Productivity is Priority.....
Most business owners constantly
face the challenge of having a balance between work and life. They want a
personal life while meeting the demands of executing their business plans,
staying current with the market, reducing costs, generating more revenue and
all the tasks of being the CEO. The truth is, all of this boils down to how
productive we are with the time we are given. There are many tools available to
manage our time effectively. We cannot manage time but we can manage our tasks
within the time we all have. Thinking this way allows us the freedom to choose
what is important. Ultimately, picking the tasks and taking action are both
important. So how do we make our twenty-four hour seven days a week time more
productive? We make the following a priority as CEO of our life and our
business:
This seems obvious and it is. The
question is: how big of a priority is it? As an entrepreneur this is your
biggest asset whether you are currently caring for it or not. Your health means
includes mind, body and spirit. All three are an essential part to the success
of your business. If you are ill in any one of these areas, your business
suffers. You need the physical energy to accomplish your tasks. You need the
mental stamina to make new connections and derive new ideas. You need a strong
spirit to keep you going when obstacles are met that hinder progress.
The reason many people go into
business is to meet a need in the market and make money. We all belong to a
family and a larger community of people we love. Our business should never take
precedence over the relationships we have. When our life or business becomes
challenging, it is these supportive relationships that allows us to keep going.
Schedule the quality time to maintain these relationships and to create new
ones.
Business owners work a lot,
especially in the beginning. The investment of time, money and energy all go
into making the business a reality. Take some of those essentials and invest it
in your workspace, you will thank yourself later. The long hours spent as a
business owner, especially in a startup, can be hindered by how comfortable you
are in your workspace. If you work from home, ensure that the workspace
minimizes distractions. This is best if you have an office in your home where
you can close the door. Also, consider putting up office hours to create
uninterrupted work time. Get the essentials you need to make your office yours.
There are several calendars and
time management systems on the market. The aim is to find a system that you
feel most comfortable with and that works best for you. Your Google calendar or
Microsoft Outlook calendar can do the trick. However, if you prefer a written
planner; use one. The Franklin Covey Planner is one such tool, keep searching
until you find your perfect fit.
The beauty of setting two to
three months goals is getting the gratification of accomplishment within a
shorter period of time. Then, it encourages you to keep moving forward. It is
great to have long-term goals; however businesses can face quick changes in the
industry. Thus, making shorter goals can keep you on track and abreast of any
changes in the business environment. Consider these short-term goals as mini
goals contributing to your yearly goal.
We all find ourselves swimming in
a sea of information from calls, texts, emails and social media. It is easy to
get carried away with them. We all need to stay current on industry changes,
but how much time is being wasted? If you find something, save it for later
review using resources like Feedly and Pocket. They are great one stop shops
for information you want.
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