The CEO of a successful startup shares 5 research-backed ways he boosts his productivity
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As the CEO of a fast-growing startup, and in my capacity as a self-employed consultant to many businesses, my biggest struggle is with productivity.
Often, at the end of a "very busy" day, a quick analysis of my work shows that I've been unable to get anything tangible done.
Research shows that I’m not alone, and productivity is a major struggle we all deal with.
According to research by Gallup, an alarming 70% of American employees are not working to their full potential.
These employees cost the American economy up to $550 billion in lost productivity every year.
There's a science to getting more done, though. Here are some effective and proven techniques that have made me more productive:
1. I embraced the "early to rise" principle
In 1735, Benjamin Franklin popularized the saying, "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" when he included it in his Poor Richard's Almanack. I've found that saying to be as true as it was when it was first said.
Perhaps the most important thing I have done for my productivity is waking up between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Interestingly, waking up early is a core part of the morning routine of some of the world's most successful people — with many making it a habit to work up before 6 a.m. every day.
Tucker Hughes, who became a millionaire at age 22, credits waking up by 4 a.m. and being in the office by 5:15 a.m. every day to be one of his best success secrets.
Personally, I find that waking up really early (usually by 4 a.m.) every morning helps me complete most of my tasks for the day before noon. Interestingly, this is backed by research that shows that the morning is the most productive period for most people.
2. I get straight to work as soon as I wake up
I've been noticing a shift in my productivity since I started working first thing. Initially, my first waking hour used to be occupied by exercise and preparation for the day. However, I found that it wasn't unusual to have my momentum wear off when the time came to really start working.
Now, however, the first thing I do after waking up is go straight to my tasks for the day. The result: a significant boost in productivity.
By getting to work immediately I take advantage of my most focused hours of the day. Once I've gotten two or three hours of serious work done, it is easy to make the rest of my day much more productive.
I did some research and found out that there's a scientific explanation for this, and it's the same whether you're an early bird or a night owl. According to behavioral psychologist Dan Ariely, the most productive hours of our day are the first two hours after we wake up. By capitalizing on these first two hours, instead of wasting them on unimportant tasks and social media, we can ensure a more productive day.
3. I prepare a task list ahead of the next working day
It may seem inconvenient to have a task list, yet making one is one of my greatest productivity secrets.
I often used to find myself wandering between doing nothing and dilly-dallying on tasks every day. Instead of moving from task to task efficiently, I would spend hours (that felt like a few minutes) doing unnecessary tasks and checking social media.
This all ended when I started using a task list, however. Not only does this give me direction for the day, but ticking those checkboxes has a way of making me feel accomplished and motivated to do even more.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider