1. Blitzit
Time Tracking Without the Mental Gymnastics
There’s a difference between being busy and being effective.
Blitzit is my tool of choice for time tracking—not because I love logging hours (who does?), but because I need to understand how my day is actually being spent. It shows me patterns, bottlenecks, and what clients or projects are eating into my time more than they should.
Why it matters:
- I work across multiple time zones—Blitzit keeps me grounded.
- Billing transparency is crucial when you’re running a premium agency.
- I don’t want to guess where my day went. I want to see it.
I’ve tried all the usual suspects—Toggl, Clockify, Harvest. Blitzit just does the job without asking too many questions. It works like a silent accountability partner.
2. Figma
The Operating System for Modern Design
Figma isn’t just a design tool. For me, it’s the control center for visual thinking.
Every design you see from Desk of MJ—whether it’s a high-end Webflow site or an Instagram campaign for a skincare brand—starts in Figma. It lets me prototype, iterate, share, and revise—all in one space.
Why I rely on it:
- Collaborative design with clients is faster. No more PDF back-and-forth.
- I can version concepts, test responsiveness, and systemize entire design libraries.
- It connects directly to developer handoff with zero friction.
Good design should feel seamless. Figma makes that possible—across desktop, mobile, brand decks, you name it.
3. Notion
My Second Brain for Clients, Projects, and Everything In Between
Notion is the quiet MVP in my workflow. Every client I onboard gets a dedicated Notion dashboard—a centralized space where we track tasks, timelines, reference materials, and outcomes.
How I use it:
- Every project lives in its own database, fully structured for fast access.
- I use linked views to monitor progress across clients, team members, or service types.
- Notes, meeting recaps, SOPs—they all live here. Forever searchable.
You want to scale without dropping balls? This is how. Notion isn’t just for planning—it’s for building clarity. And when you’re juggling design, automation, content, and delivery, clarity is non-negotiable.
4. Raycast
Spotlight on Steroids
Raycast is like having cheat codes for my Mac.
It’s a launcher, but it’s also a calculator, clipboard manager, script runner, and universal search bar rolled into one. If I need a file, a Figma link, a Notion doc, or to run a custom automation—I type three letters, and it’s done.
Why I love it:
- It keeps me away from rabbit holes (aka browser tabs).
- I can launch apps, run commands, and even control Spotify without lifting my fingers from the keyboard.
- It integrates with everything—Google Drive, Linear, GitHub, you name it.
When you use Raycast right, your Mac becomes an extension of your brain.
5. ChatGPT
The Assistant That Actually Gets Sh*t Done
I know—everyone says they use ChatGPT. But here’s the difference: I’ve trained it to work like a true assistant.
From writing SEO blog posts like this one, to brainstorming product taglines, to troubleshooting obscure JavaScript bugs, ChatGPT saves me hours every single day.
What I use it for:
- Content strategy and writing drafts (like the first version of this post).
- Automating small bits of code logic.
- Creating client proposals, email templates, and even contracts.
- Quick research, naming ideas, brand positioning, the works.
People underestimate what it can do when used strategically. For me, ChatGPT isn’t just a chatbot—it’s an ops assistant, creative partner, and ideation machine.
Why You Should Curate Your Own Stack
None of these tools are flashy on their own. What makes them powerful is how they work together—and how they support the way I work.
If you’re serious about doing high-performance creative work—especially in a space as demanding as luxury—your tool stack needs to be tight, intentional, and invisible. It should get out of your way, help you move faster, and reduce cognitive load.
Here’s how you know you’ve got the right stack:
- You don’t have to think about it.
- It feels like part of your workflow, not something bolted on.
- It helps you ship better work, faster.
If your tools aren’t doing that for you, it might be time to rebuild.
