Unbox Your Productivity: Ditching the Digital Clutter

‍

Are you constantly tethered to your phone, drowning in emails, or stuck in endless meetings? It's a common trap in today's always-on world, but what if I told you that breaking free from the "telephone, email, and meeting box" could actually supercharge your effectiveness?

I've been there, and I've learned some hard-won lessons to reclaim my time and focus. Here's how I cut through the noise and got more done:

Unplug from Unrecognized Calls

This one's simple but powerful: I don't answer phone calls from unrecognized numbers. If it's truly important, they'll leave a voicemail or find another way to reach me. This immediately reduces interruptions and keeps me focused on priority tasks.

Reclaim Your Mornings and Evenings

Checking email first thing in the morning or last thing at night is a surefire way to start and end your day feeling overwhelmed. I've made a rule: no email until I've tackled my most important work for the day, and no email before bed. This protects my mental space and allows me to begin and end my day with intention.

Meetings with a Mission

How many times have you left a meeting wondering what the point was? I used to be in that boat. Now, I don't agree to attend meetings or calls without clear agendas, specific asks for me, or a defined stop time. This ensures every meeting has a purpose and respects everyone's time.

And when the conversation inevitably drifts, I'm quick to pull people back to focus on the topic at hand. If a discussion item is important but off-topic, I'll document it for a "parking lot" to be discussed later. Laser focus on the use of time makes a huge difference, and people will thank you for it!

Batch Your Inbox

Constantly checking emails throughout the day is a productivity killer. Most emails are urgent but not important, or even worse, neither. I've learned to batch my email checking one or two times a day. If there's a genuine crisis, my leaders or team know to call me directly. This simple shift creates large blocks of uninterrupted time for deep work.

Don't Work More to Fix Overwhelm

When you feel overwhelmed, the natural instinct is often to work harder or longer. But that's usually counterproductive. Instead, when I feel overwhelmed, I kick into high gear on reprioritizing and dropping unnecessary work or asks. It's about working smarter, not just more.

As Barry Werner wisely said, "The essence of self-discipline is to do the important thing rather than the urgent thing." By implementing these strategies, you can break free from the digital constraints and focus on what truly matters, leading to greater effectiveness and less stress.

By Angie Janko, COO of GSD Coach & Recruiting, helping SaaS founders build the top 5% of talent, FAST!