Are you busy or productive? Flipping through windows, or actually getting tasks completed? In today’s socially-connected world, there are alerts, pop-ups, and new must-see videos bombarding us all day long. While they’re all fun to follow-up on, we’re not getting much work accomplished in that time.
Here is a list of our most effective productivity hacks for entrepreneurs – to stay focused, and have fun while growing your business each day!
1. Reduce Internal Email:
Emailing employees back and forth throughout the day is a habit best broken. It fills up your inboxes, pushing important emails further down, and it means that instead of working, you’re both busy checking your email for replies. Instead, only email, text, or call, the most important and urgent information. Other, non-urgent information can be posted in a forum for employees to check, respond to, and reference at their own leisure. Every 1CRM system features a free forum service, ensuring that your conversations will stay within the company.
PS. While you’re at it, take some time to remove yourself from unwanted email lists that are filling up your inbox.
2. Standing Desks:
Have you heard? Although slightly exaggerated, “Sitting is the New Smoking.” By choosing a standing desk, you increase your blood flow, improve your mood, feel less lethargic, and decrease your risk of dangerous illnesses & obesity! Next time, take a sitting break instead of a standing one. Interested? Check out these top 5 standing desks!
3. Reward Yourself:
Everyone enjoys a tangible reward for completing unpleasant tasks. What’s yours? Chocolate? A dinner out? A massage? Motivate yourself to complete those tasks that always seem to fall off of the to-do list by providing a little incentive. The only catch is, if you don’t complete that task, you cannot have the reward.
4. Delegate:
Being a business owner doesn’t have to mean doing everything yourself. Tasks that take you hours may take someone else minutes to complete. While staying within your budget, start delegating the tasks that are eating up your time, so that you can focus more on growing your business.
5. To-Do Lists:
Before you go to sleep, create a to-do list for the following day. Not a long list, but a realistic one. The top 3-5 things you MUST get done that day. Then, begin your day by completing the least desirable tasks first. That way, when your energy is waining, the tasks will be more attractive that you have left to complete. Need an App for that? Try Evernote!
7. Exercise & Meditation:
How long has it been since you’ve been out for a quick jog? Just 20 minutes spent jogging outside each day will pump you up more than a cup of coffee ever can. It can reduce stress, send more oxygen to your brain, and help your body to work the way it’s meant to. Jogging not your cup of tea? Try meditating for those 20 minutes instead. Come back rejuvenated and ready to take on the rest of the day!
8. Minimize distractions:
Interesting articles, videos, texts, and Facebook posts are always popping up. Instead of reading them in that moment, stay in work-mode and save them for later. Try this fantastic and free App called Pocket, which allows you to stash anything away for later. If you would like a little white noise to work more effectively, try running the website Rainy Cafe in the background.
9. Automate:
Why send emails out manually when there’s no need to? When something can be automated, your time is better spent elsewhere. Every 1CRM system includes a great feature called Drip-feed campaigns. By creating a campaign, you ensure that every new lead receives multiple emails at a timed progression automatically. Dynamic target lists automatically include all Leads and Contacts meeting your criteria without tiresome list management. Get your free Startup Edition today!
10. Learn Keyboard Shortcuts:
How much time do you spend typing on your computer each day? Are you using all the shortcuts that are available to you? If you’re like the average person, you probably don’t know half of the secret shortcuts that lie within your keyboard. Take a few minutes to read over these, Windows and Mac commands, and it will save you hours in the end!
What are your favourite productivity hacks? Share them with us below!
