Take an honest look at your day
People frequently talk about how elusive productivity is – like it’s something only a select group of highly motivated individuals are ever able to grasp. Honestly, this is an irresponsible way to view it. If you want to be productive, then you must take tangible steps to improve efficiency and output. Otherwise you’ll never accomplish the goals that are in front of you.
It’s time to take an honest look at yourself. Are you doing everything you possibly can to be successful? If the answer is no, then heed the following advice. These are the things successful entrepreneurs are doing on a daily basis – and you should make room for these habits in your life as well.
1. Establish a calculated morning routine
You’ve probably heard people say the most important tasks should be handled in the morning. Is this just an opinion, or is there some truth to it? Well, according to multiple studies, the reasoning behind this theory is that willpower is the highest in the morning.
As humans, we have very limited amounts of self-control. “That’s the idea purported by the strength model,” says entrepreneur Kevan Lee. “Self-control draws from a common resource that gets depleted over time. You can think of self-control as a muscle—fatigue sets in after exertion.” As the day goes on, your self-control depletes. Hence why you should get important things done in the morning.
2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
The way you treat your body will impact the overall level of productivity you enjoy. For example, if you’re constantly eating junk food and staying up all night watching TV, you’re going to be a mess during the workday. On the other hand, if you’re treating your body well, you’ll be energetic and focused.
Surprisingly, one of the simplest things you can do to ensure productivity throughout the day is consume an adequate amount of water. According to this infographic from iCliniq, an online doctor consulting platform, you should have one cup of water as soon as you wake up and at least two cups with every meal.
In addition to staying hydrated, reduce your consumption of processed foods, eat more fresh foods, and get at least 30 minutes of physical exercise per day. All of these habits combined will leave you feeling much better.
3. Make a list every night
Before you go to bed at night, make a list. The list should be split into two columns. In the left column, write down everything you got done today. In the right column, write down all of the things you need to get done tomorrow. The left column shows you how productive you were today, while the right column can be used to guide your decision making tomorrow. Keep these lists on hand and occasionally review them to better gauge how you’re doing.
4. Cut back on meetings
Most meetings are a total waste of time. Find a way to eliminate as many meetings as possible from your schedule. And if you absolutely must have meetings, keep them to 15-minutes or less. You’ll be surprised by how much more you can get done when you aren’t constantly shuffling between pointless meetings.
You can’t fake productivity
Productivity isn’t something that just happens. If you want to maximize your time, energy, and efforts as an entrepreneur, then there needs to be a plan of attack. These are a few habits that successful entrepreneurs have used to ensure output and efficiency. Think of some other ones that would fit your life and business and don’t be afraid to make the necessary sacrifices to succeed.
