With so many different methods, theories, and tips out there, how do you know which to follow? The answer is simple: look to those you admire. If a person is successful, chances are good that you can be, too, if you follow some of their guidance. Here, 5 top executives share their everyday habits for being more productive.
Jennifer Sembler is the founder of Yemanya Travel, a boutique travel company that plans trips for women. The company’s approach to travel focuses on finding harmony between the body, mind, and spirit. To stay productive, Sembler says that she blocks out time in her calendar for everything from work tasks to exercise to eating lunch. “I schedule out my day on my Google calendar with specific time frames to complete everything,” she explains. “It keeps me on track and productive.”
Entrepreneur Kris Thorkelson owns a chain of pharmacies, as well as a Winnipeg-based property management company called My Place Realty. Thorkelson helps manage the company and in doing so helps clients find the rental properties of their dreams. With such varied business ventures, being productive is key to his success. How does he do it? “Just focus on improvement,”Thorkelson says. “Everyday, I’m always focusing on trying to change something to improve some aspect of the business.”
Mario Proietti, CEO of LocationSmart, provides location-based services software to wireless carriers, service providers, and enterprises. Throughout his decades-long career in the tech industry, Proietti has developed over a dozen patents and authored a chapter of a reference book. With these accomplishments, he has no choice but to be productive every day. “I try to handle an email, piece of paper, or phone message only once, whenever possible,” Proietti notes. “This means offering a solution or answer with only one touch, rather than needlessly returning to it multiple times before taking action.”
Founder of Quality Proofreading Services Louis Francis aims to make proofreading services accessible to everyone. No matter what native language or price point his clients are working with, Francis wants to bring proofreading and editing to anyone who needs a second set of eyes to review a document. “Maintaining a routine and establishing a work-life balance” keep him on track as an entrepreneur.
Monique Muhammad is the Founder and President of Code Pink Productions, Inc. Her non-profit supports women’s health and wellness programs by incorporating an appreciation for the arts, community support, and volunteers. Muhammad is also a life coach, author, business coach, and motivational speaker. In order to juggle all of her responsibilities and boost productivity, she believes “that anything [she] desire [she] can achieve.” She explains, “It makes me more productive because I don’t make excuses for why I can’t and I only begin find reasons and solutions for how I can.”
No matter what industry you work in, you probably want to boost your productivity. There are only 24 hours in a day and only so much energy you can give to your work, so knowing how to make the best of that time and focus can change your professional life.
