3 Productivity Hacks From Elite Performers
By Warren Wong
I don’t have enough time. Ever complain that you’re too busy or don’t have enough time to do something? Well, you’re in good company. These 3 productivity hacks will help you perform better, whether that’s at work or in your personal life.
Ever wonder how elite performers are able to get so much done in a day?
They’re our age and have an essay of accomplishments on their Wikipedia page.
Everyone’s got 24 hours in the day, and everyone’s has problems to deal with.
The question isn’t how can I get more time in the day, which is impossible, but what to prioritize.
1. Prioritize your most important tasks for the day
Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla says, “focus on the signals, not the noise, don’t waste time on stuff that doesn’t actually make things better.” Make sure that the 2-3 major tasks that will move the needle gets done. What is it that you have to do so you can move closer to your goals. Maybe it’s going to the gym if health is your number one priority, or for me its writing this article for my blog or having that dreadful conversation with your loved ones about how much of a prick you’ve been lately.
Bottom line is you need to write down 2-3 of your major tasks that will get you closer to your overall goals and make sure you do them.
Productivity is about staying consistent and getting after it every single day.
Related post: How to Be More Efficient: Automate, Delegate, and Batch
Resist the temptation of completing the more easy tasks (the noise). I know, its hard when you have a compulsive urge to cross of things from your checklist.
2. Limit the number of decisions you have to make
Facebook Founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg is famed for wearing the same outfit every single day. His grey T-shirt and hoodie isn’t a fashion statement, it’s a methodical choice.
By limiting the number of choices you have to make every day, you save your will power for important decisions. Call it minimalism, call it strategic thinking, but it works.
Whether you need to decide on what you want to wear to work today or how to best solve your clients problems, your brain is flexing its executive function muscles, which research shows is a limited resource.
I personally keep my wardrobe very small and limited to classic pieces of clothing that fit and feel good.
I know it can be a huge drag to wear the same thing every single day, but you can start with downsizing your closet and choosing the things that you love wearing. As Japanese organizing consultant and author Marie Kondo says, “what sparks joy?”
3. Learn to Say NO
Tim Ferris, The New York Times #1 bestselling author asked over 130 of the world’s best performers a series of questions, in his book “Tribe of Mentors“.
The most important question in my opinion: “How could I better say ‘no’ to the trivial many to better say ‘yes’ to the critical few?”
Answers varied between knowing what are you passionate about to how to politely decline invitations.
A lot of us are scared of saying no, either because we think we will hurt other people’s feelings or have the fear of missing out (FOMO).
What I think we fail to realize is that by not saying no, you run out of time. You find yourself with not enough time or too busy.
Productivity isn’t about saying no to everything and becoming a hermit, it’s smartly choosing which things to say yes to.
Conclusion
Life is pretty short. Don’t waste it on things you don’t care about to cater to people that don’t matter.
- Prioritize
- Limit decisions
- Say No
Live intentionally and don’t forget to schedule time for fun and loved ones.
Question for you
What is the one thing that drains the most time out of your day, can’t you delegate it or eliminate it all together?
