These days life, food, sleep and productivity hacks are everywhere – but have you noticed that some of them simply don’t make sense? Why, for example, would you go through the trouble of cleaning out an old ketchup container in the pursuit of perfectly poured pancakes when it is far easier, and just as efficient, to drop the batter from a measuring cup?
Small business owners love to improve the way they work by using productivity hacks too. Here are some that are as practical as they are helpful.
Productivity Tip 1: Exercise
And right off the bat, the first tip is something that takes you away from your desk. How is that productive? Exercise charges up your body and mind, provides a clean boost of energy and helps your creativity stay sharp during the day. Make the time for it. If you are self-employed and have the option of slipping off to the gym or out for a walk during the mid-morning or mid-afternoon, even better! You’ll skip the workout crowd at the gym and give your brain a boost during common slump times. Lace up those sneakers if you want to be as productive as possible.
Productivity Tip 2: Timers
Have you ever felt like this? The big deadline is looming, but the sweet siren call of Facebook hearkens. You desperately want to finish what you were working on, but little cats mewing on your Facebook feed are just more enticing than your work. It’s easy to procrastinate in this day and age of rampart social media. With notifications on your phone, smart watch, endless pings on your computer – it’s an uphill battle to stay focused! Turn off your notification and set your timer for an hour. During that hour, give it your all on your work. When the timer goes off, get up and stretch. Take a few steps. Shake off the cobwebs. Then enjoy a good five minutes of Facebook/Twitter/texting/Instagram, et.al. Not only is the break good for your productivity, you’ll work harder during your allotted time slot knowing the “reward” is in sight.
Productivity Tip 3: Drink Water
Get a fun water bottle. Not the standard clear one. One that has a funny or motivational saying on it or one in your favourite colour. Get one with a superhero on it, if you are so inclined. You need one that delights you when you see it on your desk. Fill it with water. Sip frequently. Refill when empty. Drinking water makes you more productive. Dehydration impairs brain function – and you can be dehydrated without it knowing it. Having your water bottle in sight during your work day helps to quench the brain fog and keep you sharp and productive all day long.
Productivity Tip 4: Delegate
Everyone has tasks they put off because they don’t like to do them, even if those tasks are important to the success of your business. Unless it is something specialized that only you can do (if you are a social media company, for example, and you delegate updating your Facebook feed, you may want to rethink your career) activate the global online contracting economy in your favour. From blogging to accounting, office cleaning to marketing, someone is willing to do that task for you. As long as it fits into your budget, you can get a high ROI on contracted services, because you have more time to focus on the parts of the company you love.
There are many books, articles and blogs out there on how small business owners can achieve peak productivity. Make sure the tips you choose are a good fit, or you risk spending all your time working on efficiency, without getting anything done.
