You probably already know that during a busy workweek, every second counts and free time is more valuable than gold. In fact, you’ve probably already incorporated some tips and tricks to make your day more productive and use that time effectively (I know I have). However, despite all the knowledge out there on productivity, there are some time-management tricks that defy common sense and are largely ignored by most.
Here are some of the surprising ways to stay productive that you should use daily:
Cut corners
Being lazy and cutting corners is often seen as the exact opposite of being industrious. However, it’s also a surprising way to stay productive – if you’re the right kind of “lazy”, you’re always looking for a better, more efficient way to get from point A to point B.
Instead of having the team at LexION Capital brag when they work hard, I applaud when they work smart. For instance, we always ask if there’s a way to automate a task instead of wasting time doing it, which might be considered “lazy” by some. Don’t get me wrong – we never produce subpar work. However, by focusing on moving as quickly and efficiently as possible, we have found one of the most surprising ways to stay productive and boosted our success.
Avoid email
For many people, email is considered the epitome of productivity. Despite how efficient this might seem, Microsoft decided to study the use of email with their workers and found that it took people an average of 15 minutes to return to their important projects every time they were pestered by e-mails, phone calls, or other communication.
That’s why I’ve made it a point to ignore email as much as possible, and you should too. Granted, ignoring it completely isn’t always an option (especially if you’re like me and need to respond to clients ASAP). You can pare it down though – one great way is to set up filters and prioritize which ones get responded to. You might even consider delegating the initial reading of emails.
Have you discovered any surprising ways to stay productive? I want to hear them! And if you enjoyed this article, you can find even more tips in my column for Inc.
