9 Tips to Boost Productivity for Entrepreneurs and Founders
We all know time is the only thing people cannot buy back. As an (aspiring) entrepreneur, I always want to get things done but don’t want to use all my time and energy to spend solely on work. Because at the end of the day, productivity does not mean doing much but rather doing it effectively. When doing it right, not only I can finish my tasks but also have quality time with family and friends. So, here are my 9 tips on how to be productive that you can apply as well!
- Morning Habit
Wake up in the morning, do a bit of stretching, and meditate. Eat my food supplement, get my breakfast, and shower before I am ready to start my day working at home. I also ensure that I try to not eat a heavy breakfast that makes me sluggish in the morning. I prefer food that has a good energy boost yet does not make me hungry quickly. My favorites are avocado toast, Greek yogurt with muesli, and mushroom hash with poached eggs.
2. To-do list
I simply put on sticky notes what I want to achieve today based on priority. No need for a fancy app or technology, just colorful Post-it sticky notes. This enables me to put my priority in place too and aim to reach the goal of the day. Research also shows that writing down what you have to do unburdens the brain, making you more productive. By having a to-do list, it helps me remember important tasks, ensure that I am on track, and help me with my workflow.
3. Try Podomoro technique
It is a time management method based on 25-minute stretches of focused work broken by five-minute breaks or you can also opt for 90 minutes focused on a specific task, and then take a 20-minute break. This technique allows me to focus better and spread out productivity levels throughout the day. There is also an app you can install on your computer, I simply just use my phone timer.
4. Take a break
I believe that as much as it is important to get things done, it is also important to wind down so you can recharge and be even more productive. My current favorite pastime activity is playing ukulele, panting, or Latin dance. Doing these hobbies is meditative for me as I normally don’t think about things and just focus on the present time.
5. Exercise
I exercise in the afternoon as I tend to use my limited productive time in the morning. Unlike many people I am not into running or gym, my sport would be dancing or yoga. Research has shown that exercise can enhance productivity. Exercise boosts endorphins, making you feel more energized and increasing oxygen levels in the blood. It creates a sense of accomplishment that after exercising we feel like we want to accomplish more with our task.
6. Find a better environment to work
It depends on your individual preference. For me, I am more productive when I work at home in the morning. This is when I am hyperproductive as my brain is still fresh from a good night’s sleep. In the afternoon, I would prefer to work from cafés. Working from a coffee shop helps me change my routine and get inspired. Changing scenery gets me out of the boredom of routine. The atmosphere and a bit of background noise of café ambiance keep me awake. Sometimes, I opt to go to the library to work just because books somehow fuel me with energy. But I also know people who prefer total silence to be able to focus.
7. Sleep
Enough said. Sleep is critical to be able to perform daily. If I wake up in the morning without proper sleep the night before, I will do everything so slow and uncoordinated. Study shows that sleep deprivation of less than 5 hours of good night sleep reduces productivity by 29%. It is because without enough sleep, neurons in the brain become overworked, impairing thinking, slowing physical reactions, and leaving us in a bad mood the whole day. My ideal sleep time would be from midnight to 7 a.m. for a good 7 hours of sleep.
8. Avoid Dopamine Rush
Scrolling your phone, playing games, eating junk food or sweets is a dopamine rush activity. This quick dopamine refill is a short-lived stimulus to create a feeling of pleasure and euphoria because some things we need to do are plain boring for our brains. I am also guilty of this especially scrolling the part where I stare at my social media immediately.
9. Community
I always feel I am more productive when surrounded by like-minded people of entrepreneurial spirit. Whenever I attend conferences or talks attended by fellow entrepreneurs, I feel the rush to create more. I also learned that if you enjoy a particular activity, you need to be the nuclear of it. This means that you need to create an event that you would like to attend. That is how I got inspired to run my first-ever retreat, Fokus Retreat for Entrepreneurial Minds.
The retreat aims to gather entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs to work together on each project in a supportive environment where everyone can focus and create meaningful connections and impactful business.
I understand that being an entrepreneur is a lonely journey especially when you just starting or when you are a solo entrepreneur. At least that is what I experienced too. That is why I created this retreat because by surrounding ourselves with the right people in an ideal environment, you can enhance productivity and concentration, boost motivation, minimize distractions, and get things done.
Also what emphasizes the importance of taking a break from work to recharge, there will be a lot of winding down activities during the evening including a visit to the Balinese UNESCO heritage rice terrace, sacred temples, sunset drinks, sauna night, watching Balinese traditional dance, karaoke time, board games, you name it!
The retreat is quite long 2 weeks because I believe it requires repetition to build habits and time to build good connections.
I am excited to make it happen next year! If you are interested in joining me in Bali and working on your projects with other fellow entrepreneurs.
You can check the details and register yourself here www.fokusinbali.com (only for 10 people for now as I want to ensure the quality of the participants).
Let’s be productive together in Bali! 😊
