The Best and Worst Productivity Tips According to CEOs and Experts

Productivity is something we all strive for, but it’s not always easy to achieve. With all the productivity tips out there, how do you know which ones work? And which doesn’t?

In this article, I’ll cover the best and worst productivity tips according to CEOs and experts. I sent out a query on Qwoted and researched on the subject to find out what the best and worst productivity tips are.

When you type out ‘productivity tips’ on Google, it seems like every expert has their own set of “productivity hacks” that promise to help you get more done in less time. 

But do these hacks really work?

I decided to write this article by covering the experiences of people who actually used these productivity tips.

Let’s dive in.

The Best and Worst Productivity Tips

6 Best productivity tips

1) Use your moments of inspiration

Did you ever have a light bulb 💡 moment? Or a time when you suddenly feel inspired to get something done?

Don’t let it slip away!

Simon Dolan, the author of De-Stress At Work, recommends using your moments of inspiration to produce if you are involved in any type of intellectual work.

Dolan himself found that his most productive time was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he attributes his highest level of innovation to two key factors. 

The first is using his moments of inspiration to produce his best work. And the second is to use his biological clock, not a chronological clock (we’ll discuss this next).

So, don’t let inspiration slip away. When these moments of insight come, act on them. 

Who knows what feats you could achieve if you embrace these moments and let them guide you?

2) Use your biological clock

Are you a night owl 🦉 or a morning person ☀️? 

It turns out your response to this question could have a substantial influence on your productivity.

The second factor that Dolan found to be key to his most productive time was using his biological clock, not a chronological one.

So, to be productive, you should collaborate with your body rather than fight against it.

For example, a study analyzed half a million exams taken by university students in the United Kingdom.

The researchers analyzed five years’ worth of exam scores, encompassing an average of six exams per student. These exams happened in 3 time slots: 9 am, and 1:30 and 4:30 in the afternoon. 

The researchers found that the time slot of 1:30 in the afternoon is when students experience “peak performance”.

I know that you already have a general idea of when your peak time is. 

But if not, you can experiment with different times to determine which one yields the most productive results for you.

There is a high chance that you have limited control over your school or work schedule. 

However, you can certainly schedule some of your responsibilities during your more productive hours—especially the important ones.

3) Just sit down and get started

Noel Griffith, CMO at Supply Gem, tried a lot of productivity tips and tricks but he found that the most effective tip was also the simplest one.

“I think sometimes we get so caught up in reading about productivity hacks and trying new techniques that we forget the basics: If you want to be productive, then just sit down and do it.“

Procrastination is the thief of time, a common pitfall that can prevent you from accomplishing your goals. 

Instead of putting things off, just sit down and start working.

Of course, there are specific moments when you might need to use productivity techniques. But don’t overlook the power of simply taking action. 

4) Wake up early

When your alarm ⏰  jolts you awake in the morning, do you tend to press the snooze button? 

Many of us do. We press the snooze button, roll over, and return to our slumber 😴. 

Then we hit it again. And again. And again.

But what if you get up immediately when your alarm goes off?

It’s no secret that most millionaires—and billionaires get up early in the morning way before the sun rises 🌄.

There was even a book written about waking up early called The 5 am Club.

In 2013, The Guardian interviewed seven CEOs about their morning habits and found that five of them were up on or before 6 a.m. While one of them didn’t explicitly mention the exact time, it was clear that he woke up early.

I personally wake up around 7 am—don’t raise your eyebrow at me haha 🤨. Due to this habit, I consistently experience a sense of being behind in my tasks and responsibilities.

I struggled to reach my morning walk goal of 10,000 steps 👣 and always ran late at work. So one time, I decided to wake up 30 minutes early.

Not only did I successfully accomplish my goal of completing 10,000 steps in the morning. But I also was able to get ready for work on time.

Just imagine, that was only 30 minutes earlier than my usual schedule. 

Maybe that’s why I’m not yet successful. And it’s time to rethink my morning routine—you should too.

5) Take breaks

Many people often say that they are too busy to take a break. But to be honest, I think breaks are crucial in order to stay productive.

According to Michigan state university, if you don’t take breaks, you’ll burn out faster and feel more stressed.

A survey from Tork showed that regularly taking a lunch break boosted the engagement metrics of North American workers, including job satisfaction, efficiency, and the probability of recommending their workplace to others.

So, if you think you’ll get more done by working through your breaks, think again. 

If you struggle to take breaks, try the Pomodoro technique.

This is a time management technique that divides your work into focused intervals separated by short breaks.

How to use the Pomodoro technique:

• Set a timer ⌛ for one Pomodoro or 25 minutes.
• Work on a task until your timer rings.
• Take a five-minute break.

You have the freedom to repeat these 3 steps as many times as you desire. But aim for at least four Pomodoros in a row before taking a longer break (15 minutes).

Related: Set Timer for 25 Minutes: How Does the Pomodoro Technique Work?

6) Hide your phone

Let’s face it, your smartphone 📱 is a distraction.

But did you know that its mere presence can affect your cognitive capacity?

Even if it’s powered off and you’re successfully ignoring it, a study has shown that it can still cause “brain drain.” 🤯

The study found that having your phone nearby reduces your available cognitive capacity. This means that your brain has less capacity to concentrate on the current task. Even when you’re not actively engaged with your phone.

If your phone is within arm’s reach, you may find yourself picking it up every few minutes. It can even serve as an escape mechanism from the very task you’re trying to complete, which can be detrimental to your productivity.

The most effective method to resist this temptation is to place your smartphone in a separate room. If that’s not possible, hide it out of your sight.

When I’m working, I always put my phone in a covered box where I keep all my tech accessories. 

So if you don’t want to get a “brain drain”, consider keeping your smartphone out of sight.

3 Worst Productivity Tips

Disclaimer: Just because these tips didn’t work for the people mentioned doesn’t mean they’re counterproductive. They’re based on their experiences. You can still discover ways to leverage these tips to your benefit.

1) Relying only on your chronological clock

As Dolan mentioned, he relies more on his biological clock.

“Don’t rely only on a chronological clock. If you do so, you force yourself to produce when you have no passion, nor inspiration.”

There’s no doubt that a chronological clock is important, but you shouldn’t rely on it solely.

2) Not ensuring that your level of competence fits the task

Another tip that Dolan gave was that you should ensure that you’re competent for the task at hand. If you’re not, you are just wasting your time and producing subpar results.

“It’s OK to look for help in order to better achieve results. Be honest with yourself and don’t try to be a Superman or Superwoman. It can be effective for a while but definitely not for the long term, you’ll only burn yourself out.“

This actually makes sense. Unless you possess extraordinary genius and versatility, it is crucial to acknowledge that not everything is within your capabilities.

For instance, if you require a logo for your startup business and lack design skills, you can opt to hire a professional who specializes in logo design.

Instead of wasting time trying to design a logo yourself, you should spend that time marketing your business.

3) The three-minute rule

How does the three-minute rule work?

If an email 📧 requires a quick response that takes less than three minutes, work on it right away.

For emails that demand more time and attention, add them to your to-do list 📝and come back to them later.

Noel is a firm believer of ‘inbox zero’. So he gave the three-minute rule a shot and found it effective at first.

However, Noel soon realized that he was spending more time than expected on each email. Because he had to decide whether it would take less or more than three minutes to respond.

This made him question the practicality of the rule.

“So now my strategy is this: If you’re going to be responding to an email for more than three minutes anyway, why not just respond right away?” 

What should you do if you are trying to be productive?

So, if you’re aiming to be productive, what steps should you take? 

Well, if you’ve made it this far, it’s likely that you already know there’s no universal answer. 

There’s no definitive formula for productivity; there are no fixed rights or wrongs.

But here are some productivity insights that might help:

Being busy is not the same as being productive

You might think that you are productive just because you’re busy.

But, are you really?

Scott Lieberman, CEO of Touchdown Money, suggests you stop caring about how much work you get done. But focus on the impact of your work instead.

This implies that you must prioritize tasks that hold the utmost significance on your goals and let go of less important ones.

Plan your life first

How do you plan your calendar 📆?

Do you schedule your work first and then try to fit into your personal life? 

Or the other way around?

Yehor Melnykov, CEO & CTO of Lawrina, shares that he schedules vacations and essential family activities before putting business tasks on the calendar.

This way, you’ll be able to enjoy those special moments and feel more motivated and productive in your work.

So if you’re struggling with work-life balance, plan your life first. The work comes second.

The Best and Worst Productivity Tips (FAQs)

What to Do Next?

I’m going to end this article with my favorite productivity tip: figure out what works for you.

Don’t rely on what works or not for other people. You are not them, and they are not you. 

The most effective approach to determine whether something will be effective for you is by giving it a try firsthand.

So, what are the best and worst productivity tips you’ve tried? Share them with us!