Oprah Winfrey is synonymous with success. Starting from a less-than-glamorous job as a weekend features reporter in Baltimore, she has developed a billion-dollar media empire known worldwide. While her positive personality is essential to her accomplishments, her intentional efforts to increase her productivity are critical to understanding her success.
Personal Practices
Over her career, Winfrey has realized that self-care is the key to personal productivity. Her daily routine begins with a nutritious breakfast formulated to give her energy for the work ahead. She also spends at least 20 minutes in silent meditation, clearing her mind in preparation for a focused day.
For long-term projects, she finds motivation in setting deadlines. Her early years in broadcasting required her to have her stories done on time if she wanted them on the air. She continues to use this technique, finding that even false deadlines can help her finish tasks.
Focus and Clarity of Purpose
A common theme in discussions of Winfrey’s success is the choices that she has made along the way. She had many opportunities to start companies, endorse products, and develop other entrepreneurial efforts. Business leaders are fascinated by both the projects Winfrey has chosen to undertake and the projects she has rejected.
For Winfrey, service to others has always been essential to her brand. Her talk show, magazines, and other media branches have all been designed to empower and uplift people. Because she understands her purpose as an entrepreneur and thought leader, she has been able to avoid obligations that would distract her from it.
Another tactic for improved productivity has been to focus on what she believes is important rather than what others tell her is urgent. Giving preference to actions that move her toward her goals has helped her develop a clear brand in a crowded self-help market.
Balancing Passion and Humility
In Winfrey’s understanding, productivity grows out of passion and purpose. Being productive over the long term is challenging if you do not understand why you are working on a task. However, when you find your work fulfilling, it becomes easier to achieve your goals. Winfrey decided early on that dedication to her vision of helping others would define her efforts.
She also believes that part of her success comes from knowing her strengths and admitting her weaknesses. On her talk show, even as competitors were finding success in a tabloid style of programming, she stayed in her lane of empathy, inspiration, and self-empowerment. Because positivity is her natural strength, she was able to take her message and create a diverse media presence.
Help to Increase Productivity
Productivity Intelligence Institute has found its purpose in helping entrepreneurs increase productivity in their organizations. We study and use the latest insights of neuroscience and industry thought leaders to help our clients with this critical task. If you are a business leader looking for strategies for increasing productivity and efficiency in your workplace, feel free to reach out to us.
