7 Tips for Busy Entrepreneurs to Be More Productive
You’ve realized your dream and started your own small business. Congratulations! Now the hard part’s over, right? Unfortunately, busy entrepreneurs quickly learn that maintaining and supporting a new small business comes with a flurry of unexpected tasks. Some are critical; some are mundane. Here are some tips to help you stay on top of your to-do list and stay sane in the process!
Imagine the Perfect Day
First, look at your workload, and sketch out what an ideal day (in terms of productivity) would look like to you. Busy entrepreneurs will have daily benchmarks and deadlines, of course. So, the trick is to strike the right balance of items that need to be accomplished daily, and big-picture strategic plans.
Evaluate Daily Tasks (And Eliminate or Delegate Mindless Ones)
Speaking of daily tasks, take a good hard look at the ones on your plate. Do they all need to be done by the person at the top? Can you delegate some of them to other members of your staff? Or better yet, eliminate some of them entirely if they aren’t yielding results?
Prioritize
Once you’ve identified the tasks that need to be accomplished every day, prioritize them. The main factors to consider when ranking them are how time-sensitive they are, and how much revenue they will generate.
Designate Three Primary Daily Tasks
Take your priorities and look closely at which ones you can and must accomplish every day. If there are many, see if there is a way you can combine some and narrow them down to three primary daily tasks.
Use a Time Management Tool
Busy entrepreneurs have a wide choice of apps and programs that can help keep them organized, from calendars that will set alarms letting you know when it’s time to move on to the next task to intricate to-do lists. The important thing to keep in mind is that you need to choose one that lines up with the way you prefer to work.
Take Care of Yourself
Self-care is a big buzz word right now, with good reason. Being responsible for a business is stressful but working yourself to exhaustion won’t do anyone any good. Take time to relax, sleep, and enjoy hobbies. It may be hard, but it’s important.
Establish a Self-Accountability and Reward System
Finally, a good way to motivate yourself to get through unpleasant or mundane tasks is to “make a deal” with yourself. Get it done, play a round of a smartphone gang, or check social media, etc.
It’s a busy world with lots of distractions. Use these tips to stay productive!
