How much longer will you lock your phone in a box as if it is a monkey before realizing it has little to do with getting more s*** done?
I am not hating on minimizing distractions!
However, thinking that locking your phone in a box or turning off notifications will turn you into an efficient machine is nonsense.
Instead, it is your mindset that matters most.
To prove it, I am sharing the daily mindset of CEOs who accomplish more work in less time than everyone else.
Most importantly, I am sharing the key to the daily mindset's success.
Go ahead and lock your phone in a box, but you will continue to:
You do not have forever to get work done. How much longer will you waste time before finally getting s*** done?
Why Most CEOs Work Hard but Accomplish Little
Most CEOs know how to put in the hours.
I am not questioning that!
In some cases, I argue that CEOs are putting in too many hours.
Even though most CEOs work hard and put in the hours, that does not mean they accomplish much.
You can work many hours and accomplish absolutely nothing!
For example, you can sit at your desk trying to solve a problem without making progress.
Or, you can sit with team members trying to brainstorm ideas, but nobody stays on target.
I am breaking down why most CEOs work hard yet do not make waves.
Grinding Does Not Work
How many social media gurus do you encounter each day who spew the nonsense of the grind?
When I say the grind, I mean the idea that you should put your head down and work while ignoring everything else around you.
Grinding sounds good on paper; Sometimes, you must put your head down and knock out tasks, right?
While grinding sounds legit, it makes it harder for CEOs to knock out tasks in many cases.
Why?
Let me ask: If you are pitching a tent and a grizzly bear appears, do you keep grinding as if it is not there?
Or, do you immediately stop and grab bear repellent?
Of course, you would stop and grab the repellent.
You would not put your head down and keep working when there are obvious problems in the area.
That said, grinding is a method CEOs use to ignore the problems knocking on their door.
Ultimately, ignoring the problems only causes them to get worse.
Then, the CEO suddenly has even less time to accomplish crucial tasks.
Furthermore, most CEOs grind as a means to avoid problems instead of solving them.
Avoiding problems causes them to get worse, which makes it harder to make tangible progress.
Putting the Phone Away Is Not Enough
How often do you put your phone in the closet or car to avoid distractions?
I do not doubt that distractions play a huge role in making it difficult to accomplish daily tasks.
However, putting the phone away or turning off notifications is not the sole solution.
I am not saying not to put your phone away or turn off notifications.
Instead, I am saying that minimizing distractions will only take you so far.
Moreover, minimizing distractions is only part of the getting-things-done equation.
Without the other parts of the equation, minimizing distractions is almost worthless.
Therefore, I suggest minimizing distractions like your phone to accomplish more during the day.
However, do not expect to put your phone in a box and suddenly become an efficiency superhero.
Most CEOs Do Not Even Know What They Are Working For
Most CEOs run businesses but do not know why they are running them.
They do not have a clear outcome they are trying to create through their business.
I call this outcome the business vision: the experience or impact you make through your business.
For example, Elon Musk's vision with SpaceX is to Advance the future.
The vision is not to launch people into space; Launching people into Outerspace is the means to manifest his vision.
That said, do you know what you are working for or what direction you are heading?
If not, how do you expect to make progress?
How will you know what business moves you need to make without a desired outcome?
Furthermore, many CEOs accomplish nothing because they do not even know where they want to take their business.
Most CEOs Spend All Day Putting Out Fires
Do you ever sit at your desk with a notepad full of tasks, open your email, and realize there are dozens of fires to put out?
Team members and customers are begging for your help!
By the end of the day, you realize you spent every hour putting out others' fires.
Instead of managing your to-do list, you helped everyone else manage their list.
What is a CEO to do?
The problem is that most CEOs are too available.
Instead of putting their problems first, they put others' problems before theirs.
It sounds honorable to want to help everybody with their problems before yours.
However, how can you be an effective CEO if you cannot get your own work done?
How can you propel the business forward if you do not have time for yourself?
Bottom line- most CEOs are too available!
The Flow State: The Key to Getting More Work Done In Less Time
The secret of CEOs who get more s*** done than everyone else is they achieve the flow state.
Everybody knows what the flow state is!
The flow state is when work pours out of you and distractions do not stand a chance against you.
It is when your mind and the world around you feel quieter than ever, so you can focus on the work at-hand.
When you are in the flow, it does not feel like you are even putting in effort because everything is easily flowing.
You can achieve the flow state while working, reading a book, or doing your favorite activity.
Most people first experience the flow while doing a hobby they love.
Achieving the flow state is the key to getting more work done in less time.
Looking at Your Watch and Realizing That Hours Have Passed
You know you are in the flow when you are doing an activity, look at the clock, and realize hours have passed without you realizing it.
Everybody has a favorite activity or pastime that gets them into the flow.
The goal is to get yourself into the flow during your workday.
Go ahead, put your phone in a box and make a nightly to-do list. I am not hating on minimizing distractions and making lists!
However, putting the phone away or making a list does not compare in power to the flow state.
Without reaching the flow state, it is difficult to achieve anything.
Getting Into The Flow = Passion + a Desired Outcome
Think getting into the flow is difficult?
Think again.
Getting into the flow requires two ingredients:
- Passion
- A desired outcome
First, you must be passionate about what you are doing.
Thankfully, most business owners are passionate about their work.
Why would they put up with the difficulties of being a business owner if they were not?
Second, you must have a desired outcome of the flow state.
For example, maybe you want to knock out a final sales pitch strategy that will win an ideal customer over.
Moreover, there must be a clear outcome you want to achieve through being in the flow state.
Trying to get more done in less time without reaching the flow is useless!
The Daily Mindset of CEOs Who Get More S*** Done Than Everyone Else
Here is the daily mindset of CEOs who make the most progress in the least amount of time. The daily mindset is all about optimizing the flow state.
AKA, it is all about honing in on your passion while focusing on a daily desired outcome.
Remember, passion + desired outcome = flow!
Again, I suggest minimizing distractions along with getting into the flow.
Finally and importantly, remind yourself that getting into the flow takes practice!
While it is possible to get into the flow on the first try, it is not highly probable.
Be persistent with the flow.
Why Am I Doing This?
From now on, wake up every morning and remind yourself why you are getting up.
You could be waking up and going to a nine-to-five job where you feel more secure and stable.
However, you are deciding to dive into the uncertainty of being a business owner.
Why do you do this?
Instead of automatically heading to pour coffee or brush your teeth, take a few moments to remind yourself why you do what you do.
Unfortunately, it is easy to lose sight of why we do what we do.
The less you remind yourself why you do what you do, the less likely you are to flow.
That said, take a few minutes before work to remind yourself why you are doing this.
Better yet, grab your journal and write it down for extra effect.
Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude
You are blessed if you are a business owner.
Better yet, you are blessed if you have the technology to read this sentence!
Most of us forget just how blessed we are.
Instead of thinking about how blessed we are, we ask ourselves why we have so many problems on our plate.
Why do customers have to be so difficult?, or if only I had more money to do X?, we say.
Thinking these kinds of thoughts block us from entering the flow state.
That said, take a few minutes to remind yourself how blessed you are.
Yes, being a business owner is challenging, but that does not change the fact that you are blessed.
Negativity blocks us from entering the flow, but gratitude dissolves negativity.
What Is My Black Dot?
Next, designate a black dot.
The black dot is the primary subject of your focus for the day.
It is the most crucial box you need to check before going home.
It is the desired outcome for the day!
Checking the black dot box is about keeping yourself accountable for making progress instead of getting caught up in putting out fires.
DO NOT do any other work until you accomplish your black dot!
Is somebody knocking on your door?
Shoo them away.
Making legitimate progress depends on accomplishing the black dot!
What Tasks Can I Delegate?
Are you wondering how you will focus solely on your black dot without neglecting other tasks?
No problem.
The solution is to delegate.
Delegate every piece of work that is not directly related to your black dot or business growth.
For example, delegate everything from the marketing strategy to taking out the trash.
You WILL NOT make progress unless you delegate to team members.
Are you a one-person show?
Center your daily black dots on sales progress until you get the means to delegate.
Actually, your black dots should center around sales most of the time anyway!
After delegating tasks, remind your team members that they are the boss of those tasks.
Is somebody knocking on your door looking for help to put out fires?
Do not respond until you finish your own black dot!
When Will I Take a Break?
Finally, set aside at least 30 minutes every day for downtime.
At first, downtime feels like the least efficient thing you can do.
However, downtime is actually one of the most productive things you can do!
As the antithesis of grinding, downtime allows your mind to reflect.
The more it reflects, the more new brain connections it makes.
Brain connections = finding solutions to business problems.
When I say downtime, I do not mean scrolling through Instagram or watching TV.
Instead, I mean sitting on a park bench enjoying the environment or going for a walk without headphones.
Getting more done is not always about sitting at your desk with a pen to paper.
It is also about giving your mind the space it needs to build new connections to solve problems.
Final Thoughts on the Daily Mindset of CEOs Who Get S*** Done
Efficiency is not about locking your phone in a box or turning off notifications.
Instead, it is about your mindset!
Specifically, it is about achieving the mental flow state.
Not only will you accomplish more in less time, but you will feel happier than ever in the flow.
Anybody who has been there before knows how calming and peaceful the flow is!
Get more done in less time to grow your business more than ever.
Do not work harder; work more efficiently.
