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Top Productivity Hacks To Learn From CEOs For CEOs, managing time, resources and multiple demands while finding the balance to make decisions becomes challenging. They bank on their productivity hacks to bounce back!

By Shrabona Ghosh

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When we think of a CEO or a managing director (MD) sitting at the helm of corporate offices taking executive decisions, we often imagine polished professionals who know all about business and success. However, what sometimes gets masked behind a spick and span appearance is a gentle leader: who thinks, breathes and talks employees. As endearing it is to be a CEO, the profile is equally demanding. So, what do CEOs do to increase their productivity in their hectic schedule? Patience, fitness, proactiveness, learning, unlearning and relearning are some of their hacks!

"Personal development and growth are natural outcomes of business growth. Every entrepreneur learns and develops along the way of the business journey. Staying current with industry trends and technologies helps one stay ahead of the curve. The key is to always stay focused, keep abreast of the latest, be open to learning every day and stay nimble to change to match evolving circumstances," said Rajesh Magow, CEO, MakeMyTrip, sharing his productivity hacks.

Setting clear goals and priorities, breaking down large tasks, taking breaks and focusing on physical fitness are the other hacks to be productive.

"I start each day by setting clear goals and priorities for myself. This helps me to stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked. I break large goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. I also believe in delegating tasks whenever possible as this frees up my time so that I can focus on the most important things," said Sheetal Arora, CEO, Mankind Pharma.

Similarly, Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India, believes in taking care of his fitness, " I make it a point to walk around in my cabin during calls. It helps me increase my steps and stay fit. Also, I wake early to get a head-start on my day. Making my to-do list even before I am in the office helps me a lot," he said, adding that reinvention and re-discovery are key to driving personal growth. It is also imperative to remain passionate and redefine goals from time to time.

A leader's personal growth as an evolution where one has to learn, unlearn & relearn things to keep evolving. Their long term vision and ability to guide their teams decides how smoothly a large organization can swerve and navigate through paradigm shifts, "Connecting with industry peers, attending conferences, and engaging in forums to provide exposure to diverse perspectives and new ideas is important. We have inculcated a learning culture within the company. This extends from the bottom-up, emphasizing the importance of upskilling/training and staying ahead of the curve," said Vineet Agarwal, MD, Transport Corporation of India (TCI).

"An empowered team with robust people leadership capabilities always delivers the best. Upskilling team members is the greatest productivity hack.This enables appropriate time and energy being devoted to long-term strategic aspects as well as fostering innovation & best possible outcomes," Agarwal added.

Leading a company is one of the toughest jobs around, whether running a small business or a multinational corporation, CEOs have to manage time, resources, and multiple demands while finding the time and headspace to make decisions and strategies that will determine the course of their business.These hacks help them hone their CEO skills to next level.

Shrabona Ghosh

Correspondent

A journalist with a cosmopolitan mindset. I lead a project called 'Corporate Innovations' wherein I cover corporates across verticals and try to tell stories on innovations. Apart from this, I write industry pieces on FMCGs, auto, aviation, 5G and defense. 
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