Let’s talk productivity hacks =)
I was recently asked this question:
What is one productivity hack you practice on a regular basis to keep yourself powering forward?
And I LOVE it.
I’m going to teach you productivity because you have an impact to make and a life to live.
You don’t need to spend 24 hours a day working on your business.
You just need to spend a few focused hours on the stuff that matters.
Here’s why I’m teaching you productivity hacks today.
I USED to work 24/7. I was burnt out, neglected my son, and ended up giving myself adrenal fatigue and leaky gut.
I also gained 30 pounds.
I was overwhelmed.
I drank wine at night to relax.
Then coffee and workout formulas to stay awake all day.
You can build a wildly successful business without being glued to your phone or working 24/7.
Read that again.
It’s that important that you BELIEVE it’s possible for you to have a successful business AND a great life.
You don’t have to choose.
New here? Welcome! I’m Rachel and I’m here to help you get more leads and sales through Pinterest, blogging, and online courses.
I also have the following blogs to help you crush your Pinterest marketing strategy:
- The Secret to Using Keywords on Pinterest
- Pinterest Marketing Strategy: My Top Pinterest Hacks that Increased my Monthly Reach to 700,000 per Month
- The Ultimate Guide to Repurposing Content on Pinterest
- How to Share Instagram Pictures and Facebook Videos on Pinterest to Explode your Traffic on Social Media
- Pinterest Marketing Strategy: Tailwind Tribes
- The Ultimate Guide to Pinterest
- 6 Reasons Why You Should Use Pinterest for your Business (and How to Get Started)
- How to Create Pinterest Images that Convert: 4 Tips to Create Great Graphics for Pinterest (with Before/After Examples!)
- Exactly How I Earned $49,000 in 5 Days with my Online Course Launch
- 7 Essential Reasons Why You Need a Website (Even if Facebook is Free)
Productivity Hack #1: Work in chunks
I never sit down and work for 6 straight hours.
Shoot, I never work for 6 hours in a day even lol.
I set a timer for 45 minutes to an hour and work in chunks.
After the timer goes off, I get up, stretch, and if I have time, do another chunk.
Usually by this time there’s a kid who needs me. But if I can, I’ll do another.
Productivity Hack #2: Work on ONE thing at a time (no multitasking).
Make sure it’s a high impact activity (not creating graphics or checking email).
If you haven’t read the One Thing by Garry Heller yet, I highly recommend it.
Here’s a great book summary to demonstrate the basics of the book.
Essentially, you want to work on the one thing that is truly going to move the needle forward in your business.
Do that thing FIRST.
How often do you catch yourself doing non essential tasks like checking email or creating graphics, when in reality, what you REALLY need to be working on is creating content or emailing your list.
Know the one thing you need to do today.
Do it first.
Productivity Hack #3: Turn off notifications on your phone or put your phone on airplane mode.
Our phones are little devices of mass distractions.
As I’m typing right now, I have my phone upside down so I can’t even see it.
I also don’t have any notifications turned on for social media or email.
No annoying dings that distract me.
The only notifications I get on my phone are if someone calls me, texts me, or we make a sale (stripe notification).
While you’re in your productive zone, I suggest turning your phone on airplane mode, turn it off, or put it in another room.
Every time you see a notification or hear a ding, you lose focus and that’s precious time that you COULD be working on your one thing.
Productivity Hack #4: Close out of any non essential browsers so you can focus
While you’re working on your one thing, make sure any other browsers and tabs are closed.
Only the one thing you’re working on should be open.
Again, keep your focus =)
Productivity Hack #5: Use BrainFM
Did you listen to the episode of the She’s Making an Impact podcast with Tanessa Shears?
It was so good!
Bookmark it so you can listen to it after you finish with this =)
One of the tips she gave was using the app, BrainFM.
Ever since then, when I’m doing focused work (like I am right now), I put it on.
A free app that helps you stay focused =)
Productivity Hack #6: Know your productive times.
For me, it’s typically in the morning when I can get the most focused and productive work done.
Usually after 5pm, my brain is fried and I can’t focus as well on creative work.
Play around with your work times and see when you’re the most creative and focused.
I know some of our Activate students are night owls and work well after the kids go to bed.
Not me =)
I do much better waking up early and getting my creative juices flowing.
Productivity Hack #7: Get child care, work during nap time, or get out of the house.
If you have kids at home, I KNOW how much of a distraction that can be.
TJ, our 7 year old is doing virtual school and is home all day.
ALL. DAY.
Gabrielle is 11 months old and is obviously home all day too.
I get work done when TJ is in class time from 2-4.
I also have someone who helps and watches Gabrielle for a few hours so I can focus.
Right now I’m actually at a cafe…sometimes you just need to get out of the house =)
Productivity Hack #8: Don’t check email, Facebook, or Voxer until your one task for the day is done
So we talked about doing your one thing…
It’s really important that you do that FIRST.
I heard Marie Forleo say ‘Create before you consume’.
And it’s soooo important.
What’s in your email inbox?
Other people’s agenda.
Not yours.
Maybe you set an intention for the next week to not check email/facebook until after lunch.
Try it out.
You don’t have to do it forever.
But I bet you’ll love how productive you feel =)
Productivity Hack #9: UNPLUG
If you want to perform at your most productive, you gotta make sure you’re taking time off of work.
I don’t work on the weekends.
I typically take Fridays off and TJ and I have fun friday =)
Decide in advance when you’re going to be unplugged.
Put it on your calendar.
Tell someone.
Commit to that time away from work.
You’ll come back refreshed and ready to crush it =)
Productivity Hack #10: Focus on your ENERGY. Aka eat healthy and workout often.
This one is so important.
Exercise GIVES you energy.
The food you eat is FUEL.
Start to journal out the food you eat and how you feel afterwards.
I did this recently.
I was eating keto and having eggs, butter, and cheese for breakfast (keto in Africa isn’t so easy lol)
I was feeling low energy most days.
I switched up my breakfast to eggs and oats and voila.
So.much.more.energy.
https://rachelngom.clickfunnels.com/activate-sales-page
If you’re not currently exercising and eating well, start!
I hired Tanessa (from the podcast episode above) and she’s AMAZING.
Just the kick in the pants I needed to uplevel my energy and take my health to the next level.
There you go! 10 productivity hacks for you to try out.
Our students have gotten insane results following our productivity hacks!
Danielle, one of our Activate students increased her income while working WAY less.
Katie, another Activate student, only works 10 hours a week and makes more than she did in corporate, with 3 littles at home.
It’s possible. If they can do it, you can too!
If I were to pick just one of these productivity hacks to start with, it would be to focus on ONE thing at a time.
What about you?
Are you currently doing any of these?
Which one will you start?
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