Entrepreneurs often need to be masters of productivity. With competing priorities, extensive to-do lists and looming deadlines, it can feel like a precarious juggling act. While there is a lot for entrepreneurs to manage, they get things done. If you want to take control of your day and master your schedule, here are a few tips that you can take from busy entrepreneurs who have mastered the art of productivity.

Stop Multitasking

While multitasking may feel like a more efficient way to spend your day, it pulls your focus. This counterintuitive idea will lead you to be far less effective which is why you need to rid yourself of it.

Block Your Time

Instead of multitasking, let yourself block off time to complete tasks. Entrepreneurs often use blocks of time to help them stay focused and to see to all of the tasks in their day. By focusing on one task, you are more likely to finish it more quickly, efficiently and with a higher quality result.

Create a Don’t List

While you may be familiar with a to-do list, you also need a don’t list. Add any distractions that pull your focus or have limited. Everything from social media scrolling to addressing every email that rolls in can be a distraction. It is your job to hold yourself accountable.

Make Lists of Priorities and Tasks

When creating a to-do list, it can be all too easy to overwhelm yourself. Instead of overcrowding your life with unnecessary and overwhelming priorities, keep it reasonable and give yourself a sensible number of tasks to complete with smaller steps to break them down. This can keep you on track without the sense of pressure that can come with a list that is too long.

Learn to Delegate and Decline

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to do it all. There will never be enough time in the day to do everything. It is your job to learn how to delegate and say no. Regardless of whether you are the CEO of a company or just navigating your personal life, you need to set boundaries around what is reasonable in one day and ask for help.

Take a Break

One of the misconceptions of productivity is that you need to power through and work constantly. The reality is that you need breaks to recharge and regroup or you’ll burn out. Learn the lesson from many past entrepreneurs and give yourself space to take a break.

Entrepreneurs have some of the best lessons to share in managing hectic schedules. If you want to excel in your everyday life, learn from their important lessons and navigate your schedule like a pro.