By Brennan Nevada Johnson
My business is 100% Black-owned and I’m the founder and CEO. I run a small corporation where I provide PR and media relations to tech companies and startups. Prior to leading my own venture, I freelanced and consulted full time on the side of corporate jobs for nearly a decade. So, I’d like to think that I’m pretty experienced in multitasking and managing my time accordingly.
Over the years and having worked within different environments, I’ve picked up some great tactics that have allowed me to stay focused and have minimal distractions so that I can consistently deliver results.
It’s no secret that many CEOs have unique ways of making the most of their time. Whether that be trends from Silicon Valley like liquid diets or wearing the same clothes everyday, we’ve done some weird stuff. Twelve years ago, I shaved my head and continue to do so since it saves me hours a day, and therefore I get more accomplished.
Now, you don’t have to shave your head. But whether you work full time for a company, have a side hustle, or aspire to run your own business one day, it’s always good to find new ways to increase and improve productivity. These are the top tactics that have helped me, which you can easily apply to your day to day to get more done.
Get sleep and prioritize rest
For as long as I can remember, I’ve never been one to stay up late. I’ve never pulled an all-nighter, and I’ve always been a morning person. I also don’t drink or need coffee to feel awake. One thing in my life that I do not budge on is sleep and getting the proper rest I need to run my business successfully.
I quit corporate America for many reasons, but a lot of it was due to burnout and utter exhaustion. Those constant after-hour slacks, emails, group chats, that you are expected to respond to immediately eventually take their toll. Working nonstop and being plugged in to work all the time is not good for your mental or physical well-being.
I am really keen on sleep fitness as I need my brain to perform the next day at its best. It’s been scientifically proven that better sleep can improve memory, knowledge acquisition, and learning—all factors we need to do our jobs to the best of our abilities.
Cut back on consuming alcohol
A major lifestyle change I made when I went full time with my business was to stop drinking alcohol, or to consume it only once in a blue moon. The long-term effects of alcohol are scary, to say the least, and I would always get the worst hangovers no matter what I did. I was fine with turning down invites to happy hours and taking a hit to my social life as my priorities have changed now that I’m in charge of running a business.
Since I’ve mostly stopped drinking, I’ve noticed that my motivation has increased, I’ve lost weight, I’m also sleeping better, and my happiness is back.
As for many people working in corporate or specifically at a tech company or startup, most of the team bonding and culture activities you’re forced to do are surrounded by alcohol. If you don’t drink, or have plans to slow down like I did, speak up. It’s time that these companies heard from the source that they need to evolve from a toxic party culture and recognize that excessive booze is doing more harm than good for employees when it comes to productivity.
Exercise and get that heart rate up
I’ve always had an active lifestyle. I played sports most of my life, was voted most athletic in high school, and competed at the Division 1 collegiate level for volleyball.
When I worked in corporate America, I would work out when I could. But now that I’m CEO, I make it a point to carve out time to exercise five to six days a week. I’m not even what you would consider a gym rat, in fact I hate going to the gym. But putting in 30 minutes to an hour of intense cardio a day, coupled with daily meditation, helped me clear my mind and improve concentration. This all has done wonders for my mind, body, and spirit.
Once you get started, you begin to uncover the health benefits of exercise and how the endorphins released when your heart rate is up can result in lower stress levels, increased energy, and better memory.
Work when it’s best for you
I’ve always found that traditional workplace hours, which corporate America put into place, were draining and never made sense for making the most impact. It’s about working smarter, not harder or longer hours, despite what we’ve been taught to believe.
One of the benefits of running my own business is that I get to structure my responsibilities and tasks around what time and hours of the day I am most productive. I also take several breaks throughout the day to clear my head.
It’s easy to identify when you’re most dynamic at work just by paying closer attention to your daily habits. Once you come to understand how you function and tackle priorities, you can plan your schedule accordingly and maximize your effectiveness.
Limit meetings and calls
When I worked in corporate America, I found that most meetings were counterproductive, a huge time suck, could have been captured over a quick email, and usually had no tangible deliverables or action points. And so, I would block off my calendar during my productive hours so that meetings couldn’t get booked as often. It worked.
Now I get so much more done in an hour, a day, and a week since I’ve made it a point to reduce the calls and meetings that keep me from getting my tasks done.
We all have our different ways and styles of working. But it can be extremely suffocating when you’re having to constantly touch base and overcommunicate updates, which essentially take you away from your work and what you were hired to do—and that can just as easily be found in shared documents or collaboration platforms. Unless the meeting is mandatory, set boundaries on what you can and can’t attend.
At work, we often feel like there is so much to do in so few hours of the day. But making these small adjustments to how you manage your time can help you achieve your goals, reduce stress, and produce the outcomes you’re required to, all while staying motivated.
Brennan Nevada Johnson is the founder and CEO of Brennan Nevada Inc., a PR and media relations partner.
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