One of the things I love about my clients is that they are all entrepreneurs. They are excited about their work and very passionate about their ideas. They love their businesses and many spend too much time working in them.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that many entrepreneurs don’t always feel like they are getting anything done … despite the long hours and their hard work. They feel as if they are not as efficient as they should be at accomplishing their work as well as never having enough time.
And that’s exhausting.
The antidote?
1. Get clear about what you’re trying to accomplish. I see clients every day who are heading in 15 directions all at once. They jump from one thing to the next and back without any clear destination, always chasing the next shiny object. This often happens without a plan and/or working way too many long hours.
The best way to become more clear about what you are wanting to accomplish is to take the time to make measurable goals that are easy to articulate. For example: “In 2022 I want to increase revenue by $30,000; I want 10 more monthly retainer clients; I want to delegate 10 hours of work per week to an assistant.” I find that writing down what I want to accomplish helps me study it more focused.
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.
I am a visual person so I find mapping this plan out on my calendar and keeping an ongoing list that is written keeps me better focused. Be deliberate about this. This is how you are going to waste less time and reach your goals.
3. Set up support systems. In order to know whether you are carrying out your plan, it’s important to track what you’re doing. Part of my plan to increase revenue this year is to attend at least one networking event a month, meet with one new person every week, publish my newsletter every other week and speak at six events. There is no way I could track my progress in my head, so I have an excel spreadsheet to track my success each week. I also have an accountability person to help me stay on track.
Am I flawless in my execution? No. Does it help to see what I’m actually doing so I can make mid-course corrections? Absolutely.
4. Don’t be afraid to say no. If you get a request that’s not aligned with your goal, it’s important to say no. If you have a bright idea that’s also not aligned with your goal (no matter how bright) it’s equally important to say no.
For example, one of my tactics for growing my revenue this year is public speaking, but with parameters; I have just one particular presentation that I offer. That’s the only one I’m willing to give this year. Spending a week coming up with a new presentation for each event is not an option. I would be wasting my time.
I find that when I do my planning and goal setting, it is best done in the quiet or away from my day-to-day activities. Be clear in your language and remove any ambiguity. Stick with it, even when you’re feeling short on time or energy. Be sure to add time to keep updating your systems.
I use the same system with our home life for meal planning and preparation, household chores and projects, and keeping the household running smoothly without wasting too much time. In the end, you’ll feel more focused, get more done and enjoy your business and/or home life a lot more than you thought you could.