As much as we wish we could add hours to the day, the trick to becoming more productive has a lot to do with our daily habits. Leaders and entrepreneurs with high productivity and success know how to get more done in less time. What are their day-to-day productivity hacks? What bits of wisdom can we learn to work faster and smarter?

Productivity Hacks from the Best

“That whole thing about multitasking? That’s a joke for me… When I try to do that, I don’t do anything well.”–Oprah Winfrey, billionaire, philanthropist, and CEO of the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Want to get more done? Stop multitasking.  It takes your brain 15 minutes of lag time when you switch between tasks. All that lag time can add up to a lot of down time. If you really want to be more productive you need to concentrate on one task at a time. Get into the habit of putting all your effort into one thing before moving onto the next task. You can train yourself to conscientiously practice mindfulness as you focus on one thing, no matter how simple or complex.  As a busy business owner, it’s natural to catch yourself doing two things at once. When this happens, just tell yourself to stop and go back to one thing at a time.

“I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.”—Elon Musk, Engineer, founder of SpaceX, and inventor of Tesla Motors.

To become more productive, you need to become more efficient.  To become more efficient, you need to be constantly looking for ways to improve your processes.  You can do things better, and asking questions of yourself or your team is the first step. Your level of comfort with change determines your own personal growth. Additionally, being open to learning new things does nothing but advance your self-development and your career.

“A big part of any leader’s job is to communicate clearly and communicate often, particularly in times of change.” —Irene Rosenfeld, chairman and CEO of Mondelez International.

Adapting to change in order to improve is one of the most important productivity hacks for greater efficiency. Therefore, it’s important to finesse the way you manage that change so that everything runs smoothly. No matter if it’s rejuvenating Kraft Food’s revenues, or responding to a change in the price of goods such as of cocoa or sugar, Rosenfeld keeps her vision clear and her goals even more so. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or head of a department at a large corporation, your position demands you excel at conveying messages clearly. Delegation, negotiation, and effective communication are the best ways to make it through turbulent times. You can perfect these skills by valuing the opinions of your partners or employees and also relaying, not only your ideas but also your vision behind them.

Keep Things Simple

We aren’t all CEOs, brand moguls, or television personalities–but we do have the same amount of hours in a day. When life challenges us to become more productive, simplicity might be the best way to stay organized. By keeping our goals clear and concise, honing our values and focusing on small ways to improve every day, we can all take steps to achieving a more productive lifestyle.

Learning to Manage Priorities

The next time you’re looking for a way to improve how you manage your priorities, visit KnowledgeCity. Our team has over 13,000 courses specially designed to help you excel in business and life. Our courses Enhancing Your Productivity, Finding Work-Life Balance and Setting Organizational Goals will revolutionize the way you work so you can enjoy a more productive lifestyle at home and in the office.