You have the time to work on your business, you just need to use it better. Implement these 5 top productivity tips to finally get stuff done.
It’s not enough to dream of success. It’s not even enough to set goals.
The only way to truly achieve your dreams and build the business you’re meant to build is to sit down and just do it. You have to take action!
And that’s where many of us “fail.” Fail is a strong word, but that’s the reality of it. If you don’t take action, you’ll never achieve your goals.
And yet, it’s the whole “taking action” part that usually trips most of us up.
- We overbook our calendars until today’s to-dos become next week’s past dues.
- We procrastinate on the things that are most important while attending to things that are merely “nice to do.” (I’m super guilty of this one.)
- And sometimes we simply take on too much—even when we know better.
And then what do we say? That we “don’t have time” to grow our businesses, to find new clients, or to write new blog posts.
The truth is, you do have the time. You have the same amount of time that other successful people have.
The problem is that you’re bad at managing that time. You waste time in ways that you don’t even realize yet.
So what do you do? Embrace these five time management hacks that even top coaches use to get more done in less time.
Time Management Tip #1 – Create Rituals and Habits
Simply put, a ritual or habit is a consistent way of doing something.
You may have:
- a morning ritual—wake up, brush your teeth, work out, shower, and head to your office);
- an evening ritual—check homework, tuck the kids in, watch the evening news, and hit the sack;
- a weekend ritual—sleep late, mow the lawn, catch a movie, visit your mom;
or many others for different types of situations.
However, if you’re not careful with your rituals, they can turn into productivity killers. Is checking Facebook or email a part of your morning ritual? Is turning on Slack a part of your at-work ritual? Distractions such as these can turn even your best intentions into hours of wasted time.
Take a good look at your rituals. What are you doing that you shouldn’t be or that should be moved to another part of your day? Make your rituals more efficient and you’ll automatically get more done.
Time Management Tip #2 – Calendar Management
Want to know how much time you really have available for that new project? Try blocking off time in your calendar for all your existing projects.
Fill in all your client calls, your business administrative tasks, time for meals and breaks, outside appointments, and everything else you’re committed to.
The time that’s left might just shock you.
Make it a habit to block time in your calendar for every commitment, and you’ll never again over-promise or over-commit.
Time Management Tip #3 – Learn to Let Go
This just in: you do not have to do everything in your business. You can (and should) hand off those low-level tasks to someone else.
- Hire a VA to create your documents and manage your calendar.
- Let your tech support person manage your blog and email.
- Turn over your bookkeeping to an accountant.
The time you free up will allow you to work on what’s truly important—and that only you can do.
Time Management Tip #4 – Work Hard, Play Harder
You are not a machine.
You can’t work all day every day and hope to be at your best all the time. Take a day off! You need it.
Get some rest, or relax on a long, slow hike. Take a friend out to lunch. Go shopping with your kids. See a movie or a play. Do something—anything—other than work.
Not only will you return to your home office feeling much more refreshed, but you’ll find yourself more creative and productive than before as well.
Feeling stuck? Take a break. You know the saying: fresh eyes help, and all.
Time Management Tip #5 – Build Your Focus
True multi-tasking is impossible. You cannot efficiently create a new product while you’re simultaneously surfing Facebook, keeping an eye on the kids, and answering the phone every time it rings.
Instead, use your calendar to block time off for important tasks, then turn everything else off so you can focus.
Let people know that you have set work hours, even if you are at home. The benefit of working at home is that you get to set when those hours are and that you’re available for emergencies.
Other than that, no phone, no Facebook, no kids or husbands or neighbors or pets demanding “just a minute” of your time. Tune everything out, and you’ll find your work getting done much faster, which in turn means more time to actually focus on those things and people that you love.
Managing your time and turning up your productivity isn’t something that comes naturally to most people but you can always get more practice. When you learn to master this skill, you’ll find your business grows right along with you.