Productivity hacks are everywhere, but they are not all created equal. A few things that we all have control over (at least for the most part) are our personal time, our personal health, and our personal growth.
Here are 7 small daily decisions that have helped increase my productivity as a parent and a leader so far in 2020:
1. Turning off FB and other social media notifications
I used to have my notifications set to “on” meaning that the little red icon would pop up constantly all throughout the day trying to lure me back onto social media. I learned that the little red button is not my friend. This past year, I turned off my facebook notifications, and it has noticeably helped to increase my productivity. I’m checking facebook much less, and I’m more in control. Because now I choose when I check it, rather than it choosing for me. (My wife has found that simply removing the facebook app from her phone for extended periods of time has drastically helped her productivity as well.)
2. Listening to my family without looking at my phone
A habit that I’ve strived to improve in this year is both looking and listening better when my family is speaking to me, and specifically, not using or looking at my phone during conversation. (Fun fact – did you know that ‘Listen’ and ‘Silent’ have the same letters? Coincidence?) Eye to eye contact as well as gestures and responses allow a person to feel more heard, understood, and loved. I want that for my family.
3. Intentionally leaving my devices out of reach for long periods of time
I’ve come to learn the hard way that sometimes I am too accessible to others. And mostly because my phone is always within reach. This year, I have practiced ‘social distancing’ from my phone by leaving it in my room or on my charger during the day for hours at a time unattended, and especially on my day off. I’ve found that those calls, texts, or notifications can wait. However, sometimes my family and my life can’t.
4. Drinking my suggested daily water intake
This may seem small, but it’s important. Every morning before I drink my coffee, I jumpstart my day by filling my mug with water and drinking that first. It’s a great way to start the morning. In addition, I’ve started drinking much more water than ever before. My body thanks me. If drinking water is one of the easiest God-given ways to keep our body healthy, why aren’t we drinking more of it?
5. Getting up at least 30 minutes earlier than I need to
For years early on in our marriage, I would wake up one hour before I needed to head out the door to work (It did help that I lived right across the alley from my office). But for many years now, I have consistently gotten up at least 2 hours before I have to leave anywhere. This gives me ample time to exercise, eat, read, have a quiet time, and be fully prepared for the day. If you haven’t heard why some of the world’s most productive people follow “the 5:30am wake-up rule”, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
6. Asking more and better questions
This past year, I have chosen to intentionally pursue increased confidence and inquisitiveness. This applies both in my family life and work life. I’m learning the value and power of asking the right questions. And I’m learning that questions are often the door that open the hearts of my family as well as a level of better understanding to all things. My friend, Bob Tiede’s free books, “Great Leaders Ask Questions” and “Now That’s a Great Question”, have helped me significantly with this.
7. Digesting intentional content for personal growth
Generally, I’ll strive read 8-12 books annually. But much of that has taken on multiple forms this past year that include not only reading books, but also listening to more audiobooks and podcasts, and devoting more time to focused study and personal reflection. Leaders are readers, right? And, ‘You are what you ‘eat’!’ If it’s true that your life is always moving in the direction of your strongest thoughts, then the content you’re digesting is crucial to the person you’re becoming.
What are some of your favorite productivity hacks right now? I’d love to hear about them. Which of mine could you implement for yourself to increase your own productivity as a parent or a leader?
