The term “life hacking” may conjure up memories of BuzzFeed listicles on home storage solutions. But there are life hacks for the highest level of management too - and if 24 hours sometimes seem too few to deliver the productivity expected of you each day, you’ll want to use them. Collaboration experts Arkadin have tracked down five high-touch life hacks for the C-Suite…. with a great pedigree: they’re the essential takeouts of five classic business books. Who knows, perhaps this infographic will save you the time it’d take to read all five books! That’s Arkadin for you: we’re all about effective communication. Here’s the infographic.

1. Productivity
Hacks To Get
More Done
In Less Time5
HERE’S HOW TO TRIGGER IT.
FRAME the problem to find the edges of the puzzle.
Productivity
SKYROCKETS…
...when you differentiate between
what’s URGENT and what’s
IMPORTANT.
Actively searching
for the SMALL
action that delivers
a BIG outcome…
...pays back big-time in productivity.
NEVER start
ANYTHING without
knowing WHERE
THOSE EDGES ARE.
Productivity can’t be measured
without knowing them.
At these times, EVERYONE IS PRONE
to bad decisionmaking.
So don’t decide. Or delegate. Or delay.
Learn to recognise
when you’re on
System 1, and
SWITCH.
Why work harder
than you need to?
The right lever - whether at the
office, airport, or remote working -
lets you MOVE THE EARTH
Never start
without knowing
the end.
Even a mission to Mars has
endpoints and resolutions.
You’re at your LEAST productive when
you’re HALT:
HUNGRY, LATE ORANGRY, TIRED
We think in two modes, System 1
and System 2.
System 1 -
Instinctive, reactionary - is
ANIMAL THINKING.
System 2 -
Considered, logical - is EXECUTIVE
THINKING.
DON’T let minor but IN-YOUR-FACE
tasks distract you from other work
of larger value.
Treat your To-Do like a WORKMATE
- and COMMUNICATE with it.
APPLY your skills only after checking they’re a match.
(If not, delegate.)
Find the positive outcome for YOU in the task.
You’re most
productive when
you “FLOW”.
That enjoyable state of mind where
nothing feels like drudgery.
If there’s a GROWTH
opportunity, you’ll
ENJOY the work and
find your FLOW.
(And remember, remote working
can be the ideal place for it!)
SOURCE: The classic work on optimum states, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s “Flow”.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flow-Psychology-Happiness-Classic-Achieve/dp/0712657592/
SOURCE: “The Checklist Manifesto” by Atul Gawande
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/dp/1846683149
SOURCE: “Nudge”, Thaler and Sunstein
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nudge-Improving-Decisions-Health-Happiness/dp/0141040017
SOURCE: “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0141033576
SOURCE: Stephen Covey, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B00GOZV3TM
SOURCE: Every executive who’s made a counterproductive decision...EVER!
SEARCH FOR A FLOW STATE
COLLABORATE WITH
YOUR TO-DO LIST
HUNT FOR THE NUDGE
FIGHT YOUR ANIMAL WITHIN
CHECK THE OUTER LIMITS
HALT!
2
3
4
5
BONUS 6
1
Don’t make lists,
make priorities.
Many big results
owe their success
to ONE SMALL
ACTION.
[Enjoy sharing]