Top Strategic Advice: 8 Hacks to Increase Productivity
Entrepreneurs work 63% longer than average workers. But most of them wish to have more than 24 hours in a day.
Why do entrepreneurs want more hours in a day?
The answer is simple, my friend – they are overburdened with work and they are not able to finish the tasks even when they work 52 hours per week.
Is there any surefire way to deal with this situation? How can entrepreneurs do more work in less time?
In today’s post, I’m going to share with you 8 productivity hacks. After reading this post, you will know proven ways to double your productivity, if not triple.
Without further ado, let’s discuss these productivity hacks:
8 Hacks to Increase Productivity
1- Make a to-do list
If you have never made a to-do list, I request you, my friend, to create it now.
A to-do list will not only make you less overwhelmed, but also not let you miss any deadline.
As rightly pointed out on MindTools,
“To-Do Lists are essential if you’re going to beat work overload. When you don’t use them effectively, you’ll appear unfocused and unreliable to the people around you.”
Here are a few tips to create an awesome to-do list:
- Make a to-do list in the night before
- You should assign the time estimates
- Arrange tasks on a priority basis
- You should plan easy tasks first
When you cross a completed task off your to-do list, you will feel a sense of accomplishment. This will inspire you to finish the next task quicker. And you will be able to achieve more in less time.
2- Track how your time flies
A new research, conducted by This vs That , has revealed that only 17% people can accurately track the passage of time. Can you?
By estimating the passage of time, you will have a clear idea of how much time you are spending on tasks. You can use a tool, such as Rescue Time for the same.
Remember, you can only save time when you know where you are spending it.
3- Follow self-imposed guidelines
Yes, I completely agree with you that guidelines suck.
However, self-imposed guidelines can increase your productivity.
When you adopt self-imposed guidelines, you will fight with yourself to win. And believe me, my friend, this will increase your productivity. I myself have found it very much effective to boost productivity.
A to-do list along and a timer are helpful in meeting self-imposed guidelines painlessly.
4- Minimize distractions
Do I really need to explain this point?
I mean this is self-explanatory. Smartphone, social media, chat messages are a big productivity killer.
And it has been proved in many studies that distractions, not only affect the productivity, but also affect the quality of work.
As rightly said by Linda Ray on Cron,
“Each time you switch your focus, you compromise your effectiveness at work. Your brain requires a significant amount of metabolic resources and glucose to process information and perform complicated tasks.”
The best way to minimize distractions is that you should turn off all the notifications on your mobile phone and PC. And you should hang a ‘Don’t Disturb’ board on your door when you are working on the critical tasks.
Your productivity will surprisingly improve once you minimize distractions.
5- Don’t let emails eat your time
What is the first task you do when reach your office in the morning?
Yes, it is checking emails and replying. This is a normal routine. However, it kills a great deal of your time.
In a study, 31% people found emails the biggest time and productivity killer. True, it is. But you cannot avoid emails. Then, what should you do to increase productivity?
Label your emails on a priority basis. And check only urgent emails in the morning. After finishing critical tasks, you can check your inbox.
In the morning, you are fresh. So it is the best time for you to handle the critical tasks.
Never, I mean never, let emails consume your time. Your productivity will increase naturally.
6- Take short breaks
You must be thinking that how taking short breaks can increase your productivity.
Actually, it can. And I’m not conjuring this statement out of thin air.
University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras found in his study that brief diversions vastly improved focus.
Don’t you want to take a coffee break now?
Most of us feel guilty when we don’t work. Now, it is time to change this attitude because it is directly related to productivity.
When we are working on the same project for a long time, we start to lose focus. A brief break invigorates us and we take on the task with a new enthusiasm and finish it quickly.
Never forget to take a short break during a long task. This will help you finish it in less time.
7- Minimize meetings
Though vital for businesses, meetings are a big time killer. You need to prepare PPT/SlideShare presentation before the meetings, which requires hours of work.
Ray Williams said on Psychology Today,
“Cancel 50 percent of your meetings and you will get more work done.”
You should minimize your meetings and meeting time. And always start your meeting on time, regardless of people who are late.
When you are able to reduce meeting time, your productivity will certainly boost.
8- Delegate tasks
My friend, delegation is a new business mantra. You are not a superhuman so you should not do all the tasks yourself. As a business owner, you should do only high-value tasks, such as making strategies for your business, keeping an eye on your competitors, etc.
Non-core tasks, such as making travel arrangement, sending meeting invites, and preparing PowerPoint presentations must be delegated to others. If you are running short of employees, you can hire a virtual assistant.
Conclusion:
Being productive is not a personality trait. It’s a habit. If you make a to-do list, keep tabs on your time, follow self-imposed guidelines, minimize distractions, take short breaks, minimize meetings, and delegate tasks, you can achieve more in less time. Also, you shouldn’t let your flooding inbox consume your time.
What about you? Which tactic do you want to add to this list? Do share your thought in the comment section. I’d love to hear about it.
Liked this post, blast it on your social channels!
By:
Anupam Rajey, a seasoned marketer and sales expert. He is the CEO of Acelerar Tech, a leading KPO that offers virtual assistants for social media, Internet research, email & chat support, and more.
Oyundoyin Anthony
Oyundoyin Anthony is a blogger and an affiliate marketer that offers helpful contents to people who are looking for different products for their needs. He enjoys helping people to achieve success in their business.
