Have you ever wondered why the Bill Gates and Warren Buffets of this world are so successful? What deep secrets could they possibly possess that the rest of us don’t? Well, closely study how they live their lives, and you’ll soon realize that they have particular habits that contribute to their success. The main thing that makes successful people different from everybody else is that they spend their valuable time very carefully. Therefore, the key to dramatically increasing your productivity is by learning how to use your time more effectively. Here are a few techniques:
As Lord Kelvin once said, “If you can not measure it, you can not improve it.” Therefore, keep a log of your daily activities, either by using an old-fashioned pen and paper, or some type of app. Once you see the things that occupy your time, you can identify and focus on those that provide the greatest returns for your business. Begin your log by writing down what time you get out of bed, when you get ready, when you leave the house, and when you begin work. Calculate and keep track of how much time you spend on specific activities such as reading & writing emails, eating lunch, watching funny cat videos on Youtube, making phone calls, taking breaks or personal time, going to meetings, working with clients, driving back home, etc.
FREE TIME-TRACKING TOOLS: Here are several popular time trackers to help you discover how much time you spend on various daily activities.
As the old saying goes, time is money. Knowing how much your time is actually worth can help you make better decisions as to whether you should perform a task or delegate/outsource it. For example, if your time is worth $250/hour, you are much better off paying somebody $40/hour to create and maintain your blog posts. You can invest the remaining $210/hour by spending your time on money-making activities.
FREE TIME-WORTH TOOL: Here’s an online calculator to help you determine how much you are actually worth.
Without a schedule, it will be very difficult to effectively manage your time. Create a schedule of when you will do different tasks, and categorize them into business-building, client-based, and personal activities. Be sure and write down EVERY task you can think of. For larger projects that seem unmanageable, divide them into smaller chunks so they are easier to accomplish and are less intimidating.
FREE DAILY SCHEDULERS: Check out these great task manager and to-do list apps.
In association with Step 3, try to group your tasks into similar activities. You’ll save a lot of time and mental energy by creating separate “chunks” of time for making phone calls, answering emails, invoicing, etc.
When you find that you have more to do than there are hours in a day, you need to prioritize your tasks. That way, you’ll make sure that you are tackling the most important items first.
PRIORITIZATION TIPS: Check out these great tips on how to prioritize your work.
Do you keep adding more and more items to your never-ending to-do list? If so, then you need to learn how to occasionally say “No.” Remember, for the most part, you are in control of your time. Before you say yes, ask yourself the following questions:
Time suckers are lurking all around you like vultures. If you’ve completed Step 1, then refer to that list. Review it in detail and identify the items that don’t add any benefit to your business success or personal/family well being. Common things for many people include email, social calls, telemarketers, and even watching funny cat videos on Youtube. If you don’t constantly need your email account in order to run your business, then only log in a couple times a day. When a family member calls, politely ask if you can call them back when you get home. And of course, unless you’re on break or at lunch, don’t waste time watching funny cat videos when you should be building up your business!
Do everything you can to keep from veering away from your plan. There’s an old saying that goes something like this: “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” It’s a smart rule to live by. Unless it’s a real emergency, or you are being paid a LOT to do it, you shouldn’t try to squeeze in a last-minute job today.
Interruptions are another type of time sucker because you have to continually stop what you’re doing, take care of the interruption, and then get back in focus to restart the task you were working on. You may not be able to control when an interruption will happen, but you can control how you will react to it. If it’s an emergency that only you can handle, then take care of it right then and there. If not, then add it to your to-do list (or delegate it to somebody else) and continue with your current task.
As the old saying goes, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” Clutter creates distractions, and we all know what distractions create. Here are a few ways to reduce clutter:
In summary, choose wisely how you spend your time, and it will reward you in more ways than you can imagine. When you become the master of your time, you can accomplish much more with less effort.
