One of the things I have in common with my clients is that we are all entrepreneurs. I love that they’re excited about their work and they’re passionate about their ideas. Sometimes they love their businesses as if it were one of their children. And they spend a lot of time working.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that many entrepreneurs don’t always feel like they’re getting anything done … despite the long hours and hard work. They’re pretty sure they’re not being productive and often feel like there’s never enough time. The busyness of business feels like busywork.
That’s so tiring. And I know just how they feel.
The cure? Here are four areas to help you be and feel more efficient.
1. Get clear about what you’re trying to achieve. I see clients every day who are heading in several directions all at once. They jump from one thing to the next and back without any clear destination, always chasing the next shiny object. And completing nothing.
The best way to get clear is to take time to make quantifiable goals that are easy to express. For example: “In 2020 I want to increase revenue by $30,000;” “I want 5 more monthly retainer clients;” “I want to delegate 10 hours of work per week to an assistant.” (<—that’s me, by the way! 😉)
2. Make a plan that supports your goal. If your goal is to increase revenue by $30,000, identify five or six activities to support that objective. This might include raising prices, additional public speaking, attending more networking events, writing a newsletter, publishing on LinkedIn, etc.
Be deliberate about this. This is how you are going to spend your time.
3. Set up support systems. In order to know whether you’re carrying out your plan, it’s important to track what you’re doing. Part of my plan to increase revenue this year is to meet with one new person every week, publish my newsletter at least once a month, look for events to speak at, reach out to friends and acquaintances, and track my past income and expenses to know where the income/outgo is and adjust. There’s no way I could track my progress in my head, so I have an excel spreadsheet to track my successes.
Am I flawless in my execution? Nope. Does it help to see what I’m actually doing so I can make corrections? Yes indeed.
4. Don’t be afraid to say no. If you get a request that’s not aligned with your goal and soul, it’s important to say no. If you have a bright idea that’s also not aligned with your goal and soul, it’s equally important to say no.
For example, one of my strategies for growing my revenue this year was to seek out events to speak at before we all went into quarantine. While public speaking aligns with my goal, at this point in time it does not align with my soul given the pandemic. So I’ll keep that on my spreadsheet and develop a talk for the future so if I do get a request to speak at an event (live or virtual) I’ll be ready. I just can’t do it now. I will also just have one talk I will give when that time comes, and not prepare a new one each time. That’s where the line gets drawn and it’s a “no”.
Do your goal setting and planning in quiet. Also, do it separately from your day-to-day activities. A day or time of day that you set aside just for setting and planning out goals. Be sure to be concise in writing out your goals and leave no room for uncertainty. Stick with it, even when you’re feeling short on time or desire. And continually update your systems. Before you know it, goals are being met!
You’ll end up feeling focused, you’ll get more done, and you’ll enjoy your business more than you ever thought you could.