Rushing to Meet Deadline? Try These 8 Productivity Hacks

There’s no such thing as a slow day when you’re an entrepreneur. The days are filled with a never-ending stream of meetings, calls, requests, and interactions . You' basically have no time for self-reflection. 

Part of being successful is finding ways to stay calm during hectic moments of the journey. Use these strategies to stay grounded and productive during a hectic day:

1. Block out time for everything. Yes, E V E R Y T H I N G.

Put everything you need to accomplish on your calendar. For example, block off 90 minutes to develop a plan for marketing, or an hour to work on recruiting. Blocking time also prevents you from spending more time than you think the task is worth. When the time is up, it's time to stop.

Set aside "thinking time" at least three times a week. What does "thinking time" mean? It means no phone, no peeking at your organisation's communication platform, and no checking emails .

Thinking time is about deep thinking and concentration.

2. Focus on doing one thing at a time. For real.

People who are extremely busy prefer to multitask. But try to fight that instinct and instead focus on each task to give it the attention it deserves. For instance, if you're on a call, try to be 100% present. This means no texting or looking at email.

When you multitask, you end up with two (or more!) suboptimal results. Give all your attention to a single interaction at a time, and the outcome will be better.

3. Begin each week by writing down 1 to 3 actions that will move your business forward.

At the start of each week, write down the top three actions (in priority order ) that y need to take to move the business forward. Don't forget to revisit them daily to keep your focus.

The work that matters most is rarely the quickest or easiest. It could be hiring key talent, launching a new product, or raising money.

It’s easy for these larger efforts to get pushed to the next day, and the day after that, and so on. So make sure that the first thing you're thinking about each morning is one of your top priorities.

4. Scan your calendar ahead. 

Remember, it's your time. Don't let anyone take control of your time. Scan your calendar in advance and adjust if needed.

For instance, maybe there's a non-urgent discussion that requires a level of thoughtfulness you can't summon on a hectic day. Reschedule it. The key is to do the rescheduling well in advance. That's far better than running late, being distracted, or postponing at the last minute.

5. Do not put off certain internal meetings.

This probably sounds like it contradicts point 4, but try and resist the temptation to delay internal meetings, especially when team members need your input in order to move ahead.

Ensure that your team feels happy and valued, as this will also contribute to advancing your business. Most of the time they just need a quick clarification to be more focused and productive. 

Even on the most hectic days, remember that your leverage comes from your team. Help them be more productive, and you’ll amplify your accomplishments.

6. Set your perspective at the start of each day.

If you start your day with a mentality of, “I have way too much to do today!” you’re setting yourself up to feel overwhelmed.

To counter this, say to yourself "I have a lot of time to do what needs to be done today." This mindset will help you open up your mind and body to accomplish what matters most. 

You can then take a deep breath to prioritise, break tasks down into manageable bits, and block off the calendar time to get them done.

7. Practice self-care. 

When you’re stressed out, it’s easy to skip the things that keep you sane. But don’t forget that the success of your business or career is closely tied to your well-being. Focus on your own well-being, be it exercise or mediation.

Yes, we've heard people saying "sleep is for the dead", but without enough sleep, your productivity will suffer. For some people, productivity depends on feeling rested.

8. Enjoy the ride

When you start to feel overwhelmed, ground yourself by reminding yourself that it's a marathon and not a sprint. Make sure you have a set of tools to give you the mental and physical fortitude to succeed.

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Source: Fast Company

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