Everyone needs a little edge in life to be more productive, more successful and more fulfilled in their work. If you could pick up one hack that would make you more productive, it could be extremely valuable. If you were able to pick up several ways to be at your best, it would be invaluable. In that regard, I was recently featured in an article by CEO Blog Nation that shares some valuable tips from more than 20 entrepreneurs that help them to be successful in their work day and personal life. While one hack may not be something that works for you, it’s worth checking out to see how many other entrepreneurs and business leaders get the most out of their day.
Here are a few hacks that I found to be extremely helpful:
Meditation:
An ever-growing list of successful individuals have made meditation a key part of their daily activities to focus during the day, relax during the evening and stay in a positive mindset. Deborah Sweeney from MyCorporation.com uses Headspace. According to Deborah, “Headspace gives me a moment (or a few minutes) to clear my mind, focus my intentions and set myself for a productive, effective, and calm day. I find it to be my most effective hack for handling anything that comes my way on any given day.”
Email Management:
Emails overload most people’s inboxes each day. Even worse, the flow is constant. Looking at an email every time it hits your inbox is extremely unproductive as it will take you away from the task at hand. Jennifer Harder, a mortgage broker in Victoria, British Columbia commented that she “set[s] out a dedicated time to check my emails. It’s critical to schedule time in your day to check your emails; you can do this twice a day, once in the morning and again later in the afternoon.” By managing emails at select times each day, your emails can get the proper attention they require, but your other work flow will also not be impacted allowing you to be more productive.
Napping:
When working in a corporate setting, taking a quick nap during the day would be discouraged. I would, however, try to sneak in a quick nap before or after lunch in my car just to recharge. In today’s world, entrepreneurs have embraced the power of a quick nap to boost their productivity. Erin Mastopietro of Dope Dog is someone that fully believes in the benefits of a nap to boost her performance. “Take breaks at regular intervals to keep the brain fresh and working. If you work too much, it will exhaust your energy and reduce your capacities thus, limiting your potential. Hence, it is important to take naps or breaks regularly.” If you want to take your napping to the next level, I recommend the coffee nap. Have a quick espresso or coffee and then close your eyes for 20 minutes. The sleep will do wonders and the caffeine will be kicking in as you wake back up!
Prepare for the Next Day:
One of my favorite hacks is my own and it has benefitted me for the last 20 years. In the evenings, I take a few moments to plan for the day ahead. This 15-20 minute exercise allows me to reflect on the day that I just had and prioritize what is most critical for the next day. This allows me to hit the ground running each day instead of turning on my computer and pecking through emails or spending time figuring out what I need to accomplish. I feel I get some of my best work done in the first few hours of the day because I know what I need to attack first in order to feel like I am being productive.
There are several other suggestions in this article, and everyone has their own hacks that allow them to be successful. It would be great to hear what others do to maximize their performance and get the most out of their days.
Michael Roub
Inflection 360
Michael Roub is an experienced strategic consultant and Managing Partner of Inflection 360. Michael advises healthcare practices and small businesses on a wide range of strategic initiatives.
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