1. Wake up early.
Study’s show that people who wake up before 5:00AM are happier, wealthier, & live longer.

Waking up at 5:00AM is a struggle for me still, but there’s something about getting things done before the sun rises that feels addicting. Try it for a week, & notice how your energy will improve and how much more you’ll get done.

2. Exercise daily
Try hitting the weights with your gym-buddy. Hike up a mountain. Or try a yoga class with your girlfriend. Anything to get the blood flowing is better for your brain & your well being. You’ll look better, have more energy, & think clearer all day long.

“Even if it’s a walk to refill on coffee- there’s no such thing as too much exercise

3. Check your email twice a day, not twice an hour.
Unless your job involves a ton of client relations- checking your email every half-hour is big time waster, it gets you off task, & you can waste a lot of time wading through the depths of Gmail threads & company newsletters.

“I check mine at 9:00AM & 4:00PM — sometimes I cheat.

After I stopped living in my inbox, I found I free’d about about 10 minutes an hour! That ads up, & by the end of the day you’re saving over 60 minutes!

Credit for this tip goes to Tim Ferris.

4. Don’t read everything
Most of the time I’ll come across an website or article that I love, but I don’t have time to read/research.

I use Pocket, which is a read-it-later type of app that connects via your phone/tablet/computer so you can read things offline, & anytime you have free time. This is great for TED Talks which I always need to watch more of.

Instead of keeping 30 tabs open- (which I’m notorious for doing) I just save them to Pocket & keep in the direction I was moving in.

5. Make a daily to-do list
Write down a daily to-do list in the morning. Make it consist of acheiveable goals- & jot down things you might forget to complete as well. This is one of the most valuable things for getting more done in your day.

“Without a goal, you can’t score.

— Casey Neistat

6. Take Breaks regularly
Playing a round of ping pong or getting some fresh air outside of the office really contributes to getting more done in your day. Try taking short breaks every few hours & rewarding yourself for getting work done. Taking breaks helps keep you entertained, as well as rewards you for doing well.

7. Compress meetings into one day
Try to schedule board meetings and client visits as close together as possible. This may not sound like a shortcut, but it actually helps avoid hours of preparation & traveling to destinations to attend meetings.

After you start doing this the patterns and findings are usually pretty obvious. Interruptions will decrease because teams are more likely to watch interviews batched in a single day, you won’t feel as side-tracked when it comes to planning your day. Plus you can always use Google Hangouts or Phone calls to make things easier for both your schedules.