If you are an entrepreneur looking for hacks & tips to boost your productivity, then This article will give you 10 productivity hacks & tips for entrepreneurs, which will help you get by when the going gets tough. Implementing at least some of the hacks will make things a bit easier, which is why we recommend you to read the article in full.
Being an entrepreneur is incredible. You are your own boss, and nobody gets to decide where your business is headed but you. There are no set rules, and you get to choose and explore what works best in your case . If you have the capabilities to work remotely, you can work from your home, coffee shop, a coworking space, or from anywhere in the world if you decide to follow a digital nomad route.
By taking such an entrepreneur test, you’ll be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses, pinpoint areas where you may need to improve, and gain valuable insights into what it takes to thrive as an entrepreneur in today’s fast-paced business world.
Well, that’s all in theory, but in reality, things can look differently. While it’s true that entrepreneurship gives you a lot of freedom, you will also have much more responsibility, as there are decisions to make every single day. Often, you are not only your own boss, but also the accountant, janitor, and the person responsible for graveyard shift work.
Tip #1: Take Care Of Yourself
Entrepreneurship is unpredictable, and sometimes you will have to do sprints that will require sleepless nights. However, we all know that those are rare, and if you’re honest, you will know that you have a couple of hours to spare every week to take care of yourself. Make sure to use that time to do something right for your body and your mind, which is exercise.
It doesn’t matter what type of activity, if it gets your heart pumping and you enjoy it, it’s good. It can be a popular gym, cycling outside, swimming, or playing pickup basketball with your friends. As long as you enjoy it, and as long as it is available a couple of times per week, it’s good.
Maintaining your fitness will do wonders for your productivity. Not only that it will release stress, but will also raise your energy levels, allowing you to focus better on the tasks ahead.
Apart from this, you must also focus on eating nutritious food. For this, Green Chef’s vegan meal plan can come in handy. All you have to do is browse the menu and place your order. Yes, it’s that easy! When you have an exercise routine and eat well, it will boost your energy and overall productivity.
Tip #2: Set Milestones
The first tip wasn’t directly tied to productivity and work methods, but this one is. Any business and entrepreneur has goals, but the problem is that most of them are large-scale. Setting milestones will help you get to that goal step-by-step, and you will always know what the next thing you need to do is.
Having milestones will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by the big goal. Sometimes, it feels like you are not accomplishing anything, and you get satisfaction only when you reach the target, but not in the process of reaching it. Milestones will fragmentize the task, and you will be able to tackle things one by one, which will keep you motivated.
Tip #3: Track Time
Tracking time can be super annoying, but it will tell you a lot about your productivity. You don’t have to do it forever, but it is a good idea to track time every once in a while, just to see how you spend your days.
A good strategy is to track time for one full week every month, or every three months, if you hate doing it every day. Don’t do it for a single day, as it is too easy to cheat — a full week of tracking is neither too long to get bored, or too short to cheat.
Productive time tracking will tell you the exact amount you spend on each task, but also per client. Through tracking, you will be able to decide which area of your work needs improvements, but you will also notice when you need to raise prices. If a client is taking up the majority of your time but isn’t paying to match that, you know what to do.
Tip #3: Batch Work To Single-Task
As we said, entrepreneurship is about playing multiple roles at once. But that doesn’t mean you should play them at the same time. Batching similar tasks together will help you to prevent multitasking, which is one of the worst productivity killers.
Batching will keep your focus on a single task, but you will still be able to accomplish all of the things you intended. If it is impossible to batch full days, at least try having 3–4 hour chunks of doing the same activity. But, interrupting your work every time an email drops in is never good.
Tip #4: Make To-Do Lists (One of the best productivity hacks & tips for entrepreneurs)
Every morning, spare some time to create a to-do list for that day (you can also do it in the evening, preparing it for the next day). This will help you stay focused on the priorities, but will also create a commitment you made to yourself.
Checking tasks off a to-do list not only feels good and keeps you motivated, but it also tells you a lot about your daily productivity. By the end of the day, you will have a clear idea of what was accomplished and what you need to get done tomorrow.
Remember to review the list once you finish with your day, and see if you did everything and planned. If not, ask yourself why, and based on the answer, decide if the task is worth moving to tomorrow.
Tip #5: And Keep Them Short
When you wake up in the morning, it is easy to put 30 tasks on your to-do list because you feel super hyped and motivated. However, try not to do that, as it can get you overwhelmed.
The truth is that not every task is of equal importance. Therefore, pick only three tasks (not 30) to complete during the day. That will make you think twice, and make sure that the tasks you chose are meaningful, and will undoubtedly make an impact on your business.
Tip #6: Set Strict Limits (One of the greatest productivity hacks & tips for entrepreneurs)
Being able to choose when and where you work can often lead to you having no work-life balance. If you don’t want to work around the clock, you need to set strict limits.
So, the best productivity hacks & tips for entrepreneurs is to have a rule that you never work after 6 PM. This will force you to finish all the tasks you had for that day on time, or you will have to move them to the next day. Also, you can schedule all your emails to arrive after noon, which will give you the whole morning to focus on your most important tasks.
Setting strict rules like these might feel limiting, but will save a lot of your free time you would lose to poor organization.
Tip #7: Take Care Of The Big One First
As we said, there are some tasks that are more important than others. At the beginning of each day, ask yourself what the most important thing you need to do is, that will move the needle and push your business in the direction you want it to go. Do that thing first.
If you ignore the most critical task, it will burden you the whole day, and it might require you to work overtime. But, if you do it first, you will feel tremendous relief, and easier tasks that follow will be a breeze.
Tip #8: Find Your Own Flow
While it is so easy to read tips about waking up 5 AM and going straight to the gym, blindly following them is not a good idea. Sure, it might work for you, but it is always best to listen to your body and find your own rhythm.
Some people are more productive later in the day, while others shine early in the morning. Some love working from home, while others need an office, or at least a library or a coworking space.
Try all the options, and see what works for you. You will only be able to decide once you try those tactics yourself. And who knows, maybe waking up 5 AM turns out to be the best option for you. Also, if you like waking up and slipping into your workout routine, best to find a gym near home that fits your needs.
Tip #9: Take Breaks
Running a business is a long-term thing. Yes, you will have to take sprints from time to time, but after a while, you will be able to predict that unpredictable situations occur, no matter how much you try to prevent them. Therefore, make sure to take breaks, no matter how busy the schedule seems.
You can try the Pomodoro technique, where you work in 25-minute chunks, followed by 5-minute breaks. But, if you prefer working for longer durations, that’s OK too. If that is the case, make sure you take a real lunch break and not eat in front of your computer screen. Also, while you eat, leave your phone on the office desk, and have that time for yourself, your busy brain will thank you later.
Tip #10: Delegate
Lastly, if it is possible, delegate. Entrepreneurship is about being the boss, the accountant, and the employee, but if you actually hire an accountant, you won’t have to do the taxes yourself.
Of course, delegating work to other people requires a budget, but if you do have funds, delegating will free up so much of your time. You will be able to do those things you are the best at, delegating other tasks to other experts. This will tremendously improve your productivity and is one of the best ways to grow any business.
Conclusion
We hope that these Productivity Hacks & Tips for Entrepreneurs you’ve read about in this article will help you reach your goals a bit easier. Of course, nothing can replace hard work, and there is no way to hack that. But, small tweaks such as batching work and setting time limits might just be the thing you were missing, that will help you skyrocket your efficacy and free up more time for yourself.
Let us know in the comments what productivity tips you like the most, and also if you feel like something is missing from the list. Stay productive!
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