15 Productivity Tips From Young and Successful Entrepreneurs

7. Organize your day with Google Calendar.

   “I fill up to eight hours of each work day on my Google Calendar with tasks, blocking off a minimum of 30 minutes for each one. I estimate on the high side when trying to guess how much time each task will take to try to account for delays. Then I use my calendar as a to-do list, making sure I complete the tasks scheduled for the day.”

   Jessica Greenwalt, 29, Founder of Pixelkeet and Co-Founder of CrowdMed

8. Purge the non-essential.

   “Sell your sh** and get rid of your stuff – I found out by selling the things that I easily get distracted with on a daily basis, are a huge impact on my productivity. Once I got rid of this stuff, I was able to focus more of my time and effort on the things that mattered.”

   Donny Gamble Jr., 29, founder of Personalincome.org

9. Stay healthy and active.

   “As a young entrepreneur, I’ve had to experiment quite a bit to find the most efficient ways to get stuff done while maintaining sanity. That said, the single best ‘trick’ I have is to exercise. Every day. There are no rest days. I find that when I sit in one place too long, my drive placates, my attention wanes, and my work becomes more tedious. Once I exercise, I come back to work with renewed vigor.”

   Krish Himmatramka, 27, Founder of Do Amore

10. Get in before ‘business hours’.

    “Start working a little earlier than the rest of your staff, before business hours. Getting into this habit ensures that you have an hour or two of peaceful time to sift through priority work. When your co-workers get in, you won’t mind being pulled in 10 different directions.”

    Slisha Kankariya, 26, Co-founder of Four Mine

11. Practice the Pomodoro Technique.

    “I’ve learned a lot about productivity and work habits along the way, but my favorite habit is the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique is one of the most widely used time-management methods, and even in small doses it can make a big difference to your productivity and help you stay focused at work. The method was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s when he was a university student, and is named after the tomato timer he used to keep track of his time (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato). The beauty of the technique lies in its simplicity.”

    Justin Kerby, 27, Founder of Cave Social

12. Dance like no one’s watching.

    “My business partner and I make sure to include at least 10 minutes of dancing in our daily routine. This greatly reduces stress, increases our focus, and gives a great break in the middle of the work day. It also increases productivity since we are more motivated to look forward towards that awesome dance party.”

    Misa Chien, 29, Founder of Fosubo

13. Keep an ‘easy work’ file.

    “Oftentimes during the day we can’t move forward on a big project until we get a response from someone else. To avoid wasting time, keep a file of easy work on your desktop. This includes simple tasks that might require lots of time, but can be easily interrupted, such as data entry, reading, or unfinished items from the day before. That way, you have a simple task ready to go whenever you find yourself with a few free minutes in your day.”

    Greg Rudolph, 23, Found of Board Blazers

14. Invest in yourself.

    “Invest in your health, your appearance, your overall energy levels and happiness. These days more than ever you are an extension of your brand and people want to like you if they are going to give you business. If you work from home, get up early and exercise, shower and get dressed even if you’re not going anywhere.”

    Julie Joa, 25, Julie Joa Swim

15. Remember to have some fun.

    “Most entrepreneurs start businesses at least partly because they didn’t like answering to a boss or didn’t like the culture of the corporate world. If you are driving yourself too hard, it can be easy to burn out. Keep an eye on the bigger picture and make sure to step out for a drink or a night with friends every now and then.”

    Tom Austin, 28, Founder Bungalow Insurance

This article has been edited and condensed.

Alex Birkett is content marketing and public relations consultant at Nova Stella Marketing based in Austin, Texas. Connect with @iamalexbirkett on