How I get deep work done as a busy CEO
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I have a strong leadership philosophy, where I treat my team like they’re my #1 client. We have a leadership team in place, so that Nitschke isn’t just ‘the Michael show.’ I’ve also learned of late the importance of intimately knowing all parts of the business, not just the sales department.
I’m a hands-on leader, but I also try to get out of the way (so that I’m not the bottleneck for every business decision or issue). In doing so, I have to protect my deep work hours, otherwise my days quickly get hijacked.
I do this in a few ways.
Deep work starts with simplicity and preparation. Because I’m leading a business while trying to be a present father and husband, I only get small pockets of time to get things done. When these windows open, I have to be ready to execute immediately.
This is where systems come in.
The system
Instead of a standard to-do list, I use the iPhone Reminders app and separate lists for my different responsibilities.
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Sales
- Personal Brand
For example, for the Leadership List, after our weekly meeting with the leadership team, I do a post-meeting review. I manually enter any action items assigned to me in the list, so I have a record for what I’ve committed to.
If a task has a deadline, I assign a due date (or else it just sits on the list). Because we work off an Issues List in our meetings, the meeting itself dictates my actions, and we’re careful not to trigger too many at once. This avoids the unnecessary to-do list bloat.
The time blocks
Once the tasks are in my list, I integrate them into my schedule. I either book a specific time in my diary or assign the task on a specific day in my morning planning sessions. I look at the days ahead, find gaps, and slot the work in.
Again, simple but effective. These aren’t big projects. They’re individual tasks.
Another important note here is having the physical ability to work whenever a gap appears. I take a backpack with me everywhere I go, which has my Mac, iPad, and all my content gear – camera, microphone, and tripod.
If I have 20-30 minutes to kill between meetings or open houses, I grab my gear. I’ll open my lists and see what can be checked off in that space of time.
I also utilise travel time. I have the smart button on my iPhone mapped to Voice Notes. If I think of something (an idea, issue or train of thought), I record it seamlessly. It’s a high-leverage use of 20 minutes.
The mindset
Finally, I’m conscious not to spread myself too thin. I subscribe to the ‘better before bigger’ philosophy. I ask myself, “What is the one thing I want to get done right now?” To help get in the zone, I’ll throw on my AirPods with noise-cancelling on and play some lo-fi beats.
And that’s it. Set up the system, define your time blocks, and get your mindset right.
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