Kevin Kruse is a New York Times best-selling author, Forbes contributor, and Inc. 500 award-winning entrepreneur.
Kruse combines his skills as a CEO and journalist to search for some common threads of success by interviewing high achievers. In surprisingly personal answers, billionaires, entrepreneurs and Olympic athletes emphasize that they get the most out of every minute, at work and at play.
High achievers follow a fundamental mindset: They view time as a more valuable commodity than money and spend every minute judiciously. They focus on their most important goals, eliminate clutter in the workplace, and reject time-consuming commitments. Even the most practical entrepreneurs delegate most tasks.
In his book «15 Secrets of Successful People on Time Management»asked 7 billionaires, 13 Olympic athletes, 29 star students, and 239 entrepreneurs for their 15 most useful secrets for time management.
As a CEO annoyed by constant interruptions, Kevin Kruse put up a huge sign that read “1,440.” He found that viewing his day as 1,440 minutes of potential success helped him focus on essential tasks. His employees began emulating his 1,440-minute mindset, boosting productivity throughout his company. Kruse’s surveys and interviews with high achievers confirm that they share this view. They recognize time as their most valuable commodity.
The loss of money, even the failure of a business, still leaves future opportunities to regain ground, but the loss of time is irreparable.
Successful people focus on their top priorities, long-term goals, and identify the short-term goals they need to achieve first. Breaking short-term goals down into measurable steps gets high achievers to their most important tasks (MITs).
focus on completing all or part of their TMI before moving on to other activities.
The smartest CEOs confirm the scientific theory that the brain works at its highest capacity during the first two hours of every morning. Nathan Blecharczyk, founder of Airbnb, uses this burst of energy to focus on his
top priorities. Starting early each day will give you a period of relative work peace before the daily hassles arise to distract you from your TMIs.
A to-do list can become a monster. Defeating one problem only creates many more to add to the list.
Research indicates that most list-makers never complete 41% of their planned tasks. Daily lists tend to randomize the order of importance among your tasks, thus clouding your focus.
Most successful CEOs rely on strictly scheduled calendars. Sticking to a calendar allows you to have time for your TMIs.
Deciding which tasks deserve space on your calendar or blocks of time keeps you from wasting time. Business owners report that well-organized calendars reduce stress.
High-performing athletes make their calendars work hard and play hard by setting aside time for focused solitude, one-on-one communication, and team feedback. Highly successful people set aside time to care for their health and personal life, their family, and their community.
Most people say that procrastination is why they choose the easy tasks first or think they will perform better later, but they don’t follow through. Instead of procrastinating, try this:
• Do now what you promise to do later – Beating procrastination means doing what you need to do right now instead of relying on a future version of yourself to do the right thing later. If you tell yourself you’ll start that diet, exercise, or that tedious job in five minutes, do it now. Order a salad before you order ice cream, go for a run before you slump on the couch, and read that report before you watch videos. People think they’ll be better later, but they probably aren’t. To be successful, be better now.
• To motivate yourself, imagine your results – Whether completing a task gives you pleasure or failing to do it causes you pain, imagine the result of your actions.
• Share the load – Being accountable to someone else who shares your goal, such as a running buddy, creates emotional commitment. Get a supportive partner so you’re not alone in the effort.
• Take the carrot; avoid the punishment – The promise of a future reward appeals to some people, but often, the fear of punishment works better. Creating a personal punishment for not completing a task, in the form of a donation to a charity, can turn your failures into a good for the community.
• Act like the person you hope to become – Adopt the behaviors of your ideal version of yourself to reinforce and commit to your values. Even just going through the motions of doing tasks will help you achieve your best.
• Embrace imperfection – The desire for perfection can lead to inaction. A great first step in reducing the stress that prevents you from even getting started is to recognize and accept imperfect work, even that which is halfway good. Everything can always be improved later.
Successful people accept their limitations. They choose their daily priorities, try to achieve them, and leave the rest at the office for another day. Although the work may never end, they know they must set reasonable boundaries. Overcoming the burden of constant responsibility will help you lead a normal life and take care of yourself and your family without guilt.
Some of the world’s most famous billionaires, including Sir Richard Branson, attribute their success to having a notebook handy. Jotting down fleeting thoughts, meeting notes and big ideas creates indelible impressions, both on paper and in your mind.
Research shows that the brain uses several interconnected functions to process handwritten information. This results in more accurate recall than typing. Once you’ve captured your ideas, notes, or lessons on paper, transfer them to a computer.
to a computer for permanent future reference. Date your notebooks so you can refer to them again.
A McKinsey Global Institute survey indicates that office workers spend up to a third of their day reading and responding to email. Keep in mind that email is a great way for others to prioritize your life. Use the 321-0 system to keep email in its place: three times a day, spend 21 minutes checking your messages. Your goal is an inbox with zero new emails.
This arbitrary time limit will force you to return succinct, clear responses. React to each email when you open it. Decide whether you need to work on it immediately, put it on your calendar for later, delegate it, or archive it. Frugal use of copy and forward instructions will help you avoid snowballing responses that clog your inbox. Smart use of subject line space can alert the recipient if your email requires urgent action, a response later, or is simply a briefing note.
Eliminating formal meetings can save everyone wasted time. Don’t call or attend meetings unless all other forms of communication aren’t working. Many business owners prefer to have short chats every day. Mark Cuban, billionaire businessman, advises: “Never have meetings unless someone is writing a check.”
Business magnate Warren Buffett advises: ““Very successful people say no to almost everything”. Every commitment of your time can result in the loss of other opportunities.
Protect your most valuable asset, time, from any requests that do not advance your long-term priorities.
The Pareto principle holds that 20% of your efforts are responsible for 80% of your results. Aspiring billionaires apply this economic principle to identify the most efficient ways to deploy their exceptional skills or complete important tasks. Use this principle and identify the 20% of activities that give you 80% of the reward for your efforts.
A CEO who regularly delegates to his most trusted employees gains more energy and productivity and suffers less stress. Outsourcing easier tasks frees up his time and energy so he can focus on meaningful goals and projects.
and high performance goals.
Innovative entrepreneurs assign themes to their office days so that their employees can focus on a specific type of work. Weekly and monthly scheduled themes might include meeting days for one-on-one discussions, team meetings, or group training seminars. Other themes include a focus day and catch-up days. Dustin Moskowitz, co-founder of Facebook, implements meeting-free Wednesdays. Devoting an entire staff day to one type of work promotes collective focus and boosts productivity.
High achievers seek immediate returns on their time. To speed up incoming work, they apply the “piece touched, piece played” principle:
• Handle emails immediately – Delegate as much as you can. Complete anything you can handle in just a few minutes. If you can’t, add it to your calendar.
• Update your calendar as needed – Move time-consuming tasks from email to your calendar. Set aside weekly blocks of time to tackle those tasks.
• Eliminate clutter – Be mindful of the time you waste looking for items out of place. Keep your surroundings organized. A cluttered environment can cause stress.
Most entrepreneurs adopt a morning routine to energize themselves. They refuel with plenty of water, healthy food, and exercise. Busy CEOs invigorate their minds with reading or meditation. Extreme achiever Arnold Schwarzenegger wakes up
at dawn to read several newspapers, do a cardiovascular workout and have fruit and oatmeal for breakfast.
Hard workers make room in their schedules for relaxation. Spending more time at work does not guarantee more or better results. Maintaining peak energy levels and working in short bursts helps productivity. The brain’s ability to process data efficiently falters during the day, dropping from full energy to fatigue every 90 minutes. Frequent water breaks, nutritious snacks and light exercise rejuvenate the mind and encourage greater productivity.
Give yourself enough time off to build up the energy you need to perform.
Olympic athletes rely on sleep to revitalize their bodies. Seven-time Olympic medalist gymnast Shannon Miller takes short, power naps. Consistently having healthy food, fun, rest and recreation renews their physical vigor and mental focus. This promotes greater productivity and improves their life at play and at work. Successful people build the energy and focus necessary to make every minute count.
