10 Daily Habits of Highly Productive Leaders

Let’s face it, most leaders don’t lack effort. We work hard. But, working hard and being productive aren’t always the same thing. Over the years – in a hotel, a copy shop, on a college campus and now in a church – I’ve found that the most productive leaders I know share a handful of simple daily habits.

If you’re a leader, here are 10 habits that should be part of every day:

10 Daily Habits of Productive Leaders

1. Organize your day.

One of the first things I do is look at my calendar. What has to get done? Who am I meeting with? Where do I have room for the things that just pop up? What needs to move to another day? If you don’t know what’s going on, you won’t be organized with your time. Take a few minutes every morning to get organized.

2. Do the hard things first.

It’s natural to start with the easy stuff and put off the hard stuff. The hard things might be calling an upset customer, having a tough conversation with an employee or writing reviews. But, if you knock those out first, you’ll be more productive with everything else.

3. Delegate tasks.

Delegation comes naturally for some people. For the rest of us, if we don’t make it a “to-do,” it won’t get “to-done.” As you look over your day, ask what you can hand off. (Here’s how to delegate effectively.) Oh, and don’t delegate the hard things. Those are for you, the leader.

4. Encourage someone.

Who is one person you can encourage today? Write a handwritten note and mail it to their home. Send an encouraging email or text. The most powerful encouragement often happens in front of others. Whatever you do, make it specific. Skip the generic “thanks for being a good employee.” Say something like, “Thank you for working so hard on the X project,” or “I saw how gracious you were with that customer.”

5. Eat lunch.

Ok, this may seem a little silly, but let me explain. I’ve skipped lunch far too many times. Then I get cranky, hungry and unproductive later in the day. Lunch is a time to re-energize and refocus. It’s also a great time to treat an employee, client or volunteer…just don’t do that every day, or you’ll lose the recharge benefit.

6. Grow.

Every day, read an article, listen to a podcast, watch a webinar or talk with a mentor who helps you grow. Hey, you’re reading this blog, so you can check it off for today! But, make it a daily habit.

7. Invest in someone.

Beyond encouraging someone, invest in someone. This can take 5 minutes or a few hours. Be wise about it. Pick someone you can spend time with so you can get to know them better and help them get better. Do it on purpose. It can be part of a weekly one-on-one meeting, as long as it’s an intentional part of that meeting.

8. Look at the results.

We can measure just about anything these days. Every day, look at your results from yesterday, last week, last month or last year. Are you reaching your goals? Are you being productive? What needs to change? How can you adjust your sails and head in a better direction? Then, let what you see lead to action.

9. Set up the next day.

Before you go home, look at tomorrow. What do you need to be ready for? What can you knock out quickly now so tomorrow goes better? Don’t let tomorrow surprise you. Great leaders do this, and it helps them avoid the fires that come from being unprepared.

10. Go home.

Another silly one, I know. But, leaders tend to work long hours, and the workload never seems to end. We have to be intentional about going home. Set boundaries around your hours and stick to them. Yes, there will be seasons when extra hours are necessary…but that shouldn’t be the norm. If work is the only thing you do, it will be the only thing you have. Invest in your family and personal time as much as you do your job – you’ll be glad you did! (If you’re already running on empty, read 10 Ways to Avoid Burnout.)

What do you find yourself doing every day? What would you add to this list? Which of these will you add to your routine? Comment below…