Matt Shealy — January 13, 2020 Running your own business is no stroll in the park and you need to be as productive as possible at every single moment to move your business forward.
Instead of going through months of trial-and-error, take cues from the most productive entrepreneurs and do these 4 things to boost your productivity:
Block Out Time For High-Value Activities
Entrepreneurs tend to “slice” their schedules in an attempt to fit in the many responsibilities they have on their plates. It’s not uncommon to have 5 minutes to work on a project before getting interrupted by a phone call or 10 minutes to brainstorm an idea before being sucked into emails.
Most people can’t focus on one project long enough to create extraordinary value — which is the key to success for companies of any size! In order to think, plan, create, and execute key items that will move the needle, you need to block out 30 minutes to 2 hours at a time to focus on high-value activities.
Take action: Carve out one 2- to 4-hour block of time one day a week and dedicate it to your highest value activities. Put it on your calendar and stick to it like any other important appointment.
Cut Down Your To-Do List
Many entrepreneurs are “Chief Everything Officers” — especially during the startup phase — but that’s not a sustainable way to scale a company and direct your attention to what matters most.
Instead of taking on everything, do fewer things but focus on the highest value activities. Also, set up systems and processes so you can automate or delegate as many tasks as possible. This prevents you from getting bogged down by activities that don’t generate the most value.
Take action: Write down a “stop doing” list to identify tasks that you will no longer spend your time and attention on. Then, you can decide whether to eliminate them, delegate them, defer them to a later time, or set up systems or processes so they simply don’t come up in the future.
Limit Your Work Hours
This may sound counter intuitive but if you don’t give yourself time to get away from the daily grind and recharge, you can’t bring fresh ideas and new perspectives into your business. By putting a hard stop at the close of each business day, you set yourself up to focus the time you spend at work to generate maximum business gain.
Not to mention, when you leave work where it belongs, you’ll be able to spend quality time with your family and enjoy your life — which will ultimately fuel you to do better at work.
Take action: Be intentional about your time by putting a hard stop at your weekly working hours. Also, commit to blocking out and enjoying vacation time to recharge — this is the key to bringing new ideas into your business!
Get Quality Sleep
Today’s culture makes us think that we have to be “hustling” 24/7/365 to be successful. As a result, many entrepreneurs aren’t getting the sleep they need to stay at the top of their game.
Yet, getting enough high-quality sleep is the key to boosting brain function. It helps you stay sharp and focused durian the day. In fact, a good night’s sleep supports your brain health in many ways:
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Helps your brain work faster and more accurately.
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Allows your brain to categorize and process new information.
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Helps your brain cement new memories and form creativity-boosting connections.
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Supports your brain to clear out harmful toxins accumulated during the day.
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Regulates hormones that affect your appetite and weight. This helps you stay healthy and prevent brain fog.
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Take action: Many entrepreneurs have trouble sleeping due to stress. Create a calming bedtime routine to help you wind down, limit screen time before bed, and make your bedroom more comfortable to encourage relaxation.
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