planning. The Pivot Plan is great for adults and kids. But it is worth it. I get to see the world again through their eyes, and sometimes they help me notice the most beautiful things I would have walked right past. 

How does Lisa Rusczyk balance family and business?

 

I recently was asked this question from the internet. I don’t really balance family and business. I think balance sounds like everything gets the same amount of time and attention every day, and that is not how real life works for me. Some days my family needs more. Some days my health needs more. Some days the business gets more of my energy. Instead of trying to make everything equal, I have tried to build a business and a home life that are flexible enough to move with my real life.

One of the best decisions I made was creating work that does not depend on constant meetings. I do not like having my day filled with scheduled calls, and honestly, family life changes too much for that. Kids get sick. Activities change. Someone needs picked up. Someone needs help. I need to take care of myself too. So I mostly use email, messages, and one-on-one communication. That lets me think, respond when I can, and keep the work moving without having to stop everything for a meeting. Also, my husband is the one with the health insurance so we decided from the beginning that I would pick up these little things that his job is not flexible enough to do. 

The people I work with are all around the world, and I try to respect that they have families, schedules, time zones, and real lives too. I do not expect everyone to work the same way at the same time. We communicate through messages, email, and sometimes private Facebook groups where we can share ideas and updates. It feels more like a team than a traditional office. Believe me, sometimes people get upset they I don't communicate online, but that is not my prefered method. 

I also use technology and systems as much as I can. Walmart brings a lot of the food we make, and sometimes I buy more prepackaged food even though it costs more, because it saves time and energy. I have robot vacuums for each floor of my house on timers, an automatic pool vacuum, an automatic lawnmower, and even an automatic window washer. The lights in our house turn on and off automatically. Our garage door can shut automatically too. These things may sound small, but they add up. Every task that technology can help with gives me back a little more time and energy.

I also believe in getting help where it matters. I have people help clean the bathrooms and kitchen once a month because those are jobs that take energy I might need for something else. I would rather use that time to rest, take care of my family, or work on something creative than spend every free moment cleaning. That does not mean the house is perfect. It means I have accepted that I do not have to do everything myself.

I am lucky that I created a business that allows this. I can work from home, help my daughters, take care of my health, support my husband, and still keep creating books and ideas that help other people. It is not always neat. It is not always balanced. But it works because the business and the house were built around flexibility, systems, and support.

Family changes all the time. Children grow. Their needs change. Health changes. Activities change. What worked one year might not work the next. So I try to build systems that can change with us. That is really how I manage family and business. I do not try to balance them perfectly. I create space for both, and when I have to choose, my health and my family come first.

Q&A from Lisa Rusczyk: Self-Publishing, Amazon KDP, and Building a Nonfiction Book Business

 

Iconic Library of Celsus

I had some questions I have recently been asked, and I thought I would answer them online here. 

How did Lisa Rusczyk build a large nonfiction catalog?

I built a large nonfiction catalog one book at a time.

That sounds simple, but that is really how it happened. I started with topics I knew, things I had experienced, and ideas I thought could help other people. My first book came from a blog post. I had written about things I wished I knew before having a baby, and then I realized that information could become something larger. The blog post became viral and then I posted as the first book, 50 Things to Know before having a baby. 

At the same time, I left my job as an instructional designer at Penn State to spend more time with my kids when the first one was born. I created a blog and earned affiliate income. This was not enough to make a living. I created 50 of my own online classes that were eventually taken down because the sounds was not clear enough. I started a YouTube channel but I put something on there I was not allowed and I would not get paid anymore. I tried to sell baby clothes online. What I am trying to say here is I tried many different things. While some failed, I took the pieces of those project, and learned from them to create the publishing company that I have today.

Over time, I started thinking in series instead of just single books. That was an important shift. A single book can sell, but a series gives readers a reason to come back. It also helps organize your ideas. For me, series like 50 Things to Know, Greater Than a Tourist, Eat Like a Local, and Travel Like a Local gave me a clear structure for creating more books without starting from zero every time.

A group of my children's learning books were created from finding images that I paid for online, and them making books from the amazing illustrations that illustrators created to help kids learn. 

Non-fiction is something that comes natural to me. I believe this is from my higher education background. Making things easier for others to learn. I also have created systems to teach authors, narrators, and the people I work with to continue publishing weekly. 

How do you make money with nonfiction books on Amazon?

You make money with nonfiction books on Amazon by creating books people are already searching for and making sure those books are clear, useful, and easy to find. I believe the series of books really helps. 

The money can come from different formats too. You may have an ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook, or Kindle Unlimited pages read. Some books may sell slowly but steadily. Other books may sell better during certain seasons. A catalog helps because not every book has to do everything. One book might bring in a few dollars a month. A group of books can become something more meaningful over time.

My children's books do make the least money. But I enjoyed making them and reading them to kids. I love seeing the review of kids still enjoying them. Also, it reminds me of a time when my kids were smaller and what that was like as a parent. 

What are Lisa Rusczyk’s Amazon KDP tips?

My Amazon KDP tip is to finish the book and get it out there. You can improve later, but you cannot learn from a book that stays on your computer. Just put it out there. That gives me the motivation to keep editing. 

How does Lisa Rusczyk find ghostwriters?

I do not really like the word ghostwriter. It makes it sound like the person disappears, and that is not how I see this work.

I care about the people who write for my books. I care about their experience, their stories, their knowledge, and what they produce. When someone helps create a book, I want them to feel proud of it. I also want their name connected to the work when that makes sense, because books are better when they come from real people with real experiences.

At CZYK Publishing, I think of writers as part of a team. I may create the idea, the structure, the series, and the publishing system, but the writer brings something important too. They bring their voice, their local knowledge, their life experience, or their personal lessons. Then I can help with finishing up the book with my technology experience. I want them to be proud of their book. 

For nonfiction, that matters. Readers can tell when advice is real. They can tell when someone has actually been to the place, raised the child, tried the system, started the garden, or learned the lesson. That is why I look for writers who can share helpful, practical information in a way that feels honest.

The goal is not just to produce more books. The goal is to create books that help people. When the right writer, editor, publisher, and reader all connect, the book becomes more meaningful. That is the kind of publishing company I have built.

How does Lisa Rusczyk market books?

I try to let Amazon do the marketing, but that does not always happen as planned. I have my website and  put information on social media. I use Amazon itself as part of the marketing. That means thinking about keywords, categories, covers, descriptions, A+ Content, and series pages. If someone is already shopping on Amazon, I want the book to be easy to understand and easy to choose.

I also like using content marketing. Blog posts, Facebook posts, Pinterest pins, LinkedIn posts, Quora answers, and website pages can all help people find a book. Sometimes one helpful post can lead readers to a book for years.  I also schedule free days, have free audiobooks, and a newsletter. 

How do you scale a publishing company?

You scale a publishing company by creating systems.

At first, you may do everything yourself. You write, edit, format, upload, market, and answer emails. That can work for a while, but it is hard to grow that way.

A system lets you repeat what works. That might include a book outline template, a writer instruction sheet, a cover design process, a keyword research checklist, an editing checklist, and a launch plan. Every time you create a system, you make the next book easier.

Series also help with scaling. When books follow a similar structure, you can create more without reinventing every step. Readers also know what to expect, which helps build trust.

You also need to know what to let go of. Not every task needs to be done by you forever. Editing, formatting, research, covers, and marketing pieces can be delegated when the process is clear enough.

The hard part is going back to see what is working and what isn't and moving forward again. 

Self-publishing has taught me that small steps can turn into something much larger. One blog post became a book. One book became a series. One series became a publishing company. Now we have over 2,000 books. You do not need to know every step before you begin. You just need to start, learn, adjust, and keep going.

What are Lisa Rusczyk’s favorite cruise destinations?

 

My favorite cruise destinations are not always the farthest away or the most expensive. For this season of my life, the best cruise destinations are the ones I do not have to fly to reach.

I love cruising because it is one of the easiest ways to truly relax while still seeing new places. You unpack your clothes once, settle into your cabin, and then wake up in a different location. You get to enjoy the ship, eat meals without planning every detail, and see amazing destinations without feeling like you have to pack and move every few days. For me, that is one of the best parts of cruising. It gives me the feeling of adventure without making the whole trip exhausting.

I have been lucky enough to cruise in Hawaii and Europe, and those trips were amazing. I loved seeing those places from the water and waking up somewhere new. But getting there and back was exhausting. The flights, the time change, the long travel days, and the recovery afterward were a lot. Right now, with my husband and kids, that kind of trip does not always fit into our lives. We need vacations that give us memories without completely wearing us out.

That is why I often recommend choosing the cruise port that is closest to where you live and fits your budget. The best cruise may not be the most dramatic one. It may be the one you can actually take more than once. If you can drive to the port, get on the ship, relax for a week, and come home without spending too much money or losing extra days to travel, that can be a beautiful thing.

For me, that has often meant cruising to Nassau and private islands in the Bahamas and Caribbean. I have probably been to Nassau and cruise line private island destinations the most because they are some of the most affordable and accessible options from where I live. At first, someone might think going back to the same place would get boring, but I have found the opposite to be true. When you return to a place more than once, you start to understand it differently. You learn what you like, what to avoid, where to slow down, and how to enjoy the day without pressure.

That is also why I care so much about talking to locals and learning from people who actually live in a place. I do not want to only see the tourist traps. I want to understand the culture, the food, the daily life, and the small details that make a destination feel real. When I travel, I want to bring something back with me that is more than a souvenir. I want to bring back a new way of seeing things, a new food to try at home, a slower pace, a different idea, or a memory that changes how I live my everyday life.

I like to talk to the people on the ship too. The passengers and the crew. You get to be around such a diverse group of people without traveling there. I have recently felt bad asking where people are from since of security recently. I don't want anyone to be sad or put into harms way because of my curiosity and love to travel and learning. 

So if someone asks me what my favorite cruise destination is, my honest answer is this: my favorite cruise destination is the one I can actually enjoy without making my life harder when I get home. Sometimes that is Nassau. Sometimes it is a private island. Sometimes it is a port I have already visited before, but this time I see it in a new way. The best cruise destination is the one that lets you relax, explore, spend time with the people you love, and come home feeling like the trip was worth it.