What would you do if you had a few hours to achieve more every day? I think most business owners can relate to the feeling that sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Let me help you hack the productivity game so you can maximize your business success.
5 Ways Business Owners Can Get More Done in a Day
1. Create a Prioritized Checklist to Simplify Your Workload.
Every morning (or the evening before, depending on how you prefer to work) create a list of must-dos for that day, items that you would like to accomplish that day, and long-term goals that you’d like to get started on, but are okay with moving to the following day. Then identify “the one thing” that you can work on that day will take your business to the next level, an idea made famous by Gary Keller. Make sure to leave some time for any fires that may need to be put out. Before you end each workday, be sure that the items on the must-do list are completed, along with “the one thing.”
The One Thing by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan, SHOP.COM, $21.72
2. Implement the Pareto Principle.
To activate the Pareto Principle from a business standpoint, make sure that you focus on 20% of your tasks to get 80% of your results. It will take some planning and fine-tuning since everyone’s business is different, but you can really make this principle work for you if you figure out what the noise is, dial back on it, and amplify what’s going to give you the most significant results.
3. Work in Time Blocks.
Turn off your phone, ignore social media, and tell your assistant to hold all of your calls. Then focus on cranking out as much work as possible in a set amount of time. I like to focus on one specific project for one pre-determined amount of time. Thirty minutes to an hour is usually a reasonable window of time to really focus and accomplish something. Make sure to take breaks in between the time blocks, and then get back to work. I love being “in the zone” and this trick makes getting a lot of stuff done such a breeze.
4. Become Open to Working Anywhere.
If you travel a lot, you may enjoy working from hotel business centers, coffee shops, or even your hotel room bed. Even if you don’t travel, to maximize your time, it’s important to see any time where you aren’t being interrupted as the potential time to catch up on business. Think about brainstorming in the shower, conducting a morning team meeting during breakfast, sending an email while walking to lunch, or taking a business call in an Uber. There are tons of opportunities throughout the day to sneak in a few extra minutes of productivity. Get creative and find what works best for you.
5. Determine Your Energy Rhythms and Work Accordingly.
Our energy levels go up and down throughout the day. Figure out when you have the most energy, and then plan to get most of your strategizing done during those hours. Leave emailing and scheduling for the lower-energy hours.
Now that you can hack your way to a more productive work day, what are you going to do with those extra hours? Tweet me @lorenridinger
