As an entrepreneur, you have that gadget, habit, app or a book that makes your work easier, motivates you to do more and that’s what we refer to as a CEO Hack. It helps you achieve maximum productivity and stick to your goals regardless of the hurdles we face as entrepreneurs. For instance, it could be a pro tip on managing employees to make the workplace a conducive environment for everyone. Maybe it’s an app that you have which helps you plan and execute tasks on time. It could also be a book that you read and it brings ideas your way on how to scale your business. The list goes on. You can check our CEO Hacks and different entrepreneurs’ CEO Hacks below where we have insightful responses.
#1- App called Marco Polo
As a company that works internationally and has employees all over the country, the biggest issue that we experience in being virtual is the lack of the social aspect with one's coworkers. This has led to challenges, such as not being able to get communication in real time. A great tool we use to solve social and communication challenges is an App called Marco Polo, this has been able to bridge the gap of isolation and create a simple easy way to get quick answers. Marco Polo helps us tremendously with internal communications.
Thanks to Wendy Yates, Abigail-Elise Design Studio!
#2- Never leaving anything I can do today for tomorrow
A habit I have applied to my daily work routine to be a better business owner and leader is to run my business like a hotel. Whatever rooms I didn’t sell last night I will never get back no matter how many rooms I sell tomorrow. Meaning I should never leave anything I can do today for tomorrow. I have learned throughout my career to finish my work before going home, never leaving it for the next day. Right now is a time for surviving. Being agile, nimble, and quick. Constantly evaluating the headwinds and reacting. Staying occupied at your kitchen table is the key to navigating these uncertain times.
Thanks to Jonathan Bass, Whomhome!
#3- Dedicating time to myself every morning
This strategy helps to get rid of anxiety or stress from the previous day, increasing my likelihood to succeed by allowing me to start my day with a clear and focused mind. Waking up an hour earlier in the morning and setting aside time for physical exercise, followed by a 10/15 minute meditation, has been transformative for my productivity and organization abilities as well as my mental and physical health.
Thanks to Ashwin Sokke, WOW Skin Science!
#4- Thinking, reflecting and exercise thrice a week
I like to set my focus on one big task a day, something that is significant enough that will measurably push my business forward within that one day. Additionally, pre-COVID-19, I was carving out time for three training sessions a week with my trainer because of the current situation, I haven’t been implementing exercise as much as I was before. Overall, I think the time that I dedicate to thinking and reflecting is what helps to keep me grounded and focused, which leads to more productivity and efficiency.
Thanks to Jason Akatiff, Boundery!
#5- Planning my days in advance
On a typical day where nothing requires urgent attention, by having had a plan since the day before I always know what I should be focusing on, as I've mapped out the highest impact tasks for me to work on the day before. Before I go to sleep, I always write down my goals for the day before.
Thanks to Brandon Chopp, iHeartRaves!
#6- Staying organized and keeping my productivity levels high
To achieve the ultimate organization, I like to break up my schedule by category. I time batch all of my meetings back to back to eliminate unnecessary distractions and breaks. Once I'm finished with my meetings, I move onto my tasks for the day. I try to spend a certain amount of time on each task every day. It's vital to keep pushing each project along instead of getting caught up on just one. Having a strong team around me that challenges me and keeps me going is inspiring. It helps to keep me on my toes, avoid cabin fever, and break up the day a bit. More importantly, remembering to remain positive, starting my day with some positive affirmations goes a long way.
Thanks to Brandon Monaghan, Miracle Brand!
#7- Telegram
Being able to be reached by anyone in your company is crucial. As the CEO you need to be available 24/7 for your team, and with the help of telegram, I'm able to do just that. By being available to my employees I am able to determine strengths, weaknesses, and potential managerial gaps. When it comes to your business, performance is critical and you need to find ways for your team to be able to reach you.
Thanks to Daniel Snow
#8- Listening to podcasts
Thanks to Stefan Chekanov, Brosix!
#9- Voice notes
They have made getting stuff done way easier than just typing, it's also given me so much more of my time back. The great thing is that most apps I use to communicate with my team and my contacts all have the ability to use voice notes, such as; slack, Linkedin, WhatsApp, FB, IG. The bonus is that all your voice notes can be transcribed very easily and automatically as well.
Thanks to PJ Taei, Uscreen!
#10- Three hacks
In my opinion, the one daily hack that I love, is waking up really early and having a solid morning routine. I spending time on your most important tasks for the day and clearing them off your list, two I responding to emails and then exercising. Once I finish my work out, and then start the rest of my day, I feel as though I have good control over my day and can continue to do other tasks.
Thanks to Michael Fenech, VoiceByte!
#11- Time tracker
A lot of people when they start a business have a lot of freedom and they do not track their time and figure out where they spend their time. I track my time in 30-minute chunks every day for one week each month to figure out exactly where I am spending my time. After this period, I know where I am wasting time and what times I am the most productive
Thanks to Aidan Sowa, Sowa Marketing Agency!
#12- Various hacks
I keep Tim Ferris' Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors on my work-from-home desk, as they are a compilation of inspiring stories and anecdotes from world leaders, business titans, and more. In another one of my favorite management books, Double, Double by Cameron Herold, he describes the CEO journey as a roller coaster, with ups and downs. Having the two books on my desk gives me access to palatable inspiring stories, which get me over the hump sometimes. Another hack I use is Mix Match/Reply apps, as its important to be organized and to follow up with sales and marketing leads.
Thanks to Warren Cohn, HeraldPR!
#13- Setting boundaries
Going above and beyond for your clients is great, but not when it's at the expense of your well-being. Establishing effective boundaries is key to running a successful business. It can also help you avoid being overwhelmed and taken advantage of by others. I have set work hours that I make known to my clients at the beginning of the working relationship. After hours, I turn my phone notifications off so that I won't get in the habit of answering my phone or responding to emails during my personal time.
Thanks to Shayla Burtin, Yes, I Can Help You!
#14- Taking meetings one day a week
This frees up bigger blocks of deep work time the rest of the week, making it easier to make meaningful progress on important projects. No longer am I finding myself with 15 minutes to kill before my next call several times a week, and just squandering that time. It might not make sense to go all the way to one day a week at first, but I encourage you to give it a try. I started with a no meetings Fridays rule, and slowly whittled it down.
Thanks to Nick Loper, Side Hustle Nation!
#15- Personal Board of Advisors
I have long relied on an informal group of friends and colleagues as my personal board of advisors – not just for company-related matters but to guide me in my life as well. It’s a fluid group, depending on what I am facing at any given time. There are some “members” who’ve been with me for years, while others come and go. This diverse group has proven invaluable as I’ve faced different challenges. They are all successful in their own ways but come at the world with varied perspectives. I’m very open with them, and in turn, they are incredibly generous with their time and advice. Likewise, I give back or pay it forward whenever possible.
Thanks to Theresa M. Lina, Lina Group!
#16- Two ways
My Favourite CEO hacks are, firstly I like to use downtime to think. I am busy the whole day and do not get any separate time to recollect my thoughts. So I wake up early in the morning to go for a run or a hike, and during that time I try to gather my thoughts. Secondly, when I am working and want to do deep work, I turn off my phone notifications. I noticed this fact many years ago that whenever I tried to do work, my phone notifications would always distract me. So I made this habit of putting my phone on silent for those few hours when I am trying to work with great concentration and as a result, the pings did not put me off track. Believe me, this ensures maximum productivity.
Thanks to Brett Helling, Bloggingtips!
#17- A book; Atomic Habits by James Clarke
It’s about our habit-forming mechanisms and how to make the most out of them. I think I managed to build a great environment for work and for everyday life alike thanks to this book. I made countless new, healthy routines by following the principles listed there. The main thought is that small changes add up over large amounts of time and even by starting with small habits, you can develop massive changes in a year or so. I made huge progress in how I’m spending my time, I’m more productive and my workflow got so much better.
Thanks to Mike Sadowski, Brand24!
#18- A book; The Art of War
This book was originally written to provide guides, tips, and strategies during warfare but as time progressed, it has been proven that the strategies mentioned herein are applicable not just to warfare but to the modern-day set-up in schools, work, business, and life, in general.
Thanks to Lewis Keegan, SkillScouter!
#19- Weekly tasks and set goals individually
I believe in perfection, so I focus on weekly tasks and set goals individually. When I set my goals and achieve them on weekdays, it makes me feel accomplished. Also, I believe in taking breaks to keep myself going. Like I go for a walk, exercise, meditate, and spend some time polishing my skills. This keeps me mentally and physically fit. I use the When I Work app to schedule my meetings with my employees. This helps me in staying in touch with my employees amidst my busy workdays.
Thanks to Jitesh Keswani, e intelligence!
#20- A power nap every day
I believe that this recharges me in the middle of the day and makes me more effective in performing my functions and my work. I tend to get sleepy in the middle of the day and that’s the signal that I need to regain my energy. If I don’t get my nap, I tend to get impatient and ineffective and I am not at my best. This jeopardizes my performance and my business.
Thanks to Jace Beeny
#21- Use Google Calendar
Calendar helps me structure and visualize my days, weeks, and months to plan my long term and short term activities hour-by-hour. I set specific time slots for everything: to eat, shower, socialize, exercise, work, call my family and friends. I even allocate time for sit in the middle of the room and stare at the ceiling. If I have a call or a dinner with a friend, you can be sure that it is on my Calendar.
Thanks to Daniel Seeff, Foot Cardigan!
#22- Embrace Stretch Goals
My favorite book where I get inspiration for my productivity hacks is Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Elon Musk. Musk tends to set highly ambitious deadlines for his projects. Stretch goals he sets are a way to change perception. The first step is to establish that something is possible; then, probability will occur.
Thanks to JP Brousseau, Phone Loops!
#23- I use Streak
This tool organises my email life out, which is what I rely on over anything else. Although its early features are now in Gmail’s core, Streak also turns your inbox into a CRM which is highly efficient. As an agency, we also all benefit from SEMrush as a platform, which helps a lot of the work that we do and further contributes to the success of our business operations.
Thanks to Alex Moss, FireCask!
#24- Headspace app
This is a great meditation app that keeps me focused and able to handle what the day brings. Headspace gives me a moment, or a few minutes, to clear my mind, focus my intentions, and set myself up for a productive, effective, and calm day. I find it to be my most effective hack for handling anything that comes my way on any given day.
Thanks to Deborah Sweeney, MyCorporation!
#25- Solid evening routine
I believe that a great day doesn’t just happen; rather, it is a result of how one spends the night before. Starting your day on a high note is all well and good but I make a point of having a solid evening routine that sets me up for success the next day. Over the course of the day, we pick up all sorts of energies, and these end up in our subconscious and eventually become our reality. This is why I do a mental cleanse every evening by journaling my thoughts, meditating, and visualizing. Journaling helps me to get in touch with my inner self, meditation helps me to release limiting beliefs and to shift my focus, and visualization allows me to focus on my dreams, which is a source of inspiration and motivation to tackle the next day with zeal.
Thanks to Paul French, Intrinsic Search!