Top 3 Productivity Drainers For CEOs
When it comes to working efficiently, CEOs have to be master multi-taskers to get everything done. With so much on your daily to-do list, eliminating time drainers becomes an important part of how you operate. Although some time-consuming tasks cannot be avoided, being mindful of how you tackle certain tasks can be essential in helping you increase your productivity in the office. According to leading CEO consultants and peer groups, these are the top three productivity obstacles CEOs face,
#1 – Tackling Emails Too Early In the Day. Email communication has revolutionized how we operate in our business and with our employees and clients. If you are like most CEOs, you’re likely inundated with dozens, if not, hundreds of emails every single day. However, though email was intended to speed up communication, they can quickly become a major time drain on your day, especially if you spend the first hour of every day tackling emails. According to research done by the Harvard Business Review[1], to increase your productivity, you should spend the first 60 minutes of your day working on your business strategy, setting goals, or checking in with your teams – not answering emails. This not to say that your email can be completely ignored just that, making time at the beginning of the day to get your focus in order can be a better use of your time to drive efficiency than diving in head first into email responses.
#2 – Forgetting About Your Health. It’s natural that with so much going on in your work and personal life, making time to exercise or even watching what you eat can seem impossible. If your body is not at its best, you will not be able to perform at your best. How you manage your nutrition and stress are key components in making sure you are firing on all cylinders. Keep track of your eating and sleeping habits and plan in a day off for you to relax and re-energize. Even the most successful CEOs build in time in their schedules to do activities that bring them fulfillment, make time to connect with family, and, most importantly, make being healthy their top priority.
#3 – Scheduling meetings for too long. According to a recent survey, executives acknowledged that they spend at least 33% of their work time in meetings[2]. And, with the average meeting lasting 90 minutes, having to prep, attend, and follow-up after meetings can be a big time and productivity drain for any CEO. Changing how you view and structure meetings can not only free up your time for other tasks, but it can also increase your executive teams’ efficiency. For example, CEO peer group consultants recommended limiting your meeting size to no more than 8 participants and last no longer than 30 minutes. With a clear and strict time limit in place, you will be surprised at how much you get done, in less time.
What are some strategies you use to boost your workplace productivity? We’d love to hear what works for you to stay focused and efficient. Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page here.
[1] https://hbr.org/2017/01/spending-10-minutes-a-day-on-mindfulness-subtly-changes-the-way-you-react-to-everything
[2] https://www.readytalk.com/meeting-resources/infographics/true-cost-meetings-infographic
