Everyone wants to be more productive, but no one’s quite sure how to measure it. Over the past few months, I’ve started to crack the code.
Over the last 9 months, I’ve launched one new software project, started another in beta, began a consultancy, and am prepping to launch my first physical product ever.
Overall, I’ve likely 2-3x my productivity levels from the last few years.
Here’s how I did it and how you can do it too.
Own Your Calendar
One piece of advice I got was “treat your calendar like a template for a day that you would like to have” – then go do it.
That thinking – from things that I have to do to things that I get to do to live my ideal life – has completely changed things.
There’s a ton of calendars out there that can help – find one that works for you. I use Woven Calendar to time block and schedule my meetings with others throughout the week and that alone has transferred to a 2x boost in my productivity this year.
Outsource The Unnecessary
When you start analyzing the value of specific tasks, you quickly realize that not all time is equal. If you’re able to place a value on your time, then you can start outsourcing items that don’t meet that level of value.
Outsource your meal planning, get a cleaner to help with the house, hire a VA to help you handle email.
Find the stuff that you’re dreading, that slows you down across the board and sucks your momentum. Then get it off your plate and don’t be shy about asking for help.
Set a Timer
One of the most infuriating things I ever did was start timing tasks. As an entrepreneur, I work for myself and don’t need to track my hours, but I started keeping a timer going while I did a task and immediately realized how much time I spend doing other things than the task at hand.
Often a ten minute task would take 30 or 60 minutes just because I’d open and close a tab over and over again.
Time doesn’t lie. Keep it front and center to keep you honest.
Decide
I can’t tell you how many times a project has been delayed simply because someone was afraid to make a decision.
Becoming decisive is one of the most important decisions you can make and once you learn to trust yourself to make solid decision, you can just decide to GO while everyone else is sitting on the sidelines still mulling over the options.
Cut, Cut, Cut The Waste
Even once you outsource a bunch of things that aren’t worth your time, you’ll find that there are a lot of things that aren’t worth doing at all!
In fact, you could probably stop doing them and no one would notice! Doing more by doing less sounds counterintuitive, but it’s actually one of the fastest ways to hone in on the things you must do from the large, meandering list of things you “could do.”
Master the difference and watch your productivity levels explode.