Have you ever looked down at your phone and realized it's 3 pm, and you don't have a clue what you've accomplished in your day?
Time management and productivity can be a constant challenge for any business owner. With a wide range of responsibilities to handle, it is not easy to prioritize tasks, stay focused, and make the most of your time. But you can take control of your time and be on your way to a more productive, stress-free life with a few supports in place.
Set clear goals and priorities.
You’ve heard a thousand times that setting clear, measurable goals is vital for your business. The real way you make that work is to break them down into parts over a smaller period. So, it’s not that you will make $1 million this year. It’s what you are working on each quarter/month/week in service of that goal. Write them down and put them in your line of sight. This will help you to focus on the most critical tasks and avoid getting bogged down in unimportant details.
Create a schedule to take control of your time.
Create a schedule that includes time for work, rest, self-care, and leisure activities. If you want to achieve peak performance, don’t worry about work norms when putting together your schedule. Instead, work in service of your energy. Do your important work at the time of the day when you are focused and clear.
Meetings are distracting. Assign a couple of days of the week for meetings. I used to hold certain days for my writing. Instead, I have now assigned it on my calendar at a specified time each day. Structure and specificity create peace which translates into productivity gains.
Learn to say no. We can often feel pressure to take on every opportunity that comes our way. Learn to say no to tasks or projects that do not align with your goals or do not bring value to your business. Use your true north statement as a guide for clients and projects.