The Productive Entrepreneur

1: The Productivity Battle 

• To be a productive entrepreneur is not easy to achieve. There are numerous factors that can cause us to falter or come to a halt. 
• Turn off notifications. We receive dozens – if not hundreds – of notifications during the day, including emails, text messages, Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, Skype, Facebook, and phone calls. 
• Being busy does not imply productivity. Ascertain that you are accomplishing the proper tasks to be a productive entrepreneur. 
• Productivity is built on four pillars. It will assist you in completing the necessary tasks on time. System Over Goals, The Early Bird Gets Everything Done, Kill Your Distractions, and Slay Your Dragons are the four pillars. 

2: Systems vs. Objectives 

• The issue with objectives. While objectives can be quite beneficial, they are not always perfect. Goals have one significant flaw: they have an end point. 
• Until you accomplish your goal, you feel like a failure. Until you accomplish your objective, you feel like a failure. Additionally, you cannot quantify success until the item is crossed off your list. This can result in a continual sense of defeat. 
• Goals are more effective than systems. They enable you to make daily developments and ensure your success. 
• What exactly is a system? A system is a collection of acts taken regularly in order to accomplish a purpose. If you stick to the system, you will eventually achieve your goal. 
• Goals might be excessively rigorous. While objectives might be beneficial, they can also be extremely inflexible and immovable. Concentrating excessively on a single objective can result in tunnel vision. You lose track of all the progress you’ve made, even if you don’t finish your goal entirely.
• Your enjoyment is constrained by goals. Once you’ve accomplished your objective, your sense of happiness begins to dissipate. You must establish a new, more ambitious objective. On the other hand, a system ensures that you always feel as though you’re progressing toward something. 
• Entrepreneurs benefit from more efficient systems. They are more adaptable. If anything is not operating properly, it can be changed. Additionally, systems incorporate daily upgrades. This provides you with a sense of accomplishment and forward movement. 
• Evaluate your own performance and the processes in place. Do you have mechanisms in place to help you become a productive entrepreneur? 

3: The Early Bird Accomplishes Everything 

• Productive entrepreneurs that are most successful are typically early risers. Tim Cook, Richard Branson, Howard Schultz, and a slew of other corporate executives get up early to maximize their productivity. 
• Those that rise early are more productive. While night owls are more susceptible to negative thought patterns, historically early risers succeed more, earn higher marks in school, and have more possibilities throughout their careers. 
• Consider going to bed sooner. While it may feel like a good time to be active in the late evening hours, your energy is limited. If you’re having difficulty getting up early, start small. Reduce your sleep time by an hour and increase your wake time by an hour.
• Switch off electronic devices several hours before night. It has been demonstrated that using screens in the hours preceding bedtime disrupts sleep patterns.
• Establish a sound sleeping pattern. A sleep schedule helps you to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. You may eventually discover that you do not require an alarm clock.
   
• Engage in physical activity. Exercise has been shown scientifically to enhance the amount of time spent in deep sleep and to improve the quality of sleep. 
• Remove your alarm clock from the vicinity of your bed. This will compel you to rise from your bed in the morning and keep you from pushing the snooze button. 
• Face-spray with cold water. This can assist in reawakening you if you are sleepy.
• Provide yourself with a compelling cause to rise. The greater your reason to get out of bed, the more likely you will want to wake up early. 

4: Put an End to Your Distractions 

• Distractions are the enemy of productivity. Distractions around emails, Slack messages, text messages, and phone calls.

• Make your plans for the following day the night before. This might involve both tiny details such as what to wear and what to eat for lunch, as well as larger details such as scheduling time to work on a project between 8:00 and 10:00 AM. By planning, you avoid the need to consider it and can instead concentrate on getting things done. 

• Eliminate social media. There are few distractions as powerful than social media. Allowing yourself to be on social media just during designated times allows you to stay focused on the task that matters most to you. Your most productive hours should be spent on actual work, not on social networking. 

• Defend against interruptions by establishing boundaries. At times, you will need to check your email, make phone calls, or respond to text messages. However, you should only do this at designated periods during the day. This enables you to concentrate on important work. 

• Establish a productive work environment. Establish a space where you will conduct solely productive work. This teaches your brain that when you enter that location, you will be completely focused on getting things done. Maintain a distinct location for recreational activities. Maintain a clear separation between the two. 

• Allow time for rest and recreation. Your brain requires downtime to unwind, calm, and recharge. You cannot maintain 100 percent focus throughout the day. By allowing your brain to recover and refocus through rest and play, you allow it to rejuvenate and refocus. 

5: Slay Your Dragons 

• Determine your most difficult jobs. Your “dragons” are the most difficult and time-consuming chores. Each day, slay your dragons first thing. 

• For a productive entrepreneur, it is more to begin with the difficult chores. It’s tempting to begin with little chores to gain a sense of achievement. However, research has shown that people who take on the most difficult activities are more effective and productive.

• Prioritize your most difficult jobs. If you want to maximize your potential, develop a plan to handle your most difficult, time-consuming chores first thing each day. Without a plan, you will invariably gravitate toward easy tasks. 

• Create a favorable environment for success. When you prioritize your most difficult chores first, you set yourself up for success for the remainder of the day and the following day as well.

You can easily do just by taking baby steps and implementing these simple steps into your daily activities. Let us know how it helps you transform your business and productivity too.

Feel like you still need help? Reach out and let us help you become a more productive business owner schedule a call now if you want help.