How to 10x Your Productivity

Success in business isn’t about working harder—it’s about thinking smarter. The power of asking the right questions is at the centre of everything. The way we think determines the questions we ask, and the questions we ask determine the impact we have. If you want to 10x your productivity as a business owner or executive, it starts with shifting your mindset and creating systems that enable efficiency.

Here are 20 key productivity principles, structured in a way that helps you ask better questions, make better decisions, and ultimately free up your time for high-impact work.

1. Prioritise Like a Pro

Before asking “What should I do today?”, ask “What are the three most important things I need to accomplish?” Write them down the night before. This ensures that you hit the ground running instead of starting the day in reactive mode. This is your first step of The Power of Asking the right Questions.

2. Time Blocking for Focus

Divide your day into dedicated blocks of time. When are you at your best—morning, afternoon, or evening? Assign high-value tasks to those peak hours, and batch similar tasks together to avoid constant context switching.

3. The Calendar is Your Boss

If it’s not scheduled, it probably won’t happen. Be intentional with your calendar—schedule meetings, deep work, and even breaks. You’ll be amazed at how much more control you have over your time.

4. Meetings Must Have a Purpose

Before any meeting, ask: “What outcome do we need?” Keep meetings goal-focused and time-efficient—aim for 40-minute maximum meetings instead of defaulting to an hour.

5. Avoid “Priority Ping-Pong”

Multitasking kills productivity. When you bounce between priorities like a ping-pong ball, you lose focus. Instead, commit to one task at a time and finish it before moving on.

6. The 2-Minute Rule

If something takes less than two minutes to complete, do it immediately. This stops small tasks from piling up into distractions later.

7. Set Boundaries to Protect Your Energy

Great leaders protect their time. If you don’t set boundaries—such as designated deep work hours or no-meeting zones—other people will set them for you.

8. Delegate—Done is Better than Perfect

Ask yourself: “Should I be doing this?” If it’s a £1 task, delegate it so you can focus on £10,000 tasks. Perfectionism is the enemy of progress—let go and empower your team.

9. Systemise Repetitive Tasks

Create templates, checklists, and automation for repetitive work. Every saved minute compounds over time.

10. Beat Procrastination in 5 Minutes

Feeling stuck? Commit to just 5 minutes of work on that task. Once you start, momentum builds, and you’re far more likely to continue.

11. Simplicity Wins—Don’t Overcomplicate Systems

The best systems are the ones that get used. If something is too complex, people won’t follow it. Keep it simple, effective, and easy to adopt.

12. Don’t Confuse Being Busy with Being Productive

Ask yourself: “Is this work moving me closer to my goals, or am I just busy?” High-value activities should always take priority over low-value distractions.

13. Most Decisions Are Reversible

Business slows down when decisions get delayed. Instead of overanalyzing, remember that most decisions can be undone—so make a quick decision and adapt if needed.

14. Work Expands to Fit Time—Shrink Your Deadlines

Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time available. Cut meeting durations, set shorter deadlines, and you’ll get the same work done faster.

15. The 1% Rule—Small Gains Lead to Massive Wins

Forget overnight success. Aim for just 1% improvement per week. Over a year, that compounds into massive progress.

16. Rest Isn’t a Reward—It’s a Requirement

Burnout happens when you see rest as a luxury rather than a necessity. High performers prioritise quality recovery to maintain peak performance.

17. Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast

Rushing leads to mistakes. Instead, focus on precision and process—doing things deliberately and effectively speeds you up in the long run.

18. Take a Walk—Your Brain Will Thank You

Some of your best ideas will come when you step away from your desk. A simple walk helps reset your mind and spark creative solutions.

Final Thought: Ask Better Questions for Bigger Results

If you want to multiply your productivity, start by asking yourself better questions:

• Is this the most important thing I could be doing right now?
• Am I focusing on high-value work or just staying busy?
• Can this be delegated, automated, or eliminated?

Your success isn’t determined by how hard you work—it’s determined by how smart you think.

So don’t forget that The Power of Asking the Right Questions is the first step in how to 10x Your Productivity.