5 tricks successful leaders use to improve productivity

1. Don't limit your options

When it seems to you that something cannot be done, think of the man who had two million employees under his command, who had to solve world problems every day and who nevertheless found time to be a good father of two daughters, and sometimes even was selected for basketball or football. This is former US President Barack Obama.

Or, for example, about Elon Musk. He runs two huge, constantly growing companies, but still finds time for other interests, is constantly engaged in something new. This is a good reminder that the possibilities are almost endless.

2. Plan ahead

And for you, and for Barack Obama, and for Elon Musk, there is the same amount of time in a day. The difference is how you spend it. Paradoxically, to get more done, you need to do less, but plan more. Spend a couple of hours on Sunday planning out the next week, then on Monday you can take action right away.

3. Assess your abilities realistically

It often seems like just a few tasks separates us from finally making significant progress in our work. But then it turns out that we are still behind schedule.

To avoid this, set clear time limits for each task and be realistic about how many tasks you can get done. There is nothing good about promising to complete ten tasks, but do only half of it, or complete everything and give up your favorite activities outside of work.

4. Say no more often

Identify activities that don't add value to your life and say no to them boldly. For example, stop watching TV shows or go to parties. Treat the ability to refuse as a muscle that needs to be constantly strengthened. This is the only way to make sure your time is being allocated the way you want it and not the way others want it.

5. Delegate responsibilities

If you hire an employee yourself, completely transfer responsibility for his work to him. So you free up your own time and can do other projects without being distracted by constant monitoring.

Of course, even good planning doesn't always save you stress. Unexpected things happen, you have to drop everything and deal with problems. But these are isolated cases. In normal situations, the above tips will help you cope with things and even leave you with some time.