Category: Focus

How do I: Do More That Matters

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You have more demands, distractions, and responsibilities on your time than ever before. So how do you actually do more without burning out, spinning your wheels, or wasting time on things that don’t matter?

This isn’t about working longer hours or grinding yourself into the ground. It’s about working smarter, optimizing your efforts for better outcomes, and executing with intention. This is about removing what doesn’t work, automating what can be systemized, and doubling down on the actions that drive results.

Below is a no-nonsense list of habits, principles, and strategies that I have used to maximize effectiveness, impact, and productivity. Pick what works for you, implement, iterate, and keep moving forward.

  1. Be Prepared. We live in a world full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA). Be ready.
  2. Be Resilient and Adaptable. Principles and core values matter.
  3. Be Persistent. Follow up.
  4. Be Vigilant. Pay attention to what matters. Notice changes. Stay ahead.
  5. Stay Consistent. Build habits, routines, and scalable systems.
  6. Always Be Capturing (ABC). Your memory is unreliable. Document everything by default.
  7. Eliminate. Simplify. Automate. Delegate. Prioritize. Execute. Repeat.
  8. Test Your Systems. Have backups. What works today may break tomorrow. Regularly stress-test your processes, tools, and teams.
  9. Learn to Discern. Not everything deserves your time or attention.
  10. Take Action. Complaining, comparing, and worrying solve nothing. Action eliminates fear and anxiety.
  11. Ask Better Questions. Assumptions are expensive. Better questions get better answers.
  12. Negotiate Everything. Every deal, decision, and opportunity has options, both on and off the table.
  13. Choose, Then Move. When faced with a fork in the road, pick a direction or forge a new path. Avoid analysis paralysis and indecision.
  14. Guard Your Energy, Time, and Money. Use them wisely. Audit each regularly.
  15. Schedule Everything. Don’t make to-do lists. Put tasks directly on your calendar. Assign time blocks to everything. When necessary, move or repeat this time block periodically.
  16. Batch Similar Tasks. Group repetitive work to maintain flow and efficiency. Tasks are opportunities for efficiency and optimization.
  17. Exercise Patience (Strategically). If waiting isn’t worth it, eliminate the task or skip the wait entirely.
  18. Use Constraints to Your Advantage. Constraints force creativity and efficiency.
  19. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Growth requires discomfort. Seek controlled challenges.
  20. Be Adaptable Like Bamboo. Stay flexible but strong in any situation.
  21. Be Accountable. Hold people accountable to what they commit to as you do.
  22. Push forward to decisions. It is either a yes or no, not maybe. Remove those gray areas and make them crystal clear.
  23. Speed is a Competitive Advantage. Don’t wait for permission nor consensus. Start. Play the long game too.
  24. Design Your Environment for Success. Your habits are shaped by your surroundings. Optimize your workspace, digital tools, and daily routines for peak performance.
  25. Perfection is a Myth. “Perfect is the enemy of done.” Stop using perfection as a delay tactic or excuse not to ship it.
  26. Follow Through Relentlessly. Execution matters more than ideas.
  27. Hydrate. You’re mostly water. Keep it that way. You will think clearly too.
  28. Eat for Nutrition, Not Stress. Food is fuel, not therapy.
  29. Move Daily. Walk. Stretch. Exercise. Your body and mind depend on it.
  30. Sleep 6 to 8 Hours. Rest is non-negotiable. Schedule sleep like any other priority.
  31. Set a Morning and Evening Routine.
  32. Get Sunlight Every Day. Natural light regulates energy and focus.
  33. Use all your senses. Don’t overburden one.
  34. “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” Pick one based on the situation.
  35. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Choose your circle wisely.
  36. Contribute to Communities. Seek groups that challenge and support growth. Help those who want to help the group.
  37. Be Present. Add Value. If you’re not contributing, earning, or learning, ask why you’re there.
  38. Time is Non-Refundable. Use it wisely or regret it later.
  39. When in Doubt, Start. Don’t wait for permission or others to join you. Begin, iterate, and adjust as needed. You won’t be 100% ready, and that is okay.
  40. Delegate to AI first. If an AI can do something faster, cheaper, and better than a person, let it. Monitor, refine, iterate, and focus on what only you should do. If an AI can’t do it, delegate it to other people who can.
  41. Be Mistaken for a Machine. Consistency is a compliment, but automate whenever possible to free yourself for higher-value work.
  42. Define Success Clearly. Set measurable goals. Vague ambitions lead to vague results.
  43. People consume content in different ways. Some like to listen. Some like to read. Some like to watch. Some like a combination of content in different formats. Feed your audience value.
  44. Teach to Learn. Explaining something to others forces clarity, getting the basics right, and deeper understanding. If you can’t teach it, you don’t truly know it.
  45. Write to Think Clearly. Make it a daily habit.
  46. Find the gaps. Change perspectives. Try inversion. Seize the opportunity.
  47. Do the Boring Stuff. Success isn’t just about big wins, it’s about showing up and executing daily, even on the unglamorous tasks that move the needle. Do the work no one else wants to do.
  48. Master Asynchronous Communication. Meetings are often a waste of time. Use async tools (email, project management software, video recording, podcasting) to minimize unnecessary back-and-forth.
  49. Be Your Own Case Study. Test strategies, track results, measure differences, and refine based on real-world data. Become the proof of what works.
  50. Ask “Why?” and “What Else?” Regularly. Curiosity drives better decisions. Remain curious and inquisitive.

If you implement even a handful of these principles, you can execute at a higher level, avoid burnout, and get more done in less time. Stop waiting for a sign. Keep taking action on what matters. Day 1 starts today.

Questions?

How do I: pick a space for deep work

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Doing deep work like writing a book, or planning out the details of a new project can be some of the solitary work we face at some point. There are a number of factors that help you find or create the right space for your own deep work. See if these factors apply to you.

Work Space

You decide how much room you need to work. Working remotely has its advantages since a desk is optional. If it is just enough space to hold a drink and a laptop, go for it. Some prefer an airplane seat with that size table just for their laptop. If you need a massive table, seek one out or use the floor. Having a focus-friendly workspace is key.

I finished a book in a matter of a few days at an outdoor cafe where I was able to order breakfast, lunch, dinner, and limitless drinks since that was just what I needed for that amount of deep work in order to be more efficient.

Limiting Distraction

A door can (sometimes) keep with distractions with legs on the other side of it.

If a door is not an option, noise-canceling headphones reduce noise distractions.

Mentioning to people around you that uninterrupted time to focus on a deep work task for a scheduled period of time can be respected. After all, respect is either mutual or non-existent. Don’t forget to respect your own time when focusing. Do not waste your own time.

Seating

Having comfortable supportive seating is key. Nothing too hard or too soft. High enough so legs do not fall asleep. Not causing back or neck strain. Ergonomics is a domain that I won’t cover here beyond seating.

Standing desks can work for those brief “stand up” meetings if the standing desk option is used.

Some people believe having some discomfort may actually help motivate you to get the work done, however, I don’t believe suffering from bad seating or poor posture due to seating should not be part of that. Your neck and back will thank you if you pick a good ergonomic seating option for your workspace.

Lighting

Find a well-lit spot for work. Not too bright that you need sunglasses. Not too dark that you need a flashlight to see the details. The right amount of sunlight can be very beneficial to your state of mind.

Sound

Quiet is excellent, if obtainable. The white noise of a coffee shop is sometimes welcome, but not optimal. Sometimes I need to wear noise-canceling headphones or listen to music with no lyrics (that does not put me to sleep). Deep work is not sleeping, however, rest is very important.

Temperature and humidity

Regarding temperature, I noticed that I get significantly more productive when it is cooler, but not too cool. Above 55 degrees and under 82 degrees is my preference, especially when working outside.

The air should not be too humid or dry. The humidity of 50% to 60% can feel great.

Airflow

Air in motion is a big factor while in a deep work state. Stagnant air rarely helps deep work.

Well-ventilated area. An open window. A ceiling fan can be ideal whether indoors or outdoors.

A screened-in porch with a ceiling fan works well too at the right time of the day in the right weather.

Other factors?

What other factors help you find or create the right space for your own deep work?

Also, this book about Deep Work by Cal Newport could help too:

Image of person working at desk

How I do: work remotely and thrive

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Since early 2020, there has been a significant growth in remote workers. Many were forced to do so, whether they were ready or not. Some adapted well while others are still adapting or resisting. Some workers are considering working in a hybrid (some time in the office and some time remote), which makes little sense since you do not accomplish anything more in an office away from home.

Have a dedicated workspace where you can focus on work.

If you really look at how you spend your time, measure your productivity, and have meaningful/impactful communication, you will have more online than in person. And I say that as an Extravert.

If you really become self-aware of your time in an office, you will be less productive, less communicative with valued impact, and more wasteful commuting, walking around to places that have decreasing value for every step you take in an office. The empty office is a waste of time and money. Stop defending the commercial real estate spend that is a sunk cost and dump it already.

I was called by several Fortune 50 companies that had the illusion that my time should suddenly be 20% to 50% cheaper now that everyone can work remotely based on their projected “cost of living”. Allow me to correct them publicly as I did over the phone before I declined their bid for me to work for them. This goes for every employer or contract, though.

My work does not change in scope or difficulty regardless of where I am physically located to do the work. Neither do the rates I charge.

Let us very publicly burst the bubble that employers pay anything close to “the cost of living” where they are located. Some day, Human Resources professionals will stop using ‘cost of living’ as an excuse when they have not researched this themselves in their locality today, nor updated regularly based on where their employees are located. Let us stop this fiction since we live in reality.

Each role has a budget set aside for it. What is the budget for this position? Know ahead of time what you should be paid for this role.

By the way, distributed companies (those that have little to no offices with thousands of workers), offer the same pay scale to everyone, based on their title and role, regardless of their location worldwide because it is the employees’ choice where they live and work. Not the employers. If it is not a choice, employers will have fewer applicants, fewer experienced professionals, and fewer employees in the near future, even when they really need them.

Why does it matter where the company is located? It is understood that many companies will have pay grades and pay scales that slide up and down. I am not advocating for the unionization of workers, especially if you have negotiation skills and work experience to back it up.

What can employers do better to adapt to remote workers?

Here are some ways to set expectations publicly.

How do I: deal with low attention spans

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When there are a lot of distractions going on, it is hard to retain anyone’s attention. So how do I deal with periods of time like this?

People are busy. So am I. If you want someone’s attention, ping them on a scheduled basis to see when you can schedule a short amount of time with them. Now is not likely the best time and you will quickly realize that when asking for their time.

Scheduling short meetings will help retain more focus and attention than an hour (or longer) droning meetings. Imagine if you cut the chatter out completely and limited meetings to 15 total minutes or 30 total minutes. The people who need to make a point will get to it much faster than during a 1-hour to 2-hour meeting.

Need a 5-minute buffer between calls for a breather, a bathroom break or to get a beverage? Add the 5 minutes to your schedule and cut the meeting to 25 minutes instead. Emphasize that hard stop time in the beginning of the meeting. Give a reminder when all of you have 5 minutes left and hold to the scheduled end time as if it was your religion. Need more time? Schedule another block of time in the future. Make sure to get to points you need to cover and add those to a meeting agenda beforehand as a prequel for everyone to prepare as needed.

Now imagine if only the people who need to be there are invited and everyone starts on time regardless of stragglers or late people (no matter how important they might be). Record the decisions made and email this to people who need to know. If decision-makers are not there, no sense in being in the meeting at all. Just reschedule. If decisions don’t need to be made, email the update, and don’t waste time with a meeting. If you need to verbally tell lots of people something, video record it and send it to them. Fewer distractions. More focus. This is easier when everyone is remote and you don’t have to waste time walking to any meeting room or waiting for it to clear out from the last meeting. I don’t miss the useless office.

This goes for home life too. Schedule time with your loved ones as well as friends and be clear when they get your scheduled attention from [start time] to [end time]. They will hold you to it since it that should work for all parties or need to be rescheduled before the scheduled time.

If you notice your metrics (social media traffic, website traffic, emails directed personally to you) drop significantly, it will be noticeable and it often happens seasonally. For example, the last week of the year or just before a major holiday, or during the last weeks of an election, don’t expect anyone’s attention nor true focus. Their mind is elsewhere. Schedule a time afterward.

If you do find the time, focus, and ideas to work on, take that less disrupted time to work on self-assigned projects that mean something to you.

Shiny objects will keep appearing. Everyone is out to steal your attention away from you. Guard your time by ruthlessly filtering out distractions that you have no control over. Realize what you do and don’t control among the many things that take your attention and time away from you. What do you want to do with your own time and attention?

How do I: deal with writer’s block

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Someone asked me recently how do I deal with writer’s block and what is the opposite of it.

Hypergraphia is the opposite of writer’s block.

As a writer, you probably don’t want writer’s block nor hypergraphia. Something in between works well. 

Some writers claim there is no such thing as writer’s block, just as much as no one suffers from speaker’s block (let us assume this is not public speaking which many people are afraid of).

There is a lot of reasons why writers find it hard to write sometimes. Author Steven Pressfield wrote about these challenges, excuses, remedies, and struggles in The War of Art. Note this is not by Sun Tzu who wrote The Art of War, but that is a good read as well.

Besides focus, the structure is often one of those missing elements that may be a common blocker in the writing process. The structure can be used as building blocks for your project and help guide you to what still needs work. Without a structure, it is like creating a building with no plans and no timeline which would not work out well for any existing budget nor sanity. That structure may include an outline that becomes a table of contents. That structure can be fluid (like water) as contents expand and flexible (like bamboo) as it grows more mature and hopefully clear to what it’s for and who’s it for. You can use a mindmap to link ideas together. You can use timelines with multiple swimlanes to figure out time frames for events with each character. These tools will help you fill gaps in your book project.

Don’t waste your time. Schedule your writing time daily. Make your book project a daily habit for as little as 30 minutes a day when you have available time, energy, and ideas flowing.

Take that massive book project which is likely a big hairy audacious goal (BHAG) and break that structure down into finite timely achievable goals (FTAGs). Each goal is a series of doable steps.

Perfect is not an achievable goal, so move on from the myth of perfect and just ship it.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

For help with your own book project, schedule consulting time online with Henrik de Gyor today