This former CEO cut her 70-hour workweek down to 30 with 3 productivity hacks—start with ‘tossing your to-do list’

SUCCESS: Former CEO Shares 3 Productivity Hacks That Reduced Her Workweek from 70 to 30 Hours

Tanya Dalton, a former CEO who used to work grueling 12 to 14-hour days, discovered that she was heading towards burnout. Balancing her first company and raising two young children, she struggled with overwhelming to-do lists and a packed calendar. Dalton realized something needed to change when she became irrationally angry at her husband for taking a few minutes for himself in the car after work. This incident made her realize that she didn't allow herself any time for personal moments in her chaotic daily life.

Motivated to make a change, Dalton set out to transform her workflow and systems. Six years later, she now works until 3 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, resulting in a 30-hour workweek. As the founder and former CEO of Inkwell Press, a planner-selling company, she currently advises organizations on productivity optimization. Additionally, she enjoys every Friday off, a practice that has allowed her to publish two books, including "The Joy of Missing Out" in 2020, and establish herself as a sought-after productivity consultant and speaker.

Throughout her journey, Dalton has identified effective productivity strategies while recognizing passing fads and distractions. Here are her top three productivity hacks, along with those she suggests discarding:

1. Trade Pomodoro Technique for Real Breaks:
2. The Pomodoro technique, a popular time-management hack, involves setting a 25-minute timer for focused work followed by a five-minute break. After repeating this cycle four times, a 20-minute break is taken. Despite its popularity, Dalton considers this technique fundamentally flawed because most people struggle to switch their focus on and off efficiently. Distractions disrupt the state of flow, and it takes approximately 23 minutes to regain that flow once interrupted. Instead, Dalton recommends allocating larger time blocks for work, such as 60 to 90 minutes, or a maximum of two hours, before taking a break. This approach allows the mind enough time to enter a state of flow for quality work and ensures sufficient recovery.
3. Measure Productivity in Tasks, Not Hours:
4. Dalton believes that society's obsession with the 40-hour workweek is a misconception. Rather than focusing on the number of hours spent at work, she encourages individuals and teams to concentrate on the quality of their work and define their own criteria for success. Dalton discovered that she didn't need to work a full 40 hours to complete her most important tasks. While to-do lists and back-to-back scheduling may create an illusion of productivity, they often result in the procrastination of more challenging and critical tasks. Dalton suggests replacing the to-do list with a "priority list" containing only five to seven tasks ranked by importance. By shifting from time-focused to task-focused productivity, individuals can accomplish significant tasks while reducing the time spent on easier but less important ones.
5. Regular Check-Ins:
6. In the midst of her hectic 70-hour workweeks, Dalton failed to recognize that she was on the fast track to burnout, a common phenomenon in today's workplaces. Consequently, she now emphasizes the importance of regularly checking in with oneself. Dalton schedules personal reflection time once every quarter to evaluate her life, assess her schedule's pace, and find harmony between family and work. These check-ins allowed her to realize the imbalance in her life, with work overshadowing her family. Motivated by her desire to be present for her children, Dalton established clear time boundaries and transitioned to a 30-hour workweek. This practice empowers individuals to take charge of their lives and view themselves as drivers rather than passengers.

Dalton acknowledges that there is no magic formula or universal approach to maximizing productivity. Each person should pay attention to their own signals of waning focus and remember that rest is crucial for high-quality work. By implementing these productivity hacks and embracing a personalized approach, individuals can achieve greater efficiency and work-life balance.

Don't Miss Out: Enhance Your Intelligence and Success in Money, Work, and Life.