We all face the same constraint: there are only 24 hours in a day. But some people seem to get so much more done each day. How are they able to fit it all in? Are they sleep deprived? Super human? Or just incredibly productive?

Clear Concept, together with Pace Productivity Inc., interviewed several CEOs and top executives to find out how they are able to get so much done.

Read on for a few of their productivity tips:

1. Know Your Priorities

  • Jim Estill, CEO of Synnex Canada, begins each day with a plan. This allows him to focus on his priorities and avoid getting side-tracked with other things.
  • Andrew Barlow, General Manager of Machine Control Systems, stays focused on getting his top three tasks done as soon as possible, despite having a much longer list of other tasks.
  • Brian Fetherstonhaugh, Global CEO of OgilvyOne, identifies his top three priorities to accomplish on a weekly basis and focuses on keeping these top of mind.

2. Focus on One Thing at a Time
Despite dealing with a barrage of requests, action items, routine items, and emergencies, CEOs excel at maintaining their focus.

  • Michael Cloutier, former CEO of AstraZeneca Canada, evaluates his list of priorities every week based on impact, time required and probability of getting something done. He then focuses on the highest priorities (which really stand out through this exercise) and doesn’t allow himself to be swayed until they are completed. Cloutier ignores all interruptions (except calls from his family) until he has a break in his planned schedule to address them.
  • Fetherstonhaugh states that the “focus muscle” is vital to productivity and that it is important to keep this focus muscle strong. He relies on his ability to focus intensely and switches tracks quickly when he needs a break.
  • Tim Penner, President of Procter & Gamble Canada, attributes much of his productivity to being highly focused. “Whatever I’m doing, I’m going to absolutely dedicate myself to doing it. If that means that we’re in a meeting and we’re talking about things, I’m in the meeting. I’m not going to be answering my Blackberry.”
  • Pat Merrin, Managing Director of Lucas Milhaupt Europe, speaks about the dangers of allowing oneself to be frequently pulled off track. “Dealing with urgent issues can be a fun place to operate because you get immediate rewards and you feel as though you’re accomplishing something. But you end up in a constant firefighter mode and can lose sight of the more important things.”
  •  Chuck van der Lee, President and CEO – Rogers Retail, actively manages his interruptions by making sure his schedule has time blocked off for important things.
  • Bruce Bowser, President & CEO of AMJ Campbell, has a restricted access policy when he is working and asks that people speak with his assistant.

3. Be Strategic About Your Email
While CEOs are faced with countless interruptions throughout the day, they use several techniques to effectively manage these interruptions.

  • Jordan Banks, Former Managing Director of eBay Canada and Former CEO of Jump TV, personally reviews the 300+ emails he gets each day. He relies on his preview pane and the first two sentences. He also uses non-prime working time to respond to emails and even mentioned that he can get through a few emails in an elevator ride!
  • Several executives cited the importance of the Touch it Once principle. Penner is big on deselecting work and tends to delete irrelevant messages immediately.