Productivity Hack from Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates

Envisioning the lifestyle and nighttime routine of the world’s two most notable billionaires-

Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, handling dinnerware definitely doesn’t click right away does it?

Surprisingly, both Gates and Bezos (with an average wealth of over $100 billion) swear by the habit of taking care of their families’ dirty dishes and glasses every night and they find this routine thoroughly enjoyable!

What Productivity Has to Do With Washing Dishes?

Research supports that washing dishes not only helps relieve stress but also allows one’s creativity to shine. Warmth of the water and smell of the soap help keep the brain stimulated.

Other research gives another perspective which is engaging in ‘mindless or boring’ tasks presents perfect opportunities for one’s brain to wander, be more imaginative and come up with unique ideas.

Ask yourself- when do the best ideas occur to you?

While you are seated at your work station thinking hard?

OR When you are taking a trip to the bathroom or showering for that matter?

It is so because when you are engaged in ‘less-thrilling’ tasks, your brain gets a chance to wander.

At the point in time, you are not judging ideas for their feasibility in fact you are simply exploring. Your mind feels free and voila!

You come up with out-of-the-box ideas which you may not have entertained otherwise.

Similarly, such tasks reinforce a humble idea that you are not above anybody and that you are doing something that everybody does too.

Not only does it add perspective but also keeps one’s ego in check.

Washing dishes for example acts as a small reminder that you are doing something for your family, despite your professional success you are contributing to the house and are making an effort to create a strong, loving family bond (this is great mood booster in itself!).

It is plausible how a mundane chore helps the likes of Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates to perform and lead better.

Similarly, embarking on this daily routine can help one feel inspired and promote engagement in creative problem solving apart from creating positive outcomes both professionally and personally.

So here is a piece of fruitful advice for you:

Next time if you see a pile of dirty dishes waiting for you in the kitchen sink, don’t groan or whine- spring into action and clean it up!

Realize and remember that this is a productivity tactic of the two richest men in the world so don’t have second thoughts about diving right in.

Making The BED

I wouldn’t be surprised if you find it difficult to link making your bed every morning to improved productivity- but a fact is a fact and it works!

Waking up and establishing a routine of straightening the creases of your bed sheet, folding your quilt and aligning the pillows and cushions sets you up for success because you begin your day by unlocking an achievement.

After waking up, as soon as you get down to making your bed- you condition your mind to get organized and start focus on getting productive.

Leaving your bed messy and unmade reflects absent-mindedness and a careless, lazy attitude.

After a day at work, once you return home nothing is more satisfying than the sight of a bed which is well-made, clean and crisp. It is comforting and helps ease tiredness by inducing a good night’s sleep.

Starting your morning right is the key to having a good day. Waking up and doing a task which calls for you to organize or clean up induces discipline, help builds a better routine and enables you to ignite an output-oriented mindset.

Inspire Your Children

In a study conducted by Braun Research on a poll of 1001 parents, just 28% said that they regularly assigned chores to their children even though 82% said that they grew up doing chores themselves.

Some parents may choose to spare their children the burden of what they endured when they managed demanding school work with house chores assigned to them.

However, without realizing they are doing more harm than good.

Involving children in household chores helps develop traits like responsibility, accountability and consistency- all of which are important for them to become capable adults.

What role do you play in Inspiring and Involving Your CHILDREN?

Start by practicing what you preach- as parents your kids should see you balance work-life with personal life.

Professionally you may be engaged and doing great but your behavior and habits at home should inspire your kids to pitch in, help out and yearn to contribute.

Bring your kids on board by seeking their opinions or ideas on how best to accomplish small tasks. Follow the rule of delegation and involve them with yourself in completing chores for example: asking your child to clear the dinner table and get you the dirty utensils while you do the washing. Promote working together for shared outcomes. Inculcate a strong belief system that we need to keep our home and surroundings clean and organized. Don’t pass orders, discuss and move forward. Involving your children in household work from an early age will set their mindset for traits like making an effort to achieve efficient outcomes, feel good about contributing and helping out, staying humble and building better relationships

What benefits does doing so REAP?

Develops problem solving skills in your kid. Helps them feel what taking responsibility feels like. Promotes the sense of accountability by the virtue of taking ownership for completing an assigned task. Enhances the quality of family time spent together. Builds a stronger bond because child relates to parents in a more conducive fashion- promoting thoughts of ‘being one unit together’ rather than individuals. Improves time management skills because the child is being taught to complete roles and responsibilities at home and at the same time, manage school-work as well. Allows the child to see the ‘household benefit’ by the effort that he/she invests to make a difference and complete the assigned task

Raise your children to cope and address the challenges of real-life and while you may be tempted to give them a pass on busy homework or exam nights, stick to the plan of keeping them engaged by delegating them housework.

Defy the Stereotypes

Based on HBR’s blog, when fathers take on stereotypically female roles at home for example child care and cooking- their daughters are raised with strong determination to balance work with family and have careers that are less gender-stereotyped.

Shaping a child’s mindset and behavior starts from home- both mother and father carry an equal responsibility for it.

Defy stereotypes like ‘being a female taking care of the child is on you’. Fathers have an equal and important role to play.

Seeing fathers get engaged in tasks like doing dishes, helping out in cooking and even changing diapers for that matter help inculcate a stronger value system and work-ethic in the kids.

It is reaffirmation that no task is below anybody and everybody needs to contribute to make the house system work. Children are then raised with a clear, focused mindset when they see both parents taking up tasks regardless of the gender or bias intervention.

On a concluding note, you are responsible for your children.

Regardless of how wealthy or professionally sound you are- you have a role to play at home.

Embark and pledge on completing smalls tasks daily as means to contribute to a stronger home unit and to inculcate the right values and behavior in your children.







