“I don’t like taking notes on my phone, it’s too small and impractical. I write everything in my notepad and filter out important stuff in my digital notes later.”<ul><li>I also use a notepad all the time, and it was one of the most popular answers when I asked 50+ productivity experts <a href="https://entrepreneurshandbook.co/i-asked-50-entrepreneurs-what-tools-they-use-to-stay-productive-here-are-the-most-popular-ones-b70ac1649972">about their favourite tools</a>.</li><li>My CEO uses his journal like a lot of productive people do: not only for meetings and notes throughout the day, but also for personal journaling. </li><li>He also practices gratefulness on a dedicated page (write down 3 things you’re grateful for everyday).</li></ul>

Notepad

“I would say my sneakers are a productivity tool, because I used to wear pointy dress shoes all the time, and the day I switched to sneakers, it just made my life so much more efficient. No more feet pain, shoe cleaning, or buying new shoes every few months.”<ul><li>If you’re trying to make your life more efficient, your feet might be an unexpected area to investigate.</li><li>Sometimes we overlook parts of our productivity that are easy to fix & have a huge return on investment.</li><li>I buy a new pair of my favourite sneakers every 6 months, I don't spend time deciding what to wear & my feet are happy.</li></ul>

Nike Revolution 5

These are 5 tools my multi-millionaire CEO uses to stay productive. But.... My CEO works non stop, from 7am to 10pm, he’s extreme. His only priorities in life are work and family, and he’s told me he sometimes regrets that he lost touch with a few of his good friends. My point here is: one, this lifestyle is not for everybody. And two, you won’t become a successful CEO just because you start using those tools. This is inspirational advice only; remember to adapt this type of content to your own reality.

Short Disclaimer 

“I’m 40 but my Garmin Watch (and my doctor) tells me my body has the condition of a 25-year old.”<ul><li>When my CEO gets a bit of free time, he likes to run. He also likes to remind us how important it is to exercise, and that his doctor told him his heart is doing amazing. </li><li>He uses his <a href="https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/702902">Garmin Watch</a> to track all his physical activity.</li><li>His number of steps was off the charts. The daily recommended average is 8K to 10K. He’s on the phone 80% of the time, and he uses that time to walk around the building (or his house since the pandemic) instead of sitting at his desk.</li></ul>

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar

Google Suite is used company-wide at my work, so everyone has access to everyone’s calendar. My CEO is super transparent with his use of time.<ul><li>My CEO’s week is organised in blocks of 15 minutes to a few hours.</li><li>This is known as the “time-blocking” approach, and it can be really efficient if you stick to the allocated time slots.</li><li>This technique also tends to naturally eliminate distractions and unproductive multitasking. </li><li>Assigning colours to event types helps too. Here are the colours my CEO uses:</li><li>Green → Work</li><li>Blue → Family</li><li>Orange → Exercise</li><li>Gray → Specific tags and categories (work-related)</li></ul>

Google calendar

“I could never get out of bed as early as I do, especially in the winter, without this thing. I’ve had it for years and it’s been a game changer for my morning efficiency.”<ul><li>I’ve my own <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Philips-Wake-Up-Light-Sunrise-Simulation-Bedside-Lamp-Snooze-Function-HF3500-60/54804238">wake-up light</a> for years. It gradually increases from 0 to full brightness over 30 minutes & then the alarm goes off.</li><li>The light acts as an artificial sunrise & I wake up a few minutes before my alarm goes off.</li><li>Not only does this light help you wake up more naturally, it also helps feeling less groggy in the morning.</li><li>With this light, your eyes are already accustomed to the ambiant brightness when you wake up.</li></ul>

Wake-up light

My CEO never did it to become rich. He did it because entrepreneurship is embedded in his personality, and he always wanted to create his own thing. He understood that this drive had to be fuelled by constant motivation, productivity, and a ruthless desire to improve himself. Hopefully you enjoy a hell of a ride too.

Summary 

I’ve already written 2 pieces about my CEO, and that’s because I think there’s a lot to learn from a guy that sold his company for $30 million dollars, at least in terms of business and…