If you struggle with productivity, here's what worked for me

I've always worked remotely, always in small teams. For years I struggled with the same things:

• staying productive

• staying consistent

• doing the right tasks instead of the ones I enjoy

• getting my habits back after travel or a messy month

I thought I was alone in this, so I kept hacking my way to solutions. Here's what has actually worked so far.

1. Be the CEO once a week, and the executor the rest of the time.
I block one slot in my calendar every week to plan the sprint: the objectives, and the tasks that get me there. That's the only time I make decisions. The rest of the week, I just execute.

2. Judge yourself on that week's list, not on how busy you felt.
Any task that wasn't on the list that week is procrastination, even if it feels productive. You can work hard every single day and still have an unproductive week if you didn't finish the right tasks.

3. Get accountable to other founders, not your team.
With employees it's easy to show work even when you weren't that productive, and full honesty doesn't always help the culture. Other founders are different. They call you out, they compete with you, and they tell you when you're overthinking it. A short daily call with them changed more for me than any tool.

4. Surround yourself with people at your pace or faster.
Watching peers speed up pushes you to your limit in a way no to-do app can.

Happy to answer questions. I'd also love to hear what's worked for you, or what would stop you from joining.
What works for you ?