My Secrets to Being More Productive at Work  

These types of essays always seem to be written by naturally productive people, the type who never actually struggled with cascading to-do lists or inbox pileup. I promise you: That wasn’t me. I procrastinated like crazy growing up, especially in high school and college, and while I always managed to get things done, it felt like I was always pulling them off at the last minute. 

But all that changed once I entered the workforce. I realized how much I genuinely love to work––as well as the gratification, fulfillment, and independence it brings––and over time, my eagerness to optimize my life and career transformed my levels of efficiency. I became one of those  “inbox zero” freaks, priding myself on my ability to multitask or be decisive, and finding real joy in checking things off my to-do list. If you’re struggling with productivity––an almost universal issue during the pandemic, when many of us suddenly had to work and relax in the same environment––know that you aren’t stuck. There are little things you can do every day to make yourself more efficient and, yes, creative. Here are a few of my secrets to maximizing your productivity and making the most out of your work day.

Brain FM: I've never been someone who listens to music while they work, I actually find it kind of annoying. But I am someone who needs to get into a zone. For me, that usually means putting in my AirPods and turning on Brain FM for 30 minutes. It’s basically a radio station with ambient music designed to boost productivity. I was skeptical at first. But I met the founder years ago and decided to try it out. It’s amazing. I’ve found that it really gets the creative juices flowing. I set it for 30, 60, or 90 minutes and just tunnel. 

Try an expanded to-do list: My approach falls somewhere between a journal and a to-do list and is loosely based on quadrant journaling, a four-point technique for visualizing your tasks from the perspective of balance. Every day, I start fresh. In the top left, I write down the things that need the bulk of my attention that day, or the “big stuff,” like the finance round I’m currently closing and the five or six investors I really need to move. Next to their names, I write questions that double as tasks: What's my touchpoint with them? Where do we stand? Some people think it’s easier to start with the quick-hit stuff, but for me, putting macro tasks up top helps me view them as urgent and important. In the next quadrant, I put business notes, or B2B sales and things like that. The lower left is for quickie work stuff––easy tasks that can be completed in an hour or so. Finally, the lower right corner is where I keep personal tasks like errands, doctor’s appointments, or things I need from the store. It can feel funky if you’re used to traditional to-do lists, but I highly recommend trying it out.

Make email your superpower: I read something once that said: If you get an email and the answer is quick, respond that minute. Don’t wait. That was transformational for me. Now, I’m faster at everything: I read emails quickly, reply to them quickly, and delete them quickly, and never let my inbox get out of hand. It isn’t just that having thousands of unread emails would give me anxiety. It’s also that, professionally, people know me as someone who will get back to them quickly, and that really matters. I honestly consider email to be one of my business superpowers.

Be decisive: Sometimes we tell ourselves that we’re “just thinking something over” when the truth is, we’re putting it off. Break that habit by being more decisive. I’ve gotten good at reading between the lines on emails and figuring out when a pitch furthers my own goals or simply serves someone else’s agenda. If it doesn’t benefit me, it’s a quick-yet-polite no and I move on. When I was a new entrepreneur, I said yes to way too many things. I’ve learned that it’s better to feel guilty for saying no now than resentful for saying yes later. 

Pick up the phone: I am a millennial. I was always hesitant to pick up the phone. It felt invasive! But last summer, one of my board members was finally like, “Helaine, you’ve got to pick up the phone more. You’ll be amazed at how much you get done.” Now I’m on the phone all the time, especially with more complex conversations. The other day, I was chatting with one of my investors about something that wasn’t fully clear to me, and in the past, I’d try to hash things out over email. Instead, I called him up and we figured it all out in three minutes, along with a couple other things, too.

Know yourself: Self-awareness can be your biggest gateway to being more productive. Everyone has different ways they like to work, and there’s no magic formula that works for everyone. So ask yourself: Are you working in a way that plays to your strengths? Maybe you block off time in the morning to make sure you get your workout in. Or maybe you need time in the afternoon to decompress, so you start earlier and log off at 4. Personally, I always thought I was destined to be in an office; I thought that was where I thrived. But the pandemic taught me that it’s the opposite. I get very distracted in an office––I want to know what’s going on, I want to check in on everyone. That’s good for management but bad for productivity. I’m much more efficient in a silo. 

Prioritize self-care: I’ve burned myself out many times in my career, so now I have a new motto: Taking care of yourself is taking care of the company. It’s crucial to recharge. How you do that can vary. For me, it means eight hours of sleep, taking walks during the day, and finding ways to get outside. You can’t always take a week off to go recuperate somewhere, you know? How can you work self-care into your everyday life? 

About Helaine:

Helaine Knapp is the Co-Founder and CEO of CityRow, an omnichannel fitness brand that offers live and on-demand workouts using a connected water-based rowing machine and strength-training exercises to deliver high-intensity, low-impact, full body workouts.