SYS 167: Mastering Asynchronous Communications: The Secret to 10x Business Productivity

🎙 In this podcast episode, Dr. Steve Day discusses the detrimental effects of interruptions on productivity and introduces the concept of asynchronous communication as a solution.  Drawing from personal experiences and scientific studies, he emphasises the importance of implementing effective communication policies within businesses to minimise interruptions and enhance productivity.  Steve shares practical strategies, such as using task-based communication, video communication, and designated channels for questions, to streamline communication processes and empower team members to focus on their most important work.   KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Interruptions kill productivity, and it takes around 20 minutes for the mind to refocus after being interrupted. 💡 Asynchronous communication is more efficient than conversations, leading to increased productivity. 💡 Implementing effective communication policies, such as task-based communications and using video or audio for explanations, can significantly improve workflow. 💡 Having a structured way of communicating, such as a dedicated Slack channel for questions and scheduled times for answering them, can reduce interruptions and increase focus on essential tasks. 💡 Encouraging team members to provide suggestions before questions can empower them to become better problem-solvers and decision-makers.   BEST MOMENTS 00:00 - 💬 “Interruptions kill productivity. There are loads of scientific studies on this stuff to show that it takes around 20 minutes for the mind to refocus after being interrupted.” 00:56 - 💬 “Asynchronous communications are more efficient than conversations.” 02:55 - 💬 “We've got to protect our time. And similarly, we need to actually protect our staff's time.” 07:34 - 💬 “Understanding how to efficiently communicate complex or simple problems is important, and video or audio is a great way to do that.” 19:34 - 💬 “By combining all of these things together, it allows us to hugely reduce the number of interruptions, not just for you but also for your team and between team members.”   TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Interruptions harm productivity, and asynchronous communication is better. 04:01 The Operations manager implements simple policies for productivity. 07:25 Effective asynchronous communication is key for an organisation. 12:40 Empowerment through decision-making and accountability in coaching. 13:47 Scheduled channel for focused task-based communication. 18:34 Optimize the communication process to reduce interruptions. 20:19 Please leave a review and share. Thanks!   VALUABLE RESOURCES Website: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42   ABOUT THE HOST Steve used to be a slave to his business, but when he moved to Sweden in 2015, he was forced to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants. Most business owners are overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help. Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money.