As an entrepreneur, you have that gadget, habit, app, or 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 that 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- Making immediate decisions
As a CEO, I would advise you to cease wasting time when it comes to making a decision. I ingested all the info. A brief ‘no' is preferable to a lengthy ‘no' or lengthy ‘yes.' It's reassuring to know that if you make a mistake, you can always correct it. You must use caution. Individuals can become frozen. If you dwell on all the horrible things that could happen, you will freeze. This is where pattern recognition proves to be really beneficial. I've been doing this for years. I've watched the film previously.
Thanks to James Angel, DYL!
#2- The Outsiders by William N. Thorndike
One of my secrets to success is the book, “The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success” by William N. Thorndike. This fascinating book teaches entrepreneurs the traits and methods that eight outstanding leaders embody and employ. Many of these “outsiders” took untraditional paths, such as shunning Wall Street and the press. They also shied away from the most popular management trends of that time. If business owners want to grow their company, they should read this book and apply the lessons inside.
Thanks to Jean Gregoire, Lovebox!
#3- Mindset of humility
The thing that helps me be a successful CEO more than anything else is a mindset of humility. As chief executive, I am responsible for making the big decisions for my company, but I know better than to believe that this means I have all of the information, experience, or wisdom to make good decisions. Whenever possible, I do my best to get input from all the stakeholders I can think of, including customers, front-line employees, experts outside of the organization, and my direct subordinates.
Thanks to Carter Seuthe, Credit Summit!
#4- Avoiding social burnout
The #1 Habit that contributes to my success is avoiding Social Burnout and Social Hangover. As CEOs, we have constantly been pushed in many directions: from attending meetings to family obligations. It can be easy to get caught up in running from event to event or zoom meetings and relentlessly deplete our Social Batteries. By taking better care of my Social Batteries avoiding Social Burnout, and engaging in an activity that replenishes me, I am able to approach work with a clear mind and get more done.
Thanks to Dipal Shah, Ananda 4 Life!
#5- Atomic Habits by James Cleary
A friend suggested this book to get a better understanding of where to start and I have been implementing the lessons in this book to every phase of my life. This remarkable piece of literary art conveys efficiently how tiny alterations in one’s all routine can show unparalleled results in the long run. The author has a thorough grasp of human psychology and he explains the workings of human behavior. I decided to develop concur habits that would help me create a routine and give some structure to my life.
Thanks to Isla Sibanda, Privacy Australia!
#6- One task focus
My ability to focus on just one task is what I believe is the one hack or habit that made me successful throughout my business career. We all know that being a business owner or an entrepreneur means that we have never-ending to-dos every single day. And jumping from one task to another is not an unusual thing among us, including me. That’s why I do my best to stick to only one thing at a time, making sure to finish one specific task before moving on to the next.”
Thanks to James Wilkinson, Balance One Supplements!
#7- Being productive
My best hack is to focus on being productive instead of being busy. That way, I can achieve more work in less time with maximum effectiveness. This also means not following up on every email/call request so that you leave the door open for important ones. Also, try to keep your social life outside of work hours, it makes a crazy impact on your ability to focus and relax at work. I use Evernote as my notebook with ideas, quotes, tasks, and Google calendar as my agenda for keeping track of appointments.
Thanks to Emir Bacic, Pricelisto!
#8- Regular exercise
Regular exercise helps me stay level-headed in a fast-moving industry. The digital marketing landscape is competitive and ever-changing. Whether outdoors or inside, daily workouts clear my head and keep my creativity flowing. It’s been a life-saver from burnout after my team went fully remote two years ago. Entrepreneurs tend to push physical activity to the back burner because of all the tasks we have on our plates. But I’ve found that I’m most productive when I get a good sweat to balance my stress load.
Thanks to Brian Nagele, Restaurant Clicks!
#9- Mindfulness meditation
The best one so far is mindfulness meditation. I use the Insight Timer app to help me get centered in the morning before I do all my important tasks. I only spend 10-15 minutes on this and the returns echo throughout the day because I am calmer and able to make better decisions. A lot of people may not directly tie this to business success, but that brief moment of solitude and quiet in the morning often brings me clarity in the toughest challenges of my business
Thanks to Devin Schumacher, SERP!
#10- Starting work at 7 am
I got used to getting up very early and starting to work at 7am already. This may seem trivial, but it’s amazing how much work can be done in a couple of hours when everything is calm and quiet around you. There aren’t phones, emails, or messages to distract you and you can focus on business only. I usually finish all of my priority tasks during this time. When other people start joining, at least 30% of my work is already done. This is usually the most important chunk of my daily work, which allows me to focus more on people and supporting them in their daily tasks.
Thanks to Nick Chernets, Data for SEO!
#11- Yoga
Yoga has helped me retain a good outlook on life. I am more aware of myself and my behaviors as a result of meditation. It has made me grateful for life and has helped me succeed by encouraging me to see the better side of things. I even opened my first studio as a result of this. Obviously, this is not to say bad things don't happen or that I don't see them. These practices just put them in a better mental state where I can deal with them without feeling overwhelmed or anxious.
Thanks to Echo Wang, Yoga Kawa!
#12- Scheduling in 5-minute intervals
Elon Musk inspired this Idea of 5-minute intervals. I use this time blocking system to schedule my day in 5-minute increments. To put it another way, I divide my day into 5-minute chunks and plan tasks, meetings, and events accordingly. You don't have to think in 5-minute intervals with this tiny hack, but any effort you make to block your time can be beneficial. You can also increase your efficiency by batching similar tasks; for example, you can set aside 45 minutes in the morning to catch up on emails.
Thanks to Salvador Ordorica, The Spanish Group!
#13- Maintaining a journal
My favorite habit that has helped me succeed so far is maintaining an executive journal in which I record my daily successes as well as my to-do list for the next day. This provides me a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day. Of course, this also provides me with direction for the following day's tasks, allowing me to get started right away rather than sitting idle for the first few hours of my workday. This habit has given me structure and a rewarding experience, both of which have aided my success thus far.
Thanks to Miro Nikolov, Super Betting Sites!
#14- Prioritizing tasks
I have been an entrepreneur for 4 years now and one thing I realized to become successful is that the management of your tasks/to-do is extremely important. Setting priorities is important if not you are going to juggle between the projects and not be able to achieve anything. My go-to tool for project management is Trello. I have been a sincere user of Trello (both web and mobile app) ever since I got started and it helped me so much to keep track of my priorities, time, and efficiency.
Thanks to Riya Jain, Namo Padmavati!
#15- Taking note of latest trends in social media
I actively take notes on the latest trends on social media. In the design world, what is fashionable today might be out of favor tomorrow. So I constantly seek ideas that would help me provide my team and clients with an informed decision. I always keep a notebook since you wouldn't know when inspiration would strike. Then I'd review all these fresh ideas and incorporate them into my design process. It helps me know what to include and which ideas will quickly date a room, or devalue a home.
Thanks to Giovanni Scippo, Director at 3D Lines!
#16- Goal setting
Setting goals is one of the top three habits that I believe have aided my overall success. How will you know when you arrive without a clear vision of your desired destination? I set annual goals and monthly and weekly objectives that directly impact the overall plan for the year. It is extremely effective. I make an effort to maintain a healthy balance in my life. I define success for myself, what that entails, and I pursue it! Consistent review, refinement, and adjustment of goals is a powerful tool for anyone at any stage of life.
Thanks to Julien Raby, Wod Review!
#17- Navigating through emails carefully
Contrary to popular belief, emails should be sent out only when necessary, as spam and work emails can often clog up the inbox. Navigating through my emails without any distraction has elevated my communication with many important clients. Not everyone is made for multitasking, and I would advise other business owners to accept that as the norm now. Sticking with this rule has made my life easier, and I have been using it for years now after seeing it work out for me during a challenging period.
Thanks to Kim Abrams, Abrams Roofing!
#18- Networking with like-minded people
Successful people know the value of exchanging ideas with others through networking. When you network with like-minded people, it fosters a sense of teamwork and collaboration, two other critical traits for success. I don’t believe there is any successful CEO out there who doesn’t prioritize networking. If you want to gain success, you must surround yourself with other successful people. This allows you to learn from them and teach them simultaneously. You gain new knowledge that can help advance your career.
Thanks to Keith Sant, Kind House Buyers!
#19- Using an app called Notion
As a CEO, the application that I commonly use and am fond of using is Notion. It is a collaborative and project management tool great for organizing all tasks and projects. The company's information can be organized and made up-to-date easily. What's great is that it isn't only for team collaboration, but you can communicate with different teams such as the operations and customer service department of the company, seeing the roadmap of the projects. It helps you to find the information needed.
Thanks to Dan Belcher, Mortgage Relief!
#20- Reading books
I would say reading books. Books will teach you things you can't learn in school. Most successful people in the world read books. For example, self-made billionaire Bill Gates reads about 50 books per year. He said the following about the habit of reading books: If you think you're too busy to read, how do you have time to be so busy? It's not easy to read books but if you are serious about success, then you should find time to read at least one book per week.
Thanks to Sam Sweeney, Trivvy!
#21- Having a routine
I believe that having a routine makes anyone successful in life. I am a pen and paper person, so I have created a schedule and stuck it in my bedroom. After waking up in the morning, I look at the schedule and commit with myself that I would complete the schedule. This gives me the motivation to carry out the entire day with resilience, patience, and calmness. Seeing the schedule in the morning is like saying to myself – No matter how matter hard it gets, you will pass through this day!
Thanks to Brent Hale, Tech Guided!
#22- ‘Zero To One' and ‘Atlas Shrugged'
I'd like to recommend two of my favorite books that have inspired me in some way or the other. The first is Zero To One, written by Peter Thiel, a famed entrepreneur, and Facebook's initial investor. The book's key premise is that entrepreneurs that try to catch up with the competition will lose. They can only succeed if they come up with distinctive products and concepts. Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is second. Many individuals see the book as the Bible for capitalists and entrepreneurs. The author uses a variety of philosophical concepts and expands on objective remarks.
Thanks to William Cohen, My GRE Exam Preparation!
#23- Listening to podcasts
My favorite hack is that every morning while I work out, I listen to podcasts about leadership, digital marketing, branding, and career development. They provide me with new, current, and occasionally cutting-edge information. I'll gain insight into new business opportunities, strategies for growing my business, and tools for optimizing my operations. I jot down every thought and idea as soon as they occur to me.
Thanks to Julien Raby, ThermoGears!
#24- '48 Laws of Power' by Robert Greene
My favorite book at the moment has to be, The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. This book is certainly a fun, controversial, yet thought-provoking read. It provides a mix of wonderful historical quotations, real-life insights, and humorous stories. I find it really challenging my everyday principles and values and I walk away every time with a fresh perspective on the world. It has really driven me to success. I would highly recommend this book, it certainly is a fantastic read!
Thanks to Archie Payne, CalTek Staffing!
#25- Outsourcing different tasks
As a CEO, you have to tackle hundreds of tasks daily, and it is difficult to manage without extra hands. Therefore, I prefer to outsource my less important tasks to the virtual assistants. It may seem like an expense at first, but I believe there is no comparison to the value they deliver for a business. From bookings to graphic design and social media management, I have outsourced different tasks to virtual assistants to focus on the essentials of my business. Since I have delegated my tasks to the virtual assistants, I have enough free time for my personal life.
Thanks to Angus Chang, Iupilon!
#26- Exercising daily
As a CEO, my favorite habit is to exercise on a daily basis. I compete with the sun and make sure to beat it every day by waking up early. A morning run is a vital part of my day. I jog early in the morning in our neighborhood’s park. It allows me to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep my body in shape. During mid-day, I also indulge in yoga at the office. This measure allows me to reduce my stress and keep down my anxiety levels. I believe that regular exercise has enabled me to make better business decisions, which has led the company towards an era of success.
Thanks to Nick Stoddard, KC Property Connection!
#27- ‘Art of Impossible' by Steven Kotler
As a Co-Founder who is deeply involved in both the day-to-day running of the business and strategizing for the future, maximizing my productivity is crucial. The Art Of Impossible by Steven Kotler deciphers the greatest performers' secrets and gives you a roadmap of how to achieve what you believed is beyond your maximum performance. This book gave me the tools I needed to excel personally and within my industry.
Thanks to Keron Howe, Property Nation!
#28- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
As an entrepreneur, I’m constantly having to manage our business, monitor the competition, negotiate with suppliers, while balancing family life and also maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The problem is that I simply do not have time to do everything I want to. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown has taught me that when I’m juggling too many tasks, I can only make incremental progress on each task. A better approach is to say no to non-essential tasks and focus on a small number of essential tasks where I can make significant progress.
Thanks to Leanna Serras, FragranceX!
#29- QuickBooks Pro Advisor
QuickBooks has been my biggest hack this year because it has essentially allowed me to outsource some of the most tedious accounting tasks. And while I was used to doing all of my books before, as my business began to expand this year and take on more employees, I realized that I needed some help with the more complicated transactions, and through the Quickbooks ProAdvisor program, I have been able to connect with a remote accountant who not only provides me with consulting services but also scans through my reports, This has helped me get on top of the backend of my business.
Thanks to Kathleen Ahmmed, USCarJunker!
#30- Having a 10-15 min power nap
As a CEO, having a 10-15 minute power nap is the favorite hack or habit I always do despite how busy my day is. Having this kind of routine helps me to recharge, refresh, and to have more focus on important things I needed to do. Napping in between work hours helps me to think of more ideas and solutions in every situation. Additionally, I always put my phone into Do Not Disturb mode because I believe that phone notifications can be greatly distracting. In doing so, I’ll be able to focus on what I need to work on for the day.
Thanks to Martin Seeley, Mattress Next Day!