How much time have you spent idling today? Be honest with yourself… Was your Monday really as productive as you hoped?

Here are 7 ideas that you can do relatively quickly to maximize the next 10 minutes while having a profound impact. By doing them, you’ll nurture your network, build your brand, and help you maximize your time.

1 – Send a thank you to someone... it could be for a previous referral, introduction or just to thank them for being in your life. Make sure to include WHY you are thanking them.

2 – Introduce 2 (or 3, if you are feeling adventurous) people and make sure to include why you think they should be connected.

3 – Update your LinkedIn profile, whether it be with a new picture or expanding on your current services, or simply by updating your status bar. This will help you be top of mind with your contacts as this will appear in their updates news feed. (If you don’t use LinkedIn, now would be a great time to start. It’s very powerful!)

4 – Comment thoughtfully on a blog post written by someone in your community.

5 – Reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with and schedule a time to get caught up, such as an informal coffee. Email is great but pales in comparison to the value of meeting with someone in person.

6 – Reply to that email that you keep putting on the back burner… You know which one I’m talking about.

7 – Take your eyes away from the screen, look at the wall so that they can get a rest, stand up and STRETCH!!!!!!

Do you have any suggestions of things for me to include on my next list of 7? Do share!

While in New York City for Internet Week, I wanted to take a minute to share some of the things that I consider when going to an event… These tips have helped me save time, money and make valuable contacts and some really fantastic friends on my conference excursions.

• Wayne Sutton put it best – Always be charging. What electronics are you carrying that you can’t live without? Bring its charger!  I now travel with my iphone charger no matter what. This will help you in the long run by not having to panic over a dying phone or have you desperately seeking to borrow someone’s charger.
• Get an extended battery pack for your smartphone.… and take that charger with you, too. I use the Mophie Juice Pack Air. Based on how much you are doing with your smartphone, you will probably run out of juice at some point. Better safe than sorry. This has saved me and kept me connected on numerous occasions.
• Use Twitter, LinkedIn and other online forums to find people going to the same events or cities to maximize your trips. Reach out to them, connect ahead of time and make plans to meet. This helps create a sense of community so that when you arrive, you have friends… or at least new friends in the making.
• Foursquare is great way to track your whereabouts for tax reporting plus get tips at the same time. You can also see nearby places that are “trending” so in the pursuit of where to grab a bite to eat or where people are congregating, Foursquare makes it easy to find them.
• Carry a light 3-pronged extension cord and make instant friends wherever you go in search of power. You will know the people looking for power by those with eyes wandering up and down the walls in seek of an extra outlet. Reach out to them and offer that they share your cord – they’ll be shocked by your offer and you’ll instantly start chatting. This is a great trick for introverts.
• If you have the room, put a tennis ball in your bag. It’s GREAT for massaging aching arches after a long day of walking.
• Bring your own water bottle and healthy snacks to save on overpriced food. Trailmix is tasty but weighs more than you think and after a long day of walking, even a 2lb laptop will feel heavy on your shoulder.

This is just a handful of tips… If you are looking for more, here are some other tips I shared from my South by Southwest (SXSW) experience… There will be more in upcoming posts as well.

What tips help you save time, money and make friends? Please share your sage advice  below!