5 Productivity Habits
Highly Successful People Demonstrate
I have heard it said, (actually it was from Brendon Burchard, one of the top performance coaches in the world) that there are two types of people in this world – “People who say ‘I don’t know how’ and so therefore they stop” and “People who say ‘I don’t know how’ and they go and find out how.”
We could perceive that one type is successful while the other is unsuccessful if we were going to view this from a standpoint of productivity. Speaking of productivity, I have also heard that highly successful people have a common trait. They are consistent in producing. But beyond that, there are (according to Brendon Burchard) five habits that people demonstrate who are truly productive…let’s take a look.
Habit #1: Raise Your Ambitions
“You are only productive to the degree of motivation stirred by your ambitions.”
~ Brendon Burchard
So what does this quote mean? It asks; What are you fired up about? What are your dreams? If you can’t answer this, then perhaps it’s time to ask the bigger question…What is your purpose in this life? You can then work your way up from there. We all need to feel connected to something that breeds life in us. Can you remember when you were connected in the past to a dream and how excited you were? I can tell you this, if you are feeling unproductive, it’s probably due to unclear ambitions. So go ahead – go for it! Remember this…raising your ambition doesn’t have to be about having more money, fancy cars, etc. It can be about service, such as being a better dad or a better boss. Even monks strive to deepen their meditation to their source….think about it!
Habit #2: Own Your Morning
Now, let’s be truthful here. If your morning is running on chaos, your day will be trapped in reaction mode – yes? Of course it will be. I learned a few statistics from Brendon on this matter. I learned that we can gain 30% of our productivity if we choose not to check our email in the first 60 minutes of waking up. It seems that 85% of us grab our phone upon rising, perhaps before we even give our significant other a morning kiss. Amazing isn’t it? I mean seriously, be honest … do you do this? If you do, well guess what – you’re the ultimate reactionary!
Let’s take back control of our morning by simply putting some things into place that can help immediately:
- Activate your body in the morning – you’re more resilient if you workout – try yoga/breathing/basic movements – stretch 15/20 minutes.
- Eat a healthy breakfast – don’t skip this important meal. Work on this – trust me, it will serve you well.
- Set your intention and an exact work schedule. For example, let’s say you are writing a book – well, set a time for how long you will write for and stick to it – remember, productivity needs a deadline.
Habit #3: Work the Needle Movers
In other words, identify the things that need the most attention and work on them. Did you know that 80% of what we work on doesn’t matter and it’s only the 20% that actually does? Perhaps this tells us a little story on what we are focusing on. Yes, you heard me, we need to focus on what is important – otherwise it will become a distraction if you choose those tasks outside of it.
I found this little tip to be extremely helpful:
Prioritize impact, not ease. This simply means to attack the stuff that will have the most impact towards tomorrow, the next day, and your vision.
Habit #4: Demonstrate, Then Delegate
Well this has always been a big one for me. I am a firm believer that before we can turn our work over to another – we first must master it. Meaning, we need to know the ins and outs of all of our work and feel confident that we understand all of it before we delegate. How else can we expect another to do the type of job we expect of them? If we don’t, we just set ourselves up for failure.
Habit # 5: Use Performance Enhancers
I know, what you must be thinking…caffeine…right? No, no, not at all. There are three top performance enhancers that can help us focus and be more productive.
- Sleep – It’s so important. Did you know that recent studies show that if you sleep 6 hours or less a night, that after the 10th day you are considered legally drunk?
- Meditation – It’s proven to lower stress and puts the brain in a better state. It also allows the brain to recover better as you transition from one task to another. It’s important to note that any time you do anything big you need to recover with hydration, movement, and a mental break.
- Plan – Yes, you heard it right. Listen, it’s important to plan your day, otherwise you will just be thinking through your stuff. As Brendon says, “If you plan your day, you’ll be a weapon in your day” – awesome, right?
