8 Productivity Tips I Learned Interviewing 100 Successful Entrepreneurs
As a hopeless daydreamer, I often laugh at my past. For instance, not long ago, I placed 'Organization' under my list of strengths. Once I jumped into the world of entrepreneurship, I hit the ground with a spine-shaking thump.
Let me guess, you're nodding right now, aren't you?
Oh yes, we come up with the darndest things when we're younger. I no longer consider 'organization' a strength, neither in a working or personal sense. I try to be (thank you iCal, Evernote, and Wunderlist), but each day slips through my fingertips.
Yet, I'm more organized today than ever before. Why? Because of my book, The Successful Mistake, and the 150+ wise entrepreneurs I've interviewed along the way.
If you want to improve in this fast and furious world, surround yourself with like-minded people further along the road than you. It's as simple as that. Each time I chat with these wonderful individuals, I gobble up their wisdom. They've taught me a lot, and productivity is high on the list.
I won't say I'm organized per se, but these 8 Productivity Tips may save your day:
1: USE FOLLOW-UP REMINDERS
If there's one thing I've learned from contacting 1,000 successful entrepreneurs, it's the value of following-up. A single email rarely works, but a second often does.
Remembering who to follow-up, and when is tricky, so be sure to use a tool like FollowUp.cc, Boomerang, or Sanebox. Not only do you save time, but sanity, too.
2: EMBRACE TEMPLATES, BUT…
If you send virtually the same email over-and-over again (like I do for The Successful Mistake), create a template and save it in your 'draft folder'. This saves precious time, and helps you avoid silly typing errors, too.
BUT, be sure to personalise every email with a short and snappy introduction. You're not a robot, and the other person isn't an idiot.
3: REPLY TO EMAILS IN SHORT BURSTS
Marianne Cantwell only checks her email once or twice a week, and Srini Rao deleted most of his Smartphone Apps so they wouldn't distract him throughout the day.
You may not be ready for such a leap, but focussing on email in a few short bursts is something we can all do. Since doing this myself, I've saved so much time and stress.
4: LESS IS ALWAYS MORE
When I first emailed these busy individuals, I felt obliged to explain who I was in great detail. I figured I had to convince them to take me seriously with a long list of reasons why.
First of all, they don't have time to read your rambling email. Second, you don't have time to write one. Keep it short and get to the point. Greg Hickman uses the 5 Sentence rule, treating email like a text message. I love this, not only for email, but life in general.
5: UNDERSTAND YOURSELF BETTER
When Ari Meisel discovered he had Crohn's Disease, he monitored and analysed his entire life. Within months, he cured himself, all because he developed a better understanding of who he was.
If you want to become more productive, track what you do and don't do, how long it takes, and how much money you spend. The better you know yourself, the more you can tweak, improve, and grow.
6: VALIDATE EVERYTHING
Successful people spend their time wisely. Clay Collins introduced me to validating ideas, but I know many people who do it (Tom Morkes, Danny Fein, Danny Iny …).
Before dedicating time to a new idea, ensure people want it, will buy it, and that it brings value to their lives. After all, you wouldn't arrange a meal with a friend without asking them first, would you?
7: RUN AWAY
Most people assume the harder and longer you work, the more you get done. True, to an extent, but sometimes you need to run away.
When he lost his business, Corbett Barr took a six-week trip to Mexico. When the property implosion hit, Desiree East escaped to Bali for six months. As crazy as it sounds, running away often helps, because it breeds new ideas and ensures you focus on the right things. In the long-term, this saves time, stress, and money.
8: LEARN TO SAY NO
I have trouble saying no, and I sense you do, too. Successful people, on the other hand, tend to be good at it. Take Erin Blaskie, for instance, who said yes far too often.
Spiralling out of control, her business got away from her. Saying no gave her the power to take it back. It's not to say you shouldn't embrace opportunity, but you have to feel comfortable with turning down that invitation… that coffee… that Skype chat…
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