Productivity Tips for Entrepreneurs And Successful Business Leaders
As entrepreneurs, we wear a lot of hats within the businesses we run. Marketer, salesperson, accountant, product producer, counsellor, boss, father, mother, taxi and the like.
To be effective in our business it would be wise to get our priorities right and get rid of, or delegate those tasks that keep us from doing what we do best, take our tried and tested entrepreneur advice below to heart, it will impact your productivity greatly.
10 Tactics for becoming more productive:
Practice self-care
Taking care of yourself is essential for productivity. Get enough sleep, eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. The better your body runs, the more agile your mind is.
Take short breaks at regular intervals
If you want to keep your energy up it is a good idea to get away from your desk at regular intervals. Take a walk outside, meditate, do a couple of star jumps or push-ups, or jog on the spot. It doesn’t matter, just get moving. Going outside your office and standing in the sun for a while also does wonders for your energy levels.
Protect yourself from email
Try not to check your emails first thing in the morning. Your brain runs out of ‘fuel’ quickly when reading an email. This leaves it with little capacity to do the thinking work early on. Rather check emails in the afternoon so that you can protect your peak energy hours and do something really worthwhile.
Switch off email alerts on your laptop and other smart devices because every time you hear that ‘ding’ of a new email, you will be tempted to go and look. And, once you start answering emails, the task you’re currently doing takes a back seat.
Multitasking
Multitasking is a myth. You may think you’re being effective, but your attention is split in too many ways, which makes you ineffective. Rather work in chunks of time on one task at a time. You’ll get a lot more done.
Delegate and Outsource tasks
Outsource work that you are not good at doing so that you can focus on what you’re really good at. Figure out what your hourly rate is and ask yourself “is this worth my time, or can I outsource it?”
Learn to say no
As an entrepreneur, you’ll likely receive many requests for your time and attention. Learn to say no to tasks or projects that don’t align with your goals, values and priorities. This will help you stay focused on what’s important and avoid spreading yourself too thin.
Plan properly
Productive people plan properly. So, plan your work and work your plan. Write down specific and measurable goals for yourself and your business. Break them down into smaller, actionable tasks that you can work on daily and subsequently create a plan to achieve them.
Use time-blocking techniques to manage your time effectively and work in focused bursts. Set specific blocks of time for different tasks and avoid multitasking.
Routine
Follow strict daily routines. Peak performance and productivity are not about luck; it is about creating success habits. So, plan when you’ll get up when you eat when you work when you exercise and when you have reflection time.
Social media
Limit your time on social media. Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok take so much time and focus away from working on your business, no matter how big or small, social media is a huge time stealer. Ask yourself, “Does TikTok pay my bills?”
Reflect
Set aside time at the end of the day for reflection. Quieten your mind and reflect on what happened in your day, what went well and areas where you could improve. This reflection will help you make incremental changes that will have a positive effect on you and your enterprise.
For more productivity tips and advice for entrepreneurs, be sure to follow Seed Academy on LinkedIn
About Seed Academy
Since its inception, Seed Academy has relentlessly and passionately championed the growth and development of women and youth entrepreneurs, driven by the belief that entrepreneurs create economic growth, uplift communities, and create a more equitable future for all. Seed’s holistic approach combines business development training with technical skills development, personal leadership, mentorship, coaching, and addressing the challenges women and youth in business face.
All while fostering a community of entrepreneurs and strengthening the ecosystem overall. Read more about our AccelerateHer, AccelerateYouth and ESD programs on our website or contact us for more information.