The Best Productivity Hacks for Entrepreneurs

Being productive as an entrepreneur is not easy. There are so many distractions out there that it can be hard to make progress towards your goals. But it is not hopeless. There are tools and methods that you can use to get superhuman productivity.

Here are the best productivity hacks for entrepreneurs:

Avoid commuting to the office

Commuting is stressful, time intensive and causes friction in your day. Avoid it if possible!

Learn how to say “No”

Avoid being a people pleaser, say no to opportunities and favors and you will find yourself with more time to reach your goals.

Do the most important task of the day first

In the morning, we have the highest willpower levels, use this to complete the hardest task first. This makes the rest of the day’s tasks seem easy.

Keep your phone in airplane mode until your first task is done

This ensures the first task is done with the distraction of a pointless phone call.

Use Sleep Cycle to wake up with energy

Sleep Cycle is an app that monitors your sleep cycle so it can wake you up at the optimum time in a 30-minute window.

Exercise in the morning

Richard Branson claims exercising in the morning gives him four more productive hours in a day.

Be goal orientated rather than following a to-do list

Always align your tasks to an outcome i.e., if it does not increase revenue do not prioritize it.

Meditate using Headspace

Meditation clears your mind and lets you develop laser focus and Headspace guides you through the process.

Use the Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro technique is 25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break, quite simply it works.

Start the day of using the 60-60-30 technique

This ensures your first two biggest tasks of the day get done with ease. 50-minutes work, 10-minutes break, 60-minutes work and then 30-minutes break.

Avoid meetings

Meetings are usually a waste of time. Avoid meetings if you can and cap them at 20 minutes if they are unavoidable.

Remember the Pareto Principle

The Pareto Principle states that 80% of your results in anything stem from 20% of your actions, identify the 20% of actions that create 80% of your revenue and double down on them.

Avoid eating big meals during the day

Eating big meals sends fog from your brain to your digestive system, leaving you feeling lethargic and stupid.

If it takes less than 2 mins, do it now

For example, if you open an email in your inbox reply… do not leave an “open loop” in your mind.

Check emails two times a day

Email and messaging apps like slack are massive time wasters. Create an autoresponder telling people you check emails only two times a day and if it is super important, they can speak with your PA.

“There is no substitute for hard work.” – Thomas Edison

Tell people to stop distracting you

It takes you 25 minutes to get back to your original level of focus after distraction, make co-workers realize that.

Use background music

Use FocusAtWill, Brain.fm or YouTube alpha waves/classical music to focus whilst working. Music you like with lyrics is always distracting.

Plan your day the night before

Wire your brain for productivity by going over your day the night before.

Make 60-second decisions

Do not sweat over decisions or spend too much time deliberating them because it tanks your mental energy. The 60-second decision is a powerful concept.

Do not start the day with distraction

Eighty percent of smartphone users check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up. The first hour sets the precedent for the day so do not start it with distraction.

Make your work environment comfortable

To get into “flow” state you need to be in a comfortable environment, make sure your office is not cluttered or messy and that your seat is comfortable.

Stick to your routine

Whenever you can do the same things at the same times of the day, this allows you to create a habit and means in the future the task will take no energy to do.

Wake up early to do your morning routine

If you can get in the habit of a morning routine, you will set yourself up for success. It will allow you to guarantee a productive day.

Reward yourself

Pick times to cool off and reward yourself like lunches with a friend or a walk to a coffee shop at mid-morning when you have completed your second task.

Pick a calendar management tool

Fantastical 2, Omnifocus, Microsoft To Do, Trello, Asana are all great calendar management tools. See a comparison of Trello and monday.com, for example, to help you decide.

Schedule tasks

Tasks always expand to the time you have. Schedule them at a certain time and duration to ensure they get done.

What gets measured gets managed

Always review your work day and week. What got done? What did not get done and why? How can I streamline my productivity process?

Do not multitask

Multitasking lowers your IQ as much as smoking weed. Avoid this!

Use the 6-list rule

Every working day write down six tasks in order of importance and tackle them one by one. If some do not get completed reorder into the next day’s list.

Drink more water

When you wake up drink 16 oz of water immediately to replenish your body after a waterless night. Keep drinking water throughout the day to improve focus.

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”? – Stephen King

Use StayFocusd to block distracting websites

StayFocusd is a chrome extension that blocks distracting sites like Facebook.

Have an afternoon nap

A 20-minute nap is an incredible asset to have. It refreshes the mind and body and allows you to develop superhuman productivity.

Do not watch the news

The news affects your “reptilian brain” by evoking a fear response. You will be much happier and more productive without it.

Turn off push notifications

Push notifications equal distractions. Turn them off and celebrate your new found freedom.

Use on and off ramps

This means doing the same task to get you prepared for work every single day and a different task to prepare you for stopping thinking about work. For example, a run in the morning and a shower in the evening to stop you bringing work home with you.

Brain dump once a week

Once a week write down everything you have been worrying/thinking about (not necessarily just work related) and put it on a piece of paper with two categories. Things I can control and things I cannot. Schedule the former into tasks for the week and tear up the page with the things you cannot control on it. This releases mental tension.

Use Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Less noise equals less distractions, which equals better productivity.

Visualize yourself

Pro golfers have increased their handicap without hitting a ball using visualization. Conor McGregor swears by it. Visualize yourself being successful with the work at hand.

Make sure you have everything to complete your tasks

You should have everything at hand to complete your tasks. This means planning ahead of time for resources, assets or people that are needed to complete the task.

Schedule eating

Always eat breakfast and schedule eating times to avoid getting hungry and eating junk.

Split test your sleeping habits

Always get at least 6 hours of sleep a night. Pulling an all-nighter does not make you a “hustler” it means you are not organized enough.

Read David Allen's “getting things done.”

This is a must-read book for successful productivity.

Sleep in 90-min blocks

The human circadian rhythm is 90 minutes, and it takes us on average 10 minutes to get to sleep. So go to sleep at 10:50PM if you want to wake up with energy at 6AM.

Take at least 1 day off in your business a week

Your business is your baby and needs a lot of attention to grow up strong and healthy, but one night a week consider getting a babysitter and not thinking about it. This will allow you to relax your mind and avoid burning out.

Reconnect with your why

Never forget why you started. Always connect the work with your passion and dreams.

“Action is the foundational key to all success.” – Pablo Picasso

Give up TV

10 years from now you will regret watching TV. It is a massive time waster.

Reduce decision fatigue

Mark Zuckerberg always wears the same clothes and eats the same food. This allows him to use his decision powers on things that matter.

Cold showers

Cold showers force the blood in your body into your core. This gives you energy and mental focus.

Splash cold water on your face when you wake up

This increases cortisol levels (stress hormone) to help you act with urgency to get things done.

Avoid the snooze button

The first action you do sets the context for the day. The snooze button is so dangerous because it trains your brain to procrastinate and makes you wake up feeling more tired.

Which productivity hack will you be implementing today? Leave a comment below!