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.
- Be Prepared. We live in a world full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA). Be ready.
- Be Resilient and Adaptable. Principles and core values matter.
- Be Persistent. Follow up.
- Be Vigilant. Pay attention to what matters. Notice changes. Stay ahead.
- Stay Consistent. Build habits, routines, and scalable systems.
- Always Be Capturing (ABC). Your memory is unreliable. Document everything by default.
- Eliminate. Simplify. Automate. Delegate. Prioritize. Execute. Repeat.
- Test Your Systems. Have backups. What works today may break tomorrow. Regularly stress-test your processes, tools, and teams.
- Learn to Discern. Not everything deserves your time or attention.
- Take Action. Complaining, comparing, and worrying solve nothing. Action eliminates fear and anxiety.
- Ask Better Questions. Assumptions are expensive. Better questions get better answers.
- Negotiate Everything. Every deal, decision, and opportunity has options, both on and off the table.
- Choose, Then Move. When faced with a fork in the road, pick a direction or forge a new path. Avoid analysis paralysis and indecision.
- Guard Your Energy, Time, and Money. Use them wisely. Audit each regularly.
- 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.
- Batch Similar Tasks. Group repetitive work to maintain flow and efficiency. Tasks are opportunities for efficiency and optimization.
- Exercise Patience (Strategically). If waiting isn’t worth it, eliminate the task or skip the wait entirely.
- Use Constraints to Your Advantage. Constraints force creativity and efficiency.
- Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Growth requires discomfort. Seek controlled challenges.
- Be Adaptable Like Bamboo. Stay flexible but strong in any situation.
- Be Accountable. Hold people accountable to what they commit to as you do.
- Push forward to decisions. It is either a yes or no, not maybe. Remove those gray areas and make them crystal clear.
- Speed is a Competitive Advantage. Don’t wait for permission nor consensus. Start. Play the long game too.
- Design Your Environment for Success. Your habits are shaped by your surroundings. Optimize your workspace, digital tools, and daily routines for peak performance.
- Perfection is a Myth. “Perfect is the enemy of done.” Stop using perfection as a delay tactic or excuse not to ship it.
- Follow Through Relentlessly. Execution matters more than ideas.
- Hydrate. You’re mostly water. Keep it that way. You will think clearly too.
- Eat for Nutrition, Not Stress. Food is fuel, not therapy.
- Move Daily. Walk. Stretch. Exercise. Your body and mind depend on it.
- Sleep 6 to 8 Hours. Rest is non-negotiable. Schedule sleep like any other priority.
- Set a Morning and Evening Routine.
- Get Sunlight Every Day. Natural light regulates energy and focus.
- Use all your senses. Don’t overburden one.
- “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” Pick one based on the situation.
- “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Choose your circle wisely.
- Contribute to Communities. Seek groups that challenge and support growth. Help those who want to help the group.
- Be Present. Add Value. If you’re not contributing, earning, or learning, ask why you’re there.
- Time is Non-Refundable. Use it wisely or regret it later.
- 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.
- 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.
- Be Mistaken for a Machine. Consistency is a compliment, but automate whenever possible to free yourself for higher-value work.
- Define Success Clearly. Set measurable goals. Vague ambitions lead to vague results.
- 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.
- 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.
- Write to Think Clearly. Make it a daily habit.
- Find the gaps. Change perspectives. Try inversion. Seize the opportunity.
- 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.
- 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.
- Be Your Own Case Study. Test strategies, track results, measure differences, and refine based on real-world data. Become the proof of what works.
- 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.
Henrik de Gyor 