Have you ever thought to yourself that there aren’t enough hours in the day, or felt overwhelmed at the tasks facing you? If you have, this blog post was written with you in mind!
1. Clarify your goals and strategy
Be very clear about your aims and ambitions, both short and long term. Write them down. Once you know what you really want to achieve (and why) it’s easier to make decisions about what needs doing, and to plan accordingly.
2. Focus on your top priorities first
You’ll be more productive and profitable if you identify and focus on the areas most important to your business. Work on the fundamentals first. The Latin word ‘fundamentum’ means foundation – so take action, build strong foundations and the rest should follow.
3. Schedule time
Literally write an appointment in your work planner or calendar (you do have one of those, don’t you?) to set aside a realistic block of time for your priority actions. When you set yourself a timeline you become accountable, anxiety over not having enough time is reduced and the deadline keeps you focused.
4. Say no!
Consider Jim Rohn’s suggestion. “Learn how to say no. Don’t let your mouth overload your back.” Always check your schedule before committing to anything new. Don’t allow others to divert you from your objectives.
5. Create supportive systems
This includes systems for filing, management of information and communication. Anything you have to create more than once should be templated to make life easier and quicker for you.
6. Take a reality check
Will your current activity have a positive outcome, or are you doing it to avoid something else? Ask yourself – will doing this take me closer to my goal? Or further away? As Peter F Drucker observed “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”
7. Delegate!
It’s tempting to do something yourself when you think you can do it faster and better. But consider the long term – delegation now will save time in the future, and if done well can be really valuable to your family and your staff by boosting their confidence and helping them develop their skills.
8. Repeat your success
Remember the last time you went away on holiday, and how you got so much done in those few days before you left? What strategies and techniques did you employ that made you so effective and focused? Can you repeat them? What feels easy and creates the biggest return on investment for you? Do more of that. Alternatively, imagine you are going away tomorrow and work through today as if!
9. Balance your life
Make sure you formally schedule personal activities too, so you make time for family, friends, your health and fun because having a balanced life reduces stress and increases energy levels. Time management is really about life management! In fact, I’d urge you to schedule these first!
10. End the day
At the end of the working day, tidy your desk, make notes about what needs doing tomorrow and prioritise those tasks. You’ll worry less that evening and be prepared and focused the next morning.