Work smarter, not harder. Get more done in less time. Multi-task. Focus. Create To-Do Lists. Invest in software. Use a timer. Download that app. Embrace a system. Wake up earlier. Exercise more. Read this book. Clear your desk. Zero your inbox.
While we don’t claim to have any of the official answers on how to be more productive, we are as interested in it as probably are. We drool over outside-the-box solutions and we do love a good TED talk, so we thought, why not find the best TED Talks on outside-the-box productivity? Well here they are
Top 6 TED Talks for outside–the-box productivity tips
1. Paolo Cardini: Forget multitasking, try monotasking (2:52)
How many things are you doing right now? Be honest. I’m willing to bet you’ve got two to three devices within arm’s reach. You might have music playing. Maybe you’re working on a project, and reading this blog (and Facebook is likely open too, ‘fess up). This talk takes to task the myth that we get more done by doing more at once.
2. Nilofer Merchant: Got a meeting? Take a walk. (3:28)
Ever notice that when you’re on the move (on your morning run, walking the dog, climbing Everest) that you get your best ideas? Merchant suggests that you can apply the same principle to one-on-one meetings—and let the productivity flow while your feet move.
3. Arianna Huffington: How to succeed? Get more sleep (4:07)
Are you really getting enough sleep? Probably not.
If you looked down sheepishly into that lukewarm mug of coffee (your sixth today) and your gargantuan to-do list while stifling a yawn, you may need to watch this video. Turns out, sleep isn’t just for the weak.
4. Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work (12:17)
Does doing work you love make you happy, or does being happy enable you to better do the work you love?
For entrepreneurs who passionately love their chosen work—but still find themselves surprisingly tired and facing burnout – this talk may hold the secret to real, lasting productivity.
5. Stefan Sagmeister: The power of time off (17:40)
Time off? Say what?
Time off is not just a long weekend or a two-week getaway. No—Stefan Sagmeister goes hard-core—he closed his whole New York Studio for an entire year. Let’s face it, a year-long holiday is probably not realistic for your small business, but the notion of unplugging from work to increase creativity and productivity is not a new one. How could this work for you?
6. Sunni Brown: Doodlers, unite!
Did you ever get in trouble for doodling? Consider it akin to daydreaming or procrastinating—the very antithesis of productivity. Sunni Brown attempts to end the doodling shame—sharing how a little doodle can help improvecomprehension and creative thinking.
Hmmm … that sounds rather productive, doesn’t it?
Tell us—do you have a favorite video, post or outside the box method to make you a more productive small business owner? Share them with us—we’d love to know your secrets.
