Do you ever feel like you will never get caught up with those day to day business tasks? Seriously, does the to-do list EVER END? Will I ever wake up and say, “I’m finally caught up with everything!” Most likely not in this day and age of entrepreneurship. Technology is forever evolving, the ideas keep coming, and the implementation period is ongoing. So if you’re not willing to take action, who will? Especially if you’re a solo entrepreneur like me.
Well, here’s the deal! I’m one of the biggest procrastinators you’ll ever met. #truestory
With so many great projects planned for this space it’s time to make a change. Basically it’s time to get my shit together.
Today I’m sharing a list of tips to help you and myself stay active with our business responsibilities.
We can do this together! Are you in?
Here’s my top 5 tips on how to stay productive. Take notes and get your phone out because there’s a couple of apps you’ll want to check out.
- Prioritize your tasks. Check for deadlines first and move those items up to the top. Once the closest deadline is at the top examine what you have left. Decide what’s more important and will be the most beneficial to your business? Move those items accordingly. Continue until you’re satisfied with what’s in front of you. Now what? Have you heard of Asana? It’s AWESOME and it’ll help you keep track of your work. Download the app and plug in your projects.
- Set a goal of completing 3 tasks per day. Obviously this number depends on your schedule and the size of the goal, but three is a good number for me. I’m a PC user so Google Calendar is helpful with remembering my 3 tasks for the day. I usually sit down once a week and look at what I want to accomplish. Fill in your calendar for what works for you.
- Organize your work space. And your passwords. LastPass is AWESOME and it’s a huge time saver, check it out here. Back to your work space. If the creative chaos of papers everywhere works for you then roll with it. I’m one to have everything in it’s place even if it means having several tabs opens at once and twenty sheets of paper in front of me. I know where everything is and where it all goes when I shut down for the night. Prep your area to what best suits you.
- Schedule in breaks. For me it’s a nap. You’d be surprised what a 20 minute catnap can do for you. Stay hydrated and have a healthy snack handy.
- Set a timer. This works wonders for me. Most smartphones come with this capability. Or if you like the old fashioned egg timers, go for it. There’s something about the ticking noise that keeps me on track. When I sit down to work on something I start the timer for let’s say 20 minutes. If I’m not finished at the end I add another 15. It’s not that I have to finish in that allotted time, it simply helps me stay focused.
Bonus tip: Stop using the word to-do lists and use goals instead. Overall the word goal just sounds better. Can we agree on that? Waking up knowing what goals you’re going to conquer for the day will add a little pep in your step.
Any additional tips to add? Leave a comment below.
Do you know another entrepreneur who would find this post beneficial? Feel free to share it with them. Be sure to pin it so you can reference back to it later if you feel like you’re falling off track.
Stay focused and go crush those goals!
Until the next word…
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