The 5 Secrets of Very Productive People Are Just Common Sense

Boosting productivity is about working smarter, not harder.

learn more about Charlie Harary

By Charlie Harary

Shutterstock

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

More than a decade ago, Microsoft got curious about how many hours per week workers are actually productive. They ran a survey prompting people to rate their workplace productivity, and the findings were pretty alarming.

In the U.S., people work an average of 45 hours a week and consider 16 of those hours unproductive. That amounts to more than just bathroom and coffee breaks. When you consider the opportunity cost of 35 percent of work time being unproductive, employers and employees need to take notice.

If you want to boost your productivity, it's not by working longer, it's by working smarter. It's about learning how to squeeze more out of every working hour.

Emulate these five traits of uber-productive people and you'll be amazed by how much more effective you will be:

1. They plan their day.

Life is demanding. There is a steady stream of emails, texts, calls and ads screaming for your attention. If you are not able to focus on a set task, you'll spend all day doing things that are not productive to your goals.

To be uber-productive, you need to be vigilant about planning your day. Either the night before or first thing in the morning, make a short list of key tasks that you have to accomplish and map out when you plan to complete them. Without a concrete, specific, measurable plan, you have no way of knowing if you moved the ball forward or not.

Related: 5 Work Productivity Hacks Used By Rockstar Entrepreneurs

2. They lead with the pain.

Uber-productive people don't push off the daunting tasks on their to-do list until the end of the day. If they procrastinated, these projects would never get tackled.

Do the least appetizing, most dreaded item on your list first because that's when you have the most energy. After you conquer the task, you'll not only feel relieved but motivated to tackle another. Otherwise, you spend the day with that task hanging ominously over your head.

3. They never touch things twice.

How many times have you "flagged" the same email to review later? This is the biggest time-suck. You give the email, project or task your attention, but not enough to do something about it. Productive people don't push things off until later.

Related: This Productivity Hack Completely Changed My Life, and It Can Improve Yours

As soon as you turn your attention to something, act. Do it, delegate it or delete it. Remember, procrastination is a productivity killer. The "right time" rarely comes around, and when you push things off they build up. A molehill quickly becomes a mountain, and it's easy to procrastinate when you have a mountain to climb.

4. They say no.

If you can't do something, say so. Stop worrying that unless you say yes to everything, people won't value or like, you.

Uber-productive people know how to draw boundaries and say no if there's too much on their plate. Research shows that the harder time you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression.

Stop using phrases like "I'm not sure" or "I don't think I can." No is a powerful two-letter word, and if you want to be more productive, you need to get comfortable using it.

5. They don't multitask.

Multi-tasking is finally out of fashion, thank goodness.

The human mind is most effective when it focuses on a single line of thought. Multitasking challenges us to simultaneously focus on a jumble of ideas. Not only is this stressful, but it's unproductive.

Related: 10 Business Leaders Running Million-Dollar Companies Share Their Productivity Hacks

Switch-tasking is leaps and bounds more effective. Focus on one task at a time without distraction or interruption, and you'll produce higher quality work more efficiently.

To sum it up.

Increasing productivity isn't about moving faster or learning to expertly juggle five tasks at once. Productivity is about planning ahead, starting your day strong, tackling things head on and learning to say no, and increasing your focus and attention on the task at hand.

The more productive you become, the less stress you'll feel and the more time you'll have to take those coveted work breaks.

Productivity will be the best -- most liberating -- thing that ever happened to you.

Charlie Harary

RXR Realty: Senior Director, Capital Markets

Mr. Charlie Harary, Esq. is the Senior Director of Capital Markets at RXR Realty, a multi-billion dollar Real Estate Company based in New York. He is a prolific speaker and radio host, known internationally for his insights on personal growth, entrepreneurship and social change. He also serves as a Clinical Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Money & Finance

What Is a Good Credit Score and How Do I Get One?

Is bad credit holding you back? This article explains what constitutes a good credit score and how to raise your score if it's low.

Thought Leaders

The Collapse of Credit Suisse: A Cautionary Tale of Resistance to Hybrid Work

This cautionary tale serves as a reminder for business leaders to adapt to the changing world of work and prioritize their workforce's needs and preferences.

Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Business News

I'm a Former Google Recruiter. Here's How to Land a Job in Tech — and What Can Blow Your Interview

A former Google recruiter says layoffs may be trendy, but tech workers are always needed. Here's how to land a job at a major tech company.

Growing a Business

The No.1 Most Bankable Skill You Must Have to Succeed in 2023

If you don't foster this skill, you'll fall behind the pack financially and professionally in 2023.

Starting a Business

5 Ways Entrepreneurship Can Help Teenagers Overcome Negative Peer Pressure

Here are some of the positives teenage entrepreneurship can have concerning peer pressure.