When you think of productivity at work, do you think of caffeine or nicotine? Or is it about a To-Do checklist on a notepad or a great new productivity app on your smartphone? Any one or some of these may work for you in your never-ending quest to get more stuff done in lesser time. But let’s look at the magic rituals and habits of the super achievers and highly productive people to find a better path to achievement than simply another cup of coffee.
1. Checklist Five
If you are a checklist fan and find it useful
and satisfying to tick off tasks from a list, then add a couple of rules to
your process. Firstly, never multitask. Do one thing at a time
and take it to completion before starting the next. Your day gets done faster
and with lesser energy and stress. Secondly and more importantly, your
checklist for the day cannot be longer than five items. Only when
you force yourself to prune down tasks do you really focus on the critical
three to five things that can make your day insanely productive.
2. 20% everywhere
Before you start a project, implement the80-20
rule. Only 20% of the effort, time or tasks within a
project will yield 80% of the output you desire. Spend a few
minutes to identify that critical 20% and ruthlessly focus only on that. The
rest you can eliminate, forget, delegate or automate. For example, your 20%
contribution to a project can come from putting the right team together and
giving them the right mission and motivation. The rest 80% will get done
without you.
3. Start with self
What part of the day are you focused on
yourself, your growth, energy levels and peace of mind? Most highly productive
and successful people spend the first part of the day on themselves.
The daily habit of an early morning combined with physical exercise, quiet
time, reading/ learning and a leisurely breakfast gives enough time to invest
in yourself, charge up and plan, before the day picks up steam. This is
the best productivity investment in the long term.
4. Go big, go deep
As a high achiever, start your day with the most
challenging project or toughest task. Take out time to go
deep and make big strides before other distractions intrude into your
day. Since your energy level and focus are at a high, your big stuff gets
completed in lesser time and the sense of achievement then drives your energy
through the rest of your day.
5. Block In, block Out
Like the Karate Kid, productive people are excellent
in blocking. When you are working, block out time wasters and
distractors like a ringing phone, notifications and even sudden thoughts. If
you are reminded of something else to do, write it down in a distraction list
and return to your task. Similarly, block yourself in so that it is difficult
for people to find or access you before you complete the task you have set your
mind to. Blocking is your new productivity multiplier habit.
6. Work small, work slots
Efficient people aren’t scared by huge
unpleasant projects. Divvy up the big challenge into extremely small tasks.
Start with any one of the tasks immediately. Set aside 25-minute time
slots to focus continuously on any one task at hand, also known as the Pomodoro
technique. Doing so builds up momentum and keeps you going through
challenging goals even when motivation is low.
7. Take breaks, get bored
How often are you bored during the day? If you
don’t find the time to be bored, then you will not generate creative solutions
for work and productivity. Take breaks often, both scheduled
and unscheduled. Get up from your seat and take a 5-minute walk in the
office corridor. Or, grab a coffee break with a colleague. Come back
recharged and with fresh ideas.
8. More automation
Though you may not be a fan of the habit of
Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg to never change their daily wardrobe, there is
huge merit in automating your life and reducing the number of
micro-decisions you need to take. Automate your bill payments, daily
chores, meeting processes and delegate your decision frameworks. Free up
your energy and bandwidth for the things that only you can do or what
really moves the needle for you.
9. Reduce communication
As a professional, it is easy to fall into the
communication trap where you are busy attending meetings and responding to
emails through the day and yet achieving little by way of productivity. Reduce
operational communication to twice a day. Slot all your regular
meetings in one slot during the day and have at the most two slots for going
through emails and responding to them. The rest then becomes your productive
time.
10. Manage energy, say no
Energy management is more important than
time management. The best way to
stay on top of your energy levels is to figure out routines and habits
for sleep, food and exercise and to say “No” to distractors that
break habits or drain energy. Adequate sleep and right food and exercise are
the best kept secrets of the high achievers!
Courtesy: ET CONTRIBUTORS| Date: – 29 April 2019.
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