Productivity and being productive. It’s a modern issue. Ideas come and go. They’re a dime a dozen. Having the idea is only 1 percent of the issue. Putting the work in, that’s an entirely different matter. Getting your team to be maximally productive, even more so. It’s tougher than ever to get everything done.
Some of you have a day job next to the startup. And putting 16 hours a day can be tough to maintain. Others need to figure out simply how to make the most out of those extra 4 hours a day. And there are always people like Elon Musk. Ah, Elon Musk can put robots to shame. His productivity is incredible.

If you want to become more productive, then this article is for you. Feel like you’re running out of energy? Like you could do more, but don’t? Wonder how others do it? Here are 7 ways that entrepreneurs use to stay productive, the first seven batch.

#1 Waste no productive moment. Cut away useless distractions.

First of all, there are far too many things that can eat your time. But you already know that. Yet, you only count half of the distractions. Sure, Facebook can eat away hours of your time. But you can cut that down with simple tools that limit your access.
Instead, go a bit more extreme. Steve Jobs was rather well-known for wearing the same clothes every day. Sure, that might seem like a villain move. A wardrobe consisting of the same repeating set. Almost like an uniform.
Zuckerberg does it. Jobs did it. So did Einstein. So did Obama. Why? Firstly, it’s an amazing way to reduce decision fatigue. And if good decision-making is a limited resource, you should spend it wisely. Secondly, it limits your distractions. If your wardrobe is always the same, there’s no need to think about new purchases. Lastly, people love consistency. And this means you don’t get to distract your team with your wardrobe.

#2 Mix up the tedious, albeit productive routines.

This one’s easy. Do you usually hold your team meetings on Friday? Don’t. Do your team meetings on varying days of the week. Why? Because meetings are boring. In fact, everybody hates meetings. They kill the buzz.
Knowledge workers hate meetings even more, because meetings kill creativity. All this is true for regular meetings. Smart meetings, which you should definitely try, are something new; they are all the rage.

Meetings aside, make sure you don’t have a case of the Mondays. Instead, switch things around and make sure no day is that dreaded day of BORING. Instead, create a routine of switching routines. Call it a system 😉

#3 Work your way down from passion. Start with dessert.

There are two ways to tackle work. And work is made of tasks. You can start either with the toughest, or the easiest. But a more functional approach is to start with the one you like best.
When you start with the task you like least, you ruin your mood. For the rest of the work you are sour and spiteful. Instead, start with that task you like best. That one that makes you happy. And then, it’s like you just started working. Fresh as a daisy. And that’s because cognitive science is your friend.
You’d think that starting with dessert is counter intuitive. Well, it shouldn’t be.

#4 Focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking is a myth.

Multitasking is the cool name for procrastination. Firstly, you might think that you’re productive. In fact, you are not. You are giving your 70% to 5 things at once. That doesn’t add up to 500%. What it means is that you’ll be exhausted. And still take a lot longer to finish any of those things.
Secondly, you might have the feeling that you’re productive. Of course you do! After all, your brain does a lot of work. It doesn’t even matter that it’s useless work. In the end, it still feels like hard work. Hey, even your Facebook feed is work for your brain. You just like that better because you can reap short-term rewards.
Lastly, use your intrinsic motivation and zoom in with laser precision. And burn tasks, one at a time. In fact, let nothing stop you.
Multitasking is as bad as interruptions. And interruptions are horrible for productivity. That’s why it’s amazing that you can use an AI-enabled solution that limits your interruptions so that you can gain more focus on your work.

#5 Bring your A-game. Put your best on the line.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. Even Superman bends to kryptonite. Think of what your best assets are. What are you great at? And now write it down. Also, write down what you could improve on. Save it for later, you will need it.
When you focus on what you’re great at, you maximize productivity. If it sounds intuitive, that’s because it is. Now start delegating everything you’re not great at. It makes a lot of sense to delegate and it means you trust your team.
A lot of people tend to forget this. And sadly, they micromanage. And micromanaging kills creativity.

#6 Set one micro-goal to reach by the end of the day.

One day at a time. Every day, make sure you carry a goal across the finishing line. Just think of something that you can deal with today and do it.
Also, consider that micro-goals are an amazing strategy. You can use micro-goals with teams and with your own schedule.

#7 Productivity stems from energy. Boost your energy.

The best way to boost your energy is to manage it. Sure, it’s not an increase of overall energy. It is managing energy expenditure. It might sound abstract, but it is not. In fact, there are simple, practical ways to increase your energy.
Firstly, manage distractions. Secondly, figure out what charges your batteries. Sure, there are some general things you can do. And we’ve included them on this list. Everybody needs energy and without it you can’t be productive.
Stay tuned for the more productivity hacks.