Productivity Hacks: How I Became My Best Personal Assistant

This post is part of a series in which LinkedIn Influencers share their secrets to being more productive. See all their #productivityhacks here.

Keeping it simple makes me — and my business — hum.

For starters, you will never, ever catch me multitasking. I think people who boast about their ability to simultaneously juggle multiple projects or chores are fooling themselves if they think they are operating at peak productivity. I measure productivity not simply by the clock, but the quality of the work. Multitasking is the ruination of quality.

I know plenty of multitaskers who would be quick to tell me they are rocking it. But all they are really doing is getting by, delivering just 70 percent or 80 percent of their energy and expertise to any given project that does not have their full attention. Getting by is not part of my brand. Whatever I have taken on, I give 100 percent. That’s my quality control.

My smartphone is not on the set when I am taping THE SUZE ORMAN SHOW. Sure, there is down time when I could check email or make a business call. But that pulls my focus away from what I have committed to for that date and time: bringing all my energy to produce the best show for my audience. If I am working on my column for O Magazine, or other writing assignments, the email is off, the phone is on silent.

And no, it’s not because I have the luxury of scheduling my days to avoid the need to multitask. You better believe that my calendar on many days looks as busy as yours. I may have four or six or a dozen things I need to take care of. On those crazed days, I fulfill multiple tasks, but I tackle them one at a time so each one — and each person on the other end of that task — gets 100 percent of my attention and energy.

My other killer productivity hack comes with an admission: I happen to have the best personal assistant in the world.

Me.

Well, the truth is me and KT, my business and life partner. I used to have a personal assistant who was terrific; she was competent and committed. Loved working with her. But when she left a few years ago for another career, KT and I decided to see if we could handle matters on our own. I even closed down my office (and business phone contact) at the same time.

We didn’t just manage — it boosted my productivity. I no longer have all the back-and-forth that comes when you have a layer between you and your business. When KT and I need to travel, we simply make the reservation; it doesn’t take any more time than communicating that to a PA and then having some back and forth over times, routes, etc. Business associates come straight to me: that’s a productivity boost for both of us.

When there is a business deal on the table, that table is for two: KT and me. We decide. I have no permanent staff. No (brand) managers, biz dev or marketing consultants. (Yes, there are lawyers as required — to vet all deals.)

I recognize that level of streamlining may not be practical for everyone. But I encourage you to take a serious look at how you manage your business, and the business of you.

More is not necessarily better. Is every staff member or assistant truly helping you be more productive, or just making you feel more important?

I couldn’t be happier — and more productive — since I dropped the classic trappings of running a multimillion-dollar business. And it helps that I can type like a bat out of hell!

Try it!

Follow Suze Orman on Twitter at @suzeormanshow.

Photo: Suze Orman

Graphic: LinkedIn Pulse