I have always said that inCruises is first and foremost a leadership development company, and where you find excellent leaders, you will find excellent time managers. While we may not know how many days we have been on this wonderful planet Earth, we can know that every day is precious and worthy of our best effort. Productivity is not a buzzword used to increase profit margins and stock prices. Productivity is the art of “carpe diem”, that is taking advantage of everything the day has to offer and letting nothing go to waste. Focus is not about immersing yourself in work at the expense of everything else life has to offer. Focus is to be guided by a mission and, whether it is a personal or professional mission, to devote all your energy to what is most important and in line with your mission. We live in a busy and distracted world and harnessing the power of productivity and focus is easier said than done. That’s why, with your permission, I’d like to share with you 5 disciplines I practice every day to increase productivity and focus.

My good friend Tony Robbins often reminds me that “energy flows where attention goes”. I am grateful to have learned this lesson early in my life and that is why every night, before going to bed, I write down the 5 most important goals and tasks for the next day. Try this for a while and you will pleasantly find how focused and productive you have become.

That’s because Tony is right that your energy will flow towards the object of your attention. When you write them down, you activate these 5 fundamental activities in your mind. You will start your day with the end in mind and, as a natural reflex, your body and mind will carry you towards these goals. It will focus your energy and you will begin to see amazing results.

With very few exceptions, my mornings start exactly the same way. As soon as I wake up, I start drinking water to recharge my body with its most basic element. Then I take the list of the most important tasks I wrote down the night before and start heading towards them. My strategic gamble is that if I accomplish nothing else that day, I will have applied “carpe diem” to the fullest.

Next, I begin to exercise my body, mind and spirit. I stretch my lower back and commit to sweating at least a little each day. I take my gratitude journal and start writing down my blessings. Afterwards, I usually listen to an enlightening podcast or an empowering book for 15-20 minutes. After getting inspired, I close my eyes and head to what I call my quiet room.

This is where I visualise how I will accomplish the most important activities. Sometimes I just go for a walk to meditate on things while exercising my body. I forgive myself and others for whatever happened the day before and let go of what my soul doesn’t need. I let go of old hurts or insecurities and focus on the day at hand. I cannot stress enough the importance of taking the time every day to elevate your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.

Across the inCruises Leadership team, each of us has our primary roles and responsibilities.
Throughout our Leadership team, each of us has our primary roles and responsibilities. I consider it one of my greatest blessings that one of my primary responsibilities is to think about you and your team. I have developed extraordinary relationships with many of you around the world and I am obsessed with adding value to your life.

When, as a leader, I seek to improve the interests of my organisation, it is with each of you in mind that I do so. I am committed to living my life as a contribution to others and you, my friends, are the force that drives me. This keeps me grounded and connected to what is truly important.

I guard my time very jealously and I highly recommend you do the same. I wake up early with my morning routine set in stone and start my day. I develop clear plans and have developed specific routines that allow for periods of high productivity, followed by periods of rest. Yes, if I am resting, it is because I intentionally planned for it.

This allows me to maintain my focus every day and, I hope, throughout my life. From what is on my daily calendar to the implementation of some multi-year project or aspiration, I live my life intentionally. You deserve the best in life and to live it, you must guard your time and focus on what matters most.

I have a lot to be thankful for in my life and that includes each and every one of you. Every day I tell the people closest to me “I love you” and when I sign an email or letter with “With much love and respect”, I want you to know that I mean it from my heart. Never underestimate what an expression of love or gratitude can mean to anyone, any day. People can endure too much in life, as long as they know that there are people out there who love them no matter what. Be that person and be expressive to all those people around you every day.

With that, you have my five core disciplines that I practice every day to increase productivity and focus. Remember, these are not business disciplines, they are disciplines for life. They can be repeated in all areas of your life and with any member of your team in any country in the world. Lead your teams by this example, and they will follow you. Live your life with enthusiasm for the mission at hand and that enthusiasm will be contagious.

Let us commit ourselves to continually grow and learn from each other. In this way, the future of your organisation will be brighter and more beautiful than we ever imagined.