The Harvard Business Review recently published an article from Dr. Amantha Imber that looked into if high achievers such as Beyoncé approach work and daily routines differently than others. To search for answers, she set out on a journey to interview business leaders, authors, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and musicians on her podcast.
She asked each of the guest’s questions about personal practices, work hacks, rituals, and routines to figure out why they get more done than other average people. Interestingly enough, she found that four things became apparent.
Batch Your Meetings
Do you batch check emails? This is a practice that’s become common among many. This is where you only check emails two to three times per day to cut down on distractions. It’s proven to be a great productivity tip that many executives use.
Batching virtual events, calls, and meetings can be just as effective. A study found that when you have a meeting scheduled within an hour or two, it makes you almost 25% less productive than when you have nothing scheduled.
Don’t Use A Mouse
Did you know some people lose eight days a year from using a mouse rather than keyboard shortcuts? Indeed! One study found that using a mouse causes you to lose two seconds per minute. So, taking time to learn keyboard shortcuts is a great productivity tool!
Take Small Steps Toward Better Behavior
If you hope to set better work habits for yourself, take small steps and stick with it. You’ll be amazed at how small hacks can reward you with the biggest payoffs. Basically, this requires you to consider a habit you want to change and determine how your environment can be altered to influence better behavior.
Read Work Aloud
At the end of the day, everyone is a writer. This is because each day at work and school, our success is measured by how well knowledge and thoughts are communicated. So, regardless if you’re writing an email or a term paper, always read it aloud to check for errors. It not only helps identify invaluable sentences, but it helps find the perfect rhythm to ensure you’re expressing the correct voice.
The bottom line is being super productive isn’t about working harder; it’s about working smarter
