How I 10x'd My Productivity (And Saved My Sanity)

Read time: 6 minutes

Hey, welcome back.

Last week, we dove into the workings of a toxic "family" work culture

​You can read that (and all past issues, here).

Today, I’ve got something to share with you.

Remember when we all thought hustle culture was the answer? Yeah, I bought into that nonsense hook, line, and sinker. And it nearly destroyed me.

Seven years ago:

I was pushing myself to the brink. I thought success was all about accumulating material things and financial glory. So I tore my body apart trying to get there.

The result? I ended up with severe depression, crippling anxiety, and a six-month battle with insomnia. Real glamorous, right?

But here's the thing

I wasn't even productive. I was just busy. And miserable. And sick.

That was my rock bottom. But it was also my wake-up call.

I knew something had to change. So I dove headfirst into researching mental health, nutrition, and productivity strategies. I became obsessed with finding a way to do more without destroying myself in the process.

And you know what? I cracked the code. I managed to 10x my productivity while actually working fewer hours. Sounds like a pipe dream, doesn't it? I thought so too, until I lived it.

Here are the 10 methods that changed the game for me:

Now, I'm not just spouting theory here. I've put these methods to the test in the trenches of entrepreneurship. I'm running Heights, a thriving brain health company. I've built Foundrs, one of the UK's top founder communities. I'm behind Secret Leaders, the UK's 2nd top-rated podcast with millions of downloads.

And you know what? I'm doing all this without the burnout, without the health scares, without sacrificing my personal life.

But here's the real kicker

I'm not just doing more. I'm doing what matters. And that's the key to true productivity.

Want to know how to implement these strategies in your own life? I've put together a detailed guide that breaks down each method and shows you how to tailor them to your specific needs.

Don't wait until you hit your breaking point like I did. Grab the guide now and start transforming your productivity today.

To your success (and sanity),

Dan

P.S. I recommend implementing at least one of these ten methods to tenfold your productivity. I've seen countless people fail to adopt these habits into their daily lives because they're trying hundreds of different time management methods at once. Remember, success starts with one action done consistently throughout time.

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SOS (Science of Success) Curated:

LinkedIn of the week: The 7 Types of Rest Nobody Talks About​

Podcast of the week: How to Start a personal brand in 2025​

My Tweet of the week: 15 Methods To Master Your Time​

The Neuroscience of Productivity

A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that taking short breaks during learning tasks can improve brain function and boost productivity.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health discovered that our brains use rest periods to strengthen memories and improve skill performance. They observed increased brain activity during these "mindless" breaks, indicating that our brains are actively processing information even when we think we're resting.

This research highlights the importance of incorporating strategic breaks into our work routines. It suggests that stepping away from a task briefly can actually enhance our ability to learn and perform, rather than hinder productivity.

The key takeaway? Don't feel guilty about taking short breaks throughout your workday. They're not just refreshing - they're scientifically proven to help your brain consolidate information and improve your overall productivity.

Meet the man behind CRAFTD, the Shopify hit that has made him $100 million. This is a man who has experienced it all on his entrepreneurial journey. From car boot sales, to buying out his bosses, creating the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo billboard and ending up in $300k worth of debt. He will be sharing with us everything he has learned along the way and the unique steps he has taken to build an E-commerce powerhouse in CRAFTD
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​Listen in to learn and develop your thinking...​

Until next week - smash your success,

Dan

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1-1 Coaching with Dan

In my goal to help more entrepreneurs/people who are looking to level up their careers, I've just started taking 1-1 consulting calls (only 1 a week)

Why book a call? Some of my expertise/success:

I've built 5 startups. 1 win, 1 fail, and 3 still going.

E Commerce: Heights — with revenue over $15M a year.

Community: Foundrs, one of the UK's top founder communities

Podcasting: Leaders Media - bootstrapped media company that makes the UK's top business podcasts, Secret Leaders, with over 50M downloads.

Health/Mental Health: Managed to overcome burnout, insomnia, depression & anxiety in pursuit of success as I talk about in my interview with Steven Bartlett on Diary of a CEO​

Angel Investing: I've invested in over 86 startups

Coached & Mentored: Certified coach & done lots of mentoring

Personal Brand: Have grown to 170k on LinkedIn and X (Twitter) in the past 12 months

So if you're interested in booking a session with me to talk all things business or building a personal brand, book for 30-minutes or 45-minutes. (limited spots).

Science of Success Vault

I'm building a vault of valuable tools, resources, and one sheets that I hope help you succeed.

These will be stored in the ever-growing 'Science of Success' vault — you can always access that here

Want to take your success (even more) seriously? 👇​
🧠 Fuel your brain and feed your gut, try Heights here (use code 'SOSDMS' for 15% off your first month of any subscription

🎧 Check out my podcast Secret Leaders here​

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