5 Productivity Hacks Every Executive Should Know
Michael O'Sullivan
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Time is the ultimate luxury for executives. Long meetings, endless emails, and an ever-growing to-do list often leave little room for strategic thinking and personal well-being. High-performing leaders know that working harder isn’t the answer—working smarter is. Here’s how to reclaim time and boost output without adding hours to your day.
1. The One-Touch Rule: Stop Handling the Same Task Twice
Emails pile up, messages flood in, and tasks linger longer than they should. The habit of revisiting the same item multiple times eats away at focus. Instead, apply the one-touch rule: when opening an email or task, decide immediately—reply, delegate, schedule, or delete. Procrastination masquerades as “later,” but “later” steals hours over a week.
?? Top Tip: Set three inbox-checking windows per day and turn off notifications in between. This simple tweak prevents distraction loops and keeps priorities clear.
2. Strategic Delegation: Give It Away to Get Ahead
Many executives hold onto tasks that could be handled just as well—or better—by others. The mindset of “I’ll do it myself” leads to unnecessary bottlenecks. Instead, classify responsibilities into three categories: Must-Do (strategic tasks only you can handle), Should-Do (tasks that require oversight but not execution), and Could-Do (tasks to delegate immediately).
?? Top Tip: When delegating, provide clear instructions and expected outcomes, but let go of the “how.” Trust your team to deliver.
3. The 90-Minute Focus Block: Protect Deep Work Time
Meetings carve up the day, leaving no space for uninterrupted thinking. Without dedicated focus time, high-level decision-making suffers. The best executives schedule non-negotiable 90-minute deep work blocks daily—no meetings, no emails, just laser-focused execution.
?? Top Tip: Treat this time as sacred. Block it in your calendar, let your team know, and defend it as fiercely as a high-stakes board meeting.
4. Meeting Discipline: Cut the Waste, Keep the Impact
Unstructured meetings drain both time and energy. The most effective leaders insist on clear agendas, defined outcomes, and strict time limits. If a meeting doesn’t drive decisions, it might not be necessary at all.
?? Top Tip: Apply the 15-minute rule—if a meeting can’t justify its first 15 minutes with value, shorten it or cancel it. Walk-and-talk meetings are also a great way to keep discussions sharp while boosting energy levels.
5. Energy, Not Just Time, Is the True Productivity Fuel
Productivity isn’t just about hours worked—it’s about energy managed. Skipping meals, sacrificing sleep, and running on caffeine lead to burnout, not breakthroughs. High performers prioritise movement, nutrition, and recovery just as much as deadlines.
?? Top Tip: Start the day with movement, whether it’s a quick workout or a short walk. Protect sleep like a high-priority meeting, and fuel your body with foods that sustain focus rather than drain it.
The Bottom Line
Executives don’t need more hours—they need better systems. Small shifts create massive gains. When inboxes are controlled, delegation is optimised, deep work is protected, meetings are streamlined, and energy is prioritised, productivity soars. The best leaders aren’t the busiest; they’re the smartest with their time.
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