Jennifer Willey, founder and CEO of Wet Cement, global keynote speaker, and creator of the Fearless in Five series, is passionate about helping professionals unlock their fearlessness and avoid the barriers that hinder success. With deep expertise in media and tech, Jennifer brings actionable advice for overcoming burnout—a challenge that is more prevalent now than ever, especially among women.
Research has shown that many people feel overwhelmed by burnout, and Jennifer’s conversations with thousands of women reveal they want to spend less time on social media, their phones, and household chores. To help reclaim productivity and wellbeing, she shares five practical strategies.
Five Ways to Increase Productivity and Reduce Burnout
- Block Time for Productive Work:
Turn off notifications on Slack, social channels, and email, or put your phone in airplane mode. Creating distraction-free periods allows you to focus deeply and get more done. - Block Time for Unimportant Tasks:
Set finite sessions for non-essential activities—whether social media, watching TV, or chatting with friends. Using a timer helps ensure these tasks don’t take over your day while still fitting into your life. - Multitask Intelligently:
Combine low-focus activities: take calls while walking your dog, watch TV and work out, or listen to podcasts and audiobooks at the gym. Jennifer even gives the example of working on her laptop during a hair appointment to maximize usage of downtime. - Stop the Shopping:
Save hours by ordering groceries via Instacart, Shipt, or Amazon, or choose healthy recurring deliveries from services like Hungry Root or Thistle. Automating errands lets you focus on higher-value tasks. - Maximize Your Meetings:
Jennifer recommends her “gold standard” OR-O model for meetings:
O – Set clear objectives
R – Define roles and responsibilities
O – Establish desired outcomes
Streamline meetings by sticking to these essentials and cutting out the rest.
Unlocking the Gift of Time
By implementing these five techniques, professionals can create more space in their schedules, feel less burned out, and unlock greater productivity and satisfaction in daily life. Jennifer Willey’s practical approach offers a pathway to reclaiming energy and thriving at work and beyond.