You can have a long list of brilliant ideas, but if you don’t have the energy to bring them to life, then you’re not going to get very far. And perhaps even more insidious than a lack of energy is a lack of productivity. You could be putting in twelve hour days every night of the week, but if you’re not working effectively, then all you’re going to achieve is a new level of tiredness.
If you’re going to put the hours in, then you need to make sure you get results. High productivity for entrepreneurs ensures that your business continues to meet its goals. Below, is a list of eight rules for ensuring that you’re productive all day long.
Nail the Morning Ritual
How we spend the morning defines how the rest of our day is going to go. If you’re rushing out of bed, grabbing a quick breakfast and coffee and heading to the office, by the time you reach your desk you’re going to need to sit down for a moment and gather your thoughts.
So let’s rethink our approach to mornings.
Most people try to squeeze as much time in bed as they can, but to what end?
Instead, hit the hay early, and make the most of the morning. Rising an hour or two before you need to leave gives you time to relax, read the paper, and slowly let your mind come to life. By the time you reach the office, you’ll be ready to get down to work.
A Burst of Exercise
Most people shiver at the idea of getting out of bed to exercise, but it’s well worth the moment of discomfort. It’s well known that exercising while exerting energy, wakes up your body and mind like nothing else. Though it sounds counterproductive, it actually gives you more energy throughout the day.
Go for a quick three-mile jog in the morning, and you’ll be full of energy by the time you get down to business. If you opt to take a cold shower rather than a hot one when you’re done, then you’ll be even more alert. Try it just once, and you’ll see what you’ve been missing out on. It’s uncomfortable while you’re in there, but you’ll feel the positive effects all day long.
Eating the Right Foods
Most people have an unsophisticated approach to the foods they eat for breakfast. When it comes to productivity, you should not be eating with your taste buds. Focus on foods that’ll give a slow release of energy. They will help you to avoid that mid-morning crash that most people experience.
One of the best foods for this purpose is oatmeal, a whole grain food which is packed with all the right combinations of carbs you need. It will provide you with a steady stream of energy until lunchtime, and you won’t feel peckish until then, either. And oatmeal doesn’t have to be boring – check out these delicious oatmeal breakfast recipes, and it might just be your preferred breakfast even on Saturdays!
Make a Plan
There’s something to be said for arriving at work and seeing what needs to be taken care of, but not much. It’s much better to have a proactive approach to your day than a reactive approach. You should dictate how you’re spending your time in the office.
In the morning, as you’re slowly letting your mind come to life, map out your day. Figure out everything that you need to do, though be wary of making a list that’s too long. You’ll do your work much better if you only have, say, three tasks to complete rather than ten. It’s always better to do one thing very well rather than five things half-heartedly and rushed.
Tap Up Energy
Some people swear by coffee or energy drinks, but there’s every chance these people just believe that those drinks are giving them an energy boost. There’s a much better option available, and it’s free: water! Carry a large bottle of water around with you; sipping on it will keep you from feeling dehydrated and fatigued, two things that can compromise how well you work.
Change How You Work
There’s a traditional way of working, but what’s traditional isn’t always the best when it comes to productivity. Take the standard issue desk and chair; we associate with this work, but does this actually lead us to work better? The research suggests it doesn’t. Instead, mix up how you work.
By investing in a sit stand keyboard tray, you’ll be able to spend some of your working day sitting and some of it standing. It’s a subtle change to how you work, but one that will lead to increased work output. And there are a bunch of health benefits to standing more at work, too. Win-win!
Get Outside
Humans aren’t supposed to spend all of their day cooped up inside. As such, you should be taking time to go for a simple stroll in the outdoors throughout the day. The dose of fresh air you’ll receive will help you think better, refresh your mind, and break up the monotony of staring at a computer for the whole day. If you don’t have the option to go outside, then at the very least you should be taking regular breaks. Pushing to work for five hours straight is not going to help the quality of your output. Every hour, try to take a quick ten-minute break.
Tech-Free Time
Computers have done a lot to boost productivity, and you should use them when it’s useful, but don’t become overly reliant on them. There’s a lot to be said for disconnecting from the internet and just letting your mind do the work for a while. In the afternoon, crack out the old pen and paper, and spend some time as if we were any period before the last couple of decades. It’s about getting rid of the distractions of emails, messages, and so on, and sitting down to work.
Be sure to hop into the Savvy Entrepreneur Private Facebook Community to collaborate, learn and grow with your fellow entrepreneurs and business owners.
Similar Posts by Savvy Entrepreneur:
10 Income Reports by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs
https://savvyentrepreneur.co/10-income-reports-by-entrepreneurs-for-entrepreneurs/
Get More Customers Using Your Website, Email Marketing, and Social Media
https://savvyentrepreneur.co/get-more-customers-using-website-email-marketing-social-media/
Mastermind Groups for Entrepreneurs Foster Accountability
https://savvyentrepreneur.co/mastermind-groups-for-entrepreneurs-foster-accountability/
