10 Ideas on how to improve productivity

Incremental steps improve your work/life

“There’s a geometric progression in business: as your venture gets more complex, your day becomes more compressed. You are then more likely to run out of time before you accomplish what has to be done … then there’s always that quality-of-life issue lurking just over the horizon.” Productivity, and I would add, quality of life, are inextricably tied to the series of relatively simple and incremental choices you make each day. Choices that can mean failure—not just a little productivity loss.

There’s lots of ways to fail when you’re not making the right choices. Delegation is a big one. Some will fail rather honestly simply because they don’t know how. Some are reluctant to pass on responsibility. And still others or so un-productive in other regards they don’t have the time to delegate. Productivity issues always rears its ugly head when your business grows, or adds complexity. The solution is small incremental steps you can begin with today.

10 Ways to get going

Following are 10 ideas* that will help you make better choices and decompress your day—from avoiding change to simply not looking back.

1. Change slows you down. Contrary to how much we talk about changing with the world, perhaps you should ask: how many things can you keep the same?
2. Building consensus is a waste of time because you invariably take your eye off the ball in the process. Enough said
3. When you see a problem, fix it quick. How much time does it take away to hesitate?
4. Be loyal to those who help you be productive
5. Never micromanage. Realize that other people won’t do things exactly the same way you would. Really!
6. Hire the right people, give them responsibility and keep your mouth shut
7. Keep extra cooks out of the kitchen. You can also be slowed by other people who waste time second-guessing
8. Don’t look back. You’ve given the responsibility to others. Now trust that they will deliver (or make sure they hang themselves)
9. Have a life. If forced to choose between getting one more piece out and making it to the game, choose the game. Get work done, and get home. You’ll make better choices tomorrow than if you choose not to work late tonight
10. Keep swinging. The batter knows if he misses, he’ll get ‘em next time

* Create your own interpretations and make it work in your environment. Some of these ideas are merely permission to do what you thought was right anyway.

Want more?

Talk about industrious. If you want a quick, deep dive on the topic of making sharp decisions follow this link to “Lessons from a successful dictator/CEO” —Industrious Bastard blog, June 2011. The post thoroughly examined the book The Benevolent Dictator—a handbook for how to be successful with your business (and how to create ridiculous, beyond your wildest dreams, financial return). It (the book is still available) offers so much “information” in exhaustive detail with sharpened insight that it will leave you questioning your own management style and certainly your choices.

Last word

One always makes mistakes while building or making anything. However the biggest mistake is to repeat the previous error. See yourself moving swiftly from A to Z while minimizing pain and wasted motion. Create time for more life.

HIT Solutions believes the more your business keeps up with important trends, the more you will improve your product, and improve your bottom line.

Leave me your comments below; share your thoughts.