Let’s face it—staying productive is tough. On any given day, there are always other things to do, and other things to focus on, and at the end of the day, we think, there are not enough hours in a day. Have you ever asked yourself how some people manage to do everything? Well, you are not the only one.
What if you could learn tricks to be more productive from the best? Some of the world’s most famous entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs are famous for their hard working spirit and high levels of efficiency in the work they do. Here we will learn more about the techniques and strategies these visionaries have employed to become more productive and how you too can apply them.
Elon Musk: Prioritize and Focus on What Matters Most
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, X(Formerly Twitter) and many other companies is one of the most hardworking people in today’s society. He is known for working from 80 to 100 hours in a week, yet he produces the work at a very fast rate. One of the main productivity techniques that Musk uses is the first principle thinking. This approach involves the identification of the root causes of the problem and then developing a solution from scratch.
Instead of using traditional approaches, Musk suggests paying attention to the essence of the problem and asking the question: “What are the critical components of this issue?” In this way, you do not get sidetracked by unimportant activities. You only concentrate on dealing with the primary problem that is presented to you.
Musk’s second tip is to use time-blocking. He has fragmented his day into five-minute blocks to ensure that he uses the time in the best possible way. This in a way helps Musk to increase his productivity and at the same time ensure that he is not wasting his time. Although this approach may seem quite drastic, the idea of time management and being aware of how time is spent is something that anyone interested in increasing efficiency should consider.
Bill Gates: Use the Power of Focus and Scheduling
Another productivity icon is Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. Gates has attributed much of his success to his concentration on tasks. His most famous trick to be more productive is what he calls “deep work.” This strategy entails creating slots in which you focus on one single task and do not attend to other things.
According to Gates, everybody should learn how to say no to projects that do not fit into his or her major priorities. That way he is able to focus only on the things that are important and do not allow himself to be distracted by other things that do not concern him.
Gates also maintains that time management is another thing that he is very strict on. He organizes his day to the last minute, making sure he has time for work, reading and thinking. This helps him remain organized and avoid being distracted by unimportant tasks that can consume much of his time.
Another aspect of Gates’ personal life that supports his productivity is his daily reading habit. He spends some of his time reading and learning new things. This way he remains updated and it stimulates his mind to think creatively, which are both important for finding solutions and thinking out of the box. Integrating learning into your everyday lifestyle through reading or taking courses helps to enhance your thinking ability and therefore increase your productivity.
Steve Jobs: Simplify and Focus on What You’re Passionate About
Apple’s legendary CEO, Steve Jobs, was a man who understood the value of simplicity. In Jobs’s opinion, one of the greatest factors that can help increase productivity is focus. He thought that the best way to be effective is by saying ‘no’ to many things so that you can concentrate on a few things that really require your attention.
Steve Jobs was a perfectionist and most of his time he was focused on making his work and life as simple as possible. He was known for wearing a black turtleneck and jeans every day to not waste time and energy on unnecessary tasks. This enabled him to spend more time on strategic activities like developing new products such as the iPhone and iPad.
Final Thoughts On Tricks to Be More Productive
Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs are the most successful innovators of the modern world, and they have their own techniques on how to be productive. Whether it is simplifying complex problems, reducing interferences, or concentrating on the actual work, their techniques have contributed to the development of contemporary society.
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