9 Ways Busy Leaders Stay Ahead: The Ultimate Guide to Productivity

In today’s fast-paced business world, productivity is a key component to success. As a busy leader, it’s your job to not only lead your team but also ensure that everyone is working productively toward achieving the company’s goals. However, finding the right balance between being productive and leading can be challenging.

My Top 9 Productivity Strategies

That’s why I’ve compiled a list of productivity tips specifically for busy leaders. From optimizing your work schedule to delegating tasks effectively, these tips will help you become a more productive and effective leader. By implementing these strategies into your daily routine, you can lead by example and inspire your team to be more productive as well. For me, I practice these as best as I can, but not perfectly. Even practicing these some of the time will help. So let’s dive in!

1. Prioritize tasks and make a to-do list 

The ability to prioritize tasks and make a to-do list is crucial for staying productive. Without an organized plan of action, it’s easy to become distracted. My company uses Slack, and there are always interesting articles, posts, and updates, which if I didn’t watch it, could take up most of my day. But by taking the time to create a list of tasks in order of importance, you can ensure that you’re focusing on the most pressing matters first and browse those Slack or MS Teams channels when you have breaks in the action.

When making your to-do list, take into account any deadlines or time-sensitive projects. It’s important to allow enough time for each task so that you don’t feel rushed or stressed. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day and set achievable goals for yourself.

Breaking down larger projects into smaller, more manageable tasks can also help make them less daunting. I like to put important tasks into my calendar to ensure I dedicate time to the most important actions.

Keep your list visible and accessible throughout the day (whether it be on paper or digitally) so that you can reference it often and stay on track.

2. Busy leaders should set clear goals and deadlines

Setting clear goals and deadlines is essential to achieving success in any aspect of life. Whether you’re a professional, an entrepreneur, or anything in between, having a clear idea of what you want to achieve and when you want to achieve it will help keep you focused, motivated, and productive.

Without these two crucial factors in place, it’s easy to get sidetracked by distractions and lose sight of the bigger picture. Ask yourself, what is my company/organization/team asking me to do? I have this message on a little post-it note, which also helps me focus and center.

3. Productivity strategy 3: Limit distractions (e.g. social media, email) 

In today’s world, distractions come in various forms, from social media notifications to emails and phone calls. These distractions can have an impact on your productivity levels. By limiting distractions, you can enhance your focus and concentration on the task at hand, leading to better results.

One of the most effective productivity strategies is to limit distractions by turning off your mobile phone or logging out of social media accounts can be beneficial. You can also mute alerts for specific time frames to give you some space to think.

Another way to limit distractions is by organizing your workspace. A clutter-free environment helps reduce visual stimuli that could cause mental fatigue and distract from the work at hand. This also means keeping your computer desktop organized with only relevant files and applications open while working on a specific project. I once had a boss that had so much clutter and paper on his desk, you could hardly see it. and I had no idea how he could function. If there is that much clutter in your environment, imagine how hard it would be to keep the clutter out of your head!

4. Take breaks and exercise regularly

Taking short breaks throughout the day can recharge your mind and body. It’s essential for your mental health to step away from work every now and then to relax and clear your head. You could go for a walk outside or stretch for a few minutes at your desk. Whatever it is, make sure that you take time away from work so that you don’t burn out. I take a short 10-minute walk to clear my head and it does wonders.

Exercise is another great way to improve productivity during the day.

When you exercise, your body releases endorphins – natural feel-good chemicals that help reduce anxiety and depression while promoting feelings of happiness and relaxation. This means that even a short workout session can leave you feeling more energized and productive in your daily life. Exercise has also been known to improve sleep quality, which is essential for staying alert during the day.

It’s important to note that exercising regularly doesn’t necessarily mean spending hours at the gym every day. Simple activities such as taking a brisk walk or doing yoga at home can be just as effective in maintaining an active lifestyle. I typically schedule at least three workouts during the week that sit on my calendar. I can’t always protect them but for the most part, if I make the appointment on the calendar, it helps me overcome the inertia and resistance of “skipping the gym.”

5. Use tools to increase productivity (e.g. time management apps)

Being productive means being able to achieve more in less time and with fewer resources. One of the best ways to increase your productivity is by using time management apps like Todoist.

These apps can help you stay organized, focused, and on track throughout the day. Even a simple timer on your phone can be a good tool.

6. Productivity Strategy 6: Eliminate time-wasting activities. 

We all have 24 hours in a day, but how we use that time is what sets us apart. Time-wasting activities can be detrimental to our overall productivity and success. It’s important to eliminate these activities so that we can focus on what truly matters. 

First, identify the time-wasters in your life. This could be anything from constantly checking social media to getting lost in emails for hours on end. It could even be some of those recurring meetings that made sense at one time but have outlived their usefulness.

Be aware of when you drift off and take a good hard look at your calendar and project list and flag the nonessentials – or something that can happen next month or next quarter. Once you’ve identified these activities, make a plan to eliminate them or reduce their impact on your day-to-day routine. This could mean setting specific times for checking email, canceling meetings, delaying projects, or limiting your time on social media.

Delegate tasks to others

Delegating tasks is an essential skill that can help you boost productivity and achieve your goals more efficiently. That said, it’s sometimes really hard to do, especially if that delegation requires training or a detailed handoff. Sometimes it can feel so much easier to just “get it done.” But when you invest in delegating tasks, you give others the opportunity to take on more responsibility, learn, and grow, leaving you the time to focus on those things only you can do (i.e. those things you shouldn’t delegate). If done well, delegating tasks can not only free up your time but also give you the opportunity to focus on other important aspects of your work or personal life.

To be successful at delegating tasks, it’s important to have good communication skills and a clear understanding of what needs to be done. A shoddy handoff won’t help you or your team so really think through all the steps you take to complete a certain task and go through it step by step with your delegate.

Focus on one task at a time

It can be easy to fall into the trap of trying to juggle multiple tasks at once. However, research shows that focusing on one task at a time is actually more productive and efficient in the long run. When you try to multitask, your brain has to constantly switch between different activities, which can lead to decreased productivity and increased stress levels. In fact, the concept of “multitasking” is a fallacy, it’s more like switching quickly, which can deteriorate your mental capacity.

To stay focused on one task at a time, start by breaking down larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks. This will allow you to focus on each individual component without feeling overwhelmed.  Set aside specific blocks of time dedicated solely to that task.

Avoid procrastination

Procrastination is a major obstacle to being productive. It can be easy to fall into the trap of putting off tasks until the last minute, but this habit can seriously hinder your productivity and success. By avoiding procrastination, you can make the most of your time and achieve your goals more efficiently in a much less stressful way compared to last-minute efforts. 

Wrapping Up

Implementing these nine productivity strategies can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of busy leaders. By prioritizing tasks, setting clear goals, and practicing delegation, leaders can better manage their time and accomplish important objectives.

Start implementing these strategies today and witness the positive impact they can have on your leadership productivity!